Huawei Katana Review
Dec 24, 2014 23:45:38 GMT
Post by TheWall on Dec 24, 2014 23:45:38 GMT
Thanks to a lot of help from the forum here, I purchased my first (and second) katana. In an effort to pay back the community for the generous help I received, I humbly submit my first SBG Forum review. Criticisms, suggestions and feedback are more than welcome ;)
On with the review...
Introduction:
While studying Kendo in college, I developed a love of Japanese swordsmanship. Unfortunately, I had to drop martial arts for...more years than I care to admit...until this past January, when I enrolled in a combination Aikido and Karate class. As it turns out, we also spend a portion of each night practicing Iaido, so after far too many years, I’m once again studying Japanese swordsmanship.
During my hiatus, many of the same reasons that prevented me from continuing my studies also prevented me from realizing my dream of owning a katana. However, I recently changed jobs, cashing out over 300 hours of leave...which my wife quickly realized could fund the purchase of new granite counters in our kitchen.
“If you buy granite counters, I’m buying a katana,” I bargained. And with that, the search for a decent katana, documented in the “Beginner’s Forum,” began.
Historical Overview:
I’ll be honest here, while I’m a big fan of both Japanese swords and Japanese swordsmanship, I’m not nearly familiar enough with famous swords from Japan’s history to do justice to this section. For now, suffice it to say that this sword is made in the “shinogi zukuri” style -- the traditional shape and geometry that most people think of when someone says, “samurai sword.” While I couldn’t afford an authentic nihonto, I tried to find a replica that was made as closely as possible as a traditional nihonto, so this sword is made of folded steel (albeit T10 tool steel rather than tamahagane), and is differentially hardened like a traditional nihonto.
Full Disclosure:
I purchased this sword at full price from an E-Bay retailer, and have no affiliation with either this particular seller or the manufacturer other than, of course, the purchase of this particular sword.
While I studied Kendo for three years or so some twenty years ago, and have been studying Iaido (using bokken) for the past ten months, I have limited experience with other swords or katana. I borrowed a Shinwa (which I plan to review separately) for a couple of weeks while searching for a katana of my own, and I purchased a very inexpensive ($80, shipped) iaito a couple of weeks ago, which I’ve been using for kata practice. However, this is the first shinken I have ever owned, and I have never held -- much less practiced with -- a really high-quality katana. Consequently, I have very little prior knowledge of swords upon which to judge this katana, and this may very well affect my review of this particular blade.
Initial Impressions:
Once I was finally able to open the packaging (it was packed inside two blocks of styrofoam, which was securely wrapped in several layers of packing tape), I found a heavy cloth bag. I opened up the cloth bag to find the tsuka wrapped in plastic shrink-wrap, as was the blade when I removed it from the saya. All in all, I was impressed with the level of care that was taken to prepare the blade for shipping.
The very first thing I noticed once I removed all of the wrapping is that the tsuka ito and sageo were of a rather different color than I expected. In the E-Bay ad, the wrappings appeared to be a dark teal blue -- one of things I really liked about this katana. Unfortunately, I’d describe the actual color of the tsuka ito and sageo as hunter green. The sageo and tsuka-ito are actually quite nice looking, but honestly, I was a bit disappointed that the color was so different from what was portrayed in the ad, which trivial as it is, was one of the things I liked about the katana. In fairness to the E-Bay seller, there is a bit of color difference between some of the photos in the ad, and they have a note stating that some of the photos are closer to the actual color than others. However, on my computer at least, the color still looked more blue than green, so the actual color was a bit of a surprise.
Having made that admittedly minor gripe, I must say that overall, I was quite impressed with the katana, as the initial impression I had once unwrapping the katana was that it felt quite well balanced and solid. I don’t really know how to describe the feeling of sturdiness in this blade other than to say “solid” -- it doesn’t feel heavy but it definitely feels substantial, like you really could use it in combat without fear of it breaking or failing on you.
As for appearances -- fit and finish -- the sword is absolutely beautiful. The blade is a work of art; the wrappings, the tsuba, the habaki, etc. all appear to be rather high quality for such an inexpensive sword. In fact, the first time I brought this particular katana to class, both Sensei and Shihan were there, and Shihan teased Sensei that he needed to upgrade his katana to something that looked more like a “Sensei blade...something more like this.”
Statistics:
Blade/Nagasa Length: 28 ⅛ in.
Handle/Tsuka Length: 10 in.
Overall Length: 39 ¾ in.
Guard/Tsuba Width: 2 ⅞ in.
POB (Point of Balance): 5 ¾ in.
COP (Center of Percussion): I honestly don’t know how to measure this.
Weight: I don’t have a working scale to weigh the katana with.
Components:
The Blade/Nagasa:
The habaki is nice and snug, but seems to be lacquered near the tsuba, which I found a little odd:
It’s not bad looking, but it was unexpected.
The blade on this katana is truly a work of art. It’s made of T10 tool steel, folded, and differentially hardened, with an absolutely stunning hamon. The sword in the E-Bay ad had no bohi, and since Shihan explicitly told me that I would need a bohi, I asked Huawei to add one to my katana, which they did. The bohi does not appear to have been added with a CNC router, as it smoothly tapers to a point, following the lines of the kissaki, rather than ending with a rounded or bullet-like shape, as a lot of production blades do -- a nice touch of craftsmanship, I thought. The nagasa is nice and thick, suggesting that it would hold up well when cutting any reasonable targets. Where I found ripples along the length of the nagasa on my iaito, the nagasa on this sword is smooth, as one would expect in a quality blade:
While initially cleaning the shipping grease from the blade, I found a series of small dots along the hamon, as if perhaps it had been clamped by something a little harder than the blade. The series of dots is only about six inches long, about midway between the kissaki and the tsuba, and is only on one side of the blade. At first, I thought the marks were tool marks, but despite searching for about ten minutes while writing this review, I could not locate the marks again. It’s possible that I simply didn’t clean the blade well enough at first, and now, having used the sword for tameshigiri, and having cleaned the blade a few more times, perhaps I removed some residue from the manufacturing process?
The Handle/Tsuka
The tsuka is slightly narrower and taller than my bokken or iaito, but is not at all objectionable. It fills the hand nicely, and is plenty long enough to hold comfortably, despite the fact that my hands are somewhat large. I believe the tsuka-ito is made of synthetic silk, but I’m not certain. It’s definitely not cotton, as it does not feel as coarse as the ito on my iaito. The wrap is quite tight, as it should be, and is wrapped much more proficiently than the ito on my iaito. The diamonds are nice and even, and evenly spaced. While, as I mentioned above, I was slightly disappointed with the color of the ito, I am honestly quite impressed with the tsuka and ito otherwise.
The Guard/Tsuba
The tsuba is a style I hadn’t seen before while shopping for a katana. It is not quite round, and is very stylized, with slight engraving in the surface. It appears to be made of lacquered iron (it’s magnetic), which is probably one of the reasons this sword feels so much better balanced than my iaito.
The seppa are slightly scalloped around the outside edges, which adds a nice aesthetic touch. On the downside, one edge of the seppa on the blade side of the tsuba shows a tool-mark where the seppa was slightly marred, presumably during assembly. The markings are very slight, and would easily pass unnoticed in a casual inspection.
The Pommel/Fuchi-Kashira
The fuchi-kashira is also lacquered iron, and is engraved with a stylized leaf pattern (or at least, that’s what it looks like to me). It’s probably not the first design I would choose were I to custom build a katana, but it will work.
The Scabbard/Saya
The saya is the component that most shows that even though Huawei apparently cares a great deal about producing a quality product, they aren’t quite perfect...although they are certainly close. The glossy black lacquered saya is made of horn at the koikuchi and at the opposite end (term?). The sageo is...flawless. I wish I could learn to tie the sageo even half this well, but unfortunately, that’s a skill that has so far eluded me, lol.
The koikuchi is a bit snug right now, but not so much that I’m concerned about cracking the saya. I imagine that with time and use, it will loosen up.
Unfortunately, the finish is slightly flawed where the horn meets the wood. Once again, it’s a minor, cosmetic flaw, and I really don’t think I’ll lose a lot of sleep over it.
Handling Characteristics:
Wow.
After practicing kata with the blade-heavy iaito that arrived about a week earlier, this sword handles like a dream. Even better, the tachi-kaze is effortless with this katana. I can get the tachi-kaze maybe about half the time with my iaito, if I’m really listening for it and my technique is exceptionally good. It’s there, but it’s quiet. In comparison, this katana *screams* with a good swing. While practicing and listening for the tachi-kaze, I heard the (loud!) whistle that accompanies a good swing, the typical “whoosh” that you hear with a poor swing, and the faint, slightly-off whistle that accompanies a not-quite-right swing -- which I’ve never heard with my iaito. The feedback from this katana is perfect for a beginner like myself, who is still trying to learn to swing properly. In fact, the tachi-kaze is so noticeable that while warming up with this katana in class before a tameshigiri session the other day, I noticed Shihan eyeing me strangely. After several swings, Shihan called me by name, then stated, “Just because you are getting the tachikaze, that does not necessarily mean you are swinging correctly. We’ll have to see how your cuts look with the mats to tell for sure.” In a class full of people, the tachi-kaze from this sword was still loud enough for Shihan to hear.
...which brings us to…:
Test Cutting:
I was the last student in class to cut the tatami mats that particular day, I was the newest, lowest-ranked student in class, and I was the only one present that day who had never cut mats before.
...and I was also the only student that day to achieve 100% success in kesa giri (the only cut we students performed).
Lest I sound like I am bragging, let me be clear: I fully credit this sword -- and not my skill -- for making me look good in class. It’s very sharp, very well balanced, and cuts like a dream; the credit for my success is due far more to the quality of the katana I was using than it is due to anything I brought to the table. The cuts were clean, with no ragged edges, and I did not feel like I needed to use any extra power to “muscle” my way through the tatami. I could simply focus on swinging properly, and allow the katana to cut through the mat. All in all, I was extremely pleased with the performance of this sword.
Conclusions:
Despite a few minor criticisms, I am really happy with this sword, and I am convinced that I made a good decision when I purchased it. The blade is gorgeous. The tsuka is snug, the ito is tight, and the overall feel of the sword inspires confidence. The bohi was crafted with an eye for detail, which is even more impressive when you consider that this feature was not even standard on this katana. Coupled with the loud, expressive tachi-kaze that accompanies a good swing, and the exceptionally good cuts this sword made in class the other day, I am certain that this is exactly the sword I needed to develop my Iaido.
On the other hand, there is a little room for Huawei to step up the quality control a little bit to live up to the promise I see in this sword. The slightly blemished seppa and saya mar what is an otherwise outstanding katana, suggesting that their quality control is not *quite* there yet, although it is very close. Finally, while the E-bay ad did warn that the colors in their photographs don’t exactly match the coloration of the actual sword, I didn’t expect a shift all the way from dark teal blue to hunter green, which was perhaps a bit of a disappointment for me.
The Bottom Line:
In the final analysis, on any given sword, there are the details that matter, and there are the details that *don’t* matter. I can honestly say that Huawei did it right on all of the details that matter, and in the few areas where Huawei didn’t quite live up to my expectations, they were (fortunately) in the details that didn’t matter. Consequently, I can also honestly say that this katana is imminently suitable for my purposes, and therefore, I’m quite happy with this purchase. It was well worth the money I spent on it, and if I am ever in the market for another katana, I’ll definitely consider Huawei again (unless, of course, I wind the lottery and suddenly find myself in a position to upgrade to an authentic nihonto!).
So...would I recommend this sword to someone else? For anyone but a serious collector of authentic nihonto, yes, I would recommend this katana without reservation, especially for an Iaidoka who is looking for a good performing, practical shinken at a reasonable price for tameshigiri or kata practice. The sword is gorgeous, and while it might not be quite perfect, it is certainly more than close enough for my purposes. Furthermore, if the cutting performance of this katana can make even a n00b like myself look good, then a more experienced swordsman should have no problem at all with tameshigiri using this blade.
If you are looking for a quality katana that combines good looks with excellent cutting performance, I sincerely believe you would be hard pressed to find a better option anywhere near this price point.
On with the review...
Introduction:
While studying Kendo in college, I developed a love of Japanese swordsmanship. Unfortunately, I had to drop martial arts for...more years than I care to admit...until this past January, when I enrolled in a combination Aikido and Karate class. As it turns out, we also spend a portion of each night practicing Iaido, so after far too many years, I’m once again studying Japanese swordsmanship.
During my hiatus, many of the same reasons that prevented me from continuing my studies also prevented me from realizing my dream of owning a katana. However, I recently changed jobs, cashing out over 300 hours of leave...which my wife quickly realized could fund the purchase of new granite counters in our kitchen.
“If you buy granite counters, I’m buying a katana,” I bargained. And with that, the search for a decent katana, documented in the “Beginner’s Forum,” began.
Historical Overview:
I’ll be honest here, while I’m a big fan of both Japanese swords and Japanese swordsmanship, I’m not nearly familiar enough with famous swords from Japan’s history to do justice to this section. For now, suffice it to say that this sword is made in the “shinogi zukuri” style -- the traditional shape and geometry that most people think of when someone says, “samurai sword.” While I couldn’t afford an authentic nihonto, I tried to find a replica that was made as closely as possible as a traditional nihonto, so this sword is made of folded steel (albeit T10 tool steel rather than tamahagane), and is differentially hardened like a traditional nihonto.
Full Disclosure:
I purchased this sword at full price from an E-Bay retailer, and have no affiliation with either this particular seller or the manufacturer other than, of course, the purchase of this particular sword.
While I studied Kendo for three years or so some twenty years ago, and have been studying Iaido (using bokken) for the past ten months, I have limited experience with other swords or katana. I borrowed a Shinwa (which I plan to review separately) for a couple of weeks while searching for a katana of my own, and I purchased a very inexpensive ($80, shipped) iaito a couple of weeks ago, which I’ve been using for kata practice. However, this is the first shinken I have ever owned, and I have never held -- much less practiced with -- a really high-quality katana. Consequently, I have very little prior knowledge of swords upon which to judge this katana, and this may very well affect my review of this particular blade.
Initial Impressions:
Once I was finally able to open the packaging (it was packed inside two blocks of styrofoam, which was securely wrapped in several layers of packing tape), I found a heavy cloth bag. I opened up the cloth bag to find the tsuka wrapped in plastic shrink-wrap, as was the blade when I removed it from the saya. All in all, I was impressed with the level of care that was taken to prepare the blade for shipping.
The very first thing I noticed once I removed all of the wrapping is that the tsuka ito and sageo were of a rather different color than I expected. In the E-Bay ad, the wrappings appeared to be a dark teal blue -- one of things I really liked about this katana. Unfortunately, I’d describe the actual color of the tsuka ito and sageo as hunter green. The sageo and tsuka-ito are actually quite nice looking, but honestly, I was a bit disappointed that the color was so different from what was portrayed in the ad, which trivial as it is, was one of the things I liked about the katana. In fairness to the E-Bay seller, there is a bit of color difference between some of the photos in the ad, and they have a note stating that some of the photos are closer to the actual color than others. However, on my computer at least, the color still looked more blue than green, so the actual color was a bit of a surprise.
Having made that admittedly minor gripe, I must say that overall, I was quite impressed with the katana, as the initial impression I had once unwrapping the katana was that it felt quite well balanced and solid. I don’t really know how to describe the feeling of sturdiness in this blade other than to say “solid” -- it doesn’t feel heavy but it definitely feels substantial, like you really could use it in combat without fear of it breaking or failing on you.
As for appearances -- fit and finish -- the sword is absolutely beautiful. The blade is a work of art; the wrappings, the tsuba, the habaki, etc. all appear to be rather high quality for such an inexpensive sword. In fact, the first time I brought this particular katana to class, both Sensei and Shihan were there, and Shihan teased Sensei that he needed to upgrade his katana to something that looked more like a “Sensei blade...something more like this.”
Statistics:
Blade/Nagasa Length: 28 ⅛ in.
Handle/Tsuka Length: 10 in.
Overall Length: 39 ¾ in.
Guard/Tsuba Width: 2 ⅞ in.
POB (Point of Balance): 5 ¾ in.
COP (Center of Percussion): I honestly don’t know how to measure this.
Weight: I don’t have a working scale to weigh the katana with.
Components:
The Blade/Nagasa:
The habaki is nice and snug, but seems to be lacquered near the tsuba, which I found a little odd:
It’s not bad looking, but it was unexpected.
The blade on this katana is truly a work of art. It’s made of T10 tool steel, folded, and differentially hardened, with an absolutely stunning hamon. The sword in the E-Bay ad had no bohi, and since Shihan explicitly told me that I would need a bohi, I asked Huawei to add one to my katana, which they did. The bohi does not appear to have been added with a CNC router, as it smoothly tapers to a point, following the lines of the kissaki, rather than ending with a rounded or bullet-like shape, as a lot of production blades do -- a nice touch of craftsmanship, I thought. The nagasa is nice and thick, suggesting that it would hold up well when cutting any reasonable targets. Where I found ripples along the length of the nagasa on my iaito, the nagasa on this sword is smooth, as one would expect in a quality blade:
While initially cleaning the shipping grease from the blade, I found a series of small dots along the hamon, as if perhaps it had been clamped by something a little harder than the blade. The series of dots is only about six inches long, about midway between the kissaki and the tsuba, and is only on one side of the blade. At first, I thought the marks were tool marks, but despite searching for about ten minutes while writing this review, I could not locate the marks again. It’s possible that I simply didn’t clean the blade well enough at first, and now, having used the sword for tameshigiri, and having cleaned the blade a few more times, perhaps I removed some residue from the manufacturing process?
The Handle/Tsuka
The tsuka is slightly narrower and taller than my bokken or iaito, but is not at all objectionable. It fills the hand nicely, and is plenty long enough to hold comfortably, despite the fact that my hands are somewhat large. I believe the tsuka-ito is made of synthetic silk, but I’m not certain. It’s definitely not cotton, as it does not feel as coarse as the ito on my iaito. The wrap is quite tight, as it should be, and is wrapped much more proficiently than the ito on my iaito. The diamonds are nice and even, and evenly spaced. While, as I mentioned above, I was slightly disappointed with the color of the ito, I am honestly quite impressed with the tsuka and ito otherwise.
The Guard/Tsuba
The tsuba is a style I hadn’t seen before while shopping for a katana. It is not quite round, and is very stylized, with slight engraving in the surface. It appears to be made of lacquered iron (it’s magnetic), which is probably one of the reasons this sword feels so much better balanced than my iaito.
The seppa are slightly scalloped around the outside edges, which adds a nice aesthetic touch. On the downside, one edge of the seppa on the blade side of the tsuba shows a tool-mark where the seppa was slightly marred, presumably during assembly. The markings are very slight, and would easily pass unnoticed in a casual inspection.
The Pommel/Fuchi-Kashira
The fuchi-kashira is also lacquered iron, and is engraved with a stylized leaf pattern (or at least, that’s what it looks like to me). It’s probably not the first design I would choose were I to custom build a katana, but it will work.
The Scabbard/Saya
The saya is the component that most shows that even though Huawei apparently cares a great deal about producing a quality product, they aren’t quite perfect...although they are certainly close. The glossy black lacquered saya is made of horn at the koikuchi and at the opposite end (term?). The sageo is...flawless. I wish I could learn to tie the sageo even half this well, but unfortunately, that’s a skill that has so far eluded me, lol.
The koikuchi is a bit snug right now, but not so much that I’m concerned about cracking the saya. I imagine that with time and use, it will loosen up.
Unfortunately, the finish is slightly flawed where the horn meets the wood. Once again, it’s a minor, cosmetic flaw, and I really don’t think I’ll lose a lot of sleep over it.
Handling Characteristics:
Wow.
After practicing kata with the blade-heavy iaito that arrived about a week earlier, this sword handles like a dream. Even better, the tachi-kaze is effortless with this katana. I can get the tachi-kaze maybe about half the time with my iaito, if I’m really listening for it and my technique is exceptionally good. It’s there, but it’s quiet. In comparison, this katana *screams* with a good swing. While practicing and listening for the tachi-kaze, I heard the (loud!) whistle that accompanies a good swing, the typical “whoosh” that you hear with a poor swing, and the faint, slightly-off whistle that accompanies a not-quite-right swing -- which I’ve never heard with my iaito. The feedback from this katana is perfect for a beginner like myself, who is still trying to learn to swing properly. In fact, the tachi-kaze is so noticeable that while warming up with this katana in class before a tameshigiri session the other day, I noticed Shihan eyeing me strangely. After several swings, Shihan called me by name, then stated, “Just because you are getting the tachikaze, that does not necessarily mean you are swinging correctly. We’ll have to see how your cuts look with the mats to tell for sure.” In a class full of people, the tachi-kaze from this sword was still loud enough for Shihan to hear.
...which brings us to…:
Test Cutting:
I was the last student in class to cut the tatami mats that particular day, I was the newest, lowest-ranked student in class, and I was the only one present that day who had never cut mats before.
...and I was also the only student that day to achieve 100% success in kesa giri (the only cut we students performed).
Lest I sound like I am bragging, let me be clear: I fully credit this sword -- and not my skill -- for making me look good in class. It’s very sharp, very well balanced, and cuts like a dream; the credit for my success is due far more to the quality of the katana I was using than it is due to anything I brought to the table. The cuts were clean, with no ragged edges, and I did not feel like I needed to use any extra power to “muscle” my way through the tatami. I could simply focus on swinging properly, and allow the katana to cut through the mat. All in all, I was extremely pleased with the performance of this sword.
Conclusions:
Despite a few minor criticisms, I am really happy with this sword, and I am convinced that I made a good decision when I purchased it. The blade is gorgeous. The tsuka is snug, the ito is tight, and the overall feel of the sword inspires confidence. The bohi was crafted with an eye for detail, which is even more impressive when you consider that this feature was not even standard on this katana. Coupled with the loud, expressive tachi-kaze that accompanies a good swing, and the exceptionally good cuts this sword made in class the other day, I am certain that this is exactly the sword I needed to develop my Iaido.
On the other hand, there is a little room for Huawei to step up the quality control a little bit to live up to the promise I see in this sword. The slightly blemished seppa and saya mar what is an otherwise outstanding katana, suggesting that their quality control is not *quite* there yet, although it is very close. Finally, while the E-bay ad did warn that the colors in their photographs don’t exactly match the coloration of the actual sword, I didn’t expect a shift all the way from dark teal blue to hunter green, which was perhaps a bit of a disappointment for me.
The Bottom Line:
In the final analysis, on any given sword, there are the details that matter, and there are the details that *don’t* matter. I can honestly say that Huawei did it right on all of the details that matter, and in the few areas where Huawei didn’t quite live up to my expectations, they were (fortunately) in the details that didn’t matter. Consequently, I can also honestly say that this katana is imminently suitable for my purposes, and therefore, I’m quite happy with this purchase. It was well worth the money I spent on it, and if I am ever in the market for another katana, I’ll definitely consider Huawei again (unless, of course, I wind the lottery and suddenly find myself in a position to upgrade to an authentic nihonto!).
So...would I recommend this sword to someone else? For anyone but a serious collector of authentic nihonto, yes, I would recommend this katana without reservation, especially for an Iaidoka who is looking for a good performing, practical shinken at a reasonable price for tameshigiri or kata practice. The sword is gorgeous, and while it might not be quite perfect, it is certainly more than close enough for my purposes. Furthermore, if the cutting performance of this katana can make even a n00b like myself look good, then a more experienced swordsman should have no problem at all with tameshigiri using this blade.
If you are looking for a quality katana that combines good looks with excellent cutting performance, I sincerely believe you would be hard pressed to find a better option anywhere near this price point.