Skyjiro Ancient Warrior Katana Review
Oct 23, 2016 23:23:29 GMT
Post by voidec on Oct 23, 2016 23:23:29 GMT
Skyjiro Ancient Warrior Katana Review
By: Voidec A.K.A Leon
By: Voidec A.K.A Leon
Introduction
One of my first high quality Katana that I have ever purchased was the Skyjiro Ancient Warrior. Back then I was still experimenting with various brands and I ended up coming across this particular one. It was advertised quite nicely and while there were not many reviews of the actual brand , it received quite a lot of praise and positive feedback off the Bugei website. Lots of people also praised the man behind the company, David Goldberg. I thought why not and ended up buying it. This was also the first time I spent quite a bit on a Katana. Of course this was quite a few years ago and since then much has changed. Everything that goes into this review is purely what I have experienced and seen and used. Please take this as another person's opinion and do not let this one review sway your decision on whether or not to buy this particular blade. I bought this Katana from the Bugei Trading Company website for $379 dollars. A curious note that I am not sure about is that Skyjiro seems to have much like Kaneie disappeared their site is no longer up, many of their products on many sites have sold out and have been deleted. Even Bugei stopped offering any new Skyjiro swords on their site, except for the ones that are still there. My Katana has since been deleted off the Bugei site. This particular Katana is listed on their since deleted site as a mid grade Katana.
Statistics
Stats are a bit hard to find since this sword other than eBay has it still listed. I will of course give the measurements of the one I own but that may or not match the actual stats.
Blade: 1070 High Carbon Steel, heat tempered. Monosteel as I remembered from their deleted site, there were more in depth ones like the carbon content etc. I believe it was .60 carbon and something something. Sorry I can't give any more. I can't remember the details from their site
Overall Length: 40"
mines is 41.3"
Blade Length: 29"
mines is 28.9"
Tsuka Length: 10.75"
mines is 10.71"
Weight: 2 lbs 9 oz
Polish: Hand Polished using traditional Japanese Water Stones
Sori: .75"
mines came out to about .72"
Fittings: Brass Fittings
Saya: Lacquered Gloss Medium Hardwood with a 32" Saya
Tsuka: Synthetic Silk wrap with real Samegawa panels ( Black )
Bo- Hi : No
Hamon: Double Imitation Hamon
Point of Balance: 6" from Tsuba mines is the same
HRC: 55
Initial Impressions
The Katana came in a standard brown UPS box with a lot of brown paper and within that popped up another box well actually just Styrofoam. Personally I find that a very big downer despite it holding up. I'm gonna give it -1 point for that aspect. The Katana then was securely tight in the white stryofoam. The Katana did not have any defects upon initial inspection and it did have that weird cellophane plastic wrap all over the Tsuka and blade. -1 point to Skyjiro for including that. The Katana had a lot of factory oil on the blade but wow that double imitation Hamon really does stand out. Another thing I noticed on it is this weird white fuzz all over the Tsuka. Mainly on the Samegawa panels.
Actual Review
Saya:
The saya is made of a glossy black lacquered medium hardwood. While the gloss on this Saya isn't as glossy as some other ones I see, you definitely know its a gloss Saya. The paint job on it is pretty good. After using it for 2 years now, its not even dented or scuffed up. The Kurigata is a generic one, black with no adornments on it. The Saya has a bit of Saya rattle which is a disappointing point since you expect a sub 400 dollar dojo grade Katana to not have it so -1 point. There are times where I accidentally tapped it with my knee and it would have that crack crack sound. One really nice touch on the Saya is in fact the Sageo. The Sageo did not come in a standard knot wrap but rather one that was ready to use in a dojo. It is wrapped at the end of the Saya and the length of the Sageo is very nice. Of course the Sageo is made of synthetic silk but it does its job very well. The brown color is also not too brown and not too dark. +1 point for that aspect. The Saya is not too bad when it comes to drawing, its not in there super tight but gives a good amount of tension when you want to draw the blade. This did not change over time and was still nicely tight after a few months of constant drawing. In fact to this day it is still tight. +1 point for that. The Saya contained some oil and debris when I first drew the blade but after a few draws the residue was gone.
Another thing I like about the Saya is the fact that when you look at it, it does not have some weird black residue within the Saya. It is extremely clean. +1 point for that as well. Another thing I like and as expected is that it actually has a Koiguchi. It is black but you can tell that it does have one. +1 point.
Tsuka:
the Tsuka is rather decently done to the fact that the ito wrapping on the Tsuka is tight and to this day is still tight. +1 point for that.The wrap itself is of a brown synthetic silk as they advertised it. Personally I like it. The diamonds on it are nicely spaced, even and the size is not small but not large. I can't really give a point to this aspect however. The Menuki is of a gold high polished figure?The Menuki pins itself features two wood pin. These are tapered so that's quite a nice touch. The black Samegawa panels underneath are real and at the same time it is panels and not full wrap like Citadel. This is the biggest gripe I have with this Katana. For some reason there is this weird white fuzz all over the Samegawa on both sides. I honestly don't know what it is. This is most likely only on mine but its just weird and I can't like get rid of it since its really on there. -1 Point there. Moving along to the Fuchi and the Kashira, they features nothing but just black but it is textured. A rough texture that is but not too rough and just good. It is very nicely done and it does not have any excess movement. All of the fittings are brass fittings. Especially the Seppas and the Habaki, it shows a very bright gold color. I find it to be not too bad but some people find it pretty lacking. The Tsuba is not loose and is tight. Still tight as well so +1 point. The Tsuba is of an iconic pattern. It is the same pattern as my Cheness Iaito. The Tsuba is casted nicely and the Tsuba does not have any leftover debris and is very clean. Unfortunately I never took apart the Katana so I can't really give you any information on the tang or how easy or hard it was to take apart.
Another thing about the Tsuka is the fact that it is very well formed for the hand and it just sits and feels comfortable to hold. +1 point.
Blade:
The Habaki is made of a brass material and it is a brass/gold color. The Habaki features the iconic crossed feathers on it which denotes the Skyjiro logo. I don't have any complaints of the Habaki and the blade sits nicely in it. The Seppa fittings on it are also quite orange in color but is nicely fitted and tight. The blade is very sharp. The blade has a very very nice Hada pattern on the blade. The blade is a non fuller or no Bo-Hi model meaning it does not have a blood groove. This tends to make the blade heavier which the blade itself was in fact quite surprisingly light but it cuts a lot better. It does however feel really nice in the hand. It features a .72" Sori which is also not too bad and the 29" length which quite standard. The blade itself has a flat plain and you can't see the ripply effects of the cheaper blades. The double imitation Hamon is very out there. Easily noticed however you can tell it is fake and it gets boring after a while. So far the blade has not given me any issues. The hand polishing that was done is hand made using traditional Japanese water stones and the polishing is very well done. I mean its really nice. Even the Kissaki has a nice polish and it just looks amazing. +1 point. The blade is made of a 1070 high carbon steel. This steel I don't know too much about although I do know it is a good cutting steel, it holds its edge quite well and at the same time is quite durable.
Handling:
After handling the blade for close to 2 years before selling it, I gotta say it handles very well, it feels good in the hand and quite light. For a 400 dollar blade it handles as expected.
Cutting:
This thing cuts very well. I could cut bottles and cans with good clean cuts. I have cut Tameshigiri with it since I knew this was a good quality dojo blade. The Tameshigiri that I cut were purchased off SwordnArmory and it made nice clean cuts. It did offer a little tension but I never butchered a cut with it. The blade after 2 years of cutting held up really well quite surprisingly. I of course did not cut too much with it but I have made quite a few cuts with it. a hundred bottles, a dozen jugs and at least 10 mats. I was not expecting it to retain its edge that well. +1 point.
Pros:
- price for what it offers
- good started dojo Katana
- cuts very well
- holds edge very well
- polishing
- attention to detail on the fittings and blade
Cons:
- weird white fuzz on Samegawa
- double imitation Hamon is too much
- packaging ( cellophane and stryofoam )
- a bit plain
- Saya rattle at this price point
Conclusion
For a 400 dollar price point sword from a not as well known brand. This thing really does shine and really does stand on its own. Of course there were a few gripes I have with this blade but performance wise it performed exactly as I expected of a sub 400 dollar Katana and as what it was advertised to do. I have not had many issues with it after having it for a long time. It does pain me to part ways with such a nicely made sword especially now since the fate of the brand is unknown but it is what it is. I really do recommend people to check out this blade since I know people will not be disappointed in it.
Rating: 7/10
Statistics
Stats are a bit hard to find since this sword other than eBay has it still listed. I will of course give the measurements of the one I own but that may or not match the actual stats.
Blade: 1070 High Carbon Steel, heat tempered. Monosteel as I remembered from their deleted site, there were more in depth ones like the carbon content etc. I believe it was .60 carbon and something something. Sorry I can't give any more. I can't remember the details from their site
Overall Length: 40"
mines is 41.3"
Blade Length: 29"
mines is 28.9"
Tsuka Length: 10.75"
mines is 10.71"
Weight: 2 lbs 9 oz
Polish: Hand Polished using traditional Japanese Water Stones
Sori: .75"
mines came out to about .72"
Fittings: Brass Fittings
Saya: Lacquered Gloss Medium Hardwood with a 32" Saya
Tsuka: Synthetic Silk wrap with real Samegawa panels ( Black )
Bo- Hi : No
Hamon: Double Imitation Hamon
Point of Balance: 6" from Tsuba mines is the same
HRC: 55
Initial Impressions
The Katana came in a standard brown UPS box with a lot of brown paper and within that popped up another box well actually just Styrofoam. Personally I find that a very big downer despite it holding up. I'm gonna give it -1 point for that aspect. The Katana then was securely tight in the white stryofoam. The Katana did not have any defects upon initial inspection and it did have that weird cellophane plastic wrap all over the Tsuka and blade. -1 point to Skyjiro for including that. The Katana had a lot of factory oil on the blade but wow that double imitation Hamon really does stand out. Another thing I noticed on it is this weird white fuzz all over the Tsuka. Mainly on the Samegawa panels.
Actual Review
Saya:
The saya is made of a glossy black lacquered medium hardwood. While the gloss on this Saya isn't as glossy as some other ones I see, you definitely know its a gloss Saya. The paint job on it is pretty good. After using it for 2 years now, its not even dented or scuffed up. The Kurigata is a generic one, black with no adornments on it. The Saya has a bit of Saya rattle which is a disappointing point since you expect a sub 400 dollar dojo grade Katana to not have it so -1 point. There are times where I accidentally tapped it with my knee and it would have that crack crack sound. One really nice touch on the Saya is in fact the Sageo. The Sageo did not come in a standard knot wrap but rather one that was ready to use in a dojo. It is wrapped at the end of the Saya and the length of the Sageo is very nice. Of course the Sageo is made of synthetic silk but it does its job very well. The brown color is also not too brown and not too dark. +1 point for that aspect. The Saya is not too bad when it comes to drawing, its not in there super tight but gives a good amount of tension when you want to draw the blade. This did not change over time and was still nicely tight after a few months of constant drawing. In fact to this day it is still tight. +1 point for that. The Saya contained some oil and debris when I first drew the blade but after a few draws the residue was gone.
Another thing I like about the Saya is the fact that when you look at it, it does not have some weird black residue within the Saya. It is extremely clean. +1 point for that as well. Another thing I like and as expected is that it actually has a Koiguchi. It is black but you can tell that it does have one. +1 point.
Tsuka:
the Tsuka is rather decently done to the fact that the ito wrapping on the Tsuka is tight and to this day is still tight. +1 point for that.The wrap itself is of a brown synthetic silk as they advertised it. Personally I like it. The diamonds on it are nicely spaced, even and the size is not small but not large. I can't really give a point to this aspect however. The Menuki is of a gold high polished figure?The Menuki pins itself features two wood pin. These are tapered so that's quite a nice touch. The black Samegawa panels underneath are real and at the same time it is panels and not full wrap like Citadel. This is the biggest gripe I have with this Katana. For some reason there is this weird white fuzz all over the Samegawa on both sides. I honestly don't know what it is. This is most likely only on mine but its just weird and I can't like get rid of it since its really on there. -1 Point there. Moving along to the Fuchi and the Kashira, they features nothing but just black but it is textured. A rough texture that is but not too rough and just good. It is very nicely done and it does not have any excess movement. All of the fittings are brass fittings. Especially the Seppas and the Habaki, it shows a very bright gold color. I find it to be not too bad but some people find it pretty lacking. The Tsuba is not loose and is tight. Still tight as well so +1 point. The Tsuba is of an iconic pattern. It is the same pattern as my Cheness Iaito. The Tsuba is casted nicely and the Tsuba does not have any leftover debris and is very clean. Unfortunately I never took apart the Katana so I can't really give you any information on the tang or how easy or hard it was to take apart.
Another thing about the Tsuka is the fact that it is very well formed for the hand and it just sits and feels comfortable to hold. +1 point.
Blade:
The Habaki is made of a brass material and it is a brass/gold color. The Habaki features the iconic crossed feathers on it which denotes the Skyjiro logo. I don't have any complaints of the Habaki and the blade sits nicely in it. The Seppa fittings on it are also quite orange in color but is nicely fitted and tight. The blade is very sharp. The blade has a very very nice Hada pattern on the blade. The blade is a non fuller or no Bo-Hi model meaning it does not have a blood groove. This tends to make the blade heavier which the blade itself was in fact quite surprisingly light but it cuts a lot better. It does however feel really nice in the hand. It features a .72" Sori which is also not too bad and the 29" length which quite standard. The blade itself has a flat plain and you can't see the ripply effects of the cheaper blades. The double imitation Hamon is very out there. Easily noticed however you can tell it is fake and it gets boring after a while. So far the blade has not given me any issues. The hand polishing that was done is hand made using traditional Japanese water stones and the polishing is very well done. I mean its really nice. Even the Kissaki has a nice polish and it just looks amazing. +1 point. The blade is made of a 1070 high carbon steel. This steel I don't know too much about although I do know it is a good cutting steel, it holds its edge quite well and at the same time is quite durable.
Handling:
After handling the blade for close to 2 years before selling it, I gotta say it handles very well, it feels good in the hand and quite light. For a 400 dollar blade it handles as expected.
Cutting:
This thing cuts very well. I could cut bottles and cans with good clean cuts. I have cut Tameshigiri with it since I knew this was a good quality dojo blade. The Tameshigiri that I cut were purchased off SwordnArmory and it made nice clean cuts. It did offer a little tension but I never butchered a cut with it. The blade after 2 years of cutting held up really well quite surprisingly. I of course did not cut too much with it but I have made quite a few cuts with it. a hundred bottles, a dozen jugs and at least 10 mats. I was not expecting it to retain its edge that well. +1 point.
Pros:
- price for what it offers
- good started dojo Katana
- cuts very well
- holds edge very well
- polishing
- attention to detail on the fittings and blade
Cons:
- weird white fuzz on Samegawa
- double imitation Hamon is too much
- packaging ( cellophane and stryofoam )
- a bit plain
- Saya rattle at this price point
Conclusion
For a 400 dollar price point sword from a not as well known brand. This thing really does shine and really does stand on its own. Of course there were a few gripes I have with this blade but performance wise it performed exactly as I expected of a sub 400 dollar Katana and as what it was advertised to do. I have not had many issues with it after having it for a long time. It does pain me to part ways with such a nicely made sword especially now since the fate of the brand is unknown but it is what it is. I really do recommend people to check out this blade since I know people will not be disappointed in it.
Rating: 7/10