Store/Catolog bought vs. hand made professionally

[Jbone1]

Ok, we all seen the movies and such. We look in the Century mags and other mags. But isn't having your sword made like a Samurai or a Hitori Hanzo sword off Kill Bill better than buying one from a magazine or a store?

 

I want a sword that identifies me and that is one of a kind. But I don't know where to get this done. Anyone know?

[Sauzin]

Well nothing wrong with wanting a sword. But you have to ask yourself what you want it for. There's a couple of answers to this question.

 

1. Q: "I want a sword that looks good but I don't know how and don't intend to use it for anything." A: Buy a replica. You can find them in any magazine, off e-bay or any of a hundred sites. They generally cost around $40 and some are very artistic. They can't be used though. They don't have full tangs, or usually even half tangs. They are usually made out of really bad steel or aluminum. And their fittings are usually plastic.

 

2. Q: "I want a sword that can be used for iaido or kata practice. I have a qualified instructor." A: Find an iaito. Do a search on google. They are well balanced aluminum swords that cost between $150 and $500. Make sure to consult your instructor to make sure you are buying a weapon that meets the requirements of his/her class.

 

3. Q: "I want a sword for Tameshigiri. I not only have a qualified instructor but I have been practicing my technique with an iaito/boken for some time and am now ready to cut with supervision." A: There are several acceptable choices. A good starter sword is the Paul Chen Practical Plus. Other good swords can be found at:

 

http://www.coldsteel.com

 

http://www.bugei.com

 

http://www.imperialweapons.com

 

http://www.liveblade.com

 

http://www.ecmas.com

 

http://www.swordstore.com

 

http://www.martialartswords.com

 

4. Q: "I not only want a sword for Tameshigiri and have been practicing this with qualified instruction for some time, but I want one of the most durable and deadly swords on the planet." A: http://www.mvforge.com/

 

5. Q: "I am a rich millionaire and want a real katana made by a certified Japanese master sword smith from Japan." A: Good luck. Waiting lists start at around 5 years and go up to over 15. Prices start at around $10,000 and they don't have web sites and probably don't take visa.

 

More awesome information about what's avaiable: http://208.63.68.209/sword_dimensions.htm

Edited December 14, 2004 by Sauzin

[krzychicano]

Sauzin those are some awesome descriptions

[Jbone1]

That was an awesome post. He knows his stuff. I would love to have a real certified Katana.

 

Well I guess I should look for a real Samurai and train. If I get good enough he may pass along his sword to me.

[searcher]

As in Sauzin's post Bugei.com has some very fine swords and they are readily available to the public. They are actually a very good deal starting at around $1000. Now if you want a handmade sword it is going to cost you a very large ammount of money. My wife has a custom made and it is almost outrageous at how much they are worth. If you have any metal and woodworking skills you can get a blade form Atlanta Cutlery and do the work yourself. If you just want one to show off, you might want to get a Century sword or any other comparable weapon.

 

No matter which weapon you choose it would be a very good idea to dull the blade and get some training. The training will let you go to bed each night with all of your body parts in the same place they were when you got up in the morning.

 

For training purposes I suggest getting a bokken and training with that for a long time before picking up the "live" blade. But do not think that just because it is made of wood that it is not dangerous. Remeber that Musashi killed many of his dual opponents while using the bokken.

[Jbone1]

I didn't know about Musashi. But I understand I was more or less asking if it's possible to get a handmade sword.

 

One day when I become very good then I'll look into it.