So if you want one, don't put it off too long - the current prices are an absolute steal.. Probably the only issue we have is that sometimes the Forge Direct Katana take a little longer to make than we would like. First, we have to consider the quality service and communication with the seller, and mostly the lifetime warranty, which has a definite worth. - Saya lacquering is good with nice brown-black horn and mother of pearl, if you're into this, no saya rattle. Just looking for anyone interested in swords and martial arts so we can meeting up for lunch or something. Again, after unravelling the ito I can notice with my limited experience, that the hishigami placement was very badly done and created a large part of the unevenness and lumpiness of the tsukamaki. This has since been I asked for horn fittings and while I cannot attest for the kojiri and kurigata the koiguchi was indeed horn. In his recent SBG Store Newsletter Paul announced that all the FD Elite line tsuka would now have hishigami as standard, which is a. I don't know what to say about the tsuka core, the shape itself may not be terrible but the two pieces are uneven and not the same width in the first 2 inches and should never been used as is. copper patina. The rayskin itself is a very nice cut, with large nodes and is clearly reserved for the best Samurai swords the smiths make. The only flaw I could find was on the kashira - the gold paint application was a little off here and there, though only really noticeable up close and if you are looking for it. By contrast, for the second sword I chose a shorter blade (27" Nagasa) with black iron fittings, black saya, black handle with black rayskin - black on black on black.. This second sword was to be the antithesis of the first, and a tribute to the sinister, half mad sword maker of legend, Muramasa.. To achive an authentic Muramasa style blade, I requested that the forge add in a partial bo-hi around 6" long about 3" from the tsuba. Would I recommend that katana? And a brigantine, if I remember correctly! The full tang blade has been const.. Black Sword Stand for Japanese Samurai sword katana, wakizashi, tantoCondition: New, Unused, No family. At this price point there is a need to have consistency, which Forge Direct seems to have when it come to the blades themselves (but keep an eye on the machi, those need to be straight), and need to tighten QC for the saya (koiguchi) and tsuka parts. Excuse the less than perfect pic, hard to balance a sword on a finger tip and take a photo at the same time! - Tsukamaki tightness can be fixed by lacquering. swords. Hi (blood groove): no groove or with groove or double groove. I had no trouble returning the katana to a warehouse in Texas, from where it was resold as S&D to a member of the SBG FaceBook page who was quite happy about it. I decided to buy one because A) There were none . The Tsuba is the sword guard, and what protect your hand from getting cut from your blade or your opponents blade, we offer a large variety of Tsuba in different prices, please Choose different options to see different Tsuba. Nice because it offsets my preference for the That thing is an absolute blast to shoot, and dead on accurate, at least for a poor shot like me. Estimated availability: Currently Unknown. concerns in that department, though. You are so smart! Lacquered Black semi Ray Skin Saya with Authentic Buffalo Horn. Create your custom Nodachi sword from the our selection of options available for customization, Create the Nodachi sword you always wanted. wave have intricate extensions giving them the appearance of snow . I must judge there is a good heat treatment of the blade. P.S I have extensive pictures of the thing, ask if you want more details. more shine through and looks best in my opinion. it right away and sent me a higher quality sageo to replace it. It didn't look bad at Made to Order, Typically ships in 6-8 weeks. Again I had a lengthy discussion via e-mail with Paul about the issues this piece have, which we got over points by points. Gorgeous blade, high polish, very sharp along the Lovedecor un laboratorio creativo che ruota e si anima intorno al mondo dellinterior desi La mia azienda si occupa di tende da interno,tende da sole,zanzariere. "But as a precaution I'd not inhale the sword." It was resold as Scratch & Dent in the SBG Store. To truly determine how good the Project is and see for myself if these really were the best Samurai swords currently available outside of Japan, I commissioned the forge to make two swords for me from the available customization options - adding a few extra options to try out and add to the mix if they were any good.. Part of it is the design - a 1" shorter than the standard 28" Katana blade with partial bo-hi and solid iron fittings all tend to shift the balance towards the handle. it has high shock absorption and it's great for cutting advance targets like Bamboo poles. only confirmed what I was sure to be the verdict: Unsheathed, the Ko Katana variant is has the same length handle as a full length Forge Direct Katana, but the blade of a Wakizashi, It passes the 'sniff test' with flying colors, And a close up of the kissaki tip with boshi, geometric yokote and traditional hand carved bo-hi termination.. Basically everything anyone could ask for in a Shinken, Click here for the most reliable, honest and respected sword sellers, Affordable Traditional Blades with 'Hamon'. Maybe a sparring session if I have time. Tsuba Fittings: Choose from over one hundred unique blade guard designs. I didn't like that the seam around the edge of the tsuba had not been Weigh.. We created such swords ourselves as part of Project X - producing a range of traditionally laminated Katana starting at around $1,100. with Paul, I know it's more than just marketing style. The katana hamon is considered the blade pattern its the effect created by the hardening process. I am aware that production swords may and will have flaws, usually the cheaper the worse it is, but not always, also I am aware that lemons happens. CUSTOM YOUR OWN KATANA FULL HAND FORGED JAPANESE SAMURAI KATANA SWORD. eBay Scams Exposed: the article China based eBayers don't want you to see.. "Yes. Kurigata was possibly horn with brass shitodome, looked glued in place and not loose. The only colors, the two mekugi pegs (bamboo) and gold menuki (handle ornament) and gold highlights of the tsuba. the steel is folded 13 times which creates beautiful Hada (grain pattern) on the blade. At first it was an attack weapon, during the Nara period, but over time it evolved to become more ornamental. Great assembly - everything fits together as it should. For comparative examples I own a Ryujin Custom katana (no hishigami) from the SBG Store, a Even Sword/Tsunami Dragon (with hishigami) from Ebay, 2 from JKOO/Sinosword store (with hishigami) a Ronin Katana (no hishigami) S&D sale from the RK store and Huawei (with hishigami) from Ebay. The Fuchi and Kashira fittings are also made of iron with a black finish and textured pattern. - Blade was beautiful, everything straight, very crisp, definitely the nicest looking one we have home. Extreme Sword Collections: The 'It Starts With One' SBG Collection Gallery. I was able to easily polish most of it out. The reason it was filled with cement was immediately obvious as the nakago was much thinner than the tsuka slot's depth. Lacquered Smoke Saya with Gold Dragon Scroll Work Inscriptions, Hand Carved Bird Diagram Filled with Natural Seashell, Hardwood Black Saya with Hand Drawn Paintings, Hardwood Black Saya with Hand Drawn Dragons, Burgundy Hardwood Saya with Authentic Buffalo Horn and Natrual Seashell Filled, Gloss Black Saya with Scattered Dot Paint, Authentic Buffalo Horn Saya with Mixed Black and Red Paint, Full Seashell Pattern Saya with Authentic Buffalo Horn, Black Saya with Japanese Crest made of Copper, Multicolour Linen Finish Saya with Buffalo Horn Ends, Black Saya with Hand Painted Golden Bamboo Leaves, Multicolour Linen Finish Saya (Red Based) with Buffalo Horn Ends, Hand Carved Dragon Saya Coated in Lacquered Black, Hand Carved Phoenix Saya Coated in Lacquered Black, The Blade will be extra sharpened by hand to achieve a very sharp edge. It takes many different kinds of local building supplies and materials to complete a home, and lumber supplies and building materials are available at a wide variety of prices. The Below is my video highlighting what it can do from my own review of the prototypes here.. It has a blade with the same design as the Katana but considerably smaller. If you want a comparative with the katana I have in hand to compare with Ryujin is wavy and soft all over, RK is better but still medium soft and wavy on the mune (it was a S&D sale though), JKOO is on par with RK, Tsunami-Dragon is no better than Ryujin, the only one that come close is the Huawei Unokubi mat cutter, but the Forge Direct blade is surely the best looking and crispest we have home right now. He demonstrates a genuine desire to help sword freaks and provide the Below is a close up of the silk ito and rayskin. Diamonds are uniform in size and Unlike the Katana sword, the Ninjato is a straight blade Ninja sword. He I do not have much quality images of the blade as it was not my focus when I was communicating with Paul. $400-$500 dollar range. to tinker, so I abraded and polished the seam away. Hot -9 %. Navigate to the sides of each slider to see the different options available for your custom Katana Choose the Saya (scabbard) made of Lacquer wood, or choose our more high quality saya for extra. Condition: New, Unused, No There following tsubas are made of IRON, The concept is simple, we take the most attractive, Master Smith Forged T10 High Speed Tool Steel blades with a stunning unenhanced, natural Hamon available in either Choji Midare or Gunome Midare styles. The black, tanned samegawa panels with small nodes was drilled through along with the nakago and the bit punched as much as drilled the samegawa panels, so the mekugi were pushing up the edge of the same with them, didn't look too pretty. The other day I was shopping for three wakizashi as gifts for With my limited experience, the reason I think the SBG tsuka come up with a 'boxy' appearance is that there is no slot for the samegawa panels, they are merely glued on top the tsuka andit create a ridge on both sides under the ito. I think it's a bit steep, but then I didn't cut with it, maybe I would have been blown away with laser cuts, I don't know. So for the next best thing? counted over 30 of them. come across, Paul provides way more educational and tutorial information on the On this blade, there is also a couple of Tobiyaki - a couple of spots where the hamon 'jumps' off the main area (this is not a flaw, and sometimes done intentionally - sometimes done as a 'happy accident' and a nice touch). Forge direct Forge Direct "Muramasa" Laminated Katana - Full Custom Option V4.0 Ok so i ordered one of these, its been 2 1/2 months. The hamon cleanly follows the curvature of the tip (called boshi) and is beautifully polished.. Mein Benutzererlebnis mit Cookies anpassen, Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers, Outdoor Lighting & Audio/Visual Specialists, Via Giovanni Keplero, 24, 20019 Settimo Milanese (MI). entire length, well executed. dulled the dramatic look somewhat. Copyright 2005-2023 sword-buyers-guide.com. Though the tsuba adds a little weight, I Paul and I had - Sageo is badly woven and sewn and it unraveled. bought them. Important Note* Colored blades even when ultra sharp will not be as sharp as their non colored equivalent. T10 is referred to as high speed steel and consists of 1% carbon content and tungsten, what makes this sword durable, resilient and tough. But not everyone can necessarily afford the average price of a Japanese Shinken of $5-8K (which is very much the basic entry level for genuine Nihonto).. Indeed, I have yet to find a sword that cuts both very light to quite substantial targets quite as easily as the Forge Direct Katana. The Katana sword was the primary weapon carried by the Samurai class in feudal Japan, the Katana is a single edge curved blade and was worn with the edge facing upward. One remarked that the tsuba made it The other day I was shopping for three wakizashi as gifts for - None of the flaws were fatal and the sword was fully functional. As for myself, again the sword handles very well, I swished it around carefully and lately a bit more vigorously as my elbow gets better, I really like the feel of it, if not the tsuka itself under hand. As you can see, it turned out more or less to spec. The saya completed this design, and reminded me of the kind of saya you might see belonging to a Daimyo (Feudal Lord).. SBG Custom Katana lines from 2008 to the present. Blade rattled in, no more or less than your average production saya. Sie knnen nicht notwendige Cookies ber Einstellungen verwalten ablehnen. I think he sincerely likes to make sword buyers doesn't hold prints and smudges much at all. No hishigami. The saya tapers well toward the kojiri and is noticeably slimmer than the other production saya we have home, easily by 2-3mm slimmer for both width and thickness, which is nice. the steel is folded 13 times which creates beautiful Hada (grain pattern) on the blade. monotone copper patina. While these one-of-a-kind fabric coverings tend to be more expensive than mainstream pieces, they are both usually more durable and aesthetically pleasing. The sword weights 2lb 8oz. I am also a slow, two fingers typing writer", I'll carry on, carry over, carry forward, Cary Grant, cash and carry, carry me back to Old Virginia, I'll even 'hari-kari' if you show me how, but I will not carry a gun!. - the swords available from Forge Direct Japanese are. . imho, that is the only aspect I like about this sword, the tsuka is an abomination and I really don't think it's ever a good idea to use hard cement in the koiguchi since I'm sure pieces will fall in over time and can potentially scratch the blade. Read on and decide for yourself if we have achieved this rather lofty goal.. The worker/workers that did/do the tsukamaki and hishigami need to learn how to do it properly if the SBG Store wants the Forge Direct Elite line to compete properly with the concurrence. I mean, I did look around and compare, but it But the real proof of the pudding is in the cutting of light and not so light targets. Click, We offer a blade engraving service, it is FREE to engrave Chinese characters, English letters or Japanese kanji on the blade using Laser engraving machine, we also offer hand engraving service. BUT! engraving. To put this review in perspective, I am a sword novice. Koiguchi shimmed with epoxy (it should be wood). the sageo is tied to the actual sheathe itself. Damages. He didn't bat an email eye. We shall see. I have not used the sword to cut. Reclaimed wood projects and applications can include custom interior walls, wide-plank flooring, barn wood sliding doors and more. The O-Katana on the other hand has what is effectively a gunome midare hamon (midare basically means with some activity and irregular patterns in the hamon). Menuki are elongated clumps of seaweed with entire length, well executed bo-hi, geometric yokote. I guarantee you will agree that these are the best Samurai swords you can get hold of for this price point - there is only one other brand (Project X) that we have created that stands above them, but they cost a few hundred more and take 3-4 months to make (and are a different style entirely really - these are the more practical alternative, fully utilizing the strengths of modern crucible steel). That's when I discovered the tsuba was made Order your custom katana sword today and experience the art and craftsmanship of traditional Japanese swords. This gave it amazing speed and makes it one of the best Samurai Swords I have played around with for sheer responsiveness by far. One more thing. Balanced at 6" from the tsuba, it is not as fast as the Muramasa clone, but for such a long blade, is very, very easy to wield. - My son liked how it cut though he found it too heavy for him, can't wait to try it myself once I have it remounted. There was a 'lip' at the transition between the tsukamaki and both the fuchi and kashira. The Samurai helmet also known as Kabuto, was used to protect the head and neck. I have not removed the blade Really interesting read, looking forward to the 2nd one. Forge Direct Custom Katana. The original Forge Direct Katana review on SBG here was as unbiased as possible - after all, if the prototypes were not up to standard there was no way we would have continued with the project. If you wish us to engrave an image on your blade, please upload the file here. All in all, the blades were quite exceptional. CUSTOM YOUR OWN SWORD FULL HAND FORGED JAPANESE SAMURAI SWORD. How Samurai Discipline Can Skyrocket Your Productivity in 1 Week. The Wakizashi is the companion andAuxiliary sword for the Katana. It blade. The saya is also not quite wide enough there and as a result of both this and deficient filing the habaki is now only supported by the horn of the koiguchi on both mune and ha side. Paul jumped on Choose the color of the ray skin Samegawa from the options below: Choose Between: Katate-Maki (Battle Wrap) or Tsumami Maki (Traditional Wrap). That was a well detailed review and will be looking for the follow up. Now, again we have to consider the quality service and communication with the seller, and mostly the lifetime warranty, which has a definite worth. golden brass edge around the tsuba, like a bright ring. Katana Approximate Size: 72cm Blade, 27cm Handle Length. The menuki were also copper with painted gold and silver highlights. Feature: The sword stand for Gives the tsuka a sharp precision look, wanted one to support the water theme of the tsuba, so I paid extra for rain Drag and move the bar to choose the custom handle length you want in centimeters: The Kissaki is the tip and pointy end of the Japanese sword that feature a ridge line.You can choose either traditional Kissaki or Kiriha Zukuri type. The length of the below tsubas are aroun.. Saya is the Japanese term for a scabbard, and But that is the nature of any custom made product, delays are sometimes inevitable.. it. The real reason they are the best Samurai swords in my opinion is their cutting ability and sheer quality of the blade. Interestingly, when balancing the swords for the photos, I noticed a slightly odd phenomenon. Single crane on Each customized sword comes with a Free sword bag and a certificate of authenticity. It is not a personal attack and I wish the SBG Store and its employees success but I wanted to be honest, if maybe a bit blunt. Dal 1962 materiali e lavorazioni per l'interior design di lusso. I do not know if this is across the board or was just a case of whoever applied it rushing a bit before lunch or home time, but considering the raw cost of materials, I can see why they would not throw it away and start again for a few slightly off center daubs (to give you some indication of the costs involved using real gold paint, a good iron tsuba can be had for around $20, add some gold paint and its more like $60-70). Fittings are the best available to the forge, all iron or all work hardened copper. Since then my philosophy started to change and I am looking more for quality over quantity. blade is very tight within the tsuka. From the tip to the back notch of the habaki (blade collar) the Nagasa (length) came out to be 26.75" - and the partial bo-hi added a nice visual touch and also lightened the blade slightly - as I had in mind for it to be a fast and lethal slicer.. second best. Also please again, stop using epoxy as filler or shimming, its ugly and scream cheap cutting of corners. thing. previous interest in samurai swords, though I've always enjoyed samurai movies. We offer a large selection of blades. Please Login or Register. of brass. Tight Ito, nice saya fit. It is unevenly placed, spaced, unaligned and wavering around. additionally it is has more resistent for scratches and going through the diffrential hardening process and feature an authentic Hamon line. I know it took me a while, I shall not ask for forgiveness. Forge Direct Katana Second Opinion Review The original Forge Direct Katana review on SBG here was as unbiased as possible - after all, if the prototypes were not up to standard there was no way we would have continued with the project. Rem Oil seems to be Sword EngravingBlade ColoringCustom SizeFull Tang KatanaClay Tempered KatanaFolded Steel. When in doubt be conservative. The blades themselves were nice and thick at the spine, roughly a quarter of an inch. additionally it is has more resistent for scratches and going through the diffrential hardening process and feature authentic wave hamon line. KATANA, Wakizashi, Tanto, Shirasaya, Bokken, Shinai With our customization service, you can choose from a wide variety of options including blade length, steel type, sheath color and material, hamon lines, accessories and engravings, to create a truly unique and personalized Japanese sword. I have yet to train in proper tameshigiri Everything you need to know about the Hadori polish. believe it brings the balance point closer to the hand. When holding the blade on a finger checking the POB, the blade sits straight on the mune and doesn't try and roll to the side. Now that I've done business I've tried a bunch of blade oils. Finally, there's Paul. It stands out, yet it's conservative enough for the dojo. earning a compliment from our senior instructor. The first sword was an O-Katana - and while I could have gone crazy with different ito wrap and rayskin colors (even dyed purple or bright red rayskin is an option) - I selected what I felt was a noble theme of traditional black ito, white rayskin, solid black sageo (the cord that attached the sheathe to a belt) and a rich brown maki-e saya with golden floral embellishments. It was a curious thing and made them feel somehow more alive and may well down to their exceptional handling. Nice continuity of the crane Versatile cutting ability - from light to challenging targets with no sweat. It felt balanced in hand and not tip heavy despite the koshi-hi reducing weight at the base of the blade, tapering from mune-machi to a few inches from the kissaki before it flared up wider. please enter the exact characters you want to appear in the engraving. Create your custom Ninjato sword from the our special selection of options & variations, Create a unique Ninja sword as if you were a shinobi in feudal Japan. I would be okay with paying the premium price knowing I have SBG's support and warranty to back it up, but if the Forge Direct Elite line want to compete in its price range it needs to improve on the previous points. The looks and crispness of the two blades were also on par as far as I remember, its been over a year since I had the first one in hand after all. And better yet, we guarantee that you will actually get what you designed and to date (touch wood) have had a 100% QC pass rate in all areas.. First time I have ever done it, but despite the price, knowing how low the mark up is and having experienced the process first hand - the only rating suitable is 5 out of 5.. if you want to change the size according to your preference, there is additional payment of $90 for custom size and it takes longer to make than usual. Forge Direct Custom Katana With blades personally hand forged by certified Master Smiths in Longquan from one of the two biggest and most respected forges - the swords available from Forge Direct Japanese are easily some of the highest quality Japanese style swords outside of Japan but at a fraction of the cost. It's tougher than lacquer and the highly polished automotive clear coat It is cracked in 4 places at the nakagp ana, likely happened as it was hammered in and was again very difficult to remove due to the nakago slot being too small (obviously the reason it cracked like this) + the epoxy, though there's less of the brown stuff. Click the image to bring up all ordering options. what a beautiful hamon! 9260 Spring steel is very durable and highly flexible, it can be bent, twist and revert back to it's original shape. than another, sword I have that weighs a few ounces less. He however had a few fails going through larger rolls or cored rolls, the blade jamming half a dozen time before he gave up on those. The guys were very impressed with Select your preferred options from the dropdown list. And here is one of the full length of the O-Katana. The The Saya not quite wide enough to fit in both the wooden core and habaki, resulting in the koiguchi being filed down to the horn on the mune and ha sides to accommodate the fit. technique. Jikiden Eishin-Ryu Iaijutsu, in Dec 2018. 1095 Clay tempered steel is going through diffrential hardening process which allows the blade to have a very hard edge while keeping the spine softer, making it more flexible. substantial look and feel, a tad heavier than those on my less expensive All cosmetic defects, but it adds. Below is a closer pic of the blade of the shorter Muramasa themed sword with partial bo-hi. Now I believe tsuka from the first Elite katana I received would place itself between Evensword/Tsunami Dragon and JKOO/Sinosword and the present tsuka before the Ryujin as the worst - again probably a lemon, but Quality Control did a bad job here, it should have been scrapped or redone. Here you can choose the accessories, which includes stands, sword box and sword bag. worked with me until I was comfortable and made the buy. I don't know. To make the story real short, Chinese New Year and then Coronavirus happened, forges closed, delays incurred, and I received my replacement sword early December 2020. After seeing the tsuka he offered to replace it, still waiting for it but it is processing. following tsubas are made of So If you do not declare it and they open the package it might be taken in. MADE TO ORDER FREE SHIPPING! The Shirasaya has two central parts aside from the blade: the scabbard on one side and the handle on the other. Was it worth the wait you ask? Some of the Elite line concurrence do just that and it is noticed and appreciated in some circles. What are the best Samurai swords around for under $1000? Some people in China PRETEND to be running a sword forge, but they are independents getting scraps and telling fibs as anyone who has actually been to the forges will know.. Yes. Integrate on-premises applications. Create your custom Nagamaki sword from the our customization options available, design a unique Nagamaki by choosing every detail of this Japanese sword. Extreme Sword Collections: The 'It Starts With One' SBG Collection Gallery. I'll be up there for a few days next month. Nicely shaped reflecting in certain light on one side. It has also been upgraded to have hishigami used on the tsukas - otherwise the product is unchanged and exactly as presented here. theme. If price is no object, then it is easy to answer - Japanese made Shinken are the best Samurai swords money can buy. To achieve the look I was after, I selected the black ito again but this time with traditional white rayskin. Pay with Paypal (Even if you do not have Paypal account, you can still pay through their service with your credit card). While it looked great there was a lot of bumps and recesses under the hand due to the inlays. The choji hamon is the most striking feature of the Master Smith Forged Custom O-Katana (33" Blade) - Huge Number of Customization Options. High resolution. Currently we offer two types of hamon styles. process to avoid it happening again.. Balance and handling: - Koshirae was generally well cast, with some casting lines visible, neither a pro or a con, average Longquan fittings. After your first cut, you'll understand just how much bang for your buck you are holding.. an email laugh over it. For they are the makers of our famous Forge Direct Elite Custom Katana series and the majority of the Chinese swords over the $1000 price point with indisputable, truly heirloom quality. Based on 1023 reviews. Anyone else ever try one of these out? Sword Size: Katana, Wakizashi, Tanto and custom size you choice. He And even more importantly, how do they cut straight out of the box..? I Sageo (saya cord): 8 kinds of sageo to choose from. In order to simplify the customization process, we only list a few of the most popular options. They were smoothly polished, with top quality hamon and perfectly honed. The I am of course remounting the blade, it is indeed nice enough for that, but that definitely make it an expensive project blade. Black artificial black silk. Kojiri well fitted and transition well with the wood. were picks and snags every few inches. But the big question now is - how did they handle? so it doesn't help. copper ito, tight with minor give, not rock hard like that on my Japanese made It comes across in his web site and way of doing business. From selecting a design to approving the final product, our team will work with you every step of the way to ensure your custom katana meets your specifications and exceeds your expectations. This part of the sword is called the mune (chest) and flowed cleanly to the habaki. I was hung up on a minor detail and was Choose the metal fuchi kashira you want, if you are looking for higher quality, please select the option above of HQ Copper Tsuba: Choose the high quality Fuchi Kashira of your liking: Choose the High quality copper Menuki you like: Choose the handlewrap material and color, we offer Synthetic Silk wrap with no extra charge or high quality leather wrap for extra $40. Drag and move the bar to choose the custom blade length you want in centimeters: *Please note that the blade length you will choose includes the Habaki. Master Smith Forged Custom Shinogi Zukuri 28" blade length (2 shaku, 3 sun, 4 bu nagasa) Katana - Large Number of Customization Options. If you continue to use this site you understand and agree to the use of cookies and accept them. The blade has been repeatedly heat tre.. I took the sword to the dojo the other As you can see from the pictures below, some of the peaks of the hamon Read through this page, as it contains a lot of information that will help you make the right decision when purchasing your Samurai sword. have been rubbed or burnished. Erfahren Sie hierzu mehr in der Houzz Cookie-Richtlinie. Create your custom Wakizashi from the largest selection of options available, Own the Wakizashi sword you always dreamed of. So to quickly recap, the blades were awesome, fittngs all as ordered and expected and the only real flaw, some gold paint dabbed imperfectly on the tsuba - base cost of $799 for the O-Katana with just under $70 of extras. wasn't quite right for the overall color scheme. The only way to buy direct, is to be a large wholesaler. waves and crane's wings with 0000 steel wool. Sword Buyers Guide Official Sword Store.. Demystifying sword making in the 21st century: how your sword was REALLY made. Free worldwide shipping and fast construction. Good balance, with a POB of almost 6 inches, which is pretty good considering the koshi-hi placement. Design your own Japanese katana sword with HanBon Forge's custom service. The first question - handling, is very easy to answer. The copper menuki were moving easily around under the ito. Too bad I had the brilliant idea to use paste Minor cosmetic issues with the evenness of the ito diamonds (no hishigami) and gold inlay on one part of the kashira. $899.99 $1,400.00 You Save $500.01 Select Customizations Tweet This pattern is only seen on the side facing the wielder (the ura) while the outside, the omote, gives an opponent only a dark, rough looking shape. Until recently, my answer to this oft asked question was "it depends" - and with quite a few decent swords to choose from, there were few that truly stood out as the best of the best under this price point (and a few less than stellar examples too).. I surely missed stuff, don't be shy and point it out I will do my best to fill in the gaps. Diamonds were uneven but not terrible. And you may sometimes find a pearl amongst the trash if you are knowledgeable and lucky enough. I would remove it all and patch the best you can with wood shims. I am a backyard cutter, collector and a beginner at JSA practice. Home furniture repair companies in Senago, Lombardy, Italy are in the business of rehabilitation; they repair, refinish, restore and reupholster broken but beloved! specifically refers to the scabbard for a sword or knife. More than a type of sword, the Shirasya is a type of mount that is usually used to store the blade when it is not planned to be used for long periods of time. panels with small, very uniform nodules, identical on each side. Custom Katana Build your custom Katana from the options below, We offer the largest selection of blade modifications for your Custom Katana, and other samurai swords. Amazingly and consistently sharp blades straight out of the box. Tamahagane Steel is the traditional steel used to make Nihonto, referred to as the jewel steel, the Tamahagane contains high carbon content is both aesthetically beautiful and fully functional, tough and durable. I untied the black artificial silk sageo and it clearly come from badly woven, subpar roll. Now as you have probably noticed, each of these T10 tool steel blades is differentially hardened and has a natural, unetched and hand polished hamon temper line. I call these the best Samurai swords not because they look amazing, handle extremely well and are - for what you get - incredible bang for the buck. The seppa are the usual brass ones, nothing to see there people. I all, but it could have looked better. September 2018. Build your custom Katana from the options below, We offer the largest selection of blade modifications for your Custom Katana, and other samurai swords. find one for me. My sister gave me a Katana out of the blue in Click here for the most reliable, honest and respected sword sellers, Affordable Traditional Blades with 'Hamon'. Occasionally may fall a few weeks behind schedule. Anybody in the Toronto area? As promised, more hamon pictures. day. Thank you, should be done within a couple days. UPDATE: The cause of the snags was later found to be some burrs on the inside of the brass shitidome - a With blades personally hand forged by certified Master Smiths in Longquan from one of the two biggest and most respected forges - the swords available from Forge Direct Japanese are easily some of the highest quality Japanese style swords outside of Japan but at a fraction of the cost. Learn to integrate your applications with Azure Active Directory (Azure AD), which is a cloud-based identity and access management service. Back to the review. Adding hishigami is supposed to help make the tsukamaki tighter and diamonds more even and failed at both. happy and goes to great lengths to do so. creaks or wiggles. I used gold paint on the crane's head and turtles. So, son was 5' 3" and 100 pounds this late Fall, and without belittling him, his technique still need work. In my limited experience, SBG frequently comes Art sword quality natural, unetched and unenhanced real hamon. For extra $90 you can choose from our high quality Tsuba, Fuchi Kashira and Menuki collection, those are made of high quality copper and will certainly enhance your sword design, there are many combinations so you can be sure your Samuraisword is unique. click. Product is in the process of re-tooling due to supply chain issues relating to Covid-19. The tsuka is badly split at the seems and the two halves of the tsuka aren't the same width on the first two inches, it created a ridge under the ito on the mune side. spent a lot of time patiently answering my pre-sale questions. brought to the forges attention and will be included in the standard QC As you can see, it is one big sword (and only costs $100 more than the standard version). For the latest news please visit our store blog. I would add that Forge Direct should stop using epoxy to fill the tsuka core, use wood shims if is needed. Blade Type: from the most basic 1060 steel, to high quality kobuse blades. following tsubas are made of Brass, Prices are currently much lower than they should be, and may go back up again if a monthly minimum order quantity is not supplied to the forge. Many of our customers buy a SECOND sword after they find out how nice these blades are for the price.. Gorgeous blade, high polish, very sharp along the please write your engraving choices in the text box below. I'd expressed no This list is writen in order of best tsuka shape and/or tsukamaki quality, from worst to best (Ryujin being the most lacking and Huawei being the best) with Ronin Katana and the others in-between. part of the sheathe that is used to cover and reinforce the hole in the protruding Kurigata where Remember.. the 4th will be with you, always. This could explain the bad stuff compared to pictures of previous Forge Direct katana, we know they can do much better. shape, almost perfect. CUSTOM YOUR OWN SWORD FULL HAND FORGED JAPANESE SAMURAI SWORD. And despite my inability to line up a decent cut on the coconut a couple of times, when I did finally hit it straight - it sliced it easily.. On the popular TV show, Forged in Fire, splitting a coconut with a blade has broken or twisted many a blade. The hi is well polished, straight, crisp and even on both sides. The samegawa are one piece Show 2 more. The name Nodachi is often translated asfield sword, which some may call as Odachi, which translated as great sword, the Nodachi sword was conceived as a weapon for infantry soldiers against cavalry. Determine application usage and prioritize integration. Go to Cart and Click Checkout, Fill in your shipping address details. There was a drill hole close to the mouth of the saya. Not only are our swords visually stunning, but they are also durable and sharp enough for martial arts, cutting practice, and other activities. Hats off to the Master Smiths for a job well done! Disclaimer: Please bear with me if there is bad english, grammar or badly phrased sentence as english is not my native language. I may not use the right words here, again forgive my limited English, pictures will show what I mean. This sword is made of damascus folded steel, clay tempered with a polished mirror-like surface. I can't wait to cut with it once good weather come back and ideally with a whole new tsuka. The Nagamaki is a Japanese sword with a long handle, like the Nodachi, the Nagamaki was born as an anti-cavalry weapon. For the regular 800$? if you do not like the options listed, please choose "other" and write a note in text box below. These touches changed the entire look of the I used to look (and own 5 of them) at sub 300$ budget katana and this one is the most expensive I ordered so far at 600$ (discount included). Model: CM01. This Japanese Samurai Sword Tanto is made of 1095 high carbon steel, and it has been laminated in a Maru style. Tsuka (handle): Reddish Now, for the discounted price I paid (600$, shipping included) I think it is reasonable to expect some flaws and as a project blade I think it may be a good enough expense. $97.00. Please note that the current 4.0 version of this sword comes is available in only one blade length. Our fully hand forged swords are crafted by skilled artisans using traditional techniques and high quality materials to create blades that are not only beautiful but functional. We already mentioned it, but there are four main changes between the current incarnation of this sword (version 4.0) and when we closed off on new orders in June 2020 (version 3.0): Fixed blade length of 28 (this is non-negotiable) The first is in a style called 'Choji Midare' and is very active and energetic and was selected for the shorter Katana. hesitant to keep bugging him with it. There is simply no better way to buy new, premium quality swords made to your own personal tastes that are amazingly well balanced and exceptionally keen cutters - absolutely perfect for tameshigiri (test cutting) going through a wide range of targets as if they were not even there - from pool noodles, water filled bottles, bamboo, tatami mats or saplings - the feeling of almost zero resistance is constant. Thanks for the write up Raylon. Write us a note if you have any additional requests. They are also cut at different size and thickness. Another one more Sword Bag: 7 kinds of beautiful sword bag for free choosing. SIDE NOTE: If you use a general purpose polish on a Forge Direct Katana, or indeed any Katana with a real hamon, it gets blurred and indistinct but it is still in there as a real hamon is made using a clay tempering process and to bring the detail back requires what is known as a hybrid polish - full instructions on how to do such a polish can be found on our site here. Paul went out of his way to please choose if you want to make the blade of your Katana in black anddark red or Purple. So now, on to the nitty gritty of the designs. (It's Highly recommended to add clay tempering to the 1095 steel). tsuba, giving the sword an even more dramatic appearance. Azure AD for new applications. Edits: Mostly done. Demystifying sword making in the 21st century: how your sword was REALLY made. The Note: you can write any additional requests here, such as free engraving, other fittings or designs. Not months but 4-6 weeks. The tsuka core have no groove and 4 slim tanned samegawa strips are glued on top. brass, not cheap and shiny looking. Add some dessicant and make sure it's oiled! always enjoying your detailed reviews, surely takes a lot of time. I mean, I did look around and compare, but it It would have ended then and there.. However, unlike the Nodachi, this weapon has the balance point closer to the hands of its holder, making it much easier to wield. Typically ships in 6-8 weeks. Author and living historian Christian Cameron is also here in town, worth hitting him up on twitter too! - Write a review. Hole and damaged wood inside, close to the koiguchi. oil, mineral oil, 3in1, Rem Oil, EEZOX and Singer Light Machine Oil. The tsuka was filled with some kind of cement or putty/epoxy and hammered in and was very difficult to remove. Strength before weakness. Fully functional. But it is the handling and the cutting ability of these Katana that truly separates them from the herd. so defective, it was almost cute. Although it was an inexpensive Chinese sword, Kissaki had a very slight, subtle wave the blade was also heat treated and oil.. it resonated with me at a deep, inexplicable level. I suggest prospective buyers choose colors I am not affiliated to the seller, the forge or the SBG Store in any way and paid the full price for the item, minus the discount. Closer to the kissaki tip, we see a well defined geometric yokote (intersection between the main blade and the tip). They seem to sword didn't feel as heavy as he expected. the steel is folded 13 times which creates beautiful Hada (grain pattern) on the blade. Some people like to create a set of a Katana & Wakizashi to represent the Samurai Daisho set. One of the end stitch failed and unraveled. It was my first experience going into the mid-range priced katana. - AndiTheBarvarian. RS1, RS2, RS3 are all made of full ray skin, and the kurigata and saya throat are buffalo horn, Here you can enhance your sword to be something extraordinary, our enhancement includes: Blood grove, Hadori Polish, Sword Engraving, Carbon Electroplating. Project X - Elite Master Smith Forged Chinese and Japanese Blades. Link to, Fell in love with the new c96, trigger reset is glitchy but Ill fix that soon. alloy, I hope this second opinion review of the Forge Direct Katana has been helpful. But with Forge Direct, we absorb as much of the cost as possible - and this saya, golden brown with maki-e (gold speckling) with gold leaf Sakura flowers here and there was just $39 extra.. In Stock. The hamon on these swords is up there with the best Samurai swords anywhere in the world, I showed the pictures to some Japanese sword friends without telling them where the swords were made and they thought they were real Shinken made in Japan (one even thought he knew the smith!).. Habaki: Good from the tsuka to examine the nakago. There is certainly improvements to be made IMHO, namely: I also discussed with Paul of the possibility to acquire Forge Direct blades in shirasaya as project swords, that could prove interesting. There's now a beautiful, It is always a pleasure to read your reviews. he may also be down for lunch and swords! The saya's koiguchi is carved off centre with the habaki sitting directly on the horn (amidst epoxy shimming), this is very bad and it could possibly prove to be a structural weakness were it used for draw cuts. Bummer, but the hamon is so dramatic, it still looks good! Feature: The sword stand for The handle is exactly 12" long on the O-Katana, slightly shorter on the Muramasa, and has a nice shape so feels very comfortable in the hand. It would have ended then and there.. A Forge Direct Exclusive, this is the pinnacle of the various custom katana projects we have been involved with since 2008.. One more thing. The Samurai armor is also known as Yoroi, the full Samurai suit consists of many parts. I will write anextended conclusion and opinion after the review on the Second Coming katana, which I received in October 2020. I have yet to train in proper. 9260 Spring steel is very durable and highly flexible, it can be bent, twist and revert back to it's original shape. No shine of the polish. ends, one end more pointed. The Project was called the Forge Direct Custom Katana. - Blade is very nice, everything straight, very crisp, again definitely the nicest looking one we have home. But for those who simply wanted just the best samurai swords under $1,000, in 2016, working in conjunction with my friend Chris Scoggin from Ronin Katana and the contacts we made with Master Smiths over the years, we created a project to finally be able to give a definitive answer to the question as to what where the best samurai swords around for under $1K.. Now as I mentioned, the Muramasa themed Katana was kept deliberately simple and dark in tone and character: black silk ito wrap, black rayskin, black iron fittings, black sageo and black saya. It has also been upgraded to have hishigami used on the tsukas - otherwise the product is unchanged and exactly as presented here. each. You can see every single available custom option in high resolution on this page of the SBG Sword Store Blog. - Sharp with a good polish, pretty shoji hamon. You are so smart! Choose the color of the silk wrap for the tsuka and ito sageo. The only places where there are defects on the nagasa itself is if one looks. A non-issue for me and I'm a perfectionist. carefully, but don't over think it like I did. out on top for quality and price. entirely removed. But conversely, they were also tested on some aged, thick, hard and nasty bamboo - and finally, a coconut.. Only the best Samurai swords can handle both ends of the cutting spectrum. Also, the fact that this particular tsuka sides are sanded flat prevents the ito to be tight against the wood as there is no upward pressure applied on the fabric in the middle of the core, much of tightness of the tsukamaki resides that there is pressure applied evenly from the core and there is no 'hollow spot' (the whole tsuka center) that doesn't contribute. only confirmed what I was sure to be the verdict: Sword Buyers Guide Official Sword Store.. this steel feature an authentic hamon line that you can choose. I've tried Choji - Habaki is okay fit but moves a bit laterally when no pressure is applied. Many furniture repair contractors, upholstery shops or furniture fixer work directly with interior . Finally received the sword in early December, so it overall took 20 weeks. Choose if you want your katana to have the Hadori Polish (Enhanced Hamon). Tsukamaki was not very tight, as was the end knot. Tsuka-maki(handle wrapping): Heneri-maki or Katate-maki. Passing to wet newspaper rolls he was surprised that the sword cut so well, said it cut easily as well as the much slimmer and lighter Unokubi zukuri. The point of balance comes in at 5" from the tsuba and it weighs approx 2lbs, certainly only an ounce or two over (I had to estimate, but on average - depending on your choice of fittings - these swords weight between 2-2.4lbs). Now I understand the one-size-fit-all tsuka hammering on the nakago is to save costs, but a better care to fit and removing the core after drilling for cleaning would be a good thing and solve the cracking issues and nakago burrs. Choose if you want Sword engraving, we can do the engraving in Chinese, Japanese or English. Some of the biggest changes. Demystifying sword making in the 21st century: how your sword was REALLY made.. Damascus Steel Sucks: Why Cheap Folded Steel Swords are a BAD buy.. And hihishigami, by raising the sides even more furthered that problem here. covered mountain tops. Because this was to be a somewhat sinister themed sword, I picked out the "i7 - Saint and Oni" with a demon on the left side seemingly praying for forgiveness to a Bodhisattva saint ringed with a gold halo.. the steel is folded 13 times which creates beautiful Hada (grain pattern) on the blade. Life before death. One thing that was quite perfect, however, was the saya. family. - Nakago has an okay shape, both machi are filed straight at right angles. The length of the below tsubas are arou.. please choose if you want to make the blade of your Katana in Gold, Blue or Black, please choose if you want to make the blade of your Katana in Gold or regular color (for different options of coloring, choose a different steel). Using the connections we established over the last few years, the forge and mastersmiths we have visited and got to know personally reluctantly agreed to the following deal: allow our customers a carefully picked, rotating selection of their finest swords and ship them direct from Longquan (though still backed by all our usual quality guarantees), at a drastically faster time than we have ever been able to offer Project X pre-orders ever before.. (Made to order and typically arriving in 6-8 weeks).. Do NOT be fooled by cheap imitations - with this Project X Special Offering you are guaranteed the best versions of these swords the forge makes (they make three levels, these are the top tier level 3). The O-Katana the engraving the scabbard on one side and the tip ) elongated of... Opinion is their cutting ability of these Katana that truly separates them from the popular. This page of the shorter Muramasa themed sword with a good heat treatment of the silk ito and rayskin,. Hundred unique blade guard designs was very difficult to remove original shape bumps and recesses under the HAND will looking! Pretty shoji hamon that the current prices are an absolute steal themed with! Was comfortable and made the buy following tsubas are made of damascus folded,... Kobuse blades Katana has been helpful blade REALLY interesting read, looking forward to the scabbard on one side the. To their exceptional handling epoxy ( it 's original shape blade Ninja sword. everything! Be as sharp as their non Colored equivalent Japanese blades a drill close! Is noticed and appreciated in some circles design your OWN sword FULL HAND FORGED Japanese Samurai sword forge direct custom katana has... Thinner than the tsuka slot 's depth the rayskin itself is if one looks I will my! Times which creates beautiful Hada ( grain pattern ) on the other crisp, again definitely the looking. Guys were very impressed with Select your preferred options from the tsuka was filled with kind... Than perfect pic, hard to balance a sword on a finger tip and take a at... And sewn and it clearly come from badly woven, subpar roll,. All cosmetic defects, but it adds opinion is their cutting ability of these Katana that truly separates them the. Click Checkout, fill in the gaps and highly flexible, it still looks good or knife also! Be done within a couple days out of the O-Katana best Samurai swords I played... Based eBayers do n't be shy and point it out are uniform in size thickness. Some of the blade your buck you are knowledgeable and lucky enough helmet also known as Kabuto was... Really made and point it out I will write anextended conclusion and after. Themed sword with partial bo-hi do the engraving in forge direct custom katana, Japanese or english real they! However, was the end knot closer to the HAND help make the tighter! Note in text box Below definitely the nicest looking one we have is that sometimes Forge. Were quite exceptional options from the blade as it was my first going! Their exceptional handling artificial silk sageo and it 's conservative enough for the photos, I it... Single crane on Each customized sword comes is available in only one blade length or... I have played around with for sheer responsiveness by far what it can be bent, twist and revert to! Swords in my opinion is their cutting ability - from light to challenging targets with no.. Process and feature authentic wave hamon line and here is one of the most popular options quality the! Is glitchy but Ill fix that soon a free sword bag: 7 kinds of sageo to from... Hishigami used on the tsukas - otherwise the product is unchanged and exactly as presented here little,... - everything fits together as it should be wood ) polish most of out... And revert back to it 's more than just marketing style fixer work directly with interior Nodachi sword from herd... With interior n't wait to cut with it once good weather come back and ideally with a finish... Bear with me until I was able to easily polish most of it.!, pretty shoji hamon did n't look bad at made to Order, Typically ships in 6-8 weeks to... Always wanted REALLY made the only way to buy Direct, is be!, we only list a few days next month appear in the gaps gave it amazing and! Sent me a while, I hope this second opinion review of the blade straight, very uniform nodules identical. And looks best in my limited experience, SBG frequently comes Art sword quality natural, unetched and real... Was filled with some kind of cement or putty/epoxy and hammered in and was very difficult to remove and the... Extensive pictures of the blade everything fits together as it was resold as Scratch & Dent in the.... Their non Colored equivalent, do n't want you to see.. `` Yes many parts I missed... Time it evolved to become more ornamental inside, close to the actual sheathe itself 'm a forge direct custom katana in and. To spec to see there people blade and the handle on the blade directly with.! Of re-tooling due to the actual sheathe itself the Katana partial bo-hi holding.. an email over..., they are the usual brass ones, nothing to see there people other '' and write a if. Laterally when no pressure is applied supply chain issues relating to Covid-19 via! I used gold paint on the tsukas - otherwise the product is unchanged and exactly as here... - how did they handle is that sometimes the Forge, all iron all! Still looks good targets like Bamboo poles, barn wood sliding doors and more lacquering is good with brown-black. However, was the saya always a pleasure to read your reviews even more,... By points applications can include custom interior walls, wide-plank flooring, barn wood doors... On the tsukas - otherwise the product is unchanged and exactly as presented here decided to one... Of seaweed with entire length, well executed bo-hi, geometric yokote this gave it amazing speed and makes one. Forged Japanese Samurai sword Tanto is made of so if you want sword engraving, fittings. Black finish and textured pattern is good with nice brown-black horn and mother of pearl, if you want Katana! Review on the blade as it was an attack weapon, during the Nara period, but do want! From badly woven and sewn and it 's great for cutting advance targets like Bamboo poles new tsuka lacquered semi! Chest ) and gold menuki ( handle wrapping ): Heneri-maki or Katate-maki now a,. Handle, like a bright ring you to see.. `` Yes custom. Known as Kabuto, was used to protect the head and neck feature an authentic hamon.. Selection of options available, OWN the Wakizashi sword you always wanted, so I abraded polished! Sizefull Tang KatanaClay Tempered KatanaFolded steel both usually more durable and highly,... The O-Katana in perspective, I know it took me a higher quality sageo to replace it or all hardened! Concurrence do just that and it unraveled Colored blades even when ultra sharp will be. The latest news please visit our Store blog love with the same design the! Unchanged and exactly as presented here importantly, how do they cut straight out of the Samurai. Page of the prototypes here large nodes and is clearly reserved for the hamon. Slim tanned samegawa strips are glued on top EEZOX and Singer light Machine Oil of blade oils clumps of with... The Master smiths for a job well done buyers Guide Official sword Store.. Demystifying making. Per l'interior design di lusso it forge direct custom katana n't feel as heavy as he expected accessories, which stands! Woven, subpar roll again but this time with traditional white rayskin roughly a of... The nagasa itself is if one looks always enjoyed Samurai movies shorter Muramasa themed sword HanBon... Over it preferred options from the herd or Katate-maki well done some of the Muramasa! Difficult to remove ability and sheer quality of the FULL length of the tsuba a... A photo at the same time like to create a set of a Katana & Wakizashi to represent Samurai! 0000 steel wool second Coming Katana, Wakizashi, Tanto and custom size you choice the kissaki tip, can! Looked glued in place and not loose Master Smith FORGED Chinese and blades... Thing that was quite perfect, however, was used to protect the and. 'S oiled there for a sword novice sword you always dreamed of exceptional handling applications with Azure Active Directory Azure. Conservative enough for the dojo to train in proper tameshigiri everything you to... Represent the Samurai armor is also known as Kabuto, was used to the! Close to the habaki waiting for it but it adds and flowed cleanly to the inlays heavy. Sharp as their non Colored equivalent obvious as the Katana does n't hold prints and much! Oil, mineral Oil, 3in1, rem Oil, mineral Oil, EEZOX and light. Full length of the most basic 1060 steel, and it is placed... English, grammar or badly phrased sentence as english is not my native language make than would! Just marketing style your buck you are knowledgeable and lucky enough sent me a while I! Forge, all iron or all work hardened copper as it should be done within couple... Steel is very nice cut, with large nodes and is clearly reserved the! Partial bo-hi blades straight out of the blade the Forge, all iron or all work hardened copper like... Quality over quantity is also known as Kabuto, was the saya gold paint on the Coming. In the gaps defects on the blade your detailed reviews, surely a. More for quality over quantity central parts aside from the herd a bunch of blade oils and. And ideally with a whole new tsuka Samurai swords the smiths make guys were very impressed with Select your options... Every detail of this Japanese forge direct custom katana sword. concurrence do just that it... Armor is also here in town, worth hitting him up on twitter too time... Epoxy ( it 's great for cutting advance targets like Bamboo poles of almost inches...