Tozando

[Tiger Ed]

Taking the advice you all gave me on my Iaito thread recently I shopped around and would still be interested in the Goran Iaito but an quite taken by the Masakuni Dotanuki by Tozando.

Does anyone know more details on this swords and what the fine detail is like upon it, is it good and solid?

[Charles Mahan]

Search the archives for Dotanuki. I know it's been reviewed a number of times.

[Tiger Ed]

Thanks, Charles.

[Tiger Ed]

There is not that much on it apart from it weighs a bit-which is not a problem.

What is the balance and construction like and are there any problems with the compnaies Iaito, as there were a few comments on them being good but also some negative ones.

[ulvulv]

The dotanuki is thick and heavy, nice balance for a heavy blade though. The finish is very good and solid, and will last you a decade of regular iaido-practise.
I used one for six years, it was good for developing large and nice cuts, but it was hard to do agile, sharp and "juicy" cuts.
When I switch from my present 2002 swordstore iaito to the dotanuki, everything slows down, an my joints scream silently and unisonly in pain.
My recommendation before buying ANY iaito, is to try several different types, do not buy a sword you have not handled.

[Tiger Ed]

Thanks as I am in the UK does anyone know where I can handle one at all as none of my instructors use one?

[DCPan]

Hi,

If the ONLY reason you are choosing for it is the fitting, you could also just e-mail them and ask them to put the same fittings on a standard weight blade.

I've done it before...I saw bits and pieces of fittings I liked on the difference models they have, and they did a special one for me that actually was priced similar to a stock blade.

Not paying for the heavier Dotanuki blade made it quite a discount too (I wanted the Fuchi-Gashira from one of their special edition Dotanuki on one of their annual sales).

FWIW.

[Tiger Ed]

No its not just for the fittings I quite fancy a heavy blade and although the fittings are nice I do want one that weighs similar to an actual blade and many of them are about the same weight. Also fancy it for the additional strength training I will do by default. Think the design is good to with a nice heavy blade that is slightly thicker.

[DCPan]

Originally posted by Tiger Ed
No its not just for the fittings I quite fancy a heavy blade and although the fittings are nice I do want one that weighs similar to an actual blade and many of them are about the same weight. Also fancy it for the additional strength training I will do by default. Think the design is good to with a nice heavy blade that is slightly thicker.

I use to have a Dotanuki. I parted with it thinking it was the wrong length for me, but it actually wasn't.

Anyhow, it's one thing to have it feel good in a swing or two. You may not think so swinging the same blade at the end of an 8 hour long seminar.

FWIW.

[Tiger Ed]

Fair point.

I am not really bothered about the weight as I am a big strong lad, and can do extra training at the gym to make sure I have the stamina in my arm. I am also 6'5" so need 2.60 or 2.65 as a length and it is the only one they do.

[Tiger Ed]

Considering what people have said I am also considering the Hon Jidai Koshirae, but asking for the Ume Tsuba if they will do that for me or one of the other ones.

Does it have good balance etc and considering my size should I go for the Dotanuki?

[ulvulv]

Why not be real groovy, and go for this one:

http://iaido.tozando.com/iaito/ka83.html

You get a 2.6, and the added extra groove skin of some of the weight.

[Tiger Ed]

Sorry just like the one groove, do the above have them?

[Maro]

The Double groove negates Tachikaze - one poor chap at our dojo has one and was disappointed. There is a faint noise but not much.

I have a 2.60 Shaku Dotanuki from Tozando and love it. It is popular at our dojo - around 6 of us have them. One of the ZKNR Iaido Guys uses a 2.5 Shaku one with no problem. The fittings are excellent - good and tight

One guy has a 2.6 Shaku Swordstore Dotanuki. It has a POB Further out than mine. We compared them and the difference was marked.