Ace Martial Arts Supply Handmade Zetsurin Sharp Samurai Katana Sword

I just received this beautiful katana in the mail today, and I have to say, it's an amazing piece for being worth around 50 bucks. Call it your standard cutting katana because it's great for that use; whether it be cutting straw mats, fruits, or anything that has a "fleshy texture" to it (NOT human beings or animals). I advise not cutting into cardboard or other hard materials like wood too much for instance if you want to retain good quality of the blade. In addition, the katana that came in my package was very simple. It did include Musashi's little card tag, illustrating the sword in its 'taken apart' form. The whole sword piece is placed in a black fabric when you first open the box. It's for if you ever want to put away your sword for storage. It is also full tang, carbon steel, however mine was not super sharp out of the box and did not sufficiently pass the paper cutting test. It does vary from sword to sword, but it can always be sharpened manually. The hidden throwing knife that comes with it can have a tendency to fall out from time to time but that can fixed by bending the metal a bit so it fits snug in its own sheath. It is not sharp at all, but contains a very very pointed tip. As the for the saya (or katana scabbard), it is a nice lacquer wood finish in black, and any fingerprints or smudges come off quick and easy with windex solution or just wiping them off with a microbe towel. The katana's tsuka (or handle) is wrapped with white linen over black imitation ray skin. Frankly it is not real but it is doable and looks superb anyhow. So far as I have experienced, there is no rattling in the katana's sheath when moving around. It fits absolutely snug in the scabbard, so it does take a little effort pulling the blade out. Overall fantastic piece for its price range. Nothing too fancy, nothing too bland. It's an exceptional standard katana. I would definitely buy from Musashi again! Please also note, that this is not a toy katana or a display stainless steel dulled katana for children. Handle it with extreme caution and seek instruction on how to use it before handling the blade, i.e. chopping targets with it or just swinging it around in general. When fully sharp, it can and will cut you if you are not careful and fail to handle it properly. But if handled well, this sword will surely meet your satisfaction! 5/5 a must buy!

Here is all you need to know: this sword is beautiful. We' ve all seen cheap display swords with plastic sayas and tin accents. This is not one of those. The blade is plumb, balanced, and very sharp. The saya is well crafted laqured wood and a great fit. The extra " thrower " is a nice accent I guess.. but the sword is plenty remarkable without it. is it " battle ready "? Well first off...if you are seeking a " battle ready " sword, please realize that it is 2014 and you are most likely NOT an actual sword-fighter because we dont have those anymore. If you are an actual trained Kendo student, then you already know that a 50 dollar sword from Amazon is obviously not going to be anywhere near comparable to a real hand forged sword, so dont act suprised if you chip or bend the blade while playing ninja and chopping branches and whatnot.. this isnt a machete, its a zetsurin and its not meant for hacking at randomn objects anyways. If you want a high quality display piece that has a fine edge and remarkable craftsmanship for the price, this is it. If you want to go into the woods and swing something sharp around or hack at milk jugs..go buy a ten dollar machete from the Army surplus store...or maybe get a less insane hobby altogether. This sword is well worth the price regardless.

How does one review a sword and not be writing from prison serving time for manslaughter or worse? How good is it for its intended purpose? I cannot speak for other people but I have never been attacked by a bundle of bamboo. So what is the intended purpose? Collecting dust on a wall? If so the coloring is striking. Is the purpose just to have a samurai style sword? It satisfies this purpose in spades. A samurai sword has a mystique. Just unsheathing it makes you want to grunt like Tashiro Mifune. Is the purpose backup home defense? It sure beats a baseball bat for its pucker factor. People think you can use it and thanks to the movies know it is magical. It does come sharp. I got some trivial improvement with a 1200 grit whetstone. There were really only a few small burrs at this grit level suggesting it was finished at the factory with a stone in the 900-1000 range. That is uncommon for any factory edged item. It makes me think when they say handmade they mean handmade. The hidden "thrower" isn't heavy enough to throw. Not only that, it is barely sharpened at all. The point of this gimmick is unclear. The suggestion to use it as a letter opener is a good one. No hilt is just plain dumb but as ninja bamboo bundles are uncommon the chances of using this in a sword fight are rather remote. Yes I know there are some old illustrations of swords without hilts. I also know that is all there is about swords without hilts. If in fact they did exist they were not meant for sword on sword action. Myself? I just wanted to own one and luckily found a cheap one that looks good, is a conversation starter and, should the need arise, slice a pucker in half far beyond the reach of a threatening knife. I know myself. If it had not been up to snuff I would have bought more and more expensive swords until I was satisfied. This saved me hundreds of dollars.

Less than 50$ so I bit the bullet despite my skepticism. What a shock! This is a full-tang and razor sharp sword! I really like the lack of a hand-guard allowing for a higher grip. The wrapping seems traditional and the weight feels feather light compared to my other european-style long-swords. It's such a nice looking sword that I almost feel guilty beating the crap out of it. Makes short work of all kinds of fun practice targets from bamboo mats to water bottles and once very unlucky watermelon. Keep it well oiled and sharpened and I see no reason this blade shouldn't outlive me lol

If you want a real nice looking katana but you do not want to spend over $500 then look no further. Very well made, feels strong and looks great. Careful when unboxing, the knife that comes with it can be loose inside.

Everything I order from Ace Martial arts supply is exactly as advertised. I think for the money on a practical sword that you want to actually use, this one is quite fun. Was sharper than a razor blade right out of the box. After some intense play time has a few minor wounds but nothing that can't be stoned out. The balance is not where I would like it to be and takes a bit getting used to. If you want a sword to play with this is your ticket to a slice and dice festival. Well worth the money.

PRetty Darn gud. I've cut things like water bottles, detergent bottles, and just anything plastic that held water, and I certainly seeing this going through some limbs during the zombie apocalypses. It is full tang 1045 carbon steel. Needs to be cleaned and re-oiled after every use, or once a week. Comes with black cloth cover, and overall is a nice piece. The blade will get dirty (and even a few scuff marks hear and there) but it wont be too bad unless you neglect the blade. Comes near razor sharp and if not near, then it is razor. You'd expect what the price states. It is literally designed for people who want to practice light (and some medium) cutting, but don't want to damage they're more expensive blades. The materials used are good for the price. I see some things coming loose over time, but that's expected with pretty much any katana as well. For the U.S price, its great! But for Canada, its nearly $100 more. I knew this and bought it any ways.

Beautiful sword! I got mine the other day, it was shipped nicely. Nothing was wrong with it, just simply a beauty and i love it

I don't have huge knowledge of swords but my fiancé does and he was SO happy with this! Comes in a nice box.