Review: Yama no Kumo
Jul 25, 2015 2:19:17 GMT
Post by Kiyoshi on Jul 25, 2015 2:19:17 GMT
Introduction
Hello everyone. This is my first review. Be warned, I'm not experienced with reviews so my pictures, pronunciation, and everything are going to be absolutely terrible. I bought this sword in order to have a more traditional looking sword for iai. I don't intend to do much cutting with it, if any at all. I will be reviewing the sword from the view of someone who looks for balance and feel over cutting ability.
Full Disclosure
I am an experienced iaidoka. I have only handled one genuine nihonto, but I've handled many iaito and Chinese made katana. I received this sword quite a bit under MSRP but I have no connections with the distributor or company. I'm reviewing this without prior warning to any company involved.
Initial Impressions
The packaging was very basic. Came with a simple but nice sword bag. Not your typical yellow taped foam that most chinese made blades come in. Customer service from the company was great. Shipping was 2 business days since I ordered from only two states away. The sword came without any apparent damage.
Statistics
Taken from CAS Liberia :
Overall: 41 1/2"
Blade Length: 29 1/2"
Handle Length: 10 1/2"
Weight: 2lb 10oz
Point of Balance: 6 1/2"
Thickness at Guard: 7.3mm
Thickness at Tip: 4.6mm
Sori: 7/8"
Blade Steel: T10
Components:
The Blade/Nagasa
The blade is where this sword shines, well mostly. I'll start with the cons. The yokote leaves a lot to be desired. Something that should not happen at this price point. I suspect this might be the case with all kaneie, but I can't be certain. The images of the yokote all look similar. Another thing is the thickness height wise is a bit much for my taste. I think this is due to the sword being designed as a cutter. The sword is supposed to be traditionally polished but it does not appear to be burnished.
The good is that the polish is great. The blade is also well balanced and feel nice to swing. Due to the thickness, the noto is a bit less than perfect feeling, but it is by no means an issue. The hamon on this is simultaneously prominent and subtle. You can see it in nearly any lighting.
The Handle/Tsuka
The tsuka is well shaped. It feels better than all but a few katana that I have held. It is somewhere in between a high end Chinese katana and a Japanese iaito. The ito is tight and made from Japanese cotton. It has a good length for someone with larger hands like mine but shaped well enough for those with smaller hands. It feels good to hold and the menuki don't feel in the way.
The Guard/Tsuba
This is an area I feel is lacking. I think the sword could benefit much more from a solid tsuba. It would only affect the balance a little, but this sword only needs a little balance correction. The tsuba is also fairly small. It is the smallest tsuba on any sword I own. My tozando iaito is the closest in size, but it a little bit bigger.
The Pommel/Fuchi-Kashira
I don't particularly feel fond of the design. I intend to get it remounted eventually, but if you like spiders, this sword does have good quality ones. This is a purely stylistic issue. They are functional and well made.
The Scabbard/Saya
The saya feels almost like leather. The paint job is well done and the wood is solid. There is horn on the normal three places. The horn feels more real that the st-Nihonto blade I have, which is the only other one I have with horn in the saya.
Handling Characteristics
The sword is well balanced and feels lighter than a sword of similar weight. It only feels slightly heavier than my tozando iaito which is significantly lighter. It feels nice during nukitsuke and noto. Overall, the sword handles very well.
Conclusions
Overall, this is mostly worth what I paid for it. It falls short of some expectations but definitely meets others. If I could, I would have gotten an okuden line blade though.
Pros
- Good ito
- Good weight and balance
- Beautiful polish with a nice hamon
- Well constructed, very nice saya
Cons
- Yokote leaves a lot to be desired
- Fittings not to taste
- Blade feels too thick height wise
The Bottom Line
I would recommend this katana only to those whose niche it fills. It is a sword that looks beautiful but has a few flaws. Buy this over the okuden line if and only if you really want the polish. Weigh your options carefully, as it might even be a better idea to get a different brand of sword all together. This does what it does well, and looks great while doing it. I just feel that it might be a waste to use this on back yard cutting as the polish is one of the main selling points. Cutting and scratching it up means you spend the price difference from okuden to menkyo on a temporary aesthetic.
Apparently SBG is selling these for only $700 now... So I feel dumb buying this one. ._.
Edit: After handling the sword, I have greatly changed my mind on it. The blance is good, but I am severely disappointed in the quality. The blade geometry is poor for this price point and I found this:
That gap is a definite deal breaker. I'm going to see about sending it back. Guess I'm going katana hunting again.
Hello everyone. This is my first review. Be warned, I'm not experienced with reviews so my pictures, pronunciation, and everything are going to be absolutely terrible. I bought this sword in order to have a more traditional looking sword for iai. I don't intend to do much cutting with it, if any at all. I will be reviewing the sword from the view of someone who looks for balance and feel over cutting ability.
Full Disclosure
I am an experienced iaidoka. I have only handled one genuine nihonto, but I've handled many iaito and Chinese made katana. I received this sword quite a bit under MSRP but I have no connections with the distributor or company. I'm reviewing this without prior warning to any company involved.
Initial Impressions
The packaging was very basic. Came with a simple but nice sword bag. Not your typical yellow taped foam that most chinese made blades come in. Customer service from the company was great. Shipping was 2 business days since I ordered from only two states away. The sword came without any apparent damage.
Statistics
Taken from CAS Liberia :
Overall: 41 1/2"
Blade Length: 29 1/2"
Handle Length: 10 1/2"
Weight: 2lb 10oz
Point of Balance: 6 1/2"
Thickness at Guard: 7.3mm
Thickness at Tip: 4.6mm
Sori: 7/8"
Blade Steel: T10
Components:
The Blade/Nagasa
The blade is where this sword shines, well mostly. I'll start with the cons. The yokote leaves a lot to be desired. Something that should not happen at this price point. I suspect this might be the case with all kaneie, but I can't be certain. The images of the yokote all look similar. Another thing is the thickness height wise is a bit much for my taste. I think this is due to the sword being designed as a cutter. The sword is supposed to be traditionally polished but it does not appear to be burnished.
The good is that the polish is great. The blade is also well balanced and feel nice to swing. Due to the thickness, the noto is a bit less than perfect feeling, but it is by no means an issue. The hamon on this is simultaneously prominent and subtle. You can see it in nearly any lighting.
The Handle/Tsuka
The tsuka is well shaped. It feels better than all but a few katana that I have held. It is somewhere in between a high end Chinese katana and a Japanese iaito. The ito is tight and made from Japanese cotton. It has a good length for someone with larger hands like mine but shaped well enough for those with smaller hands. It feels good to hold and the menuki don't feel in the way.
The Guard/Tsuba
This is an area I feel is lacking. I think the sword could benefit much more from a solid tsuba. It would only affect the balance a little, but this sword only needs a little balance correction. The tsuba is also fairly small. It is the smallest tsuba on any sword I own. My tozando iaito is the closest in size, but it a little bit bigger.
The Pommel/Fuchi-Kashira
I don't particularly feel fond of the design. I intend to get it remounted eventually, but if you like spiders, this sword does have good quality ones. This is a purely stylistic issue. They are functional and well made.
The Scabbard/Saya
The saya feels almost like leather. The paint job is well done and the wood is solid. There is horn on the normal three places. The horn feels more real that the st-Nihonto blade I have, which is the only other one I have with horn in the saya.
Handling Characteristics
The sword is well balanced and feels lighter than a sword of similar weight. It only feels slightly heavier than my tozando iaito which is significantly lighter. It feels nice during nukitsuke and noto. Overall, the sword handles very well.
Conclusions
Overall, this is mostly worth what I paid for it. It falls short of some expectations but definitely meets others. If I could, I would have gotten an okuden line blade though.
Pros
- Good ito
- Good weight and balance
- Beautiful polish with a nice hamon
- Well constructed, very nice saya
Cons
- Yokote leaves a lot to be desired
- Fittings not to taste
- Blade feels too thick height wise
The Bottom Line
I would recommend this katana only to those whose niche it fills. It is a sword that looks beautiful but has a few flaws. Buy this over the okuden line if and only if you really want the polish. Weigh your options carefully, as it might even be a better idea to get a different brand of sword all together. This does what it does well, and looks great while doing it. I just feel that it might be a waste to use this on back yard cutting as the polish is one of the main selling points. Cutting and scratching it up means you spend the price difference from okuden to menkyo on a temporary aesthetic.
Apparently SBG is selling these for only $700 now... So I feel dumb buying this one. ._.
Edit: After handling the sword, I have greatly changed my mind on it. The blance is good, but I am severely disappointed in the quality. The blade geometry is poor for this price point and I found this:
That gap is a definite deal breaker. I'm going to see about sending it back. Guess I'm going katana hunting again.