$140 stainless Shintogo swords iaito
Jul 4, 2013 21:37:54 GMT
Post by Ulvbane on Jul 4, 2013 21:37:54 GMT
It is this one.
This is my first review. I do not yet feel experienced enough to express any valid professional views to this will primarily be hard facts.
A little bit about me, to set the scene for this review. Many years ago when I was just a little toddler dad had a bunch of swords on the wall in his den. Military sabers, blades for sports fencing, and a huge home made “bastard” sword. When I got a little older me and my pals sometimes played with them. In my teens I practiced kendo and iaido for some years and later I had ten quite active medieval reenactment years. Then I became an adult for real and just worked for ten years. Now I have been back to iaido for some time. So, though I have never (until now) had a deeper interest in swords they have kind of been around for most of my 43 years. In other words, I do not call myself an expert in any way, I believe that I have some basic understanding and feeling for what a sword is all about.
Currently I own four katanas:
• This one, which was the first one I got.
• A cursed shinken from Cheness, that has only brought me trouble.
• A custom made from ZhiSword that I just got.
• An older one from Tozando that I just bought second hand.
The review
This was a quick pick up on ebay just to have something when I was getting started with iaido again. Zhisword are on ebay but I got this from someone else and probably paid a little bit extra, still not a lot of money.
I. The numbers
All length measurements in millimeters. All weights in grams.
Mounted blade
• Length: Nagasa 730mm*+Habaki 32mm*+Seppa 1,5mm*+Tsuba 4,5mm+Seppa 1,5m+Fuchi 20m+Maki 260mm***+Kashira 18mm = 1068mm.
• Thickness: 7mm.
• Width: 31mm, 20mm at Yokote.
• Balance point: 64 mm in front of Muncemachi (98mm in front of Tsuba).
• Weight: 1110g.
*To Munemachi. **Wrapped part of Tsuba.
Unmounted blade
• Sori (curavuture): 19mm at about 320mm in front Munemachi.
• Nakago length: 287mm.
• Balance point: 135mm in front of Munemachi.
• Weight: 805g.
Saya
• Size: 24mmx43mmx764mm (measured on Mune side).
• Kurigata placement: 65mm from Shitodome to Koiguchi.
• Weight: 278g.
II. Material
• Blade is stainless steel, no further information available.
• Saya is wood with plastic Koiguchi, Kurigata, and Kojiri.
• Habaki, Seppa, Shitodome, and Menuki is brass.
• Tsuba, Fuchi, and Kashira appears to be copper plated steel that is painted black.
• Tsuka is “wood” (smells like smoked cedar with a hint of fish), real Same panels and slim (6,7mm) cotton Ito.
III. My two cents
I have used this iaito for about 300 hours of active iaido practice and I have to say it has held together nicely! The Tsuka Ito is still super tight and has not moved at all. It is possible to wiggle the Kashira a little but that is it, no other rattle or wiggle anywhere.
Materials seem to be the cheapest possible. The Shitodome and Menuki cast are very poor, the Menuki is just a brass blob that might be a dragon. Fuchi and Kashira are plain and unadorned. Original Sageo was too short and I replaced it quickly, can’t remember how it was. Habaki and Seppas are all right.
If the materials are cheap they are at least put together rather nicely. Everything fits as far as I am concerned. The Kurigata came off almost immediately, exposing a hole into the Saya, but I glued that without problems and it has stayed in place since.
The fake Hamon is clearly fake, not much more to say about that. I don’t really understand why anyone bother with fake Hamon at all.
Taking it apart
The two bamboo Mekugi came out without a problem. It took several minutes of tapping the Tsuba with a standard hammer to get the Tsuka off. Not at all difficult.
How does it feel?
Difficult for me to say as I have not used any other iaito for long enough to compare with. Basically I think it feels good. Tsuka is not obviously fat or thin, so probably around average size, which is good for me. It feels reliable which is also essential. I really dislike the sharp edges on the lazer (?) cut pattern in the Tsuba because I sometimes hurt my thumbnail on it when doing Chiburi (my thumb is not where it should be, I know!). I also miss a Bohi and I think that the blade is to narrow towards the Kissaki to look good, but that is of little practical consequence.
Final word, a very basic but functional iaito.
Did I forget something?
Ask and I will try to answer.
P.S. Pictures are coming soon I hope.
P.P.S Can someone tell me how to create a bulleted list?
This is my first review. I do not yet feel experienced enough to express any valid professional views to this will primarily be hard facts.
A little bit about me, to set the scene for this review. Many years ago when I was just a little toddler dad had a bunch of swords on the wall in his den. Military sabers, blades for sports fencing, and a huge home made “bastard” sword. When I got a little older me and my pals sometimes played with them. In my teens I practiced kendo and iaido for some years and later I had ten quite active medieval reenactment years. Then I became an adult for real and just worked for ten years. Now I have been back to iaido for some time. So, though I have never (until now) had a deeper interest in swords they have kind of been around for most of my 43 years. In other words, I do not call myself an expert in any way, I believe that I have some basic understanding and feeling for what a sword is all about.
Currently I own four katanas:
• This one, which was the first one I got.
• A cursed shinken from Cheness, that has only brought me trouble.
• A custom made from ZhiSword that I just got.
• An older one from Tozando that I just bought second hand.
The review
This was a quick pick up on ebay just to have something when I was getting started with iaido again. Zhisword are on ebay but I got this from someone else and probably paid a little bit extra, still not a lot of money.
I. The numbers
All length measurements in millimeters. All weights in grams.
Mounted blade
• Length: Nagasa 730mm*+Habaki 32mm*+Seppa 1,5mm*+Tsuba 4,5mm+Seppa 1,5m+Fuchi 20m+Maki 260mm***+Kashira 18mm = 1068mm.
• Thickness: 7mm.
• Width: 31mm, 20mm at Yokote.
• Balance point: 64 mm in front of Muncemachi (98mm in front of Tsuba).
• Weight: 1110g.
*To Munemachi. **Wrapped part of Tsuba.
Unmounted blade
• Sori (curavuture): 19mm at about 320mm in front Munemachi.
• Nakago length: 287mm.
• Balance point: 135mm in front of Munemachi.
• Weight: 805g.
Saya
• Size: 24mmx43mmx764mm (measured on Mune side).
• Kurigata placement: 65mm from Shitodome to Koiguchi.
• Weight: 278g.
II. Material
• Blade is stainless steel, no further information available.
• Saya is wood with plastic Koiguchi, Kurigata, and Kojiri.
• Habaki, Seppa, Shitodome, and Menuki is brass.
• Tsuba, Fuchi, and Kashira appears to be copper plated steel that is painted black.
• Tsuka is “wood” (smells like smoked cedar with a hint of fish), real Same panels and slim (6,7mm) cotton Ito.
III. My two cents
I have used this iaito for about 300 hours of active iaido practice and I have to say it has held together nicely! The Tsuka Ito is still super tight and has not moved at all. It is possible to wiggle the Kashira a little but that is it, no other rattle or wiggle anywhere.
Materials seem to be the cheapest possible. The Shitodome and Menuki cast are very poor, the Menuki is just a brass blob that might be a dragon. Fuchi and Kashira are plain and unadorned. Original Sageo was too short and I replaced it quickly, can’t remember how it was. Habaki and Seppas are all right.
If the materials are cheap they are at least put together rather nicely. Everything fits as far as I am concerned. The Kurigata came off almost immediately, exposing a hole into the Saya, but I glued that without problems and it has stayed in place since.
The fake Hamon is clearly fake, not much more to say about that. I don’t really understand why anyone bother with fake Hamon at all.
Taking it apart
The two bamboo Mekugi came out without a problem. It took several minutes of tapping the Tsuba with a standard hammer to get the Tsuka off. Not at all difficult.
How does it feel?
Difficult for me to say as I have not used any other iaito for long enough to compare with. Basically I think it feels good. Tsuka is not obviously fat or thin, so probably around average size, which is good for me. It feels reliable which is also essential. I really dislike the sharp edges on the lazer (?) cut pattern in the Tsuba because I sometimes hurt my thumbnail on it when doing Chiburi (my thumb is not where it should be, I know!). I also miss a Bohi and I think that the blade is to narrow towards the Kissaki to look good, but that is of little practical consequence.
Final word, a very basic but functional iaito.
Did I forget something?
Ask and I will try to answer.
P.S. Pictures are coming soon I hope.
P.P.S Can someone tell me how to create a bulleted list?