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View Full Version : SDK supplies Dotanuki shinken review



roninseb
13th June 2000, 02:48
Kim Taylor has asked me to do a description and review of the dotanuki
shinken offered by SDKsupplies, which some people have been asking about
on swordforum. Here is a full review of the blade I received one week ago.

When I first laid eyes on the sword, while still in the saya, the mounting
looked very simple but 100% Japanese and authentic like any good iaito on
the market. There was no excess of fake gold or cheap inlays on any parts.
The only thing that was a bit of a drag was the gousei same (Synthetic
same, but it is hard to notice unless you have encountered good same
before, which makes me feel that most standard iaito might have synthetic
same). The mekugi is copper, for added safety I was told, but I will
remove it later on, drill a second mekugi ana and jam some bamboo
mekugi in both holes.

The saya was very nicely lacquered and really feels sturdy with the copper
koiguchi and kojiri. It was very smooth on nukitsuke and noto and I
didn't find any wood dust collecting on the blade. Looking into the saya,
it seemed really well finished. I feel that the mountings could be made in
Japan since they really don't look like any of the Chen stuff.

Now for the most important part. The blade does not look like any of the
Chen blades since it is not made at the Chen plant. It is made in another
plant in Shanghai. The hamon was not acid etched but at a first glance
looked like a high grade Igarashi iaito ground hamon, but after further
study of the hamon under a halogen lamp, there is a distinctive white line
on top of the hamon that truly does not look fake to me. All in all it
looked very nice, and better than anything I have seen so far in the price
range. The grooves are very well defined and sharp as are all the other
lines on the sword.

Now for balance, even if this is a dotanuki blade, the balance is great
due to its 9.5 sun tsuka. For doing iai this blade would not be good for a
beginner or a short person and let me tell you, if your iai waza is not
perfect this blade has no forgivness. She just won't whistle unless your
swing is right. Now for the cutting. I went through 6 wara, rolled up and
soaked, without any excessive power. I just did a usual iai cut like
anybody does when they do iai, nothing more, and it felt as if there was
nothing in front of the blade. I was told these swords are able to cut
bamboo and even a 3mm metal rod, and seeing the way the blade reacted to
my cutting I can believe their claims without any hesitation.

When other people get these blades in their hands, it will be good to hear
their report. Meanwhile if anybody has questions I will be more than happy
to share any info I have.

Sebastien Cyr

heresjonny
13th January 2005, 13:32
Could you supply some photos, there aren't any good or clear ones on the SDK site.

How much does it way, with/without the saya? (kg)

kmorgan
14th January 2005, 01:55
I bought one of the first ones off of Kim....about six months ago. I really can't add a whole lot more to what Sebastien has already said. I am more than happy with mine.
I used my iaito last week for the first time in six months and it just wasn't the same, I had to go back to my shinken. After five years with that iaito I thought that nothing could ever take it's place in my heart. I was wrong.
I can not do anything but highly recommend this sword.