Japanese Blades
​Zhui Feng - Higo
A katana with a wide blade and a double hi, especially designed for cutting exercises.
Specs:
T10 steel
double hi
Sendan/inro Saya
higho fittings & mokko tsuba
ideal for tameshigiri
Steel : T10
Polish : mirror
Hamon :Wild
Hi : double
Blade (tsuba to tip) : 71 cm
Tsuka : 28 cm
Weight : 1065 gram
Point of balance : 15 cm
Sori : 22 mm
Motohaba : 34 mm
Sakihaba : 25 mm
Kissaki : 7 cm
Motokasana : 7 mm
Sakikasana : 5 mm
Ito : black cotton
Saya : black gloss - Sendan/inro
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My Opinion:​
Out of every monosteel Japanese blade on sale on the market this one is my favorite.
The best cutting performing katana under 500€ on the European Market.​
Why?
It is built to be a performer, the geometry the size, weight. Instead of a deep single groove, two here applied to avoid loosing the shock absorbing capacity required for cutting hard targets.
Besides, I have a "dislike" for wavy mass produced hamons, this "Wild" style hamons give the swords a unique style.
Hanwei - Pratical XL Plus series​
This Practical Plus XL was designed by Paul Chen and it's special blade geometry makes it an ideal cutting katana.These are available in XL light with bo hi and the plain XL (no hi).
Specs:
Steel:1065​
Bo Hi(optional)
ideal for tameshigiri
Polish : mirror
Hamon : wave frost and etched​
Total length: 104 cm
Blade length: 72 cm
Blade thickness: 7 mm
Blade width: 3,6 cm
Point of balance: 12 cm
Weight: 1,1 / 1,45 kg
​​
The Practical Plus XL Katana provides a very economical cutting sword but using more traditional fittings and construction methods. The blade is forged and differentially tempered (HRC60 edge, HRC40 back) and the hamon is prominent. The Practical Plus features genuine Same (Rayskin) on the Tsuka, with a tightly-woven cotton wrap (Tsuka-Ito). The long tang is double-pegged for security. The fittings of the Practical Plus Elite are decorated in a Japanese Dogwood motif with dragon menuki, and the handsome Tsuba is of an iron ''sunburst'' design with a brass habaki.
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My Opinion:
The best cutting performing katana under 300€ on the European Market.​
Why?
It is built to be a performer, the new hanwei geometry is built with cutting performance in mind. The hamon is from satisfactory to good for most regular end Users.​​​
Hanwei - Practical XL series
Affordable yet functional cutter, this Practical XL series might just be what you are looking for...​These are available in XL light with bo hi and the plain XL (no hi).
Specs:
Steel:1065​
Bo Hi(optinoal)
ideal for tameshigiri
Polish : mirror
Hamon : wave frost and etched​
Total length: 103 cm
Blade length: 72,5 cm
Weight: 1,16/1,55 kg
Blade thickness: 6,5 mm
Blade width: 3,6 cm
Point of balance: 12 cm​​​
​
​​The Practical Plus XL Katana is a very economical cutting sword.
The blade is forged and differentially tempered, using the same process as the more expensive blades and producing an HRC60 edge and HRC40 back. The temper line is authentic and prominent. Cost savings are effected by using fittings which, while making no claims to authenticity, are very strongly built to withstand the rigors of cutting exercises in the dojo.​
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My Opinion​
The best cutting performing katana under 200€ on the European Market.​​
Why?
It is built to be a performer, the new hanwei geometry is build with cutting performance in mind. The hamon is from satisfactory wavy etched line.
The Bamboo Folded steel Katana
This is a high quality folded katana for a reasonable price. Intended for both beginners and collectors starting into the folded steel class on a real sword. ​
​​Blade: Carbon steel hand-forged and folded with bo-hi (groove). The handle is shaped extremely well with the slenderness and taper to be expected.​
Free Extras included with the package
- A sword cleaning kit, a display stand and a sword case silk styled box.​
Specs:
Blade 28.5 inches
Overall 38 1/4 inch
Handle 10 3/4 inch
Width 8 mm (thats right, 8mm blade width at habaki)
Weight with Saya: 1250 g
Weight without Saya: 1000 g
Tsuba (Guard):antiqued copper finish with bamboo design.
Saya (Scabbard):Wood. Black lacquered. Curved according to the Sori.
​​
My Opinion​
This is by far the best deal of a folded steel katana I have seen even in Europe.Get one, or two while they last!​
Why?​
Just the sword itself it's well worth it's ~125€ price tag, and you receive extras well worth over 50€.​
Obviously this won't be a great cutter, and this sword should only be used for display and collecting purposes.​
​​Cheness - 9260 Tenchi Wakizashi (TH)
This is a 9260 wakizashi made to provide a matching set of blades for our 9260 Silicon Alloy Spring Steel "Tenchi" Katana.
​​Specs:​
Name:Tenchi 9260 Wakizashi
Blade:Through Hardened 9260 Carbon Spring Steel.
Overall:Length (+ Saya):29"
Treatment:Hand Heat Forged, Heat Tempered, Oil Quenched
Finish:Tameshigiri Polish
Blade:21"
Weight (+Saya):1.2 lbs
Tsuba/Fuchi/Kashira:Brass Musashi Double Ring Tsuba with alloy fittings
Balance Point:4.5" from tsuba
Bo-hi (Blood Groove):Available in both versions.
Tsuka/Ho:6.5" Wood
Tsuka Ito:Black Cotton
Mekugi:Wood X 2
Same:Real Ray Skin Panel Wrap
Saya:22" Black Glossy Lacquered Medium Hardwood
​​
​​This is a sharpened functional cutter. It features a 6.5" tsuka and uses double mekugi.
New tsuka core, shape, and ito with a tighter ito wrapping than before.​​​
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My Opinion
If you looking for a fully functional and very durable Wakizashi for about 250€ in Europe well this one is definitely one of the best available.​
Cheness - 9260 Tenchi in Shirasaya (TH)
This is a Cheness through hardened 9260 Silicon Alloy Spring Steel blade (same as those on Tenchi and Shura) in a shirasaya.
Note: This sword does not come with sword bag or display box... The saya itself is the "disposable"​protective container for the bare blade.
Specs:
Name:9260 (TH) in Shirasaya
Blade:Through Hardened 9260 Carbon Spring Steel.
Overall Length (+ Saya):40.25" (102.2cm)
Treatment:Hand Forged, Oil Quenched, Hand Polished
Finish Tameshigiri Polish
Blade Dimension:28" Length, 0.3" Width, 1.25" Height
Sori (Curvature):0.7"
Weight:2 lbs (1kg) (with fuller)
Tsuba/Fuchi/Kashira:None
Balance Point:6.5" above tsuka
Tsuka/Ho:10.4" Wood
Tsuka Ito:None
Mekugi:2 X Wood (Double Pinned)
Same:None
Saya:29.8" Raw Hardwood​Handle length: 26,4 cm
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My Opinion
This is the same blade used in the 9260 Tenchi katana, which by the way is one of the very best 9260 steel blades ever made...
I don't have original photos, because I bought mine and changed it's fittings, making a excellent katana cutter!​
This baby cost's about 250€ here in Europe.​
Ryumon Folded Dragon Tanto
Each Ryumon Dragon Folded Tanto is hand forged and folded 10 times to produce 1024 layers of high carbon steel.These are available in black or red saya.
Specs:
Hand forged HCS 1065 high carbon steel blade
Hand sharpened and differentially clay tempered
Folded 10 times making 1024 layers
Dragon tsuba
Rayskin and cotton wrapped tsuka
Your choice of red or black lacquered wood saya
Includes deluxe Ryumon wooden box
Fully functional
Blade: 10"
Tsuka: 5.25"
Overall: 17"
Weight: .76 Lbs
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My Opinion
This is a great tanto is both functional and with a eye candy folded steel pattern on top it's only about ~60€.