Commissioning A Custom Ko-Katana (Pics Added: Page 5)

Nice to see the custom project is coming along well. I look forward to seeing the fully mounted sword when it's finished.

My new Huawei custom katana would have been different from my previous only in having a bohi and more niku (for hard targets) plus another inch of blade (29 instead of the standard Huawei 28 inches).

I even ordered the same furniture for the new 29 incher as has the 28 incher.
So when Jacky did not do a heavy niku "hard target" blade with compensating bohi for the added blade meat and thus weight, the new katana is really just a 29 inch version of my 28 inch custom Huawei.
So hardly worth a separate review.
Look at my 28 incher and just mentally add an inch and there you go...even the hamon (wide sughua) is the simular on both:

sbg-sword-forum.forums.net/thread/43417/huawei-folded-budget-katana-modifications?page=1&scrollTo=601862

It's been a while since my last update, and wish I had new information to give you about the sword. I haven't heard from Jacky since I posted the images, which was about two months ago (with 3 emails having been sent during that time).

That being considered, and in the spirit of transparency, I sent Jacky an email today updating him that we are on day 120 of 180 days until I ask Paypal for a refund (with the original ETA being 60 days). I'm all for giving artisans time/space to create quality work, but within reason. I'm not one to wait indefinitely for something, especially with such a blatant lack of communication, when I've honored my end of the deal and paid the commission in full on day 1. At some point is just disrespectful and in bad faith.

If Jacky responds and can deliver the sword before 180 days, I will be satisfied. However, for the amount of time I have waited, I expect to get the sword as outlined. If it varies in any significant way, I'll be asking for a replacement or refund. If it doesn't arrive by then, or if at the very least he can't show me the sword is almost done, I'll be asking for a refund as well as the return of my custom menuki.

I had almost forgot about this cool custom project, I thought for sure you'd have your blade by now. Hopefully things pan out well, but you're definitely taking the right approach on handling this.

I agree. Jacky replied with a nice email and said that, due to the unusualness of the project, more time was needed. He said he'll try to get it done before the spring festival, but offered a refund if I didn't want to wait. I said that I am okay waiting so long as the sword can be delivered (accurately and with good quality).

Jacky really does seem like a good person, I just wish he was a bit more forthcoming with his information. I'd rather be told 6 months if that's how long it will take...than be told what "I want to hear" and string me along until the sword can actually be made. I rather he respond to my emails saying that he hasn't had a chance to work on my sword due to other projects, than ignore my emails until he has had a chance to work on it. Things like that, which are unnecessary to do, really hold him back. I think he'd be surprised by how understanding customers can be when you set the right expectations upfront and keep them in the loop when they ask for an update (even if there is no new information to share).

Indeed, a lot of custom parts will be needed. The blade, of course, but also the saya, habaki, seppa, fuchi, and tsuba will need atypical things done to them in order to accommodate the unusual shape of the nagako. A lot of that is relatively straight forward (such as making a triangular hole more rectangular) but parts like the saya and habaki are more work intensive.

There are other ways of accomplishing a similar end product that might make the job easier for Jacky, and I've considered revising the design as such...but am a bit hesitant doing so at this point since it might create more confusion/complexity than would be beneficial. For example, it is possible to have a ricasso and choil area with the same general triangular cross-section as the rest of the blade. This may allow Jacky to use a more standard saya, habaki, seppa, fuchi and tsuba.

And then there were photos 













Jacky regrettably informed me that some damage was done to the saya during mounting. He didn't have enough time to repair it before the festival, but we came to an agreement to have it repaired it afterwards. I figured I waited this long, no point in rushing the final details.

Word to that. I plan on doing black on black for the blades I'm making.

While the choil looks kind of funny to me, I'm glad you were finally able to get what you wanted. If I were you, I wouldn't fuss too much about the saya. That's just me, though. Saya are just to protect/shelter the blade. I've never cared if they got damaged or not.

So far it looks pretty accurate, though I'm going to hold off on too much commentary until I have it in hand and can do a proper job reviewing it. But, from what I can tell so far, most of what I asked for seems to be present.

The biggest and most unique feature I requested is there, the ricasso area of the blade with a choil.  This one feature had far reaching implications as we all know, and necessitated that custom work also be done on the saya, habaki, seppa, fuchi, and tsuba to accommodate the atypical shape of the blade (which all seems to be present as well).  My initial impression about the choil is that it looks a little small in proportion, but when comparing it to the diagram I sent Jacky, it actually looks quite accurate.  There is a chance I might widen the choil a bit when I receive the sword if it still feels too small in person, but that's not something I can determine from the photos.

As you mentioned, it's a black-on-black theme which I also requested.  It has the simple black fittings I asked for, including the hamadashi tsuba, as well as the brass menuki I had 3D printed. The lower Menuki seems a little off-center to me, though it might just be the angle of the pic.  The saya is black gloss, per request. It appears to have the horn kojiri, koiguchi and kurikata .  It has the simple brass habaki and seppa I requested, as well as the two mekugi ana.

So far, so good. 

The blade doesn't appear to have any niku, which I did request.  I could be wrong, but it's not the end of the world if it's flat ground.  The blade is rather stout for 22", and being TH spring steel, I don't think durability is going to be an issue in any case.  I also asked for a slightly slimmer tsuka core (as I heard that Huawei's can be a little on the thick side) as well as paid a little extra to have real Japanese silk to imported and used for the wrap...but can't really tell whether those things have been done by the pictures.

Overall, I'd say it looks very promising