Looking for a nice Chinese Repro sword max. 400 EUR

[vajo]

No nihonto!

 

I search a chinese repro sword, 1095 steel or T-10 in good geometry (yokote and shape). Hamon must be real!

 

Maximum price of 400 EUR depends on the condition.

 

As i will avoid tax and customs only european offers please.

 

 

[16k]

Chris, take a look at YariNoHanzo

[vajo]

Thanks JP

are these swords sharp? The wrote they are for Iato practice not for tamashigiri.

[O-Midare]

I have one of these, they are sharp.

 

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/1-5-Sori-Shinogi-Zukuri-Nami-Koshirae-Hishi-Gami-Copper-Habaki-Japanese-Sword/282659837178?hash=item41cfd6d4fa:g:9iIAAOSwW9dZwJil&redirect=mobile

[16k]

  On 3/1/2020 at 8:36 PM, vajo said:

Thanks JP

are these swords sharp? The wrote they are for Iato practice not for tamashigiri.

 

They have both Iaito and sharp swords. Only bad thing is no real Yokote. Personally, I’d advise you their Dōtanuki. It’s not 1095, just 1060, but mine cuts like a razor, has a beautiful yet subtle real Suguha Hamon and is probably the closest thing in shape to a real Dōtanuki on the market. It’s specified for heavy cutting. YariNoHanzo are made in China, their home is in Italy and they sell throughout Europe from their Spanish warehouse.

 

EDIT: here’s the one you want from the French shop. I think the German shop is Katanamart.de

 

https://katanamart.fr/superior-aiguises/253-dotanuki-aiguise-sabre-japonais-artisanal-2300100002514.html

 

and found it in the German shop:

https://katanamart.de/scharfe-schwerter-shinken-kaufen-katana-verkaufen-echtes-katana/253-dotanuki-2300100002514.html

 

here are some reviews in German:

https://katanamart.fr/superior-aiguises/253-dotanuki-aiguise-sabre-japonais-artisanal-2300100002514.html

 

I like this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EP82v_NxkV8

 

and yes, Huawei makes excellent swords too. Sadly, getting them in Europe has become more and more difficult and expect to pay custom fees if you can import it.

[Stephen]

Bush's to cut down Chris?

[vajo]

Hi Stephen yes.

????

[Greg F]

Chris check out Simon Lee swords on ebay. Ive bought a few from him over the years and all are good quality nice swords and he takes a little bit off the sales price too. Worth looking at all his blades.

 

Greg

[vajo]

Hi Greg

i know his swords they look great, but i dont want to import the sword to germany. So i search for one that is located in europe to spare tax and custom issues.

 

Thanks.

[Greg F]

Ahh my apologies Chris I mustn't have read your post properly.

 

Greg

[vajo]

Found one. Thanks all for help and information.

 

[Greg F]

Good news, what did you go for Chris?

 

Greg

[vajo]

A o-wakizashi (katate uchi) in handachi mounts. They call it ninja sword maybe that sells better.  

 

 

If you like i could tell you about the quality when it is here. But needs 30 days they said...

[raynor]

I'd be all over a pirate ninja sword. Everybody knows no tougher men sailed the south China seas.

 

If it's a well made t10 blade you have a very good beater, the material surprises me with how durable it is.

[vajo]

  On 3/7/2020 at 12:33 PM, raynor said:

I'd be all over a pirate ninja sword. Everybody knows no tougher men sailed the south China seas.

 

If it's a well made t10 blade you have a very good beater, the material surprises me with how durable it is.

 

Ninja 

 

 

or Pirates?

 

 

or Pirateninjas? 

[16k]

Ninjrates! 

[Stephen]

I want one lol is it on ebay? Quit home defense instead of shot gun!

[swordnoob]

Looks like it's this one https://www.yarinohanzo.com/Shinobigatana-ULTIMATE-EDITION.html

[Stephen]

Thanks Victor

[swordnoob]

Hi Stephen,

 

If you're looking for a cheap beater, I would recommend something like this https://sbg-sword-store.sword-buyers-guide.com/product593.html. I've actually got one of these + a wakizashi & stand in a daisho set for $275 + shipping a while back. Can't say anything good about the koshirae but the blades themselves were pretty nice at that price point and should be able to take some abuse (according to some destructive testing videos on Youtube).

If you're looking for something fancier, that site also offers a different line with a bunch of customization options here https://sbg-sword-store.sword-buyers-guide.com/forge-direct-custom-katana_ss638.html. Never owned one of those but they look nice.

 

Anyway, I'm only recommending those as I've had good experience with their customer service and don't really have any complaints regarding things I've ordered from them.

[vajo]

  On 3/8/2020 at 2:43 AM, swordnoob said:

Looks like it's this one https://www.yarinohanzo.com/Shinobigatana-ULTIMATE-EDITION.html

 

WOW! That offer now is 78 EUR cheaper than i ordered it from their site. The Euro/Dollar rating is much better yet!

 

The sword costs months ago 600 EUR. Now only 324 EUR 

 

 

I would say others are more lucky 

 

 

Yes Stephen, i bought it as a home defense cutter for my wife. Because she goes hunting inside our house in the night with one of my nco swords when she heard noises. So it is a pure protection act of my collection. A shorter blade is better inside the house.

  

 

 

With the offer you can choose a present from that company.

I choose this Tanto for free 

 

[vajo]

Victor that SBG Sword is cool. A T-10 for that price is incredible and it looks very good. 

Maybe i buy another too? 

[swordnoob]

Too bad shipping to Germany would cost $60 which would bring the cost of the cheapest T10 blades I could find on that site to $260 + potential import taxes

 

Also, their international shipping info on https://sbg-sword-store.sword-buyers-guide.com/shipping.html makes it sound kinda risky to ship outside of North America

[Jussi Ekholm]

I've owned few repros from YarinoHanzo and I like their option for custom stuff. I've been in contact with Chinese forges/resellers but I have always had some communication problems, so I have never bought anything custom directly from the forge. YarinoHanzo offers nice mix of very reliable customer service and customization options. Now here is a "trick" I've used, I have ordered only when they are having a discount offer. I have a custom ōdachi now on order from them and I got it during -X% (don't remeber the sale percentage but it was very big as the total price is now so low) offer on their extreme customs.

 

To be honest I am shocked how affordable the customs are. I am getting 95 cm ōdachi with custom tsuka & tsukamaki delivered to me for c. 300€'s. As it will be 95 cm blade with 3,6 cm motohaba they will need to make completely custom saya for it for example... As well as tsuka & other stuff too.

 

Here is my last custom I got from them in 2014. I was aiming for late Muromachi katate-uchi with Higoish koshirae as well I could with c. 300€ budget. I thought it came out pretty decent in the end. I just knew they wouldn't make the nakago short enough for my liking so I sawed a bit off after having it for a while.

 

[vajo]

The sword i ordered was 35% lower than the normal price. For me it has a good length and a nice koshirae.

[swordnoob]

That's a nice looking reproduction sword. If I lived in Europe and was looking for something I could abuse without worrying too much about what I'd paid for, I'd probably get something off of there.

Here's something I would never do with an expensive sword but may be tempted to try with a cheaper one...

 

[vajo]

Ah i see it is without German tax 19%.

 

So the price i paid is correct.

 

Damned tax...

[vajo]

 

Time for a short quality check on the Katanamart Shinobigatana. I think this is the same to all swords of this company.

 

After unboxing it looks nice and well made. It is sharp.

 

After disassambling the sword i felt from    to 

 

I disassambled it last evening and took no pictures (so sorry therefore).

 

Here is what i saw.

 

The blade is well forged, the lines are good. Under strong light, the polish is catastrophic. Looks like sandpaper polished with acid. I start to give neverdull on the 1060 steel a chance and the shinogi looks now much better now. 

 

Disassambling the parts:

 

The tsuka is fixed with 2 mekugi - not only 1 like in the sales description.

 

The ito is wraped very strong and binded over the mekugi. I needed some time to get there.

 

After getting them out. The mekugis are real a joke!    The "bamboo" is very soft and week. It holds nothing! Pure crap quality and dangerous. For me a no go and i will replace it.

 

The Tsuka fits like glued, but you can remove it with normal sword care technique.

 

After the tsuka is removed a lot of pieces of small metal, wood and some paper like parts came out. The wood of the tsuka is the same crap material like the mekugis. Its very soft.

 

The Fuchi is a little glued on the tsuka (one point with industrial glue) I removed it - the Fuchi fits further (without glue).

 

In the Kashira you can hear a little piece of metal.

 

The seppa are copper and painted black. The lacquer has some loosing parts.

 

The Tsuba is metal and painted black - i think its made from an alloy not real steel or iron.

 

The nakago - hmm i didn't know what i have expected. It doesn't follow the shape of the blade. It remembers me more on a european sword. It is stamped twice, one round loge with two kanji of the company and a small stamp what i think it is a quality check. 

 

I could not remove the habaki (i think it was hamered into the blade). The mune stands 0,2 or more millimeter above the habaki (makes no sense).

 

The saya is very well made. I think from all parts whoever made it - it has become the most carefull work.

 

The fittings Kashira, Fuchi, and the parts on the saya are very high quality made pieces. The look and feels good.

 

The menuki is a laugh (it feels like plastic) pure crap!

 

Can i recommend that sword? I really don't know. You can cut with it - yes. But overall the sword is two heavy for it lenght. It feels not good in hand. There is no real balance. I think when you work around with it you get fast tired. 

 

If i compere it with me Shinto Tsugehira - that chinese sword is lightyears away from a Japanese sword in all aspects.

 

I deliver some pictures in a few minutes...

 

The pictures of the blade are done after  a soft neverdull polish! Much better now. The big white lines of the acid are gone.

 

 

I added a picture of the menuki from this sword. Quality? 

 

 

 

[Ken-Hawaii]

That's quite an eye-opener, Chris! You didn't really mention how sharp it was, just that you can cut with it.

 

Glad I'm still using my Cold Steel for tameshigiri.

[Oshy]

A wall hanger at best. If your looking for a cheap functional piece to cut with, I would recommend a Hanwei. Practical XL posted below for $250

 

http://www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=SH6000XPF&name=Hanwei+Practical+XL+Katana