Looking to buy a sword

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CQC15

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Nov 29, 2009
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Im interested in buying a japanese sword. Leaning towards the Katana as that seems to be the most popular one. I dont know much about much about swords, can someone point me in the right direction to some information on japanese swords? Maybe to a dedicated forum?

I might also consider a medieval sword as well.

Looking to spend about $500
 
Thanks for the info. I might even look at a decoration piece, would that fit my $500 budget?
 
Medieval sword is a sword. Katana is not a sword, although a lot of people intentionally or ignorantly call it a sword.
Any blade without pommel is a knife, no matter how long it is.
 
CQC15 said:
Thanks for the info. I might even look at a decoration piece, would that fit my $500 budget?
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You can certainly get a decorative piece for that budget but that is unnecessary. Although you certainly can't purchase a high end nihonto for the money that you have in mind, there are katana options for the sword buyer on a budget. First there are piles of chinese made katana (chitana) out there in your price range. There are also some from the Phillipines (www.kriscutlery.com). They aren't nihonto by any means and they are cheaper for a REASON no matter what anyone tells you. Having said that, as an entry level sword if you just have to have one now they are far better then a decorator piece.

So far as European swords go again there are options in your price range. I would check out www.armor.com and www.christianfletcher.com.
 
paua said:
Medieval sword is a sword. Katana is not a sword, although a lot of people intentionally or ignorantly call it a sword.
Any blade without pommel is a knife, no matter how long it is.
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I can understand the point you are trying to make, and there are certainly many makers and manufacturers that labor under the bad assumption that a sword is simply a large knife which they most definitely are not. However, the definition you are proposing seem like a somewhat arbitrary definition to me. I might agree with the idea that in order to be considered a sword a medieval European sword should have a pommel but even that leaves out things like the grossemesser which despite it's name seems like something more then a "big knife."

Suggesting that a katana is not a sword seems more designed to start debate then make any sort of legitimate point.
 
How do you use a katana most often? You swing it, which is the most natural way to use a knife. It's quite awkward to use a katana to stab something for it is not designed to make that kind of maneuver, But if you have done a lot of practice, you can stab your enemy at the neck accurately with an axe.
A sword is defined by the way we control the blade with our fingers to perform some lever techniques. Just like there are three classes of levers, there are three kind of swords. And I need to modify my statement about katana as katana can be a kind of sword if you know where its pivot is.
 
paua said:
How do you use a katana most often? You swing it, which is the most natural way to use a knife. It's quite awkward to use a katana to stab something for it is not designed to make that kind of maneuver, But if you have done a lot of practice, you can stab your enemy at the neck accurately with an axe.
A sword is defined by the way we control the blade with our fingers to perform some lever techniques. Just like there are three classes of levers, there are three kind of swords. And I need to modify my statement about katana as katana can be a kind of sword if you know where its pivot is.
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What? :confused:
 
Dave Rishar said:
I was not aware of either of those "facts." :confused: What makes you say this?
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Because katana's center of gravity is not close to where your hand is.
The more extreme examples are ploughs or axes. Of couse you can still do such move but it is not as easy as sword with pommel, which gives you the ability to control the blade with your fingers instead of using your wrist.
 
hmm.....I can tell you that the japanese sure consider the Katana a "sword", as well as my sensei, who's a 7th dan in MJER.
I'ts not an axe, knife, polearm, or a club.
I can also tell you , that the balance point of my iaito (although being just a "practice" sword) is about 4" infront of the habaki. Many of the nihonto I've handled have had similar balance point, if not even closer to the tsuba.
Honestly, this hs nothing to do with the OP's question and borders on trolling
 
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paua said:
Because katana's center of gravity is not close to where your hand is.
The more extreme examples are ploughs or axes. Of couse you can still do such move but it is not as easy as sword with pommel, which gives you the ability to control the blade with your fingers instead of using your wrist.
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Again, this seems to be another arbitrary definition that you have established. There are plenty of swords that do not have a balance point close to the hand, but they are still swords for all that. I have an Oakeshott Type XII complete with pommel sitting near to hand whose balance point is 9 inches from the cross, I'm guessing you would not argue that it is not a sword.
 
CQC15 said:
Im interested in buying a japanese sword. Leaning towards the Katana as that seems to be the most popular one. I dont know much about much about swords, can someone point me in the right direction to some information on japanese swords? Maybe to a dedicated forum?

I might also consider a medieval sword as well.

Looking to spend about $500
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here's a good forum for nihonto:
http://www.nihontomessageboard.com/

Here's a good listing of swords, that should give you ideas of ranges in prices.
http://www.hanweishop.com/products.php?cat=460
 
paua said:
Because katana's center of gravity is not close to where your hand is.
The more extreme examples are ploughs or axes. Of couse you can still do such move but it is not as easy as sword with pommel, which gives you the ability to control the blade with your fingers instead of using your wrist.
Click to expand...

Look, please do those of us that know something, and those that know nothing all a favor, and provide very specific sources for your assertations, or don't say anything further.

Misinformation just clouds up the tenuous grasp that most of us have on reality anyway.;)

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Thanks for the info guys. I think I want to change my focus and get a decent quality (possibly a replica) for decoration purposes. Sure it may seem vain, but after my research I realized I wont be actually using or practicing with the sword, basically looking for a novelty piece.

Can I get something to hang on my wall with half of my original spending budget?
 
CQC15 said:
Thanks for the info guys. I think I want to change my focus and get a decent quality (possibly a replica) for decoration purposes. Sure it may seem vain, but after my research I realized I wont be actually using or practicing with the sword, basically looking for a novelty piece.

Can I get something to hang on my wall with half of my original spending budget?
Click to expand...

You can get some funky but interesting looking stainless steel bladed wall hangers for less than a $100, which I wouldn't even let into my house.

You can get a WHOLE range of decent entry-level Chitanas(Chinese made katana like swords) for less than $200.00. Cheness or Practical Katana by CAS Hanwei come to mind.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
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