Hanwei Raptor Shobu Zukuri review
Oct 15, 2018 15:06:53 GMT
Post by nyronin on Oct 15, 2018 15:06:53 GMT
Pleast Note: I am a new forum member who has been reading reviews on this site for less than a year so please forgive any shortcomings of this review as it is my first.
Introduction:
I spent my childhood in the countryside in the Philippines so I'm not necessarily new to swords and other bladed weapons/tools. The Filipino itak or bolo is often still carried (even to this day,) in various parts of the countryside. That being said, I am relatively new to the swords as a hobby. I only began looking at, collecting, handling, and cutting with katana-style production swords earlier this year. I have/had a Musashi Dragon Fury, a Musashi iaito, and a Ronin Katana RK series sword--which I recently gave away to a dear friend who is moving. I bought this particular sword that I am reviewing because I was looking for a powerful cutter under $300 and based on many reviews on this site, forum members vouched for it slightly more than the Ronin Dojo Pro which I was originally eyeing.
Historical Overview:
The shobu zukuri edge style is reported to have been used as early as the late-14th century after the Mongol invasion attempts supposedly as a response to the thick, boiled leather armor of the Mongol armies. It differs significantly from the more common shinogi zukuri in that the shinogi ridge line tends to be higher up towards the back or mune of the blade and there is no yokote (geometric or otherwise.) Please refer to these links below for more info about the shobu zukuri geometry from people who have articulated the history of this style in a more comprehensive fashion than I:
www.thesamuraiworkshop.com/university/content/3/276/en/what-is-shobu-zukuri.html
sbg-sword-forum.forums.net/thread/30049/shinogi-shobu-zukuri
Full Disclosure:
I bought this sword with my own money from my wages. I have no professional or personal connection to any of the sword reproduction companies that I have purchased from. My first choice for a $200-$300 range beater would have been the Ronin Katana Dojo Pro, but as I mentioned above, based on the different reviews, most folks on here vouched for the Hanwei Raptors over the RKDPs. I personally wanted to try out the RKDPs (still do,) because of the famous dotanuki geometry but for now, I've grown to appreciate the shobu zukuri style. I also have a BA in History so if this review rambles on a little bit or is rather verbose, please forgive me, I will attempt to condense this review to the bare essentials.
Initial Impressions:
Shipped from Kult of Athena within two days of ordering and arrived in about a week from ordering. Not quite as quick as my (or formerly mine,) Ronin Katana RK series which arived 3 days after ordering. I'm not complaining though, I live in NYC and have a fairly busy lifestyle and would gladly have waited another week but it's important to note for forum members out there who may prefer quicker shipping.
The box it arrived in was pretty big and well packaged by Kult of Athena employees with extra crumpled up paper on the outer, shipping box. The box inside was one of the typical CAS Hanwei sleeves with a styrofoam box enclosed wherein the sword was snuggly fit. There was a sword bag included that--while by no means flashy or luxurious--seemed more substantial and sturdy than usual production sword bags.
Deeper descriptions will be covered in the subsequent sections but as far as initial impressions, the sword looked massive compared to my other swords. My wife was actually the one who unpacked it as I was at work when it arrived and she sent me a picture of it on our sword rack compared to the others and it dwarfed even the Ronin Katana which I still had when I first bought the Raptor. The Raptor is certainly a weighty sword and I love the lengthier tsuka.
Statistics:
Blade/Nagasa Length:
29"; 5160 Steel
Handle/Tsuka Length:
13"
Overall Length:
43"
POB (Point of Balance): About 5.5 inches from tsuba
Weight: 2lb 11oz
^^^Please note that much of the above is info from Kult of Athena (aside from the tsuka length and point of balance)
Components
:
The Blade/Nagasa
Massive, sturdy with a strong presence. The edge is certainly sharp as desired out-of-the-box but I understand why some folks may want it a bit sharper. The kissaki is beautifully shaped and seems slightly sharper than the rest of the blade--at least from my tip cutting tests. The weight of the blade, combined with its relative sharpness makes for a powerful cutter. It is important to note however that there is a slight shock from hitting tougher targets and while I am confident that it is partly my lack of cutting experience, it may also be an indicator that the blade could be polished to be just a little sharper for smoother cuts. But we'll deal with the cutting later
The Handle/Tsuka
:
As mentioned, I love the tsuka length!!! Now, When I initially handled the blade, I immediately understood what folks were complaining about regarding the unwieldy shape of the handle--it does seem rather unusual for a katana-style sword. I woouldn't characterize it as axe-handle-like (as many of us who've handled axes know that they are actually often made ergonomically to make for better and easier swinging,) but there certainly is a level of oddness in gripping the tsuka. That being said, personally I like the length and the shape doesn't bother my hands as much as I have fairly large palms and am used to working with my hands (from my job,) so it doesn't really bother me. Not a judgement on folks with smaller, less sturdy hands--it's more about "different folks, different strokes," know what I mean? another thing that I liked is that the handle design was explained by James Williams of the Bugei Trading Company and teacher of the Nami Ryu school of fighting arts. I am actually pretty impressed by that gentleman and from what I've seen online, Nami Ryu may not be the most popular or efficient style but it has it's interesting features that I would love to learn more about. In short, the handle suits me well both for my size and the feel of it.
The Guard/Tsuba
:
Seems to be stainless steel. Matthew Jensen did a video where he describes the tsuba of Hanwei Raptors being exceptinoal for sub-$300 dollar katanas. As I've never handled anything more expensive than this, I'll take his word for it!!! I will say this though, I initially wanted to swap it out for a thick brass one from Cheness (and probably still will at some point,) but now, it's kinda grown on me and I'm pretty content with it. I wish it was a little more solid but the features are definitely well done.
The Pommel/Fuchi-Kashira
Not sure if stainless steel or what but they seem very sturdy as well. No wiggling or rattling so far from any of the fittings.
The Scabbard/Saya
Very nice ishime finish--I prefer either matte or some similar kind of finish rather than the shiny lacquer that production katanas usually have. The saya is also very sturdy compared to the lower end katanas and feature real buffalo horn on the kojiri and koiguchi. The only issue is that when I first received it, the koiguchi fit on the habaki was very loose so much so that the blade would fall out. However, I shimmed the saya using some info from Youtubers like Adam Novath as well as some infor from one of the posts on this forum (I forget which.) Once I had shimmed it, it holds very tight and wont fall out unless shaken with the tsuka pointing down. (Note: please don't do that often, and always keep your palm safely under the kashira to catch it if you need to check your saya to habaki fit.)
Handling:
I am about 5'11'' and just about 200 pounds, I'm relatively young (25 as of this post,) and fairly athletic (boxing, basketball, regular workouts, etc.) and so I find that I actually prefer a large, heavy sword like the Raptor. While I understand it isn't the heaviest katana-style reproduction sword out there, I also know it is far from the lightest. I have been watching and reading a lot about Japanese kenjutsu techniques as well as reading different versions of Musashi's Book of Five Rings and though I will say I am far from an expert, I am fairly confident that I handle katana-style blades fairly well. I try to give particular emphasis on how I keep the edge aligned and I regularly include the so-called 1,000 cuts exercise into my workout. Of course, I used my significantly lighter bokken/bokuto for it but it does the trick in practicing form.
That being said, the Raptor doesn't handle particularly smoothly in terms of a attempting multiple cuts or changing direction. It forces one to really plan out their cuts instead of simply swinging it around as I've been able to do with my Musashi Dragon Fury and the Ronin Katana I used to have. In a nutshell, if you like relatively heavy, large swords, this is the one for you. Be mindful of the unusual and sometimes uncomfortable handle though.
Test Cutting:
The only targets I cut with any of my swords now are tightly rolled, 24 hour soaked news papers. I understand these can sometimes be rather abrasive on blades but I didn't buy the swords just to look at them I tend to not go too crazy about the thickness of the rolls as I've heard that wet newspaper rolls can actually be tougher targets than tatami mats (I have no direct experience with this as I've never cut tatami so please let me know if this is true.)EDIT: My wife, who read this review suggested to include the fact that the "newspapers" I am using are these free tabloids that you find in NYC--they're still made of the same kind of pulpy paper but each "newspaper" is only about 25 pages. For my Musashi Dragon Fury, I try to use an average of 4-6 newspapers per roll. For the Hanwei Raptor though, I use an average of 8-10 newspapers per roll with the thickest I've cut being a really tightly packed 16 newspapers. Needless to say, I did not attempt any fancy cuts with that monster roll. The pictures I am including show the thinner end of what I usually cut with the Raptor.
Note: I live in a typical NYC apartment so I've had to be very creative with where and how I do my cutting to ensure safety of myself and all those around me. I noticed a couple folks on here talking about being in NYC (or other cities,) and while it can be a challenge, it is entirely possible to set up regular cutting sessions. I myself cut at least once a week and no more than 3 (that's maximum for weeks that are less busy in terms of my work.)
Conclusions:
Again for folks looking for a big, hefty, katana-style sword that is also a powerful cutter, this is the one for you!!! I would still like to try a Dojo Pro and compare but for now, I'm really diggin' this sword. It forces me to use a balance of skill and strength and has never failed me on cutting yet. Again please note that the handle is fairly unusual but I personally prefer the length (not necessarily the shape.)
Pros:
-Great cutter
-Sharp
-Excellent weight
-Great tsuka length
-Great saya
Cons:
-A little difficult to handle at first
-Saya was loose at first but likely due to atmospheric conditions rather than quality control error.
-Not really a con but please note: noto (re-sheathing,) can be a challenge, I think because of the tip style(?) Need more clarification on this but I had to be super-careful about re-sheathing at first as I was unsure if I was scratching the inside of the saya. The article I linked about has some clarifications on this and I definitely noticed it. Just be careful if you intend to buy and use this sword.
Bottom Line:
Yes, I highly recommend this sword!!!!!!!!!!!! Get it if you can. Even second-hand should be good.
Thanks for checking out this review!!!
--Mike
Introduction:
I spent my childhood in the countryside in the Philippines so I'm not necessarily new to swords and other bladed weapons/tools. The Filipino itak or bolo is often still carried (even to this day,) in various parts of the countryside. That being said, I am relatively new to the swords as a hobby. I only began looking at, collecting, handling, and cutting with katana-style production swords earlier this year. I have/had a Musashi Dragon Fury, a Musashi iaito, and a Ronin Katana RK series sword--which I recently gave away to a dear friend who is moving. I bought this particular sword that I am reviewing because I was looking for a powerful cutter under $300 and based on many reviews on this site, forum members vouched for it slightly more than the Ronin Dojo Pro which I was originally eyeing.
Historical Overview:
The shobu zukuri edge style is reported to have been used as early as the late-14th century after the Mongol invasion attempts supposedly as a response to the thick, boiled leather armor of the Mongol armies. It differs significantly from the more common shinogi zukuri in that the shinogi ridge line tends to be higher up towards the back or mune of the blade and there is no yokote (geometric or otherwise.) Please refer to these links below for more info about the shobu zukuri geometry from people who have articulated the history of this style in a more comprehensive fashion than I:
www.thesamuraiworkshop.com/university/content/3/276/en/what-is-shobu-zukuri.html
sbg-sword-forum.forums.net/thread/30049/shinogi-shobu-zukuri
Full Disclosure:
I bought this sword with my own money from my wages. I have no professional or personal connection to any of the sword reproduction companies that I have purchased from. My first choice for a $200-$300 range beater would have been the Ronin Katana Dojo Pro, but as I mentioned above, based on the different reviews, most folks on here vouched for the Hanwei Raptors over the RKDPs. I personally wanted to try out the RKDPs (still do,) because of the famous dotanuki geometry but for now, I've grown to appreciate the shobu zukuri style. I also have a BA in History so if this review rambles on a little bit or is rather verbose, please forgive me, I will attempt to condense this review to the bare essentials.
Initial Impressions:
Shipped from Kult of Athena within two days of ordering and arrived in about a week from ordering. Not quite as quick as my (or formerly mine,) Ronin Katana RK series which arived 3 days after ordering. I'm not complaining though, I live in NYC and have a fairly busy lifestyle and would gladly have waited another week but it's important to note for forum members out there who may prefer quicker shipping.
The box it arrived in was pretty big and well packaged by Kult of Athena employees with extra crumpled up paper on the outer, shipping box. The box inside was one of the typical CAS Hanwei sleeves with a styrofoam box enclosed wherein the sword was snuggly fit. There was a sword bag included that--while by no means flashy or luxurious--seemed more substantial and sturdy than usual production sword bags.
Deeper descriptions will be covered in the subsequent sections but as far as initial impressions, the sword looked massive compared to my other swords. My wife was actually the one who unpacked it as I was at work when it arrived and she sent me a picture of it on our sword rack compared to the others and it dwarfed even the Ronin Katana which I still had when I first bought the Raptor. The Raptor is certainly a weighty sword and I love the lengthier tsuka.
Statistics:
Blade/Nagasa Length:
29"; 5160 Steel
Handle/Tsuka Length:
13"
Overall Length:
43"
POB (Point of Balance): About 5.5 inches from tsuba
Weight: 2lb 11oz
^^^Please note that much of the above is info from Kult of Athena (aside from the tsuka length and point of balance)
Components
:
The Blade/Nagasa
Massive, sturdy with a strong presence. The edge is certainly sharp as desired out-of-the-box but I understand why some folks may want it a bit sharper. The kissaki is beautifully shaped and seems slightly sharper than the rest of the blade--at least from my tip cutting tests. The weight of the blade, combined with its relative sharpness makes for a powerful cutter. It is important to note however that there is a slight shock from hitting tougher targets and while I am confident that it is partly my lack of cutting experience, it may also be an indicator that the blade could be polished to be just a little sharper for smoother cuts. But we'll deal with the cutting later
The Handle/Tsuka
:
As mentioned, I love the tsuka length!!! Now, When I initially handled the blade, I immediately understood what folks were complaining about regarding the unwieldy shape of the handle--it does seem rather unusual for a katana-style sword. I woouldn't characterize it as axe-handle-like (as many of us who've handled axes know that they are actually often made ergonomically to make for better and easier swinging,) but there certainly is a level of oddness in gripping the tsuka. That being said, personally I like the length and the shape doesn't bother my hands as much as I have fairly large palms and am used to working with my hands (from my job,) so it doesn't really bother me. Not a judgement on folks with smaller, less sturdy hands--it's more about "different folks, different strokes," know what I mean? another thing that I liked is that the handle design was explained by James Williams of the Bugei Trading Company and teacher of the Nami Ryu school of fighting arts. I am actually pretty impressed by that gentleman and from what I've seen online, Nami Ryu may not be the most popular or efficient style but it has it's interesting features that I would love to learn more about. In short, the handle suits me well both for my size and the feel of it.
The Guard/Tsuba
:
Seems to be stainless steel. Matthew Jensen did a video where he describes the tsuba of Hanwei Raptors being exceptinoal for sub-$300 dollar katanas. As I've never handled anything more expensive than this, I'll take his word for it!!! I will say this though, I initially wanted to swap it out for a thick brass one from Cheness (and probably still will at some point,) but now, it's kinda grown on me and I'm pretty content with it. I wish it was a little more solid but the features are definitely well done.
The Pommel/Fuchi-Kashira
Not sure if stainless steel or what but they seem very sturdy as well. No wiggling or rattling so far from any of the fittings.
The Scabbard/Saya
Very nice ishime finish--I prefer either matte or some similar kind of finish rather than the shiny lacquer that production katanas usually have. The saya is also very sturdy compared to the lower end katanas and feature real buffalo horn on the kojiri and koiguchi. The only issue is that when I first received it, the koiguchi fit on the habaki was very loose so much so that the blade would fall out. However, I shimmed the saya using some info from Youtubers like Adam Novath as well as some infor from one of the posts on this forum (I forget which.) Once I had shimmed it, it holds very tight and wont fall out unless shaken with the tsuka pointing down. (Note: please don't do that often, and always keep your palm safely under the kashira to catch it if you need to check your saya to habaki fit.)
Handling:
I am about 5'11'' and just about 200 pounds, I'm relatively young (25 as of this post,) and fairly athletic (boxing, basketball, regular workouts, etc.) and so I find that I actually prefer a large, heavy sword like the Raptor. While I understand it isn't the heaviest katana-style reproduction sword out there, I also know it is far from the lightest. I have been watching and reading a lot about Japanese kenjutsu techniques as well as reading different versions of Musashi's Book of Five Rings and though I will say I am far from an expert, I am fairly confident that I handle katana-style blades fairly well. I try to give particular emphasis on how I keep the edge aligned and I regularly include the so-called 1,000 cuts exercise into my workout. Of course, I used my significantly lighter bokken/bokuto for it but it does the trick in practicing form.
That being said, the Raptor doesn't handle particularly smoothly in terms of a attempting multiple cuts or changing direction. It forces one to really plan out their cuts instead of simply swinging it around as I've been able to do with my Musashi Dragon Fury and the Ronin Katana I used to have. In a nutshell, if you like relatively heavy, large swords, this is the one for you. Be mindful of the unusual and sometimes uncomfortable handle though.
Test Cutting:
The only targets I cut with any of my swords now are tightly rolled, 24 hour soaked news papers. I understand these can sometimes be rather abrasive on blades but I didn't buy the swords just to look at them I tend to not go too crazy about the thickness of the rolls as I've heard that wet newspaper rolls can actually be tougher targets than tatami mats (I have no direct experience with this as I've never cut tatami so please let me know if this is true.)EDIT: My wife, who read this review suggested to include the fact that the "newspapers" I am using are these free tabloids that you find in NYC--they're still made of the same kind of pulpy paper but each "newspaper" is only about 25 pages. For my Musashi Dragon Fury, I try to use an average of 4-6 newspapers per roll. For the Hanwei Raptor though, I use an average of 8-10 newspapers per roll with the thickest I've cut being a really tightly packed 16 newspapers. Needless to say, I did not attempt any fancy cuts with that monster roll. The pictures I am including show the thinner end of what I usually cut with the Raptor.
Note: I live in a typical NYC apartment so I've had to be very creative with where and how I do my cutting to ensure safety of myself and all those around me. I noticed a couple folks on here talking about being in NYC (or other cities,) and while it can be a challenge, it is entirely possible to set up regular cutting sessions. I myself cut at least once a week and no more than 3 (that's maximum for weeks that are less busy in terms of my work.)
Conclusions:
Again for folks looking for a big, hefty, katana-style sword that is also a powerful cutter, this is the one for you!!! I would still like to try a Dojo Pro and compare but for now, I'm really diggin' this sword. It forces me to use a balance of skill and strength and has never failed me on cutting yet. Again please note that the handle is fairly unusual but I personally prefer the length (not necessarily the shape.)
Pros:
-Great cutter
-Sharp
-Excellent weight
-Great tsuka length
-Great saya
Cons:
-A little difficult to handle at first
-Saya was loose at first but likely due to atmospheric conditions rather than quality control error.
-Not really a con but please note: noto (re-sheathing,) can be a challenge, I think because of the tip style(?) Need more clarification on this but I had to be super-careful about re-sheathing at first as I was unsure if I was scratching the inside of the saya. The article I linked about has some clarifications on this and I definitely noticed it. Just be careful if you intend to buy and use this sword.
Bottom Line:
Yes, I highly recommend this sword!!!!!!!!!!!! Get it if you can. Even second-hand should be good.
Thanks for checking out this review!!!
--Mike