YarinoHanzo Performance Musashi Katana
Mar 27, 2014 20:53:59 GMT
Post by Jussi Ekholm on Mar 27, 2014 20:53:59 GMT
Introduction
This sword was sent to me by YarinoHanzo to review. I do not own this sword, and I do not receive anything from reviewing this. But I did get a chance to check a sword I did not otherwise might have had.
This sword is about mid-tier of YarinoHanzo's offerings. Performance lineup was designed for being good user swords and for martial arts practice.
Historical Overview
It's a katana.
Full Disclosure
I received this sword to give a review of it. I do not gain anything from reviewing this, but I do get to check out this sword and cut with it. I will send it back after my review.
Of course it's always bit weird for me when the sword is not mine. I'm so used that I only have my own stuff. However I will give an honest review of this sword.
Initial Impressions
I thought this to be an ok sword. Some things I didn't like at all, and my initial reaction was not very positive. Only after inspecting it more and using it I started to like it more. This is very light sword.
Statistics
Nagasa: 71,4 cm
Nakago: 26 cm
Sori: 1,8 cm
Motohaba: 3,2 cm
Sakihaba: 2,25 cm
Moto-gasane: 6 mm
Moto-shinogi-gasane: 6,6 mm
Saki-gasane: 3,5 mm
Saki-shinogi-gasane: 5 mm
Kissaki: 5,8 cm
Bare blade weight: 614 g
Weight in koshirae: 911 g
Steel: 1060
Tsuka: 26,5 cm - weight 152 g
Tsuba: 7,4 x 7,3 cm, thickness 5,6 mm - weight 101 g
Fuchi: 40 x 24 x 11 mm
Kashira: 36 x 20 x 9 mm
Blade
Here you can see the sugata.
I was very impressed with the nakago and machi area of this sword. As you can see from the pics machi are even. There is YarinoHanzo logo on the nakago. And then there is something I haven't seen in production swords of this price range. There is partial nakago fumbari - as you can see the ha side gets wider near machi. My pic does not show it perfectly as the effect was easily visible in hand. I do not know if that is a feature of this lineup or just happened on this particular sword, but I like it.
The polish on the sword is nothing amazing, but I must say that the totally acid etched "hamon" looks quite nice. I don't usually like fake hamons but this is bit better than others I've seen.
Unfortunately the kissaki shape is bit wonky, and the bo-hi is of that "cheaper" variation.
Here is the geometry shot.
Koshirae
Black on black with silver touch, the color theme is quite nice. Tsukamaki is fairly loose, not alternating and it's done without hishigami. For me this is unfortunate detail, as these are being user swords, so tight tsukamaki would be very important. Ito is that "Chinese" silk ito.
Good thing is tsuka has some curvature and nice shape to my hands.
I do not know the material of fuchi and kashira, but they have bright silver finish. I think they fit well with silver menuki, seppa and habaki. Pretty nice overall theme this black & silver. And again, I really like this tsuba.
Saya is pretty nicely made kuroishime, notice also the silver shitodome. Unfortunately the saya fit is loose.
Cutting
Cutting medium was freestanding soaked (10-30 min soak) newspaper rolls and some very hard cardboard tube. Newspaper roll soaking time was varying as I was cutting with 4 swords and did not remember how long each roll soaked up.
As this sword was of Performance line, I really expected this to be quite good cutter. Well this didn't disappoint me. Sword is very light and fast to use, and it performed very well on these various targets I had.
Here you can see a pile of cuts with this one. It was very nice to use also single handed due to the light weight. I really had fun cutting with this one.
Sword held very well to my cutting, and no damage other than some scratches occured.
Conclusion
This is no doubt a good cutter, and this has some interesting features I wished the other swords had too. However on the contrary this was lacking on some other places, that were better on those swords.
I must say this is light and agile sword that is capable for good cutting even in my inexperienced hands. I just wished this would have tight tsukamaki with hishigami, then I would see this as good affordable user sword.
This sword was sent to me by YarinoHanzo to review. I do not own this sword, and I do not receive anything from reviewing this. But I did get a chance to check a sword I did not otherwise might have had.
This sword is about mid-tier of YarinoHanzo's offerings. Performance lineup was designed for being good user swords and for martial arts practice.
Historical Overview
It's a katana.
Full Disclosure
I received this sword to give a review of it. I do not gain anything from reviewing this, but I do get to check out this sword and cut with it. I will send it back after my review.
Of course it's always bit weird for me when the sword is not mine. I'm so used that I only have my own stuff. However I will give an honest review of this sword.
Initial Impressions
I thought this to be an ok sword. Some things I didn't like at all, and my initial reaction was not very positive. Only after inspecting it more and using it I started to like it more. This is very light sword.
Statistics
Nagasa: 71,4 cm
Nakago: 26 cm
Sori: 1,8 cm
Motohaba: 3,2 cm
Sakihaba: 2,25 cm
Moto-gasane: 6 mm
Moto-shinogi-gasane: 6,6 mm
Saki-gasane: 3,5 mm
Saki-shinogi-gasane: 5 mm
Kissaki: 5,8 cm
Bare blade weight: 614 g
Weight in koshirae: 911 g
Steel: 1060
Tsuka: 26,5 cm - weight 152 g
Tsuba: 7,4 x 7,3 cm, thickness 5,6 mm - weight 101 g
Fuchi: 40 x 24 x 11 mm
Kashira: 36 x 20 x 9 mm
Blade
Here you can see the sugata.
I was very impressed with the nakago and machi area of this sword. As you can see from the pics machi are even. There is YarinoHanzo logo on the nakago. And then there is something I haven't seen in production swords of this price range. There is partial nakago fumbari - as you can see the ha side gets wider near machi. My pic does not show it perfectly as the effect was easily visible in hand. I do not know if that is a feature of this lineup or just happened on this particular sword, but I like it.
The polish on the sword is nothing amazing, but I must say that the totally acid etched "hamon" looks quite nice. I don't usually like fake hamons but this is bit better than others I've seen.
Unfortunately the kissaki shape is bit wonky, and the bo-hi is of that "cheaper" variation.
Here is the geometry shot.
Koshirae
Black on black with silver touch, the color theme is quite nice. Tsukamaki is fairly loose, not alternating and it's done without hishigami. For me this is unfortunate detail, as these are being user swords, so tight tsukamaki would be very important. Ito is that "Chinese" silk ito.
Good thing is tsuka has some curvature and nice shape to my hands.
I do not know the material of fuchi and kashira, but they have bright silver finish. I think they fit well with silver menuki, seppa and habaki. Pretty nice overall theme this black & silver. And again, I really like this tsuba.
Saya is pretty nicely made kuroishime, notice also the silver shitodome. Unfortunately the saya fit is loose.
Cutting
Cutting medium was freestanding soaked (10-30 min soak) newspaper rolls and some very hard cardboard tube. Newspaper roll soaking time was varying as I was cutting with 4 swords and did not remember how long each roll soaked up.
As this sword was of Performance line, I really expected this to be quite good cutter. Well this didn't disappoint me. Sword is very light and fast to use, and it performed very well on these various targets I had.
Here you can see a pile of cuts with this one. It was very nice to use also single handed due to the light weight. I really had fun cutting with this one.
Sword held very well to my cutting, and no damage other than some scratches occured.
Conclusion
This is no doubt a good cutter, and this has some interesting features I wished the other swords had too. However on the contrary this was lacking on some other places, that were better on those swords.
I must say this is light and agile sword that is capable for good cutting even in my inexperienced hands. I just wished this would have tight tsukamaki with hishigami, then I would see this as good affordable user sword.