Shintogo Dragon Ninjato (Togakure)
Jul 10, 2015 20:37:28 GMT
Post by disappearingone on Jul 10, 2015 20:37:28 GMT
Introduction
The first "real" sword I ever got was the Cheness Oniyuri, and I was instantly a fan of the short-bladed, long-handled style of sword. The proportions of the sword make it feel extremely well balanced and lively in hand. For a long time I wondered why there were no other comparable swords on the market. Then one day while looking through these very forums I stumbled across a thread on Shintogo Swords. In that thread I learned that they made several such swords and decided to take the plunge and give them a try. The first one I got was the Bat/Vampire Togakure sword (which I haven't formally reviewed... might need to remedy that) and I was happy enough with it to go ahead give this one a try as well.
Historical overview
It's thought that the straight-bladed ninja sword is an invention of the movies. Actual ninja swords are thought to have a short, curved blade, an extra long handle, and an over-sized saya to mask the short blade as seen on this sword. Of course, people still debate which is actually historically accurate.
Full Disclosure
I bought this sword from Ebay seller trident-military for $249.95. I don't know if Shintogo and trident-military are one and the same, but they definitely seem to at least have some affiliation with each other.
Initial Impressions
The sword arrived in nice wooden box with a Shintogo logo on it. The sword was inside was inside the standard black sword bag. No maintenance kit or stand was included this time. Sword felt very solid right out of the box. Nothing moved or rattled.
Statistics
Blade Length: 23" (9260 spring steel)
Tsuka Length: 14"
Overall Length (in saya): 45"
POB (Point of Balance): about 1 1/2"
Weight: about 2 1/2 lbs
Handling Characteristics
As I mentioned in the intro, my favorite thing about Togakure-style Oniyuri is how light and nimble it feels due to how close the point of balance is to the handle, and this sword is no different. It feels incredibly light and agile in hand. Everything is tight and solid. The silk ito wrap doesn't move at all.
Test Cutting
As usual I've done nothing crazy and stuck to light cutting (water bottles and pool noodles) and so far it's held up fine. I have no real complaints about how it handles. I've now had three or four sessions with it and it remains very tight and solid.
Conclusions
It's nice to have another sword in a style that I really like. I now have three Togakure-style swords so I think I'm good for now. I think it's unfortunate that there's so little info on Shintogo out there. I've paid more for swords that didn't have this fit and finish as good as this. I think they could be a player in the affordable production sword market if there was more brand awareness for them.
One complaint I do have is the obviously fake hamon. While not a deal breaker for me, I'd definitely prefer in to not be there at all.
Pros
- Another Togakure sword!
- Very nice fit and finish
- At least on par with other similarly priced swords (Cheness, Hanwei, etc.)
Cons
- That fake hamon
- The waxy stuff they put on the blade to protect it during shipping remains in the saya and gets on the blade