Has anyone used one of these or know of a better Katana in this price range?
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Nope, but I'd trust the Sword Forum review to be reflective.
http://www.swordforum.com/forums/showthread.php?108197-Ronin-Dojo-Elite-Katana
http://www.swordforum.com/forums/showthread.php?108197-Ronin-Dojo-Elite-Katana
The OP wanted to know if any of us knew anything about the product.
Whether the time of the sword is over or not isn't relevant to this discussion so please focus on the question and not derail the thread.
Whether the time of the sword is over or not isn't relevant to this discussion so please focus on the question and not derail the thread.
Took a quick look at the links. I do not have any experience with these swords. I do have a lot of experience in knives and their construction. Looking at the steel I would not choose the T10 steel for this purpose. It is not an expensive material and not really meant for cutting tools. T10 is a wear resistant steel intended for use on bulldozer blades. Check out CAS Iberia. They make a quality production sword.
Sky,
Will it be a wall hanger or will your buddy want to cut with it?
I do have experience with CAS and Kris katanas. You can very easily get great looking CAS katanas that will cut, but they're higher in than the low end Ronins. At $300+ you can get CAS that will cut and look reasonably ok if you're a good shopper. The only sad part on CAS is that they're still recovering from their facility fire in China and you may have some difficulty finding them still.
I have no direct experience with Cheness swords, but they have some good reviews as well. http://www.chenessinc.com/
Will it be a wall hanger or will your buddy want to cut with it?
I do have experience with CAS and Kris katanas. You can very easily get great looking CAS katanas that will cut, but they're higher in than the low end Ronins. At $300+ you can get CAS that will cut and look reasonably ok if you're a good shopper. The only sad part on CAS is that they're still recovering from their facility fire in China and you may have some difficulty finding them still.
I have no direct experience with Cheness swords, but they have some good reviews as well. http://www.chenessinc.com/
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I doubt it will just be used as a wall hanger. Big outdoors guy and loves everything with a sharp edge. We did some fencing many moons back and he was very good with a rapier. He always wanted a Katana but not the cheap stuff; being a working kinda family guy and his sincere interest in the Katana history and fighting style I figured it would make a really good Christmas Gift for him. Total surprise....
What sold me or pipped my interest on those listed Katanas was the review to destruction and the ability of the blade to be harshly used to destruction..The video kinda sold me, but again I thought someone around here might have much more knowlege than me.
First of all, I would advise against getting any katana blades that has dragons etched on it, it is really "cheesy" to put it kindly.
Also, I would advise against considering a Katana to be used as an "outdoors" blade, no matter how it may be advertised.
Katanas are weapons for war, or MA training. They are not machetes or meant to process wood or other chorework. If you want a cutting sword (tameshigiri cutting), it is meant for cutting rolled mats only, and I know movies show Samurai cutting bamboo in the forest, but a Katana is only meant to cut people.
If you want to give it as a present, great, but stick with machetes, goloks, axes and similar cutters for the outdoors.
Also, I would advise against considering a Katana to be used as an "outdoors" blade, no matter how it may be advertised.
Katanas are weapons for war, or MA training. They are not machetes or meant to process wood or other chorework. If you want a cutting sword (tameshigiri cutting), it is meant for cutting rolled mats only, and I know movies show Samurai cutting bamboo in the forest, but a Katana is only meant to cut people.
If you want to give it as a present, great, but stick with machetes, goloks, axes and similar cutters for the outdoors.
CWL has good advice. The katana isn't a machete and shouldn't be treated as one.
Since he appears to have rapiers he might understand that this isn't something you hack at tree limbs.
Since he appears to have rapiers he might understand that this isn't something you hack at tree limbs.
22-rimfire
Member
I did the same thing last Christmas for one of my workers. It was not this Hanwei blade but it was very similar. I bought a blem, but could not see any imperfections. He was a very happy camper and I almost hated to give it up after buying it. It was that nice! http://www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=PC1018&name=Hanwei+Golden+Oriole+Katana
It was considered a practice sword. I did not look at your budget. I am just showing you what I did. I got advice on another forum on the purchase.
Added: I just realized it was THE most expensive "knife" I have ever purchased and I gave it away.
It was considered a practice sword. I did not look at your budget. I am just showing you what I did. I got advice on another forum on the purchase.
Added: I just realized it was THE most expensive "knife" I have ever purchased and I gave it away.
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Thanks guys I do appreciate it.
The 1095 used for some looks promising but there are so many ways of folding the metal and using different metals for hardness and flex; it is kinda like buying a first AR we get asked about at THR all the time?? Even thinking about two...one for him and one for me....I already have a kamikaze rising sun head band and am feeling the spirit of the blade...or something??!!
See, I did not know that and by reading different sights you would have thought that T-10 is some great stuff!
The 1095 used for some looks promising but there are so many ways of folding the metal and using different metals for hardness and flex; it is kinda like buying a first AR we get asked about at THR all the time?? Even thinking about two...one for him and one for me....I already have a kamikaze rising sun head band and am feeling the spirit of the blade...or something??!!
50 Shooter
member
Depending on your budget.... Check out www.dragonflyforge.com
I stand corrected. I was associating T10 steel with the US standard T series steels. The US steels are very high in tungsten and it makes them very hard and wear resistant. The T10 series Chinese steel is close in composition to the AISI W1. W-1 is a great steel and is a more controlled version of 1095, closer tolerances.
With the above revelation, any of these properly heat treated will do well.
Now in response to Sky's last post. You are talking a whole different animal when you are talking folded swords. The Katana you have references are mono steel. They are not folded at all. That is how they can make them so cheap. The line you see is called a Hamon. It is the transition zone between the hard edge and soft back and is done with controlling the heat in the hardening process. Here is a knife I made that is mono steel with a hamon,
It was made from W2 steel and clay coated to produce the Hamon. If someone says they are selling a "Folded" steel sword for $300 I would be very wary as to the quality of the steel.
With the above revelation, any of these properly heat treated will do well.
Now in response to Sky's last post. You are talking a whole different animal when you are talking folded swords. The Katana you have references are mono steel. They are not folded at all. That is how they can make them so cheap. The line you see is called a Hamon. It is the transition zone between the hard edge and soft back and is done with controlling the heat in the hardening process. Here is a knife I made that is mono steel with a hamon,
It was made from W2 steel and clay coated to produce the Hamon. If someone says they are selling a "Folded" steel sword for $300 I would be very wary as to the quality of the steel.
I wrote the maker of the Katana and told him the type blade I wanted and fittings. He returned my request and said the Sword would be $630 with free shipping.
I went to ebay and found his swords and did a bid of $358 and got exactly what I was looking for. You win the bid he will change out any of the fittings, Tsuba, Ray skin color and wrapping for the handle among other things. I ordered Red Ray skin with black silk wrapping which is pleasing to my eye and the blade is one of the best manufactured clones I have found.. There were several antique Japanese swords for sale (actually cheaper) but looked like they had been through a war or something?
http://www.ryansword.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=313 is the way the blade is made.
I may have to reconsider Ed's Christmas gift?
Anyway thanks for the info and links guys.
I went to ebay and found his swords and did a bid of $358 and got exactly what I was looking for. You win the bid he will change out any of the fittings, Tsuba, Ray skin color and wrapping for the handle among other things. I ordered Red Ray skin with black silk wrapping which is pleasing to my eye and the blade is one of the best manufactured clones I have found.. There were several antique Japanese swords for sale (actually cheaper) but looked like they had been through a war or something?
http://www.ryansword.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=313 is the way the blade is made.
I may have to reconsider Ed's Christmas gift?
Anyway thanks for the info and links guys.
The Katana arrived yesterday. To say it is a work of art (as far as those things go) would not be an understatement.
About the only thing I would have changed is the size of the handle which to me and my big hands seems a little smaller in circumference that would be natural for me. Ed does have smaller hands though so it might fit him a tad bit better. The blade is all business once you think about it's intended purpose but I personally would rather have a pistol in a sword fight.
Thanks for all your input; the deal is done and "I be happy".
About the only thing I would have changed is the size of the handle which to me and my big hands seems a little smaller in circumference that would be natural for me. Ed does have smaller hands though so it might fit him a tad bit better. The blade is all business once you think about it's intended purpose but I personally would rather have a pistol in a sword fight.
Thanks for all your input; the deal is done and "I be happy".
22-rimfire
Member
Glad you found something you were happy with, I knew little when I started looking and had a price range that was acceptable for the circumstance (to me). Ultimately, the price kept going up and up as I looked and learned more. I bit the bullet and bought what I would have bought for myself pricewise. I knew Cold Steel was out from day one.
Using a Katana is so weird for guys who grew up with rapiers and foils. Been watching some youtube vids on it's use etc etc. WOW the average fight lasted 3 seconds is what I read or heard. Some of the masters were/are.......Masters.
http://youtu.be/1NT1tPpkVMM
Mark Dacascos travels to Japan to trace the footsteps of the ultimate samurai warrior Miyamoto Musashi.
Mark Dacascos travels to Japan to trace the footsteps of the ultimate samurai warrior Miyamoto Musashi.
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