Fully functional katana

[spyderco_freak]

Hey im looking for a fully functional katana for around $200

Musts:
Full tang
Differentially hardened

Would like but not mandatory:
Folded steel

I plan on using this for just cutting in my backyard. Bottles, cardboard, maybe beach mats.

 

[Eytan (Ethan) K]

musashi katana - around the 100$ - best value for money - for katanas under 300$.
Google it, nuf' said. Good luck.
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[crimsonfalcon07]

Hanwei has some good offerings in your price range as well.

 

[BePrepared]

musashi katana - around the 100$ - best value for money - for katanas under 300$.
Google it, nuf' said. Good luck.
[Removed]

I have one of these. It's worth the money and then some. It's a tiny bit too soft (55 rc) to be qualified as "fully functional" but it is certainly a functional weapon. It would bend under extreme stress where a hanwei through hardened blade would not, but it would quite easily remove an arm without taking damage

 

[BePrepared]

by the way, you do understand that a through hardened blade will be MUCH more durable than a Differentially hardened blade right? Differentially hardened blades have a much higher likelihood of taking a permanent bend with lateral stress. All of the blades that I'd be willing to use in actual combat (silly as that sounds) are through hardened to at lease 58rc

 

[spyderco_freak]

Thanks for all the info. I'm looking at the musashi bamboo katana.

 

[BePrepared]

Thanks for all the info. I'm looking at the musashi bamboo katana.

That's exactly the one i have. It is good for soft targets (mats) but not good for hardened targets. It WILL take a set if it impacts something hard.

My personal recommendation, if you want a truly usable blade, is to spend slightly more than your budget and get one of these

http://www.chenessinc.com/9260.htm

Those will handle substantially more impact than the musashi and will have much better fit and finish

Of the ones on that list, this would be the one i'd choose

http://www.chenessinc.com/kurome.htm

 

[BePrepared]

did you ever decide on something?

 

[spyderco_freak]

I think im going to get the musashi. But still looking around a bit.

 

[BePrepared]

I think im going to get the musashi. But still looking around a bit.

You won't find anything better under $150... i did a lot of research before i got my musashi. I will tell you that the Through Hardened ones are MUCH tougher than the DH ones, even though they don't have the pretty hamon. They're also about $40 cheaper.

1060 steel is going to be much much better TH if you want to use it for cutting