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katanasKeymaster
Hey J, thanks for the kind words on the site, much appreciated. I try balancing having enough info to be helpful yet stay away from having so much that it’s overwhelming. My page here https://katanaswordreviews.com/find-a-dojo/ will help you find a dojo. For some reason it wasn’t showing up so I just fixed it. Enter your zip on that page to see what’s around you. hopefully you can find something close!
katanasKeymasterThe folding allows for more impurities to be hammered out and creates a grainy look in the metal, the clay tempered allows for differential hardening which lets you have a hard blade and soft back. I think for a starter sword you don’t have to have clay tempered. You’ll most likely go through numerous swords throughout your training as you find out which blades work best for you in each scenario. Just don’t go out trying to cut sheet metal or anything hard as I’ve heard of some others doing. I’d strongly advise before cutting anything to find a dojo and a sensei to learn how to handle the sword.
-Nate
katanasKeymasterYep you got it, the Hamon is formed while clay heat treating the blade. For blades not clay tempered, they forgers will make a faux hamon to give it a natural look however it usually isn’t natural. Clay tempered blades usually are a bit more pricey. Another option may be the 9260, these blades have silicon composition in them which give them more bend or flexibility. Here’s one within the price range https://katanaswordreviews.com/9260SpringSteel. Check that one out and even shoot them an email, they are great at helping people find something that works well for them. As I always say, what works for one person may not work for another so in the end the decision is truly yours. Good luck!
katanasKeymasterIt’s http://ninja-weapons.tumblr.com/
-Nate
katanasKeymasterHey Mark,
The Tori Elite or Praying Mantis could be used as cutters too. I did have Facebook at one point but then deactivated it, I do run a Tumblr blog but that’s pretty much my extent of social media. So your best way to chat would probably be through these forums.Thanks
-NatekatanasKeymasterHey guys,
Sorry I didn’t respond sooner. I don’t check my site daily since it’s kind of just a hobby site for me. I’ll try to respond to both of you and give you my thoughts in one comment.Logan,
I personally am not a fan of Musashi brand blades. I think the forge crafting has much to desire and they, in my mind, are better used as merely a prop. If you are working with a limited price range and still want something somewhat decent I’d go with the Practical Katana (Link). It is differentially tempered which means that during the forging process they apply clay to control the hardening of the blade. This lets you have a sharper edge yet still provide a softer back to reduce breakage. If it’s not really your style and you are looking for a cutter I’d try to still stay with either clay tempered or spring steel. Something with a good hard edge yet provides some flexibility so it won’t break when you cut. It also depends on what you are cutting.However if you are dead set on that Musashi sword you posted, this site (link) looks like it has it for less (I think it’s the same 1060 version but you may want to email them and find out).
Mark,
That’s a good budget I think you most likely could definitely find a nice looking sword. Since you will not be cutting my suggestions will vary a bit. Here would be my 3 suggestions and I’ll let you determine which you like best to proceed with:1) The Praying Mantis (link) is a beautiful sword by Hanwei (which I’m a huge fan of) that was designed to fit larger framed individuals with a 29″ blade length. This does have a Bo-Hi which is a good idea for these longer swords since it’ll help cut out a little bit of the weight. Almost all Paul Chen swords really are quite the masterpieces.
2) Look into a custom katana which you can build here (link) where I would suggest you go with a “Clay tempered folded 1095″ blade type. This should give you a nice looking steel and a good hamon. Blade length either go with the shorter version of the 28″ or get a custom length in the 28.5″ or 29” (this will add about $50 though). I’d suggest getting a Bo-Hi for lighter weight and leave the Hamon section “natural” if you do go with the clay tempered folded steel. The rest is up to you in customization.
3) Again, the Tori Elite (link) is a really nice blade and most likely will always be one of my top suggestions.
I hope this helps you two and again just keep in mind I don’t actually own every sword I recommend. I base my suggestions off of material, usage, friends’ input, and various other input I’ve seen around the web. What one person may love another may hate so at the end of the day it really comes down to what do you think is best for you and go with it.
-Nate
katanasKeymasterHey Logan,
I’ve had this up for about a year now. I’m always looking for more people to visit the page and share their advice in these forums. I don’t have answers for everything so if you want to share this site with your friends or your online martial art hangouts (FB groups, Reddit, etc.) it might help get some more people here and involved to answer your questions when I can’t!Glad you like the site, thanks for the good comment!
-Nate
katanasKeymasterHey Mark,
It depends on a few factors: How much are you looking to spend and will you be cutting with it and if so what?If money isn’t a huge factor then my suggestion would be going with a Tamahagne blade, these blades are forged using the authentic method which yields a beautiful hamon. Additionally I’d recommend getting a katana with a full tang this will help with the weight and durability of the blade. Here’s one: Tamahagane Katana
Another katana type to look at are those with Swedish powder steel, I’ve heard good things in my inner circle about the Kaeru (though I don’t personally have one). Additionally from what I’ve learned is that any swords that use Swedish steel tend to be higher quality because of the iron ores there, and if you use Swedish steel combined with an authentic forging style you’ve got a pretty sweet setup. Here’s a link to the Hanwei Kaeru
In terms of the Tori vs the Furui, though the Furui is more expensive I’d have to say the Tori is probably one of my favorite swords. At first when I borrowed my friends Furui I was pretty excited about it but the more I compared it to my Tori the more I liked the Tori and didn’t think the Furui really out performed it for the additional cost you’d pay.
Hope this helps Mark!
~Nate
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