A Beginners Guide To Buying Authentic Japanese Swords

Authentic Japanese swords can and usually doaround US$200 - but they are almost impossible
cost a small fortune.In fact many (though not all)to actually buy at this price and tend to go for
sword collectors maintain that to get a half wayUS$400+)Unfortunately, they are a bit too plain,
decent sword you need to be spending aroundtoo heavy (around 3.52lbs), poorly balanced, sharp
US$1000. And the maximum? Well, the sky is the(but not as sharp as they should be), difficult to
limit (there are quite a few Japanese madefind and - well...Moving on...Cold Steel make a very
Katana that sell for around the US$25,000durable "Katana" for just a tad over the US$300
mark).So what about all those $50 swords beingmark. These swords are sharp and extremely
sold on ebay and everywhere else?Well, at thedurable. But they aren't in any way traditional.
end of the day, these swords are often junkyThey aren't differentially tempered (they are a
ornamental "sword like objects". They can't bemono-steel sword, like a European blade - all of
used as a martial arts weapon. Even just swingingone uniform hardness) and they aren't balanced
them around with moderate force risks the bladeproperly...BUT - they aren't a BAD choice... Only
snapping off at the handle...But if you know whatthing is, in my opinion (and in the opinion of many
to look for, buying authentic Japanese swords atJapanese sword enthusiasts the world over) there
a reasonable price - say for around US$150 tois a better and even cheaper alternative.If you
$500 is quite possible. And in some cases, forare really looking for an affordable "entry level"
even less than this amount of money, it's possibleJapanese sword - there really is only 1 choice, and
to get a nice sword that is well balanced, sharp,that's the Practical Katana and the Practical Plus
strong and an excellent 'bang for your buck'Katana by Paul Chen's Hanwei Forge.These
buy.For start though - let's take a very quick lookswords have it all - and for an online price tag of
at what separated the authentic Japanese swordsaround US$279 for the Practical Plus Katana and
from the ornamentals: Japanese swords areUS$169 for the plain vanilla model - they offer
slightly curved, sharp and single edged Authenticoutstanding value for money.They are light (under
Japanese swords are light, fast weapons and3lbs) and incredibly well balanced. They are made
should weigh no more than 3lbs max. They arefrom top quality high carbon steel. They have a
also very well balanced Real Japanese swords"differentially tempered" blade, a solidly
aren't made from stainless steel - they are madeconstructed tang and boy - are these babies
from high carbon steel. They also have what issharp! I've cut everything from cardboard boxes
called a "differentially tempered blade" - meaningto lengths of rope, water filled plastic bottles (of
that the sharp edge of the sword is harder thanall shapes and sizes in a row and hanging),
the spine, giving the sword flexibility (so it doesn'tbamboo and traditional rolled tatami mats and it's
shatter on impact) but also extreme cuttingno exaggeration to say that I have never once
power. Real Japanese swords also have a tangactually felt any resistance to my cuts. In fact,
(the part of the blade that goes into the handle)many of my friends who aren't sword nuts are
that is made as part of the blade, not a length ofable to effortlessly cut a plastic water bottle filled
steel welded on afterwards (called a "rat tail"with water so easily that they swore that they
tang).There are also a few other factors, such asmissed (until the water comes gushing out over
traditional appearance and fittings to consider...Nowtheir feet that is).I just love these swords! And
in our target price range of US$150 to $500 -what's so cool about them is the price! NOTHING
there are only a few swords which qualify - andCOMES CLOSE!Now sure, they aren't the same
you'd be surprised, it isn't necessarily the mostas swords ten times the price. But I remember
expensive ones either...The first is the Generationseeing on a website when I was first checking
2 BWT Katana (around US$329 + shipping)While Ithem out a side by side comparison of quite a
really like Gen2s line of European swords as topfew different "entry level" Katana - and these
quality yet very affordable "beater" swords, theirwere the only cheap Japanese swords that even
BWT Katana - while a good choice, still has a fewgot a look in - and overall, they were just 33%
major drawbacks. There are two versions of thisbehind swords TEN TIMES THE PRICE!Anyway -
sword - a more traditional but rather plain lookingat the end of the day, if you love authentic
one and another that uses a lot of brown suedeJapanese swords, and don't have (or don't want
and has an almost surreal "cowboy" quality toto spend) a whole lot of money, you should have
it...Neither are particularly attractive. But thea serious look at these swords! I guarantee, you'll
biggest problem is a structural flaw - in that thejoin me and a small army of raving fans across
BWT Katana uses water buffalo horn for thethe world...:-)For more information on Authentic
small but critical band under the hand guard (calledJapanese Swords, including test cutting results and
the fuchi) that has actually been known toheaps more, check out my article by clicking on
occasionally crack on impact...Moving on...A lot ofthe link or visit my websites homepage:
people like the Nahuarra of Mexico Katana (RRPSword-Buyers-Guide.