Advice on getting a katana

Andrew · 19th June 2007, 05:06 AM

Bill, you might check out John Lundemo of www.odinblades.com for a custom sword. He made a pattern-welded dha for me a few years back and did a fantastic job for a very reasonable price.

He's since started doing Japanese style swords as well.

t_c · 19th June 2007, 07:48 AM

Here are some starter books for you:

The Samurai Sword: A Handbook
by John M. Yumoto

The Japanese Sword
by Kanzan Sato

They are good introductory books for collectors, but I really enjoyed:

The Craft of the Japanese Sword
By Leon and Hiroko Kapp & Yosindo Yoshihara

It's more about how the swords are made than styles or history, but really great if you are interested in the process.

Bill M · 19th June 2007, 12:39 PM

Thanks for the tips. The weibsite is fantastic, Rich!

I am thinking about getting one of the antique blades. There is a lot to learn here.

Still need a mentor to help me pick one or two. PM me?

Maybe I will get one of the newer blades, well-balanced to do some sword play and cutting?

I really love swords of all areas! What a fun hobby!

katana · 19th June 2007, 09:27 PM

acquiring a 'genuinely' old Katana is like finding a needle in a minefield. The Market is 'littered' with high quality fakes and 'millions' of poorer construction.
Even the experts get their fingers burned.....this really is a specialist field .....where the risk factor is extremely high as prices are so extreme.
I have held a fantastic 18 th C katana....unbelieveably balanced, an absolute beauty with a lovely Hamon.....a work of art.....this sword 'talked'...but even then the owner wasn't 100% it was genuine

Bill please be very, very careful if you decide to invest in an antique version. A recently made quality katana sounds a good idea. There are still very experienced swordsmiths in Japan that still make them in a totally traditional way....including the production of the steel used in the blades...but these are extremely expensive

Bill M · 19th June 2007, 11:18 PM

This is obviously going to take more research. As I view wonderful sites like Rich Stein's website

http://www.geocities.com/alchemyst/nihonto.htm

and

http://www.aoi-art.com/

and

the Nihonto Forum

http://www.militaria.co.za/nihontomessageboard/

I begin to realize that there are some good quality antique swords that are not a lot more than the new models.

These new swords are pretty, and I can see why people would buy them, but for my money, I can't see spending $1,500 for a fake sword- a pretty wall decoration, when I could put that $1,500 towards a real one.

A good friend has only one Japanese sword, but it is from the 1500s. It looks nothing like these new ones. It's sturdy and sharp, and could easily cut off your arm to this day. It is made with a core and hamon and outfitted with a fine higo dragon gold inlaid tsuba and sword fittings- it's really cool to see this kind of workmanship and functional utility, I just don't think I'd get the same feeling from one of these modern sword. He paid $1,200 for his sword about 20 years ago. It is probably worth about $5,000 now.

Regarding new swords, I don't know Japanese, but have some experience with Chinese swords and I would not buy a new made Chinese sword. I just don't think it would keep my interest. Why would I expect a new made Japanese sword to?

I find one underlying quality in things I like to collect. If it is really good, I see new things in it almost every time I study and spend time with it. This can be a fine Kerman Lavar "Persian" carpet, or an old sword from Timor.

There is still a quality that only older antique pieces can have. So I am revising my search for a really nice antique Nihonto. May as well get something that will increase in value.

I believe that if I can network with the right collectors I can find something that I like and that it will be genuine.

But I may also get a cutter from Paul Chen in his "Pracctical" or better line that I can go out in my field and take on a big stand of Kudzu! I already got the black drawstring pants! Just need some of the split toe sandals!

Heee Yaaaaaah!

Bill M · 19th June 2007, 11:18 PM

Rich,

Would you please email or PM me?

19th June 2007, 05:06 AM	#1
Andrew Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,725	Bill, you might check out John Lundemo of www.odinblades.com for a custom sword. He made a pattern-welded dha for me a few years back and did a fantastic job for a very reasonable price. He's since started doing Japanese style swords as well.

19th June 2007, 07:48 AM	#2
t_c Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: ca, usa Posts: 92	Here are some starter books for you: The Samurai Sword: A Handbook by John M. Yumoto The Japanese Sword by Kanzan Sato They are good introductory books for collectors, but I really enjoyed: The Craft of the Japanese Sword By Leon and Hiroko Kapp & Yosindo Yoshihara It's more about how the swords are made than styles or history, but really great if you are interested in the process.

19th June 2007, 12:39 PM	#3
Bill M Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: USA Georgia Posts: 1,599	Thanks for the tips. The weibsite is fantastic, Rich! I am thinking about getting one of the antique blades. There is a lot to learn here. Still need a mentor to help me pick one or two. PM me? Maybe I will get one of the newer blades, well-balanced to do some sword play and cutting? I really love swords of all areas! What a fun hobby!

19th June 2007, 09:27 PM	#4
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,658	acquiring a 'genuinely' old Katana is like finding a needle in a minefield. The Market is 'littered' with high quality fakes and 'millions' of poorer construction. Even the experts get their fingers burned.....this really is a specialist field .....where the risk factor is extremely high as prices are so extreme. I have held a fantastic 18 th C katana....unbelieveably balanced, an absolute beauty with a lovely Hamon.....a work of art.....this sword 'talked'...but even then the owner wasn't 100% it was genuine Bill please be very, very careful if you decide to invest in an antique version. A recently made quality katana sounds a good idea. There are still very experienced swordsmiths in Japan that still make them in a totally traditional way....including the production of the steel used in the blades...but these are extremely expensive

19th June 2007, 11:18 PM	#5
Bill M Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: USA Georgia Posts: 1,599	This is obviously going to take more research. As I view wonderful sites like Rich Stein's website http://www.geocities.com/alchemyst/nihonto.htm and http://www.aoi-art.com/ and the Nihonto Forum http://www.militaria.co.za/nihontomessageboard/ I begin to realize that there are some good quality antique swords that are not a lot more than the new models. These new swords are pretty, and I can see why people would buy them, but for my money, I can't see spending $1,500 for a fake sword- a pretty wall decoration, when I could put that $1,500 towards a real one. A good friend has only one Japanese sword, but it is from the 1500s. It looks nothing like these new ones. It's sturdy and sharp, and could easily cut off your arm to this day. It is made with a core and hamon and outfitted with a fine higo dragon gold inlaid tsuba and sword fittings- it's really cool to see this kind of workmanship and functional utility, I just don't think I'd get the same feeling from one of these modern sword. He paid $1,200 for his sword about 20 years ago. It is probably worth about $5,000 now. Regarding new swords, I don't know Japanese, but have some experience with Chinese swords and I would not buy a new made Chinese sword. I just don't think it would keep my interest. Why would I expect a new made Japanese sword to? I find one underlying quality in things I like to collect. If it is really good, I see new things in it almost every time I study and spend time with it. This can be a fine Kerman Lavar "Persian" carpet, or an old sword from Timor. There is still a quality that only older antique pieces can have. So I am revising my search for a really nice antique Nihonto. May as well get something that will increase in value. I believe that if I can network with the right collectors I can find something that I like and that it will be genuine. But I may also get a cutter from Paul Chen in his "Pracctical" or better line that I can go out in my field and take on a big stand of Kudzu! I already got the black drawstring pants! Just need some of the split toe sandals! Heee Yaaaaaah!