Always best to ask your teacher as far as what to get. For a beginner practicing Iai, I suggest an iaito, even a cheap one would be OK. If you don't want to spend $200-$300 on a sword that can't cut, then get a bokuto for much cheaper. I'd like to acquire myself a nice iaito so I can do all my forms, but my bloodwood bokuto is great overall.
If you want a real sword and you want to practice properly, you want to get the best quality you can buy. A less-than-optimal sword in the hands of a novice can provide all sorts of bad habits and strained wrists. "Strong" has nothing to do with it. So you'd want whatever your teacher could suggest, and best-fit to you as possible. Iaito have the advantage of being a little lighter than real swords and have some advantages in safety and economics for quality.
But those are serious tools for serious practitioners. Many people want as "real" a sword as they can possibly get as soon and as cheap as possible....
weld razor blades onto a crowbar and call it a sword for all I care really. There's a lot more sword arts in the world than in Japan, that's for sure. I like to encourage people stick at least somewhat to tradition, if you're going to consider stuff as a specific style. I'm overjoyed that guys like Mr. Hossom and Mr. Criswell are willing to extend the courtesy of at least considering some of the ideas proposed by asses like me. Shows that some trust and respect in the industry exists and we're able to cooperate...traditional style and modern interpretations.
There are differences that can often be seen. Japanese style swords for Japanese style swordsmanship. This happens to be my favorite, and many people refer to it because it's the most famous of the orthodox styles. Lots of single edged styles in the world from about 90% of the Japanese swords to Sabers from Europe and elsewhere, many backswords, shamshirs, dao, dha, and so on. Lots of similarities and differences in each style, lots of different uses. A curved saber may look something like an uchigatana but it is used in a different fashion. Is one better than the other? Only individual opinions will say, and even though I am biased, I don't feign superiority to either side. I'd personally like seeing more Dha on the market. Maybe some higher-end dao too, or middle-eastern blades.
In my opinion those are fascinating blades that have a lot of untapped opportunity. I'd like to find makers who would be interested in working with me and other people who share a common interest in these types of things. The problem is finding makers who have any vested interest.
But even then, we gotta understand what people are looking for in a sword.
Shinryû.
