Katana1980 (Ebay): T10 Katana Review
Nov 20, 2013 3:07:53 GMT
Post by Robert in California on Nov 20, 2013 3:07:53 GMT
======================================================================
KATANA1980 (Ebay) SWORD REVIEW: CLAY-TEMPERED T10 TOOL STEEL KATANA
INTRODUCTION:
China is an ancient land. And no stranger to quality swords. Nobuo Ogasawara, in his classic book, “Japanese Swords”, states that: In the early days of Japanese history...Empress Suiko said “For a horse choose a steed from Hyuga, and for a sword choose a Masabi from Go..” (an ancient Chinese province).
Longquan, China has been a famous center of sword making for a very long time.
Katana1980 is a Longquan, China sword store with a sales site on Ebay as well as a brick and mortar store in Longquan. They have been in the sword business since 2005 and offer a mix of swords: Longquan-made Japanese and Chinese swords and some European-style Fantasy/Movie swords.
www.cfguide.com/county/Longquan.htm
www.google.com/search?q=longqua ... 24&bih=648
Katana1980 EBay store site:
stores.ebay.com/katana1980?_trks ... 7675.l2563
Recently I bought a $200usa Katana1980 clay-tempered, mono-T10 tool steel katana. I had a clay-tempered mono-1095 high carbon steel katana already, but I have read so much about T10 tool steel sword blades, I wanted to have both a 1095 and a T10.
The sword arrived from China in less than two weeks. It came with a complementary sword bag and was packed securely in a styrofoam shipping container. The sword made the journey from Longquan to California in perfect condition.
The default tsuka has real samegawa (ray-skin) panels and is the $200usa model. I got the optional full wrap samegawa, an extra $25usa option I consider well worth it. Traditional Japanese swords were full samegawa wrap. I like tradition. Full samegawa wrap also adds strength to the tsuka. Serious sword students and sword collectors prefer the full samegawa tsuka wrap option, when available.
FULL DISCLOSURE:
I bought the sword on Ebay. I got this T10 katana for half price ($200 + $20 = $220/2 = $110usa). How did I get such a deal? It is an interesting story. I had bought another sword from Katana1980 via Ebay. After my purchase, this mainland China sword seller Mr. Lau, Hon Tung (Tony is his English name) asked me to look at his Ebay store site and tell him what I thought.
Wow! I thought, no one has ever asked me something like that before! Little did he know, that proof reading is something I am good at (although I did miss “through hardened”) .
So I spent hours studying his store site and making suggestions and correcting spelling, grammar and product descriptions. Making sure the photos matched the descriptive text, etc. I am comfortable with Chinese people, having married my (Chinese) wife in China, and having been there twice. In fact, my wife wants us to do a tour in China, seeing Beijing, the Great Wall and other historical sites. Me? I am a homebody and travel is no thrill, but I WOULD like to visit Longquan to visit sword shops and forges. Things that cut have been a lifelong interest. A huge smoggy city like Beijing holds little interest, but Longquan?! Oh boy! When can we go?
But I digress.
In return for my assistance (even though it was more akin to my Dad’s old saying of “Let’s you and him fight”). Meaning that my suggestions and corrections meant time and effort for the seller, the seller let me buy a sword at half price. This was very nice for me since my very practical mainland China wife watches the expenses closely and like many wives, has a hard time understanding the "need" for more than one sword. Getting a sword at half price saved me a tongue lashing. And while I would love an expensive big-name sword, no way I could get one.
Happily, Longquan-made swords offer good quality at reasonable prices. If this Longquan T10 katana had been made by the local knife maker, who charges $300usa for his small, stock-removal sheath knives, it would have been over a thousand dollars.
And something else to remember, the difference between a $200usa and a $500usa sword can be the difference in furniture and hand work. Both may start out with a good, well-forged blade. One sword gets basic, economy furniture and a basic “shiny all over” polish. And becomes the $200usa sword.
The other blade, same good quality, gets a higher grade polish, gets fancier furniture, gets more care in fit and finish, and becomes the $500usa sword. Both are good swords. If one has the money to spend, go for the $500usa sword. But people on a limited budget like myself, we buy the $200usa sword and are happy to have a good blade. Later, we can buy hazuya/jizuya finger stones off Ebay or elsewhere and make the blade more pretty with careful polishing. And buy better furniture. Customizing a sword is satisfying.
Here is a $200usa T10 katana:
www.ebay.com/itm/40-6-Kiniro-Ens ... 56575f1519
Here is a $500usa T10 katana:
www.ebay.com/itm/Handmade-Japane ... 56575f2562
I really like the latter, but can only afford the former. But both have good blades.
Sword customization is offered by Katana1980 depending on the model.
For the Katana1980 “Top Quality” category swords, the buyer is offered free customization of basic furniture (saya, tsuba, ito wrap style, sageo and ito color and material, samegawa color and choice of sword bag) or low cost options (fancier tsuba, fuchi, kashira and full samegawa tsuka wrap). And if one does not see the blade they like, Katana1980 will try to find a blade they do like...and provide photos to help the customer choose.
In my case, I chose the actual blade and all else. Katana1980 swordsmith, Mr. Zhefei Gu, put the sword together for me. Cannot ask for better customer service than that.
For example, here is a link to a Katana1980 sword. Nice sword. Good price. Scroll down past the photos and look at the choices of furniture. Ask for the $25usa full samegawa option. For $35usa, the sword can come with the nicer tsuba/fuchi/kashira.
www.ebay.com/itm/370883760050?ss ... 1438.l2649
In my order, I asked for a differentially-hardened (clay-tempered) mono-T10 blade and told the seller I wanted a full samegawa wrap tsuka, different sword furniture than any of his established models (tsuba, fuchi and kashira), a dull splatter-black saya, white samegawa (ray skin) and black silk tsukaito (tsuka wrapping braid). Katana1980 emailed me photos of different bare T10 katana blades and let me have my choice of blade.
For a budget-priced sword, it is hard to get more custom than that!
It is great that those of us on a limited budget, who can only get a “budget sword”, can still end up with a pretty nice, customized sword.
And also happily, over the decades Chinese product quality has been steadily rising. Chinese sword makers have become increasingly skilled to the point, their better swords, even though budget-priced by USA standards, are functionally equivalent to similar Japanese blades. I have a pretty decent antique Japanese katana (a 27 1/2 inch (69.85 cm) Shinshinto katana) and were I a samurai of old Japan, I would been happy wielding either the Shinshinto or this 27 1/2 inch (69.85 cm) Longquan T10 katana. Actually this T10 Longquan katana feels a little better to me. A little quicker, a little faster but still wields with a powerful feeling.
INITIAL IMPRESSIONS:
This is my first T10 tool steel sword. The T10 tool steel looks and feels different than the high carbon steel of my 1095 katana. Maybe the polishes are the reason, but the 1095 blade steel seems more "wet". The T10 blade looks more "dry" but feels harder.
I have had koto (old) Japanese swords and newer (Shinshinto and Showato/Gendaito) Japanese swords. The old koto swords were made softer because in their day, the koto swords were expected to go up against armor. And if in combat, your sword broke, you would be in serious trouble. So better a sword that bends than a sword that breaks in armored combat.
I would imagine the samurai of old would have loved a good 9260 spring steel blade.
A 9260 spring steel wakizashi:
www.ebay.com/itm/40-6-Handmade-J ... 3a87b9374f
More recent Japanese swords (Shinto and newer) were generally made harder because the sword fights in those times did not usually involve battle armor. Everything is a tradeoff. Softer holds a sharp edge less well, but less likely to break. Harder holds a sharp edge longer, but more care must be taken in hitting hard stuff.
This T10 sword is slightly long of kissaki, has slightly sub-medium blade sori/curvature, medium length (27 1/2 inches (69.85 cm) not including the habaki) and the blade is also medium width. Not a narrow Heian Period tachi style blade. Not a wide Kamakura Period style blade. Not so much sori so to slow the draw, but enough sori to make it a good cutting blade.
The blade is a little thicker than average, giving it a powerful feeling in the cut. No bohi to lighten it. It feels like my equivalent length Shinshinto but a little bit lighter and more nimble. Maybe half way between a quick and fast light blade and a heavy, powerful mat cutter. A good blade for a wide variety of cutting applications. Not specialized, but an all-around usage blade. A samurai of long ago would probably be quite content if not pleased with this blade.
SELLER’S DESCRIPTION OF THE SWORD:
Not applicable because I choose everything from blade on up.
Next is the BUYER's (me) description, text and more pics:
STATISTICS:
Here is what I measured or observed on my Katana1980 mono-T10 katana:
Weight (sword + saya): 3.1 lbs (1.41 kilograms)
Weight (sword alone): 2.55 lbs (1.15 kg)
Overall length (sword + saya): 40 1/2 inches (102.87 cm)
Tsuka length: 10 1/2" (26.67 cm)
Tsuka is straight in shape, tapering a little from the tsuba end (fuchi) to the end of the hilt (kashira).
Tsuka is a light but hard wood (honoki/hackberry) with a full wrap samegawa/ray skin ($25usa option for full wrap instead of the standard samegawa panels).
Tsuka is wrapped with black tsukaito/tsukamaki.
Choices of silk or cotton. I chose silk.
Another view of the T10 tsuka:
Menuki are small, gold flowers.
Fuchi was painted copper:
View of end of fuchi:
The enamel painted copper kashira:
I chose a 3 inch by 2 ¾ inch (7.62 cm x 6.99 cm) oval, copper tsuba.
It is ¼ inch thick copper plate, brown enameled with silver and gold painted, raised trees and grasses.
Tsuba had two brass seppa/spacers. One on either side.
Note: iron tsubas are about one half the thickness of the copper tsuba I got. So if one wants a thinner tsuba, go iron. Thicker, go copper.
Habaki is smooth brass.
Saya is speckled black-painted wood (honoki/hackberry) with a horn (ref. Seller) koguichi.
The black-painted wood saya:
The koguichi:
Saya details:
More saya details:
The saya paint covered the kojiri end of the saya. I could not tell if there was a kojiri/end cap. Seller information indicates yes.
The kojiri:
Blade length (not including the 1 inch (2.54 cm) of habaki) mune-machi to tip of kissaki: 27 ½ inches (69.85 cm).
Point of Balance: 4 inches (10.16 cm) ahead of mune-machi (where the back of the blade meets the habaki)
The blade again. Notice that the standard "shiny-all-over" polish is a nice polish but makes the hamon hard for me to photograph with our less-than fancy digital camera. I polished the kissaki a little with jizuya to bring out the hamon better:
View from habaki end of blade:
View of middle of blade:
Kissaki end of blade:
Because the blade hamon was easy to see by eye but hard to photograph with my camera, I traced the outline of the hamon/yakiba with a black ink marker so you can see where the hamon/yakiba is.
The habaki end of the blade hamon outlined with black ink marker:
The middle of the blade, hamon outlined with black ink marker:
The kissaki end of the blade, hamon outlined with black ink marker:
Nakago/tang length: 9 5/8 inches (24.45 cm). Nakago is signed via chisel.
Here is the nakago without enhancement:
Nakago of blade showing the swordsmith mei/signature:
Here is the nakago signature/mei enhanced by me tracing the signature with a black ink marker:
Total blade length (tip of kissaki to end of nakago): 38 inches (96.52 cm)
More measurements:
Sori: 5/8 inches (1.59 cm)
Depth of blade at habaki (top to mune/back ridge to ha/edge): 1 1/4 inch (3.18 cm)
Depth of blade at mid-blade (top of mune/back ridge to ha/edge): 1 1/16 inch (2.69 cm)
Depth of blade at yokote/start of kissaki (top of mune/back ridge to ha/edge):15/16 inch (2.38 cm)
Depth of shinogi to ha (angled part of blade) at habaki: 12/16 inch (1.91 cm).
Depth of shinogi to ha (angled part of blade) at mid-blade: 11/16 inch (1.75 cm).
Depth of shinogi to ha (angled part of blade) at yokote (start of kissaki): 9/16 inch (1.43 cm).
Length of kissaki: 2 inches (5.08 cm)
Width/thickness of blade at habaki: 5/16 inches (0.79 cm)
Width/thickness of blade at mid-blade: 4/16 inches (0.64 cm)
Width/thickness of blade at yokote/start of kissaki: 3/16 inches (0.48 cm)
Note for centimeter measurements: 1 inch equals 2.54 centimeters.
For more information about Japanese swords, Katana1980 provides:
stores.ebay.com/katana1980/About ... Blade.html
FEEL OF THE SWORD:
This fairly heavy-duty mono-T10 tool steel katana feels more heavy and powerful than my 1095 katana. Perhaps because it weighed 2.5 pounds (1.13 kg) vs 1.9 pounds (0.86 kg) for my sanmai Katana1980 katana vs. 2.1 pounds (0.95 kg)for my Wang-katana2011 1095 katana and 2.7 pounds (1.22 kg) for my antique Shinshinto katana. All these katanas are about 27 1/2 inches (69.85 cm)in blade length.
CUTTING:
How did the mono-T10 sanmai katana cut?
Katana1980 made a YouTube video of my swords (link below):
... e=youtu.be
The first sword is the Katana1980 sanmai. Then second sword is the mono-T10.
I also tried my hand at cutting a piece of paper with the T10:
It cut the paper just fine:
Closer view:
PRO/CON & NITPICKS:
PRO: Feels like a powerful cutter but can still slice paper. Attractive, well-forged and clay-tempered blade but not as pretty as a folded steel blade. Good fit and finish. Medium in features and measurements. An all-around usage blade. Were I a samurai of long ago, I would be happy to carry this katana. Of course,were I a samurai of long ago, I would be even more happy to carry a Masamune, Sadamune, Akihiro or even a Muramasa. But I would have probably been married to a thrifty Japanese wife of long ago who would have said "No!" to a fancy blade anyway.
I am happy with this mono-T10. A strong and solid sword, effective in skilled hands.
CON: Basic and economical furniture. But quite reasonable for a budget sword. The nakago/tang edges were a little sharp feeling to my hand due to some small burrs. But a minute with a small file smoothed the nakago edges nicely. Slight burrs around one side of the mekugi hole through the tang/nakago. I smoothed them with a small file. Raised decorative figure of a crab on one side of the copper fuchi rubbed against my right index finger when practicing (air) cuts. So I smoothed it down. Tsuba, fuchi and kashira were good, sturdy, well-fitting but basic, budget, painted furniture. They fit well but the paint was too shiny for my taste. I would have preferred a duller enamel.
MY WISH LIST:
The non-alternating tsuka ito/braid wrap of this T10 katana is tasteful, well done, nice and tight. No complaints. But what would I like to see as an additional option for additional fee? I would like to see an option for alternating ito/tsukaito wrap.
Alternating "criss-cross" (hineri maki) tsukaito wrap is more traditional than non-alternating ito wrap. With the goal of creating as traditional a Japanese sword as skilled Longquan Chinese can make, an alternating tsukaito wrap would be nice.
Here is a link to some photos of traditional alternating tsukaito wraps:
www007.upp.so-net.ne.jp/m-kenji/tsukamaki.html
SUMMARY:
This is my first mono-T10 sword. The blade is precisely formed. All the curves and lines are done just right. Sharply defined areas and curves flow properly with no flat spots. Good forging and quality control. The hamon is moderately-wide and is of the irregular hills&valleys style. This katana feels good in my hands. I like it. It is a keeper. It will be my favored cutting sword.
Robert in California
===============================================================
YouTube of Sanmai/T10 paper cutting by Katana1980:
... e=youtu.be
KATANA1980 (Ebay) SWORD REVIEW: CLAY-TEMPERED T10 TOOL STEEL KATANA
INTRODUCTION:
China is an ancient land. And no stranger to quality swords. Nobuo Ogasawara, in his classic book, “Japanese Swords”, states that: In the early days of Japanese history...Empress Suiko said “For a horse choose a steed from Hyuga, and for a sword choose a Masabi from Go..” (an ancient Chinese province).
Longquan, China has been a famous center of sword making for a very long time.
Katana1980 is a Longquan, China sword store with a sales site on Ebay as well as a brick and mortar store in Longquan. They have been in the sword business since 2005 and offer a mix of swords: Longquan-made Japanese and Chinese swords and some European-style Fantasy/Movie swords.
www.cfguide.com/county/Longquan.htm
www.google.com/search?q=longqua ... 24&bih=648
Katana1980 EBay store site:
stores.ebay.com/katana1980?_trks ... 7675.l2563
Recently I bought a $200usa Katana1980 clay-tempered, mono-T10 tool steel katana. I had a clay-tempered mono-1095 high carbon steel katana already, but I have read so much about T10 tool steel sword blades, I wanted to have both a 1095 and a T10.
The sword arrived from China in less than two weeks. It came with a complementary sword bag and was packed securely in a styrofoam shipping container. The sword made the journey from Longquan to California in perfect condition.
The default tsuka has real samegawa (ray-skin) panels and is the $200usa model. I got the optional full wrap samegawa, an extra $25usa option I consider well worth it. Traditional Japanese swords were full samegawa wrap. I like tradition. Full samegawa wrap also adds strength to the tsuka. Serious sword students and sword collectors prefer the full samegawa tsuka wrap option, when available.
FULL DISCLOSURE:
I bought the sword on Ebay. I got this T10 katana for half price ($200 + $20 = $220/2 = $110usa). How did I get such a deal? It is an interesting story. I had bought another sword from Katana1980 via Ebay. After my purchase, this mainland China sword seller Mr. Lau, Hon Tung (Tony is his English name) asked me to look at his Ebay store site and tell him what I thought.
Wow! I thought, no one has ever asked me something like that before! Little did he know, that proof reading is something I am good at (although I did miss “through hardened”) .
So I spent hours studying his store site and making suggestions and correcting spelling, grammar and product descriptions. Making sure the photos matched the descriptive text, etc. I am comfortable with Chinese people, having married my (Chinese) wife in China, and having been there twice. In fact, my wife wants us to do a tour in China, seeing Beijing, the Great Wall and other historical sites. Me? I am a homebody and travel is no thrill, but I WOULD like to visit Longquan to visit sword shops and forges. Things that cut have been a lifelong interest. A huge smoggy city like Beijing holds little interest, but Longquan?! Oh boy! When can we go?
But I digress.
In return for my assistance (even though it was more akin to my Dad’s old saying of “Let’s you and him fight”). Meaning that my suggestions and corrections meant time and effort for the seller, the seller let me buy a sword at half price. This was very nice for me since my very practical mainland China wife watches the expenses closely and like many wives, has a hard time understanding the "need" for more than one sword. Getting a sword at half price saved me a tongue lashing. And while I would love an expensive big-name sword, no way I could get one.
Happily, Longquan-made swords offer good quality at reasonable prices. If this Longquan T10 katana had been made by the local knife maker, who charges $300usa for his small, stock-removal sheath knives, it would have been over a thousand dollars.
And something else to remember, the difference between a $200usa and a $500usa sword can be the difference in furniture and hand work. Both may start out with a good, well-forged blade. One sword gets basic, economy furniture and a basic “shiny all over” polish. And becomes the $200usa sword.
The other blade, same good quality, gets a higher grade polish, gets fancier furniture, gets more care in fit and finish, and becomes the $500usa sword. Both are good swords. If one has the money to spend, go for the $500usa sword. But people on a limited budget like myself, we buy the $200usa sword and are happy to have a good blade. Later, we can buy hazuya/jizuya finger stones off Ebay or elsewhere and make the blade more pretty with careful polishing. And buy better furniture. Customizing a sword is satisfying.
Here is a $200usa T10 katana:
www.ebay.com/itm/40-6-Kiniro-Ens ... 56575f1519
Here is a $500usa T10 katana:
www.ebay.com/itm/Handmade-Japane ... 56575f2562
I really like the latter, but can only afford the former. But both have good blades.
Sword customization is offered by Katana1980 depending on the model.
For the Katana1980 “Top Quality” category swords, the buyer is offered free customization of basic furniture (saya, tsuba, ito wrap style, sageo and ito color and material, samegawa color and choice of sword bag) or low cost options (fancier tsuba, fuchi, kashira and full samegawa tsuka wrap). And if one does not see the blade they like, Katana1980 will try to find a blade they do like...and provide photos to help the customer choose.
In my case, I chose the actual blade and all else. Katana1980 swordsmith, Mr. Zhefei Gu, put the sword together for me. Cannot ask for better customer service than that.
For example, here is a link to a Katana1980 sword. Nice sword. Good price. Scroll down past the photos and look at the choices of furniture. Ask for the $25usa full samegawa option. For $35usa, the sword can come with the nicer tsuba/fuchi/kashira.
www.ebay.com/itm/370883760050?ss ... 1438.l2649
In my order, I asked for a differentially-hardened (clay-tempered) mono-T10 blade and told the seller I wanted a full samegawa wrap tsuka, different sword furniture than any of his established models (tsuba, fuchi and kashira), a dull splatter-black saya, white samegawa (ray skin) and black silk tsukaito (tsuka wrapping braid). Katana1980 emailed me photos of different bare T10 katana blades and let me have my choice of blade.
For a budget-priced sword, it is hard to get more custom than that!
It is great that those of us on a limited budget, who can only get a “budget sword”, can still end up with a pretty nice, customized sword.
And also happily, over the decades Chinese product quality has been steadily rising. Chinese sword makers have become increasingly skilled to the point, their better swords, even though budget-priced by USA standards, are functionally equivalent to similar Japanese blades. I have a pretty decent antique Japanese katana (a 27 1/2 inch (69.85 cm) Shinshinto katana) and were I a samurai of old Japan, I would been happy wielding either the Shinshinto or this 27 1/2 inch (69.85 cm) Longquan T10 katana. Actually this T10 Longquan katana feels a little better to me. A little quicker, a little faster but still wields with a powerful feeling.
INITIAL IMPRESSIONS:
This is my first T10 tool steel sword. The T10 tool steel looks and feels different than the high carbon steel of my 1095 katana. Maybe the polishes are the reason, but the 1095 blade steel seems more "wet". The T10 blade looks more "dry" but feels harder.
I have had koto (old) Japanese swords and newer (Shinshinto and Showato/Gendaito) Japanese swords. The old koto swords were made softer because in their day, the koto swords were expected to go up against armor. And if in combat, your sword broke, you would be in serious trouble. So better a sword that bends than a sword that breaks in armored combat.
I would imagine the samurai of old would have loved a good 9260 spring steel blade.
A 9260 spring steel wakizashi:
www.ebay.com/itm/40-6-Handmade-J ... 3a87b9374f
More recent Japanese swords (Shinto and newer) were generally made harder because the sword fights in those times did not usually involve battle armor. Everything is a tradeoff. Softer holds a sharp edge less well, but less likely to break. Harder holds a sharp edge longer, but more care must be taken in hitting hard stuff.
This T10 sword is slightly long of kissaki, has slightly sub-medium blade sori/curvature, medium length (27 1/2 inches (69.85 cm) not including the habaki) and the blade is also medium width. Not a narrow Heian Period tachi style blade. Not a wide Kamakura Period style blade. Not so much sori so to slow the draw, but enough sori to make it a good cutting blade.
The blade is a little thicker than average, giving it a powerful feeling in the cut. No bohi to lighten it. It feels like my equivalent length Shinshinto but a little bit lighter and more nimble. Maybe half way between a quick and fast light blade and a heavy, powerful mat cutter. A good blade for a wide variety of cutting applications. Not specialized, but an all-around usage blade. A samurai of long ago would probably be quite content if not pleased with this blade.
SELLER’S DESCRIPTION OF THE SWORD:
Not applicable because I choose everything from blade on up.
Next is the BUYER's (me) description, text and more pics:
STATISTICS:
Here is what I measured or observed on my Katana1980 mono-T10 katana:
Weight (sword + saya): 3.1 lbs (1.41 kilograms)
Weight (sword alone): 2.55 lbs (1.15 kg)
Overall length (sword + saya): 40 1/2 inches (102.87 cm)
Tsuka length: 10 1/2" (26.67 cm)
Tsuka is straight in shape, tapering a little from the tsuba end (fuchi) to the end of the hilt (kashira).
Tsuka is a light but hard wood (honoki/hackberry) with a full wrap samegawa/ray skin ($25usa option for full wrap instead of the standard samegawa panels).
Tsuka is wrapped with black tsukaito/tsukamaki.
Choices of silk or cotton. I chose silk.
Another view of the T10 tsuka:
Menuki are small, gold flowers.
Fuchi was painted copper:
View of end of fuchi:
The enamel painted copper kashira:
I chose a 3 inch by 2 ¾ inch (7.62 cm x 6.99 cm) oval, copper tsuba.
It is ¼ inch thick copper plate, brown enameled with silver and gold painted, raised trees and grasses.
Tsuba had two brass seppa/spacers. One on either side.
Note: iron tsubas are about one half the thickness of the copper tsuba I got. So if one wants a thinner tsuba, go iron. Thicker, go copper.
Habaki is smooth brass.
Saya is speckled black-painted wood (honoki/hackberry) with a horn (ref. Seller) koguichi.
The black-painted wood saya:
The koguichi:
Saya details:
More saya details:
The saya paint covered the kojiri end of the saya. I could not tell if there was a kojiri/end cap. Seller information indicates yes.
The kojiri:
Blade length (not including the 1 inch (2.54 cm) of habaki) mune-machi to tip of kissaki: 27 ½ inches (69.85 cm).
Point of Balance: 4 inches (10.16 cm) ahead of mune-machi (where the back of the blade meets the habaki)
The blade again. Notice that the standard "shiny-all-over" polish is a nice polish but makes the hamon hard for me to photograph with our less-than fancy digital camera. I polished the kissaki a little with jizuya to bring out the hamon better:
View from habaki end of blade:
View of middle of blade:
Kissaki end of blade:
Because the blade hamon was easy to see by eye but hard to photograph with my camera, I traced the outline of the hamon/yakiba with a black ink marker so you can see where the hamon/yakiba is.
The habaki end of the blade hamon outlined with black ink marker:
The middle of the blade, hamon outlined with black ink marker:
The kissaki end of the blade, hamon outlined with black ink marker:
Nakago/tang length: 9 5/8 inches (24.45 cm). Nakago is signed via chisel.
Here is the nakago without enhancement:
Nakago of blade showing the swordsmith mei/signature:
Here is the nakago signature/mei enhanced by me tracing the signature with a black ink marker:
Total blade length (tip of kissaki to end of nakago): 38 inches (96.52 cm)
More measurements:
Sori: 5/8 inches (1.59 cm)
Depth of blade at habaki (top to mune/back ridge to ha/edge): 1 1/4 inch (3.18 cm)
Depth of blade at mid-blade (top of mune/back ridge to ha/edge): 1 1/16 inch (2.69 cm)
Depth of blade at yokote/start of kissaki (top of mune/back ridge to ha/edge):15/16 inch (2.38 cm)
Depth of shinogi to ha (angled part of blade) at habaki: 12/16 inch (1.91 cm).
Depth of shinogi to ha (angled part of blade) at mid-blade: 11/16 inch (1.75 cm).
Depth of shinogi to ha (angled part of blade) at yokote (start of kissaki): 9/16 inch (1.43 cm).
Length of kissaki: 2 inches (5.08 cm)
Width/thickness of blade at habaki: 5/16 inches (0.79 cm)
Width/thickness of blade at mid-blade: 4/16 inches (0.64 cm)
Width/thickness of blade at yokote/start of kissaki: 3/16 inches (0.48 cm)
Note for centimeter measurements: 1 inch equals 2.54 centimeters.
For more information about Japanese swords, Katana1980 provides:
stores.ebay.com/katana1980/About ... Blade.html
FEEL OF THE SWORD:
This fairly heavy-duty mono-T10 tool steel katana feels more heavy and powerful than my 1095 katana. Perhaps because it weighed 2.5 pounds (1.13 kg) vs 1.9 pounds (0.86 kg) for my sanmai Katana1980 katana vs. 2.1 pounds (0.95 kg)for my Wang-katana2011 1095 katana and 2.7 pounds (1.22 kg) for my antique Shinshinto katana. All these katanas are about 27 1/2 inches (69.85 cm)in blade length.
CUTTING:
How did the mono-T10 sanmai katana cut?
Katana1980 made a YouTube video of my swords (link below):
... e=youtu.be
The first sword is the Katana1980 sanmai. Then second sword is the mono-T10.
I also tried my hand at cutting a piece of paper with the T10:
It cut the paper just fine:
Closer view:
PRO/CON & NITPICKS:
PRO: Feels like a powerful cutter but can still slice paper. Attractive, well-forged and clay-tempered blade but not as pretty as a folded steel blade. Good fit and finish. Medium in features and measurements. An all-around usage blade. Were I a samurai of long ago, I would be happy to carry this katana. Of course,were I a samurai of long ago, I would be even more happy to carry a Masamune, Sadamune, Akihiro or even a Muramasa. But I would have probably been married to a thrifty Japanese wife of long ago who would have said "No!" to a fancy blade anyway.
I am happy with this mono-T10. A strong and solid sword, effective in skilled hands.
CON: Basic and economical furniture. But quite reasonable for a budget sword. The nakago/tang edges were a little sharp feeling to my hand due to some small burrs. But a minute with a small file smoothed the nakago edges nicely. Slight burrs around one side of the mekugi hole through the tang/nakago. I smoothed them with a small file. Raised decorative figure of a crab on one side of the copper fuchi rubbed against my right index finger when practicing (air) cuts. So I smoothed it down. Tsuba, fuchi and kashira were good, sturdy, well-fitting but basic, budget, painted furniture. They fit well but the paint was too shiny for my taste. I would have preferred a duller enamel.
MY WISH LIST:
The non-alternating tsuka ito/braid wrap of this T10 katana is tasteful, well done, nice and tight. No complaints. But what would I like to see as an additional option for additional fee? I would like to see an option for alternating ito/tsukaito wrap.
Alternating "criss-cross" (hineri maki) tsukaito wrap is more traditional than non-alternating ito wrap. With the goal of creating as traditional a Japanese sword as skilled Longquan Chinese can make, an alternating tsukaito wrap would be nice.
Here is a link to some photos of traditional alternating tsukaito wraps:
www007.upp.so-net.ne.jp/m-kenji/tsukamaki.html
SUMMARY:
This is my first mono-T10 sword. The blade is precisely formed. All the curves and lines are done just right. Sharply defined areas and curves flow properly with no flat spots. Good forging and quality control. The hamon is moderately-wide and is of the irregular hills&valleys style. This katana feels good in my hands. I like it. It is a keeper. It will be my favored cutting sword.
Robert in California
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YouTube of Sanmai/T10 paper cutting by Katana1980:
... e=youtu.be