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Shinken Wakizashi Sorted Ratings

Shinken (real) wakizashi are those suitable for all purposes including tameshigiri (test cutting).

• Highest Ranked Swords
• Ratings Sorted by Category
  • Ratings Sorted by Balance and Feel
  • Ratings Sorted by Quality and Fittings
  • Ratings Sorted by Cutting
  • Ratings Sorted by Overall
  • Ratings Sorted by Cutting Bang for the Buck
  • Ratings Sorted by Overall Bang for the Buck
     
• Comments (sorted by overall rank)
  • Kotetsu Wakizashi (Custom Tsuba)
  • Wind and Thunder Wakizashi
  • Momo-no-Saru (Peach Monkey) Wakizashi
  • Tsunami Wakizashi
  • Kotetsu Wakizashi (#33)
  • Practical Plus Wakizashi

Highest Ranked Swords

• Balance and Feel (Details of Balance and Feel Category)
  1. Kotetsu Wakizashi (Custom Tsuba)
  2. Wind and Thunder Wakizashi
  3. Momo-no-Saru (Peach Monkey) Wakizashi
      
• Quality and Fittings (Details of Quality and Fittings Category)
  1. Momo-no-Saru (Peach Monkey) Wakizashi
  2. Wind and Thunder Wakizashi
  3. Tsunami Wakizashi
      
• Cutting (Details of  Cutting Category)
  1. Kotetsu Wakizashi (Custom Tsuba)
  2. Kotetsu Wakizashi (#33)
  3. Wind and Thunder Wakizashi
      
• Overall (Details of Overall Category)
  1. Kotetsu Wakizashi (Custom Tsuba)
  2. Wind and Thunder Wakizashi
  3. Momo-no-Saru (Peach Monkey) Wakizashi
      
• Cutting Bang for the Buck (Details of Cutting Bang for the Buck Category)
  1. Wind and Thunder Wakizashi
  2. Practical Plus Wakizashi
  3. Kotetsu Wakizashi (Custom Tsuba)
      
• Overall Bang for the Buck (Details of Overall Bang for the Buck Category)
  1. Practical Plus Wakizashi
  2. Wind and Thunder Wakizashi
  3. Tsunami Wakizashi

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Rankings Sorted By Balance and Feel

Details of Balance and Feel Category
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Rankings Sorted By Quality and Fittings

Details of Quality and Fittings Category
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Rankings Sorted By Cutting

Details of  Cutting Category
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Rankings Sorted By Overall

Details of Overall Category
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Rankings Sorted By Cutting Bang for the Buck

Details of Cutting Bang for the Buck Category
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Rankings Sorted By Overall Bang for the Buck

Details of Overall Bang for the Buck Category
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Comments (Sorted by Overall Ranking)

Kotetsu Wakizashi (Custom Tsuba)

Sales Pitch (Tozai Imports)

There are a wide variety of Japanese style swords available in today’s market ranging from production blades made in China to semi custom, and custom blades made in the US. Each manufacturer holds offerings that cater to specific applications. One of the more popular applications is Tameshigiri, or test cutting. Tameshigiri is most commonly associated with the practice of cutting tatami-omote. Different ryuha approach tameshigiri differently, and some not at all. Tozai Imports is proud to offer the Kotetsu design by Hataya Mitsuo Sensei and Kenpaku Yasutoshi of Sagamihara.

Comments

This is an awesome cutter!  The original tsuba was both very light and not very impressive, but the rest of the hardware was okay.  The tsuba was replaced with a simple round antique iron one.  This one had a nice leather wrap and a tsuka length longer than the ones currently offered.  The replacement tsuba and longer handle gives it a great balance despite having a very long blade.

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Wind and Thunder Wakizashi

Sales Pitch (Nihonzashi)

The Wind & Thunder Wakizashi is fitted with the black iron Raiden tsuba and Tomoe motif fuchi and kashira. The handle is wrapped in genuine same (ray skin) and the tsuka-ito is premium Japanese black cotton. The saya is done in a traditional black lacquer and the sageo is also black cotton. This sword is an excellent choice for those interested in batto-jutsu.

Comments

The reviewers liked the solid tsuba and the Wind & Thunder Wakizashi placed second in the Quality and Fittings category.  The wakizashi performed well for tameshigiri and placed first in the Cutting Bang for the Buck category.  The wakizashi was capable of sui hei (horizaontal) cuts with reasonable effort using full tatami.  Many of the reviewers liked the long kissaki, but the straight plain hamon was not very impressive.

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Momo-no-Saru (Peach Monkey) Wakizashi

Sales Pitch (Nihonzashi)

Limited to 500 Katana and 125 Wakizashi worldwide, the swords are built on folded Swedish powder-steel blades with the finest quality furniture. The blackened iron Tsuba and Fuchi/Kashira depict monkeys raiding a peach tree – a traditional favorite in Japan. Each sword comes with a numbered Certificate of Authenticity. Available in October, these highly collectible pieces will go quickly.  Order the Daisho 大小 (paired katana and wakizashi) and save.

Comments

The Momo-no-Saru was the number one rated wakizashi in the Quality and Fittings category.  The reviewers liked the fittings and the folded blade.  The wakizashi matched the katana well, and all the fittings had a consistent theme.  The high detail light tsuba helped in the Quality and Fittings category, but hurt in the Feel and Balance category.  It does great as a collector piece, but is probably not the best choice for the dojo.

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Tsunami Wakizashi

Sales Pitch (Nihonzashi)

The Great wave Wakizashi is stylized with the renowned Tomoe motif. The tsuba, fuchi, & kashira are made of black iron and marked with the Tomoe crest (mon). The blade is hand-forged from T10 high-carbon steel and are differentially tempered using traditional claying methods. The temper line (hamon) is evident and prominent. It has a deeply lacquered black saya with a one-piece brass habaki. Real ray skin (same) is used on the tsuka, and the tsuka-ito and sageo are made of premium woven Japanese black cotton. The wakizashi are constructed with a large o-kissaki and is ideal for cutting exercises (tameshigiri).

Comments

We could not cut with the wakizashi tested and that hurt it's overall rating.  The lighter and less impressive tsuba caused it to be rated lower than it's cousin the Wind & Thunder Wakizashi, but the reviews did like the blade.  The hamon was nicer than the Wind & Thunder and most reviews liked the o-kissaki. 

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Kotetsu Wakizashi (#33)

Sales Pitch (Tozai Imports)

There are a wide variety of Japanese style swords available in today’s market ranging from production blades made in China to semi custom, and custom blades made in the US. Each manufacturer holds offerings that cater to specific applications. One of the more popular applications is Tameshigiri, or test cutting. Tameshigiri is most commonly associated with the practice of cutting tatami-omote. Different ryuha approach tameshigiri differently, and some not at all. Tozai Imports is proud to offer the Kotetsu design by Hataya Mitsuo Sensei and Kenpaku Yasutoshi of Sagamihara.

Comments

This is an good cutter!  Balance was significantly worse than the  other Kotetsu Wakizashi that had the Custom tsuba and longer tsuka.  The width of the blade was also significantly greater making the wakizashi very kissaki heavy.  The poor balance offset the cutting score lowering the overall ranking of this wakizashi.

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Practical Plus Wakizashi

Sales Pitch (Nihonzashi)

Made as a companion piece for our Practical Plus Katana, the Wakizashi features an edge-tempered high carbon forged steel blade with a prominent hamon, genuine Same (Rayskin) on the Tsuka, and a handle wrap (Tsuka-Ito) specially developed for its gripping qualities. The fittings of the Practical Plus are decorated in a Japanese Dogwood motif with dragon menuki, and the handsome Tsuba is of an iron "sunburst" design with a brass habaki.

Comments

The low price made the Practical Plus Wakizashi the number one rated Overall Bang for the Buck wakizashi.  The cutting performance was low and sui hei cuts were very difficult.  Most reviewers thought the sunburst tsuba was hard on the hands, but did not mind how it looked.  Probably a good choice if you plan to cut half tatami or beach mats.

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