Yagoro
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Ikkyu in Kendo and Kenjutsu Practitioner
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Post by Yagoro on Oct 7, 2022 23:16:16 GMT
The only thing I've got from Huawei is an old shirasaya blade that they made for me about 5 years ago. It's a dotanuki niku blade that handles worse than some crowbars I've used before, but I've got no doubt I could hack down a sizeable tree with it lol mind posting pics of it? lol. The fact its in a shirasaya probably doesnt help the handling |
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Post by MessengerofDarkness on Oct 8, 2022 0:16:29 GMT
The only thing I've got from Huawei is an old shirasaya blade that they made for me about 5 years ago. It's a dotanuki niku blade that handles worse than some crowbars I've used before, but I've got no doubt I could hack down a sizeable tree with it lol mind posting pics of it? lol. The fact its in a shirasaya probably doesnt help the handling It's more the fact that widthwide it has essentially no taper; although the thickness of it from the mune does show a nice transition. But by the kissaki it's about as wide as a "normal" blade by the base. I vaguely recall that at the time I had plans to send it out to a project guy who would convert the shirasaya (Huawei's koshirae work wasn't as consistent at the time I think), but those plans just never ended up happening and the blade's kinda sat around ever since. I'll post some pics when I have the time. |
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Post by zabazagobo on Oct 8, 2022 0:31:54 GMT
Huawei was quite different 10 years ago. A shinogi zukuri I have from them had similar traits as Messenger's (blade is a fairly chunky cleaver).
I wish they still stocked blades in Kanmuri-Otoshi Zukuri...the one I have by them is far and away my favorite of my Huaweis. And one of my favorite swords in general.
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Yagoro
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Post by Yagoro on Oct 11, 2022 22:20:02 GMT
Received it in the mail. Im not kidding when I say this is the best production sword Ive ever handled(taka chigai is very close, though.) The blade itself is amazing. All the lines are super clean, very well done kissaki, completely flat planes, tons of niku. The hype for huawei is real. Previous owner replace tsuba, super lacquered tsuka similar to what was done in the edo(actually feels comfy), and stripped finish off fuchi, as well as giving the habaki a sort of rain look. Plan on also stripping finish off of the kashira. |
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Yagoro
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Ikkyu in Kendo and Kenjutsu Practitioner
Posts: 1,584
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Post by Yagoro on Oct 11, 2022 22:23:14 GMT
This model msrps for 650, i paid 725 for it and I still feel like I got a good deal. Hell, if it was 1000 id still be satisfied(Huawei if you are reading this PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THIS AS A SIGN TO INCREASE PRICES thanks lol).
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Yagoro
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Ikkyu in Kendo and Kenjutsu Practitioner
Posts: 1,584
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Post by Yagoro on Oct 11, 2022 22:26:40 GMT
blade completely blows its competitors our of the water. Definitely better than my tori elite, although tbf the tori elite has a better saya, and the saya of the tori elite is executed better. Blade has a completely different shape than my taka chigai, but despite being 1.5 inches longer, the taka chigai feels more nimble in 2 hands. Huawei feels better in one hand. Taka chigai also has less niku, and a less beefier blade, as well as less sorii
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Post by blairbob on Oct 11, 2022 23:42:12 GMT
I am surprised they have not with how in demand they are despite their long wait time.
Except, since they offer only TH or DH, no folded blades or laminate construction, I guess they don't feel it warrants it.
Which is interesting because DK and Hanwei charge more and don't offer those either in some models.
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Yagoro
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Ikkyu in Kendo and Kenjutsu Practitioner
Posts: 1,584
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Post by Yagoro on Oct 11, 2022 23:46:21 GMT
I am surprised they have not with how in demand they are despite their long wait time. Except, since they offer only TH or DH, no folded blades or laminate construction, I guess they don't feel it warrants it. Which is interesting because DK and Hanwei charge more and don't offer those either in some models. Yeah I honestly think if hanwei doesn't lower prices I could see them being run out of business. Imo there's no reason for most of their swords costing as much as they do |
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Post by ggolden219 on Oct 12, 2022 0:16:55 GMT
I am surprised they have not with how in demand they are despite their long wait time. Except, since they offer only TH or DH, no folded blades or laminate construction, I guess they don't feel it warrants it. Which is interesting because DK and Hanwei charge more and don't offer those either in some models. Huawei used to offer folded blades, back the old ebay days. With the success of their higher offerings, I doubt you will see a through hardened blade from them until sells slow down enough to bring them back. |
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Post by blairbob on Oct 12, 2022 2:09:10 GMT
I think the size of Hanwei/CASIberia is like Intel to AMD in the old days (besides Cyrix, Transmeta, whatever that one China is developing now and not including DEC Alpha and the RISC companies). Note AMD has a cut a lot of marketshare from Intel.
I'm seeing Intel at 70% of the Market of Datacenters, AMD just under 30% of all X86 CPU's. ARM is at 7% if anyone cares. Everyone keeps talking about how AMD is getting so big (compared to what it used to be), but it's still so much smaller than Intel (and doesn't even own their fabs after spinning them off. This would be like a sword vendor just contracting out another forge to make their own line of swords).
Anyways.
Especially with some Hanwei size companies folding. DynastyForge, Cheness being another besides KC a few years back. I doubt either were as big though I thought DF also made swords for other companies (ColdSteel?) Some smaller outfits like 9Circles, another out of the UK that was very popular making nice stuff
I might be out of mind here, but it wouldn't surprise me if Hanwei does more volume than all the LongQuan dealers put together. and that includes the outfits that just import LQ stuff to their respective countries and sell it off (besides SoN in the US.) I wonder where LL was based out of.
I don't know where RoninK fits into this. I hear they do A LOT.
As much as Hanwei though with all their Practical and Raptor series? RoninK 1060 definitely comes in under where Hanwei basically starts. And their 1045 is basically competitive with LQ.
It seems like many of the popular LQ sellers make blades a lot less robust at the econo levels but Sinosword seem to have some that are heavier.
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Post by zabazagobo on Oct 12, 2022 4:21:41 GMT
I think the size of Hanwei/CASIberia is like Intel to AMD in the old days (besides Cyrix, Transmeta, whatever that one China is developing now and not including DEC Alpha and the RISC companies). Note AMD has a cut a lot of marketshare from Intel. I'm seeing Intel at 70% of the Market of Datacenters, AMD just under 30% of all X86 CPU's. ARM is at 7% if anyone cares. Everyone keeps talking about how AMD is getting so big (compared to what it used to be), but it's still so much smaller than Intel (and doesn't even own their fabs after spinning them off. This would be like a sword vendor just contracting out another forge to make their own line of swords). Anyways. Especially with some Hanwei size companies folding. DynastyForge, Cheness being another besides KC a few years back. I doubt either were as big though I thought DF also made swords for other companies (ColdSteel?) Some smaller outfits like 9Circles, another out of the UK that was very popular making nice stuff I might be out of mind here, but it wouldn't surprise me if Hanwei does more volume than all the LongQuan dealers put together. and that includes the outfits that just import LQ stuff to their respective countries and sell it off (besides SoN in the US.) I wonder where LL was based out of. I don't know where RoninK fits into this. I hear they do A LOT. As much as Hanwei though with all their Practical and Raptor series? RoninK 1060 definitely comes in under where Hanwei basically starts. And their 1045 is basically competitive with LQ. It seems like many of the popular LQ sellers make blades a lot less robust at the econo levels but Sinosword seem to have some that are heavier. You raise some good points here. I think Hanwei has sufficient market share globally to be fairly well off...and if demand suffers, prices will drop again. I do think post forge fire Hanwei has been about 65% there...pretty hit or miss. Hits are still extremely solid, misses are pretty bad. But due to volume (and we all know they make plenty of sales, just look at the second hand market) and availability I think they are in good positioning as a business.
From what I know, Dynasty Forge swords come from Huano Forge, which also supplies Cold Steel. From my understanding Huano got hit pretty hard by a variety of factors in the 2020-2021 quagmire and I think they are currently getting things back in order. I know Dynasty Forge still is selling stock directly, although they haven't had a restock in a year. Cold Steel has plenty of inventory, and new models of Chinese and Japanese weapons launching sometime this year, so Huano hasn't folded yet as far as I know. And I hope they don't. I really have become a fan of Dynasty Forge over the last few years and greatly prefer Dynasty Forge's Daimyo series polish to what is seen on Hanwei's K120C swords. Both brands require some TLC and DIY tweaks more often than not, but I think DF has more resilient blades and much better tsuka shape and saya fit in general from my experience.
Meanwhile, Huawei just continues to crush it with all around excellent swords. The blades alone are worth the cost of admission, but the tsuka are generally extremely well executed considering the price point. One gripe is the saya fit can be highly variable. But I've never encountered a 'baby rattle' saya fit with Huawei or Dynasty Forge like I've seen on multiple other brands including Hanwei. I also haven't ordered a Huawei since 2015, so I guess I'm a Huawei Hipster in a sense. Can't personally comment on wait times or order mishaps as those issues popped up after I had my fun with checking out their swords.
It'll be interesting to see what the market reception is like for some relatively new brands such as Z Sey and Cloudhammer. What those two have been coming out with has been pretty refreshing as it seems like a solid minute since something genuinely 'new' has come out in the production market.
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Post by tancred on Oct 12, 2022 5:06:32 GMT
I wonder where LL was based out of. LL, as in Last Legend? I have a couple of their swords. If I remember correctly, they were based out of California, but their swords were made in the Philippines. But Last Legend has been out of business for a while now. Rumor was they simply changed their name, and became Imperial Forge, but I'm not certain about that. Not a katana expert by any means, but I am a huge fan of Last Legend. They offered a lot of options, unique koshirae, and a super deep sori that I haven't seen any other company replicate. For a while there, they were the only ones offering o-tanto, as well. Wanted to get one, but they went under before I could. Thank goodness Cold Steel filed that niche. |
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Post by blairbob on Oct 12, 2022 10:40:02 GMT
Al, the owner, had a home in Norcal. There was an LL event I went to once. Really nice guy. He was likely late 50s to early 60s by that time in the mid 00s.
I thought I heard the fire was in China not the Phillipines. I came across an old forum thread that said after the fire, Al got really depressed.
I thought he owned ByTheSword or something but eventually left the business likely selling it all.
I remember their koshi zori and loved it. I thought I've seen it in other some other blades with 1" sori. Maybe I have seen that sori in Huawei besides LQ Tachi?
I have never heard about the rumor about Imperial Forge but I'll look into that.
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Post by lmalterna on Nov 5, 2022 14:07:10 GMT
19 months wait and no response since July '21.
Anyone received anything or heard from Jacky in the past month?
Bill
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George
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Banned
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Post by George on Nov 6, 2022 6:21:19 GMT
19 months wait and no response since July '21. Anyone received anything or heard from Jacky in the past month? Bill I emailed him and he got back to me in under 48 hours. I don't have an order in que though, I purchased a second hand blade from a forumite.
I wouldn't bother him. Bad business practice, he will cancel your order on you and you've waited almost 2 years. Just have to wait I'm afraid. It's a pitty they make such nice swords.
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George
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Post by George on Nov 6, 2022 6:25:56 GMT
blade completely blows its competitors our of the water. Definitely better than my tori elite, although tbf the tori elite has a better saya, and the saya of the tori elite is executed better. Blade has a completely different shape than my taka chigai, but despite being 1.5 inches longer, the taka chigai feels more nimble in 2 hands. Huawei feels better in one hand. Taka chigai also has less niku, and a less beefier blade, as well as less sorii That's because Hanwei are totally overpriced sh*t. They're just a really well known brand and riding the wave of past fame. Over 10 years ago (before the fire) they seemed to be much better than they are now. Now they're rushed and guarantee you will need tsuka re-work and a re-wrap. You have to hope the fittings are mounted well too, it's a total cr*p shoot with Hanwei. Huawei seems to have much better QC (and reasonable pricing) and that's why overall they seem the better option. |
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Post by Robert in California on Nov 6, 2022 16:14:33 GMT
Current Huawei's are all mono T10 with a hamon and really nice finishing on the nakago.
But yes, no folded.
Some years back, Huawei had T10/1085 folded blades. Nice blade, but nakagos were typical industry rough finish.
I still have a Huawei T10/1085 folded waki and the same in a 28" sughua katana.
Nice blades.
Had a 29" Huawei folded T10/1085 folded sughua katana but sold it a few years back.
Probably would let the 28" go for $600us plus shipping. Blade like new. Furniture a few dings/scratches.
RinC
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Post by JAK85 on Nov 6, 2022 18:10:37 GMT
Current Huawei's are all mono T10 with a hamon and really nice finishing on the nakago. But yes, no folded. Some years back, Huawei had T10/1085 folded blades. Nice blade, but nakagos were typical industry rough finish. I still have a Huawei T10/1085 folded waki and the same in a 28" sughua katana. Nice blades. Had a 29" Huawei folded T10/1085 folded sughua katana but sold it a few years back. Probably would let the 28" go for $600us plus shipping. Blade like new. Furniture a few dings/scratches. RinC Do you have any pics of the 28” blade? |
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Post by Robert in California on Nov 7, 2022 13:07:24 GMT
I could take some if anyone had serious interest.
RinC
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Post by Robert in California on Nov 15, 2022 0:13:52 GMT
My 28" folded T10/1085 Huawei sold.
I have a Huawei folded T10/1085 wakizashi I think I'll put up for sale.
RinC
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Nov 1, 2024 0:13:58 GMT
Nov 1, 2024 0:13:58 GMT
