Wang-Katana2011 Katana and Wakizashi Daisho set customized
Aug 20, 2015 17:42:37 GMT
Post by sleepy3103 on Aug 20, 2015 17:42:37 GMT
Introduction
Hello everyone, first let me say that I haven't had any type of sword for the last 12 years, lol. Before that I had a couple of European swords. So I am pretty new to owning a Japanese sword. I have been researching them for the last year and have handled a couple that a friend of mine owns.
Ok so I have been on the forum looking around for the last year, just joined recently. After doing loads and loads of reading and researching I had decided to get a Hauwei Katana. Then after reading about them being behind and talking to Jackie from Hauwei about how long it would take with the customizations I wanted I decide I didn't want to wait a month or more. So I started searching around again and came across wang-katana2011 among many other ebay sellers. I read about 200 reviews on their ebay store and then about 20 from outside sources by googling. All were really good. So I decide to shoot them a message to see how much extra it would cost for the customizations I wanted and how long it would take to ship out.
I was told it wouldn't cost any extra and it would ship in 2 days so I was really happy about that. The Katana I wanted was 1095 clay tempered carbon steel just like the Hauwei, but half the price. So before ordering I looked at the wakizashis they had for sale. They had a clay tempered 1095 wakizashi also, so I shot them another message and asked if I could get both of them the exact same way from Kissaki to Kashira and they said I could. I was really happy, so then I asked them how long that would take to ship. He said still 2 days, so I clicked buy it now on both and sent them a detailed message on exactly how I wanted both the Katana and Wakizashi. I got a message a few minutes later confirming they had all the info and would let me know when they ship. Really good customer service.
Historical overview
This Part I have no Idea.
Full Disclosure
I have no affiliation with wang-katana2011, the only thing that swayed me their way was the price of their sword along with their customer service and speed.
Initial Impressions
I have to admit that when I received the package I felt like a kid at christmas. I ordered them on August 8th, they shipped on the 10th and received them on the 18th. So coming from Longquan China I'd say thats pretty fast. When I cut the box open the swords where in the nice silk sword bags and then inside a plastic sheath. The Tsuka was shrink wrapped and the blades where in a plastic sheath with grease on them inside the saya. They both came exactly how I ordered them. I was very happy. I made a sort of unboxing and overview video and put it on my youtube channel and I was having a brain fart the whole video because I was so excited. lol.
Statistics
Blade/Nagasa Length: Katana 27.5" - Wakizashi 19.7"
Handle/Tsuka Length: Katana 10.25 - Wakizashi 7.9"
Overall Length: Katana 40.6" - Wakazashi 30.7"
Guard/Tsuba Width: 3" for both
POB (Point of Balance): Right around 5" for the Katana and 4" for the wakizashi(from the Tsuba)
COP (Center of Percussion): I don't know yet, only cut a couple bottle to see how they do.
Weight:
Katana in Saya 2lbs 14oz - out of saya 2lbs 4.8oz Wakizashi with saya 2lbs 5.3oz - out of saya 1lbs 13oz weighed with mail scale.
Components
The Blade/Nagasa
In my opinion the blades of both are very nice. They are almost a mirror polish except for tha Kissaki, They have a geometric yokote. The hamon is a nice ghostly uneven pattern that to me looks very nice and goes all the way up to the tip of the kissaki. Both blades also have a full single bo-hi, and the blades are very sharp with a nice apple seed edge geometry. The only part I don't like is the kissaki is not as polished as the rest of the blade, but from all the reviews i have read that seems to be a popular theme with modern production swords.
The Handle/Tsuka
For the Tsuka I chose black Ito wrap which is synthetic silk, and black same panels that are real ray skin. Could have gotten them fully wrapped for a little extra money but I plan on making my own Tsuka for both anyway so didn't worry about it. The Ito is wrapped really tight on both, I can't move it at all except just a hair where it is on top of the menuki. The only thing that I don't like about the wrap is that its not alternating.
The Guard/Tsuba
The Guard is Iron and is really nice looking with a 4 pointed star type of pattern
The Pommel/Fuchi-Kashira
The Fuchi and Kashira are just cheap alloy with a chromish black color with gold accents
The Scabbard/Saya
The Saya are decent, they fit well and the swords don't rattle in them. They don't have the buffalo horn pieces for the koiguchi, kurigata, and kojiri. I don't mind that at all as long as they fit good and look good.
Handling Characteristics
Like I said earlier I don't have much experience with Japanese swords, But I am about 5'6 fat and muscular. The katana feels good, feels hefty but agile in my hands. The wakizashi is light and nimble.
Test Cutting (if applicable)
Well I did cut about 10 bottles between the 2 swords, some cheap 16oz water bottles, 2 gallon milk jugs, and 2 lipton tea bottle wich are thicker than gatorade bottles. I pretty much hindered the performance of the sword on a few cuts, but when i alighned the edge it went through all like butter. I even cut through the cap and kneck at a downward angle of one of the tea bottle and it was a clean cut. If you drink the lipton teas in the square looking bottle you know they are thick as crap. So I would say in the hands of a good swordsam they would be awesome.
Conclusions
For my experience with katanas, which is handling a Hauwei, a cheness Kaze, and a Hanwei Practical XL a buddy of mine owns I was really suprised at the quality of these swords at the price point. They do have a little cheaper fitting such as the fuchi, kashira, and the buffalo horn parts not being on the saya, but other than that they feel and look as good as those others I have handled.
Pros
- Really cheap price for the quality
- Nice weight on both swords
- beautiful blade with nice straight fuller
- beautiful hamon
- nice tightly wrapped ito
- fit of everything is nice and tight, no rattling or looseness
- very sharp
- synthetic silk instead of cotton ito and sageo
Cons
- Alloy Fuchi and Kashira
- No buffalo horn on saya
- they used zinc alloy fittings to keep the price down but I don't really mind this
- ito is not alternatively wrapped
The Bottom Line
I would recommend these swords to anyone that doesn't have to have everything top quality. The things I listed as cons, to me for the price are not a big deal. I paid $310 total for both of these sword and they came with a stand. To me it doesn't get better than this for the price.
If you want to see the sword a bit better i made a unboxing and overview of them, here is a link to the video:
Hello everyone, first let me say that I haven't had any type of sword for the last 12 years, lol. Before that I had a couple of European swords. So I am pretty new to owning a Japanese sword. I have been researching them for the last year and have handled a couple that a friend of mine owns.
Ok so I have been on the forum looking around for the last year, just joined recently. After doing loads and loads of reading and researching I had decided to get a Hauwei Katana. Then after reading about them being behind and talking to Jackie from Hauwei about how long it would take with the customizations I wanted I decide I didn't want to wait a month or more. So I started searching around again and came across wang-katana2011 among many other ebay sellers. I read about 200 reviews on their ebay store and then about 20 from outside sources by googling. All were really good. So I decide to shoot them a message to see how much extra it would cost for the customizations I wanted and how long it would take to ship out.
I was told it wouldn't cost any extra and it would ship in 2 days so I was really happy about that. The Katana I wanted was 1095 clay tempered carbon steel just like the Hauwei, but half the price. So before ordering I looked at the wakizashis they had for sale. They had a clay tempered 1095 wakizashi also, so I shot them another message and asked if I could get both of them the exact same way from Kissaki to Kashira and they said I could. I was really happy, so then I asked them how long that would take to ship. He said still 2 days, so I clicked buy it now on both and sent them a detailed message on exactly how I wanted both the Katana and Wakizashi. I got a message a few minutes later confirming they had all the info and would let me know when they ship. Really good customer service.
Historical overview
This Part I have no Idea.
Full Disclosure
I have no affiliation with wang-katana2011, the only thing that swayed me their way was the price of their sword along with their customer service and speed.
Initial Impressions
I have to admit that when I received the package I felt like a kid at christmas. I ordered them on August 8th, they shipped on the 10th and received them on the 18th. So coming from Longquan China I'd say thats pretty fast. When I cut the box open the swords where in the nice silk sword bags and then inside a plastic sheath. The Tsuka was shrink wrapped and the blades where in a plastic sheath with grease on them inside the saya. They both came exactly how I ordered them. I was very happy. I made a sort of unboxing and overview video and put it on my youtube channel and I was having a brain fart the whole video because I was so excited. lol.
Statistics
Blade/Nagasa Length: Katana 27.5" - Wakizashi 19.7"
Handle/Tsuka Length: Katana 10.25 - Wakizashi 7.9"
Overall Length: Katana 40.6" - Wakazashi 30.7"
Guard/Tsuba Width: 3" for both
POB (Point of Balance): Right around 5" for the Katana and 4" for the wakizashi(from the Tsuba)
COP (Center of Percussion): I don't know yet, only cut a couple bottle to see how they do.
Weight:
Katana in Saya 2lbs 14oz - out of saya 2lbs 4.8oz Wakizashi with saya 2lbs 5.3oz - out of saya 1lbs 13oz weighed with mail scale.
Components
The Blade/Nagasa
In my opinion the blades of both are very nice. They are almost a mirror polish except for tha Kissaki, They have a geometric yokote. The hamon is a nice ghostly uneven pattern that to me looks very nice and goes all the way up to the tip of the kissaki. Both blades also have a full single bo-hi, and the blades are very sharp with a nice apple seed edge geometry. The only part I don't like is the kissaki is not as polished as the rest of the blade, but from all the reviews i have read that seems to be a popular theme with modern production swords.
The Handle/Tsuka
For the Tsuka I chose black Ito wrap which is synthetic silk, and black same panels that are real ray skin. Could have gotten them fully wrapped for a little extra money but I plan on making my own Tsuka for both anyway so didn't worry about it. The Ito is wrapped really tight on both, I can't move it at all except just a hair where it is on top of the menuki. The only thing that I don't like about the wrap is that its not alternating.
The Guard/Tsuba
The Guard is Iron and is really nice looking with a 4 pointed star type of pattern
The Pommel/Fuchi-Kashira
The Fuchi and Kashira are just cheap alloy with a chromish black color with gold accents
The Scabbard/Saya
The Saya are decent, they fit well and the swords don't rattle in them. They don't have the buffalo horn pieces for the koiguchi, kurigata, and kojiri. I don't mind that at all as long as they fit good and look good.
Handling Characteristics
Like I said earlier I don't have much experience with Japanese swords, But I am about 5'6 fat and muscular. The katana feels good, feels hefty but agile in my hands. The wakizashi is light and nimble.
Test Cutting (if applicable)
Well I did cut about 10 bottles between the 2 swords, some cheap 16oz water bottles, 2 gallon milk jugs, and 2 lipton tea bottle wich are thicker than gatorade bottles. I pretty much hindered the performance of the sword on a few cuts, but when i alighned the edge it went through all like butter. I even cut through the cap and kneck at a downward angle of one of the tea bottle and it was a clean cut. If you drink the lipton teas in the square looking bottle you know they are thick as crap. So I would say in the hands of a good swordsam they would be awesome.
Conclusions
For my experience with katanas, which is handling a Hauwei, a cheness Kaze, and a Hanwei Practical XL a buddy of mine owns I was really suprised at the quality of these swords at the price point. They do have a little cheaper fitting such as the fuchi, kashira, and the buffalo horn parts not being on the saya, but other than that they feel and look as good as those others I have handled.
Pros
- Really cheap price for the quality
- Nice weight on both swords
- beautiful blade with nice straight fuller
- beautiful hamon
- nice tightly wrapped ito
- fit of everything is nice and tight, no rattling or looseness
- very sharp
- synthetic silk instead of cotton ito and sageo
Cons
- Alloy Fuchi and Kashira
- No buffalo horn on saya
- they used zinc alloy fittings to keep the price down but I don't really mind this
- ito is not alternatively wrapped
The Bottom Line
I would recommend these swords to anyone that doesn't have to have everything top quality. The things I listed as cons, to me for the price are not a big deal. I paid $310 total for both of these sword and they came with a stand. To me it doesn't get better than this for the price.
If you want to see the sword a bit better i made a unboxing and overview of them, here is a link to the video: