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Iaito Katana Sorted Ratings

Iaito katana are those suitable for kata and kumitachi practice.  They do need to hold up to heavy use in the dojo and an occasional unintentional impact.  Most are unsharpened and can not be sharpened.

Highest Ranked Swords

• Balance and Feel Category
  1. Tori Forged 28"
  2. Mejin Folded Steel 28"
  3. Tozando Koto Higo Iaito 29"
     (See full catagory)
•  Quality and Fittings Category
  1. Tori Forged 28"
  2. Tozando Koto Higo Iaito 29"
  3. Mejin Folded Steel 28"
     (See full catagory)
• Overall Category
  1. Tori Forged 28"
  2. Mejin Folded Steel 28"
  3. Tozando Koto Higo Iaito 29"
     (See full catagory)
• Overall Bang for the Buck Category
  1.  Practical Forged 28"
  2. Nami (Wave) 28"
  3. Practical Plus Forged 28"
     (See full catagory)

Comments (sorted by overall rank)

1. Tori Forged 28"
2. Mejin Folded Steel 28"
3. Tozando Koto Higo Iaito 29"
4. Tsuru (Crane) 28"
5. Shinto Forged 28"
6. Gorin (5 Rings) 28"
7. Katsumushi Yamashiro 2.45
8. Musashi Forged 28"
9. Higo Koshirae Yamashiro 2.45
10. Nami (Wave) 28"
11. Practical Plus Forged 28"
12. Basic Yamashiro 2.30
13. Nyumon Jidai Koshirae Iaito 2.35
14. Tozando Standard Iaito 26"
15. Practical Forged 28"

Rankings Sorted By Balance and Feel

	Balance & Feel	Quality & Fittings	Overall  Rating	Price	Overall Bang  for Buck	Website
Tori Forged 28"	7.8	7.8	7.8	$611	5.4	Nihonzashi
Mejin Folded Steel 28"	7.6	6.9	7.3	$1,019	3.0	Nihonzashi
Tozando Koto Higo Iaito 29"	7.2	7.3	7.2	$620	4.9	Tozando
Tsuru (Crane) 28"	7.1	6.4	6.8	$458	6.3	Nihonzashi
Musashi Forged 28"	7.1	5.2	6.1	$577	4.5	Nihonzashi
Gorin (5 Rings) 28"	6.8	5.5	6.1	$339	7.7	Nihonzashi
Nami (Wave) 28"	6.7	5.2	5.9	$254	9.9	Nihonzashi
Practical Forged 28"	6.6	3.4	5.0	$212	10.0	Nihonzashi
Shinto Forged 28"	6.5	6.7	6.6	$577	4.8	Nihonzashi
Higo Koshirae Yamashiro 2.45	6.2	5.9	6.0	$499	5.1	Nihonzashi
Katsumushi Yamashiro 2.45	6.1	6.2	6.1	$699	3.7	Nihonzashi
Practical Plus Forged 28"	6.1	5.3	5.7	$279	8.7	Nihonzashi
Nyumon Jidai Koshirae Iaito 2.35	5.9	4.9	5.4	$269	8.6	Nihonzashi
Tozando Standard Iaito 26"	5.7	4.7	5.2	$300	7.4	Tozando
Basic Yamashiro 2.30	5.2	5.7	5.5	$399	5.8	Nihonzashi

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

	Quality &  Fittings	Balance & Feel	Overall  Rating	Price	Overall Bang for Buck	Website
Tori Forged 28"	7.8	7.8	7.8	$611	5.4	Nihonzashi
Tozando Koto Higo Iaito 29"	7.3	7.2	7.2	$620	4.9	Tozando
Mejin Folded Steel 28"	6.9	7.6	7.3	$1,019	3.0	Nihonzashi
Shinto Forged 28"	6.7	6.5	6.6	$577	4.8	Nihonzashi
Tsuru (Crane) 28"	6.4	7.1	6.8	$458	6.3	Nihonzashi
Katsumushi Yamashiro 2.45	6.2	6.1	6.1	$699	3.7	Nihonzashi
Higo Koshirae Yamashiro 2.45	5.9	6.2	6.0	$499	5.1	Nihonzashi
Basic Yamashiro 2.30	5.7	5.2	5.5	$399	5.8	Nihonzashi
Gorin (5 Rings) 28"	5.5	6.8	6.1	$339	7.7	Nihonzashi
Practical Plus Forged 28"	5.3	6.1	5.7	$279	8.7	Nihonzashi
Nami (Wave) 28"	5.2	6.7	5.9	$254	9.9	Nihonzashi
Musashi Forged 28"	5.2	7.1	6.1	$577	4.5	Nihonzashi
Nyumon Jidai Koshirae Iaito 2.35	4.9	5.9	5.4	$269	8.6	Nihonzashi
Tozando Standard Iaito 26"	4.7	5.7	5.2	$300	7.4	Tozando
Practical Forged 28"	3.4	6.6	5.0	$212	10.0	Nihonzashi

Details of Quality and Fittings Category
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Rankings Sorted By Overall

	Overall  Rating	Balance & Feel	Quality &  Fittings	Price	Overall Bang for Buck	Website
Tori Forged 28"	7.8	7.8	7.8	$611	5.4	Nihonzashi
Mejin Folded Steel 28"	7.3	7.6	6.9	$1,019	3.0	Nihonzashi
Tozando Koto Higo Iaito 29"	7.2	7.2	7.3	$620	4.9	Tozando
Tsuru (Crane) 28"	6.8	7.1	6.4	$458	6.3	Nihonzashi
Shinto Forged 28"	6.6	6.5	6.7	$577	4.8	Nihonzashi
Gorin (5 Rings) 28"	6.1	6.8	5.5	$339	7.7	Nihonzashi
Katsumushi Yamashiro 2.45	6.1	6.1	6.2	$699	3.7	Nihonzashi
Musashi Forged 28"	6.1	7.1	5.2	$577	4.5	Nihonzashi
Higo Koshirae Yamashiro 2.45	6.0	6.2	5.9	$499	5.1	Nihonzashi
Nami (Wave) 28"	5.9	6.7	5.2	$254	9.9	Nihonzashi
Practical Plus Forged 28"	5.7	6.1	5.3	$279	8.7	Nihonzashi
Basic Yamashiro 2.30	5.5	5.2	5.7	$399	5.8	Nihonzashi
Nyumon Jidai Koshirae Iaito 2.35	5.4	5.9	4.9	$269	8.6	Nihonzashi
Tozando Standard Iaito 26"	5.2	5.7	4.7	$300	7.4	Tozando
Practical Forged 28"	5.0	6.6	3.4	$212	10.0	Nihonzashi

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

	Overall Bang  for Buck	Balance & Feel	Quality &  Fittings	Overall  Rating	Price	Website
Practical Forged 28"	10.0	6.6	3.4	5.0	$212	Nihonzashi
Nami (Wave) 28"	9.9	6.7	5.2	5.9	$254	Nihonzashi
Practical Plus Forged 28"	8.7	6.1	5.3	5.7	$279	Nihonzashi
Nyumon Jidai Koshirae Iaito 2.35	8.6	5.9	4.9	5.4	$269	Nihonzashi
Gorin (5 Rings) 28"	7.7	6.8	5.5	6.1	$339	Nihonzashi
Tozando Standard Iaito 26"	7.4	5.7	4.7	5.2	$300	Tozando
Tsuru (Crane) 28"	6.3	7.1	6.4	6.8	$458	Nihonzashi
Basic Yamashiro 2.30	5.8	5.2	5.7	5.5	$399	Nihonzashi
Tori Forged 28"	5.4	7.8	7.8	7.8	$611	Nihonzashi
Higo Koshirae Yamashiro 2.45	5.1	6.2	5.9	6.0	$499	Nihonzashi
Tozando Koto Higo Iaito 29"	4.9	7.2	7.3	7.2	$620	Tozando
Shinto Forged 28"	4.8	6.5	6.7	6.6	$577	Nihonzashi
Musashi Forged 28"	4.5	7.1	5.2	6.1	$577	Nihonzashi
Katsumushi Yamashiro 2.45	3.7	6.1	6.2	6.1	$699	Nihonzashi
Mejin Folded Steel 28"	3.0	7.6	6.9	7.3	$1,019	Nihonzashi

Details of Overall Bang for the Buck Category
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