Kriscutlery blades

[Peter]

Hi there!

Before I start, I'd like to say that you could fit my sword knowledge onto a small stamp:)

I am thinking of getting back into training with the Katana(I studied for a little while some years back and do a wee bit every now and again).

Unfortunately, my only experience was with a 440 steel cheapy katana. I would like to purchase a better sword . I have been told that carbon steel is the way to go and was directed to the Kriscutlery site.

Could someone please tell me if the Katana for sale on the site is any good(I'd like to eventually move to tamegishiri sp?) It seems very inexpensive for a handmade sword at $175 with fittings. Also, why are the fittings fixed?

Or would there be any benefit in purchasing the blade on its own and buying the fittings elsewhere?

Are there any places in the uk/europe who sell decent swords?

Help? Anybody?

p.s. please excuse my ignorance

[Chi]

Originally posted by Peter
I am thinking of getting back into training with the Katana(I studied for a little while some years back and do a wee bit every now and again).

Unfortunately, my only experience was with a 440 steel cheapy katana. I would like to purchase a better sword . I have been told that carbon steel is the way to go and was directed to the Kriscutlery site.

Could someone please tell me if the Katana for sale on the site is any good(I'd like to eventually move to tamegishiri sp?) It seems very inexpensive for a handmade sword at $175 with fittings. Also, why are the fittings fixed?

Or would there be any benefit in purchasing the blade on its own and buying the fittings elsewhere?

Are there any places in the uk/europe who sell decent swords?

Help? Anybody?

p.s. please excuse my ignorance

Yes, the KC is a real blade, even if it does seem too cheap to be true... it was included in a roundup over at http://swordforum.com/fall99/lineup-1.html - Note that this is a little out of date, and the Practical Katana now has a metal Habaki instead of the plastic one which let it down so much.

There are one or two places in the UK that sell Paul Chen swords - the Practical Katana is a very cheap sword for what it is (I omit the details as it has been discussed before many many times)... -but- I must add the standard disclaimer against training with a sword without proper supervision (especially tameshigiri! There is so much that could go wrong), and since there is a distinct lack of Kenjutsu/Tameshigiri instruction in the UK, I find it unlikely to be all that much different in Ireland but I guess you would know better than I on that. You say that you studied the Katana some years back... was this self-taught or with an instructor, and what kind of swordsmanship did you learn? Personally, I have never had instruction of Tameshigiri and am certainly not even thinking of attempting it at this time...

Okay, thats enough preaching... I bought my PK from www.spytech-uk.com - a very horrid-looking site which also sells weird stuff like body armour and tasers and stuff like that, or alternatively you might like to check out http://www.theswordsmith.com/. I've spoken to both these on the phone and they both seem to be very friendly and quite efficient.

As for where to get KC blades, I don't know.

Regards,

Chris.

[Peter]

Cheers Chris:)

I undertook some supervised Kenjutsu training before, so I have a healthy respect for how dangerous "swordplay" can be. I'd like to get back into it so I'm scouting for a dojo at the moment.

Yes, there aren't that many options here in Ireland for those wishing to undertake kenjutsu either.

Thanks for the links(and the warning;))

Regards

[Chi]

No problem Peter, I just thought I should give the warning anyway after your opening paragraph :)

I'll leave the other more experienced sword artists to answer the other aspects of your question, such as why the KC has 'fixed' fittings (I assume it is to cut costs in manufacturing... the PK has the same issue, as the blade is firmly epoxied in the tsuka)... as I am just a mere just-starting-iaidoka, who played around with swords quite a bit unsupervised a few years back!

Regards,

Chris.

[Peter]

Hi again.

Just looked up the PK on Spytech, whoah!!!

I didn't think you could get decent Katana for that kind of cash.

I just have one questoin:

Whats the deal on bringing edged weapons into a country?
I assume its much the same in the UK as Ireland.

[Chi]

Originally posted by Peter
Whats the deal on bringing edged weapons into a country?
I assume its much the same in the UK as Ireland.

I couldn't honestly tell you, as I bought mine inland (Spytech are a UK company based in Blackburn)... you could try ringing them up and asking them, or perhaps emailing?

Swords aren't on the "banned" list per se (unlike flick knives, balisong, kusarigama etc.), well at least not in the UK so I wouldn't have thought you would have too many problems unless the Irish laws are more stingent, but like I say I am not an expert, and have never tried to import them personally... does the Irish government not have a website of some agency equivalent to HM Customs & Excise in the UK that you could check with?

Sorry I couldn't help more,

Chris.