Cold Steel Katanas?

[mussi]

Has anybody tested these Cold Steel katanas? I know they won't hold up
to a real one, but then the price ain't exactly that of a real one
either, and Cold Steel has a decent reputation, at least what I've
seen from their swords.

 

[Bandityo]

I have a couple coming in......will post views when they arrive

david

 

[Kmark]

Just a note, the Cold Steel katana aren't made by Cold Steel, they're made by Cicada Forge, a company based in China and run by Fred Chen. Their katana and jian blades, both of which I've had the opportunity to handle, are of good quality - the best you can get short of custom stuff (I have a dotanuki-style katana by them and I love it.)

The Cold Steel katana are not clay tempered, but they should still be of good quality.

 

[Triton]

I saw the new catalog today. The katanas in there at least are priced at about the same range as a Paul Chen sword so nothing really new there unless you really really like bo-hi or have a thing for double edged katana. The thing I thought was interesting were the two chinese swords. Are they made by cicada forge too?

 

[tallwingedgoat]

The Japanese and Chinese swords are all made in China from the shop of Fred Chen (not Paul Chen of Hanwei).

Cicada forge is Rick Barrett's business in the US. He makes custom swords as well as market Fred Chen's factory swords, which are og higher quality and is more expensive than the Cold Steel line.

I'm not sure if Cold Steel get their swords through Cicada. I doubt it, most likely Rick inroduced Fred to Lynn Thompson. I know Rick had some input to these Cold Steel swords though. You may want to contact him at:
http://barrettcustomknives.com/

Hope that clears it up.



[This message has been edited by tallwingedgoat (edited 04-19-2001).]

 

[sweet]

I have a coldsteel katana that I enjoy much better then my Paul Chen swords...I guess MUSSI I have a fake katana not a "real one" I real dont care just thought your post was funny-thankyou...BANDITYo you said you have a couple comming in have they yet would like to read you review...KMARK your right not clay tempered but very good quality...Triton price is competative to PC but overal quality is much beter...another good place to check out these katanas but with a clay temper or with forge/folded blades look at
http://liveblade.com/
top is coldsteel middle is PC unfinished custom bare blade bottom is unfinished Kris Cutlery bare 29" blade