HI Everest Katana

K

KlingonaaseFan

Joined
Dec 26, 2003
Messages
2
Hello,

I have heard many excellent things about the quality of HI's products, and I am wondering if anyone can give me their personal experiences with the Everest Katana, or the other swords made by HI? I've read the review posted on the HI site, and was very impressed. Any feedback would be very helpful :)

Thanks!
 
Can't help you.

I have an Everest katana but my experience with swords is such I can't speak with any authority.

IMHO, to me it is worth what they charge. It is not a showpiece. It has a blade that shows wavers and hammer marks under the polish. It probably should be called something else rather than a katana. I forget the various names used in the general area.

Anyway, mine has a hardwood handle that's a bit too large for me. At 5'4" that isn't much of a surprise. One of these days I'll take the circumference down to suit me. My feeling is that it isn't the prettiest sword you can buy but it is one of the most honest ones.

If my guns were not available to me I'd choose a small Tibetan sword by HI as a first choice, because it was made for someone my size, and I like bastard swords ( aka hand-and-a-half swords ).

I'd have no reservations about having to substitute the Everest katana for my first choice, though. I feel it is an honest blade, better than say, 85-95% of the blades made out there before firearms came into being.

Of course I may be talking through my hat. Hope this helps you.
 
I have not handled a HI katana, but I too think they should be called something else. Perhaps the HI saber, or HI sword. It has the rough shape of a katana, but it is not one. However, names tend to stick if they're used long enough, and in this case it has stuck. Good, functional swords though. Beautiful in its own way, but if you're looking for the particular union of beauty and strength that the japanese sword is renowned for, you'll have to try elsewhere. But if you just want a beater sword, this may be perfect for you.
 
I'd call it more than a beater sword.

My DelTin 2143 is pretty. It is tempered. I could put an edge on it. I wouldn't willingly use it to defend myself with, though.

Either the HI Tibetan sword or the HI Everest katana ( is the word keh-tri or dao more appropriate? ) or an HI khukuri have an integrity, a trustworthiness to them that is beyond that expected of something called a "beater".
 
I like my HI Katana. It took a very keen edge, and held it chopping "vegitation". I'm no swordsman but it sure is fun to swing it around. It should be done outdoors though.:D

I thinned my handle down by sanding and then it took quite a luster when polished up. Very nice wood!
 
I'm fortunate that my wife hasn't noted the odd slices in the ceiling.

;) ;) ;)
 
Hee ehe, join the club, Rusty.

Kling, welcome. I have an HI falcatta that is a beautiful blend of form and function. I would not chop wood with it, (cuz thats what khukuris are for), but it has a slim flat grind razor edge that would stand up to the best tameshigiri-certified cutters. It will cut free hanging rope or cardboard no problem.

I agree with Rusty--HI swords are a step above beaters, being hand forged they seem denser than stock removal beater swords like Kris Cutlety. I would call many of the Kris Cutlery swords beaters (and don't get me wrong, I loke their stuff a lot), but they do have some nice ones as well (hafta meet the demand fer fancy ones too these days).
 
"Denser" - You aren't talking about the gray stuff between my ears, are you Ferrous?

If you are, it's kind of a relier to have a handle on the problem.

Maybe "stabilised' would be a prettier word to the same effect?
 
There are a couple of variations on the Everest Katana. The rat tail handle and the chiruwa style being the most significant other than the fancy kothimoda sword. The Chiruwa handle adds some weight if thats important to you. The blades are very functional and take a very nice edge. If you're after something to hack and beat with the Tibetan or Tarwar is probably a better choice.
 
I have an Everest katana, rat-tail tang. I really like the balance on it, it came with a fine edge, and feels very solid. I've chopped some plywood with it to make sure the tang was strong, and it held up fine.
 
Thank you for all your insights! I didn't know that the style of tang varied from sword to sword though. Is it possible to specify the kind of tang your sword has?

Thanks!
 
Deltins are geared more towards the reenactment crowd, and it is said on Swordforum that they're made thicker (and thus heavier) because of this. But we were talking about katana, not european swords :)

To be honest, I like the look of the traditional katana much better than I do the HI katana. But it is also true that the HI katana is a no-nonsense weapon. No silk tsukamaki, no menuki, etc...basically lacking in everything that makes a katana so beautifully unique in aesthethics, yet giving up nothing in strength or toughness.

But keep in mind that just because a 'real' katana is beautiful, does not mean that it is not a fully functional weapon. From a collector's standpoint, it is 'fragile' because the slightest bump of the saya could cause a dent in the lacquerwork, the least scratch could ruin an expensive polish, etc. But from a warrior's standpoint, worrying about a scratch on his blade is probably the last thing on his mind when he's using it in combat. There are plenty of excellent Howard Clark katana out there which are very beautifully mounted, yet radiate that unmistakeable aura of quiet power that advertises its true purpose.
 
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