Cheap yet Well made Katana

I winced the whole way through that video, but when he was attempting to snap it, ... visions of half a sword flying right into his eye or crotch. pretty amazing what it took to break it.
 
As soon as I saw him swinging it around in shirasaya, I stopped watching.
 
It was just a "Tsuka" he knocked up himself, not a pro made thing. Just a couple of bits of wood epoxied together with electrical tape wrapped around up. It did the job though. It was just a blade he bought from Ebay with the sole intention of destroying it to see just how well made a cheap and Supposedly funcional Chinese Ebay 9260 Katana blade is. And to be fair to the guy, as reckless as he is, he did indeed prove that the blades themselves are very good quality.
 
BlakeK said:
It was just a "Tsuka" he knocked up himself, not a pro made thing. Just a couple of bits of wood epoxied together with electrical tape wrapped around up. It did the job though. It was just a blade he bought from Ebay with the sole intention of destroying it to see just how well made a cheap and Supposedly funcional Chinese Ebay 9260 Katana blade is. And to be fair to the guy, as reckless as he is, he did indeed prove that the blades themselves are very good quality.
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Because a blade doesn't break, it isn't necessarily good quality....and he proved nothing, except that he is irresponsible and a good candidate for a Darwin Award.

There are decent, inexpensive katana....but there is always something that is given up for them in a quality perspective.

Even in a GREAT, high quality, expensive sword, something is usually given up.....for strength, it is often speed and handling that are sacrificed and vice versa. It is relatively easy to make a strong katana with the handling characteristics of a prybar.

If the vast majority of your knowledge about katana comes from the internet, you might not have too much practical knowledge on proper handling, and certainly not on proper etiquette.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Well in terms of the Blade in the Original Post, it's quite amazing and it was $160. That's around £90 which is dirt cheap for a sword of that quality in the UK. It is fast, strong, very well forged and all the fixtures and fittings are well done... except for the rather tacky Tsuba. But apart from that, it's rapidly become my favourite sword over some much more expensive swords. It cuts through targets with zero effort. I've used my friends Oni Katana that cost him something like $2000... I couldn't tell the difference :/
 
I'm rather new to the sword collecting hobby. One thing i've found is that some of the older collectors can be a bit "Snobbish" in believing nothing but the finest Albion swords or genuine Tamahagane Katanas are worthy of discussion, let alone purchase
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Then there are the budget snobs that seem to deny advance in knowledge while touting their new prize as absolutely equal to more expensive swords. Quite often, the same will deny any middle ground exsists and a perceived foolishness of those that shun budget swords with sound reasons.

There are shortcuts in producing even high end swords. However, further inspection and understanding may well show where the extra money went. In the end, any sword purchase may be well excused, while others will shrug and go their own path. It is useless for a senior collector/user to try to elucidate the novice beaming with pride for their budget treasure. I am as foolish at times buying the budget antiques, then realizing the same money saved over time would yield a better bang for the buck. The budget route will lend to accumulating more to equal what one better sword will cost.

Better, of course, being purely subjective.

Resale of junk begets spending on more junk. Fully modding a budget sword will cost more than the sword's worth.

Cheers

GC
 
BlakeK said:
But apart from that, it's rapidly become my favourite sword over some much more expensive swords. It cuts through targets with zero effort. I've used my friends Oni Katana that cost him something like $2000... I couldn't tell the difference :/
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CAS Oni has a 14" tsuka....that is an enormous handle, and greatly affects balance and handling.....and this says a lot.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
I'm pretty sure it wasn't a Paul Chen sword, but it did have a long Tsuka, probably around the 14" you mentioned. What i was getting at is the functionality of the sword was the same. I could swing them both fast and controlled and both carved a path through the targets i put in front of them. This made me question where the $1800+ went. It made my friend question even more as he only bought the sword as a rich boys toy, never really uses it and doesn't collect swords. It just hangs on his wall... Which is fair enough i guess. But he used my budget Ebay sword and he was like "Yeah, they do the same thing"

Now this i'm sure could easily be down to lack of experience and knowledge on my behalf, as i say, i'm a fairly new collector, only 18 months or so. But in that time i've handled various Katanas of all weights and all kinds of Carbon Steels and i've found that if they are forged well, then a sword is a sword and they basically do the same thing.

I guess in the end, i would just rather pay far less for something that is still very nice and functions to what i deem a satisfactory standard, than spend a lot on something that is touted as being incredible but will actually only end up doing what a sword far cheaper will do but with a prettier face.
 
BlakeK said:
Now this i'm sure could easily be down to lack of experience and knowledge on my behalf, as i say, i'm a fairly new collector, only 18 months or so. But in that time i've handled various Katanas of all weights and all kinds of Carbon Steels and i've found that if they are forged well, then a sword is a sword and they basically do the same thing.

I guess in the end, i would just rather pay far less for something that is still very nice and functions to what i deem a satisfactory standard, than spend a lot on something that is touted as being incredible but will actually only end up doing what a sword far cheaper will do but with a prettier face.
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IF you cut hard targets like yellow bamboo, or difficult targets like 6 mat rolls......it will start to inform the difference between what is "a satisfactory standard"....and what is busted, twisted metal. IF you spend a decent amount of money on a sword that has steel fittings(steel, silver, bronze and shakudo/shibuichi are the only fittings I find acceptable....copper, brass and nickel silver SUCK), when you destroy the blade, you can get another one in shira saya and have the new sword built up using the old fittings.

.....and if you just want to show your awesomeness at backyard cutting, buy whatever the heck you want and have fun.....enjoy the ride.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Six roll tatami omote targets are NO joke, especially with a bamboo core. That's for at least a shodan, IMHO. I'm scared to attempt cutting one of those even with my best blade. My techniques are NOWHERE nearly good enough. However, I've cut triple tatami omote with a bamboo core with little to no effort and 2-3" diameter green tree branches without even scratching my Paul Chen. And I am an enthusiast with no sensei or dojo.
 
cpio said:
Six roll tatami omote targets are NO joke, especially with a bamboo core. That's for at least a shodan, IMHO. I'm scared to attempt cutting one of those even with my best blade. My techniques are NOWHERE nearly good enough. However, I've cut triple tatami omote with a bamboo core with little to no effort and 2-3" diameter green tree branches without even scratching my Paul Chen. And I am an enthusiast with no sensei or dojo.
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The bamboo that grows in my backyard is mutant, and difficult to cut even for some of the best....and that is in green state. The wall thickness averages 1/2" and the joints are almost solid. Getting ready to cull some in the next week or so, if you want to try some let me know, but if you destroy your sword, please don't get mad at me.

I've been cutting it for years, and have destroyed a machete and two decent swords with it.

Point is, just like with swords, all bamboo is not the same.:D

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Kohai999 said:
Even in a GREAT, high quality, expensive sword, something is usually given up.....for strength, it is often speed and handling that are sacrificed and vice versa. It is relatively easy to make a strong katana with the handling characteristics of a prybar.
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An outstanding point. Same thing applies to some knives. Even some knives touted on certain blade forums... :)
 
Off topic from the sword discussion but your bamboo sounds like it would make some excellent and sturdy walking sticks!
 
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