# Budget katanas???



## AlexGT (Nov 25, 2009)

Hi all!

I have been toying with the idea of buying a katana for when the zombies come out and 2012 and the end of the world as we know it. :duh2: :shakehead :tinfoil: J/K

Well I really want a nice sword to hang and why not take a few swings at stuff, Anyone have recomendations for budget katanas? If I'm going to get one, why not a good useful one that can actually do a good job?

I was seeing some katanas from Cheness that apparently look good and can take a beating also some from Hanwei anyone have any recomendations of a nicely built one that wont break the bank?

Thanks!
AlexGT


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## Roger Sully (Nov 25, 2009)

budK.com has some "inexpensive' ones...

I wouldn't bet my life on one but some of them are pretty cool to look at !


Not bad for $20 !


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## Tekno_Cowboy (Nov 25, 2009)

You might check out Badger Blades. They're not the cheapest, but you can get a sword that could actually take a beating.


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## shortstack (Nov 25, 2009)

take a look here 
http://www.sword-buyers-guide.com/buy-swords-online.html


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## carrot (Nov 26, 2009)

What you are looking into is what sword makers and collectors generally call "practical katanas"

They are not show pieces and are far more functional than aesthetic, but they are workhorses and should be perfect for zombie attacks. While you're at it you should also take some kendo classes, which will teach you to wield a katana properly and safely.


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## AlexGT (Nov 26, 2009)

Thanks for the link shortstack, very useful info.

AlexGT


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## John_Galt (Nov 26, 2009)

A guy I sit with at lunch recently told me that if there are ever any zombies, he's going to town with his two katanas.

I said, "um, ok, you do that. Meanwhile, I'll be picking 'em off with my .22 from my roof."

I truly hope that guy never sees a zed. He'd be dead. (undead? :thinking


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## AlexGT (Nov 27, 2009)

Found this very interesting video of the making of the sword on the NOVA website.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/samurai/


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## Sgt. LED (Nov 27, 2009)

Just doesn't seem to be something I want to go cheap on.

Good luck! Think, a foot and a half higher.............


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## roguesw (Nov 27, 2009)

I practice Iaido and my advice is you get what you pay for.
Seriously, wall hangers belong on the wall only. 
Please take care if you want to practice cutting. Please do it in a safe place.
If you want to get a sword for practice, spend a bit of money, because
its for your own safety. A wallhanger is not made to be used for cutting, the blade
in the handle is not made thick enough to withstand the stresses of cutting.
Even in the Iaido group, we practice the basics of cutting long before we move onto
cutting for real. So please be safe.


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## PAB (Nov 27, 2009)

I would get one of Paul Chen's swords. They are all fully functional and go from 2 or 3 hundred for his cheap ones, the Practical Katana series, up to around 1000 - 1500 for his folded steal blades. All very good quality for the price. A lot of martial artists seem to like the Kami sword, but I don't like the orange sheath.
Note: it is very easy to seriously hurt yourself with a razor sharp sword unless you have been trained to use it.


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## Hooked on Fenix (Nov 27, 2009)

First, avoid aluminum. These will often be the cheapest swords. Katanas with aluminum blades are for show only. They are dull and can't be sharpened. They won't do much, if any cutting. Second, look for swords that have the blade going through to the full length of the handle (full tang, if I remember correctly). These will be the strongest built and will be made to last. Third, find out about the type of steel and how many times it was folded. Cheap steel can rust, may not hold a good edge, or retain the edge well. Study the different types of steels. The best steel is in authentic Japanese Samurai swords that took a long time to make and were made long ago. The secrets to making this steel have pretty much been lost. They can no longer be made. The number of folds the steel has been through will be a major factor in how strong the blade is. It will also be a major factor in how much the sword costs as folding the steel over and over takes time (labor). It's not uncommon for an expert sword maker to spend a month or more making one sword and charging tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars to make it. It may seem like a waste of money to some to spend that much on a good sword, but an excellent sword can cut a cheap sword in half.
I think if you want a cheap sword, the best place to get one would probably be a gun show. I have seen decent steel swords at past shows for $50-$300.


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## PAB (Nov 27, 2009)

Hooked on Fenix said:


> Cheap steel can rust...



umm... Good sword steal rusts easy. The old master work katanas can rust with your finger prints. The alloys that make steel rust resistant also make them more brittle. Good for knives, bad for swords.


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## Hooked on Fenix (Nov 27, 2009)

PAB said:


> umm... Good sword steal rusts easy. The old master work katanas can rust with your finger prints. The alloys that make steel rust resistant also make them more brittle. Good for knives, bad for swords.



That depends on your definition of good sword steel. The good swords don't use one type of steel. They use a low carbon steel for the core that keeps the sword from being brittle and a high carbon steel on the surface of the blade that is tougher and holds an edge better. The sword is then coated to prevent rust. However, really good swords are out of most people's price range. This is why it's important to read up on the different types of steels used. You may have to sacrifice one or more of these if you can't afford a really good sword: edge retention, toughness, or resistance to rust or corrosion. Some steels can come close to the same properties as the steels of the old Samurai swords such as Damascus steel. Look up the steels used in a sword you plan on purchasing so you know what one is best for you. This link will give you a better idea of how good swords are made:http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/samurai/swor-nf.html


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## MustardMan (Nov 27, 2009)

Not exactly full katana sized, but I'm fond of this one...







It's the Rodent Waki from Swamp Rat Knife Works - unfortunately, the pre-orders are closed, but if you email the owner, he might have some order cancellations and be able to sell you one. If not, they pop up on the secondary market occasionally.


Best part - it's one of the few swords you can buy with an UNCONDITIONAL lifetime warranty on both the blade and the handle. If you break it prying a car door open, Swamp Rat will replace it. Cool.


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## AlexGT (Nov 27, 2009)

Thats one mighty fine knife Mustardman! Whats the price range on those? Looks like an 18 inch blade.

For a cutter I was thinking a Himalayan imports kukuri like the Ang Khola here:

http://www.himalayan-imports.com/khuk1.html


Thanks for the comments keep them coming, I am liking this one so far:

http://sbg-sword-store.sword-buyers-guide.com/SBG-Katana.html

Looks fairly decent for the price

AlexGT


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## MustardMan (Nov 27, 2009)

I don't have the exact price right in front of me, but I think base price was in the 350 dollar range. To upgrade to the multicolored orange/black g10 handle put me around the $400 mark. 

Worth every penny - I have cut trees down with it


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## Patriot (Nov 27, 2009)

Hooked on Fenix said:


> Cheap steel can rust, may not hold a good edge, or retain the edge well. Study the different types of steels. The best steel is in authentic Japanese Samurai swords that took a long time to make and were made long ago.




Any high quality carbon, non-chromium steel can rust. Some of my toughest, most expensive knife blades will rust without a protective layer of oil over them. A steel's rust resistance as nothing to do with it's quality. Some high qualities steels are rust resistance and some are not. Traditional Katanas were not stainless or high chromium steels. All of them will rust. 





Alex GT
Typically, affordable working or practice swords are made from 1055 which is a great steel. Yes, it will rust too but it's just one of the things that you have to put up with in sword steels. Cold Steel Katana's can often be found on blowout or clearance sales at certain times of the year, sometimes under $300.


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## Illum (Nov 27, 2009)

MustardMan said:


> Not exactly full katana sized, but I'm fond of this one...
> 
> It's the Rodent Waki from Swamp Rat Knife Works - unfortunately, the pre-orders are closed, but if you email the owner, he might have some order cancellations and be able to sell you one. If not, they pop up on the secondary market occasionally.
> 
> Best part - it's one of the few swords you can buy with an UNCONDITIONAL lifetime warranty on both the blade and the handle. If you break it prying a car door open, Swamp Rat will replace it. Cool.



this is the micarta handle or the G10?
either way it'll put you back about $400


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## MustardMan (Nov 27, 2009)

Mine is the multicolored g10 upgrade. For a pure user, I actually prefer the feel of micarta in hand, but the orange and black was too sexy to pass up for a zombie slayer


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## PhantomPhoton (Nov 28, 2009)

I'll second the you get what you pay for mantra. Budget when refering to Katanas can be intrepreted bery differently.

For a safe functional Katana you're going to spend minimum ~$150. Most anything under that is absolutely unsafe for anything but being a "wall hanger."

For many years a Paul Chen/ Hanwei Practical Plus Katana (PPK) has been the bare minimum entry level blade. You can easily find them for under $200.

Cheness also makes some decent monosteel blades, however in the past their handles have had troubles so many are cautious of doing ay sort of heavy cutting with them. Again you can find Cheness katanas in the $200 range.

Cold Steel makes some brute katana swords. Not very traditional or light but they reportedly do cut decently for mass produced cheap american blades.

If you want the best quality production blade then you want a Bugei which will set you back between $1-2K. I personally find it hard to justify buying a sword in the middle range. But there are decent quality blades between the $200 and 1K range.

Whatever you do be careful even a high quality katana when abused or misused is very dangerous to the wielder and any bystanders.


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## AlexGT (Nov 28, 2009)

How decent is this one?

http://sbg-sword-store.sword-buyers-guide.com/product90.html


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## Patriot (Nov 28, 2009)

Alex, that source seems to be very thorough with their info. I can't imagine going wrong through those guys and the barely cost most than the Cold Steel Katanas, and are traditional to boot. 

The reviews page is great!

http://www.sword-buyers-guide.com/authentic-japanese-swords.html


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## PhantomPhoton (Nov 28, 2009)

Those are new to the market. While I have no doubt that they're decent quality, I haven't been able to take a look at one yet and haven't seen a "review" of one yet. So I can't make any real suggestion about that one. :shrug:


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## shortstack (Nov 29, 2009)

depending on what your price range is this one is a great price for a practical plus katana by Hanwei 
http://www.weaponmasters.com/shoppi...645.html&xid=1adfe4621e7bfbb8294b2e5c59b75de9

i have also heard the Musashi are very great for the price also
http://www.swordnarmory.com/Handmade-Musashi-Japanese-Samurai-Katana-Sword-Handforged-s/176.htm


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## Monocrom (Nov 30, 2009)

Sgt. LED said:


> Just doesn't seem to be something I want to go cheap on.
> 
> Good luck! Think, a foot and a half higher.............


 
Poor ******* would have been better off it it had been.

Turns out, the broken blade hit him in a very sensative spot. He needed emergency surgery. Let's just say, he can still have kids. But for the rest of his life, he'll be running on half power ... If you know what I mean. :shakehead


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## Sgt. LED (Nov 30, 2009)

Damn
I didn't know the rest of the story, just liked the tune. 

Again there are things in life you don't want to go cheap on. Might cost you a nut!


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## Monocrom (Nov 30, 2009)

Sgt. LED said:


> Damn
> I didn't know the rest of the story, just liked the tune.
> 
> Again there are things in life you don't want to go cheap on. Might cost you a nut!


 
Thankfully it didn't cost him a bolt.


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## AlexGT (Nov 30, 2009)

Oh wow! I didn't know the rest of the story! I only saw the video posted and LMAO at his stupidity. I feel bad!


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## Monocrom (Nov 30, 2009)

I feel bad for him too. Ironically, Odell probably had no clue how right he was regarding "emergency surgery."

There are wall-hangers, and there are real swords. There's no such thing as a good, cheap, sword.


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## rdh226 (Nov 30, 2009)

AlexGT said:


> Hi all!
> 
> I have been toying with the idea of buying a katana for when the zombies come out and 2012 and the end of the world as we know it. :duh2: :shakehead :tinfoil: J/K


 
Heh, yeah, I know what you mean. *Guns for the first wave, but when the ammo runs out, katana's're Plan B!




> Well I really want a nice sword to hang and why not take a few swings at stuff, Anyone have recomendations for budget katanas? If I'm going to get one, why not a good useful one that can actually do a good job?


Hear hear!




> I was seeing some katanas from Cheness that apparently look good and can take a beating also some from Hanwei anyone have any recomendations of a nicely built one that wont break the bank?
> 
> Thanks!
> AlexGT


 For what you're talking about, almost any of the "entry level" katana (or european style, or roman gladius, or ...)
will do you just fine. You will NEVER notice the difference between T10 or folded, through- vs differential-hardening, blah blah
blah etc. and so forth. Any one of them will slice off a finger, or hack off an arm if you do something STUPID with them; any one
of them will break if you try attacking a telephone pole with them. Any one of them will be a VERY serviceable SPO (Sharp
Pointy Object).


Be prepared to spend $300-$400. Many bargains exist at $150-$200 (as does a lot of CRAP!).


What you need to do first is spend a few days at http://www.sword-buyers-guide.com/ reading reviews, and especially
reading the forums. *Anything in the SBG "store" will be a decent buy; nothing there will be CRAP. Lots of bargains pop
up in the forum's "For Sale" (Cheness Kaze for $200ish, etc.)


Go for it! *Good Luck!


-RDH


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## MustardMan (Nov 30, 2009)

By the way, the Swamp Rat Rodent Waki I talked about earlier in this thread is differentially tempered. 


Here's the promotional video Swamp Rat did for the waki before they started taking pre-orders....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRnVY9qLCEE


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## Monocrom (Nov 30, 2009)

Yup, the quality swords are the ones with differential heat treatments.


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