Im looking for a real katana but i keep seeing practical katanas what does that mean is it the real thing?

Question

Im looking for a real katana but i keep seeing practical katanas what does that mean is it the real thing?

Answer 1

Practical katana is most popularly used as a model of Paul Chen (Hanwei forge) that is no frills and made for tameshigiri cutting.  Real? Yes.  Handmade? No.  Valuable? No.

Other companies have started to through that term into desciptions of their swords

Answer 2

Yes, the  will have a sharp edge, but for gods sake be careful.

Ive seen someone slice the end of their finger off from a small touch.

Answer 3

Hi there

There's only one web site you need and that's these guys

http://www.chenessinc.com/

Click on the link blade guide and it will answer all your questions.

I have two from this supplier plus a few from other ones but if you want a blade that's up to the job these are your guys!

Spring steal 9260 blades are the best on the market unless you want to pay the price of a small house that is. ;-)

Best wishes

idai

Answer 4

read info and links below. expect to pay in the neighborhood of 1000 range if you DON'T know what to look for as far as quality, you can find them cheaper, but in all honesty would you rather p**s away $200 by paying $1000 for what you want, or p**s away $500 and found out you got a total piece of c**p?

the term "practical katana" is just marketing puffery (as becomes painfully obvious to the guy in the video in the last link), as is "combat ready" and such. combat ready often refers to "stage combat" if its not an outright lie.  stage combat does not require a sword to perform like a sword since all the routines are pre arranged to prevent injury to the actors.

helpfull links and interesting reading for you:

steels used in japanese swords:

http://swordforum.com/sfu/japanese/moder...

heat treatment:

http://swordforum.com/sfu/primer/heattre...

sword misconceptions:

http://swordforum.com/sfu/primer/thebest...

famous movie swords:

http://swordforum.com/sfu/primer/moviesw...

everyone's favorite video of what happens when you use a wallhanger (stainless steel).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1s0dRcdyi...

Answer 5

Practice Katana are usually un-sharpened and made for doing forms and choreographed martial arts (like XMA).   They can hurt you, but it's more like being hit with a butter knife - it has to be travelling fast to cut, and tends to bruise more than slice.  They are machine made and often made from cheap steel or coated with chrome to make them shiny.

A traditional katana is made by a master swordsman, sharpened by a master sharpener, and the hilt and sheathe are made by masters of those crafts as well.  They are made specifically for an individual according to the person's strength, height, preferred balance, etc. Also, katana are battle blades made with high carbon steel, so they rust easily, but they sharpen better than more durable steels (like stainless).  They are rarely ornate, but simple and precisely made.  Some of the sheaths are more elaborate, but not ostentatious.

It's not too hard to tell the difference - the price tag is a decent indicator, but high-quality machine made katana are available, so price isn't the only factor.  If you see a lot of etching, color, tassels, etc. it's probably a show piece.  If the hilt is adorned with jewels and embroidery - it's not practical and is probably junk.  

If you note really simple but solid construction, perfect lines, a blade with a deep glow instead of a shiny finish, a hilt that fits perfectly with the sheath, and it's insanely expensive, it's more likely to be the real deal.  

I don't know what you're after, but I'd stick with a decent practice blade (even a wooden one can kill when used properly).  Don't look for the genuine article until you know enough not to kill yourself or get ripped off.