What Type of Katana Blade Should I Get?

For first time buyers it may not be known that there are various types of katana swords to choose from. I’m not talking about variances in their external cosmetics but instead in their composition and blade cut. The strength, weight, and cutting ability all comes down to the design, material, and forge method used to create the katana.

Before you decide to get a sword you should make yourself aware of the various types of katana swords and which may be best for the application you intend to use it for.

The Various Types of Katana Swords

Step one is determining the type of katana sword you’d like to get, which you most likely will be faced with any of the following metal types:

Folded Steel (Tamahagane)

This blade has a high carbon composition that is strengthened through its forging method. This is the traditional method used in forging katanas in Japanese culture many years ago. The term “Tamahagane” means precious steel and is created from an iron sand composition.

The process for creating these types of katana swords is very time consuming and involves creating the tamahagane in a large clay mold called a tatara. The sword-smith will repeatedly heat and hammer the sword to remove any impurities that may exist within the material. When he or she is finished they will have an exceptionally durable sword with a beautiful blade pattern giving off a nice sheen.

The age of the steel used also plays a role in the durability of the blade. Katanas made with older steel have a higher concentration of oxygen in them which means that during the forging process the oxidized portions of the blade will be easier to stretch which means that the hammering process will be more effective in removing these impurities leaving you with a sturdy and dependable katana sword.

These swords are usually the most costly due to the extensive time involved in making them. The image below is an example of what is considered one of the highest quality Tamahagane katanas made in modern time- the Taka Katana.

Tamahagane katanas are best for those who have been practicing martial arts for quite some time and have a large amount of disposable income they’re willing to spend on a sword. You can find folded steel blades at reasonable prices though, just do some searching around (I’ll actually recommend some sites later in this Katana Readiness Guide where you can buy a katana from a trusted dealer).

If you are looking to find a strong katana to use for cutting then this blade type would be most preferable. Tamahagane katanas are also highly sought by sword collectors as well.

Usually swords that have taken longer to forge will be of higher quality since there are multiple iterations of smelting, folding, and hammering, so look for information around the forge process. Swords of Northshire’s custom katanas usually indicate the forging times on each sword.

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel blades are more aesthetically appealing than useful in dojo fighting, therefore are primarily used as show pieces instead of functional swords. These swords molecular composition isn’t as durable as the folded steel or the carbon steel. This in return means that the blade will be more brittle and can break with hard impacts.

Since the geometry of the blades isn’t as well designed there are issues with poor tang construction, this can make swinging the sword unbalanced and potentially dangerous. Additionally most stainless steel blades aren’t put through the same rigorous heat treatment process that other types of katana swords are put through which strengthens the material.

My personal preference is that if you are looking for a katana that you can actually use then you should avoid any stainless steel blades. Due to their high chromium composition (visually enhances the sword) they do make nice wall-hangers if you are decorating an apartment or your dojo though.

What these blades do have going for them aside from their visual appeal is that due to the chromium element they are resistant to rust and corrosion.

Carbon Steel

When looking for a combination of quality and price the high carbon steel katanas seem to be most preferable and common in the market. These types of katana swords are usually favored due to their strong durability as a result of their chemical makeup. High carbon steel blades lack the chronium component that you’d find in stainless steel which does allow for the carbon blades to be stronger yet on the flip side they are susceptible to corrosion because of this missing component.

Despite their name, carbon steel swords do have less carbon than typical stainless steel swords do which allows them to be more compatible with other metals. Carbon steel is much harder than stainless which creates the ability to hold a sharper and more acute edge. As a result, they are quicker to sharpen and can achieve a sharper edge than the stainless do.

As the percentage of carbon in the blade rises the steel has the ability to become more durable through heat treating; however, it also becomes less pliable. Additionally the higher the carbon content the lower the melting point is. So the higher the carbon content the stronger and less pliable the blade is, the lower the carbon content the softer and more pliable the blade is.

Within the carbon steel swords there are numerous types of metal grades, far more than I will take the time to mention and put you through the long, boring definition of the slight variances in each. Instead I’ll let you know the most common high carbon steel blades you’ll probably come across in the katana market.

• 10xx Steels (where xx could be any combination of numbers signifying the carbon density). The numbers following the ’10’ signify the carbon percent in the sword. For example a 1055 carbon steel means that the sword is 0.55% carbon content, a 1095 is as you would guess…0.95% carbon content.
  • 1045 is what most cheaper swords are made from, they are softer and in my mind I wouldn’t go with anything less than a 0.45% carbon content otherwise it’ll be too soft for functional use unless you’re looking for another wall hanger. At anything below a 1045 sharpening and maintaining an edge becomes more difficult.
  • 1060 (0.60% carbon content) is probably your best bet of the 10xx carbon steels. It is hard enough to be durable yet still soft enough where it is pliable. These swords will hold up pretty well in almost all normal katana uses.
  • 1095 is also a common carbon steel yet you’re more apt to find this in knives. This is a harder more brittle carbon steel that is easy to sharpen and holds an edge better than lower carbon content swords. The disadvantage is that if it is simply 1095 steel then if you hit another hard target with it there’s a greater chance it could break.
• 9260 Spring Steel
  • The name gives you an indication of how this metal behaves, spring like. Meaning that it has more flexibility and can recover from bends and vibrations better than other steel blades. A little fun fact about the name is that it comes from the same steel being used in the suspension coils of vehicles, hence the name ‘spring steel’. 9260 spring steel adds an additional component to it’s composition – silicon (2%). By adding silicon to the chemical make up it gives the sword added flexibility.

T10 Tool Steel

T10 is a newer steel being used in katana sword manufacturing. It is a Tungsten alloy (tungsten is also what some wedding bands are made of) with a high carbon content (0.90%-1.0%) combined with a smaller silicon content than the spring steel (0.30%-0.35%). Due to the mixture of silicon and high carbon content these swords perform better than other 1095 carbon steels and are more durable.

Remember, having a higher carbon content provides for a sharper edge, adding silicon to the composition slightly helps reduce the brittleness of the blade.

Combination Materials

One of the more popular types of katana swords is the combination of 1095 high carbon + folded steel. This combines the two powerful methods to create a sword that is hard at the core yet durable to avoid breaking on the outer layer.

These combinations usually feature the 1095 as the core component providing the internal structure that is hardened with the 0.95% carbon content. They are then layered in folded steel to protect the inner hard, yet usually otherwise more brittle core. The benefit of this method is that once you sharpen the sword past the folded steel layer you reveal the hard edge of the 1095 component which as I described earlier will hold a sharper edge longer.

So in summary a hard long lasting sharp inner element protected from breaking by the folded steel outer layer. A decent 1095/folded steel blade usually will run you $400 and up.

So there you have it, the most common types of katana swords by metal composition. As I had said earlier, there are a vast array of other metals that swords are made from but these provide you with the basics to help you narrow down a path of the type of metal you would like to have in your katana. Now that we’ve reviewed the types of katana swords lets move on to the next step of the katana readiness guide – how to size a katana.

The post Step 1: Types of Katana Swords appeared first on Katanas Sword Reviews.

Time to Find a Dojo

The final step in our katana readiness guide is helping you find a dojo where you can now use your newly purchased katana. If you already have a location to train then you are finished, no need to read this step!

For those of you who are new katanas, other weaponized martial arts, or just martial arts in general, this final step will help you pin down a place where you can practice under the supervision of a trained sensei (which as I said in earlier steps that I highly recommend).

I guess before I get too far ahead of myself for those who are new to this and don’t know what a dojo is let me explain. A dojo is a place or large room used for training purposes in martial arts. They can range from a gym, to a smaller studio, to an entire complex focused on teaching the various martial arts. Dojos can vary in the types of martial arts they perform there ranging from judo and karate to the more skilled iaido.

The word comes from Japan and loosely translated means “a place of pursuit” the pursuit of which is your journey to mastering a martial art. The ‘Do’ means ‘way’ or ‘pursuit’ and the ‘Jo’ means ‘a place’. Combined they represent the term that is referred to today.

Why Find a Dojo?

The primary reason why everyone who is new to any martial art that involves swords, blades, or other weapons should find a local dojo is so that they learn how to use them. You don’t buy a car and try to take it out on the road before you know how to drive it…well I didn’t anyway.

By going to a dojo you can practice under the supervision of a master sensei who will instruct you on the proper usage of your sword. Having this guidance is essential in remaining safe and actually understanding what you are trying to accomplish beyond just swinging a piece of sharp steel around.

Training in a dojo will also allow you to understand the ways of the samurai, their ancient thought process, and their takes on various life situations. It’s not just a sport you are about to participate in, it’s an entire mindset.

The final benefit of practicing in a dojo is that you’ll get to meet other people that share the same interest as you. You not only will train against them in the dojo, but you will bond with them outside of it. I’ve actually learned quite a bit from my friends who I practice with; they’ve let me experiment with their swords (hence some of my offered advice around katana reviews), given my advice on sword care, and even shared a few beers with me (not before using the katana of course).

How to Find a Dojo

Well you could do a simple search for “dojo’s near me” in Google, Bing, or whatever your preferred search engine of choice is. The only thing is that occasionally dojos may not be set up with the keyword “dojo” in the title, meaning you may be missing out on some.

My preference is using a search engine specific to dojos. The site dojos.info is great resource for finding a place to practice by conducting a nationwide search for dojos near an address you select.

I’ve taken some code from their site to allow you to search for a dojo near you right from here. Just enter your zip code in the search tool below to see what’s near you.

Once you have a selection of a few dojos you’re interested in the first step is to call them to find out if they even offer the martial arts training you are interested in as well as their membership costs. This may narrow down your list a bit.

From there I’d suggest actually visiting each one and speaking with the sensei there and understanding the various katana training performed there. It is very important to work with a sensei you believe you’ll be comfortable with since at times you will become very frustrated. If you are practicing Iaido everything is extremely fluid and calculated, you can expect some struggles at first with getting the movements down.

Here is the dojo search process for your reference:

1. Search to find dojos close by
2. Call find out what is taught there
3. Obtain pricing and rule out anything too expensive
4. Visit each dojo to determine which sensei is the best fit for you
5. Chose a dojo and start katana training!

New Dojos are opening up all the time; below is a live RSS feed I set up to let you know about any new dojo openings listed with Dojos.info, the top dojo search site. I’ve set it up to show the 5 most recent openings.

The Black Belt Academy

Cincinnati, OH
Demolition TaeKwonDo

Fostoria, OH
D R Martial Arts Academy

Hemphill, TX
10th Planet Jiu Jitsu Orange Park

Orange Park, FL
PFS Kali

Nashville, TN

Online Training

Occasionally we may not wish to join a dojo due to various reasons (distance, time, money, experience, etc.). Whatever the reason there are alternatives to learning various martial arts via online training programs, however the quality of learning online as opposed to in-person is significantly worse. This leaves you with either messing around yourself and hoping you don’t lose a finger (or worse) or researching online training programs.

When this is the case there are online courses you can watch however these really don’t do you the justice that an in person formal training would do. The primary reason being that the instructor can’t actually see your technique, this prevents them from correcting any mistakes you may be making in the training. Without knowing if you are doing something wrong or not, it becomes pretty difficult to correct it.

Some courses that I’ve seen online but haven’t partaken in are listed below. If any of you readers do happen to enroll in them we’d love to hear your feedback on their effectiveness in our forum section or on our Facebook page.

• Martial Arts University
• American Martial Arts Institute
• Fighting Arts
• Iaido.com

YouTube Videos

YouTube is amazing, the things we can find on there are endless. I’ve pulled a couple videos I think you may be interested in checking out that will help you learn some basics.

A start to katana training.

More related videos from Ehowmartialarts.

A video on how to unsheathe your katana.

More training videos are available on Sensei Orlando’s YouTube channel.

Udemy Courses

Udemy is also a great place to learn various martial arts (as well as just about anything else). This site provides a range of training tutorials both for free as well as for a fee. The image below links to a training program for Taijutsu.

Conclusion

That’s it, we’ve walked you through the entire process of buying a katana. I hope you found this katana readiness guide to be extremely valuable in helping you make your journey into becoming a trained swordsman. I appreciate any shares you can give my site to help spread the word.

Additionally there are a lot of other great forums out there to help you in your search with Sword Buyers Guide being a great one. I’d suggest clicking the link below to browse katana options then once you find one either come back here to our forum section or use another forum to ask any additional questions you may have around the blade. Online communities are great for providing real life feedback to help form your decision on what to buy.

Stick around and check out my other posts if you are craving more samurai information. My next post will teach you where you can find or make a custom katana that fits your personality and stands out from the rest of the class.

I’m ready to buy a katana now!

The post Step 5: Where to Practice – Find A Dojo appeared first on Katanas Sword Reviews.

I know what I want now where do I find a high quality katana for sale?

Now that I have shared my words of wisdom on finding the right sword, where did I find the best prices when searching the web for a katana for sale?

Well I bought from a few places and had various results. Once I know what sword I want, I browse the various merchants to see the reviews but always go back to the same merchant to purchase.

Though it can be easy to just buy from any merchant I learned the hard way that it doesn’t always pay off. Waiting endlessly for something I was supposed to have a week ago and arguing with customer service isn’t really my cup of tea…

The sites I have had great experience with are Swords of the East and Swords of Northshire. A ton of choices and the quality has been outstanding.

My list of sites to find a katana for sale

My Swords of Northshire Review (MY TOP PREFERRED DEALER)

Wait, I thought this page was for katana reviews? I know I know but I don’t want to tell you where to find a katana for sale without letting you know the ups and downs of the places you may buy from.

The site where I bought my first ‘quality’ blade was Swords of Northshire, a great site where the owners place great emphasis in making their swords more affordable than other competitors. You may find a katana for sale here that is a few hundred dollars less expensive than you’d find at all the other retailers.

They specialize in asian swords (Chinese, Japanese, etc.) however they do offer some other forms of swords as well. They work with a forgery in Longquan China to create custom handmade high quality katanas from the ground up.

Swords of Northshire focused on providing quality selections that are more unique as well. You’ll find a lot of custom made and hand forged blades at Swords of Northshire that are produced exclusively for their company.

Something that is amazing with them is they offer the ability to create your own custom katana. You can chose the blade, fittings, color, right down to the saya. You can have your name engraved on it, have kanji, or even a design of your choice (see image below as an example), an amazing perk allowing consumers to have a one of a kind katana at a reasonable price.

Also a major perk to those living in America is that the owner of the business is based out of Texas, USA which eliminates the issue of waiting for excessive delivery times, miscommunication through language barriers, or difficulty in matching up their business hours with time your free if you have questions. I actually used their chat function to track the progress of my swords which made it pretty simple.

Overall this merchant is my favorite and I will continue to purchase from them, especially when looking for a more unique katana for sale. To be honest this really isn’t the best Swords of Northshire review because usually in reviews you mention the pros and cons and I can’t think of any downsides with Swords of Northshire to date and highly recommend buying a katana through them.

Thaitsuki Review

Thaitsuki is a forgery based out of Thailand that was started by an avid sword collector who wanted to create durable swords at an affordable price.

Each sword is handmade and forged by craftsman who knows the art of making a fine blade. Thaitsuki’s CEO Satit Sivarat claims they have continued to make some of the highest quality Japanese swords available for 20+ years now. They offer both wholesale and direct to consumer (DTC) sales, many other sword dealers actually participate in their dropship program to sell their swords. However since they do offer DTC, our suggestion is to buy directly from Thaitsuki so they can better help with any concerns you may have.

Now, if you’ve been in the sword  community for a while you may have heard about Thaitsuki and may have even heard some negative comments. Digging into these and various forums it appears that some were frustrated with two things 1) when Thaitsuki would use the terminology “Nihonto” which means “made in Japan” when in fact they are made in Thailand and 2) the price tag of some of the swords. In my opinion price isn’t something to complain about if the quality backs it up, which in this case Thaitsuki’s quality definitely makes it worth the price.

Thaitsuki katanas were even featured in the 2010 movie Yamada: Samurai of Ayothaya, which was based on the true events of Yamada Nagamasa, a Japanese adventurer who gained considerable influence in Thailand and become governor of Nakhon Si Thammarat province in southern Thailand during the Ayothaya Era.

KatanaForSale Review – New Dealer

Another new dealer I’m noticing offering unique katanas for sale yet haven’t bought from yet is Katanaforsale.com. They appear to offer katanas, wakizashis, samurai armor, and tantos. I haven’t been able to find much information on them around the web yet have seen them showing up in search results lately.

If anyone has any experience with them feel free to let us know on our forum. I’ll be keeping an eye on the web to see what other consumers are saying about them to ensure their quality upholds to be worthy of being on this review site.

SamuraiSwords.store – New Dealer

This site very closely resembles that of KatanaforSale so I’m assuming they are either related or are using the same web design company. They showcase a custom made swords with some extremely nice looking sayas, some made from buffalo horn.

They’ve got a great app you can download to make shopping there even easier. Beyond katana swords for sale, they also sell broadswords, spears, cane swords, and more

My words of wisdom: Get. What. You. Want.

Keep in mind that my advice and reviews here on what I (and my buddies) have for katanas and our opinions on them are just to help give you some insights around what’s available out there and happened to work for us. Talking with a sensei is truly the best way to determine what you will need. Finding the best katana that aligns with your style can be tough and I hope these past few steps of the Katana Readiness Guide have helped you narrow the options down a little.

Whatever you end up with is your decision but make sure you do buy it through a solid merchant. Now on to the final stage of the readiness guide, where to find a dojo.

The post Step 4: Where Do I Find a Katana For Sale? appeared first on Katanas Sword Reviews.

Top 3 Katana Reviews

Alright here it is, a compilation of my, as well as my friends’ katana reviews.

Based on our experiences I’ll compare my top 3 favorite katanas that we have so you can get a framework for what to start with. I organized it from lowest to highest priced so you can get an idea of what to get depending on what type of funds you have at your disposal (if you’re like me it’s under $1,000).

Why only 3 katana reviews? Well because I like things simple and hate being weighed down with lengthy content to read through. Just get to the point, which I’ll try to do.

Level I – Hanwei Musashi Elite Review

First of all, please don’t get this confused with the brand MUSASHI! You will notice a flood of cheaper priced (~$80) Musashi swords as you shop around. I’m not a fan, they usually are produced in mass numbers and lack the durability as well as blade sharpness longevity. In my mind they do a injustice to the legendary swordmaster Miyamoto Musashi for whom these style katanas are named after.

Now on to the ‘good’ Musashi katana review, the one Miyamoto would be proud of…

If you are looking for a reasonably priced katana for sale and don’t want to break the bank the Paul Chen Musashi Elite by Hanwei is a good deal.

This Hanwei katana not only looks beautiful but also is quite functional with a strong and clean edge that is very capable of cutting soft or hard targets. The photo below shows the bashi & kissaki.

The edge is rated HR60 which is a metric (based on the Rockwell Scale) used to determine the hardness of steel when impacted by another substance, in this case a diamond cone. I believe the diamond bit is pressed into the tempered steel under a standard pressure and the depth it penetrates is measured. The higher the number, the harder it is. Since there are a number of types of steels different steels have different optimum Rockwell Hardness levels.

The Musashi holds a durable edge capable of withstanding multiple cuts. The blade is 1065 high-carbon steel (remember this type from step 1) made through ‘monosteel construction’ which CASIberia explains through a six step process:

1. Rough Forging: hot forging of high-carbon steel. Repeated hammering provides even dispersion of carbon throughout the steel for strength.
2. Rough Shaping: Scale (iron oxide) is removed and the blade is shaped. At this stage, the steel is still in the soft state and the blade has not been given a curve yet (known as ‘sori’).
3. Clay Covering: A special clay is applied to the blade with a thin layer near the edge and a thicker layer everywhere else on the blade. This causes a quicker cooling of the edge during quenching which provides a harder edge & softer back.
4. Quenching: With the clay covering still on, the blade it is heated and quenched in water. The shape and continuity of the hamon, the sori, and blade straightness are all determined during this quenching process.
5. Sizing: If necessary the sori is adjusted to set the point of percussion and balance point. After this the blade is de-scaled. This is followed by polishing and the fitting of the habaki.
6. Finishing: Any blemishes are removed through fine polishing and the remainder of the katana parts are placed on the sword.

The traditional double ring style tsuba is iron which provides a durable guard as well. It’s not the most decoratively designed tsuba I’ve seen however this style holds true to the traditional tsuba design.

Finally I love that it came with a cleaning kit as well a sword bag, the complete package. The sword was designed to be a good economic cutting sword with the ability to make multiple cuts in normal targets without dulling.

If the 1065 high-carbon blades weren’t something you were aiming for then I’d say skip down to one of the other two katana reviews I’ve provided overviews on here.

Breakdown

• Length: 29″
• Tsuka: 11″
• Material: 1065 High-carbon Monosteel blade
• Weight: 2 lbs 11 oz
• Take away: for a reasonable price this provides pretty good quality to any novice-moderately skilled swordsmen

 **Check Pricing for Hanwei Musashi Elite Here**

Level II – Tori Elite Review

Imagine finding the perfect balance of quality, price, sharpness, length, and style. You have just imagined yourself with the Hanwei Tori Elite katana, my favorite sword.

If you consider yourself serious in the realms of Japanese sword arts then this masterpiece should be in your arsenal. This is another of Paul Chen’s many masterpieces that doesn’t disappoint.

The balance is perfect at 5″ down from the tsuba. Right where you want it within that 4″-6″ range. This provides for a clean swing, not too front heavy, not too tail heavy, so it is easy to recover from every cut quickly without tiring your arms out.

The brown leather wrapped tsuka provides for a great grip. This is actual leather as well, not suede or some faux leather. Some aren’t a fan of the leather due to the more ‘tacky’ grip but I personally prefer it. Helps maintain better control.

The photo to the right gives you an idea of the color of the fittings and the wrap. You can see there is a crane design on the pommel that adds a little extra flare to the overall aesthetics of the blade.

The diamond patterns where the leather crisscrosses aren’t the same shape which is slightly annoying however it doesn’t affect the tightness of the wrap.

Even the saya is a piece of art with ~9 inches being rattan wrapped (see below), which gives it the appeal of being a high quality luxury component. Not to mention the added benefit of a better grip which is important for performing noto (the sheathing and unsheathing of the sword). Another perk of the saya is that it is made to be ‘fingerprintless’ so you don’t need to worry about cleaning the smudge marks off after a sweaty practice with it.

I’ve had this for about a year now and the blade has yet to run dull. Now I also don’t treat my katana poorly by slicing into sheet metal as I’ve seen other do. And to be fair nor do I use this katana every time I practice or cut, so it’s not a year’s worth of continuous use every week. I tend to alternate between a few different katanas.

This katana features a hand crafted blade which is folded out of ASSAB K120 C Swedish steel, which if you remember from step 1 in the katana readiness guide, the folded steel is a high quality forging method.

If you’re wondering what the difference is between other steels and the Swedish steel used in this katana you’re not the first but I’ll explain from what I know; Sweden has long been known for their excellent iron ore deposits throughout the country. Steel coming from Sweden usually has very few impurities as well as contain small percentages of other metal ores which make steel produced from it a natural alloy. This makes for a much more durable steel during & post forging.

Cost, I know you are all curious. I’ve seen this sell for around $1,400 yet luckily I picked mine up for a little under $1,000. For my budget it was a perfect fit. Though I couldn’t afford a Praying Mantis or Furui Shishi, I also didn’t want to skimp out again as I had done in the past.

All in all if you’re looking for the full package this katana delivers.

Breakdown

• Length: 28.5″
• Tsuka: 11″
• Material: Powder-steel forged and folded blade
• Weight: 2 lbs 11 oz
• Take away:  best option for those moderately skilled looking for a high quality katana on a $1,000 budget

**Check Pricing for Hanwei Tori Elite Here**

Level III – Furui Shishi Review

Looking to go all out and have the Cadillac of katanas? A buddy of mine bought this sword and let me tell you, if I had saved all the money I spent on crappier katanas (and was a little taller) I would have this baby in a heartbeat.

The Furui Shishi by Thaitsuki is a very nice katana, as are most of the upper end Thaitsuki katanas now. With a 29 1/2″ blade it is a little too long for me but perfect for anyone 5′ 8″ to 5′ 10″. This baby is remarkable right down to the saya (wooden hand rubbed lacquer finish).

The blade is impeccable, I mean it cuts through bamboo like it’s a piece of cheese. This could be due to my friend’s skills being moderately better than those of my own or due to the clay tempered & water quenched blade. Clay tempered is a method used during the cooling process that involves spreading clay in varying thicknesses over a blade during the quenching process resulting in an exceptionally hardened edge and a softer body.

The blade’s edge hardness is a 60HRC on the Rockwell Scale while the body is a 35HRC. Again this means that the edge will be harder which allows for a sharper blade while the body of the sword will be softer to prevent breakage and provides the correct flex.

The Furui Shishi does have the groove or ‘bo-hi’ running along the top as well. The bo-hi (meaning ‘blood groove’) is cut into the katana to lighten the sword’s weight. This is something else you should think about when looking to buy a katana, is whether or not you would like the bo-hi style blade or prefer it without bo-hi. The bo-hi blades usually will run your more money though. Beyond functionality I think the blade’s hand polishing job really makes the grain standout.

As with my Tori Elite, the tsuka on this one also has a beautifully braided leather overlay (I guess I’m just drawn to leather). I’m not the only one drawn to the feel of the leather though, a look through any other reviews of this sword and you’ll find a trend in what all the positive feedback is about; 1) the perfect balance of the blade and 2) the feel of the leather wrap for practice.

The habaki & kashira on the sword are made using 98% pure silver, this gives it a different look from most others that use a brass, copper, or bronze. The tsuba though in my mind really isn’t all that decorative, it’s a pretty basic design (see below) so if you’re looking for the decked out artwork on the tsuba then unfortunately this sword will lack in that area.

Another great perk of this katana is that it came with a stand as well as a cleaning kit which we all will need at some point. The stand comes in a dark black with engraving on the front of it.

The high price makes it better? False.

In terms of katana reviews I don’t think price is always an indicator of quality, heck look at Jaguar or Land Rover, dang things cost a fortune and they seem to be more susceptible to mechanical flaws than your standard priced Jeep.

This however is a superior quality katana through and through and as a result of the exceptional quality is higher priced, not the other way around.

Breakdown

• Length: 29.5″
• Tsuka: 11″
• Material: Hand forged high carbon steel – folded 1024
• Weight: 2.6 lbs
• Key takeaway: over my budget but if money isn’t an issue and you want unmatched quality here it is, the combination of clay tempered forging process and the close attention to balance in this blade’s weight dispersion makes it an exceptional katana for use in training or cutting practice.

**Check Pricing for Furui Shishi Here**

So there you have it, the top katana reviews in my mind. I hope you find these valuable and they provide some direction in terms of what models to start looking at whether you are interested in getting your first katana or just upgrade your current arsenal.

Now after reading these katana reviews on to the next step of the katana readiness guide; “where do I find a katana for sale?” Well let’s get into that on the next page.

Where to buy one of these swords…

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Before you can run out and start buying your next katana to add to your arsenal we must first discuss what size you need by running through a few simple methodologies on how to size a katana. We also need to go over the various parts of the katana so you can identify each properly.

Parts of the Katana

To become proficient in using the sword we need to first understand our weapon from the top down. This is important when looking for the optimal katana since it will help you better understand the sword descriptions and what each component is made from. The nice thing about katanas is that though the parts all have the same name, there can be a wide variation of material used to create them or just in the general aesthetics of the parts.

For example the tsuba alone could come in brass, steel, silver, or gold and can have an infinite number of designs on it. The tsuka most commonly comes in a leather or nylon wrap but can also come in more unique materials. The metal itself as we learned in the previous step can come in various steels and forging methods.

I made the image below to help you identify the various parts of the katana. Now other samurai swords such as the Tanto, Iaito, or Wakizashi will have slightly different components as well and vary in their size and use.

Katana Parts & Common Materials Used In Them:

1. Kashira (Pommel) – Brass, copper, gold, silver, steel
2. Tsuka (Handle) – A form of steel at the core yet can be wrapped in nylon or leather (occasionally stingray leather)
3. Tsuba (Guard) – Brass, copper, gold, silver, steel
4. Habaki (Blade Collar) – Brass, copper, gold, silver, steel
5. Ha (Edge) – A form of steel
6. Hi (Groove) – A form of steel
7. Bashi (Curved Edge) – A form of steel
8. Kissaki (Point) – A form of steel
9. Mune (Back of Blade) – A form of steel
10. Saya (Scabbard) – Commonly wood which can be covered with leather
11. Sageo (Hanging Cord) – Nylon or leather

If you are looking at any katanas that have plastic for any of these components DO NOT buy them. These are either cheap imitators or solely are used as novelty props or Halloween costumes.

How to Size a Katana

The length of the Tsuka (or handle) is very important so that we can have the proper leverage and balance. Depending on what training you are in the length required can vary.

Why is sizing so important? Well if you enjoy having all of your body parts and intend to keep them then yea it’s kind of important. If you try performing any martial arts with a katana that is too large for you you then run the risk of misjudging your distance from the target, or yourself with the blade which could result in an accidental slash.

I strongly advise talking with your sensei to get the proper length before buying. However, if you do not have a sensei to go to for advice on these highly specialized weapons, or are just looking for some loose sizing recommendations I can give you the sizing guide that my friends and I go by. You could also seek advice from various online forums (or in our forum here as well) to get feedback on how to size a katana.

Again, as a little disclaimer remember to use these weapons at your own discretion since they can be very dangerous and anyone using a katana should have the proper training before doing so.

Measuring the Tsuka

The best way to measure yourself for a blade in my opinion is the tsuka-to-arm-length ratio. This method involves using the length of your forearm to get an idea of how long the tsuka should be.

To do this you’ll just need a simple measuring tool. Get out a tape measure or ruler and measure the length of your forearm. So from your elbow to your wrist; this distance is how long the tsuka should also be.

It is ok if it isn’t the exact length but I usually do prefer it to be within plus or minus an inch. Most katanas will have an 11″ tsuka, so unless you are either very short or very tall you most likely would go with an 11″.

Another method that I’ve seen some use is the hand measurement technique. This is where you place your hands down flat on the table side by side so that they are touching, make sure the fingers are closed (as in the image below), then measure the width of them combined (from the left side of the left hand to the right side of the right hand). Whatever the width is you would then add 3″-4″ to this measurement to provide you with some room on the tsuka.

Measuring the Blade

There are a ton of forums out there with numerous sizing information so it’s difficult to go with a one size fits all approach, which again is why I suggest talking with a sensei first. Factors that can influence the exact nagasa (blade length) you need are: skill level, height, and use (iaido, kendo, etc.).  In terms of the most common height to nagasa ratio, please reference the table below I made for you.

If you can’t seem to find something that fits you perfect it’s always safer to go on the shorter end than the longer. These blades will be lighter and quicker to draw.

By going with a shorter blade you also reduce the risk of inaccurate depth perception. This is when you assume a target is further away than it actually is from your sword which could result in accidental slashing. Let’s avoid that situation.

Great, now that we’ve got the first two steps in the Katana Readiness Guide out of the way (these are usually the lesser ‘fun’ parts of the process) we can move on to the fun part, choosing a katana. Since there are so many variations of katanas out there I’ll help you focus your search with a few katanas I believe are good quality. You are by no means limited to these swords but they can help you find a starting point for what you may like, so lets get into my katana reviews!

 Ninja weapons

Half way down this page is another great katana breakdown.

The post Step 2: Katana Parts and Proper Sizing appeared first on Katanas Sword Reviews.