Hanwei Bamboo Mat Katana (Pic Heavy)

The Pommel/Fuchi-Kashira

The Fuchi Kashira match the blade tsuba very well. They have the same matted theme to them. They are unique in their own right without being overstated. Simple elegance would be my best description. Also just like the tsuba they have held up very well for the repeated use they have seen.

The Scabbard/Saya

The saya is well fitted and did not require any tinkering when I received it. I would say it is a bit thick and I would not mind having something that was a little more form fitted. Don’t get me wrong it fits well into my large sausage like fingers but it I think it could be a bit smaller.





Handling Characteristics

I am 6’2” at 240lbs, so the heft of the blade does not feel too bad. Many of my friends some even larger than me said the blade was too tip heavy but I thought it was just right. As I mentioned before the blade feels just the right about of tip heavy. I feel like it is lively enough that it moves easily without trying to jump out of my hands.
I would not say the blade is quick but it moves easier than the XL blades I have owned from Hanwei or the SGC I have had from Cheness. Also at almost 3lbs it is not light. I feel the weight but it does not detract from manipulating the blade and I find it is very easy to control.

Test Cutting

I have done a lot of cutting with the blade but I only have a few photos to share. I will try to add more at a later date.

First a simple game of bottle caps. I was able to clip the cap without too much trouble.




Single beach mat



News paper with oak core (this rolled down a hill a bit)




The blade cuts without effort. For the amount of cutting that I have done it is amazing how well the blade has held up. It is still sharp and has minimal scratches.

Conclusions

This sword is one of the few that I would have trouble parting with. I actually try to buy a spare when they come up for sale in the classifieds. It is my favorite blade from Hanwei and in my personal running for best production katana. I like the balance, geometry, cutting ability, resilience, fittings, and overall craftsmanship. If I had to make a recommendation for improvement it would be to slim the saya down and make the lines a little crisper. I think that argument could be made with almost any Hanwei katana and this one is no exception.

I would encourage anyone who likes their katana to have a little heft and a slight tip heavy balance to pick this one up. It will quickly become a favorite. I mentioned earlier that I have owned several katana in the last few years. If you know me, you know I love to trade and haggle. Very few blades make it onto my “do not sell list” and this is one of them. I have had offers to buy it and I have been quite loath to part with it. That is probably the finest complement I can give this katana.

Pros

Good edge retention and durability
Great scratch resistance
Good fittings and pleasant theme
Well balanced for users that prefer mild tip heft
Great cutting ability
Attractive and unique hamon
Great samegaway[/list:u]

Cons


Fat saya
Little on the expensive side
Subtle hamon (could use more pop)
Bit on the heavy side[/list:u]

The Bottom Line

I am happy I bought the blade and I would buy it again. If you have one for sale, then send me a PM. I am always looking for a spare. I like the blade so much I want to have a backup around so I never have to be without one.

(edit 9/8/14) - made a little youtube video for fun -

That is a bit odd. I grabbed a photo of the sword in a different light. You can see it does not exactly stand out even though there is a lot of natural light in the room.



If they have improved the "popieness" of the hamon than one of my complaints can be checked off.

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If they have improved the "popieness" of the hamon than one of my complaints can be checked off.[/quote]
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Indeed, the hamon on your blade is nearly invisible.

I've done a picture of my Bamboo Mat a few minutes ago. My photographic equipment is very low end and my photographic skills are even lower. There is only little natural light in the room:

I know, it's a mess around the blade, but I'm still moving to another town and so everything here is kind of chaotic.

Nice review. I really like the bamboo theme on this blade. Wow the hamon on your blade is really active! It's kinda cool, like some sort of sonograph reading I guess it's totally natural? My golden oriole has a bright hamon, obviously acid etched. Guess yours is unaltered.

It's good to see that your blade doesn't scratch easily.

Thanks for the karma bump Shoboshi and Jussi! This was my first go around at a review. Anything you think I missed?

I ended up picking up a second Bamboo Mat katana and they look a little funny next to each-other. I know there is some slight variation from blade to blade but it seems like there is a large disparity here.

The top blade is the one that I covered the the review and the one on the bottom is the one I just picked up. The one I just picked up is second hand so I can not tell you how old it actually is.



The one I just picked up is more balanced than the one I had. It is much more lively in the hands but I prefer the tip heavy feeling of the one I had... I thought it would match better than it did. Maybe I'll try my luck with a third Bamboo Mat.

That is neat to see 3 of the same blade over different runs. How long is the handle on bm 2 and 3?

I was inspired by a karma bump to post a few more photos of these three side by side.

My preferred blade is the one on top.





I press tsuba against the rack on each of the blades. You can see some subtle differences between the blades. The sum of the differences add up to a different balance. The first Bamboo Mat I got was "the one" for me and I wanted a copy of "the one" but I guess I will have to keep trying.