First Purchase(s) | 1060 Katana's from SBG & SON Review(s)
Nov 12, 2018 19:30:33 GMT
Post by coltj on Nov 12, 2018 19:30:33 GMT
Hello,
These are my first two Katana's, being totally new I opted to spread my budget around a bit to get a feel and understand what I've been looking at in regards to pictures, reviews, etc...
Now I know what I want, what I get for these price points and hopefully this will help other people in regards to entry level 1060 Katana's and first purchases.
Both passed the fingernail sharp test
_____________
Katana 1: SBG | Black ito w/ tsunami theme
Initial observations/opinions: Wasn't thrilled. The Katana in hand felt good, saya rattled and immediately noticed a scratch towards the kissaki. Because i'm a tinkerer, I removed the tsuka and noticed a wedge in place to tighten it but it seems this also cracked the tsuka. It was terribly hard to remove tsuka and did not even try seppa and tsuba as it was way too tight and I was afraid of hurting myself.
I immediately wrote an email and will paraphrase the response. Basically I was told I was expecting too much katana at that price point. Essentially I agreed but expected a little more fit and finish sort of speak. Since it shipped from CA, USA I was hoping for and exchange to no avail, only to return and pay restocking fee. So i kept it.
Status: purchased some poplar wood, new brown sageo, new seppa and same/rayskin to make my own tsuka.
Katana 2: SON | purple ito w/ tiger theme
I purchased this before receiving the SBG. Basically decided to just build a nice but sharp display sword and wasn't expecting much based on reviews.
Noticeable differences: a little heavier, few mm longer but the fit and finish was much nicer, much easier to remove tsuka and seppa, came apart like i assumed it should (based on youtube disassembly vids). The saya does not rattle and was finished beautifully (matte), no horn fittings or anything but cleaner. Seppa's aren't stamped 'China'.
Much happier with this purchase although I assumed my assessments and in opinions would have been opposite.
I cornily built it with tigers and dragons under the wrap to dad joke call it "crouching tiger, hidden dragon"... Sorry but it made me laugh.
___________
These are just my own opinions, experiences and thoughts of my initial purchases.
No doubt in my mind what I truly want is a Nihonto and now understand a lot of what was just internet jargon up until this point. I am very happy with my decision to go for a few opposed to one as I would have only had 1 possibly 1090/T10 katana to base my thoughts on and now am sure of what I want rather than a guess.
Luckily before these Katana's arrived, I happened to meet someone with a real shinken from Japan, what I remember is more of the feel and balance in hand, cant really compare weights from memory but it just felt different and just special. Wrap was well worn, apparently he practices Iaido and it was like well worn leather, just felt special in hand.
Hope this helps someone out there to make this thread worth while.
It's been raining out and I couldn't get nice pictures of the second but in person it looks and feels like the better choice.
Time to save my pennies.
These are my first two Katana's, being totally new I opted to spread my budget around a bit to get a feel and understand what I've been looking at in regards to pictures, reviews, etc...
Now I know what I want, what I get for these price points and hopefully this will help other people in regards to entry level 1060 Katana's and first purchases.
Both passed the fingernail sharp test
_____________
Katana 1: SBG | Black ito w/ tsunami theme
Initial observations/opinions: Wasn't thrilled. The Katana in hand felt good, saya rattled and immediately noticed a scratch towards the kissaki. Because i'm a tinkerer, I removed the tsuka and noticed a wedge in place to tighten it but it seems this also cracked the tsuka. It was terribly hard to remove tsuka and did not even try seppa and tsuba as it was way too tight and I was afraid of hurting myself.
I immediately wrote an email and will paraphrase the response. Basically I was told I was expecting too much katana at that price point. Essentially I agreed but expected a little more fit and finish sort of speak. Since it shipped from CA, USA I was hoping for and exchange to no avail, only to return and pay restocking fee. So i kept it.
Status: purchased some poplar wood, new brown sageo, new seppa and same/rayskin to make my own tsuka.
Katana 2: SON | purple ito w/ tiger theme
I purchased this before receiving the SBG. Basically decided to just build a nice but sharp display sword and wasn't expecting much based on reviews.
Noticeable differences: a little heavier, few mm longer but the fit and finish was much nicer, much easier to remove tsuka and seppa, came apart like i assumed it should (based on youtube disassembly vids). The saya does not rattle and was finished beautifully (matte), no horn fittings or anything but cleaner. Seppa's aren't stamped 'China'.
Much happier with this purchase although I assumed my assessments and in opinions would have been opposite.
I cornily built it with tigers and dragons under the wrap to dad joke call it "crouching tiger, hidden dragon"... Sorry but it made me laugh.
___________
These are just my own opinions, experiences and thoughts of my initial purchases.
No doubt in my mind what I truly want is a Nihonto and now understand a lot of what was just internet jargon up until this point. I am very happy with my decision to go for a few opposed to one as I would have only had 1 possibly 1090/T10 katana to base my thoughts on and now am sure of what I want rather than a guess.
Luckily before these Katana's arrived, I happened to meet someone with a real shinken from Japan, what I remember is more of the feel and balance in hand, cant really compare weights from memory but it just felt different and just special. Wrap was well worn, apparently he practices Iaido and it was like well worn leather, just felt special in hand.
Hope this helps someone out there to make this thread worth while.
It's been raining out and I couldn't get nice pictures of the second but in person it looks and feels like the better choice.
Time to save my pennies.