[OT] Katanas

[Cytaur]

I'm planning to get a katana off ebay... I've been told by "japamaniacs" that its not worth it, I should get a "real" handmade one :rolleyes: Sure if you pay me... I know there's not only a monetary difference between crafted one and a machine made, but does it mean the one I'll get from Ebay for under 100$, will it break if I try to cut something ? Have any of you bought katanas off ebay ?

[Lathuc]

well as a rule hand made is almost allways better that is if done right and the blacksmith knows what he is doing but if you want a real katana it will take like a month to make the traditional way and costs you alot so meh

[Nightbrother]

Do google searches for 'fake katanas', 'real katanas', and the like and read a lot about all you can find. It all depends on what you want really, and how serious you are about getting a genuine sword.

100 dollars will get you something not worthy of being called a katana, in my opinion. ;)

[Cytaur]

Originally posted by Nightbrother
Do google searches for 'fake katanas', 'real katanas', and the like and read a lot about all you can find. It all depends on what you want really, and how serious you are about getting a genuine sword.

100 dollars will get you something not worthy of being called a katana, in my opinion. ;)

thats why I made the post.... so people with experience could share the knowlege.....

[Nightbrother]

Originally posted by Cytaur
thats why I made the post.... so people with experience could share the knowlege.....

I know, but I'm afraid that no one here is a katana expert, which is why I think you should go read something written by experts. I collect historically correct swords (replicas of course, cause real ones cost bloody much. :)), and have bought my share of crap swords. I just don't want you to buy something you'd be disappointed about, which is why I asked you what you were going to use it for.

I tried doing a quick search, but I couldn't find any hints of what newly made real katanas cost. Found one from 1904, which cost 4.700 dollars, and it's quality was stated as medium. :eek:

P.S. I don't think you will be able to slice up very many things with a 100 dollar katana before it breaks. Depends on what you're gonna slice, though. :D

P.P.S. In 1993 I went to Prague and while there bought a sword. A week after coming home, a swan had been decapitated by something akin to a sword, in the police's opinion. Naturally, everyone in the neighbourhood thought it was me. They still do to this day.

[Cytaur]

I don't expect shelling out more than 100$ either on a katana right now... So how bad is the one under 100$ ? Is it just made to be hanged on the wall or some stand ?

[Endar]

Depends on what you want to use it for. If you just practice or want to display it, you can get a pretty good one for 100e. But if you want to use it steel to steel battles (swords fights) you should get a good one, like the ones on Battle Ready or www.swordsonline.com , the ones that cost around 250-600e. I was thinking of buying a pretty good katana, but i decidet to buy a Bokken for training (in ninjutsu) and a display one in my room. I have tested the katana i bought for display (it was around 100e) and actually i was amazed how good it was. I was practising on home made practising doll (made out of wood) and it didnt broke down and was still fecking sharp after 1 hour of practicing. Pretty good for a "fake katana" if you ask me...

[Nightbrother]

Originally posted by Endar
Depends on what you want to use it for. If you just practice or want to display it, you can get a pretty good one for 100e. But if you want to use it steel to steel battles (swords fights) you should get a good one, like the ones on Battle Ready or www.swordsonline.com , the ones that cost around 250-600e. I was thinking of buying a pretty good katana, but i decidet to buy a Bokken for training (in ninjutsu) and a display one in my room. I have tested the katana i bought for display (it was around 100e) and actually i was amazed how good it was. I was practising on home made practising doll (made out of wood) and it didnt broke down and was still fecking sharp after 1 hour of practicing. Pretty good for a "fake katana" if you ask me...

Hooray, someone with actual on hand knowledge of cheap katanas. Do you know more? If so, please enlighten us, cause I'd like to know more also. :)

[Jadin Eleazar]

Well, as Nightbrother already said:

100 dollars will get you something not worthy of being called a katana, in my opinion.

A hundred bucks thing is meant for display only and might break when you try to fight with it. And it surely isn't as razorsharp as a real katana. Probably the blade doesn't have a hamonline which makes real katanas look cool.
'Real' Katanas are hand-forged out of carbon steel in a delicate process and that's why their blade is flexible but also very hard.
But handmade Katanas start at $1500 and a really good one would cost more than $5000.

[{MD}GeistDamnit]

fred loman or lohman, I lost my catalogue and cant spell anyway :P


if you try to cut something with a sword that is not hand crafted you will not only break the handle but you will break other parts and probably hurt yourself. Stainless steel is weak and does not hold an edge well at all. your lucky if u even get a sharp sword for that kind of money.

I have 3 swords, 1 fake one, 1 made by kriss cutlery that is constructed decent and 1 very expensive one from bugei dot com that can cut a thin tree in half with minimal effort.


depending what you want to do with your sword.... I dunno try kriss cutlery there cheap and made pretty well. just dont go cuttin trees cause that's how i broke my handle on mine :(


o and fred loman or bugei will run you in the thousands just to let you know.. plus 500 for the polishing kit. a sword must be polished at least once a month.

[yibble]

I know quite a bit about mediaeval european weaponry, but know little on Katana's or other Japanese weapons.

I'm guessing they're probably so cheap on e-bay because they're not tempered steel... But then, are Katana's supposed to be tempered? I spose it also depends on how many times the metal has been folded.

[Psyco Groupie]

grow up.

[Nightbrother]

Originally posted by Psyco Groupie
grow up.

lol... I suppose you want all the people studying history at the universities in the world to grow up too? Anyone studying japanese at any uni. in the world would most likely get well acquainted with knowledge of medieval japanese weaponry. Is that childish?

What are your hobbies, Psyco Groupie? :)

P.S. Wait, I forgot metallurgists... they need to grow up too then?

[yibble]

He's a Wallabe. Which roughly translated means "He aspires to become a Kangaroo."