Is this a good sword for the dollar?

[jason_mazzy]

http://cgi.ebay.com/SAMURAI-Katana-swor ... 51918cfda5

 

I know its a lil' rough. but for someone on a budget like myself would this be a good start?

 

and to me (remember i know very little) this looks like a decent piece for a first true Japanese wak (at least compared to a $400 chinese made one): http://cgi.ebay.com/SAMURAI-Katana-swor ... 1c115c5c95

[machinist]

I would not buy any bladed weapon from that seller without seeing it in hand and that is too far to travel. I have bought some armor parts from that seller that I felt good about but their blades seem either low end real or outright fakes.

Do not be in a hurry to spend, study more, look more and save your money for one you will value a long time.

[jason_mazzy]

lol trying hard not to spend, but definately looking to have a lil somthing even if its not valuable. I am much more into the history of the blade than a specific period. I just went through a horrible divorce, and I just want to hold a real nihonto in my hands.

 

My ex was in the hands of many men through my marriage and I want something that I will be the last to have in hand lol.

[watsonmil]

Dear Jason,

Hmmm, ... I see your rational, ... if you buy a sword with enough flaws, ... like an ugly woman, ... no one else will want to hold her / it, .... makes perfect sense to me I forbid anyone to buy this man another .... Ron Watson

[Luthor]

I never expected a single blade to have such a vast number of hagire until I bought this "flawless" waki from daimyou54eb years ago

Never again!!!!

 

Lutz

[Mark Green]

Jason,

That sword is a mess!!!!!!! At $200 is would be a mess. Maybe if he wanted to send it to you for the cost of shipping. Maybe????

 

I'm only an hour from Hickory. Lets have a little study group one day. You can see, and hold a few better swords. Eh?

 

Mark G

[Bruno]

The first one seems to be a....gendaito(mil steel?)....maybe previously mounted in the Type 3 koshirae due to the 2 holes at the extremities of the nakago. The price is quite high and the shirasaya/blade are in rougth condition, I am sure you can find better for that budget.

[blades87]

If I were considering buying this sword, I would want to see large pictures and lots of them. These pictures are too small to make an educated decision on buying the blade. The price is way too high for the fittings (shirasaya). I would not buy this blade based on those points alone.

 

Cheers,

[Toryu2020]

Ugly, yes not to mention NOT REAL Nihonto - would you be satisfied with an inflatable doll? Don't buy it...

[jason_mazzy]

Thank all of you for chiming in. It is good to see people looking out for the less eductaed. My personal collection goal is functionality and performance over collectibility. Now bear with me when I say that and let me explain. I am not saying I will take any old blade that will cut , what I am saying is I understand there are certain periods that are far more collectible than others. I am personally of the opinion that I would like to have a better or stronger or faster or sharper blade from a far less popular period. I still have delusions that one day we may revert back to being fudal lords, and need to settle things face to face lol.

[Andi B.]

If I were considering buying this sword, I would want to see large pictures and lots of them. These pictures are too small to make an educated decision on buying the blade. The price is way too high for the fittings (shirasaya). I would not buy this blade based on those points alone.

 

Cheers,

 

...There is always a link to better pictures on Daimyou's ebay offers...

 

But of course you have to examine the images carefully.

I bought a (<200$) wakizashi last year and I was surprised, that it was mechanically grinded which I could not detect from the images (but it needs a polish anyway).

 

I do not know why he/she or who else does this damage to the blades - to make them more shiny for the ebay photo shooting?

Recently I asked him why these blades are so badly grinded.

He didn't anwer my question (language problems?) but the gist of what he wrote was, the cheaper blades are so cheap because nobody would buy them for higher prices...

-> so they are obviously "LOW-end" blades and no hidden treasures (but still cheaper than Paul Chen :-))

 

Here you can see the strange grinding (noted more than only once) on a "blade" offered currently: http://daimyou54jp.web.infoseek.co.jp/D4-135/IMG_2073.JPG

[estcrh]

If I were considering buying this sword, I would want to see large pictures and lots of them. These pictures are too small to make an educated decision on buying the blade. The price is way too high for the fittings (shirasaya). I would not buy this blade based on those points alone.

 

Cheers,

 

...There is always a link to better pictures on Daimyou's ebay offers...

 

But of course you have to examine the images carefully.

I bought a (<200$) wakizashi last year and I was surprised, that it was mechanically grinded which I could not detect from the images (but it needs a polish anyway).

 

I do not know why he/she or who else does this damage to the blades - to make them more shiny for the ebay photo shooting?

Recently I asked him why these blades are so badly grinded.

He didn't anwer my question (language problems?) but the gist of what he wrote was, the cheaper blades are so cheap because nobody would buy them for higher prices...

-> so they are obviously "LOW-end" blades and no hidden treasures (but still cheaper than Paul Chen :-))

 

Here you can see the strange grinding (noted on more than only once) on a "blade" offered currently: http://daimyou54jp.web.infoseek.co.jp/D4-135/IMG_2073.JPG

A new rust removal method?

[Andi B.]

A new rust removal method?

 

...not a new one - the oldest and the most effective method ever invented!

[moss]

Andy,

 

That is die grinder hada on your picture.

 

Cheers Moss

[sanjuro]

Jason-Mazzy (Is that really your name?) If its not, can we have a signature please? its nice to know who we are talking to.

 

Do yourself a favour...... dont buy this sword! Its most likely not a nihonto but even if it was once a nihonto it certainly isnt anymore. There are better swords out there even for so few dollars. At the end of the day its better to spend more and deal through a reputable dealer than to risk a 'maybe on ebay'. Take this money and buy books that will put you in a better position to judge what you are looking at when considering buying a nihonto. The investment is worth it.

[jason_mazzy]

Jason-Mazzy (Is that really your name?) If its not, can we have a signature please? its nice to know who we are talking to.

 

Do yourself a favour...... dont buy this sword! Its most likely not a nihonto but even if it was once a nihonto it certainly isnt anymore. There are better swords out there even for so few dollars. At the end of the day its better to spend more and deal through a reputable dealer than to risk a 'maybe on ebay'. Take this money and buy books that will put you in a better position to judge what you are looking at when considering buying a nihonto. The investment is worth it.

 

yes it is my name sans 3 or 4 letters.

 

and thank you for your advice.