Retail Samurai Katana Help
 

I've been looking around at katanas for sale on websites, trying to find a good site to buy from. I figure if anyone here is going to give me help, I'm going to need to specify exactly what I'm looking for. I'm trying to find:

A samurai katana, not historical or authentic, as in, I don't want to pay a buttload of cash because it was made in the 17th century. If possible, I want something made recently, but still with the same standards of quality as back then.

Here's where my request gets a little funky. I want two swords. Not in one purchase. I want one sword for actual practice and training, and I want another sword just for show. As in, one sword that will sit there and look pretty, and another sword that will actually hold up to some wear and tear.

Any help would be appreciated.

Oh, and if you give me the name of a manufacturing company, could you also tell me the best dealer of the specific manufacturer?

:-)
Ready to drop 50k?
Didn't think so.

First: http://www.kjartan.org/swordfaq/section15.html

Be less concerned with the quality of the blade and more with the balance and size.

My preference is for a katana that reaches from the ground up to slightly below my diaphragm. You should get out a tape measure and find the right length blade for you. This should trim down your options. Once you know the length you simply have to find one that is well balanced.

There is no point in dumping cash into a sword that you will never fight with. After you have trained with the bamboo sword for a while you will have an idea of what you are looking for. Picking a "balanced" sword is a purely personal decision. Training will make up for what is lacking in the balance of the weapon itself. To find out if a katana is balanced... use it. Try out some forms and see how it feels. Try a few and get a basis for comparison and you will begin to understand the differenes between them and how it effects your control and power. Then you should be able to plink down 500 or so for it.

You won't get a quality folded bladed for 500 that you can stake your life on, but for training it is more then adequate.

Don't buy anything but a Paul Chen katana. Do a google search for a dealer near you. The Practical model is about $250 US and the best quality you will get for that money.

Yeah, "live steel" is around 300-500 dollars, 250 is a good price, just make sure it says "battle ready" or something, and doesn't cost 50 bucks. Just get a shitty steel display piece for the other one, you can get those almost anywhere.

Get the Paul Chen Practical Plus katana. Forged (but not folded), differentially heat treated, real rayskin inlays and wrap, and traditionally marked.

Here is an awesome place to buy one:
http://www.usableswords.com/sword%20of%20asia%203.htm

Thanks alot for all your help. I'm sure I'll be able to find a sword now.

www.sabersmith.com has a decent katana, folded 1020 (might be higher, dont remember) carbon steel. Ive had the pleasure of using one, and it wasnt too bad if I say so myself. Runs about $350ish.

They are 1075 according to the site.

BTW, there is no way on Earth they are folded for that price.

i'll second again the Chen katana. For the money, they're excellent. and BTW, unless Chen is lying, they ARE folded steel.

Keep in mind, the best samurai ever (Miyamoto Musashi) beat and sometimes killed other samurai using only cheap, blunt wooden objects.

He wrote a book on his techniques called "A Book of Five Rings", in case you're interested.

I can vouch for the paul chen practical katana. It's nicely balanced, nearly indestructable and it's probably the best sword you can get for around $150.00 USD. Ebay is your friend :)

Only the very high end katanas are folded. The Practical Plus is not.

However, folding only adds slight benefits to performance, so it hardly matters as long as it is forged.

Oops, I somehow only saw Chen, and not the practical part. Yep, you're right, it's not folded.

You're also right about practical application. If you're planning on going after intruders with your katana (don't, you'll go to jail for a LONG time), it doesn't matter whether it's folded or not as long as it's properly forged - it's unlikely the burglar will be wearing armor or will have a sword of his own to parry yours with. Necks are soft ;)

Depends where you live right? The only reason I own a sword is because I pray for the day I get to use it on an intruder. It's a sad world when a man can't carve up a burglar in the privacy of his own home.

The trouble is, if you kill them with a "normal" weapon - a gun or a chef's knife that you "grabbed out of terror while trying to get away" then the cops/jury will be sympathetic. If you kill them with an exotic weapon, the weapon user is usually seen to be a lunatic who's looking for a chance to use his "dangerous" weapons. IMHO, if they're breaking into your house, they give up ALL rights and if you want to hang them upside down by their toes from the ceiling while using them as a punching bag, that should be your right - maybe fewer people would break into houses if they knew all bets were off when they did. But the way the law sees it, the criminal has more rights than the victim, and the victim isn't allowed to use non-standard techniques to end the situation. You can tackle him and sit on him, you can shoot him, but you better not behead him with a "martial arts ninja sword" or you'll get locked up.

I found some katanas on sale for about $20, i know it cheap so the sword will be cheap but if your looking for a sword to train with a $20 would be perfect you dont even have to worry about scratches and stuff.

$20

Other Good Deals

I've bought quite a few things from these guys.....

http://www.budkww.com/index.asp

that $20 katana would NOT be a good sword to train with. First off, a $20 sword will not be properly balanced. There won't be anything to keep it from slipping out of your grip (metal + sweat = slippery), and for that price, I wouldn't be surprised if the blade separated from the rest of the sword if you swing it too hard.

You should check out swordforum.com, they have a lot of reliable information on all types of swords. I own a Paul Chen Orchid forged Folded powdered steel katana, runs about a grand but you can find deals here and there. I also own a Paul Chen Musashi, its a forged steel katana, very nice. Its a bit beefy and long but a great sword. You can probably find one around $500. I've heard some decent things about the Cold Steel katanas as well. Again, check our sword forum and you'll get some great info.