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Post by boba12eric on Nov 27, 2022 21:55:01 GMT
Hello all! Glad to have found this forum! So I'm VERY new to swords. I bought a sword for my wife for Christmas before really diving into the pool(so to speak). I bought it from Hanbon Forge and had them engrave some Japanese lettering on the blade. I have to say that I have been VERY please with their communication. They sent multiple pictures to confirm with me if it looked OK. The engraving was GREAT but there were a few details that did not match up with the pictures of the sword on their website. They are graciously going to be fixing those details. Which I'm fine with because they are communicating very well with me on it. So from that perspective I'm having a great experience with them. I did notice that they are not listed on your recamended list of vendors. Is there a reason for that? I'm assuming from everything I have read that they buy blades from one of the big forges that were in the videos on here. Can anyone tell me any details on their company? Do they buy blades and parts from different vendors and assemble the swords there? They seem to do MANY different variations as well as custom configurations. I'm trying to get an idea if they are producing good quality swords. I really don't want a wall hanger quality but can't do a 1K sword either. Anyway...I could go on. Any advice on where to go to get a "better than wall hanger" sword would be welcome.
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Post by jester on Nov 28, 2022 7:45:02 GMT
In Longquan there are a lot of vendors, and they all sell the same swords. The reason none of them are recommended is because consistency and general quality. - Consistency: you don't always receive what you ordered. More often than not, you get something else. - Quality: cheap cast fittings, hishigami (when present) done with scrapped cardboard, some vendors with a history of lies related to steel lamination, geometry problems, loose ito, saya rattle, scratches and damages on the blade...
You don't ALWAYS get a lemon but the highest number of lemons comes from there.
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Post by boba12eric on Nov 29, 2022 0:49:31 GMT
So would a Hanwei sword also come from the same places where questionable quality swords come out of? They seem to be a bit more highly regarded around here. I'm hesitant to buy anything out of there now...........
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Post by jester on Nov 29, 2022 7:39:50 GMT
Not at all. Hanwei is on the recommended list. Solid reputation of a decent product and very low chances to go wrong. Excellent for beginners with their extremely solid "Practical" and "Raptor" series.
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tera
Moderator
Posts: 1,602
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Post by tera on Nov 29, 2022 17:22:16 GMT
Hanbon provides a lot of value for the entry level price point that some other vendors do not match. The ability to choose any custom options, below $300 is impressive and for the newcomer or casual collector they may be a great fit.
However, we've seen lots of photos of Hanbon swords with poorly done tsukamaki and/or low quality ito, odd or poor kissaki or nakago geometry, low-quality allow fittings and/or tsuka cores not appropriate for a sword that will see regular use, etc. This is not the rule, just saying that the models people have posted for us to observe seem to be inconsistent in some aspects. Does that make them terrible? No, not at all. Just temper your expectations and know what you're getting.
Now, you can pay for some upgrades, such as iron tsuba instead of alloy, but I seldom see a photo of a Hanbon even with upgraded ito whose tsukamaki is done well. I've heard they are working on offering a upgrade to that, but it feels a little odd to tell someone they must pay more for something to be done properly. Again, this does not "break" the sword and would be a cosmetic issue non-enthusiasts would easily overlook. As a practitioner of Iaido, though, the tsuka is my interface with the sword and it is very important to me that this be constructed well.
So, from someone who has yet to order from them, I would not say they are fundamentally untrustworthy, nor exceptional. They provide a customization service at a level and price many others do not. I intend to buy from them eventually to evaluate their "improved" options.
It all depends on what you want out of the sword and what your budget is. I went with a different manufacturer for my first "workhorse", live-edged katana because they had a solid reputation for good blade geometry and tsukas. The trade off is I did not get to pick the fittings and plan on having the tsuka eventually rewrapped. But, for me, I was buying something for function. If you just like collecting and want something truly unique to you without breaking the bank, Hanbon may be for you.
Now, at higher price points ($1000 or so and up) there are some other brands people may recommend over Hanbon. Zsey, Huawei, and Motohara for example. All have been spoken well of here as producing very good blades. They just cost more and may require a very long wait for a custom order.
To conclude, "value" is in the eye of the beholder. Hanbon is not in the "wall hanger" category, IMO. It's not stainless steel mall ninja stuff. That said, if you choose to become a practitioner of any school of kenjutsu or iai, it is probable that the more you learn, the more you will find wrong with a sub $300 sword (Hanbon or most others). Best sub $300 katana right now seem to be Huawei or Hanwei Raptor line (if on sale), but Huawei is VERY backordered and Hanwei tsuka (while usually well done) are typically fatter than usual making them a less than perfect fit for those of us with shorter fingers.
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Post by tweet on Nov 30, 2022 5:04:06 GMT
Hanwei is based in Dalian and has been producing swords longer than many.
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