Swords and armour

[bob]

i'm looking to invest in a swrod and armour combo but need to know a bit about it before i do i dunno whats going on wit all the types of steel 1024 k440 and like the HRC60 edge! i just want to make sure it's not a display sword and i know i'm notgetting ripped off and i can't find any decent armour i have looked everywhere! i'm looking for a stealth type armour and a katana sword with full tang but yeah if you know about swords drop in and share your wisdom it would be good if you owned and bought a sword too

[scorpz911]

A katana is extremely dangerous, and as such I have to first say that you need to be very very careful with it. If you plan to actually train with a sword, make sure that you first purchase a bokken, this is a heavy wooden replica of a Katana that replicates the weight and feel of a real sword, and allows you to practice the sword safely. If you dont plan to do any sparring with your bokken, a 12 dollar version can be found easily enough on most martial arts supply websites. For top Quality bokkens, you should visit. www.bugei.com. In addition, bugei has some top quality katana's and you can get a sword for starting around 900 dollars there that is secure and sharp enough for full kenjutsu practice. These swords are made by Paul Chen, however, they are made in a different forge than most of the hanwei products and are of superior quality.

That being said, if you dont know about Katana's you probably dont plan to use it very much. I could explain to you the difference in steels and why you want a differential temper on your blade, but this is a very lengthy discussion, so instead I will reccomend that you go to E-bay and purchase a Paul Chen Practical plus katana. It is made of real forged carbon steel with a front edge of RC 60 (that means the hardness of the temper.) And it comes with decent enough fittings that should stand up to minor stress. It can be purchased for around $220 American from this Ebay vendor.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW

I personally own a Paul Chen Practical Plus that I purchased from this very same dealer, and Shipping was very quick, and the quality of the sword was very satisfactory.
As for the armor, Bugei has some fairly authentic sets of Samurai armor, but again, these are very pricey.

[bob]

dude i know how to use a sword i have a bokken and have hade trainig from international instructors man i haven't ever done a single grading! i just don't know about swords tempers and steel types! and if you dont know thats fine but don't gimme advice! geez i'd beat you in a spar any day

but hey i'm not looking for an average practical sword i'm looking for something i can trust and can cut down small trees with in a single blow.

[Daggoth]

Ok if ur lookin 4 a sharp, reliable and trustworthy blade... I suggest going straight to the source, like where i got mine... one of the last remaining dojo's of the old Yamato clan of japan, i spent two weeks on a holiday in japan... while there i found this place and went in 2 look around... i bought my katana there for near 100000 yen. i hav no clue wat that would be in american $$$ but it has been nearly 5 years since that day and i hav never had 2 sharpen it, despite crumbling a small boulder with 2 strikes and leveling trees with a girth of over 30 - 40 centimeters... now enough of my rambling...

you can purchace one of these for around 80000 yen today as their stock has steadily gotten older... in autralian $$$ its gonna cost round $900
but its well worth the investment.....trust me

[scorpz911]

Well excuse me, I didnt mean to insult you, it just seemed that since you dont know about what a differential temper is, or why a katana uses high carbon steel that you probably didnt have very much experience with them. Some poor saps had to go out and learn that stuff before their instructors would let them handle a long curved sharp piece of death. But I am getting off topic here.

Differential tempering: This is the process by which a Japanese sword maker uses to make a sword with two different hardness ratings. The idea, is that since a harder temper produces a better sharper edge that holds longer. However, this also makes the sword more brittle. So, the Japanese masters developed this solution. After the sword is forged from a single piece of carbon steel (Ill discuss the types later.) The sword master will put clay accross the edge so that when he cools it off, the edge will cool slower, and therefore be harder. around Rockwell 60. The back edge will remain softer, around Rockwell 40 for the average production sword, which allows it to flex and absorb the shock from blows. In a hand folded sword, since each blade is custom, different smiths have different techniques, some like to include a high carbon core in the middle of the blade made from softer steel, and then surround it with a sandwhich of harder steel to form a reliable edge.

As for what daggoth said about crumbling boulders and chopping down trees, thats complete bullshit. In all actuality, the newer line of swedish powdered steel swords are superior to swords made in the traditional way. In fact, most of the well-known custom sword makers today, use Swedish powdered steel because it allows them 100% control of the purity of the steel they are using and insures that the crystialline structure when hardened will be perfectly aligned, and is able to be differentially tempered.

The reason you will never be able to cut a tree or crumble a boulder with a good katana, is that thats not what a katana is made to do, think about it, the katana is made to cut HUMAN flesh, not rocks or wood. Even if your sword was made by the yamato clan, they are going to harden the blade to values that are close to the same as production swords, the difference comes from the purity of the steel. The Japanese developed a very extensive folding process to purify their steel, but it cannot match the purity of Swedish Powdered Steel. The swords from www.bugei.com are made of Swedish powdered steel, and if you are willing to spend around $1000 dollars, I assure you your blade will be top quality.

[Kaos-theory]

when the japanese people made there katanas they tested the strength of the blade by choping through human bones, if it survived the choping it was sent on to the samurai if it wasnt worth it was thrown or remade. You also have to remember a true samural sword gets heavily damaged which is why you blocked with the back of the sword, if you blocked with the front(the edge) you ened up with chunks out of the blade making it weaker by the minute and in a fight that could be fatal with a good strike destroying the blade.

[bob]

thanks for that has anyone got anything on armour because i have never handled a "long sharp curved piece of death" and would like to be protected but for other reasons as well

[Briceus2000]

When you say armour, what kind of thing are you looking for? Do you intend on going full on traditional, are aesthetics as important as practicality, are materials a preference, do you want urban looks, is stealth important, etc.

When it comes to Katana, if you really want a good, reliable sword, and price is no object (which, of course, it always is) then you want to look for an antique Katana. Second World War period blades can still be found for relatively reasonable prices, and at this point in history the swords were still built to be used in battle (even if they weren't) and as an extension of the soul. However if you have the resources then you can go back further still, and get Sotheby's involved, though expect to be paying absolutely obscene amounts.

I have to look at the claims of a 100 000 yen Katana (pretty damn cheap for starters) that hasn't needed sharpening in 5 years and can cut through trees and rocks in a single slice with doubt, bordering on disbelief. If you are getting a Katana you will want to get a kit to care for it, as they need regular maintenance, and always have.

[-inefficiency-]

Originally Posted by Daggoth

i bought my katana there for near 100000 yen. i hav no clue wat that would be in american $$$ but it has been nearly 5 years since that day and i hav never had 2 sharpen it, despite crumbling a small boulder with 2 strikes and leveling trees with a girth of over 30 - 40 centimeters...

[bob]

practical and stealth armour like in the league of shadows out of batman or something. i need it to be flexible and camouflaging and light would be good but it doesnt matter really

[overdose]

Ok...just...curious.. What are you going to be doing with this sword? Why do you want "armor"... your not honestly considering going full-out ninja are you? Unless you plan to dismember a person in combat, there is no reason to buy a 1000$ sword, but if youve got the money and thats what you want....just remember, you could spend that 1000$ on a firearm, which is every bit as deadly from a LOT farther away.

[bob]

you really think it wise for me to say what i'm going to do with my stealth combat gear?

That's right think before you write.

and firearm well if i wanted one i'd get one but i need swords. don't ask why.