Handmade Japanese Shirasaya Samurai Katana Sword Sharp

To begin with this is not a Musashi sword as stated in another review. It is in fact a Musha blade, the one that they have listed for around 35 dollars with the two black bands. As soon as I drew it I noticed a few things. First the blade was bent right at the hibaki, placed along a strait edge it was bent about a half inch to the right. The tip was damaged, and the edge was left with a pretty lousy edge after the false hamon was ground in. Don't buy this,you can get a real Musashi for $59.00 from the website. A musha won't cost over $40.00 unless you have been duped.

the sword looks nice and just nice is the only plus it gets. When I got it the tip had a chip, the brass was scratched, and wasn't "razor sharp" more like slightly sharp. When I practiced with it the handle was shakey. About a month after I got it the handle cracked in 3 places it's far from battle ready.

I purchased this sword for slower form-focused kata training in my backyard and even in the park/forest, and it mostly lives up to its purpose. The fact that it is a shirasaya mount makes it stealth in a sense, so you can actually take it place with people thinking its an oversized walking stick. I have no intention of using this weapon in a contact sort of manner, although it did come with somewhat of an edge for that if need be it. (Update) This is indeed a full-tang weapon (I took it apart to make sure). The tang seems a bit skinnier and a bit more harshly forged than I would have expected but it is not at all a rat-tail shape. I wouldn't worry about 3 foot long sharp projectiles if this was used to hit stuff. The steel seems a bit brittle and inflexible, but it seems to be carbon steel and not display grade stainless steel. After giving the blade an intense polishing to get rid of rust (a result of neglect more than anything else), the hamon basically faded away leading me to conclude it was brushed or etched on originally and not part of the forging process. The fake hamon did look great initially - great for display.First off, my main gripe with it is the unsteadyness of the tang inside the handle. Unless I'm moving real slow, there is a noticeable unsteady twitch to the blade. The tang is secured by only a single wooden peg-which could have a lot to do with this problem, but the issues may be more fundamental. Nevertheless I still consider it usuable, and I may consider taking it apart and refitting/replacing the peg to alleviate this issue. (Update) I replaced the Mekugi peg using a generic bamboo type one that came in a generic sword maintenance kit. The difference in the blade's stability is very pronounced and I look forward to using it for kata practice again. The mekugi that came with this blade was utter garbage. The wood reminded me of the cheap paneling that cheap furniture generally comes with, and it fell apart completely during removal. This lack of quality in such a fundamental and cheap-to-get-right part tells me that this katana is really meant for display. Once you replace the mekugi, you can consider this a usable kata practice sword.My more minor gripes are the fact that the saya and handle can blemish easy from getting knocked about, but proper care will ensure this isn't an issue. The sword bag that comes with it is nothing but cloth, but it can protect from some minor knicks in this regard. (Update) The saya and handle are not rosewood, but some generic hardwood covered in a rosewood like plating. The plating can easily chip off. If you plan to ever take this sword outside or for a ride in a car, some hits are bound to occur and the plating will flake off in an unsightly manner. If you display it or take immaculate care of it, it should be fine. Without knicks it still looks good, with some knicks it looks bad since you can readily tell the fakeness of the "rosewood". Obviously this katana is cheap and rosewood it really expensive, so you get what you pay for.If you are looking for a true cutting weapon, your looking at least $50 cheaper than you should be plus the addition of a grip and tsuba. The blade is sharp out of the box, but I doubt it could withstand continuous cutting. Be careful when cleaning it or swinging it, especially swinging it hard due to the lack of grip. With some sharpening, it could be decent for some bamboo or brush clearing, but i wouldn't trust the edge lasting long. Plus it helps if a cutting blade has some grip to it.That said, the weapon is elegant looking and the sharpening of the blade gives it a more complete aesthetc appeal. This can definitely suffice as a badass display piece, as the sheathed weapon looks like an innocuous wooden practice daito until you reveal a formidible looking blade. The picture does give an accurate idea of what this weapon initially looks like. For a practice sword the balance is ok, about 6 inches away from the handle. The handle is light, and there are no wrappings or tsuba, so this is better than expected. Without the Fuller (aka blood groove), this weapon would be way too top heavy for a non-cutter. If you are looking for a shirasaya sword to complement your practice or collection, this would be a good way to affordably go about that. The stealth aspect of this mount is definitely useful. If you are looking for an affordable introductory sword, I would definitely recommend something with grip and a tsuba (also something that isn't movie/anime sword knockoff, but thats a whole other story).

I received my Rosewood Shirasaya in the mail today, First impressions are very good, especially for a $60 sword. It comes in a decent cloth bag, no silk or display case for $60, not that I was expecting it. This sword feels exceptionally solid, and is very tough to draw from the Saya at first; better tight than loose though, it seems to wear in and becomes easier to draw with use. As far as fit and finish goes, it is exceptionally good for the price point; however don't expect perfection. There are a few scratches, and slight marks on the blade, the hamon is brushed on for aesthetics, the habaki fits fairly well, but it also has some machining marks and scratches (these are very minor and only noticeable upon closer inspection, definitely not a deal breaker)The saya and handle do not fit exactly flush, and there is a gap of about 1.5mm on one side- this can easily be fixed by sanding down the saya a bit. The blade is sharp, and passed the paper-cut test with flying colors. There is minimal 'wobble' of the blade in the saya when shaken, you really have to shake it to notice this. There is a single mekugi pin in the handle, and it is not tapered like on most other katanas. My one gripe with this is in the handle. when you shake the sword (and I believe it may be specific to mine only) you can hear a dull rattling noise, note this is not the blade touching the saya, or moving in the handle, that part is solid. This noise is similar to wood chips rattling around inside a wooden box; I think the reason for this is that many production swords have a handle cut for a much longer tang than that which is present on the blade, so at least a couple inches of the bottom are hollow. I think that the wood chips may have been left in from cutting the wood, this is not the wood cracking or deteriorating from the inside. I tried to remove the mekugi pin (which wasn't that hard) and pull out the blade holding it in a towel. I don't know if it's just that snug inside the handle, or if it's glued or epoxied but I could not remove the blade. I may try again later, but as for now I'll just have to live with it. This isn't really noticeable in regular use, but if you have an eye (or ear in this case) for close details, it might tick you off a bit. Again this may be specific to my model, and may be a relatively easy fix if the blade is just tight and not epoxied in there. Keep in mind this is a $60 sword, and for that price point I am more than satisfied with it.

Just recieved my shirasaya in the mail today and I love it! Great craftsmanship on the blade and scabbard. The rosewood is beautiful! It seems very sturdy, but wasn't as sharp as I thought it would be. Still an awesome product especially for the price!

You guys think your smooth pricing the sword from 46.00 down to 18.00, but then raising the shipping to 28.00 so really not changing the price at all! I've recently ordered from you for the 1st time 3 different orders and have been disappointed every time. Every time you give me the option for free shipping wich I of course opt for and you still charge me shipping every time. not to mention I find items I just purchased on another site for 15-20 bucks cheaper.

I was content w/ the sword but was disappointed that it was not a authentic JAPANESE MADE sword.......but a chinese copy. But for the price it was well worth the purchase.