Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Sharpness: This sword did pass the paper test, but is not razor sharp. It does cut through plastic milk bottles and such with only slight scuffing of the blade, nothing too major or noticeable if you arent looking closely. Pool noodles posed a challenge though. It is sharp enough to cut them, but due to their light weight and bendy nature met with a somewhat sharp blade, it is a challenge. I just barely cut through free-standing soaked beach mats and while im sure my technique isnt perfect, I know its higher than "casual backyard cutter" level.
It seems to be a little more durable than the katana equivilent of this sword I have. No dents so far. I havent done any destructive testing, but my conclusions for this sword's durability is that it is acceptable for it's class.
Fittings: The fittings are acceptable quality and seem to be painted a black finish (except for the 'seppa'). The 'samegawa' might actually be real, albeit low quality. Still a step up from a fake plastic alternative. Unfortunately, its just two strips, not a full wrap. The 'mekugi' are tight fitting and difficult to take out. When I tried to take the handle off, I had a lot of difficulty. A tight handle is good, but not this tight. I noticed a slight crack in the wood, but not where it would compromise the integrity too much. The 'ito' is not wrapped 100% authentically, but it doesnt look bad and is tight enough. Could be tighter, but I can deal with it.
Scabbard: The scabbard is decent. The 'sageo' reminds me of a shoelace, but it works. It is the same color as the 'ito', navy blue. The sword was very secure in the scabbard, even when I jiggled it around. That lasted for like 2 days and after 4, it became loose enough to fall out when held upside down, even without any movement.
Noteable Cons: The temper line is clearly fake. It looks wirebrushed. I personally would rather have no visible temper line than a fake one, but thats just me. Some people may not care.
However, my biggest complaint about this sword is that the blade is bent to the right. It could just be a defect. I put it in a vice (covered in a cloth of course) and carefully bent it. I couldnt get it to straighten out as perfect as id like. I may try again. The scabbard is also bent in the same direction and the 'koiguchi' not aligned with the scabbard perfectly, but not enough to make sheathing the sword difficult. Furthermore, the blade tip is awkwardly shaped. You might see it in the picture I posted if you look closely. Its almost like it straightens out when it should continue to curve. I could fix this if I had a belt or disk sander...but I dont.
Overall, im both satisfied and disapointed with this sword. Displaying in my room or through my obi, this sword looks great...but not so much when drawn. Its performance and feel are acceptable for the price. Im giving it 4 out of 5 stars due to the defects mentioned above, but at least it looks nice when in it's scabbard and performs as expected. If the blade didnt look like it did, I would have rated this a full 5 stars considering everything else and it's performance.
-Sword Dimensions-
Blade: 19 1/8"
Blade (with habaki): 20 1/8"
Handle: 8 1/2"
Scabbard: 22 3/4"
Balance Point: 4" from hand guard
Blade Curve: 1/2"
Temper Line: Wirebrushed
Grain: Straight (unfolded)
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Item DescriptionThis is a brand new full tang hand crafted samurai Wakizashi with a Musashi ring tsuba. The sword comes with razor sharp blade and is well balanced. The blade of the sword is hand crafted and made with high carbon steel. This sword is full tang and can be disassembled. This sword can be used for practice or self defense. The blade features a visible kissake on the tip of the blade. HistoryMiyamoto Musashi was the legendary Japanese swordsman famed for his duels and distinctive sword skills. He is the founder of the Hyoho Niten Ichi-ryu style of swordsmanship and the author of the Book of Five Rings, a book on strategy, tactics, and philosophy that is still studied today. Musashi is often considered the greatest ever swordsman in Japanese history. Legends said that he dueled more than 60 times in his life time and was never defeated.
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