HUAWEI 1.5" SORI SHINOGI ZUKURI KATANA
Aug 28, 2014 0:02:05 GMT
Post by Greg E on Aug 28, 2014 0:02:05 GMT
Hello,
I will attempt a stab at a review of my newly acquired sword from Huawei eBay vendor.
Introduction
I am newly re-interested in Japanese weapons. 10 years or so ago, I had a budding interest in Japanese history and weapons. It was soon taken over by my interest in learning as much as I could about Viking history and weapons, being my ancestry is mainly Swedish and Norwegian. But, I digress. I have recently come to find that very decent Japanese style weapons can be had, and the market is full of different vendors. I chose to purchase a sword from Huawei, an eBay vendor from China.
I will use Huawei's specifications for the review, unless the specs vary from my sword. I will then use my measurements.
Historical overview
I will not rehash the history of the katana, as I am sorely equipped to do so. I have seen pictures of period swords that had more of a sori (curve) than those seen on most production swords. I wanted to buy one that evoked a resemblance to those swords that lay outside the mainstream models.
Full Disclosure
I have no connection to Huawei or any other sword manufacturer or weapon retailer. Just little ol' me.
Initial Impressions
Ordering from Huawei off of eBay was easy. I picked a model I liked that they had and asked them to change the ito and sageo colors. Jacky from Huawei responded back and answered any questions I had. Ordering was not a problem. There was a few missed shipping dates and a tracking number given when the sword had not been shipped, and would not be shipped for a few days after. Jackey responded to my inquires about these matters and apologized many times and informed me that he and his wife had just had a baby boy. Well, it all got shorted out in the end and the sword got to me 2 days after the latest estimated shipping date.
www.ebay.com/itm/12-FULL-WRAP-TS ... 3f32c1564e
The sword arrived in a Styrofoam box with tape covering it. Even from China the sword arrived in good shape. I opened it up and out jumped a big banana, as Frank the Bunny noted. It came in a patterned sword bag. The tsuka and blade were both wrapped in plastic, and the blade was oiled. The blade was very hard to remove and replace into the saya. More on that later.
Here it is compared to a Hanwei Practical XL on top and a Jubei Lion Dog on the bottom.
Statistics
Blade/Nagasa Length- 27.8"
Overall length- 41.5"
Handle/Tsuka Length- just a little over 12"
Sori- 1.5" Tori Sori
Weight- 3lb 2.2oz with saya
2lb 9oz sword only
Components
The Blade-
The blade is sharp and made from T10 steel, water quenched and differentially hardened with a visible hamon. It is in the Shinogi Zukuri style, without bohi, and has a geometric yokote. The sori on the blade is in the tori style with 1.5" measured. It has what Huawei calls their Tameshigiri Polish. The hamon is hard to take a picture of, but is very visible and pleasing to me.
The tsuka-
It is 12" long with a full same wrap. The same is colored black with a light brown alternate wrapping ito. Gold and silver plated brass Wave and Dragon themed tsuba,fuchi,kasshira. Every thing is tight and solid. The ito material feels a bit cheap. 2 bamboo pegs hold it together and it was a bear to take off the handle. It is slightly curved and thinner than a Hanwei.
The tsuba-
It is in a gold and silver plated brass Wave and Dragon theme.
The saya-
Black glossy lacquered medium hardwood, as Huawei calls it. The kojiri, koiguchi and kurikata are of buffalo horn. The saya has a bit of a warp or twist to it. It took me a while to find out why the blade had to have some force on it to draw and sheath it. Does not look like something I can fix. The sageo has the same light brown material from the ito and still feels cheap. There is one place where the sageo material seems a bit frayed.
Handling Characteristics
I am not used to such a long tsuka but I am getting used to it. The sword has plenty of blade presence. The heavy sori totally changes the dynamics of any tip strike. It is hard to put into words, but the sword seems to want to roll left or right in hand, not fall forward as much as say the Hanwei Practical XL. This has got to be from the increased sori.
Test Cutting
I have not test cut any of my swords given the nature of my back yard and my neighbors.
Conclusions
Overall I am happy with the sword and my buying experience. I would buy from Huawei again.
The sword is beautiful. I love the look of the blades curve, polish and hamon. It is paper cutting sharp and solidly put together. The full same wrap on the tsuka is a nice touch. The only major thing that bugs me is the warped saya. The ito and sageo are cheap, but I am not worried too much about them.
Pros-
beautiful blade
geometric yokote
I like the brass fittings
full same wrap on tsuka
horn pieces on saya
solidly built
Con-
Warped saya, hard to draw or sheath blade
ito and sageo made from cheap material, gives the shoe lace feel
some shipping miscommunications
I would certainly recommend buying from Huawei. This particular model? That would be personal preference because of the sori. But I like it!
I will attempt a stab at a review of my newly acquired sword from Huawei eBay vendor.
Introduction
I am newly re-interested in Japanese weapons. 10 years or so ago, I had a budding interest in Japanese history and weapons. It was soon taken over by my interest in learning as much as I could about Viking history and weapons, being my ancestry is mainly Swedish and Norwegian. But, I digress. I have recently come to find that very decent Japanese style weapons can be had, and the market is full of different vendors. I chose to purchase a sword from Huawei, an eBay vendor from China.
I will use Huawei's specifications for the review, unless the specs vary from my sword. I will then use my measurements.
Historical overview
I will not rehash the history of the katana, as I am sorely equipped to do so. I have seen pictures of period swords that had more of a sori (curve) than those seen on most production swords. I wanted to buy one that evoked a resemblance to those swords that lay outside the mainstream models.
Full Disclosure
I have no connection to Huawei or any other sword manufacturer or weapon retailer. Just little ol' me.
Initial Impressions
Ordering from Huawei off of eBay was easy. I picked a model I liked that they had and asked them to change the ito and sageo colors. Jacky from Huawei responded back and answered any questions I had. Ordering was not a problem. There was a few missed shipping dates and a tracking number given when the sword had not been shipped, and would not be shipped for a few days after. Jackey responded to my inquires about these matters and apologized many times and informed me that he and his wife had just had a baby boy. Well, it all got shorted out in the end and the sword got to me 2 days after the latest estimated shipping date.
www.ebay.com/itm/12-FULL-WRAP-TS ... 3f32c1564e
The sword arrived in a Styrofoam box with tape covering it. Even from China the sword arrived in good shape. I opened it up and out jumped a big banana, as Frank the Bunny noted. It came in a patterned sword bag. The tsuka and blade were both wrapped in plastic, and the blade was oiled. The blade was very hard to remove and replace into the saya. More on that later.
Here it is compared to a Hanwei Practical XL on top and a Jubei Lion Dog on the bottom.
Statistics
Blade/Nagasa Length- 27.8"
Overall length- 41.5"
Handle/Tsuka Length- just a little over 12"
Sori- 1.5" Tori Sori
Weight- 3lb 2.2oz with saya
2lb 9oz sword only
Components
The Blade-
The blade is sharp and made from T10 steel, water quenched and differentially hardened with a visible hamon. It is in the Shinogi Zukuri style, without bohi, and has a geometric yokote. The sori on the blade is in the tori style with 1.5" measured. It has what Huawei calls their Tameshigiri Polish. The hamon is hard to take a picture of, but is very visible and pleasing to me.
The tsuka-
It is 12" long with a full same wrap. The same is colored black with a light brown alternate wrapping ito. Gold and silver plated brass Wave and Dragon themed tsuba,fuchi,kasshira. Every thing is tight and solid. The ito material feels a bit cheap. 2 bamboo pegs hold it together and it was a bear to take off the handle. It is slightly curved and thinner than a Hanwei.
The tsuba-
It is in a gold and silver plated brass Wave and Dragon theme.
The saya-
Black glossy lacquered medium hardwood, as Huawei calls it. The kojiri, koiguchi and kurikata are of buffalo horn. The saya has a bit of a warp or twist to it. It took me a while to find out why the blade had to have some force on it to draw and sheath it. Does not look like something I can fix. The sageo has the same light brown material from the ito and still feels cheap. There is one place where the sageo material seems a bit frayed.
Handling Characteristics
I am not used to such a long tsuka but I am getting used to it. The sword has plenty of blade presence. The heavy sori totally changes the dynamics of any tip strike. It is hard to put into words, but the sword seems to want to roll left or right in hand, not fall forward as much as say the Hanwei Practical XL. This has got to be from the increased sori.
Test Cutting
I have not test cut any of my swords given the nature of my back yard and my neighbors.
Conclusions
Overall I am happy with the sword and my buying experience. I would buy from Huawei again.
The sword is beautiful. I love the look of the blades curve, polish and hamon. It is paper cutting sharp and solidly put together. The full same wrap on the tsuka is a nice touch. The only major thing that bugs me is the warped saya. The ito and sageo are cheap, but I am not worried too much about them.
Pros-
beautiful blade
geometric yokote
I like the brass fittings
full same wrap on tsuka
horn pieces on saya
solidly built
Con-
Warped saya, hard to draw or sheath blade
ito and sageo made from cheap material, gives the shoe lace feel
some shipping miscommunications
I would certainly recommend buying from Huawei. This particular model? That would be personal preference because of the sori. But I like it!