Rye Posted March 26, 2022 Report Posted March 26, 2022 I'm looking to get a sword which can be used for tournaments (kata, tameshigiri, etc) and I'm unsure of which sources to go with. I've been considering getting an antique sword and having it fit with koshirae. Though I'm unsure. I'm curious if anyone knows any sword makers that make tournament quality swords. I've talked to makers from Japan, but their prices to commission a sword are far beyond what I can pay. Quote
MarcoUdin Posted March 26, 2022 Report Posted March 26, 2022 Probably won't get the answer you are looking for here as most are against the use of antique blades for sport (myself included). Almost all are going to recommend picking up a shinsakuto, they have fairly good prices on the second hand market compared to older blades. 4 Quote
Paz Posted March 26, 2022 Report Posted March 26, 2022 Hey @Ryewhat does your dojo recommend ? does it have to be a nihonto and not any Japanese blade ie a Chinese replica ? As a Chinese replica will be better and cheaper Quote
ChrisW Posted March 26, 2022 Report Posted March 26, 2022 You'd be best suited to getting a modern-made sword or having one made to your specifications; that way, you'll know exactly what you're getting. If you get an antique one, not only would you be destroying a piece of history/art work, but you'd run the risk of having it fail spectacularly due to a higher chance of an unseen flaw. There's a lot of modern made blades/shinsakuto that would suit your needs. Paul Chen are good I've heard, as well as any number of modern Japanese-made shinsakuto. If price is a concern, I'd go with Chinese-made ones like Paul Chen (Hanwei I believe is the brand name) or even Korean-made blades. In the end, only you would know its origin and the performance is nearly the same when comparing Chinese/Korean to Japanese made modern blades. There's lots of sites like this one: https://www.martialartswords.com/ where you can get a sword made more or less custom to your needs. I know I've seen sites where you can even specify the steel used/hamon pattern. Quote
Paz Posted March 26, 2022 Report Posted March 26, 2022 As chris just mentioned. Reminds me One of the best cutting blades I've ever used is the Hanwei paul chen Tori XL. In the US its about 800 dollars or cheaper. Another great hanwei cutting blades are the bamboo mat blade which were tested on hard targets. Quote
Novak77 Posted March 26, 2022 Report Posted March 26, 2022 Hey there, 1- Def ask your sensei. 2- Motohara / EB https://motoharablades.com 3- Ask your sempai if you can try out their swords, to try and see what you like. Try and handle as many swords as possible. 4- Don't rush a purchase (I really need to heed my own advise on this one lol). I'm a JSA student, and if a Moto is in your budget, you cannot go wrong. Jason is a fellow practitioner, and will steer you in the right direction. Cheers Quote
Mark S. Posted March 26, 2022 Report Posted March 26, 2022 On 3/26/2022 at 9:25 PM, Novak77 said: ask your sensei. Expand This. 1 Quote
jeremy Posted March 28, 2022 Report Posted March 28, 2022 Keep in mind modern steel blades are usually more forgiving than tamahagane blades , usually made of monosteel. I have a Japanese shinsakuto with bohi that will bend if you look at it the wrong way. Steel iaito from swordstore.com is a good choice. Talk to rick Polland about your needs . For under $2000usd you'll be able to get a really good sword with Japanese fittings but with a Chinese made monosteel blade . Quote
Ken-Hawaii Posted March 28, 2022 Report Posted March 28, 2022 Check Tozando.com. I've bought from them for 30+ years, & never had a problem. As others have said, ask your sensei first. Quote
mas4t0 Posted March 28, 2022 Report Posted March 28, 2022 What do you mean by "tournament quality"? Quote
Katsujinken Posted March 28, 2022 Report Posted March 28, 2022 So. Many. Threads. About. This. In terms of training tools, it’s never been a better time for serious students of Japanese sword arts. Do some searching and you’ll find good advice elsewhere on this forum. No, never use an antique. Yes, Evolution Blades are the best modern “non-Japanese” swords. Here’s an article you might find helpful: https://www.brooklynbattodo.com/reading/5-6-2021/how-to-buy-a-real-sword Quote
jeremy Posted March 28, 2022 Report Posted March 28, 2022 On 3/28/2022 at 4:23 AM, Katsujinken said: So. Many. Threads. About. This. In terms of training tools, it’s never been a better time for serious students of Japanese sword arts. Do some searching and you’ll find good advice elsewhere on this forum. No, never use an antique. Yes, Evolution Blades are the best modern “non-Japanese” swords. Here’s an article you might find helpful: https://www.brooklynbattodo.com/reading/5-6-2021/how-to-buy-a-real-sword Expand Great link! Thanks for sharing 1 Quote
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