Do you own a katana?
 

I know I'm being a complete childish idiot here, but I wanted to ask anyway.
How many of you kendo-ka/Iaido-ka own a katana?
Will you maybe buy one someday?

I personally don't own one..but it's something I want to buy when I have the money to blow. http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ies/tongue.gif

Don't own one. Figure I'll pick one up when I get told to http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...lies/smile.gif. Have a few smiths that I'd like to purchase one from, I'm just hoping they're still in business when the time comes

Yes, I do. Lots of inventory for the hobby biz (see sig), but have a few personal ones that I have kept over the years. I have one that I use for iaido, one for cutting, some in various stages of restoration and some others that I have restored and stashed away that are well proportioned and nicely balanced.

@stealth, which smiths you like?

Are you asking about katana, a Japanese style sword, or a Nihonto, a Japanese style sword traditionally made in Japan. With all of the makers in various countries now, there is a big difference between the two. It used to be that they were one and the same because Japan was pretty much the only place that made Japanese style swords. Since the mid nineties though, the number of places to buy a Japanese style katana has exploded so that it is important to differentiate between a katana and a Nihonto. Right now I use katana that were made in Cambodia, Thailand, and China, and am getting one mounted that was made in the U.S. Used to have one from the Phillipines also, but it got retired.
I have six katana that get used on a fairly regular basis. I do not own a Nihonto, and will probably never be able to convince myself to shell out the requisite money for one. However, things change alot so I may own one someday.

I have an old gunto still in army mounts.

I have a couple of katana style swords for tameshigiri from Spain and from China, and one actual forged nihonto that I used to use for Iaido (now too short, does not require me do any sayabiki, so sits with my historical weapons awaiting some tsuka restoration). In theory I need to get a new nihonto for my yondan test....

We had a sword porn moment on Sunday - a newly purchased shinsakuto was taken out of its bag and given its first run, 3 live blades from the same Japanese supplier, 2 of their Chinese forged ones and this one were all compared.... the new one may cost 4 times as much as the others but the activity in the blade is soooo much better.

My Shinken collection consists of two mono steel blades, two folded production blades, and one Shinsakuto that I may work up the courage to use for kata. I've also got some "low end" antique blades that are for appreciation only.

I have 3 Production shinken of varying heritage/quality.

Currently using one for Iai - it's useless for tameshigiri as it's edge is too brittle. Lovely long 31" Blade and works well for Iai.

My custom Nihonto is on it's way as I type. http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ilies/calm.gif

Please be very careful cutting with these swords. They break and when a sword breaks in a cut the tip flies back towards the user. Friend of mine severed several tendons in his right arm with a Paul Chen/Hanwei katana, his arm stopped the broken tip going to his face. There is a reason why they are inexpensive. Best bet for cutting on the cheap is a WW2 gunto.

I had the opportunity last week to give a lecture to our local Japan-America Society on Nihonto.

I have one shin-shinto katana dated Tempou junen (1839), two signed Showa era gendai-to, and two gunto; two koto wakizashi, one shinto wakizashi, and a shin-shinto wakizashi. These, needless to say, are not used for cutting.

I have quite an old Morning Star in my loft - and for the life of me, I cannot think of a way to get it into my regular budo practice...

Have a matching wakizashi made and employ them on Kee........ a bit of real Niten never hurt anyone [did it?].

You wouldn't know real HNIR if it jumped up and nicked your pension. http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...es/biggrin.gif

Hold on...........!!

Are you suggesting that I am OLD???

I would rather be MY AGE than YOUR SIZE [big boy...] lol

Mine is reversible, uncle Bill. http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...es/biggrin.gif

What?
Are you going to have some height removed?

I could [would; will; DO] volunteer to be impromptu surgeon...........
What would you rather achieve? ......... cut off below knees.............. or above neck.....???

Hehe below the knees. Tripods are more stable than bipods.

Anyway, back to katana chat? http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...es/biggrin.gif