Pavel Bolf Custom Katana Review
Jul 31, 2014 21:34:15 GMT
Post by Jakeonthekob on Jul 31, 2014 21:34:15 GMT
It's been a very long time everyone. I haven't been very active in the sword community for a while, but I thought that I would share with you my custom sword from Pavel Bolf.
First off, I have to say that Pavel does amazing work but you have to specify what you want so that you actually get what you want. Also, Martin Hornak Nihonto Togishi (find him on FB) does excellent polishing work. So please give them both a like on FB and see their work.
Story: After about a three year wait, I finally got my custom katana from Pavel Bolf with some extras. I got a sunobe katana with full mounts and polish. His price right now is about $1400-$1500 USD for basic koshirae fittings but the price will change according to what you want. I got a lower price because I waited for so long, and Pavel gave me some awesome extras so I guess it was worth it in the end. He upgraded the fuchi, tsuba, polish, and tsukamaki for me. He also gave me a free naginata naoshi with choji hamon and tensho style copper fuchi and buffalo horn kashira.
Overall Impressions: I originally ordered it with brown tsunami ito and brown sageo, but Pavel changed it to green. I think that this color scheme works better actually because it gives a very calming feeling with the subdued green, patinated copper, and semi-gloss textured black saya. The sori is fairly heavy as well and it has a very strong curve to it and the nicely shaped tsuka matches even more.
First the katana. Here are the specs:
Shinogi-zukuri
Overall Length: 40 inches
Nagasa: 28.25 inches/29.25 inches with habaki
Sori: 0.8-0.9 inches
POB: 6.75" from tsuba
Nakago Length: 8.5 inches from munemachi
Weight without saya: 2lbs 12 oz
Mottokassane: 7mm
Sakikassane: 6mm
Mottohaba: 35mm
Sakihaba: 28mm
Hamon: Saka-choji
Extended Chu-kissaki
Polish: Traditional Sashikomi
Custom fitted copper habaki with decorative file marks/patterns
Copper Seppa
Oroshigane katchushi folded steel tsuba with Japanese doll theme
Tsuka Length: 10 inches
Koshirae: Tensho style (Copper fuchi/buffalo horn kashira)
Fuchi: Copper with decorative groove
Black lacquered Samegawa
Green tsunami ito in Kata-hineri maki
Black/gold japanese ken menuki
Single pin mekugi
Black textured saya
Buffalo horn koiguchi/kurikata/kojiri
Green Cotton Sageo
Pavel also gave me a naginata naoshi wakizashi with free tensho style fuchi and kashira. I have to find someone to make a habaki for this one, and I will probably mount it myself and make a daisho set.
The Good:
Well the blade quality is outstanding and the fittings materials and craftsmanship were good. The blade is polished in traditional sashikomi polish by Martin Hornak. Excellent crisp shinogi line and yokote/ko-shinogi. The hamon Pavel made is very good and looks pretty awesome.
The tsuka is well carved and fit with a Rikko (hourglass) shape and it fits perfectly in my hands. The tsukamaki is well done, fairly even and tight with clean end knots. The samegawa full wrap has a hidden seam and he used two pieces but you can hardly tell because the seam line is mated so well. The emperor's node is hidden by the knot but not a huge deal for me.
The habaki, seppa, and fuchi are all made of copper and have patina and are a gorgeous subdued orange-ish color. Habaki is perfectly fit and very nicely decorated. Seppa are also slightly cut to form to the kozuka-ana of the tsuba and are slightly different sizes to match the saya side and fuchi side. They have smooth rims and are beveled which looks very nice. The tsuba is Pavel's own oroshigane smelted steel and he made it into a katchushi pattern from an antique that I asked him to replicate. The tsuba is about 2mm thick and rings beautifully. Here is the link to the original: www.shibuiswords.com/haynesTsu11.htm
The Bad:
The looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong wait. 3 years. I honestly almost gave up a few times. But Pavel did give me a lot of extras so I guess it's ok. Still, his work is very good quality but you will have to decide if you want the quality and wait, or go with someone else.
The wood for the saya seems to have shrunk during the 1.5 month voyage from the Czech Republic to the US. The koiguchi and kojiri aren't flush with the wood anymore.
What bothers me the most was that the saya was very loose with no friction fit and rattles. I understand that Pavel is a swordsmith, not a saya maker but still, I was disappointed. I shimmed the habaki area for a perfect fit, but the rattling still bothers me.
Also the weight and POB of this sword is not my preference. I asked Pavel to make a sword for tameshigiri and he did well on the width but the overall weight is too much. 2lbs 12oz is a lot for a 5 foot 6 inch asian to swing around, especially with a POB of 6.75 inches. Though I doubt I will ever cut with it anyways but it would have been nice if the handling were a lot more agile. Well my MAS will fill in this role so I guess it's still ok.
I think Pavel stems from a very traditional Japanese mindset so his style dictates swords that will get the job done in 1 strike.
Overall, great for the money and extremely high quality blades. If nothing else, do what a few other members have done and order a blade with habaki from him and have it mounted by someone else. You won't regret getting an incredible blade from him at a good price.
-Jake
First off, I have to say that Pavel does amazing work but you have to specify what you want so that you actually get what you want. Also, Martin Hornak Nihonto Togishi (find him on FB) does excellent polishing work. So please give them both a like on FB and see their work.
Story: After about a three year wait, I finally got my custom katana from Pavel Bolf with some extras. I got a sunobe katana with full mounts and polish. His price right now is about $1400-$1500 USD for basic koshirae fittings but the price will change according to what you want. I got a lower price because I waited for so long, and Pavel gave me some awesome extras so I guess it was worth it in the end. He upgraded the fuchi, tsuba, polish, and tsukamaki for me. He also gave me a free naginata naoshi with choji hamon and tensho style copper fuchi and buffalo horn kashira.
Overall Impressions: I originally ordered it with brown tsunami ito and brown sageo, but Pavel changed it to green. I think that this color scheme works better actually because it gives a very calming feeling with the subdued green, patinated copper, and semi-gloss textured black saya. The sori is fairly heavy as well and it has a very strong curve to it and the nicely shaped tsuka matches even more.
First the katana. Here are the specs:
Shinogi-zukuri
Overall Length: 40 inches
Nagasa: 28.25 inches/29.25 inches with habaki
Sori: 0.8-0.9 inches
POB: 6.75" from tsuba
Nakago Length: 8.5 inches from munemachi
Weight without saya: 2lbs 12 oz
Mottokassane: 7mm
Sakikassane: 6mm
Mottohaba: 35mm
Sakihaba: 28mm
Hamon: Saka-choji
Extended Chu-kissaki
Polish: Traditional Sashikomi
Custom fitted copper habaki with decorative file marks/patterns
Copper Seppa
Oroshigane katchushi folded steel tsuba with Japanese doll theme
Tsuka Length: 10 inches
Koshirae: Tensho style (Copper fuchi/buffalo horn kashira)
Fuchi: Copper with decorative groove
Black lacquered Samegawa
Green tsunami ito in Kata-hineri maki
Black/gold japanese ken menuki
Single pin mekugi
Black textured saya
Buffalo horn koiguchi/kurikata/kojiri
Green Cotton Sageo
Pavel also gave me a naginata naoshi wakizashi with free tensho style fuchi and kashira. I have to find someone to make a habaki for this one, and I will probably mount it myself and make a daisho set.
The Good:
Well the blade quality is outstanding and the fittings materials and craftsmanship were good. The blade is polished in traditional sashikomi polish by Martin Hornak. Excellent crisp shinogi line and yokote/ko-shinogi. The hamon Pavel made is very good and looks pretty awesome.
The tsuka is well carved and fit with a Rikko (hourglass) shape and it fits perfectly in my hands. The tsukamaki is well done, fairly even and tight with clean end knots. The samegawa full wrap has a hidden seam and he used two pieces but you can hardly tell because the seam line is mated so well. The emperor's node is hidden by the knot but not a huge deal for me.
The habaki, seppa, and fuchi are all made of copper and have patina and are a gorgeous subdued orange-ish color. Habaki is perfectly fit and very nicely decorated. Seppa are also slightly cut to form to the kozuka-ana of the tsuba and are slightly different sizes to match the saya side and fuchi side. They have smooth rims and are beveled which looks very nice. The tsuba is Pavel's own oroshigane smelted steel and he made it into a katchushi pattern from an antique that I asked him to replicate. The tsuba is about 2mm thick and rings beautifully. Here is the link to the original: www.shibuiswords.com/haynesTsu11.htm
The Bad:
The looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong wait. 3 years. I honestly almost gave up a few times. But Pavel did give me a lot of extras so I guess it's ok. Still, his work is very good quality but you will have to decide if you want the quality and wait, or go with someone else.
The wood for the saya seems to have shrunk during the 1.5 month voyage from the Czech Republic to the US. The koiguchi and kojiri aren't flush with the wood anymore.
What bothers me the most was that the saya was very loose with no friction fit and rattles. I understand that Pavel is a swordsmith, not a saya maker but still, I was disappointed. I shimmed the habaki area for a perfect fit, but the rattling still bothers me.
Also the weight and POB of this sword is not my preference. I asked Pavel to make a sword for tameshigiri and he did well on the width but the overall weight is too much. 2lbs 12oz is a lot for a 5 foot 6 inch asian to swing around, especially with a POB of 6.75 inches. Though I doubt I will ever cut with it anyways but it would have been nice if the handling were a lot more agile. Well my MAS will fill in this role so I guess it's still ok.
I think Pavel stems from a very traditional Japanese mindset so his style dictates swords that will get the job done in 1 strike.
Overall, great for the money and extremely high quality blades. If nothing else, do what a few other members have done and order a blade with habaki from him and have it mounted by someone else. You won't regret getting an incredible blade from him at a good price.
-Jake