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Post by Hawk on May 6, 2013 18:27:38 GMT
Hey Guys,
I am looking to buy my first katana and needed some suggestions advice etc.
I would really like to have a real deal but it seems that to get anything close to the real deal as far as Japanese made with proper old world tech is $3K+ haha.
So its looking like I will go chinese. To call me a noob would be an understatement haah. I have alot of knives I have collected over the years but this will be my first foray into swords.
I guess I really would want a real hamon and something that is close to being historically accurate to a katana. I guess I have a few questions about that?
1. Were these swords all built to crazy specs back in the day? I mean some of the specials on History channel etc act like they were built like tanks in such a way you could never outfit an army with them lol. 2. What is standard size? 3. Were the old world blades polished on both faces? IE where the hamon is on tip and on back? 4. Would Bo-Hi cuts been found in older world blades? I like the look of them just wonder if that was accurate to old swords. 5. Were old katans folded like damascus steel or were they polished and mirror like?
I have been looking @ the $500-1000$ range. I may swing it once in awhile IDK I have a feeling I want some training before I end up in hospital lol. Or may just get a beater to swing lol.
I was looking at the SBG 3.0 and a few others. I just really would like a quality piece that looks great and handles great. My friends 50$ asian store specials have scared me from the cheaper side of things haha.
I think I have read everyword on SBG about 3 times haha. Maybe I should start with something like the Musashi Bamboo Katana before I go crazy? I cant seem to find any in stock anywhere.
Any help or guidance would be great!
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Taran
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Posts: 2,621
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Post by Taran on May 7, 2013 0:50:09 GMT
In that price-range, you can have virtually anything you want but a Japanese Nihonto. And even some of those might be just in range. I'll start from the bottom of your list of questions: 5) Japanese swords were folded due to the poor quality of iron ore available in Japan. It Had to be worked that way to produce a good final product. Damascus steel is another thing altogether and most of what people currently call "Damascus" is really pattern-welding, yet another method of swordsmithing. I could list a half-dozen others just off-hand if you were interested, but other member could give you more info on all of them. 4) Yes. Some swords would have had Bo-Hi. Some not. 3) The Hamon follows the edge. It is the wavy line that shows differential hardening. The clay is applied to the spine of the blade to keep it softer and tougher while the edge gets no clay to make it harder, which also makes it more brittle. A high polish was actually uncommon on any region's swords in history. As soon as the sword gets used once for anything, the polish is gone. And when you're talking about Wootz, or Damascus, or Folded steels, showing the pattern was important so you knew you had a well-made sword. 2) The standard size is the size you use. Every person used his own size. Swords were rarely mass-produced. 1) Swords then as now varied in construction and quality. But, no. A katana can't and couldn't cut a car in half. For a Lot more info on Japanese swords... home.earthlink.net/~steinrl/nihonto.htmOr just ask the katana experts around here...
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Post by stickem on May 7, 2013 1:38:23 GMT
I 2nd Taran's suggestion of Rich Stein's site. It is a great place to learn a lot more stuff than you probably want to know AJ's thread is full of many practical considerations and qualifies as mandatory reading if you haven't read it already: /thread/25537Also browse through KoA's inventory to get an idea of what different models and manufacturers look like: kultofathena.com/swords-katana.asp
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Post by aussie-rabbit on May 7, 2013 10:15:58 GMT
For the $300 to $500 you can get a nice sword from several of the traders on here, check out some of the blades if you want a good back yard cutter for just one trader.
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Post by Hawk on May 7, 2013 14:52:05 GMT
Thanks for that site! I read it for like 3 hours last night so much good info!
If I just bought a cheapie first I was looking at the Mushashi Bamboo its out of stock everywhere do they even make it anymore?
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Post by johnwalter on May 7, 2013 16:23:14 GMT
Really important tip-believe about half of what you see on the History channel,H2,Discovery,etc.
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Post by Timberwolf on May 8, 2013 5:27:57 GMT
Hawk, If you might buy a Musashi, check out www.trueswords.com/musashi-sx.html, as well. They seem to be a recommended dealer for that brand. The trick to finding the Musashi you want is to keep a close eye on the stock. Those things sell VERY quickly. I'm not sure about the Bamboo, but the Wind Dragon can still be found here and there at KoA, SamuraiSupply, SwordsOfThe East, SwordNArmory, and JapaneseSwords4Samurai. The WD was rated highly by people as a great "El Cheapo". For $80-$90 with a stand, from most of those places, you really can't go wrong! I was going to buy one and hack it down as a KoKat iaito, but they have the $40 stuff for that. Since it's 'sposed ta be such a nice sub-$100 sword, I couldn't see doing that. - TW Hey! I just looked, and KoA has the WD for $78, w/stand.
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Taran
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Posts: 2,621
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Post by Taran on May 8, 2013 15:06:29 GMT
For your price-range, you can get a heavily customized, extremely well-made DH blade from Sinoswords. Their fittings aren't bad, either, but Sinoswords does their blades by hand. www.sinosword.com
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Post by Hawk on May 8, 2013 15:44:43 GMT
Ya thanks guys! I am also looking at one of the SBG Swords aswell. Kinda like the options etc.
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Post by Mack59 on May 9, 2013 17:25:49 GMT
I recently purchased my first Katana - mostly own Guns - and some knives - but know little about swords. I started looking around the net and finally found a company that seemed to carry a wide variety of semi-custom katanas - Ryan Sword. I was inclined to give them a try but decided to do more reading and research instead - which I am glad I did.
I found this site and some others and googled a lot of reviews and youtube videos and bought a book on Japanese Swords. I am far from being educated about swords, heck I have owned, customized, reloaded, and have my own range for firearms and I still have so much to learn about them after 25 years.
But I had the itch and after looking at so many swords I could not not buy one. I pulled the trigger on a Bamboo Mat Katana from Hanwei and purchased it from Swordsoftheeast as they had the best price.
I am now waiting for it to arrive, (they said it will ship tomorrow), so of course I am now doing all sorts of second guessing of my decision. I tell myself - that the Hanwei Bamboo Mat is a good live blade, that Sword of the East is a reputable if not perfect company, that it is a good first sword. But then what do I know.
I was going to post here before I bought it, but before my board membership was approved it got to itching too bad. Anyway, glad to be a new person to this forum and hope to be educated over time.
I bought the Bamboo Mat because it is reputed to be of generally good quality, has good steel, has a nice Hamon, and is aesthetically pleasing to my uneducated eye. Anyway hope I didn't screw up.
But then relating this to firearms - most reputable firearm manufacturers make good products and there is no "best gun" it is mostly subjective once you get past the basics of reliable function.
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Post by SlayerofDarkness on May 9, 2013 17:42:54 GMT
The Bamboo Mat is a FANTASTIC first sword, Mack. Heck, I've owned over 30 functional blades over the past few years and it's still very high on my wish list. I envy you. Please do post your thoughts when it arrives. Btw, both to Hawk and Mack- Welcome to SBG! Glad to have both of you here. -Slayer
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Post by Hawk on May 9, 2013 22:52:32 GMT
Ya I have looked at CasHanwei aswell. Lots of choices out there it seems.
I actually just picked up a Tactical Katana from them and the Wak. I cant wait to get them. I think I will hold of on the big money sword until I see how I like some cheaper beaters haha. Would hate to mess up my nice sword with a poor cut etc.
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Post by stickem on May 9, 2013 23:39:02 GMT
You definitely did not screw up. Hanwei is as reputable a company as there is in swords. The Bamboo Mat is made of that Hanwei proprietary steel stuff and has really nice fittings as well. I don't own one, but wish I did. You could have done MUCH worse on your first purchase; I know I did :lol: Congrats! And please know that now you are obligated to post pics and your review of your thoughts once you receive it so we can all live vicariously through your purchase...
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Post by frankthebunny on May 10, 2013 1:56:38 GMT
I've worked on a few Bamboo Mat katana and owned one myself, it's a well made sword indeed. Other than the bulky tsuka, I also didn't love the balance but I have to say that the fittings were very impressive and the blade/hamon is beautiful. As far as first swords go, it's hard to beat this one (or second, third or fourth sword as well!)
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Post by Mack59 on May 10, 2013 6:11:51 GMT
I appreciate the feedback guys. I will try to post pictures when I can and if I figure out how to post pictures. Right now I am looking into building a sword stand that I want to customize for it. Who knew black lacquer was such a time consuming process.
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