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Post by MessengerofDarkness on Sept 12, 2015 1:42:28 GMT
Well, thanks to jussi's thread, I've looked into sheng's stuff and it comes from his own forge called either Sheng's Sword Factory or Shengtang Swords depending on which directory I found. I actually think that's a good thing - if he has his own sword forge and directly oversees it, then the chances are that his stuff has a higher degree of qc than another Longquan company, like, oh, i dunno... Ryanswords? * Coughs* Anyways, thanks on getting the info on Sheng's forge, it's much appreciated to know that he wasn't just BSing us and does own his own forge. :D
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Post by Kiyoshi on Sept 12, 2015 2:04:12 GMT
No problem. I don't know if he is the one who actually makes the swords but even if he isn't, at least we know we're likely communicating with the owner of the forge.
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Post by Cottontail Customs on Sept 12, 2015 4:35:46 GMT
Yeah, that was from an old review of someone else's katana, I just borrowed the image to make my point clearer - if you can find the review that would be much appreciated. That was a review I did a while back of a Proswords custom katana. Pretty much everything but the blade was a complete mess, including the saya you pictured. Here is the original mini-review
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Post by MessengerofDarkness on Sept 12, 2015 5:07:21 GMT
Yeah, that was from an old review of someone else's katana, I just borrowed the image to make my point clearer - if you can find the review that would be much appreciated. :) That was a review I did a while back of a Proswords custom katana. Pretty much everything but the blade was a complete mess, including the saya you pictured. Here is the original mini-reviewRight, I was referring to Kiyoshi finding the old review that he himself was talking about - I only borrowed the pic of the saya because I couldn't really describe what I was trying to say. (Sorry about borrowing the pic for a reference without asking first, I know some people hat that.)
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Post by Kiyoshi on Sept 12, 2015 5:13:20 GMT
Josh linking his review makes it all the more clear that if Sheng's saya guy probably makes flush ones. it has a visible transition even from further away. If they aren't flush, they are at least a dozen times closer than that saya. It also makes me really ope he is free by tax season so he can work his magic.
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Post by MessengerofDarkness on Sept 12, 2015 5:24:09 GMT
Josh linking his review makes it all the more clear that if Sheng's saya guy probably makes flush ones. it has a visible transition even from further away. If they aren't flush, they are at least a dozen times closer than that saya. It also makes me really ope he is free by tax season so he can work his magic. :) I mainly think that Proswords didn't really know what they were doing, and produced a bad product. Sheng's sayas seems to be much higher quality than the one from Josh's semi-custom katana, as well as the rest of the koshirae.
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Post by Kiyoshi on Sept 12, 2015 5:26:39 GMT
Yeah, he still uses the artsfeng style ones though. It's a good thing they'll let you send some in and apparently have some that aren't on the usual list because those are all pretty gaudy for my tastes.
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Post by greatsaiyaman on Sept 12, 2015 5:44:46 GMT
I have the unique ability to make some sexy woodworking projects right up to the very end where I make one mistake, try and correct it, and I mess up everything else along the way. Needless to say, I'd rather pay for one. lol Would you pay $650 for a well crafted one, $80 from China or make your own because you quoted saying you can't afford one but then said you would buy one. I'm just curious because you seem to be contradicting yourself on what you want.
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Post by greatsaiyaman on Sept 12, 2015 5:51:25 GMT
Just to note, there is no $80 saya available as far as I know, it was a mix up in referencing Horn parts are often lacquered on Japanese saya. I haven't seen many(nihonto), as far as I can remember, that were left bare. It is a nice look to have them highly polished in my opinion but I really only see this on modern saya made outside of Japan. I suppose in many cases it would be hard to tell the difference unless it was a very close pic or seen in person. Properly lacquering with urushi is much different however than the one or two passes with acrylic paint(or similar) that the ebay saya often receive so while the finish on Japanese saya could theoretically last a hundred years or more, the ebay finish could begin to chip and flake in days, weeks or months. Probably better to leave them bare and polished. By the way, Lyueswords is Ryanswords. I know it comes up often but does anyone have any actual proof of which companies are the same and which actually have factories/forges and which just buy and sell? RinC, you've mentioned that you think Jacky is a smith but is this just your impression or did he claim this? This whole industry can be very confusing and deceptive and it would be amazing if some of the mysteries could be solved The only thing I know about them Josh is they have different reps and Lyuesword denied being affiliated with them but sent me a god damn Ryansword piece of paper twice on my 2 orders from them. Also Tommysword is definately affliated with Lyuesword as they share there store, items and photos. However, when once I enquired between the 2 of them they had different reps and both were fighting over who I should buy from.
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Post by Kiyoshi on Sept 12, 2015 6:03:23 GMT
Would you pay $650 for a well crafted one, $80 from China or make your own because you quoted saying you can't afford one but then said you would buy one. I'm just curious because you seem to be contradicting yourself on what you want. I guess I fail to see the contradiction. Willingness and ability don't coincide otherwise they'd not be different words. If I had the money? Absolutely. Do I have the money? No, so I can't. And they likely get paid commission or something. Re-sellers might use that as a way to get the sellers to... sell. lol If that is the case, then I would imagine they'd fight over it. Edit: I'd like to clarify that I would buy one if it was the case that I had extra money not needed for anything else and I needed a new saya or I wanted a new saya more than I wanted something else, since I guess I should be very specific.
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Post by greatsaiyaman on Sept 12, 2015 6:26:06 GMT
I'm just suggesting options for you. I wouldnt pay for a very high price saya on a Chinese katana unless it was very well made and then I would have to significantly upgrade everything else which means more and more money!
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Post by Kiyoshi on Sept 12, 2015 6:32:05 GMT
I'm not really looking into options atm. I'll probably stick with the stock saya I have now and maybe get it repainted sometime if I can get a cozy job at a clinic when I graduate. For now though, I know I want a rewrap when I get my swords, but I'll have to wait until tax season. I'm not quite sure of the price since I don't know who will be available, but I should be fine if the rewarap costs under $200.
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addertooth
Member
Working the tsuka on two bare blades from Ninja-Katana, slow progress
Posts: 458
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Post by addertooth on Sept 12, 2015 16:24:56 GMT
I would be prepared to forgive all manner of sins (Saya, Tsukamaki, etc), if I could just get a Chinese laminated blade with really clean-crisp (unbuffed) lines with a yokote which is not slightly rounded (or crooked). Even the higher end Chinese "Tamahagane" stuff sold seems to suffer from buff-wheel-abuse. I have two sets of Edo era fuchi/kishira/menuki/tsuba sitting around just waiting for a worthy blade to be mounted with it. Probably at some point I will get fed up, and fix the yokote on one of my existing swords.
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Post by Gene J on Sept 12, 2015 16:27:47 GMT
check out brandonswords sanmai
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addertooth
Member
Working the tsuka on two bare blades from Ninja-Katana, slow progress
Posts: 458
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Post by addertooth on Sept 12, 2015 16:29:21 GMT
Gene J, Did you clean those Yokote up yourself?
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Post by Kiyoshi on Sept 12, 2015 16:36:30 GMT
I would be prepared to forgive all manner of sins (Saya, Tsukamaki, etc), if I could just get a Chinese laminated blade with really clean-crisp (unbuffed) lines with a yokote which is not slightly rounded (or crooked). Even the higher end Chinese "Tamahagane" stuff sold seems to suffer from buff-wheel-abuse. I have two sets of Edo era fuchi/kishira/menuki/tsuba sitting around just waiting for a worthy blade to be mounted with it. Probably at some point I will get fed up, and fix the yokote on one of my existing swords. Do you have any images of the fittings?
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addertooth
Member
Working the tsuka on two bare blades from Ninja-Katana, slow progress
Posts: 458
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Post by addertooth on Sept 12, 2015 16:45:16 GMT
This picture does not include the bird theme Tsuba. But it is most of it. For the Bird theme, some place-holder modern reproduction menuki are standing-in for this photo as well.
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Post by Kiyoshi on Sept 12, 2015 16:46:41 GMT
Those are pretty nice. Are you going to be using those for a self project or sending them off to someone?
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Post by Gene J on Sept 12, 2015 16:51:15 GMT
a lil on that one , also mounted it
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addertooth
Member
Working the tsuka on two bare blades from Ninja-Katana, slow progress
Posts: 458
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Post by addertooth on Sept 12, 2015 16:51:56 GMT
Almost certain it will be a self project. The set on the right will be for a wakizashi. The tsuba on the right set is sized appropriately for that use. As said elsewhere on the forum, I am learning engraving with the intent of eventually fabricating an entire set to my taste.
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