do you really think that a 1060 blade can compare to a 9260 blade? I definitely like the design of the dojo pro is better than the Cheness lines, but the steel seems significantly inferior
I think a properly tempered steel goes a long way. And from what I have gathered, a RK 1060 blade stomps the shit out of a Cheness 1060. As far as Ronin's 1060 vs. Cheness's 9260, I think they are relatively comparable. For example, from a pure toughness and resiliency standpoint, Tenchi>Dojo Pro>Kaze. With DP as a close 2nd and the Kaze far behind. As far as sharpness and hardness of the edge, Kaze>Tenchi>DP. The Kaze is definitely a cutter for softer targets, while the DP and Tenchi are more medium cutters. Keep in mind that I am looking for more of a "total package" katana, and I feel that the DP is the better all-around. Blade, fittings, temper, tsuka, overall performance, overall aesthetics, I like the DP. Also keep in mind that I'm relatively new at this, and this is just my opinion thus far. So, to answer your question, yes, I believe a Ronin Katana 1060 blade does indeed compare to a Cheness 9260. Furthermore, you didn't specify which 9260 blade. Tenchi or Kaze? While they are both 9260, they are also both very different. A kaze will chip/break before a Ronin will. A tenchi, on the other hand, is tougher then the Ronin. Are all other manufacturers 1060 equivalent? Of course not. Ronin seems to take the top spot here. Cheness might have been ahead of the game with their 9260 once upon a time, but that isn't the case anymore. It looks like the market has not only caught up, but surpassed them in many ways.
Once again, keep in mind that I am but a novice. Most of this is regurgitated information. But what is knowledge if not information that we have learned from others? I had initially shunned Cheness because of negative comments and reviews of their products. But I gave them a second and third look even. I believe it was you who convinced me to check into them a bit further, and I thank you for that. I truly feel that you genuinely would like for me to get the best katana for myself, once again, I sincerely thank you sir. You have had a huge impact on my research and decision making process. And ultimately, two of Cheness's offerings made my final top 5.
I would be tickled to death, I am sure, with any of these five katanas. But comparatively speaking, for me personally, I like the Dojo Pro best. I compared 20 or so factors in total. Overall length, blade length, length of tsuka, point of balance, blade thickness @ habaki, blade thickness @ kissaki, blade width @ habaki, blade width @ kissaki, sori, weight w/o saya, steel composition and temper, tsuba composition and design, fitting composition and design, ito composition and color, same composition and color, menuki composition and design, mekugi(does it have 2?), fuller(I wanted none), overall appearance, overall performance, and price. While the DP wasn't #1 in every category, it was near the top, for what I am looking for, in most categories. So, personally, from the information I have gathered, as far as today is concerned, currently the Ronin is at the top of my list.
I know that you own at least one Cheness. What model is it? What were the other katanas that you owned? I believe you had posted several in a different thread. What is your opinion of each? Comparatively, how do they stack up? Rate them for me please! I value your opinion, I really do, and I thank you for your time and effort!
Which one does she like best? Will you be doing a review?