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Post by Deleted on Dec 17, 2019 16:07:09 GMT
Hi everyone. This is my first sword and first review. It's not easy to buy affordable swords in Europe ( i am from Poland) so...I made up my mind and bought that one (lots of positive comments from costumers):
It is a sub 100 $ sword. I could buy something better but I was really confused because-well as I said before it is not easy to buy affordable and good quality swords in Europe. Pros: -very nice looking -well assembled (of course it has plastic "rayskin") -saya mouth doesn't have any buffalo horn piece but keeps the sword very well! -sharp (cuts paper sheet) -well oiled blade Cons: -I think tsuba is reversed back to front and its bas-reliefs upside down -slightly loose habaki -after light chopping of a thick juniper branch and a few thin maple branches tsuba loosened (I know you can fix it easily) and tsuka cracked!! -it is not easy to disassamble that sword-you need a piece of wood and a hammer -very crappy nakago (I realy don't trust it)!!
Ok, perhaps tsuka cracked when I tried to disassamble the sword to repair tsuba , but I had to use force.
Overall-CRAP! Don't buy it. It is just a wallhanger. I don't understand why customers are praising that "thing". It seems that some of them are using that sword
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Post by Cottontail Customs on Dec 17, 2019 18:23:10 GMT
ouch! bad crack. the chances you cracked it in an effort to remove the tsuka are slim unless you really went to town on it with a hammer, it was likely already cracked or did so after acclimatizing due to poor quality wood/materials/craftsmanship. many sellers like to tell the customer it was their fault but most of the time, it's just low quality and already broken.
typically, a tsuba will be positioned so the main design element will face the tsuka(and often also on the right side of the tsuba), not the blade. the design should also be positioned so that it can be seen properly while the blade edge is facing up (upside down in your pic). also, when the tsuba has the utility holes (kogai/kozuku hitsu-ana), the one with three lobes will be on the right when the tsuka side is facing you, as in this case. there are many exceptions to these rules though
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Post by Deleted on Dec 17, 2019 19:17:08 GMT
I cannot return it. I accepted their terms, it is only for soft targets (indeed, later I read their terms of trade), martial arts schools don't complain about such swords (and they train tamashegiri regularly), good reviews are from customers who are using their swords properly, ...etc. , etc., yada yada yada. Maybe I should buy some Hanwei or something from Katanamart (Yari no hanzo swords-good reviews on youtube, but in German). Or Cold Steel? But I think Cold Steel swords are also controversial... They say that most of their swords are like gas-pipes or steel bars. I saw review made by Skallagrim and their Grosse Messers have loose crossguard.
I really don't understand chinese manufactureres-do they really can't use proper wood for tsuka and they can't make nice and proper nakago? Saya in my sword is allrigt, it does the job. Even without buffalo horn. So what's the problem? I have no problems with 1045 steel. You can bend it but it is difficult to break it (if rightly heat treated). Plastic "raya skin" in cheap sword is good enough also, so what's the problem? I think it is a shame for such great and old nation and culture!
On the other hand I loosend slightly the handle of my custom made huge knife during the first light chopping (rat tail tang). And I hate myself for that . You know, old style Searless Bowie knife style.Old-world. The price was ca 225 Euros ( I mean the equivalent of euro, we don't use euro in Poland). But the handle is antique, very original and maybe that is the problem? My family knows that only really tough stuff can survive in my hands hahah
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Post by Deleted on Dec 17, 2019 19:39:23 GMT
I don't have acces to Musashi brand. Yeah, I've seen lots of Musashi reviews on youtube ! I could buy it online but have read some contradictory online articles about importing swords into Poland. I don't want any problems with custom-officers.
Ok, tell me more about nakagos and tsukas in Hanwei swords. Allrigt, it doesnt' have to be a samurai sword too.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 17, 2019 20:32:38 GMT
Allright! I know his videos, but He has lots of haters , too.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 17, 2019 20:53:05 GMT
I really wanted to make a video but... Ok, never mind-thanks for help.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 17, 2019 21:38:38 GMT
Hahahah, no. I don't think so. Maybe it is my fault-English isn't my mother language. I am just really disappointed by my sword. That's all. I really wanted to make a video with my sword. I have seen lots of positive videos with Musashi el cheapo swords, but my sword faild. That's all.
Maybe I should try to find some honest manufacturer on Aliexpress. I am much more interested in European weapon but it is really difficult to find someone who makes "real swords and sabres" in Poland (from what I know in Czech Republic, too). Most of them like to make "barswords" (as far as I know).
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Post by Deleted on Dec 17, 2019 22:24:54 GMT
Yeah, I know those swords . Some people like them, some complain, like always. They say, it is easy to brak Hanwei Medieval sword . There is only one thing which consoles me-many, many historical weapons were crappy, and most people don't want to talk about it.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 17, 2019 22:37:53 GMT
Ok, more pics. Intersting menuki, more cracked wood, slightly smashed mekugi and... Is Tsuba made out of copper? (pretty heavy with reddish colour). Wood is really lightweight! Really!
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Post by Cottontail Customs on Dec 17, 2019 23:30:31 GMT
wow, unless you tried to remove the tsuka by driving over it in a truck, I'd say it was like that already. terrible quality wood and craftsmanship on this one. how much do these go for? with the Musashi katana in the up to $200 range, you will find flaws, some possibly being as bad as this. I've seen some scary things taking some apart. for the most part, swords in this class will have defects but if you're lucky they will be minimal or at least not affecting functionality. almost all production/semi production swords, even up to $2k, will have some amount of flaws but on the higher end ones, you should expect most to be minor and superficial.
to cut down on the chances of major issues, look for swords being produced in smaller batches or from a source that thoroughly inspects each one or that has good customer service. for a higher chance of less structural or major flaws, I would suggest looking in the $200 and up range, minimum. read reviews that get under the hood and show consistency in quality.
Musashi produced some katana made by smith Alex Zhang that have since been discontinued. the gold line or Masurao katana I think and they are generally very well made for the price. I've seen some used ones go for about $300 in the classifieds. also look for second hand Dynasty Forge Musha katana. the classifieds are sometimes the best bet for snagging a great sword for a fair price.
the tsuba could be copper or bronze or even steel(does a magnet stick to it?) they often copper plate other metals before applying the black patina. I like those menuki too.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 18, 2019 8:48:15 GMT
I think I will buy a second hand wakizashi from a guy who is a martial arts master and artist (He made my custom knife).
Tsuba doesn't stick to a magnet.
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