Im looking for a real Katana. Does anyone know the best place to find one?

You could try...

 

http://www.mantisswords.com

 

They are hand made, but VERY pricy. Some upwards of $1000.

 

I got my katana from http://www.budkww.com Their warehouse is about 20 miles from me, so I pick up a lot of my weapons there. My sword works great though. I would recommend it. Here is the link...

 

http://www.budkww.com/partsview.asp?action=lookup&partno=G748LB&subject=U3&catpos=1

 

Good balance, sharp, etc. It doesn't say this on the site, but it is full tang.

 

Hope I was of some help.

 

 

thanks

 

how solid is the one you got? I have several or used several from plaves liek Centure and AWMA and they don't seem liek they coudl take much banging.

 

Im not wanitn one to fight with but I woudl liek to invest in the real thing. If you know what I mean but liek you said 1000.00 for a sword is more than I can pay out at this time and probably any time. LOL

G95,

 

Take a look at http://www.bugei.com . They make samurai swords either to your specs or offer some of their own designs.

Whoa PacificShore, those swords we're awesome! Too bad they cost so much. G95- Im not sure how "solid" it is. I haven't used it on anything very hard. Actually, Im not quite sure what you meant by solid. So, if you could enlighten me on that, then I could probably better answer your question.... or it could be the fact that I just woke up.

 

 

My friend has one he got from AWMA. Its a nice sword but last summer he was using it to cut though watermellons. LOL. Practicing his cut and all. Anyhow as you made the cut you could feel the blade in the handel shaking. Like it was not put together really well. And the guard seemd to be loose as well.

 

Ive never had a class in swordsmanship. I did buy a few books and tried to pick up the basics. So maybe all swords feel like that.

 

I have seen guys practice o TV and in videos where they cut though those bamboo poles. I figure that is much harder to do than a watermellon. I just want to buy quality.

 

 

Well, mine seems solid. Im not sure though. The most Ive cut with it is 1" thick limbs and stuff. I dont know if that would be enough to make it shake. Maybe I'll cut some watermelons when it warms up a little. Im in love with those swords at bugei.com now. I kinda wish I wouldnt have noticed that link. lol

 

 

I use a deluxe sword from AWMA but i dont use it to cut things so i wouldn't know how it would act if it were to strike something.

 

 

PS. DO NOT BUY CENTURY'S SWORDS THEY ARE VERY POOR QUALITY. Everything else century makes is superb but their swords are awful.

 

 

Just out of curiosity, why would anyone want a proper, sharp-edged sword in a civilised society anyway? Surely for practice of a martial art it is rarely going to be necessary to be able to split a body in half with one stroke, etc, etc?

 

(One has to worry about people who are too "into" knives, guns, etc surely!!) "pa, can I make him squeal like a piggy?" (cue banjo and guitar, duelling) ;o)