So many questions!
Anyway, a real japanese katana, handmade by a registered japanese swordsmith in japan and registered with the japanese government is an expensive thing and will never decrease in value.
(At least not in japan)
It was made the same way all real japanese katana are made.
I'm not sure what english words properly describe that process.
I will be doing some tameshigiri with it, but not too much.
(We don't care if we can cut the target in half cleanly in ninjutsu, only that is cuts enough to make it disabling, painful, bloody.)
I guess I have to say that I have been in love with the martial arts all of my life and when you are as deep in it as I am, nothing other than a real japanese katana will do.
I have had Paul chen swords, they are fine.
I just wanted this one.
I wanted a new sword with a full strong blade and a vibrant spirit.
(No disrepect to the old swords, but when I get a bee in my bonnet...)
Fred Lohman is a respected dealer of fittings and you'd be surprised who uses his parts. (Especially here in japan)
Here's the thing: Parts can be made in America and shipped to japan and still be cheaper than buying the parts in japan. They have an artificially inflated economy over here.
Example: Inova flashlight. 30$ on ebay, 15$ shipping to japan.
Price at japanese store: 90$
See ?
