I want to buy a katana...

[Sai]

What is the best place to buy a katana?
Is kris cutlery ( http://www.kriscutlery.com ) a good katana supplier?

Anyone?

[Sai]

I was wondering,
Is it difficult to make an handle for a sword? Cause I could buy a katana blade from Kris Cutlery and make my own customized handle...

[David T Anderson]

Kris Cutlery has some good products, but they are currently revamping their product line, and I have heard that delivery can be uncertain. They send out a free catalog that's worth a look.

There are lots of places to buy swords online...check out Bugei, or Liveblade, Sword Armory or 888knivesrus... The Hanwei [Paul Chen] swords are pretty good for the money, as are the Cicada Forge katana [according to reports]. You might want to check out SwordForum.com if you are interested in information of swords...

As for building your own katana tsuka...if you have to ask, it's probably more of a job than you want to undertake...

[trulku]

You can check this guys out also, I have purchased from them before and the service is great and fast, they also work with you, if your not able to pay for the sword all at one shot(they have layaway). They are legit.

http://www.mantisswords.com/


hope this help,

Edwin J. Sostre

[Sai]

Anyone has other shops to recommend? (Please give the url with it)

[Ron Rompen]

If you are willing to take at least a bit of risk, I would recommend checking out E-bay. Search under 'katana', and make sure you look for all available to Canada, not just available IN Canada.

I have seen Paul Chen swords on there for <$300 (US) and from what little I know (and from what everyone has said) this is the next best thing to getting them for free.

If you need the link, email me privately and I'll send u the link.

[Hoshi_Ryu]

Kris cutlery only makes the hamon less than a centimeter from the edge of the blade and dont even bother to etch it. Even their 700 dollar katana(the one with bo-hi) has a messy hamon too.
I suggest that you buy the practical katana new from www.atlantacutlery.com for only $135(I think they still sell it at that price) or get it for $120 at ebay.

[Joseph Svinth]

http://ejmas.com/ejmasiaitosource.htm provides links to a number of sword manufacturers, in a range of prices.

[Daruma]

How about here?

http://www.nosyuiaido.com

[Gene Gabel]

Originally posted by Sai
What is the best place to buy a katana?
Is kris cutlery ( http://www.kriscutlery.com ) a good katana supplier?

Anyone?

....................................................
You didn't say what you wanted one for... Iai, wall hanger or what?
That makes a big difference

As far as a tsuka goes. There is an internet site somewhere that shows how to build one from an axe or hammer handle. Do a search at www.swordforum.com and you should find it.

If you are looking for a fine Iaito I would also suggest Nos


Gene Gabel

[Don Gwinn]

I believe the Kris cutlery piece is a pretty good "practical" piece for anyone who doesn't care as much about appearance as practical usage and who needs a low-cost blade (like me.) I could care less about the hamon being etched, for instance. A good hamon created in the heat-treat process doesn't require etching to be seen anyway. (I don't know much about martial arts yet, but I do know how to forge and heat-treat a knife.

It has been years since I looked through Atlanta Cutlery, but the last time I did, their swords were all wall-hangers. Their "practical katana" was a sword with simple square tsuba and full tang with wooden slab scale stocks. It was also, at least back then, made of 440-C "surgical steel." This is not the steel I would suggest for a sword intended to be used. 440-C is good stainless steel but can be complicated to temper--more complicated than you want to trust to production line, especially in sword lengths.
440J, 420J, or "Surgical Stainless" with no numerical designation are to be avoided like the plague. You could melt down your frying pans and get better blade steel.

[The Coffee God]

I've been drooling over this makers swords for a few years now. Still haven't bought one due to the price of it. Didn't know he had a website until recently. Very quality hand made katana to your specs. Swords made to last being used. Though you have to be willing to spend some money to get one.

http://www.dragonflyforge.com/

[Charles Mahan]

I will second the recommendation for http://www.nosyuiaido.com

I know a couple of people that own these weapons, and they come VERY highly recommended. I intend to purchase one next year.

In addition to wonderful blades, Nosyuiaido's fittings are EXTREMELY serviceable. The handle wrap on my blade is still in perfect shape after 5 years of swinging, and the "Steel Iaito that cut" use the same fittings as the Iaito. Our Dojo has probably ordered 50 blades from Rick over the last 5 years, and every single one has been exceptional, with no complaints that I am aware of.

Look under the "Steel Iaito that cut" heading. Being a Japanese company, they are prohibited by Japanese law from referring to these weapons as Katana since they are not produced in Japan.

[heresjonny]

Try <www.ninecircles.co.uk>

There prices are high, but a bargain compared to the quality of their shinken. You might choke when you see the prices of, say £1000 for a folded model, but remember you could easily pay 2o times that for a blade of similar performance, made in japan!

[kroh]

Hello to all...

Some one I have been corresponding to recently is Tombo USA. The url is http://lorengraves.com

They are extremely friendly and willing to work with with people on what you are looking for in a blade. As of early this morning (I had nothing better to do this morning as it was snowing) I checked their site and they are in the middle of updating it. Lots of links and other odds and ends (including customizing a lot of the swords that she has for sale).

She is updating the site right now but still has plenty of shinken and iaito that they can lay there hands on.

Prices are more than fair as well.

Sorry for the lengthy plug but they have been really helpful.

Regards,
Walt

[pgsmith]

Check the dates gentlemen!
I seriously doubt that the originator of this two and a half year old thread is still looking for a shinken. While reading through the past threads is very educational, please don't reply to old threads like this one. Let the dead threads rest in peace! :)