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Post by Kiyoshi on Oct 21, 2015 0:49:09 GMT
Kiyoshi, I'm really sorry to hear your customs didn't turn out as expected. When you messaged me yesterday I was hoping you meant they exceeded expectations, not the other way around. The fact that you experienced the customer service you did and received swords that didn't exactly meet specifications would make me return them. That being said, if you do end up customizing them I look forward to seeing what you come up with as you strike me as having good taste. I agree the polish is nice and I like the looks of the tsuka-ito. The tsuba looks really cool too: lately I've really been debating picking up a Hanwei Ronin for the blackity black theme with the iron tsuba, although the Bushido just seems like it has to be my next purchase. Back to the daisho though, I agree with most of the nits you picked. The koiguchi fit I saw in the video is in desperate need of a shim, and I don't know why but the kurigata seems too blingy. The lack of niku is disappointing, I wonder if there is some conspiracy or something about ebay vendors being "vegetarian"? Between Sheng, Yao and Jacky I still haven't seen a good heavy niku blade off of ebay. Here's to hoping RinC's Huawei custom comes through....eventually. On a side note, nice flow man! Thanks. Depending on who does the mount and what they charge, I plan on getting tsunamimaki with black silk tsuka over quality blackened same. I want to get different tsuba but it's near impossible to find the design I'm looking for at a good price. I've considered buying antique battle tsuba but finding two of the same style is hard. I plan on getting real ishime saya and black horn parts as well. If I'm lucky, I can get them to add file markings to the habaki and antique it and the seppa to seems less flashy. It hadn't occurred to me until recently, but the ito might wear out faster due to the rougher weave. I'll be sure to update the review if it does. I agree on the kurigata. That's why I wanted black horn. Messenger is probably right as to why there is never any niku. The blades are normally ground down to shape with a sander. The blade is still a fine one, but I won't be cutting bamboo any time soon. I wanted a sword with a traditional feel to it. This comes close I suppose.
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Post by Croccifixio on Oct 21, 2015 1:37:49 GMT
KC makes "production" swords with niku (I qualify production because they only make batches of 6)
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Post by Kiyoshi on Oct 21, 2015 1:39:44 GMT
Bugei (and by extension hanwei) supposedly make blades with niku but I've seen complaints about the swords not having any.
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Post by zabazagobo on Oct 21, 2015 2:13:22 GMT
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Post by Kiyoshi on Oct 21, 2015 3:21:13 GMT
I like the tsuba. Are the two of them identical, or different (i.e., is the pattern from casting)? I just got home from work about 5 minutes ago. With the tsuba side by side, they are basically the exact same. Some of the pitting is deeper than the other tsuba in spot but the pattern is the same. It appears it is usual molded stuff. Yeah, that's where I read that. Others might have better, but I want either the crane or dragonfly (no hi) so I wouldn't end up with niku anyway.
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Post by nihontocaster on Oct 23, 2015 22:42:01 GMT
Thanks for the very! covering review on both swords A big shame they did not work out being better, especially since you spent quite some money (for my standards at least). At over 400 Dollars per sword Sheng could really have done better imho. Not like you picked the priciest options too (meaning material-wise - I would just guess such a Saya is cheaper to make than one with rayskin or rattan, or a very fancy paintjob. At least could make sure the damn fit is better then...) Again, thanks MessengerofDarknessReally wishing you that your sword works out better quality-wise!
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Post by MessengerofDarkness on Oct 23, 2015 22:55:56 GMT
Thanks for the very! covering review on both swords :) A big shame they did not work out being better, especially since you spent quite some money (for my standards at least). At over 400 Dollars per sword Sheng could really have done better imho. Not like you picked the priciest options too (meaning material-wise - I would just guess such a Saya is cheaper to make than one with rayskin or rattan, or a very fancy paintjob. At least could make sure the damn fit is better then...) Again, thanks :) MessengerofDarknessReally wishing you that your sword works out better quality-wise! Tanks, here's hoping - I'll be sure to do a review once it's in hand and I've had some time to study it a bit. And I DO think that there are skilled craftsmen in China, not all are untrustworthy or unskilled. I'm just hoping that reflects in my blade, at least a little. What I can say right off the bat is that Even was much more pleasant and easy to deal with in terms of communication than Sheng seemed to be here, but pending the blade in hand, I'll hold off on a final opinion for now (though I do know that he got a few things wrong right off the bat, though they're more minor things.)
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addertooth
Member
Working the tsuka on two bare blades from Ninja-Katana, slow progress
Posts: 458
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Post by addertooth on Nov 2, 2015 14:57:47 GMT
I have been tempted to order a custom blade (just the bare blade), but the issues with communications are somewhat chilling. The majority of complaints from forum members seem to be issues other than the blade.
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Post by Kiyoshi on Nov 2, 2015 23:01:41 GMT
I want to get a bare blade and have it custom mounted. The problem is cost. They also don't like to meet all of the requirements you ask for. But I'll see next time. Maybe tax season if nothing else eats up my return first.
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addertooth
Member
Working the tsuka on two bare blades from Ninja-Katana, slow progress
Posts: 458
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Post by addertooth on Nov 9, 2015 13:49:42 GMT
Kiyoshi, Have you fixed your saya fit yet? How do you feel about a "rain" (diagonal lines) pattern on a habaki?
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Post by Kiyoshi on Nov 9, 2015 16:49:40 GMT
I fixed the saya. It still doesn't slide in quite right but the fit is tight so I can wear it as a daisho as long as I am careful of the larger parts. I'm thinking I should have made the tsuka smaller. For the habaki, I scratched it up with a metal file to look like this: www.katana.giheiya.com/shouhin_list/japanese_sword/iaiyoushinken/01-1225_img/01-1225-habaki.jpgThe job I did wasn't as good, but the style is the same. I like the rain scratch pattern but I am not skilled enough to pull it off. I actually didn't even do that one very well. Lots of fine attention to detail. I am starting to like the sword a lot more as is, so I don't think I'll remount it any time soon, but I still don't like how little attention was spent on details. I plan on saving up and seeing what other smiths can do after this one wears out. It cuts like a champ though. Unfortunately the details do make it not as great as it could have been.
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addertooth
Member
Working the tsuka on two bare blades from Ninja-Katana, slow progress
Posts: 458
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Post by addertooth on Nov 10, 2015 0:37:54 GMT
Okay Kiyoshi, I was going to offer a fix, but it looks like you have it covered.
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Post by Kiyoshi on Nov 10, 2015 2:47:48 GMT
Very amateur of a fix, lol. If you want to offer it anyway, feel free. I might smooth it down and try again.
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addertooth
Member
Working the tsuka on two bare blades from Ninja-Katana, slow progress
Posts: 458
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Post by addertooth on Nov 10, 2015 12:57:50 GMT
How would you feel about having your habaki worked like this? The brown lines represent copper inlay, which sticks above the surface by about 20 thousandths on each side. The black lines are engraved into the surface, to complete the classical "rain" habaki pattern. I would need you to smooth your original habaki to pull this off.
Attachments:
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Post by Kiyoshi on Nov 10, 2015 14:02:50 GMT
I'm not sure I'd like that very much with the current design. Plus that's pretty far beyond something I could do. Also, I'm not sure how smooth I'd be able to get the habaki. The main issue with reworking the habaki is that I can't take the sword apart without destroying the mekugi currently in the sword. They are stupidly tight and placed under the ito at one of them. Thanks for the idea though.
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addertooth
Member
Working the tsuka on two bare blades from Ninja-Katana, slow progress
Posts: 458
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Post by addertooth on Nov 10, 2015 14:35:18 GMT
Understood, if you can't get the habaki off, the entire sword is too large to fit in my engraving vice.
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Post by Kiyoshi on Nov 10, 2015 16:38:13 GMT
Do you engrave it yourself or with a device?
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addertooth
Member
Working the tsuka on two bare blades from Ninja-Katana, slow progress
Posts: 458
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Post by addertooth on Nov 11, 2015 2:05:37 GMT
I have 3 different ways of engraving, each with their own strengths.
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