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Post by Adrian Jordan on Oct 2, 2016 0:29:09 GMT
I have one of their discontinued 1095 hammer forged blades in sharasaya, and the blade is pretty superb. The hamachi and munemachi don't like up, which bugs me, but the blade looks good, with great, clean lines, the bo-hi is clean and even and the kissaki and yokote look very nice. Did not come very sharp. It'll cut, but a few extra passes on the belt or stone would have been nice.
Some gripes about Ronin have included loose ito and fittings, and saya rattle. These are all common issues with production swords, but I do see the loose ito a little more with them compared to others. The saya is likely to have buffalo horn fittings, which is always a nice touch.
My own experience with their customer service has been outstanding. Others have had poor service. In the end, I see more good stories than bad.
I don't know how it'll stack up against the Lion Dog. The Lion Dog looks really nice, and it's very well recommended as far as I've seen. Both swords are kind of heavy, with the Lion Dog being larger overall. I like the fittings on the Lion Dog much more than the Hammer Forged model I see over at Ronin. A little more toned down and classy. It looks like the Lion Dog is running about $170 more than the Hammer Forged right now, unless you've found a used model. The Dojo Elite looks to be about the same price. Lots of those to choose from.
Let us know if you have more questions, and please, share what you decide to get.
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Post by connorclarke on Oct 3, 2016 0:22:07 GMT
What is the purpose of the 'hammer forged series' exactly? Just it is hammered at some point by hand rather than a power hammer?
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Post by Adrian Jordan on Oct 3, 2016 0:27:18 GMT
I believe so. It was meant to be a sword made in a more traditional manner than most modern production swords. I don't think it made them any better or worse inherently, but if I recall correctly they, like the Elite's, were made by some of the better smiths at Ronin's disposal.
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Post by Cottontail Customs on Oct 4, 2016 1:21:43 GMT
Of the two, I'd choose the Lion Dog as I feel it's a much more complete and unique sword, offering both a very nicely designed and made blade as well as high quality, exclusive fittings. The high end custom sageo and saya are bonuses.
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Post by zabazagobo on Oct 4, 2016 21:07:44 GMT
The only thing that throws me off about the lion dog is that giant tsuka, it's bigger than just about any tanto I've seen. If the size of it doesn't bother you, I'd definitely opt for the lion dog; if the size does bother you and you want that steel type, the bamboo mat could be a great alternative, especially how it's priced over at kult of athena or swords of the east (with or without using the SBG discount codes). But the lion dog is definitely one of my favorite Hanwei pieces aesthetically, right up there with the Bushido & 30th Anniversary Musashi.
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Post by sonofarwyn on Oct 5, 2016 21:13:50 GMT
The lion dig is a BIG sword. Serious blade presence and a bug tsuka. I have gorilla hands, and it's a thick feel feel for me. If you have medium or smaller hands, it may be akward. That being said, fit and finish are outstanding, as is the blade itself. The ham on on the lion dig has to be seen to be appreciated. I own two for a reason.
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Post by johnwalter on Oct 7, 2016 18:04:19 GMT
I agree with Josh.
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Post by nddave on Oct 7, 2016 21:45:52 GMT
They both have their merits and faults but for around $800 they're about the best options available. Of course there's plenty above and below but honestly again you're going to have to weight out the pros and cons of each and rather than stack the pros, actually decide which of the cons you're more ok with.
One thing that gets me with the higher end Ronins are their apparent similarity to the Dojo Pro line. Aside from the different blade make they are pretty much the same in fit and finish and assembly. This makes them hard for me to recommend over the $300 Dojo Pro unless you're really enthused about the laminated blade or the more intricate and glitzy koshirea. Performance wise it doesn't seem Elites actually out perform Dojo Pros, so aside from asthetic appeal what's the point? I'd expect to see a step up in assembly and fit and finish with the price if not performance. Though as reviews have shown there isn't much in those regards compared to the Dojo Pro which is $500 less in price.
The same could be said for Hanwei's upper end to in regards to some models. at $800 and up I too would hope to see better in regards to fit and finish and assembly but most still carry the faults that lower end Hanwei carry like loose Saya and bulky unshaped tsuka. Sure furniture and materials are of higher quality but then again silk, cotton, real same and horn fittings can be found on other manufacturer's swords for less and with better attention to shaping and fit and finish. So again like with Ronin Elites you're paying the extra for blade make rather than an upgrade to the total package.
If performance is first and foremost I see nothing detracting you from saving $400-600 and going for a well performing $300-500 sword from either manufacturer mentioned or another brand. Like Ronin's Dojo Pro or Hammer forged lines or Hanwei's Practical Plus Elite or Shinto models.
You also may find more gratification in taking one of your mid teir katana and getting it customized and essentially upgraded to a higher standard than offered by either the Elite line or Hanwei's higher end offerings for the price you'd pay for either new sword.
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Post by Aurélien on Oct 8, 2016 20:50:53 GMT
+1 with Josh...
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Post by skane on Oct 8, 2016 22:56:23 GMT
Since you mentioned "others", in the $650-$800 range, I'd get a Feilong Higo w/mount upgrade from Cottontail Customs. Or find a Musashi Masurao (aka Mokko Gata) and get a mount upgrade. Both choices based on cutting performance, although they're also very good looking swords imo.
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Post by zabazagobo on Oct 9, 2016 19:49:11 GMT
I wouldn't pass it up if it was new and covered by a warranty. The thing about Hanwei's is there are always some kind of flaw, so having it in 'new' condition with a decent 'return or replace' policy is a good idea. Buying used can be a hit or miss affair; one person's description of "like new" can really mean "it's new to you".
But in all regards if you like longer tsuka, the lion dog will be a better buy; it costs more, but odds are you'll be happier with it because it fits your preference.
EDIT: Also, I should emphasize that Hanwei's will have flaws. My Bushido, while a beautiful sword, was recently retired as a go-to practice blade as I have reached the point of finding the shifting, loose, poorly executed ito-maki to be too much of a pain to bother adjusting every 30 minutes; I mean, the end knot even came loose! And that's all on top of the tuska, as Kiyoshi puts it, being as thick as a "potato". So now I'm back to using $300 Huaweis that have had none of those issues with poorly done ito-maki (despite being used for more time) and a far more comfortable tsuka shape. It seems to me Hanwei has quality materials, but sloppy execution.
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Post by Adrian Jordan on Oct 9, 2016 22:57:09 GMT
Several good options. A nice problem to have, hahaha.
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Post by Adrian Jordan on Oct 11, 2016 23:59:20 GMT
Thanks. Though not an unknown piece, it's always fun and informative to see how each one looks and is constructed. Looking forward to it.
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Post by johnwalter on Oct 12, 2016 19:55:29 GMT
The Hanwei Lion Dog is a very good sword,nice choice.
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Post by Robert in California on Oct 13, 2016 13:36:00 GMT
Lion Dog is quality....but it is a large sword and a bit on the heavy side....should be fine if you are big and strong....or if you don't have to wield it for long periods of time without rest. Great sword....just not for little people and little hands. RinC
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Post by Robert in California on Oct 13, 2016 13:39:05 GMT
btw, I like Huawei's...but my last Huawei had loose tsukaito and serious blade rattle (in saya)...nice blade, but until the furniture fit issue is improved (and I hope it is...my last Huawei bought est 6 months ago), I would not buy another. My $150 to $200usa Wang-katana and Katana1980's (basic entry swords) have better fit (not finish, but fit) than my last Huawei. And am very sorry to have had to say that.
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Post by connorclarke on Oct 13, 2016 18:59:33 GMT
btw, I like Huawei's...but my last Huawei had loose tsukaito and serious blade rattle (in saya)...nice blade, but until the furniture fit issue is improved (and I hope it is...my last Huawei bought est 6 months ago), I would not buy another. My $150 to $200usa Wang-katana and Katana1980's (basic entry swords) have better fit (not finish, but fit) than my last Huawei. And am very sorry to have had to say that. Glad to hear your opinion is not arbitrary to all there swords, the vast majority you post that they are spectacular, but on the contrary my experiences with them has been only slightly above average at best. To the OP, best of luck with your Hanwei purchase. The quality is above Huawei and all the other eBay forges, but here fit and finish definitely can be a bit of a gamble. Some swords you get with them are near flawless with high attention to detail, others from the production line can have issues. Good luck with this one.
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Post by tancred on Oct 15, 2016 22:26:10 GMT
I don't know how much of the problems are hanwei or the warehouse it was kept in or even the shipment(there was no fragile sticker, so they may have been rough with it). Hi nternal805! As for your stated quote there, I've worked in the mail and shipping business here in the US for over 14 years. From my experience, it won't matter what sticker or statement you have written on the box regarding its fragility; your box, letter, or whatever else you mail will be put through the ringer during the time it takes to get to you. Getting the box there in the quickest fashion possible takes precedent over handling the box with TLC and respect. Sad to say, but that's just the way its been during the majority of my experience. I don't know if its been there for a while now, but I recently saw some fine print on the USPS website saying this same exact thing. Best thing you can do is to insure anything of value that you ship or mail for the full cost (and maybe even a little extra). That way, if damage or loss does occur, you'll at least get your money back to replace your item. I have both the Lion Dog and the Raptor with the naginata blade shape (forget the name). The latter is a heavier katana, but the Lion Dog is on a further level than that. I love both, though. Sorry you had issues with yours. I hope you can repair them easily, and fully enjoy your new sword. I do agree with you on the Lion Dog's saya. For the supposed extra work put in to it, its only ok. It in no way compares to the higher level rattan saya that comes with the Tori, for example. Anyway, congrats on your purchase!
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Post by Adrian Jordan on Oct 15, 2016 22:49:29 GMT
Sorry to hear about the issues, and congratulations on the new sword. Unfortunately, no matter how high the cost these are still production blades, and you will see issues on all models of all manufacturers at all prices. You'd think that a sword that retails at such a relatively high price would be free of them, but nope. There is no escape, hahaha. Luckily, the biggest issue is easily fixed with some epoxy.
I have never personally had a sword where at least one of the shitodome didn't fall off, hahaha. I hate them. At this point, I think they just add them to annoy us.
Feel free to share some photos if you are able. Those Lion Dog's are really handsome swords.
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