Japanese, type, swords???

M

MCSwiney

Joined
Jun 17, 1999
Messages
85
Howdy?,

Well, for starters, thank you very much for having followed up on this thread of mine.

So, that having been said, I was toying with the idea of starting to collect kantanas and the like, in addition to the Swiss Victorinox & Spyderco folders I already collect, yet I Do Not know all that much about them (aside from the fact that I enjoy watching "Highlander" reruns...just kidding).

It need not be, per se, an kantana exactly for that matter (ergo it could be a similar type Japanese sword).

So, it virtually goes without saying, I could use some helpful suggestions from the kind folks on these forums (i.e., type steel, brand, manufacturer, etc.) to that effect.

What I know for certain, at this point, is that I Do Not wish to go overboard money wise, as this will be the first sword I have ever purchased, nor do I wish to end up with junk that has "Made in China" or the like stamped on it either (yuck).

It would be nice to have something "utilitarian" (READ sharpened blade), not that I intend to run amok with said sword and slice & dice everyone in my midst, that also is "eye candy" (ergo serves decorative purposes).

Could someone recommend a wholesaler, by chance, that deals in these style swords more so then most others? Or any other reputable sources for that matter?

Respondents, by the way, are more then welcome to contact me via my AOL account (MCSwiney@aol.com).

I thank you in advance for your help and understanding and am looking forward to the responses.

"Stay Sharp!"

With kind regards,

Michael Cedric Swiney

------------------

"Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent!"

- Wittgenstein




[This message has been edited by MCSwiney (edited 01-25-2000).]
 
Hello Walt Welch et al,

Well, for starters, thank you for reading, and responding, to the above posting of mine.

I did indeed find your inserted hyperlink to be highly informative, regarding Japanese swords in general, yet I would be equally interested in hearing of commercial sites that offer decent/reasonable replica Japanese type swords.

It is my understanding, based upon some quick research, that antique Japanese swords go anywhere from $2.000 to $20.000, or more, in asking price. Even the used, and in not so good condition, swords go for in the, just under, two thousand dollar category.

It would also appear, by the very same token, that modern replicas which are made in Seki City, Japan carry an asking price of approximately 1,000,000 Yen.

Well, I, in stark contrast, was planning on spending approximately $250, or less, on a decent machine tooled replica (barring that it does not have a stamp on it declaring "Made In China" "Made In Taiwan" or the like) that should be functional all the same.

I, it virtually goes without saying, am not hoping to acquire "junk" as my very first sword, hence I can do without the variety that rattles when you pick it up, is blunt, or has some other defect working against it.

My thanks & appreciation,

Michael Cedric Swiney



------------------

"Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent!"

- Wittgenstein


 
Michael,

Here are a some books you may want to look through.

The Samarai Sword a Handbook, by John M. Yumoto (Tuttle, Tokyo 1958/1995) - ISBN 0-8048-0509-1

The Connoisseur's Book of Japanese Swords, by Kokan Nagayama (Kodansha, New York 1997) -ISBN 4-7700-2071-6

Military Swords of Japan 1868-1945, by Richard Fuller and Ron Gregory (Arms and Armor, New York 1994) - ISBN 1-85409-183-2

Arms and Armor of the Samurai, by I Bottomley and A P Hopson (Random House, NY 1988) - ISBN 0-517-10318-4

You can probably get them at your local Barnes and Noble.

If you are willing to spend $250 on a sword I would suggest that it may be worth while to Save a little more and buy the real thing. There are alot of cheap replicas in the $200 range, including the Marto/CAS Highlander sword which are so poorly put together (plastic handle etc.) that it will
Fall apart if you ever actually hit anything with it.

While signed Japanese swords command prices in the multiple thousands, during WWII the Japanese produced modern factory sword for many of their troops. These more recent versions are available at far more reasonable prices (I have seen NCO swords selling for about $200-400, and the officer version goes for about $600). The differnce is that these are real issued combat sword. They are not only more durable but will appreciate in value as collectable relics of WWII.

Good luck on your search.
 
Dear "not2sharp" & other Forumites,

I greatly appreciate ALL of the wonderful advice that has been readily forthcoming (and so quick to boot). SMILE

As to the suggested reading material...

I shall, needless to say, be sure to canvass the bookshelves at my local Barnes & Noble, Borders, and other, bookstores. Researching Katanas, and the like, is just as much fun as acquiring them (or so it seems).

As to the suggested swords...

Yes, I too have heard of said W.W.II issue Katanas, however, I was not able to locate any within that price range (the ones I saw on the Net/Web were significantly higher in asking price).

Wishing one & all a, "Kind & gentle night..."

Respectfully,

Michael Cedric Swiney



------------------

"Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent!"

- Wittgenstein


 
Michael,

You may want to take a quick look at EBAY # 242455104, and 243709395.
 
Hi Michael,
I suggest searching for Nosyuiado. This is a Japanese run web site that sells Katana either pre manufactured, or made to your specs. This site has some good information to use as a starting point.
You may also want to check out some of the CAS Iberia Katana that are forged in Hanwei China. They have some nice models with buffalo horn fittings and bronze furniture and also ray skin underwrap. Search for the Golden Oriole, Musashi Daisho, Shinto Katana. These run in the $400 range. There is also a practical model, that has a forged blade without the other nice extras and maybe a good practice blade.
 
Hi Michael,

For starters, you might want to look into www.nihonto.com It's a site by Fred Weissberg, a gentleman who is both EXtremely knowledgeable about (authentic) Japanese swords and is also very kind about dispensing sage advice. His e-mail is hageyama@best.com

You might also consider contacting Timothy Pepin; samuraisword@att.globalnet

Antique swords of any worth are extremely expensive, but do watch out for modern ersatz. There are modern and new blades available, but you should be sure that you get one from a true swordsmith, like Yoshindo Yoshihara. I believe that there are only several hundred Certified swordsmiths in Japan (certified by the Japanese government). Probably can get a nice one starting at around 1,500,000 yen....
(I'm not certain so you should ask Fred)...

Anyway, that amount was much toooo steep for me, so I ended up getting a "custom knife" of about 7 in. by a swordsmith named Takehana. Blade was made from scratch (INCLUDING the raw materials which he smelted himself), and entirely by hand; brass engraved hilt; scultped, dark hardwood handle. Cost me about 2,000 dollars. So, if you want authentic, but your wallet cannot part with 10 grand, then this might be an alternative you might want to consider.

Ok, good luck~

Ken
 
Before you go out and spend your hard earned money you need to get a lot more information. I can strongly recommend 3 web sites:

Sword forum International www.swordforum.com

Netsword www.netsword.com

Historical Armed Combat Association www.thehaca.com

Swordforum is probably the best place to start. They have a lot of information and comparisons on the various swords available. A lot of swords in the price range you gave look pretty but aren't really functional.

From the information you gave it sounds like you might want to start with a katana from Kris Cutlery. These are "basher" swords, not the prettiest and not completely accurate reproductions, but they have an edge and will stand up to a lot of abuse. The cost is around $200.00. The company has a good reputation for service. You can find a link to them on Swordforum's website.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

Mark
 
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