Bushido Devil Dog
Expert
Having been fascinated with Japan's martial culture from the time I was 10 years old, it has been a dream of mine since seeing the mini-series of James Clavell's "Shogun" to own my very own 100% authentic katana/Samurai sword. There are a number of quite serviceable blades being made by non-Japanese smiths using a blend of both modern materials and machinery, and new and ancient methods to produce blades for serious use by serious warriors (Paul Chen/Bugei, Cold Steel, and several others), but for my first katana, my dream has been to own one that was 100% made in Japan using traditional materials by Japanese craftsman.
Today I achieved that dream!
This is the blade that is now in my most appreciative hands:
http://i710.photobucket.com/albums/ww110/BushidoDevilDog/DSC00142.jpg
A summary of facts about my blade:
- blade is possibly only about 80-90 years old (per my friends I train with), or could be 300+ years old (per the shop's webpage info on the blade); the tsuba was made in the Edo Era (1603~1868)
- cost 450,000 yen = about $4500
- weighs a bit over a kilo (2.2 pounds)
- has not been shortened (a fairly common practice, one that I dislike immensely)
- is totally badass cool!!
I plan to post a lot of pics, not to toot my own horn, but to give some of you a chance to see some (hopefully high quality) pics of an authentic Japanese sword. It only takes having had a few authentic, traditionally made Japanese blade in your hands to realize that each blade has its own "story"...and I don't mean the actual history of its previous owners (for older blades like mine), I mean the story that can be seen in the steel. Is the temper line straight, wave-like, cloud-like? What were the smith's preferences for the blade's shape, thickness, balance? What kind of detail in the temper line (hamon in Japanese) was the polisher able to uncover? How clean were his lines on the sides and tip?
Literally every inch of a Japanese blade has a new story to tell, and I want to share this with you....stay tuned!
Today I achieved that dream!
This is the blade that is now in my most appreciative hands:
http://i710.photobucket.com/albums/ww110/BushidoDevilDog/DSC00142.jpg
A summary of facts about my blade:
- blade is possibly only about 80-90 years old (per my friends I train with), or could be 300+ years old (per the shop's webpage info on the blade); the tsuba was made in the Edo Era (1603~1868)
- cost 450,000 yen = about $4500
- weighs a bit over a kilo (2.2 pounds)
- has not been shortened (a fairly common practice, one that I dislike immensely)
- is totally badass cool!!
I plan to post a lot of pics, not to toot my own horn, but to give some of you a chance to see some (hopefully high quality) pics of an authentic Japanese sword. It only takes having had a few authentic, traditionally made Japanese blade in your hands to realize that each blade has its own "story"...and I don't mean the actual history of its previous owners (for older blades like mine), I mean the story that can be seen in the steel. Is the temper line straight, wave-like, cloud-like? What were the smith's preferences for the blade's shape, thickness, balance? What kind of detail in the temper line (hamon in Japanese) was the polisher able to uncover? How clean were his lines on the sides and tip?
Literally every inch of a Japanese blade has a new story to tell, and I want to share this with you....stay tuned!
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...fancy! 
. 
It's that kind of place, and he is that kind of guy. His outward persona makes Mr. Rodgers look like 50 Cent, but with a blade in his hand the only thing keeping your head on your shoulders is the fact that he is a good person. My buds tell me he is Super BAA-AADD ASS, and I believe them.
no matter where you go. Sheeple in both countries can't be bothered to research further than the inaccuracies/lies they see on TV, so they ASSume, or even make up stories about the legality of owning weapons. Your average Japanese person is as clueless 
Please feel free to show the Mrs. this thread and say something along the lines of, "But Honey..., this :dumbass: in Japan blew $4,500 on *one* chunk of steel, but I can get 4-5 for a mere $2,500!! That's a bargain compared to what he spent!!" 
