Artkatana Aki Hiyori Katana
Apr 11, 2014 19:14:25 GMT
Post by Jussi Ekholm on Apr 11, 2014 19:14:25 GMT
Introduction
This is an used sword which I bought from a fellow forumite. However I'm doing a review of it, as there are no reviews for Artkatana brand. Artkatana is a French retailer of Longquan made stuff.
Historical Overview
It's a katana.
Full Disclosure
I bought this sword from a fellow forumite. I have quite recently found this French vendor, and it was a nice chance to see what quality their average stock is. Again I have to state that after seeing the stock of this vendor these are not swords I would buy for retail prices.
Initial Impressions
Thick and I don't like the feel of this.
Statistics
Nagasa: 71,4 cm
Nakago: 25 cm
Sori: 1,7 cm
Motohaba: 3,2 cm
Sakihaba: 2,4 cm
Moto-gasane: 8,3 mm
Moto-shinogi-gasane: 8,6 mm
Saki-gasane: 5 mm
Saki-shinogi-gasane: 5 mm
Kissaki: 5,1 cm
Bare blade weight: 803 g
Weight in koshirae: 1025 g
Steel: 1095
Tsuka: 27,3 cm - weight 110 g
Tsuba: 7,3 x 7,3 cm, thickness 5,5 mm - weight 81 g
Fuchi: 39,5 x 23 x 13 mm
Kashira: 36 x 20 x -(under the ito) mm
Blade
Here you can see the sugata, notice how nakago follows the curvature.
Here you can see nakago, and machi are uneven, also notice the large dent behind hamachi. I'm really stunned why the forges keep doing stuff like this, it happens over and over again.
Kissaki is wonky and hi ending is the typical cheap style.
Now that is massive niku. I know that is important factor for many, can't say I have seen it this pronounced in probably any production sword before this one.
Koshirae
Red tsukamaki over white rayskin. Ito material feels like artificial like rayon etc. Tsukamaki is very tight but does not alternate. One small detail what I like is that diamonds are small, this style is called kobishi. Not sure how well my pics show it but diamonds are lot smaller than usually. Unfortunately the ito overlaps kashira
Theme of this sword is dragonfly, that is very popular theme among production swords.
One issue which I must address is that I found tsuka fit to nakago questionable. Usually most Chinese made katana have very tight tsuka fit. This sword actually had what could almost be described as a loose fit. And now that I know that I'm not very comfortable that I know it. When you remove the bottom meguki the nakago starts shifting inside tsuka and rattles, so basically only the meguki are keeping the tsuka fit.
Conclusion
This is a good sword for the price I paid this as used, but I couldn't see myself buying this for the retail price. Again this is not a bad sword but my taste is bit elitist. But seriously I just see many other more viable options in the price range where this retails.
This is an used sword which I bought from a fellow forumite. However I'm doing a review of it, as there are no reviews for Artkatana brand. Artkatana is a French retailer of Longquan made stuff.
Historical Overview
It's a katana.
Full Disclosure
I bought this sword from a fellow forumite. I have quite recently found this French vendor, and it was a nice chance to see what quality their average stock is. Again I have to state that after seeing the stock of this vendor these are not swords I would buy for retail prices.
Initial Impressions
Thick and I don't like the feel of this.
Statistics
Nagasa: 71,4 cm
Nakago: 25 cm
Sori: 1,7 cm
Motohaba: 3,2 cm
Sakihaba: 2,4 cm
Moto-gasane: 8,3 mm
Moto-shinogi-gasane: 8,6 mm
Saki-gasane: 5 mm
Saki-shinogi-gasane: 5 mm
Kissaki: 5,1 cm
Bare blade weight: 803 g
Weight in koshirae: 1025 g
Steel: 1095
Tsuka: 27,3 cm - weight 110 g
Tsuba: 7,3 x 7,3 cm, thickness 5,5 mm - weight 81 g
Fuchi: 39,5 x 23 x 13 mm
Kashira: 36 x 20 x -(under the ito) mm
Blade
Here you can see the sugata, notice how nakago follows the curvature.
Here you can see nakago, and machi are uneven, also notice the large dent behind hamachi. I'm really stunned why the forges keep doing stuff like this, it happens over and over again.
Kissaki is wonky and hi ending is the typical cheap style.
Now that is massive niku. I know that is important factor for many, can't say I have seen it this pronounced in probably any production sword before this one.
Koshirae
Red tsukamaki over white rayskin. Ito material feels like artificial like rayon etc. Tsukamaki is very tight but does not alternate. One small detail what I like is that diamonds are small, this style is called kobishi. Not sure how well my pics show it but diamonds are lot smaller than usually. Unfortunately the ito overlaps kashira
Theme of this sword is dragonfly, that is very popular theme among production swords.
One issue which I must address is that I found tsuka fit to nakago questionable. Usually most Chinese made katana have very tight tsuka fit. This sword actually had what could almost be described as a loose fit. And now that I know that I'm not very comfortable that I know it. When you remove the bottom meguki the nakago starts shifting inside tsuka and rattles, so basically only the meguki are keeping the tsuka fit.
Conclusion
This is a good sword for the price I paid this as used, but I couldn't see myself buying this for the retail price. Again this is not a bad sword but my taste is bit elitist. But seriously I just see many other more viable options in the price range where this retails.