katana, Japanese sword

[mano]

Anyone know anything about katana swords? I'm looking for something around $75 that's not a complete piece of junk. To be used as a display and cutting watermellons and the like in half.

[Nmko]

At that price point you are still in the "piece of junk" range unfortunately... Why a Katana might i ask? - the CCK watermelon knife is pretty close to your price if your after a bada$$ melon chopper??

[rami_m]

who wouldn't want a katana? i think the melon is for demos.

[Noodle Soup]

The Cold Steel "sword style" machetes are really good for the money but they are light years from traditional.

[Marko Tsourkan]

I too a katana. Actually, if I keep wanting, I will have to eventually make one. I already know a blacksmith who I can learn from, but this project is years away.

[rami_m]

I too a katana. Actually, if I keep wanting, I will have to eventually make one. I already know a blacksmith who I can learn from, but this project is years away.

hmm, an s grind katana, would be interesting to see a demo of that.

[Marko Tsourkan]

hmm, an s grind katana, would be interesting to see a demo of that.

Actually, it is mostly forged to shape and then shaped with scrapers and stones if done traditionally. Very labor intensive process. I will probably take a shortcut and do the scrapers' part on a grinder, but forging and stone finished will stay unchanged.

[ThEoRy]

ECG 2015

[LKH9]

At $75, it's worst than a toy if you want to do some real cutting, the handle is just a welded rat-tail. It's downright dangerous to the wielder! See how they are made here.



I only know that modern products like 1055 Cold Steel are way more tougher than the traditional, differentially hardened katana, and is like 10 times cheaper.

[Norton]

If you get a Cold Steel sword you can also pierce the hood of a car. If you want.