Kawashima Katana.
Jul 24, 2019 6:50:14 GMT
Post by pvsampson on Jul 24, 2019 6:50:14 GMT
After following a link posted on this site a couple of weeks ago,I was browsing through the Kawashima Aliexpress site and came across a cheap katana (very cheap) and was actually a little impressed by it. Leather ito,real same,apparently clay tempered,no hi and a reasonable looking sword. $130 Australian delivered.
www.aliexpress.com/item/32836428448.html?
Not often I have some spare cash so I talked to the kids,thought about it and bought it.It arrived at the post office in town today after ten days,drove in to get it,got home and was pretty happy with what I got for the price. It's no Motohara,or even Hanwei entry level sword but it's mine and Kawashima have done a great job. This is my first katana so anything I comment on here is based on what I have mainly learned here.
The ito is real leather,(I can smell it), and I can only assume based on the site stats that the same is real.Ito is nice and tight and diamonds pretty even,the tsuka itself has no movement and no rattles and feels good in the hand.Two mekugi present and the menuki don't move.Both seppa are evenly sized and fit well and the tsuba is decent for the price and fits well with no movement,and the habaki sits flush to the blade.In the saya the sword sits tight and does not fall out when held upside down and does come out when shaken quite firmly.No saya rattle when shaken vertically,blade down, but some when shaken side to side but quite firmly as well.Cotton sageo is even and tight. Blade draws well from the saya.
The blade itself as far as I can tell is shinogi zukuri with o kissaki and is shaped ihori.It came sharpened with no discernible bevel,but not sharp enough to cut a paper easily so I ran a fine diamond steel over it and now shaves arm hair.It has a satin polish with the sanding marks even and straight and to me looks around 400 grit,the hamon seems real,as under an eye loupe there is no sign that it is fake.The site says clay tempered so assuming it is real.Very,very few imperfections on the blade,there is a scratch around 1/3 along from tsuka on right side (edge down) about 2mm down from the mune and is about 1mm in length and two similar tiny scratches on the opposite side,one in roughly the same position and other 50mm further toward the point.A minor scuff mark near the habaki on right side. The blade is straight. I have not taken the tsuka off to check the nakago and at this point I do not plan any cutting,yet when I do I will remove and check before hand. I have no reason to believe that it is not "full tang" as the Kawashima site states.
Overall happy and if the temper is done correctly this should be a decent blade,especially for the price.It is finished well,the fittings are ok and tight and the saya has an immaculate high polished lacquer.
www.aliexpress.com/item/32836428448.html?
Not often I have some spare cash so I talked to the kids,thought about it and bought it.It arrived at the post office in town today after ten days,drove in to get it,got home and was pretty happy with what I got for the price. It's no Motohara,or even Hanwei entry level sword but it's mine and Kawashima have done a great job. This is my first katana so anything I comment on here is based on what I have mainly learned here.
The ito is real leather,(I can smell it), and I can only assume based on the site stats that the same is real.Ito is nice and tight and diamonds pretty even,the tsuka itself has no movement and no rattles and feels good in the hand.Two mekugi present and the menuki don't move.Both seppa are evenly sized and fit well and the tsuba is decent for the price and fits well with no movement,and the habaki sits flush to the blade.In the saya the sword sits tight and does not fall out when held upside down and does come out when shaken quite firmly.No saya rattle when shaken vertically,blade down, but some when shaken side to side but quite firmly as well.Cotton sageo is even and tight. Blade draws well from the saya.
The blade itself as far as I can tell is shinogi zukuri with o kissaki and is shaped ihori.It came sharpened with no discernible bevel,but not sharp enough to cut a paper easily so I ran a fine diamond steel over it and now shaves arm hair.It has a satin polish with the sanding marks even and straight and to me looks around 400 grit,the hamon seems real,as under an eye loupe there is no sign that it is fake.The site says clay tempered so assuming it is real.Very,very few imperfections on the blade,there is a scratch around 1/3 along from tsuka on right side (edge down) about 2mm down from the mune and is about 1mm in length and two similar tiny scratches on the opposite side,one in roughly the same position and other 50mm further toward the point.A minor scuff mark near the habaki on right side. The blade is straight. I have not taken the tsuka off to check the nakago and at this point I do not plan any cutting,yet when I do I will remove and check before hand. I have no reason to believe that it is not "full tang" as the Kawashima site states.
Overall happy and if the temper is done correctly this should be a decent blade,especially for the price.It is finished well,the fittings are ok and tight and the saya has an immaculate high polished lacquer.