My opinion of Wang-katana2011 JP02 katana
May 20, 2013 12:02:56 GMT
Post by Robert in California on May 20, 2013 12:02:56 GMT
REVIEW OF 1095 STEEL, CLAY-TEMPERED WANG-KATANA2011 CHINESE-MADE KATANA model JP02:
I bought (May2013) the following on Ebay from Wang-katana2011 that was listed as:
“Fullhand Iron Tsuba Clay Tempered 1095 Carbon Japanese Samurai Katana Sword JP02”
The price was $151 (discounted from $171) and the shipping from Longquan, Zhejiang, China to me in California, USA was free to me the buyer.
I found this sword via the Ebay search function of “katana and 1095 and hamon”.
I already have an unsigned (mumei) shinshinto katana and an unsigned koto wakazashi from my kenjutsu days. Both the shinshinto katana and the koto wakazashi are good blades with functional furniture.
So, since I already had genuine, antique Japanese swords, why did I buy a Chinese-made copy of a Japanese katana?
Well, my resumed interest in kenjutsu and also the realization that, God-forbid, should I have to protect my family from intruder(s) with a sword, the police would most likely take the sword. Even if I eventually got it back, as court evidence, it would probably come back to me at the least, rusted. Better they take a functional copy than my antique, real Japanese sword. And for sword practice, better this affordable sword than risk damage to my antiques.
So, what did $151 and free shipping buy me?
The scabbard (saya) was wood painted satin black with a mildly pebbled surface. Simple, basic but understatedly classic due to the precise fit and finish. The form-fitting styrafoam shipping container arrived about two weeks after purchase and was in undamaged condition and the enclosed sword and disassembled black-painted sword stand arrived in perfect condition. The sword handle (tsuka) was plastic shrink wrapped, as well as the oiled blade inside the saya. Sword and saya came inside a simple, two-layer cloth sword bag.
The sword’s hamon was slightly different than in the Ebay listing pictures. But the other specifications of this 28.3” blade (with habaki) and 10.4” tsuka katana were as listed. It seems that “JP02” is how Wang-katana2011 lists this model. Of which they make multiple of. And the clay-tempered hamon will vary a bit from individual to individual sword of the JP02 version.
I read up on the 1045, 1060, 1080 and 1095 sword steel series and decided I wanted the non-laminated 1095 steel with the differentially/clay tempered edge since IMO a Japanese sword without a real hamon is like a soldier without his pants…..functional but incomplete.
Certainly the WWII-era handmade Japanese guntos (approx. 1940’s handmade officer swords in military furniture) that passed thorough my hands over the years had real hamon (and hada/layered/folded steel).
This JP02 Wang-katana katana has basic, utilitarian furniture, as one would expect for the price, but the quality of the power hammer-forged blade shines.
The scabbard/saya mouth (koguichi) has no ornamental metal collar, but does have a non-metal collar, visible at the saya mouth. The scabbard tip/kojiri has no ornamental metal protective cover (sayajiri) but could well have a non-metal strengthening collar hidden by the pebblely black paint as it is at the koguichi. There is no saya ring mid-way down (semegane). In summary, a nicely painted, simple, precision made and precision fit, wood saya.
In summary, the JP02 Wang-katana2011 katana is a non-frills (except for the habaki/blade collar which is handsome) Chinese-made katana of good material and precision fit and finish due to quality workmanship.
After WWII, Japanese items used to be cheap junk but over the years, Japanese quality became very high. The same is happening with China. Early Chinese products were of low quality. But now? USA-quality products are now made in China. This Wang-katana2011 sword could well have been made in Japan or the USA. Good steel. Consistent, well done clay tempering that has created the desirable hard blade edge and softer, less breakable back and eye-pleasing hamon.
Quality blade forging/shaping and finishing has created a blade that has lines as good as my antique Japanese blades in having smooth, consistent curves and lines due to quality workmanship. And of course no bends or ripples in the blade.
While the furniture is basic and with little decoration, for a sword student, the furniture is solid, well-fitted, tight and pleasing. This sword goes well with the plain gi and hakama of a sword student whose priority is substance but not flash.
This is a good sword.
Do I have a “wish list” for available options for the Wang-katana2011 line of swords such as JP02? Well, there are options. Choices of tsuba, etc. But there is one more option I would like to see. And that is, choice of tsukas with not just samegawa/ray skin side panels as the JP02 katana comes with, but also a JP02 (and other models) tsuka with full wrap samegawa. A tsuka completely wrapped with samegawa would offer both added strength and also a fatter tsuka more suitable for larger hands. A full wrap tsuka would of course cost a little more than a tsuka with samegawa panels. But if reasonably priced, I think many sword students would opt for it.
I would.
Robert Hamilton, California, USA
May 2013
I bought (May2013) the following on Ebay from Wang-katana2011 that was listed as:
“Fullhand Iron Tsuba Clay Tempered 1095 Carbon Japanese Samurai Katana Sword JP02”
The price was $151 (discounted from $171) and the shipping from Longquan, Zhejiang, China to me in California, USA was free to me the buyer.
I found this sword via the Ebay search function of “katana and 1095 and hamon”.
I already have an unsigned (mumei) shinshinto katana and an unsigned koto wakazashi from my kenjutsu days. Both the shinshinto katana and the koto wakazashi are good blades with functional furniture.
So, since I already had genuine, antique Japanese swords, why did I buy a Chinese-made copy of a Japanese katana?
Well, my resumed interest in kenjutsu and also the realization that, God-forbid, should I have to protect my family from intruder(s) with a sword, the police would most likely take the sword. Even if I eventually got it back, as court evidence, it would probably come back to me at the least, rusted. Better they take a functional copy than my antique, real Japanese sword. And for sword practice, better this affordable sword than risk damage to my antiques.
So, what did $151 and free shipping buy me?
The scabbard (saya) was wood painted satin black with a mildly pebbled surface. Simple, basic but understatedly classic due to the precise fit and finish. The form-fitting styrafoam shipping container arrived about two weeks after purchase and was in undamaged condition and the enclosed sword and disassembled black-painted sword stand arrived in perfect condition. The sword handle (tsuka) was plastic shrink wrapped, as well as the oiled blade inside the saya. Sword and saya came inside a simple, two-layer cloth sword bag.
The sword’s hamon was slightly different than in the Ebay listing pictures. But the other specifications of this 28.3” blade (with habaki) and 10.4” tsuka katana were as listed. It seems that “JP02” is how Wang-katana2011 lists this model. Of which they make multiple of. And the clay-tempered hamon will vary a bit from individual to individual sword of the JP02 version.
I read up on the 1045, 1060, 1080 and 1095 sword steel series and decided I wanted the non-laminated 1095 steel with the differentially/clay tempered edge since IMO a Japanese sword without a real hamon is like a soldier without his pants…..functional but incomplete.
Certainly the WWII-era handmade Japanese guntos (approx. 1940’s handmade officer swords in military furniture) that passed thorough my hands over the years had real hamon (and hada/layered/folded steel).
This JP02 Wang-katana katana has basic, utilitarian furniture, as one would expect for the price, but the quality of the power hammer-forged blade shines.
The scabbard/saya mouth (koguichi) has no ornamental metal collar, but does have a non-metal collar, visible at the saya mouth. The scabbard tip/kojiri has no ornamental metal protective cover (sayajiri) but could well have a non-metal strengthening collar hidden by the pebblely black paint as it is at the koguichi. There is no saya ring mid-way down (semegane). In summary, a nicely painted, simple, precision made and precision fit, wood saya.
In summary, the JP02 Wang-katana2011 katana is a non-frills (except for the habaki/blade collar which is handsome) Chinese-made katana of good material and precision fit and finish due to quality workmanship.
After WWII, Japanese items used to be cheap junk but over the years, Japanese quality became very high. The same is happening with China. Early Chinese products were of low quality. But now? USA-quality products are now made in China. This Wang-katana2011 sword could well have been made in Japan or the USA. Good steel. Consistent, well done clay tempering that has created the desirable hard blade edge and softer, less breakable back and eye-pleasing hamon.
Quality blade forging/shaping and finishing has created a blade that has lines as good as my antique Japanese blades in having smooth, consistent curves and lines due to quality workmanship. And of course no bends or ripples in the blade.
While the furniture is basic and with little decoration, for a sword student, the furniture is solid, well-fitted, tight and pleasing. This sword goes well with the plain gi and hakama of a sword student whose priority is substance but not flash.
This is a good sword.
Do I have a “wish list” for available options for the Wang-katana2011 line of swords such as JP02? Well, there are options. Choices of tsuba, etc. But there is one more option I would like to see. And that is, choice of tsukas with not just samegawa/ray skin side panels as the JP02 katana comes with, but also a JP02 (and other models) tsuka with full wrap samegawa. A tsuka completely wrapped with samegawa would offer both added strength and also a fatter tsuka more suitable for larger hands. A full wrap tsuka would of course cost a little more than a tsuka with samegawa panels. But if reasonably priced, I think many sword students would opt for it.
I would.
Robert Hamilton, California, USA
May 2013