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Post by cag on Jul 6, 2020 1:08:53 GMT
Not meaning to add more woes to your purchasing endeavors but Ive seen just as many 5160 blades chip ot bend as I have T-10, 1060 or any other katana steel grade. What it comes down to more than the steel type or grade is geometry. But even then thicker geometry to a blade's profile isn't really going to balance out a lack of form or technique. If that was the case all swords would be made of one grade of steel and we would have a significant superior steel grade that was unanimously agreed upon. As a buyer what you really need to look at is stats and construction over steel grade. Find a sword that fits you as a user in both handling and aesthetic or you will be unhappy with your purchase. I mean sure you can always get a sword customized to your liking but that's just adding unnecessary cost if all your looking for is something to cut with here and there and practice form. Sorry if this seems counterproductive to your approach on sword ownership but it's very disingenuous to have the impression that steel grade is going to have a real significant impact on your swords performance when there are too many other factors to take into consideration. i'm open to suggestions. 5160 swords just seem to have a reputation for toughness, at least the price ranges i'm looking at right now. i did notice the T-10 Hana Katana from Dragon King is only a few bucks more than these Raptors though.
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Post by nddave on Jul 6, 2020 1:48:44 GMT
Not meaning to add more woes to your purchasing endeavors but Ive seen just as many 5160 blades chip ot bend as I have T-10, 1060 or any other katana steel grade. What it comes down to more than the steel type or grade is geometry. But even then thicker geometry to a blade's profile isn't really going to balance out a lack of form or technique. If that was the case all swords would be made of one grade of steel and we would have a significant superior steel grade that was unanimously agreed upon. As a buyer what you really need to look at is stats and construction over steel grade. Find a sword that fits you as a user in both handling and aesthetic or you will be unhappy with your purchase. I mean sure you can always get a sword customized to your liking but that's just adding unnecessary cost if all your looking for is something to cut with here and there and practice form. Sorry if this seems counterproductive to your approach on sword ownership but it's very disingenuous to have the impression that steel grade is going to have a real significant impact on your swords performance when there are too many other factors to take into consideration. i'm open to suggestions. 5160 swords just seem to have a reputation for toughness, at least the price ranges i'm looking at right now. i did notice the T-10 Hana Katana from Dragon King is only a few bucks more than these Raptors though. Yea they are tough but not enough to where they're significantly superior to any other quality forged steel. Honestly the suggestions I'd give are less about steel grade and more in regards to fit, finish and overall stats and how they fit you. For example the steel grade may be worthwhile but what about the rest of the sword? Blade length, sword weight, handle length and shape, grip material hilt components and so forth. These can make or break a sword for a user and are definitely more important than steel grade.
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Post by mumbles on Jul 6, 2020 2:21:59 GMT
Sorry to hijack this thread, just wanted to ask, can anyone tell me between the hanwei raptor and dragon king blades, which blades have more niku/are better suited to heavy cutting?
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Post by MOK on Jul 6, 2020 4:24:27 GMT
FWIW, I love my Shobu Zukuri Raptor. Big, beefy, yet quite elegant in its way...
OTOH, yeah, ZT are definitely more robust than any traditional sword. Arguably overbuilt for actual fighting use, but for a recreational backyard cutter the extra durability can be a big bonus.
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Post by nddave on Jul 6, 2020 4:59:23 GMT
Sorry to hijack this thread, just wanted to ask, can anyone tell me between the hanwei raptor and dragon king blades, which blades have more niku/are better suited to heavy cutting? It kinda depends on the Dragon King model I guess but overall it seems the Raptors are more robust in regards to Niku.
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Post by vidar on Jul 6, 2020 10:16:05 GMT
Correct me if I’m wrong, but my impression based on pictures/reviews: Raptor: has plenty of Niku, so ideal for hard targets. But it has the infamous axe handle and some reviews mention loose ito and some potential issues with the saya. Dragon King 4 seasons: from pictures, by looking towards the Habaki, I have the impression that the cutting plane is straight, so no Niku, making it less suitable for hard targets. However the fittings seems to be of better quality. But I did see a post somewhere of a dragon king katana that had a badly cracked tsuka.
About steel quality: T10 usually has better edge retention while 5160 is more resilient to bending or chipping. But blade geometry is more important. A V-shaped cross section should not be used for cutting hard targets. It’s sharper than a blade with Niku but more fragile. Unfortunately you see a lot of swords without Niku. I expect they do that because it’s easier and cheaper to produce.
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Post by MOK on Jul 6, 2020 13:42:02 GMT
My Raptors - Shobu and Moroha Kissaki - both have some niku, but not enough to really notice with a naked eye. The ruler test seems to show on average about half a millimeter of light between the ruler and the edge.
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Post by pellius on Jul 6, 2020 14:30:50 GMT
For carefree and occasionally abusive use outside of a martial arts sword system, the ZT may be the best choice. You won’t damage it unless you intentionally try to break it, and maybe not even then. It will also be relatively easy to sell later, even if abused.
jmtc.
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Post by cag on Jul 6, 2020 22:44:40 GMT
For carefree and occasionally abusive use outside of a martial arts sword system, the ZT may be the best choice. You won’t damage it unless you intentionally try to break it, and maybe not even then. It will also be relatively easy to sell later, even if abused. jmtc. yeah these same things kinda crossed my mind. the "tankiness" of the ZT is very appealing. i might just order one of the hanwei raptors now though. ZT is like a 2-3 month turn around time so i might as well just plan to order one of those in the future and get something i can use now while the weather is still nice. not that it won't be nice a few months from now but where i live july has been gorgeous so far. been out shooting guns and fishing all summers and i don't want to wait 3 months to cut things in my backyard
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Post by cag on Jul 6, 2020 23:46:22 GMT
FWIW, I love my Shobu Zukuri Raptor. Big, beefy, yet quite elegant in its way... OTOH, yeah, ZT are definitely more robust than any traditional sword. Arguably overbuilt for actual fighting use, but for a recreational backyard cutter the extra durability can be a big bonus. i just went ahead and ordered the Shobu on KOA. the ZT is going to be a future endeavor now, so now i at least actually will own a sword that i can use and it has a reputation for being solid at the pricepoint. just couldn't stand the idea of waiting 10 weeks, now when i actually do order the ZT later on i will already have the Raptor to be practicing with. edit: the Shobu Zukuri Raptor came in today, really fast shipping from kult of athena. already had a blast with it out back. i am still a novice at this so my main priority is working on form and edge alignment etc., but this thing is so beefy it feels like it does a lot of cutting for me. does not feel imbalanced or too heavy...just feels "powerful", i really love my purchase and anyone reading this you should feel confident in buying any of the Hanwei Raptors, i'm loving mine. the fit and finish seems good to me for the price point. the overall fit on the katana is very sturdy, absolutely nothing is loose or weak feeling. it didn't have any bend or twist in the blade. it shipped sharp-ish and i ended up giving it some work with my ken onion on the fine and extra fine belts...as always, the KO Worksharp continues to impress me, i've used it for my knives and tools for years and it had zero problems with a sword. i also did end up ordering the Apokatana too, because something about it makes me really really want it. a few months from now the Raptor is going to get jealous
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