Paul Chen/Hanwei Swords

[DanBaker]

Hi All,

 

I know this forum is probably more for nihonto (of which I have a couple), but I just wanted to get some people's opinions on paul chen swords if they know them. I am looking for a sword to to some tameshigiri (I study iaido also) and don't want to use one of my "real" nihonto obviously. Has anyone has any experience wih these sowrds, I am looking at the "bushido" one made my hanwei. Thanks heaps:)

 

Cheers,

Dan.

[Brian]

Dan,

 

Check out this forum for some advice:

http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7424

 

Afraid I can't tell you any more than that about Paul Chen swords, as they aren't Nihonto as you wrote, and I am not familiar with them. I would think they are ok, but there are better choices.

A good google search should pull up much more info.

 

Regards,

Brian

[DanBaker]

HI Brian,

 

Thanks for that. will check it out

[Grey Doffin]

A ew years back a friend of mine was practicing cutting (tameshigiri) with a Chinese made sword. The blade shattered. A piece came back at him and severed many useful parts of his hand. He's lucky to have regained most of its function.

I don't know which Chinese brand sword he was using so this post isn't about Paul Chen specificly. The message is: be very careful which sword you use for cutting; they aren't all safe.

Grey

[BenoitD]

Hello Sir,

 

I have been practicing Iaido since 1990 with a Paul Chen "Lion Dog"

Katana. I have done tameshigiri many times with it on tatami

mats soak in water and then rolled up.

 

This is a very live blade, very well balance and very very sharp.

 

The Koshirae is of great quality and the very tight tsuka-ito has

never moved in 15 years. Nothing is loose and the 2 mekugi make

the blade very safe with practice.

 

I have practice with nihonto blade since then but I always go back

to my Paul Chen blade.

 

In 1990, you could have the blade done with your own specifications.

I did so. The blade was hand forged and folded 5-8 times. It was then

quenched in water and polished. Mine has a nice hamon.

 

I see that there are many blades done by Paul Chen and associates (!)

now and perhaps the quality is different that what it used to be.

 

At the time I could not afford to buy a nihonto but I still wanted a live

blade that was as much Japanese as could be.

 

The trick is to talk to the person who will sell you the blade. If possible

he/she as to be knowlegable about iaido or tameshigiri and can inspect

the blade for you. Some dealers do just that.

 

Hope this experience of mine will help.

[Rich S]

I got a Hanwei practical katana several years ago to use for cutting

bamboo. IMHO it was a piece of junk, barely rated as a wall hanger.

I sold it (unused) for a lot less than I paid for it. Also IMHO, Bugei

blades are very overpriced. If you want a Hanwei, shop around for

the best prices.

 

Rich S

[Stephen]

If I was wanting a blade for cutting id look to a Gunto from the WW 11 maybe one of the Seki smiths ...see link...not a art sword per se (sp) but it was made for the job getting the job done.

 

http://home.att.net/~hofhine/Record.html

[kusunokimasahige]

I would never buy a hanwei or fake katana for tameshi giri...

 

I still have this very much in mind.......

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dk4oLyho2is

 

(PS my e mail shut down.... thats why it has been a bit silent here hehehehe)

[S.Haugtredet]

I would belive there is a significant difference between a high end hanwei/bugei/ Last legend/ H. clark/ Bob E. / A.Dicristefano/ R. Barrett/ J. Walter etc etc and a wallhanger from "K-mart"

 

There are several blades out there fully capable to handle the task of tameshigiri Dan and several are used by seriouse practitioners. The higher end of Hanwei being one of them. I have a Bugei (Hanwei made) Shobu and Dragonfly katana as well as a Last legend Mikusa 4000 series, and they do the job quite well at tameshigiri.

 

Have a nice day Gentlemen :-)

[DanBaker]

Hi All,

 

Thanks for all your comments and opinions I have bought a higher-end Hanwei sowrd, the bushido, and it is quite a nice piece. Quite authentic looking and has a nice hada very sharp too. I haven't used it for tameshigiri yet, but have paracticed a little iaido with it . And it looks good on a stand without having to worry about it getting stolen, as I do with my nihonto).

 

I don't think I'll have the same problem with it as the youtube link in the thread here though, he he. That one looked like a $2 k-mart sword.... haha. I wanted a modern sword that wasn't hell expensive but still decent quality, cuase there's no way I'll be using nihonto for any tameshigiri....

 

Thanks again everyone:) Much appreciated!! :D

[kusunokimasahige]

true the higher end Hanwei's might work perfectly for what you want to do with them, but they are not nihon-to of course.. actually i read a posting on some other forum in which a polisher got seriousely injured while polishing a nihon-to...............

 

so caution in my opinion always applies, even when admiring a sword........

 

KM

[DanBaker]

Nope, it's not a nihonto but I don't use my nihonto for anything but study and appreciation Too true KM, they must always be treated with respect and caution, even the modern blades like the hanwei bushido....they are very sharp...

[kusunokimasahige]

if you have some photos i would be much obliged.. since photos of the actual thing work better than the photos on the hanwei site is my opinion...

 

KM

[DanBaker]

Sure KM here are a couple of pics

 

 

 

[kusunokimasahige]

Nice blade! hope you can practice with it safely.............

 

KM

[DanBaker]

Thanks KM. will do