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Shinken Katana Comments Page 4 (Prev/Next)

Tsunami Katana (Great Wave)

Sales Pitch (Tsunami Katana)

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

Comments

We could not cut with the sword tested and that hurt it's overall rating.  This is the lighter and better balanced cousin of the Wind and Thunder.  Most reviewers thought the tsuba was not as impressive as the Wind and Thunder and that kept the Quality and Fittings rating lower.

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Practical Plus Elite Katana

Sales Pitch (Practical Plus Elite Katana)

The Practical Plus Katana provides a very economical cutting sword as dependable as the Practical Katana, but using more traditional fittings and construction methods. The blade is forged and differentially tempered (HRC60 edge, HRC40 back) and the hamon is prominent. The Practical Plus features genuine Same (Rayskin) on the Tsuka, with a tightly-woven cotton wrap (Tsuka-Ito). The long tang is double-pegged for security. 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

Most reviewers thought the sunburst tsuba was hard on the hands, but did not mind how it looked.  The cotton tsuka-ito was a definite improvement over the slick fake leather of the classic Practical Plus.  It scored well in the cutting category helping it place second in the cutting bang for the buck.

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Toshi Katana (#40)

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

There is allot of variation between these katana.  Toshi katana #40 had the lightest blade of the three variations tested, but was still kissaki heavy.  The fittings were original but were not as nice as those of the prototype.  Toshi #40 cuts well, but is fairly easy to bend.

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Practical XL Katana

Sales Pitch (Practical XL Katana)

The Practical Katanas have always been at the forefront of providing economical yet functional swords to the martial arts community. Now with the blade geometries and profiles of the performance series and the affordability of the Practical fittings, competition-standard cutting is within the reach of the tightest budget.

Comments

The blade is NOT glued into the tsuka like the classic Practical Katana.  This sword rated 5th in cutting category placing it above katana costing 17 times as much.  It placed solidly in the Feel and Balance category, but was pretty much at the bottom of the Quality and Fittings category.  The reviewers did not like the fake same and plastic menuki, but the imitation suede did have a positive feel.  The low price got it the number one rating in both the Cutting and Overall Bang for the Buck categories.

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Musashi XL Katana

Sales Pitch (Musashi XL Katana)

Miyamoto Musashi, arguably the most famous swordmaster in Japanese history, fought more than 60 duels before retiring and writing his famous treatise on swordplay, the “Book of Five Rings”. Development of the two-sword style of swordplay, with the Daito (long sword) and Wakizashi being used together, is credited to Musashi. Mounted in black, the Musashi is faithful to the original down to the famous double-ring iron tsubas. The tsuka-ito is in leather over ray skin. The blade is hand-forged in high-carbon steel, with new geometry to enhance cutting ability. It is edge-tempered using the traditional clay tempering method, resulting in a distinct hamon. Edge hardness is HRC60, back hardness HRC40. The grip is double-pegged to the tang for safety. Supplied with a protective cloth bag and traditional maintenance kit.

Comments

We could not cut with the sword tested and that hurt it's overall rating.  A variation with a heavy tsuba ranked second in the Cutting category.  Most reviewers found the leather tsuka-ito (handle wrap) to give a very positive feel.  The light tsuba made the Musashi XL a bit tip heavy.

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