[Jedi_7.62]

O.K. I may sound silly but I was thinking of getting a sword just for the heck of it. I guess it's the kid in me. I would like to find an affordable good quality Katana. I know little to nothing on the subject. What would I look for where might I find what I want? How much should I pay? I want it to look good and be practicle for fighting. Probably never happen but hey what if the zombies attack and I'm all out of bullets. Is the stuff for sale on the T.V. any good?

All info is appreciated. Thanks,

[bad LT]

Do not use the stainless steel swords sold on TV for anything other than decoration!

While they may be sharpened, they tend to be very brittle due to the way they are produced. Under extended use, one can expect them to develop cracks or even break. Several feet of sharpened steel flying around is definatly a safty concern:what:

You want a differentially heat treated carbon steel sword if you intend to use it. Expect to pay anywhere from $150 + on a sword you can expect not to break under use.

Check out sites like this:

http://www.swordsdirect.com/paul_chen_professional.html

[Cosmoline]

Several feet of sharpened steel flying around is definatly a safty concern

That well-known infomercial clip is a good case in point, so to speak ;-)

I like my Gen2 Gladius. It's a bit heavier than some of the higher end swords but it's well made and tough.

[GunTech]

Museum Replicas, Cold Steel and several other companies make swords that are meant to be used. Most are meant to be decorations.

Look for steels like 5160. This is leaf spring steel, and when heat treated to 52-56 Rc, makes for a good fighting blade.

[hso]

Is the stuff for sale on the T.V. any good?

No

Using a cheap stainless blade "katana" is dangerous. Those things are for hanging on the wall and impressing the uninformed. Look at this prime example of the durability and safety of such sword-like objects. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z18X1jmj15w

******************************************************

Paul Chen makes the lowest price usable "katana" available. They're available from dealers who sell CAS Iberia swords with the Hanwei Forge label. Prices for the "Practical Pro (http://casiberia.com/product_details.asp?id=SH2162)" are under $500.

Kris Cutlery (https://www.kriscutlery.com/documents/japanese.html) also makes good users under $500.

[El Tejon]

THR member Dan Flory has a Paul Chen katana. You may want to PM him.

[RyanM]

I highly recommend this site.

http://www.sword-buyers-guide.com/

[hso]

El T,

I've got both the Hanwei and the Kris Cutlery katanas. Both are good cutters, and save my more expensive ones from use.

[geim druth]

Read some of the reviews at :

http://www.myarmoury.com/home.php

I have an Arms & Armor blade and a DelTin, both are very good.

[Sl2squeeze]

Cold Steel's Warrior series is very durable and good for the money...you should be able to find them for a lower price online then what CS sells them for directly.

[jahwarrior]

i have katanas from cold steel, kris cutlery, paul chen, and bugei. if you're looking for something afforddable, get the CS or KC swords, they're a GREAT value. i have an older bugei sword (about 10 years old), and it's my baby, but they're pricey. the paul chen i have is also older, 1st gen shinto style, and while it's pretty, i wouldn't use it in a fight. i'd grab the CS katana 1st.

[MASTEROFMALICE]

Dammit! You made me spit beer!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z18X1jmj15w

[Big Boomer]

check these guys out...NOT cheap but I've seen them take a katana and cut through another $400 sword and then slice a pole in half after.

They are AMAZING. But I think I'd rather buy a 50 Barrett for the price ;)

[J. Villarreal]

here's a second vote for sword-buyers-guide.com. if you really want solid advice on affordable katana or other swords head over to their forum.

i would recommend looking at cheness, paul chen/hanwei, or oni forge (there should be some available in the classifieds over there). a lot of people dig musashi swords. they're about the least expensive katana you'll find that are safe to use. of course, safety is a relative term when talking about a 3' long piece of sharpened steel.

jason

[Browning]

http://www.trueswords.com/images/prod/c/TS-TCS88BK_540.jpg

http://www.coldsteel.com/swords.html

I don't know about them being the worlds strongest swords, but they seem like they're pretty decent for the money. They included a DVD on their swords when I requested a knife catalog and they looked pretty good to me. They cut several dead pigs completely in half with one blow, they cut 3 and 1/2 inch bamboo, they hacked at several racks of ribs, rattan mats rolled up to 4 or 5 inches in diameter, buckets and garbage cans filled with water, they cut telephone books in half and all kinds of other stuff. They also took several of their swords and stuck them in a vice and bent them almost to the side and they didn't break or bend.

That says something.

[JHansenAK47]

Check out this website
http://www.casiberia.com/index.asp
they got all the good stuff

[gb6491]

The Paul Chen Banshee, based on the Burmese Dha (or Dah), is a pretty good value in the $100-150 price range.
Regards,
Greg

[J. Villarreal]

i've read that the cold steel katana aren't very well balanced and are a bit on the heavy side.

any good sword should have a good amount of flex, dependent on the sword style. how much do you want to pay? you can spend anywhere from $65 to thousands and that is probably the biggest factor in determining which manufacturer you should look at.

jason

[sandy4570]

O.K. I may sound silly but I was thinking of getting a sword just for the heck of it. I guess it's the kid in me. I would like to find an affordable good quality Katana. I know little to nothing on the subject. What would I look for where might I find what I want? How much should I pay? I want it to look good and be practicle for fighting. Probably never happen but hey what if the zombies attack and I'm all out of bullets. Is the stuff for sale on the T.V. any good?

All info is appreciated. Thanks,

Kris cuterly offers 29" and 26" Katana with proper heat treated and they got good review from Sword forum .I have yet to get one so I don't have first hand experience with them .

gb6491's recommendation for Banshee is also not a bad choice and I own one of this Dha and it is acceptionally well made and has good lenght and size- not too long nor too short and not too heavy. The grip is hard to get use because it taper downward (it should be otherway around for more secure grip)

[MrAcheson]

Paul Chen's Hanwei Forge has been the performance standard for production katana for quite some time. They're primarily retailed through CAS Iberia's dealer network. Kris Cutlery (https://www.kriscutlery.com/documents/japanese.html) and Last Legend (http://imperialweapons.com/oriental/swords/05kat.html)also make good products.

The two current makers I'd recommend are Cheness and the Musashi brands. Both these firms make mostly spring tempered monosteel blades. These are non-traditional, but better for beginners because a spring tempered blade is harder to bend or chip.

Musashi is the current choice for very inexpensive but quality swords. Musashi makes light cutters that retail for around $60 (this one (http://www.trueswords.com/last-chance-bushido-musashi-wind-dragon-full-tang-sword-p-2561.html) was well reviewed on Sword Buyers Guide and is currently on closeout for $55). They also make heavier cutters that are generally retailing around the $160 mark. Then main difference between the two is size (27" vs 29" blades) and carbon content (1045 vs 1060).

Cheness (http://www.chenessinc.com/katanas.htm) is best known for making the toughest blades out there. Their Tenchi and Shura are forged from 9260 silicon spring steel. They're amazing blades and Sword Buyers Guide (http://www.sword-buyers-guide.com/authentic-japanese-swords.html) loves them. They generally retail around $250 from most online retailers.

[FSCJedi]

Wow, great thread! Check out www.swordstore.com for some custom (read: expensive) katanas.

[Browning]

I found a couple of those Cold Steel video segments that I was talking about.

It's just in dribs and drabs instead of the whole thing.

Bending the CS Katana at an angle and slicing rattan mats rolled up and chunks of meat in half.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uku1R5db-BI

Close up of rattan mat with CS Katana
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9uVNCAMVFI

CS Viking Sword.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IS3Tkij372I

If you want just order a catalog from them and they'll send you a video if you're interested, both are free.
http://order.store.yahoo.com/cgi-bin/wg-request-catalog?csstoreonline

[mrmeval]

madmike picked up a Cold Steel Indian Talwar at the 1500, he's a blacksmith, knife and sword dealer and a member.

http://www.thehighroad.org/member.php?u=2655

[Richmond]

I have been training in and teaching Japanese Sword Arts for a number of years. I own swords from Paul Chen, Bugei, Kris Cutlery as well as customs from Howard Clark, Bob Engnath, James Raw, etc. Right now I probably have 12 to 15 katana. I am an owner of a commercial dojo as well as having a private training facility, so most are used regularly.

Some ideas about makers in your price range, which is sort of the mid-range for production swords. That means, of course, that the field offers a number of good choices.

Paul Chen / Hanwei Forge – has been around the longest of the current production sword makers, perhaps with the exception of Kris Cutlery; makes higher end swords for Bugei as well as some others; wide range of products and prices, usually available at discount. I saw the new models from their performance line and had a chance to try them out on some mats – some excellent cutters in that line. Marketed in the US through C.A.S. Iberia.

Last Legend – I have not seen recent ones, but was not real keen on the looks of the early models, mighty awful looking IMHO. They make some swords with a ridiculous amount of sori (curve), very awkward and designed just for cutting. On the other hand, I saw one stand up to some horrible abuse at a cutting seminar, where it was the sword used for beginners.

Cold Steel – imports some Japanese swords; pretty crude IMHO and over-priced. Handle like crowbars but are probably just as tough. The usual issues some people have, of course, with CS and LT.

Cheness –The fittings are pretty pedestrian but the swords seem to perform well and buyers generally seem pleased. Recently, I had a chance to try some of the new Cheness SGC swords. The construction and fittings were plain, but well done and appear very durable. Probably not the best "all around" sword since they are fairly blade heavy for kata use. I ended up buying 8 for the dojo and students. They are patterned on the “Hataya” cutting swords. They are really tough. Attached is a pic of me cutting a 2 mat roll. I can also tell you that the sword will cleanly cut a 2 mat roll and a 1-1/2” pine dowel with no edge damage. :p They may have the best selection in the under $400 area.



These specialized blades were built based upon a custom designed sword created expressly for dojo cutting exercises. After more than half a year in planning and preparation, we have finally completed our SGC series for production... effectively bringing down the price of this sword from a $5,000 to $7,000 custom built range down to less than 1/10th of that cost.These swords are broader and thinner than a standard katana. With a weight distribution optimized for cutting exercises. The entry angle of the cutting edge is effectively minimized by the geometry and is only made feasible with the Cheness Spring Steel, which aids in maintaining the edge durability. Click on the photo of the swords below to read the details of this special series of cutters.

Dynasty Forge – make a wide range of swords, some in your price range; generally good fitting and well thought of.

Bugei –Usually considered the top of the production sword heap, most prices well over $1000. I own a couple of Bugei swords, and several of my students do, as well. This is generally the level I look for when a student moves from an iaito to a live sword. Most new swords over your price range, but you can often pick up a nice used one from someone moving up to a custom. Try the classifieds at swordforum or other on-line sources.

Oni Forge– decent fittings, good cutters.

Kris Cutlery – now makes a sword with simple Higo fittings for about $450. I have not sen one but Kris has been around for a long time.

Furuyama – OK fittings, I have never seen or used one but have heard they are a decent performer

http://www.sword-buyers-guide.com/ - has a ton of information and reviews of lower priced swords; I have not read it all nor do I vouch for it, but it might be a good place to start getting some info.

Now, as to weight, length, etc. that can be a really complex question. Obviously, from the field above you will have a vast range of blade and tsuka (handle) lengths, how much sori (curve), kissaki (tip – the pointy part) style as well as the amount of niku, which literally translates into "meat". It's a term used to describe the tendency of a traditional Japanese blade to have a bulging cross section on the side surface. A fine article written by Keith Larman, who has taught me much of what I know, and probably a bit that I have forgotten, about Japanese swords – can be found here

http://www.bugei.com/larman.html

A lot depends on what you will want the sword for, and if you are training in a Japanese Sword Art. If you are, of course, the routine advice is – “ask your sensei”. Different styles require different configurations. Also, a sword that may be the right length for an experienced practitioner will likely be too long for a beginner.

There are a number of swords out there sold under the names Masahiro, Musashi, Furubushido and Ryumon. While it I hard to argue their “bang for the buck”, with these swords selling in the $50 to $100 range on e-bay, these are not really what I would trust as functional swords. I think these are all churned out by the Long Quan forge in China and they have a reputation for little or no inspection or quality control. They are predominantly sold on e-bay, and have no return policies or contact for the most part. I definitely would not use one for anything more than decoration, although I am aware that many people do.

Getting a proper sword is important for a couple of reasons beyond snobbery. Critical failure in the tsuka / handle turns the sword from a cutting weapon into a projectile one. There is simply a lot of fitting involved in making and fitting the core, then wrapping it. Even in the Chinese imports, it is hard to get proper construction below a certain price level. Most of my production swords have (Chen, Bugei) have custom tsuka / handles.

Issue two is the quality of the blade, which is primarily a function of the heat treat. A poorly treated blade will fail, and catastrophically – meaning it breaks and turns part of the blade into a projectile weapon. A couple of years ago one manufacturer’s line had talk of several broken blades around the US, and I had the opportunity to examine several of them at a well known smith’s shop. He showed me the consequence of the faulty heat treat in the steel, and it was scary stuff.

With all the decently made swords available for a modest price increase, I don't see the reason to go with something that may be unsafe. YMMV, of course. I don't have much experience with these swords, having seen them on a handful of occasions.

[nwilliams]

The best sword for the money is the Paul Chen (Hanwei) Practical Katana. I've had mone for about eight years now and it was one of my first swords. Been a member over at www.swordforum.com for about a decade now and I have a number of Angus Trim's, Paul Chen's, Del Tin's and a few from Windlass Steelcrafts.

Even though I've been doing Aikido for many years and train with the Japanese sword regularly I still prefer to collect the western blades.

The Practical Katana or the Practical Plus is a fine sword and pretty much the bvest you can get for under $200. Its got decent balance, strong fittings and a traditional feel. I'm not impressed with many of the swords that Cold Steel produces, I don't care for the way they are made or the way they feel.

Buy the Practical Katana if you want the best at the best price....
http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=CISH1070

Or for a bit more money you can buy the Practical Plus if you want something a little better....
http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=2073GT

[mtnmoose]

oops

[mtnmoose]

I bought a sword umbrella from this company in the 80s and it still works fine today! Good quality, good workmanship and God help the fool who tries to rob me when I have this (I am usually not carrying then), as they will have a neat hole in them!

http://www.atlantacutlery.com/atlantacutlery/SearchResult.aspx?KeyWords=umbrella

[Shawnee]

Very interesting thread even for this clueless non-swordsman. Where do the Cavalry Sabre and Cutlass styles figure in the modern scheme of things ??
Have always wondered if either of those would really be a useful item these days.

Thanks

[Browning]

Shawnee : Very interesting thread even for this clueless non-swordsman. Where do the Cavalry Sabre and Cutlass styles figure in the modern scheme of things ??
Have always wondered if either of those would really be a useful item these days.

I've been looking at swords a bit lately (more for display purposes, but I still want something that could actually be used even though I will probably never have an actual purpose for it) and from what little I know of them the Falchions, Scimitars, Sabers, the Grosse Messer and the other choppers and slicers are supposed to be the easiest for a person without any training to handle well.

Historically these types of weapons were supposedly usually given to the peasants, the serfs, archers and the other soldiers who still needed to be able to be able to kill or wound the enemy and to defend themselves in battle even though they might not have alot of formal sword training. Makes sense to me anyway. They seem like pretty simple weapons that where you could just hack at someone even if you didn't know what you were doing, but where you went on the attack with alot of force to try and make up for your lack of technique.

For what it's worth these sites have been the ones that I've been reading the most to try and learn a bit about swords and maybe they'll help you out too.

Slicers, Scimitars and Choppers
http://www.sword-buyers-guide.com/scimitars.html

1860 Calvary Saber By Windlass.
http://www.sword-buyers-guide.com/1860-cavalry-saber.html

1796 Light Calavary Saber.
http://www.sword-buyers-guide.com/british-military-swords.html

CS Grosse Messer
http://www.myarmoury.com/review_cs_mess.html

Reviews of various swords
http://www.myarmoury.com/reviews.html

[Shawnee]

Many thanks Browning ! :D

[NoirFan]

Falchions, Scimitars, Sabers, the Grosse Messer and the other choppers and slicers are supposed to be the easiest for a person without any training to handle well.

Hello,

I'd agree that the falchion, messer, and especially the cutlass are easiest for an untrained person to use effectively. These are all stout, shortish, single-edge blades which are essentially heavy cleavers. The first two were issued to commoner soldiers and the last was used for shipboard fighting, but they can all be effective in a close-up, crowded fight.

I’d disagree about the saber and scimitar (shamshir) though. Both of these weapons were used by well-trained cavalry, not common infantry. I find sabers tend to be point-heavy and very long for a single-hand sword, which is great for cavalry combat but clumsy for use on foot. Shamshirs just feel odd to me, with the extreme curve of the blade.

Of course if it’s for decoration none of this matters! :)

[hso]

Saber takes much more training and skill to use (fenced saber in college) than the shorter cutlass (similar to simplified FMA sword/knife that I currently train in).

[taliv]

my experience very much mirrors richmond's (although I don't own my own dojo).

i'll add this:

i think the last legend blades are better than paul chin, but the pual chin furniture is much nicer, so they look a lot better.

i bought a set of the bugei dragonfly and it was NOT what i was looking for. mea culpa. they very graciously returned my money and i continue to buy lots of other stuff from them, and recommend them.

any more, i pretty much use exclusively antiques.

howard clark blades are the shiznizzle, if you can get one

[Browning]

Shawnee : Many thanks Browning !

No problem, I'd be willing to bet that you're in the same boat that I am.

Kind of interested, but not nuts.

NoirFan : Hello,

I'd agree that the falchion, messer, and especially the cutlass are easiest for an untrained person to use effectively. These are all stout, shortish, single-edge blades which are essentially heavy cleavers. The first two were issued to commoner soldiers and the last was used for shipboard fighting, but they can all be effective in a close-up, crowded fight.

I’d disagree about the saber and scimitar (shamshir) though. Both of these weapons were used by well-trained cavalry, not common infantry. I find sabers tend to be point-heavy and very long for a single-hand sword, which is great for cavalry combat but clumsy for use on foot. Shamshirs just feel odd to me, with the extreme curve of the blade.

Of course if it’s for decoration none of this matters!

I'm just going on the basis of what I've read.

Other than a couple of cheap looking Claymores at gun shows and a halfway decent reproduction of a Confederate Calvary Sword that one of my Uncles had when I was 9 or 10 I've never even held a sword before. Just going by videos on You Tube and from Cold Steel and from what little I've read about them the Scimitar and the Saber seem like they may be a little harder to use with the correct form in contrast to the more obvious choppers, but I imagine that you could do okay and that you could hack someone apart with one even if you didn't have alot of training. Like you said it may require a little more training to be at it's best, but I'd be willing to bet that most people could get the job done with the Saber and the Scimitar if they had to.

That's just a guess though, but I certainly wouldn't want an enraged opponent coming after me with one whether they had some training under their belt or not. All it would take to kill or disable you would be one good 'Whack', but I know what you mean though.

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Look at this discussion, also:

http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=229685

particularly page 3 of that thread - Looks like Cheness and CAS Iberia/Hanwei (Paul Chen) are good places to start for good values in swords - the katana type seems to hold the largest selection of good value swords.

[Gordon]

I finally saved up enough for a Mad Dog sword. I will be getting an 18" single edged pointed fish belly blade with a 2 handed handle (actually what is called a hand an a half) of 1 3/4" x 1/4" stock.This is a non cataloged item and as large a blade as Kevin feels I could effectively wield.:cool:This style of short cutlass was called a "hanger" and used in the Revolutinary war alot and by civilians and Naval officers as a 'gentlemans cutlass'
Although I took fencing in college and competed very well with the saber, that was 40 years ago.:neener: Some time in 2008, prolly in Oct. I will go to AZ to have the handle and Sheath fitted to me.


Here's Kevin with a Saxon (18" x 1/4" x 1.5" with a little different profile than mine)

http://www.maddogknives.net/mdl/kevinandsaxon.jpg

[hso]

Welcome to THR, PremiumSauces.

[JShirley]

Richmond,

Nice hakama and tabi! What style kobudo do you teach (feel free to PM)?

A lot of you know I'm a big fan of Himalayan Imports. They make a variety of styles (http://www.himalayan-imports.com/sword.html)*that are typically extremely tough for their size (often a bit heavier than comparable blades from other sources). They often are a bit lacking on fit and finish, but their prices are more in line with what you might pay for an attractive hanger.

I've owned quite a few different HI pieces, and currently own, um, at least six. :o Sword-wise, their "katana" isn't very refined, but will destroy most other swords, for well under $300. I think very highly of their "Tibetan" sword model, and bought a "small" version (http://yhst-7333098713883.stores.yahoo.net/tiswsh.html)as a gift for a teacher.

*There are several more styles available now. Check out the HI forum on BladeForums.com for availability.

Peace,

John

[ozwyn]

+1 on www.swordforum.com on learn the basics and get a great education on what to look for.

the classifieds section often has very, very good deals.

[Shawnee]

Hi Browning...


Bullseye !


:D

[DAVIDSDIVAD]

The Best way I've ever heard Cold Steel's swords described is like this:

"A knife maker took a good look at a japanese sword, and then made a sword like he'd make on of his knives."


They're tough as all get out, but not traditional at all.


I've got a customized Hanwei Tsunami Wakizashi, and it's a really nice piece.



In the end you get what you pay for.

[hso]

Who customized it for you?


(BTW, folks, this is a great way to get an excellent user)

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Ya know, the Sword Buyer's Guide website is *really* keen on the Cheness, Inc.'s swords, and in particular the 9260 silicon steel line of swords, both the standard blade-profile katanas/wakizashis/tantos, and the "SGC" thinner profile katanas, which are cutting specialists - maybe not as tough, but super slicers:

hso, thanks for the welcome - I like this place! :)

[madmike]

Unfortunately, I'm not taking custom orders for a few more weeks while I catch up.

However, commercial stuff I can typically ship within a few days.

[032125]

Stay away from Cold Steel European swords like the gross messer and the viking sword. They really don't reflect the qualities of a good western sword. The messer, for example, is insanely heavy, about 4lbs iirc, whereas a real messer would be not even half that. Further they have a history of breaking.

The Viking sword is too heavy, wrong profile, the fuller is too narrow, and the hilt is more "vikingish" type than anything historical.

Paul Chen does better, but still has some tempering inconsistency. Swords still a bit too heavy, shapes not quite right.

Albion Swords, Arms and Armor of Wisconson, and Bugei are all very nice. If you're going for a "real" sword, these are names to know. You will pay more. You will get more.

[madmike]

Actually, the Paul Chen Viking blades are incredibly accurate reproductions. They could use a bit stronger tang, but that's an easy mod.

Most of theirs are very accurate as to weight and balance. I've been able to compare some of them to originals.

[032125]

Mike, I respectfully disagree. Scandanavian weapons are my primary area of study; Paul Chen hasn't produces any "viking" weapons that I have seen that could be called replicas.

But then I haven't seen any new work from Paul in a year or two, is he putting out new swords?

[madmike]

The several year old Godfred is very close to several originals I've handled or seen. The new Trondheim is a tad heavy and is made with modern methods, but even more accurate looking for a Norse pattern.

I'm not sure where you're finding stuff lighter in weight than the Godfred--any lighter and it wouldn't be sturdy enough even for show. It's around 2.5 lbs, which falls well within average for the style.

[madmike]

As to Arms and Armor, I've been less than impressed, including one I saw with the pommel off by about 15 degrees. Their armor is better than their swords.

[032125]

Godfred is a cool sword; in fact, it's the first sword I ever handled that had a distal taper, and the experience changed my thinking on swords entirely. I was in love with that sword for years. But it's not immensely faithful to any particular extant artifact.

For starters there is nothing historical about the suede grip. The faux pattern welded hilt is silly in context. Pattern welding is a monsterously time consuming process that makes for a better blade, but just isn't worth the effort for a hilt. The pommel is shaped somewhat like a type S, but is a single piece, whereas an original would be two pieces pinned together. The blade profile is pretty darned good; a lenticular crosssection with single broad fuller extending from crossguard almost to point.

The scabbard attaches to a belt via two hooks; I believe that most if not all scandanavian swords at the time would have hung from a baldric. I may be wrong on this point.

The Trondheim as advertised has some very odd selling points: One-Piece Folded Blade-Guard-Pommel ? Having not handled this one I can only assume that the entire sword, guard and all were machined from one block of steel? Is this the case? if so, then the only swords like it would be cast bronze swords from the classical/biblical era. I have seen similar decorative work (the all the holes) but it's been a while, but I think Patrick Barta does a better job.

As far as Arms and Armor, I've never heard anything but glowing reviews from some tough critics. I'll ask around and see if anyone has seen this issue, can you clarify? 15 degrees is a severe bend, was it a "cocked hat" pommel? Even the cheapest sword maker would cringe at such a severe mistake, unless the angle was intentional.

Anyhow, I don't want to hijack the thread, or make this a hanwei-bad-albion-good arguement. I do think that Hanwei and Cold steel could use some more hands on research.

[sandy4570]

Swords where and what to buy????

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

O.K. I may sound silly but I was thinking of getting a sword just for the heck of it. I guess it's the kid in me. I would like to find an affordable good quality Katana. I know little to nothing on the subject. What would I look for where might I find what I want? How much should I pay? I want it to look good and be practicle for fighting. Probably never happen but hey what if the zombies attack and I'm all out of bullets. Is the stuff for sale on the T.V. any good?

All info is appreciated. Thanks,


http://cgi.ebay.com/Hand-Forged-High-Carbon-Steel-Dragon-0081-Samurai-Sword_W0QQitemZ160185539023QQihZ006QQcategoryZ43338QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

This one total cost is $57.95 . I own similar one and it is very good sword. It is carbon steel and come fully sharp .I use it to cut soda can and milk jug and it work just fine. :)

[madmike]

I sell similar looking things that cost a wee bit more than that. I'm very suspicious of the QC on those. The materials should cost that much, nevermind the labor, and is that labor "skilled"? I'm sure you've seen the "stainless" knives from Pakistan that are oil-treated 416 stainless, which is supposed to be air treated after an inert heat.

Relying on some illiterate 3rd world peasant to understand the intricacies of forging, balance, heat treating and stress zones is a wee bit much, in my professional opinion.

You get what you pay for, as a general rule.

Soda can and milk jug:scrutiny:...

Yeah, that's so much like real flesh. It's like using firearms to do penetration tests on wet paper and piles of old blankets in lieu of ballistic gelatin.

I've been forging and selling for 25 years. I can have any blade I want for myself.

I don't want one of those.

[ozwyn]

go to www.swordforum.com

read a LOT. the more you study, especially from the guys who smith for a living, the better decisions you will make.

then figure your budget, then buy.

Personally, i find used Angus trim swords to be a lot of bang for the buck. Check the swordforum classifieds for good deals.

[Richmond]

In european style swords, it is hard to beat gus's swords for the money. I have several Atrims, 2 stock and one customized, and they are extremely well made. Tough as nails. I also have euro sstyle swords from Albion and Cold Steel. The Cold Steel baskethilt is tough, not bad looking and within historical design limits, if a bit heavy. You won't get anything close to it in a scots style sword without spending a lot more. Albion swords are beautiful - with the caveat that they cost a lot more than the Atrim. They do have a lower priced line out now.

Gus made japanese style blade briefly, and I wish I had gotten one.

I just saw the question about what I study and teach - oops! :what:


I started Japanese martial arts with ****o-ryu karate in 1973. My instructor was a student of Sensei Fumio Demura and in 1976 I graduated college and traveled to CA to train with Demura Sensei. I stayed for about a year, living in the dojo.

I am still with Demura Sensei 34 years later - which says more about his patience than my perserverence. Through him I have had a chance to meet and train with many of the legendary sensei of that generation - Enoeda, Kanazawa, Nishiyama, Mikami, Sato, Iwabuchi and the like.

Demura Sensei was a direct student of Shinken Taira, and we do Ryukyu kobudo in the Taira lineage - bo, ekubo, nunchaku, kama, tonfa, sai.

In sword arts I started Toyama Ryu Batto-Do in 1991 under Demura Sensei and Ueki Sensei, president of the All Japan Batto-Do Federation. Toyama Ryu focuses heavily on use of a live blade in training as well as "proving" your technique through cutting targets. Several years ago, I was accepted into koryu study with Niina Gyosoke of Mugai Ryu. I do not hold rank or a teaching license in Mugai, but have permission to lead a study group of my senior Toyama Ryu students under the supervision of the North American director, "Big Tony" Alvarez of CA.

I teach sword arts a little differently than mainstream martial arts - perhaps more "old school". I limit students to 6. I typically require students to hold dan rank in another art - some drawn from our karate dojo, but I have also had students from aikido, etc. We focus on the sword syllabus - which is plenty, but we also do some cross training in ju jitsu and escrima with a LEO who is an instructor and long time friend.

[032125]

Good call on Atrim, Richmond. for cutting performance, you can't do much better. Stylewise, Gus doesn't bend over backwards trying to get a historical look, but for most people the benefits of his performance blades and excellent design will outweigh those details.

[032125]

Madmike is right about QC. It's not that pakistani made swords are all junk You could get a seriously flawed blade, or a great blade that lasts for a lifetime. You might not know until a chunk of steel if fling across your lawn.

[madmike]

Well, most Pakistani and Chinese made ones, and some Indian, are also substandard materials with spot-welded tangs, even on some of the "deluxe" ones.

I label and price mine accordingly. I flat out tell customers, "This is pretty looking junk."

It's like the difference between a Raven and a Glock. Both are guns. One is much cheaper than the other.

[sandy4570]

Soda can and milk jug...

Yeah, that's so much like real flesh. It's like using firearms to do penetration tests on wet paper and piles of old blankets in lieu of ballistic gelatin.



Madmike
But soda can and milk jug is recyclable material and my grand ma won't allow me to use tatami mat for cutting .She told me that it bring very bad luck to the person who desecrated the sleeping mat.:)

[madmike]

I can see that.

Wound cardboard can make a good cutting medium. Or else use hams and pineapples. Accurate? No. Tasty? Yes.

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Jedi, have you made up your mind yet? If not, I've done a little additional research and have some more info for you...