|
Post by john1 on Feb 9, 2019 3:29:49 GMT
I’m thinking of buying a Motohara katana for dojo use. Couple of questions:
They come in L6, SGT, SKS3, SK5, and D2 steel. Which is best ?
Do the Motoharas cut any better than the Hanwei XLs ?
Is the Motohara Tsuka and Saya quality any better than Citadel ?
Thanks for your help !
|
|
|
Post by shobutengu on Feb 9, 2019 20:25:09 GMT
yes, they cut better than the hanwei xl series . The koshirae and mount quality of motohara sword's is probably better or on par with citadel . as for Steels , what type of target are you cutting ? if only mats , i would stick with SKS3 or Sk5 . L6 and D2 if you're cutting hard targets . but if you want a general cutter then get an L6 but asked for the general cutter geometry instead of hard target geometry.
|
|
|
Post by skane on Feb 9, 2019 21:49:49 GMT
I agree with shobutengu. He knows his stuff, including high end customs and performance blades.
Motohara uses SGT on very long o-kat blades. They are currently working with a Shinshin Ryu practitioner on a couple customs.
I've used and owned XL's; they are not in the same league as the Motohara mat cutter models. I currently use and own Kotetsus, Motoharas, and a MAS that was reprofiled by Motohara for higher performance. To really appreciate how well high-performance mat cutters work, they need to be tested on used Japanese tatami rolls of various sizes. You won't notice much difference cutting mats like mugen dachi, wara, beach mats.
|
|
|
Post by john1 on Feb 12, 2019 4:52:53 GMT
Thanks guys.
I'm planning to cut used Japanese tatami inthe dojo once a month, and rolled newspapers at home weekly.
I'm new to batto-do, although I've been practicing Iaido for several years. So I'd like something durable enough for a newbie, but not something I'll outgrow quickly. And something with a tsuka shape and saya fit that is like my tozando iaito. But I also don't want to be foolish, and spend a lot more for geometry (etc) differences that make a difference in the hands of an expert, but perform no better for intermediate level jsa practitioners.
Which sword would you suggest ?
|
|
|
Post by skane on Feb 12, 2019 17:24:54 GMT
If you plan to stay with your training long term, drop the cash and get a Motohara. You will never outgrow it. Motohara will have better mount quality than your Tozando. I own a custom Suzaku; Motohara mount is better and stronger and made to endure shock from cutting targets with resistance (mats and bamboo).
OR
Get a sub $500 base blade that cuts mats well, and have a good craftsman remount it. DF Musha Shobu, Feilong Higo, Hanwei Practical Plus Elite or XL would be on my short list.
You can always adjust the Jtatami roll size ( 1/2 or 3/4 mats ) to match the blade performance, and move up to larger rolls as you advance in training.
|
|
|
Post by Silent on Feb 13, 2019 13:42:56 GMT
Hauwei T10 higher end ones.
|
|
|
Post by rolando on Feb 17, 2019 16:26:16 GMT
Good info here, Scott and Pham.
|
|
|
Post by john1 on Feb 18, 2019 3:03:37 GMT
Thanks guys - I really appreciate you sharing your insights
|
|
|
Post by Bushi76 on Feb 23, 2019 13:55:31 GMT
Does anyone have any idea what the approximate prices are for Motohara swords? The koshirae looks really nice on their blades. Thanks!
|
|
|
Post by shobutengu on Feb 23, 2019 19:54:13 GMT
Does anyone have any idea what the approximate prices are for Motohara swords? The koshirae looks really nice on their blades. Thanks! It all depends on the koshirae and steel but the basic version of sks3 (light mat cutter) is around 1.6-1.7k , L6 in general or hard target cutting geometry is around the 1.8k . It’s best if you contact them on their Facebook page. I have their LMC but in o kissaki with handachi fittings in red silk ito and the blade is well, well worth their asking price. Everything is done correctly on their swords .
|
|
|
Post by Bushi76 on Feb 23, 2019 22:28:31 GMT
Does anyone have any idea what the approximate prices are for Motohara swords? The koshirae looks really nice on their blades. Thanks! It all depends on the koshirae and steel but the basic version of sks3 (light mat cutter) is around 1.6-1.7k , L6 in general or hard target cutting geometry is around the 1.8k . It’s best if you contact them on their Facebook page. I have their LMC but in o kissaki with handachi fittings in red silk ito and the blade is well, well worth their asking price. Everything is done correctly on their swords . Thanks very much for the info. I would love to see pics of your blade if you don't mind. I am very fond of o-kissaki blades myself 😊.
|
|
|
Post by shobutengu on Feb 24, 2019 3:27:11 GMT
It all depends on the koshirae and steel but the basic version of sks3 (light mat cutter) is around 1.6-1.7k , L6 in general or hard target cutting geometry is around the 1.8k . It’s best if you contact them on their Facebook page. I have their LMC but in o kissaki with handachi fittings in red silk ito and the blade is well, well worth their asking price. Everything is done correctly on their swords . Thanks very much for the info. I would love to see pics of your blade if you don't mind. I am very fond of o-kissaki blades myself 😊. here ya go , it's not the best photos because of my phone. imgur.com/a/kVJb0Pcimgur.com/a/62lTq3M
|
|
|
Post by Bushi76 on Feb 24, 2019 13:23:40 GMT
Thanks, shobutengu! That is a beautiful sword!
|
|
|
Post by phatty on May 21, 2020 1:41:08 GMT
Thanks very much for the info. I would love to see pics of your blade if you don't mind. I am very fond of o-kissaki blades myself 😊. here ya go , it's not the best photos because of my phone. imgur.com/a/kVJb0Pcimgur.com/a/62lTq3MBeautiful sword, I am thinking of getting the D2 with hard target geometry along with bo-hi. Just wonder did you do any upgrade with this sword? And how long is the Tsuba?
|
|
|
Post by Robert in California on May 22, 2020 3:47:22 GMT
Beautiful sword!
|
|
|
Post by loveofswords on May 22, 2020 17:56:06 GMT
Beautiful sword, I am thinking of getting the D2 with hard target geometry along with bo-hi. Just wonder did you do any upgrade with this sword? And how long is the Tsuba? I don’t think shobu is on this site anymore. I think everything is stock on his sword.
|
|
|
Post by bradc on May 22, 2020 23:31:13 GMT
Beautiful sword, I am thinking of getting the D2 with hard target geometry along with bo-hi. Just wonder did you do any upgrade with this sword? And how long is the Tsuba? I don’t think shobu is on this site anymore. I think everything is stock on his sword. Shobu is currently under a mod enforced leave of absence for a unrelated topic. Hopefully returns in a couple weeks. To clarify Motohara doesnt really do anything "stock". It's more of a pick what you like from a big list of options for each part through discussion with Jason. However some options do add a cost (silver fittings, same on saya etc...) above the base price. I went through a bit of back and forth before settling on my final configuration/price. I have a review posted on my Motohara here, and a colleague of mine recently acquired one as well. They really are great swords for the money, and the koshirae is top notch. I would definitely say their koshirae are a step above the Hanweis I have handled. (Although to be fair Hanweis blades can be quite atractive with all sorts of activity in the hamon at lower prices) While I cant comment vs Citadel for koshirae quality the degree of customization on the blade is a big plus for Motohara at that price point. Getting the right tsuka length, geometry, and nagasa is important in many JSA applications. As to steel types, I have L6 in the general purpose cutter geometry. I think it looks nice but with no formal tameshigiri in my JSA school all I can really say is it's sharp, looks great, and most importantly is well balanced. My only confirmation of sharpness is a Mylar balloon that was introduced to a nukitsuke. I won't comment on which number was beside the 0 . It went through very cleanly for a free floating partially deflated baloon.
|
|
|
Post by nytrash on Jun 21, 2020 19:37:05 GMT
Evolution Blade’s just launched a new website with a huge gallery of customs and options for steel, koshirae etc. it’s worth a look. www.motoharablades.com
|
|
|
Post by RaylonTheDemented on Jun 21, 2020 20:43:33 GMT
Nice that they have one now.
A bit ago I read that they were experimenting on kanmuri-otoshi geometry, hope it come to pass.
|
|
Zen_Hydra
Moderator
Born with a heart full of neutrality
Posts: 2,625
Member is Online
|
Post by Zen_Hydra on Jun 21, 2020 23:21:57 GMT
Nice that they have one now.
A bit ago I read that they were experimenting on kanmuri-otoshi geometry, hope it come to pass. If they do, I'll have them make me a naginata blade.
|
|