Ronin Katana Viking
May 16, 2016 23:26:24 GMT
Post by Adrian Jordan on May 16, 2016 23:26:24 GMT
Introduction:
Hey guys, I wanted to put out a quick write-up of this sword, the Ronin Katana European Sword #8, aka the Viking Sword. This is the sword I received from Majordomo Swiger as a winner from the last giveaway. Please be forewarned: I have almost no knowledge whatsoever about most European styled swords, including the "Viking" type. As this is the case, I wouldn't consider this as a straight-up review, but rather a broken reflection on what will likely be criminally inaccurate information and impressions. Okay, maybe not that bad, but take whatever I say with a grain of salt and bear in mind that I don't have a firm grasp on the subject.
Historical Overview:
To the best of my knowledge, this is not a pure representation of any historical type of sword, but rather a general interpretation of the style of what is referred to as a "Viking sword". Due to this, I cannot attribute it to any particular culture, nor nail down any specific Oakeshott type.
Full Disclosure:
I am not a representative of, nor do I have any stake in, Ronin Katana. I am not being compensated for this review.
This was a prize won in a giveaway, so I did not pay for this sword.
King Saint William is an awesome dude.
Initial Impressions:
I actually really like it. I am not a fan of most Viking-type swords. I find that a lot of them are too ornate for my tastes, which for the most part run the full spectrum from boring to nondescript. The simple style that this sword employs does play into my taste, with the simple black with brushed/satin steel. While it does not display excellence in any area, it also has no big defects to worry about.
Statistics:
While I can take basic length/width measurements, I do not have any calipers, so I can't give an accurate thickness, nor do I have a scale, so weight is as listed on Kult of Athena. Sorry if I leave anything important out.
Blade Steel: 1075
Blade length: 29 and 3/4"
Blade thickness: Base-2", Fuller termination-1 and 5/8"
Handle length: 6 and 1/4"
Grip: 4 and 7/8"
Guard Width: 3 and 1/2"
Pommel Width: 2 and 1/2"
COB: Approx. 5 and 1/2"
Overall Length: 35 and 7/8"
Weight: Approx. 2lb, 8.9oz.
Blade:
Made of 1075 carbon steel, it is surprisingly thick. The finish is satin, with a tiny bit of mirror, and fairly consistent. Under harsh lighting, you can see some light scuffing, but under normal conditions it appears uniform. The edges are extremely robust, with no secondary bevels from fuller to edge. It is not sharp. It's not dull, but it won't cut paper at all. It seems to have been designed for heavy-target use. It would need some time on a sander by a cat like Voltan to be of any use for light or even light-medium targets. Despite being a thick blade, it does taper both in width and thickness, and has decent flex. The planes are even, and there are no dips or waving that I can see or feel. Where the grinds meet near the tip is fairly even.
Handle:
The handle consists of a wood core that has been wrapped in black cord. The cord is tightly wrapped, and gives a good grip. The pommel is made of brushed steel. It is magnetic, as evidenced by Aaron the disturbing-smile Banana Magnet below. The guard is not magnetic, at least not enough to allow Aaron to attach. While not 100% zero-tolerance perfect, the fit of the guard is fairly well done. The tiny bit of gap that I can see looks to be filled with epoxy. Were it not there, I don't think it would be enough to ruin the works, but I can see that it would be slightly loose and probably rattle a bit. The handle is peened, and looks pretty well done to my uneducated eye. Aesthetically, none of it is going to win any awards, but all are well fit and there is no looseness anywhere. The one thing that bugs me a little is that you can clearly see where the cord ends under the wrap. I do not know if that is par for course with this style of wrap, so feel free to set me straight.
Scabbard:
The scabbard is a thin wood core covered in black leather. Again, function over aesthetics. It fits very well. The stitching is very even. There are a few pockets where I can see that the leather has come loose of the core. They haven't spread or gotten any bigger in the five or so months that I've had it, so I'm not too worried. The fittings are brushed metal, and not magnetic. The scabbard is indeed filled with the dreaded Ronin Wax. I know from experience that this will go away, but it's annoying until it does, hahaha. Nothing is loose.
Handling:
I have not cut with it, but have done some dry handling. My hands are small and somewhat weak, and I am missing fingers, and I am a total novice when it comes to single-hand swords so bear that in mind when I make comments here.
It feels a bit dead to me. This one is slightly overbuilt. From a selfish standpoint, I wish the grip was a little shorter to better cradle my hand. Someone with a normal or large hand may disagree. I also wish that the COB was a little closer to the guard, and that it was slightly lighter.
Final Thoughts:
All in all, I like it a good deal. I look at the market for similar swords, and at $250(plus shipping) I feel that this one is a good deal. It is sharp, made to cut, and comes with a scabbard and suspension system. I don't have the suspension system, but have read that it is just this side of serviceable. There are few bells and whistles, but it has everything you need at base level. Personally, I wish it were a little lighter and livelier, but I have read comments that this is actually kind of small and light for the type, so it's likely just on me to better acclimate to the weight and balance. Nothing is absolutely perfect, but all is well done and the fit is very tight.
Now, a couple of the things that people look at that I cannot show:
Blade thickness, tapering and fuller depth. Just don't have any calipers. I may be able to pick a pair up in a couple of weeks, been meaning to for years.
The tang. I know that there are cats that regularly tear their swords down to check this out, but I have not the tools to do so, nor the skills to rebuild, nor the cash to have it done for me. Sorry.
I've tried to cover everything I can think of. If there is something that I missed that I can photograph or comment on, please ask. Here's a picture with a cat. You're welcome.
Thanks for reading.
Hey guys, I wanted to put out a quick write-up of this sword, the Ronin Katana European Sword #8, aka the Viking Sword. This is the sword I received from Majordomo Swiger as a winner from the last giveaway. Please be forewarned: I have almost no knowledge whatsoever about most European styled swords, including the "Viking" type. As this is the case, I wouldn't consider this as a straight-up review, but rather a broken reflection on what will likely be criminally inaccurate information and impressions. Okay, maybe not that bad, but take whatever I say with a grain of salt and bear in mind that I don't have a firm grasp on the subject.
Historical Overview:
To the best of my knowledge, this is not a pure representation of any historical type of sword, but rather a general interpretation of the style of what is referred to as a "Viking sword". Due to this, I cannot attribute it to any particular culture, nor nail down any specific Oakeshott type.
Full Disclosure:
I am not a representative of, nor do I have any stake in, Ronin Katana. I am not being compensated for this review.
This was a prize won in a giveaway, so I did not pay for this sword.
King Saint William is an awesome dude.
Initial Impressions:
I actually really like it. I am not a fan of most Viking-type swords. I find that a lot of them are too ornate for my tastes, which for the most part run the full spectrum from boring to nondescript. The simple style that this sword employs does play into my taste, with the simple black with brushed/satin steel. While it does not display excellence in any area, it also has no big defects to worry about.
Statistics:
While I can take basic length/width measurements, I do not have any calipers, so I can't give an accurate thickness, nor do I have a scale, so weight is as listed on Kult of Athena. Sorry if I leave anything important out.
Blade Steel: 1075
Blade length: 29 and 3/4"
Blade thickness: Base-2", Fuller termination-1 and 5/8"
Handle length: 6 and 1/4"
Grip: 4 and 7/8"
Guard Width: 3 and 1/2"
Pommel Width: 2 and 1/2"
COB: Approx. 5 and 1/2"
Overall Length: 35 and 7/8"
Weight: Approx. 2lb, 8.9oz.
Blade:
Made of 1075 carbon steel, it is surprisingly thick. The finish is satin, with a tiny bit of mirror, and fairly consistent. Under harsh lighting, you can see some light scuffing, but under normal conditions it appears uniform. The edges are extremely robust, with no secondary bevels from fuller to edge. It is not sharp. It's not dull, but it won't cut paper at all. It seems to have been designed for heavy-target use. It would need some time on a sander by a cat like Voltan to be of any use for light or even light-medium targets. Despite being a thick blade, it does taper both in width and thickness, and has decent flex. The planes are even, and there are no dips or waving that I can see or feel. Where the grinds meet near the tip is fairly even.
Handle:
The handle consists of a wood core that has been wrapped in black cord. The cord is tightly wrapped, and gives a good grip. The pommel is made of brushed steel. It is magnetic, as evidenced by Aaron the disturbing-smile Banana Magnet below. The guard is not magnetic, at least not enough to allow Aaron to attach. While not 100% zero-tolerance perfect, the fit of the guard is fairly well done. The tiny bit of gap that I can see looks to be filled with epoxy. Were it not there, I don't think it would be enough to ruin the works, but I can see that it would be slightly loose and probably rattle a bit. The handle is peened, and looks pretty well done to my uneducated eye. Aesthetically, none of it is going to win any awards, but all are well fit and there is no looseness anywhere. The one thing that bugs me a little is that you can clearly see where the cord ends under the wrap. I do not know if that is par for course with this style of wrap, so feel free to set me straight.
Scabbard:
The scabbard is a thin wood core covered in black leather. Again, function over aesthetics. It fits very well. The stitching is very even. There are a few pockets where I can see that the leather has come loose of the core. They haven't spread or gotten any bigger in the five or so months that I've had it, so I'm not too worried. The fittings are brushed metal, and not magnetic. The scabbard is indeed filled with the dreaded Ronin Wax. I know from experience that this will go away, but it's annoying until it does, hahaha. Nothing is loose.
Handling:
I have not cut with it, but have done some dry handling. My hands are small and somewhat weak, and I am missing fingers, and I am a total novice when it comes to single-hand swords so bear that in mind when I make comments here.
It feels a bit dead to me. This one is slightly overbuilt. From a selfish standpoint, I wish the grip was a little shorter to better cradle my hand. Someone with a normal or large hand may disagree. I also wish that the COB was a little closer to the guard, and that it was slightly lighter.
Final Thoughts:
All in all, I like it a good deal. I look at the market for similar swords, and at $250(plus shipping) I feel that this one is a good deal. It is sharp, made to cut, and comes with a scabbard and suspension system. I don't have the suspension system, but have read that it is just this side of serviceable. There are few bells and whistles, but it has everything you need at base level. Personally, I wish it were a little lighter and livelier, but I have read comments that this is actually kind of small and light for the type, so it's likely just on me to better acclimate to the weight and balance. Nothing is absolutely perfect, but all is well done and the fit is very tight.
Now, a couple of the things that people look at that I cannot show:
Blade thickness, tapering and fuller depth. Just don't have any calipers. I may be able to pick a pair up in a couple of weeks, been meaning to for years.
The tang. I know that there are cats that regularly tear their swords down to check this out, but I have not the tools to do so, nor the skills to rebuild, nor the cash to have it done for me. Sorry.
I've tried to cover everything I can think of. If there is something that I missed that I can photograph or comment on, please ask. Here's a picture with a cat. You're welcome.
Thanks for reading.