How do the Hanwei tacticals hold up under machete-like use?

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gomipile

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Apr 17, 2010
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I'd like to get a katana or wakizashi for kenjutsu cutting practice, and I realize that in the under $200 category, the Hanwei tactical models are pretty much ideal.

However, I'd also like to be able to use it for clearing brush, chopping melons, cutting thrown fruit out of the air, etc. I'd like to be able to use it like this with basically no fear of damaging the blade unless I do something really stupid like hit a rock or metal surface, or foolishly try to chop down a tree.

So, knowing that due to simple physics and materials science that the wakizashi will hold up better than the katana under this use, how will the katana hold up?

Would I be satisfied with the tactical katana if I used it for machete tasks? Or should I stick to the wakizashi?
 
Neither the tactical wakizashi or tactical katana will handle machete use. Fruits, sure no problem. But chopping or cutting wood, or other tasks that a machete can do are a big no no.
 
Basically, I'd be satisfied if they can handle pumpkin, watermelon, apple, osage orange, aged timber grade bamboo, heavy duty shipping tubes, and tatami mats with a thin stiffening dowel in the middle. Basic messing about and cutting practice. I wouldn't want to take it to a tree trunk or anything incredibly stupid. From what I've heard, the wakizashi's edge is close to as tough as a 5160 chopper knife.
 
Aged timber bamboo? Not a good idea if it's dried, depends on the species too but most of the time: Dried bamboo is NOT a smart target.
Heavy Duty Shipping tubes will dull your blade faster than you think.
I don't recommend trying dowels over 1/4" thick with a wakizashi, first off the Tactical wakizashi won't do it because A) Low mass, B) Short sword thus less momentum and force at the tip.

Uhm other then that any fruits or vegetables, tatami omote are fair game, tubes, cardboard is all fair game (keep in mind cardboard can and will dull your sword).
 
Luis G. said:
Aged timber bamboo? Not a good idea if it's dried, depends on the species too but most of the time: Dried bamboo is NOT a smart target.
Heavy Duty Shipping tubes will dull your blade faster than you think.
I don't recommend trying dowels over 1/4" thick with a wakizashi, first off the Tactical wakizashi won't do it because A) Low mass, B) Short sword thus less momentum and force at the tip.

Uhm other then that any fruits or vegetables, tatami omote are fair game, tubes, cardboard is all fair game (keep in mind cardboard can and will dull your sword).
Click to expand...

^This. Green bamboo is fair game, but dried stuff (especially structural grade) is pretty darn tough. Armor gets made out of that stuff.
 
All good advice, nice to see in the Sword s/f.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Actually, the Tactical Wak is under $100 - Google shopping shows two highly rated stores have it priced at $90 including shipping. The high-ball stores seem to have it priced around $119 + shipping. I know, because I was just drooling over one a few days ago.

Thing is though ... Cold Steel, Ontario, Condor, Gerber, Sog, Tramonita, and others as well all offer good Machetes for $20 and less - 1/10'th of the cost of the katanas you are eyeballing.

Sure, swords like the tactical Wak will last a lifetime to slashing up pumpkins, rice mats, or melons. No worries there. But machete use is out of the question for several reasons; the chief of these are the stiffness of the steel and the manner in which a swords handle is attached to the tang. If you go beating on things with you Wak, everything is going to start coming loose. A Machete is build differently to take the continued shock.
 
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