Question:

Looking to buy a Japanese made Katana

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I'm trying to buy an authentic Japanese made katana but, I am quite aware that there are plenty of fakes out there trying to take my money. I saw http://www.swordstore.com/cgi-bin/htmlos.cgi/00302.3.5991365052719396676/02/1ord/5ord-shin.html but, I dont know if these are trustworthy sites. I was going to buy my first sword from www.chenessinc.com/ (Okatana) and maybe just try and customize it. I do also realize that at the end of the day a truly authentic sword is out of my price range. However, I would at least like my sword to be made by a Japanese swordsmith. Any help would be much appreciated.

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  1. You should know up front that unless you have at least $3,000 you are not going to find a nihonto that is any good. It is possible to find mass produced gunto cheaper, but if you want a gendaito be prepared to pay in excess of $5,000. The swords on jidai.jp look very good, but I'm not sure I would pay $8,000 for something I had never held in my own hands.

    Most of the katana sold on the net are garbage, unless you are looking for a wallhanger. My advice is to contact a dealer of nihonto - try ricecracker.com. The site is run by a respected nihonto expert.

    A lot depends on what you plan to do with the sword. If you care to elaborate on your question, it may possible to advise you further.


  2. My Father flew over to Japan a few years ago. Not knowing much of Martial Arts and things, and knowing I take a liking to such things he bought me a "A Number One Katana" from a true to live Japanese sword distributor. When he got back home we found out that it was not the authentic craftsman sword he originally thought. As a matter of fact it was chrome electro-plated.

    My freind on the other hand bought a High grade steel Katana from Coldsteel.com. And I must say it is quite impressive.

    The lesson is that just because something came from a supposed source doesn't mean it is supiour in quality. And just because somthing didn't come from the source we'd expect doesn't mean it is some how inferior.


  3. H mmm ...

    What exactly do you want a katana for?  Is it for aethetic (collectors) purpose or for martial arts practise?

    I practise iaido which is the art of Japanese sword-drawing and I usually buy from the Japanese company below:

    http://www.tozandoshop.com/category_s/2....

    The making of swords is highly regulated in Japan.  A katana made in Japan is often referred to as a nihonto.  A smith can only make a limited number of swords per month using strict traditional methods.  This controls the quality of swords but forces the starting price to around $7000.

    Iaito are used for practising basic cuts and kata (forms).  They are not made for banging together or cutting anything.  Most have unsharpened steel or aluminum alloy blades.  They should all have a ha (groove) on both sides of the blade, these grooves lighten the weight of the blade.

    Shinken are real katana made for tameshigiri or cutting practice.  A katana should stand up to abuse, keep a sharp edge, and be constructed correctly.  There are too many "katana like objects" being sold out there.    There are  a lot of terms being used for these types of swords and not everyone calls them shinken.  We normally cut tatami and sometimes cut bamboo in our  classes.  Most students average about 1000 cuts per year and a sword is expected to last for many years.   We recommend shinken that are NOT stainless steel, are differentially hardened, have removable tsuka (handles) for mekugi-peg inspection, and have proper fittings.

    I looked at the web-sites that you supplied and they seem fine to me - although it is always better to be able to 'look' at one in the 'flesh' so to speak before making a final decision, as you would hate to make a costly mistake.

  4. it all depends on the purpose you want the sword for.

    if you are looking towards a decoration piece I'd say don't waste your money and head down to the local Chinese store where you can pick up a cheap wall hanger for a few quid.

    if you are looking for a sword that doesn't need to cut it might be a good idea to check for an iaito

    if you really need a cutting sword the main question is why you want a Japanese blade.

    a handmade Japanese sword will cost you from 5000$ up and due to the fact that smiths can only produce by government imposed quota is pretty hard to get.

    The swords can only be made by the old techniques using the traditional steel made from Iron sand (tamahagane)

    getting your hands on one is one thing, next is getting it out of Japan which is not an easy matter.  you need certificates made out that the sword has no antique or specific value, you need special export certificates made, you need a local police permit to purchase, etc.

    companies like CAS Iberia, Cold Steel or Cheness make shinken using industrial techniques with modern carbon steel to produce blades of similar or even superior quality for a cheaper price.  These blades are of course mass produced so not personalised, but there are people who handle that.  furthermore there are a few smiths in the US like morgan valley forge who make blades through traditional forging but again using modern materials.

    it's really up to you to see what you want

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