Musashi Swords - Reason for price difference at entry level

[EpicHam]

Hello everyone , I've been poking around at the Knifecenter and I noticed some pretty nice sword like items , seeing that I've already got a few knives and EDC utility working blades , I want to get myself a PROPER blade.
And what's better to start off from than a Ninjato or a Katana.
This is where the trouble comes in.

I've got less than $100 budget and that puts my squarely on Musashi's domain.
http://www.kultofathena.com/musashi.asp
With this whole lexicon of products all claiming to be made of 1060 steel , it makes me wonder... why are some of them $10 or maybe even $20 more expensive than the other?
I see some of them have fancier tsuba and some have more pronounced hamon , but other from that there isn't that much of the difference to a novice's eye.

Can you pros provide a nub like me with some insight into the situation?

 

[Raymond673]

Hello EpicHam -- I have a Miusashi DH 1060 and I love it. it comes from the same series as the Bamboo Warrior, WHICH is not a bad sword to get.

I bought mine from True Swords and was very pleased with the service and the sword.

http://www.trueswords.com/musashi-1060-carbon-steel-differentially-hardened-katana-p-5680.html

Here are a few vids.

Basic Review -

[video=youtube;qEpHfAQKnq8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEpHfAQKnq8&list=UU9Y4nBtvLZLWR7axdpl4gpg&feature=share&index=4[/video]

Cutting a Banana Tree -

[video=youtube;TOUq2sMH_0M]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOUq2sMH_0M&feature=share&list=UU9Y4nBtvLZLWR7axdpl4gpg&index=1[/video]

Personally, I think Musashi makes great swords. We purchased one for our son for his birthday.

You can't go wrong.

Ray
CR

 

[EpicHam]

Hello EpicHam -- I have a Miusashi DH 1060 and I love it. it comes from the same series as the Bamboo Warrior, WHICH is not a bad sword to get.

I bought mine from True Swords and was very pleased with the service and the sword.

http://www.trueswords.com/musashi-1060-carbon-steel-differentially-hardened-katana-p-5680.html

Here are a few vids.

Basic Review -

[video=youtube;qEpHfAQKnq8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEpHfAQKnq8&list=UU9Y4nBtvLZLWR7axdpl4gpg&feature=share&index=4[/video]

Cutting a Banana Tree -

[video=youtube;TOUq2sMH_0M]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOUq2sMH_0M&feature=share&list=UU9Y4nBtvLZLWR7axdpl4gpg&index=1[/video]

Personally, I think Musashi makes great swords. We purchased one for our son for his birthday.

You can't go wrong.

Ray
CR

pretty darn sweet Katana you've got there!
I'm tempted!

Seeing that Musashi is based in China Longquan , any idea about what kind of manufacturing process do they use at that price range?
[video=youtube;mRfbqKYndEE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRfbqKYndEE[/video]

 

[Raymond673]

To be honest, they are great starter cutting swords. The price is good and heck, you will not get anything of this quality for the price coming out of Japan. Unless they themselves import the blades and repackage them. The 1060 DH series is a great sword for the money and you are getting a true hamon. ALSO.. she sings when she is swung. I get a great "whishing" sound every time I perform a proper cut.

 

[Shao]

Musashis are fun toys but I would refer to them as "KLO" (Katana-Like Objects). You could get lucky and buy one that Chen and Fang and crew all made on a day that they'd discovered they would be getting a raise, or you could get one that was heat-treated by Li after his girl dumped him the night before. Like all Chinese-made products the big question mark is QC. You could end up with the equivalent of a $400 sword for $100 or with a glorified wall-hanger. I was in the market for a katana, but I'm usually a buy-once cry-once kinda guy and I didn't want to take out a second mortgage on the house to buy a real one. If you absolutely must chop things in twain, there are a plethora of custom/semi-custom long blades from US makers that will treat you a lot better for just a bit more money AND will come with a lifetime warranty. I have Chinese ancestry and I am proud... but I absolutely cannot recommend any Chinese katana made for the foreign market. You are endangering your own safety and the safety of those around you. If you must - invest in some body armor to wear while using your Musashi and thank me later when it saves you a trip to the emergency room.

 

[BePrepared]

My only experience with them was FANTASTIC. It would cut bamboo, mats, and wet newspaper wonderfully and never took a set. Can't tell you how they perform on average but mine was awesome.

Shao is probably right though, QC is your big hurdle. Buy from trueswords and they will replace anything that is sub-par

 

[crimsonfalcon07]

Yup, QC is the issue. Buy from a place with good customer service, or save up a little more and get a lower-end Hanwei. Or a Kris Cutlery, for that matter. I've been pretty happy with their quality, especially for the prices.