Evolution blades: Motohara LMC(sks3)
Apr 22, 2019 20:40:24 GMT
Post by shobutengu on Apr 22, 2019 20:40:24 GMT
The Blade:
The blade is a shinogi zukuri sugata with a 29 inch nagasa sporting a 3 inch o kissaki with a nice fukura kareru shaped to the kissaki . The boshi is ko maru and vividly contrasting the polish. The mune of the kissaki doesn’t swelled up to re-enforce the tip but if it does it will add weight and extra thickness to an already thin blade leading to decrease cutting performance and efficiency. No point in a reinforced tip if it decreases cutting performance on a specialized mat cutter.
The kissaki ends with a slight ridge of yokote that is barely noticeable when touched but visually prominent. The blade has a classic tori sori with clean lines of the shinogi , hiraji , and iori mune with no deviations or wobble in its overall geometry. It looks like it was made from a CNC machine, stock removal or 3D printed. The surface of the shinogi ji and hiraji is smooth like glass with no rippling or dimples we often most commonly see on mass produced swords on the market with little amount of niku on the cutting surface.
This blade is really made for cutting performance in that its specifications and sugata geometry are thin, wide, with little to no amount of niku.
The Hamon shows a clear haibuchi but lacks the presence of classic Japanese aesthetics like the misty cloudiness of a nioi guchi or nie guchi, ashi lines, or even other metallurgical effects of a clay hardening technique. The hai buchi is clear and extremely define and it looks like it was draw on with a simple pen and pops out in the right lighting conditions. The Hamon doesn’t dips or elevate throughout the blade resulting in a suguha/suguba with little to no amounts of midare. it’s pleasant and not gaudy like some of the hamon we seeing coming out of china. It’s subtle, classy, and more tailored to the practitioners.
The polish is somewhat of a dilemma for me in that I like beautiful arts sword that can also perform well in cutting but this polish leans towards a tameshigiri polish. In other words, it looks kind of bland but serves its purpose with the objective of slaying mats. There are little micro scratches on the munekado and shinogi ji of the blade. The micro scratches don’t affect the surface smoothness. The hasaki, cutting edge, has an extremely small “micro bevel” on it that is untactile when touched or examined by the hand but you can visually see it on the edge. It’s looks like a strop edge in my opinion. The bevel doesn’t affect the cutting performance of the blade that much and cuts comparably to its competition according to couple toyama and nakamura ryu practitioners.
I would give the nagasa or the blade a rating of 8.5 out of 10 in that it doesn’t have the necessary aesthetics that I want in a Japanese blade but I accept the fact that it’s a cutting tool meant to cut and do kata in the dojo. It doesn’t win any beauty competition but it will definitely out cut 98% of the swords on the market right in mat cutting. (8.5/10)
Motokasane : 5.41 mm
Sakikasane : 3.97 mm
Distal tapering: 27 %
Motohaba : 32.38 mm
Sakihaba : 27.38 mm
Tapering: 15 %
Tsuka length: 10.5 inches (26.7cm)
Nagasa: 29 inches (73.66 cm)
Weight: 980 grams, or 34.5 ounces, or 2 pounds 2-3 ounces.
The Saya:
The saya is really the thinness of all the saya I have seen on the market and it tapers along with the blade. There is a pragmatic issue in the wood usage in saya and tsuka in the production sword market in that overall the wood the sword manufacturers utilize is subpar and bad. When a good wood is used with grains laying in even and parallel, longitudinal direction and without knots in the substrate, the saya can be made thinner but still be physically stronger than thicker saya made of out cheap wood. The wood used for the saya and tsuka for this motohara blade is extremely good and the grains of the wood run in the same direction.
Black ishime lacquered covers up the wood and it looks like it can withstand years of usage in the dojo. There is no real buffalo horn usages on the kurikata , koiguchi , or kojiri and it looks to be made of a synthetic plastics similar to Delrin . I don’t know how well it will endure over time but it looks to be tough and durable.
koiguchi is done correctly with only the top and bottom of the habaki is in direct contact with the koiguchi.
The carved Channels inside of saya is expertly crafted for each blade resulting in little to no rattling of the saya when shaking or movement is applied to it. The blade slides along the channel with smoothly little to no resistance. It’s feels amazing when notoing.
There is also a little channel made to fit the habaki into the saya that are slightly lower than the blade channel. A good saya that is done correctly but I wish there was a slight doming of the koiguchi that is seen on high end customs and Japanese nihonto.
Overall (8.7/10) because the lack of real buffalo horn
The Fittings:
The habaki on my blade is an impressive artistic and functional piece. The fit and finish of this example is extremely well done and it looks like it was made tailored for this specific sword. There is little to no gaps on the fitment of the habaki to blade. The Mune ridge of the habaki aligns with the mune of the sword. The habaki ushers a scratch or rain pattern on the side and with beautiful file marks on the top and bottom portions that makes contact with the koiguchi of the Saya. The patina of the hababki is to a reddish tint and is classy and subtle. Most habaki of this quality cost around 400-500 usd in the high-end custom market. (9.25/10)
Seppa: nice thick copper seppa with scalloping on the edges with a patina is closely matched to the habaki but not perfectly. The edge doesn’t overlap with the holes,anas, in the tsuba .
Fuchi, Kashira Menuki, and tsuba: I asked for a handachi or hondachi fittings because they are a relatively lackluster selections in the production market today or should I say there is NONE…. The fuchi is done with two types of metal with the based as copper in a black ishime finish gilded by gold or brass strands surrounding the outside rim. Transition between the koiguchi and the fuchi is amazing and looks seamless. There are swords out there that has a large koiguchi but the fuchi is undersized leading to a transition that looks outlandish, toyish, and bizarre that effects the overall subtle, elegance of a Japanese blade. Those with undersized fuchi and large koiguchi makes it seems that planning of the koshirae was a second priority, we see this a lot of in the mass production market but to get it done correctly takes it into a higher priced bracket.
The kashira has the same beauty as the fuchi and does have same black ishime finishes and goldend gilded edges to it. The top of the kashira resembles Japanese roof tops and it adorn with a large cut on each side showcasing the beautiful consistent nodules of the samegawa. The menuki feature faces of three demons and I have no historical or mythical explanation for this theme. The cast quality of the menuki is outstanding and no loss of details in the casting of these menuki. both are finish with a grayish-worn look.
Simple black iron mokko tsuba with age patina with no rough edges that will scratch you. It’s looks to be handmade and not casted. (9.0/10)
Tsukamaki/itomaki:
The tsuka is haichi shape and has a thin profile that fits comfortably in the hand. It’s most thick near the fuchi with gradually tapers on one side of the tsuka into the kashira. Length of the tsuka is 10.5 inches(26.7cm) with a profile thickness near the fuchi at 39.79 mm and 35.92mm at the kashira end. Ito is a dark maroon red that is tightly wrapped around the tsuka with little to no movement at the crossover or end knots. I don’t know if hishi-gami paper is used for it but the shape and consistency of the diamonds leads me to believe that it was used. Under the wrap is an aged samegawa with large nodule without an emperor node. I can say that this is the best tsuka I have ever held in my hands. The shape fits perfectly and it feels like it was tailored for my hands with the correct tsuka length. In other words, it fits like a glove. Extremely impressive. Hands down the best tsuka you can get in this price range(1.6k to 3.0k).
Korean style mekugi are used on this model. The mekugi are straight with no tapers, secured the nakago to the tsuka. I preferred a more traditional Japanese style with one mekugi instead of two. if a tsuka is done correctly with friction fit then only one mekugi is necessary but since it’s a user blade and the sensible approached is to provide a second in case failure of the primary mekugi occurs for safety concerns (9.5/10)
Motohara is impressive in that it gives a practitioner or backyard cutter a reliable cutting blade that performs well against its intended targets with models ranging from a specialized mat cutter(LMC, MMC,Killer geometry) , generalized cutters , and hard target cutting(L6 and SGT blades). The price varies based on customization of the koshirae but basic models starts at 1.6k for the light mat cutter (SKS3), hard target cutter(L6) for 1.8k, or you can choose a different type of steel and an optimized edge geometry.
Steel to choose from: SKS3, SK5, SGT, D2, L6
Edge geometry to choose from: specialized mat cutter, General cutter for both light and hard targets, and the Dedicated hard, heavy cutter.
Pros:
An extremely well made blade with an excellent heat treatment
Beautiful koshirae and mount quality
Relatively inexpensive compared to its competitor
Custom options available for different sugatas
Well made saya and tsuka using good wood
Cons:
“Micro bevel” or it looks to be a stropped edge.
Korean style mekugi with no tapering or angling
Blade: (8.5/10)
Saya: (8.7/10)
Fittings: (9.25/10)
Tsukamaki: (9.5/10)
Final score of: (8.9 / 10)
more images on the imgur links below:
imgur.com/a/kVJb0Pc
imgur.com/a/62lTq3M
The blade is a shinogi zukuri sugata with a 29 inch nagasa sporting a 3 inch o kissaki with a nice fukura kareru shaped to the kissaki . The boshi is ko maru and vividly contrasting the polish. The mune of the kissaki doesn’t swelled up to re-enforce the tip but if it does it will add weight and extra thickness to an already thin blade leading to decrease cutting performance and efficiency. No point in a reinforced tip if it decreases cutting performance on a specialized mat cutter.
The kissaki ends with a slight ridge of yokote that is barely noticeable when touched but visually prominent. The blade has a classic tori sori with clean lines of the shinogi , hiraji , and iori mune with no deviations or wobble in its overall geometry. It looks like it was made from a CNC machine, stock removal or 3D printed. The surface of the shinogi ji and hiraji is smooth like glass with no rippling or dimples we often most commonly see on mass produced swords on the market with little amount of niku on the cutting surface.
This blade is really made for cutting performance in that its specifications and sugata geometry are thin, wide, with little to no amount of niku.
The Hamon shows a clear haibuchi but lacks the presence of classic Japanese aesthetics like the misty cloudiness of a nioi guchi or nie guchi, ashi lines, or even other metallurgical effects of a clay hardening technique. The hai buchi is clear and extremely define and it looks like it was draw on with a simple pen and pops out in the right lighting conditions. The Hamon doesn’t dips or elevate throughout the blade resulting in a suguha/suguba with little to no amounts of midare. it’s pleasant and not gaudy like some of the hamon we seeing coming out of china. It’s subtle, classy, and more tailored to the practitioners.
The polish is somewhat of a dilemma for me in that I like beautiful arts sword that can also perform well in cutting but this polish leans towards a tameshigiri polish. In other words, it looks kind of bland but serves its purpose with the objective of slaying mats. There are little micro scratches on the munekado and shinogi ji of the blade. The micro scratches don’t affect the surface smoothness. The hasaki, cutting edge, has an extremely small “micro bevel” on it that is untactile when touched or examined by the hand but you can visually see it on the edge. It’s looks like a strop edge in my opinion. The bevel doesn’t affect the cutting performance of the blade that much and cuts comparably to its competition according to couple toyama and nakamura ryu practitioners.
I would give the nagasa or the blade a rating of 8.5 out of 10 in that it doesn’t have the necessary aesthetics that I want in a Japanese blade but I accept the fact that it’s a cutting tool meant to cut and do kata in the dojo. It doesn’t win any beauty competition but it will definitely out cut 98% of the swords on the market right in mat cutting. (8.5/10)
Motokasane : 5.41 mm
Sakikasane : 3.97 mm
Distal tapering: 27 %
Motohaba : 32.38 mm
Sakihaba : 27.38 mm
Tapering: 15 %
Tsuka length: 10.5 inches (26.7cm)
Nagasa: 29 inches (73.66 cm)
Weight: 980 grams, or 34.5 ounces, or 2 pounds 2-3 ounces.
The Saya:
The saya is really the thinness of all the saya I have seen on the market and it tapers along with the blade. There is a pragmatic issue in the wood usage in saya and tsuka in the production sword market in that overall the wood the sword manufacturers utilize is subpar and bad. When a good wood is used with grains laying in even and parallel, longitudinal direction and without knots in the substrate, the saya can be made thinner but still be physically stronger than thicker saya made of out cheap wood. The wood used for the saya and tsuka for this motohara blade is extremely good and the grains of the wood run in the same direction.
Black ishime lacquered covers up the wood and it looks like it can withstand years of usage in the dojo. There is no real buffalo horn usages on the kurikata , koiguchi , or kojiri and it looks to be made of a synthetic plastics similar to Delrin . I don’t know how well it will endure over time but it looks to be tough and durable.
koiguchi is done correctly with only the top and bottom of the habaki is in direct contact with the koiguchi.
The carved Channels inside of saya is expertly crafted for each blade resulting in little to no rattling of the saya when shaking or movement is applied to it. The blade slides along the channel with smoothly little to no resistance. It’s feels amazing when notoing.
There is also a little channel made to fit the habaki into the saya that are slightly lower than the blade channel. A good saya that is done correctly but I wish there was a slight doming of the koiguchi that is seen on high end customs and Japanese nihonto.
Overall (8.7/10) because the lack of real buffalo horn
The Fittings:
The habaki on my blade is an impressive artistic and functional piece. The fit and finish of this example is extremely well done and it looks like it was made tailored for this specific sword. There is little to no gaps on the fitment of the habaki to blade. The Mune ridge of the habaki aligns with the mune of the sword. The habaki ushers a scratch or rain pattern on the side and with beautiful file marks on the top and bottom portions that makes contact with the koiguchi of the Saya. The patina of the hababki is to a reddish tint and is classy and subtle. Most habaki of this quality cost around 400-500 usd in the high-end custom market. (9.25/10)
Seppa: nice thick copper seppa with scalloping on the edges with a patina is closely matched to the habaki but not perfectly. The edge doesn’t overlap with the holes,anas, in the tsuba .
Fuchi, Kashira Menuki, and tsuba: I asked for a handachi or hondachi fittings because they are a relatively lackluster selections in the production market today or should I say there is NONE…. The fuchi is done with two types of metal with the based as copper in a black ishime finish gilded by gold or brass strands surrounding the outside rim. Transition between the koiguchi and the fuchi is amazing and looks seamless. There are swords out there that has a large koiguchi but the fuchi is undersized leading to a transition that looks outlandish, toyish, and bizarre that effects the overall subtle, elegance of a Japanese blade. Those with undersized fuchi and large koiguchi makes it seems that planning of the koshirae was a second priority, we see this a lot of in the mass production market but to get it done correctly takes it into a higher priced bracket.
The kashira has the same beauty as the fuchi and does have same black ishime finishes and goldend gilded edges to it. The top of the kashira resembles Japanese roof tops and it adorn with a large cut on each side showcasing the beautiful consistent nodules of the samegawa. The menuki feature faces of three demons and I have no historical or mythical explanation for this theme. The cast quality of the menuki is outstanding and no loss of details in the casting of these menuki. both are finish with a grayish-worn look.
Simple black iron mokko tsuba with age patina with no rough edges that will scratch you. It’s looks to be handmade and not casted. (9.0/10)
Tsukamaki/itomaki:
The tsuka is haichi shape and has a thin profile that fits comfortably in the hand. It’s most thick near the fuchi with gradually tapers on one side of the tsuka into the kashira. Length of the tsuka is 10.5 inches(26.7cm) with a profile thickness near the fuchi at 39.79 mm and 35.92mm at the kashira end. Ito is a dark maroon red that is tightly wrapped around the tsuka with little to no movement at the crossover or end knots. I don’t know if hishi-gami paper is used for it but the shape and consistency of the diamonds leads me to believe that it was used. Under the wrap is an aged samegawa with large nodule without an emperor node. I can say that this is the best tsuka I have ever held in my hands. The shape fits perfectly and it feels like it was tailored for my hands with the correct tsuka length. In other words, it fits like a glove. Extremely impressive. Hands down the best tsuka you can get in this price range(1.6k to 3.0k).
Korean style mekugi are used on this model. The mekugi are straight with no tapers, secured the nakago to the tsuka. I preferred a more traditional Japanese style with one mekugi instead of two. if a tsuka is done correctly with friction fit then only one mekugi is necessary but since it’s a user blade and the sensible approached is to provide a second in case failure of the primary mekugi occurs for safety concerns (9.5/10)
Motohara is impressive in that it gives a practitioner or backyard cutter a reliable cutting blade that performs well against its intended targets with models ranging from a specialized mat cutter(LMC, MMC,Killer geometry) , generalized cutters , and hard target cutting(L6 and SGT blades). The price varies based on customization of the koshirae but basic models starts at 1.6k for the light mat cutter (SKS3), hard target cutter(L6) for 1.8k, or you can choose a different type of steel and an optimized edge geometry.
Steel to choose from: SKS3, SK5, SGT, D2, L6
Edge geometry to choose from: specialized mat cutter, General cutter for both light and hard targets, and the Dedicated hard, heavy cutter.
Pros:
An extremely well made blade with an excellent heat treatment
Beautiful koshirae and mount quality
Relatively inexpensive compared to its competitor
Custom options available for different sugatas
Well made saya and tsuka using good wood
Cons:
“Micro bevel” or it looks to be a stropped edge.
Korean style mekugi with no tapering or angling
Blade: (8.5/10)
Saya: (8.7/10)
Fittings: (9.25/10)
Tsukamaki: (9.5/10)
Final score of: (8.9 / 10)
more images on the imgur links below:
imgur.com/a/kVJb0Pc
imgur.com/a/62lTq3M