JKOO/sinoswords heavy discount sale katana
Jan 5, 2016 0:28:47 GMT
Post by ambulocetus on Jan 5, 2016 0:28:47 GMT
Introduction
Ever since I sold my old Showato I've been lurking here and reading the reviews. After much window shopping at various vendors, I had just about narrowed it down to a couple of favorites, when I stumbled across this sale offer. Although the seller only has a couple of reviews here, they seemed generally favorable. I could tell that if the description is accurate, then it would be a good deal. So I gambled a bit and clicked the purchase button, and less than two weeks later my new sword arrived.
Historical overview
This sword is in the buke-zukuri style of sword mounting, the most common type seen today on antique Japanese swords. The tsuba appears to be a cast replica of a sukashi tsuba only less thick. As a long-time martial artist I've had the oppurtunity to handle, study and learn about genuine Nihonto, and this is not one of those. Unforunately I'm also an impoverished martial artist and this only the second sword I've actually owned, and the first chinese "katana" I've actually held. My old sword was with me a long time and that will be my baseline for comparison. My muscles remember the feel of that sword.
Full Disclosure
I am in no way connected to the manufacturer/vendor. JKOO/sinosword.com has been in my bookmarks for a while, but none of his stuff ever jumped out and said "buy me". Until now.
Here is the original description:
"The following katana 50% off for Christmas. the katana is forged shinken, original price is $170, now we only sell it$79. we forged this katana use T10 steel with differential clay tempered suguha hamon. the blade hardness about 56-57HRc, hand razor sharpened it, extremely sharp, it's very good for iaido cutting practice, enough for cutting tatami, bamboo, etc. we would like to clear our inventories before holiday for new year. So, it is good opportunity if somebody looking for good quality and good price katana. We only 1 of this katana in stock. Please order it as soon as possible if you are interest in.
Nagasa: 71cm(28").
Blade steel: T10 steel with suguha(straight) hamon.
Plolish: Mirror polish.
Motohaba: 3.2cm
Tsuka: 26cm.
Saya: glossy lacquer finished.
Koshirae: cast iron."
Let's see if it lives up to that.
Initial Impressions
I ordered the sword on Monday 21st of December, and it arrived Saturday January 2nd. No lie. Unfortunately I didn't get to the Post Office in time and it sat there until Monday.
The sword was packed in styrofoam wrapped in yellow tape. No card-board at all. Very easy to open, but not very sturdy. Luckily it was not damaged. The sword bag is so thin it makes Victorias Secret look like a parka. Typical shoe-string sageo. Carefully unsheathing it by slowly running the mune along the bottom of the saya, I realize I got a good deal. The saya fit very well, even though the koiguchi is not horn. After wiping some of the excess oil off, I do a little chiburi and noto to get a feel for the balance. I was worried it would feel flimsy after using a beefy gunto for so long, but in reality it's only a little bit lighter and feels pretty sturdy.
Statistics
Let's see how accurate the description was:
Blade/Nagasa Length: 26.75 in. to the munemachi. Jkoo must have measured to the tsuba
Handle/Tsuka Length: A bit over 10 in
Overall Length: 36 1/8"
Guard/Tsuba: 3" diameter by 3/16 thick
POB (Point of Balance): 5"
COP (Center of Percussion): just shy of the monouchi
Weight: slightly less than an average showato
The Blade
The sugata is typical chinese Shinogi Zukuri. Slight geometric kissaki cosmetically enhanced by counter-polishing, no niku, no fumbari. That seems par-for-the-course in this price range. Sori is about 3/4", mune regular Iori mune. Bohi stops right at the yokote. No polishing tricks to emphasize the suguha hamon; just a line of Nioi about 1/4" from the edge. No nie or hada on this mono-steel blade. Boshi is obscured by the counter polish of the kissaki. Tsuka is on very tight and I won't be able to see the nakago until I make or buy a nakago-nuki.
The Handle/Tsuka
As I said, the tsuka is very tight. Both mekugi enter the handle from the same side, and the rear one is partially blocked by a menuki, making removal a little tricky, The ito is the same shoestring as the sageo, but it is wrapped nice and tight and it feels pretty good. The maki doesn't alternate and the end-knots look a little funny, but all in all I like it. Real same' in panels, no wood peeking out.
The Guard/Tsuba
The tsuba is an iron copy of a sukashi tsuba, only much thinner. It is only 3/16" and I will have shorten the tsuka if I want to change tsubas. Since it is cast I will have to be very careful during maintenance so that it doesn't break.
The Pommel/Fuchi-Kashira
Fuchi/ kashira in an elegant plain style, but my magnet doesn't stick to them so I don't think they are iron.
The Scabbard/Saya
Plain black saya. I dont think there is any horn anywhere, but there is shitodome in the kurikata, and that's a nice touch.
Handling Characteristics
This sword handles well. The saya holds it firmly enough that it won't come out when you don't it to, but not so tight that you struggle to get it out. the weight and balance is close enough to my old sword that I was doing Iai kata in the living room after just a bit of getting the feel for the sword. If many of these chinese smiths are putting out blades like this, I can see why they are becoming popular.
Test Cutting (if applicable)
I wasn't expecting it arrive so fast, so I wasn't prepared for a full session of cutting. But I grabbed a bundle of papyrus reeds while I was walking the dog, and let them soak overnight while I was waiting for the Post Office to open. I wasn't sure how sturdy the sword would be, so I just made a small bundle. It cut so easy it was suprising. I will make a bigger bundle next time. The edge is not "razor sharp" but it's sharp enough.
Conclusions
I am very happy with this purchase. It's not a dream sword, but it is more than adequate. I think I got a very good deal, and I would buy from him again.
Pros
Nice price on a DH blade.
Tsuka has a decent shape and tight ito
Good cutter that handles like a real nihonto
Cons
At this price it feels like nit-picking but-
Ito doesn't alternate
shipping package barely adequate
Cast iron tsuba seems delicate and fragile and fuchi/kashira not iron
The Bottom Line
This was the only one like it on the website, so I can't tell you to go buy one. But keep your eyes out for another sale. I don't know if I would have bought it at the regular price, because some other sellers have fittings I like better, but at this price I'm not sorry I grabbed it.
Ever since I sold my old Showato I've been lurking here and reading the reviews. After much window shopping at various vendors, I had just about narrowed it down to a couple of favorites, when I stumbled across this sale offer. Although the seller only has a couple of reviews here, they seemed generally favorable. I could tell that if the description is accurate, then it would be a good deal. So I gambled a bit and clicked the purchase button, and less than two weeks later my new sword arrived.
Historical overview
This sword is in the buke-zukuri style of sword mounting, the most common type seen today on antique Japanese swords. The tsuba appears to be a cast replica of a sukashi tsuba only less thick. As a long-time martial artist I've had the oppurtunity to handle, study and learn about genuine Nihonto, and this is not one of those. Unforunately I'm also an impoverished martial artist and this only the second sword I've actually owned, and the first chinese "katana" I've actually held. My old sword was with me a long time and that will be my baseline for comparison. My muscles remember the feel of that sword.
Full Disclosure
I am in no way connected to the manufacturer/vendor. JKOO/sinosword.com has been in my bookmarks for a while, but none of his stuff ever jumped out and said "buy me". Until now.
Here is the original description:
"The following katana 50% off for Christmas. the katana is forged shinken, original price is $170, now we only sell it$79. we forged this katana use T10 steel with differential clay tempered suguha hamon. the blade hardness about 56-57HRc, hand razor sharpened it, extremely sharp, it's very good for iaido cutting practice, enough for cutting tatami, bamboo, etc. we would like to clear our inventories before holiday for new year. So, it is good opportunity if somebody looking for good quality and good price katana. We only 1 of this katana in stock. Please order it as soon as possible if you are interest in.
Nagasa: 71cm(28").
Blade steel: T10 steel with suguha(straight) hamon.
Plolish: Mirror polish.
Motohaba: 3.2cm
Tsuka: 26cm.
Saya: glossy lacquer finished.
Koshirae: cast iron."
Let's see if it lives up to that.
Initial Impressions
I ordered the sword on Monday 21st of December, and it arrived Saturday January 2nd. No lie. Unfortunately I didn't get to the Post Office in time and it sat there until Monday.
The sword was packed in styrofoam wrapped in yellow tape. No card-board at all. Very easy to open, but not very sturdy. Luckily it was not damaged. The sword bag is so thin it makes Victorias Secret look like a parka. Typical shoe-string sageo. Carefully unsheathing it by slowly running the mune along the bottom of the saya, I realize I got a good deal. The saya fit very well, even though the koiguchi is not horn. After wiping some of the excess oil off, I do a little chiburi and noto to get a feel for the balance. I was worried it would feel flimsy after using a beefy gunto for so long, but in reality it's only a little bit lighter and feels pretty sturdy.
Statistics
Let's see how accurate the description was:
Blade/Nagasa Length: 26.75 in. to the munemachi. Jkoo must have measured to the tsuba
Handle/Tsuka Length: A bit over 10 in
Overall Length: 36 1/8"
Guard/Tsuba: 3" diameter by 3/16 thick
POB (Point of Balance): 5"
COP (Center of Percussion): just shy of the monouchi
Weight: slightly less than an average showato
The Blade
The sugata is typical chinese Shinogi Zukuri. Slight geometric kissaki cosmetically enhanced by counter-polishing, no niku, no fumbari. That seems par-for-the-course in this price range. Sori is about 3/4", mune regular Iori mune. Bohi stops right at the yokote. No polishing tricks to emphasize the suguha hamon; just a line of Nioi about 1/4" from the edge. No nie or hada on this mono-steel blade. Boshi is obscured by the counter polish of the kissaki. Tsuka is on very tight and I won't be able to see the nakago until I make or buy a nakago-nuki.
The Handle/Tsuka
As I said, the tsuka is very tight. Both mekugi enter the handle from the same side, and the rear one is partially blocked by a menuki, making removal a little tricky, The ito is the same shoestring as the sageo, but it is wrapped nice and tight and it feels pretty good. The maki doesn't alternate and the end-knots look a little funny, but all in all I like it. Real same' in panels, no wood peeking out.
The Guard/Tsuba
The tsuba is an iron copy of a sukashi tsuba, only much thinner. It is only 3/16" and I will have shorten the tsuka if I want to change tsubas. Since it is cast I will have to be very careful during maintenance so that it doesn't break.
The Pommel/Fuchi-Kashira
Fuchi/ kashira in an elegant plain style, but my magnet doesn't stick to them so I don't think they are iron.
The Scabbard/Saya
Plain black saya. I dont think there is any horn anywhere, but there is shitodome in the kurikata, and that's a nice touch.
Handling Characteristics
This sword handles well. The saya holds it firmly enough that it won't come out when you don't it to, but not so tight that you struggle to get it out. the weight and balance is close enough to my old sword that I was doing Iai kata in the living room after just a bit of getting the feel for the sword. If many of these chinese smiths are putting out blades like this, I can see why they are becoming popular.
Test Cutting (if applicable)
I wasn't expecting it arrive so fast, so I wasn't prepared for a full session of cutting. But I grabbed a bundle of papyrus reeds while I was walking the dog, and let them soak overnight while I was waiting for the Post Office to open. I wasn't sure how sturdy the sword would be, so I just made a small bundle. It cut so easy it was suprising. I will make a bigger bundle next time. The edge is not "razor sharp" but it's sharp enough.
Conclusions
I am very happy with this purchase. It's not a dream sword, but it is more than adequate. I think I got a very good deal, and I would buy from him again.
Pros
Nice price on a DH blade.
Tsuka has a decent shape and tight ito
Good cutter that handles like a real nihonto
Cons
At this price it feels like nit-picking but-
Ito doesn't alternate
shipping package barely adequate
Cast iron tsuba seems delicate and fragile and fuchi/kashira not iron
The Bottom Line
This was the only one like it on the website, so I can't tell you to go buy one. But keep your eyes out for another sale. I don't know if I would have bought it at the regular price, because some other sellers have fittings I like better, but at this price I'm not sorry I grabbed it.