dsol
Member
Posts: 27
|
Post by dsol on Apr 18, 2015 14:42:22 GMT
I was poking around looking for my first sword, no real plans for one yet, just have the itch and came across this forum. I did some searches for tsunami-dragon and other ebay sellers, but had little luck. So... what the hell, make a first post and jump right in asking? Sure....
Anyway, found this one: www.ebay.com/itm/111641648642?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT when searching for a spring steel 9260 blade. Can anyone offer me opinions?
Thank you
|
|
Mikeeman
Member
Small Business Operator
Posts: 2,904
|
Post by Mikeeman on Apr 18, 2015 15:32:22 GMT
It just looks like your standard $100 eBay kat to me. Nothing flashy or fancy and probably going to have some fitment issues. I noticed in the pictures they didn't even bother to pick one that didn't have the wood core showing through the ito near the kashira. Most likely going to have a cracked tsuka core. Cheap synthetic ito and the same pot metal fittings every other cheap sword has. The tsuba is iron, so that's a plus. The kissaki on this one is different that most of the badly transitioning counter polished junk you see everywhere.
It says free shipping so for $100, it's probably an ok deal. I'd say it's a safe buy.
|
|
|
Post by Matthew.Jensen on Apr 18, 2015 15:36:27 GMT
It does not look better or worse than most of the other odd named ebay sellers in china. Nothing jumps out as special in a good or bad way.
I know that does not help much but at least nothing is glaringly horrid for $100. I don't know much about how they heat treat but I would not expect much for $100;
|
|
Mikeeman
Member
Small Business Operator
Posts: 2,904
|
Post by Mikeeman on Apr 18, 2015 15:44:45 GMT
It does not look better or worse than most of the other odd named ebay sellers in china. Nothing jumps out as special in a good or bad way. I know that does not help much but at least nothing is glaringly horrid for $100. I don't know much about how they heat treat but I would not expect much for $100; Typically, you can get pretty good swords around $100. Just not from eBay. You're dead on about the HT from most eBay sellers, but it seems like just about every forge in China has figured out how to HT 9260 to where it's fairly durable. I've got a 9260 blade from an eBay seller as a project blade. Haven't mounted it up, yet, but I threw a tsuba on it, wrapped the tang, and put it through some durability testing. Held up pretty well. No bending or anything.
|
|
dsol
Member
Posts: 27
|
Post by dsol on Apr 18, 2015 19:58:26 GMT
Cool, thanks for the replies. I am more concerned about the quality of the blade than the fittings to start. I figure I can always change that out later should I desire. I don't really like the idea of buying one off of eBay, I understand there are to many unknowns as far as the heat treatment is concerned. Anyone have a link for something inexpensive in a spring steel that would serve someone just starting out?
Like I said, no real plans for it yet, I just have the itch and I would bet more than one of you guys started out that way headed down a dark path of more and more nice blades... I have no training in the handling of a sword, all my weapons training came shooting pistols with my dad (who was a cop) when I was young, then good old Uncle Sam later in life. Bayonets are not really swords... you just stick people with the pointy end if you run out of bullets.
To be honest, one of my .357 magnums and an old ugly FAL would be the first things I would grab if social work was needed.
|
|
Mikeeman
Member
Small Business Operator
Posts: 2,904
|
Post by Mikeeman on Apr 18, 2015 20:42:17 GMT
Well, if you're looking for an inexpensive kat that is decent for the price, try looking at the Musashi Shirakawa blades or the Munetoshi Lion Dog/Water dragon. they are all pretty good swords for what you pay. Right at the $100 mark.
|
|
|
Post by chrisperoni on Apr 19, 2015 0:55:51 GMT
Not a bad deal for 100 bucks. My 9260 came from Huawei on ebay but it was 150 due to exchange and shipping. Free shipping on this is nice. If you are patient you can get a typical ebay kat for as little as 50 dollars, just have to know how to refine your search and give it a week of so. Are you set on 9260?
If you buy this or any lower cost ebay kat i would recommend you permanently epoxy the everything together from the fuchi down and lacquer the ito. Will be safer and no issues with a possible cracked tsuka.
|
|
dsol
Member
Posts: 27
|
Post by dsol on Apr 19, 2015 13:22:17 GMT
Not a bad deal for 100 bucks. My 9260 came from Huawei on ebay but it was 150 due to exchange and shipping. Free shipping on this is nice. If you are patient you can get a typical ebay kat for as little as 50 dollars, just have to know how to refine your search and give it a week of so. Are you set on 9260? If you buy this or any lower cost ebay kat i would recommend you permanently epoxy the everything together from the fuchi down and lacquer the ito. Will be safer and no issues with a possible cracked tsuka. I have been researching blade steels a little, 9620 seems the best for a low cost blade in my opinion. If others have information to share, I would appreciate any and all input. I want something that is forgiving of bad technique when I start learning how to swing properly. I would like to do some medium cutting (and hard eventually). 1060 seems like a basic starter, 1090 or 1095 is a little harder, would they stand up okay if someone screws up?
I got lots of research to do here on the forum, just not enough time to read through everything at first. Sorry for the questions that have probably been answered 100's of times already. Back to reading while I suck down a couple cups of coffee...
|
|
|
Post by krell on Apr 19, 2015 14:50:39 GMT
I too am new to sword collecting, and I also bought a cheap eBay sword for my first one. Many good people on this site will help you far more than I could ever hope to. But I do have one piece of advice for you that I think can help you. Think of this first sword as a teaching aid, not just for learning cutting techniques but for so much more. First and most important is these are weapons that can do great damage, not just to mats and water bottles, but to people. I am learning respect for the sword, for it's power, for what they have represented throughout history. Sorry, I don't mean to preach but what started as purchasing something that I've always thought was cool has become so much more than I ever thought it would. On a more practical note, it will teach you about the sword itself, what you like, or don't like, what style or size works for you etc. Also, it will need care, oiling, polishing, sharpening, and maybe repair.I don't know about you, but I'd rather make any mistakes on a $100 sword than a $300 or $500 sword. I hope this helps in some way good luck!
Also, there is a thread created by Adrian Jordan called guide for new katana buyers/owners.if you haven't found it yet, it's a must read
|
|
|
Post by Gene J on Apr 19, 2015 22:06:21 GMT
I have owned 15 e-bay katanas warriorsword is prob the way to go 1060 followed in order by 180nruan ryansword (believe it or not) and and kondosword
|
|
dsol
Member
Posts: 27
|
Post by dsol on Apr 25, 2015 12:50:28 GMT
I pulled the trigger on a Raptor Shobu here in the classifieds, should be in my hands next week. Thought I should not take a chance with my first... and the Raptor has nothing but good recommendations on this board.
I am afraid this is going to be the first step down a long and expensive road... dammit.
|
|
|
Post by aussie-rabbit on Apr 25, 2015 14:53:31 GMT
I have been researching blade steels a little, 9620 seems the best for a low cost blade in my opinion. If others have information to share, I would appreciate any and all input. I want something that is forgiving of bad technique when I start learning how to swing properly. I would like to do some medium cutting (and hard eventually). 1060 seems like a basic starter, 1090 or 1095 is a little harder, would they stand up okay if someone screws up?
I got lots of research to do here on the forum, just not enough time to read through everything at first. Sorry for the questions that have probably been answered 100's of times already. Back to reading while I suck down a couple cups of coffee...
9260 is great but don't overlook the 5160 series both are spring steel alloys and both are excellent sword steel.
|
|
|
Post by aussie-rabbit on Apr 25, 2015 14:54:28 GMT
I pulled the trigger on a Raptor Shobu here in the classifieds, should be in my hands next week. Thought I should not take a chance with my first... and the Raptor has nothing but good recommendations on this board. I am afraid this is going to be the first step down a long and expensive road... dammit. Excellent choice ! the Raptor is a really tough blade
|
|
|
Post by krell on Apr 25, 2015 15:06:06 GMT
Yes super tough blade. I just got my shobu raptor the other day, made a bad cut on my second attempt. Went through the milk jug hit the hard plastic of the outdoor storage box.left a gash in the box, did not even leave a mark on the blade!
|
|
dsol
Member
Posts: 27
|
Post by dsol on Apr 25, 2015 23:47:22 GMT
Yes super tough blade. I just got my shobu raptor the other day, made a bad cut on my second attempt. Went through the milk jug hit the hard plastic of the outdoor storage box.left a gash in the box, did not even leave a mark on the blade! Good to know, I am sure I will whiff a few swings... but I am aching to try now that I keep reading more and more about that one. It sounds like it would have been harder to make a better choice for a first blade.
My neighbors are really going to wonder... Had one question my sanity a bit years ago when he saw me running across the yard with my K-Bar, yelling obscenities and diving onto a mole tunnel stabbing repeatedly until I came up with a bloody blade. Damn mole had been tearing the hell out of my yard, so it was a personal thing between it and me. I won.
|
|
|
Post by krell on Apr 26, 2015 2:23:22 GMT
Yeah, I don't really like the looks of the raptor, and the tsuka is to long, but it's a solidly built sword and the blade just feels tough, and lethal.
|
|
|
Post by uchiha998 on Apr 26, 2015 15:02:52 GMT
Cool, thanks for the replies. I am more concerned about the quality of the blade than the fittings to start. I figure I can always change that out later should I desire. I don't really like the idea of buying one off of eBay, I understand there are to many unknowns as far as the heat treatment is concerned. Anyone have a link for something inexpensive in a spring steel that would serve someone just starting out? You should always be very concerned about the fittings. The reason I say this is because it seems that the fittings and tsuka are always the weakest part of a production katana. I have never personally owned a blade that took a set or snap in half or anything like that. I did chip my old Hanwei Practical a good bit. But that sword was old and had been put through some serious cutting by both myself and the person who owned before me. What does happen very often however are tsuka that crack, tsuba become loose and rattle, really crappy alloy fuchi can crack(though its more likely that they become loose as well), seppa can come loose as well. The importance of good quality fittings cannot be overemphasized. Most Chinese forges concentrate on the blade, this is not to say that every body makes a good blade and does a fine HT, but they put much more effort into the blade than anything else. That is simply because that is what the majority of buyers seem to want. How many times do you see people asking "What is the toughest blade out there"? Good iron fittings are the best, imo. But brass and copper are also okay. Stay away from zinc alloy, if you can. Now pretty much all swords under $200 will have alloy fittings. That isn't a universal rule but true 95% of the time.
All that being said, you made a great choice to stay away form even-sword and go with the Hanwei Raptor. It has one of the toughest blades on the market(although you really don't need the toughest blade), and the fittings are really well made. They are a bit heavy for my taste but they are also pretty well balanced. Hanwei's heat treatments are also one of the best out there. You will enjoy that blade.
Now when your ready for a nice DH katana. Come back and we will all help you find one, you'll love.
|
|
dsol
Member
Posts: 27
|
Post by dsol on Apr 26, 2015 15:10:47 GMT
From above: Now when your ready for a nice DH katana. Come back and we will all help you find one, you'll love.
That is what I was afraid of... my wallet may not be too happy with me after this first one. I have a lot of hobby projects I need to get working on after I finish getting my mom's house sold. Lots of bullets to cast and ammo to reload so my son and I can spend some time at the range. Need to build a sliding bookcase over my alcove in the basement for the cool factor (and a place to stash the swords eventually). Son is 15 so we need a project car to start working on. Got lots of deferred maintenance on daughter's, wife's and mother's cars too. I have the workshop, just not the time.
Fun times ahead!
|
|
dsol
Member
Posts: 27
|
Post by dsol on Apr 26, 2015 15:13:08 GMT
I have a lot to learn! I still have to keep going back and looking up what some of the Japanese names mean. I have enough trouble with English... I am a quasi-engineer and reformed aircraft mechanic (now desk-bound telling others what to do). Words are hard... Give me numbers and tools anytime.
|
|
|
Post by krell on Apr 26, 2015 18:23:09 GMT
I have a lot to learn! I still have to keep going back and looking up what some of the Japanese names mean. I have enough trouble with English... I am a quasi-engineer and reformed aircraft mechanic (now desk-bound telling others what to do). Words are hard... Give me numbers and tools anytime. I feel your pain lol. Most times when I post something, I have to look up the right Japanese name for it too. Some I remember right off, some I have to look up, and then some I'm like what the heck does that word mean!
|
|