Ryumon Katana, Wakizashi set

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KKHansen

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Note, this is not a for sale post...I already bought these. I could have done with something other than purple wrapping for the Ito but I had to have the set for the blades.

I have never seen a staggered fuller/blood groove going half and then 2/3 the lenght of the blade. I have also never seen a swedged blade leading into the snake head tip from the top fuller forward.

I searched and found no sets by Ryumon even close. I also checked out other listings and wonder if this isn't a high dollar NYC Martail Arts Supply that bought a bunch of high dollar Katana's that just never sold.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...MEWN:IT&viewitem=&item=200052630347&rd=1&rd=1

I think a well done blade is sexy but these blades to me are beyond that.

Karsten
 
ahh, your making me wish I had some extra money laying around....NICE sword. Not a big fan of purple, but they're still really nice. The swedge is definitely interesting. Im not overly familiar with Ryumon, but I havent seen any of their stuff that looked quite like that, so you're probably right.
 
When I see posts like these I always struggle with whether or not to chime in. Because the number of bad swords is increasing at a windfall rate, I've decided to pipe up more often.

The swords in that auction are low-end decorative swords. The blade might be 1095, but I doubt it. Whether it's heat treated at all would be another question I've got. It looks like an iato blade I saw once, only this one looks shoddily made. Be sure to check the blade with a magnet, as that type of etched hamon is very common on alloy-blade iato.

The hamon is definitely scratched and etched on. In any event, *please* go over the sword thoroughly if you intend to actually cut anything with it, and excercise extreme caution while cutting.

If you bought them for display, then I'm sure you will learn from them and enjoy them. Hopefully it will lead you to deeper study of the arts of the Japanese sword and down the road into Nihonto.

The blade shape is called unokubi-zukuri, and the style of grooves in the blade are called "naginata-hi" (named after the naginata pole-arm).
 
Joe,

Thanks for the input and feed back/info on the blade design.

I own another Ryumon Katana and while it hasn't cut anything more than cotton rags to get polished it is a HCS blade and the workmanship is exceedingly well done.

I know there is plenty of debate about the lower priced, cheap knock off stuff oposed to High dollar Katana's but I see Ryumon's going in the $800.00 plus range.

I searched for days and never found this set or any the vendor has/had listed as Ryumon, hence I figured old stock they had bought thinking "if We Have the Best they will buy it" and it didn't work out that way.

I did check and they are an old NYC Martial Arts supply shop that now has all the cheap knock offs on both the web site and a few posted on eBay.

I don't have them yet so I really can't say as to the quality, fit of finish but I will give them a major inspection when I get them.

May I will even buy a Cucumber or Squash and see what happens or as you suggest get serious and go learn how to use them.

I am sure at best they would be Practice Swords and not meant for any serious cutting.

Karsten
 
I have never seen a staggered fuller/blood groove going half and then 2/3 the lenght of the blade.
Click to expand...

I have, appears very similar to my Cold Steel Chisa blade. Only difference appears to be in blade length and composition.

FWIW, the "Chisa" is also 3/8" thick instead of the 9/32" thickness of the standard CS katana & wakazashi, (which may be helpful to ya once swords are received - perhaps they were made in similar places, although there appears to be a difference in the steel with the CS versions being 1050HCS instead of 1095HCS noted on the above )

May be of some help.

mike
 
KKHansen said:
Joe,

Thanks for the input and feed back/info on the blade design.

I own another Ryumon Katana and while it hasn't cut anything more than cotton rags to get polished it is a HCS blade and the workmanship is exceedingly well done.

I know there is plenty of debate about the lower priced, cheap knock off stuff oposed to High dollar Katana's but I see Ryumon's going in the $800.00 plus range.

I searched for days and never found this set or any the vendor has/had listed as Ryumon, hence I figured old stock they had bought thinking "if We Have the Best they will buy it" and it didn't work out that way.

I did check and they are an old NYC Martial Arts supply shop that now has all the cheap knock offs on both the web site and a few posted on eBay.

I don't have them yet so I really can't say as to the quality, fit of finish but I will give them a major inspection when I get them.

May I will even buy a Cucumber or Squash and see what happens or as you suggest get serious and go learn how to use them.

I am sure at best they would be Practice Swords and not meant for any serious cutting.

Karsten
Click to expand...

Just for a personal point of reference may I ask if you consider an 800.00 katana to be a high dollar katana?
 
Triton said:
Just for a personal point of reference may I ask if you consider an 800.00 katana to be a high dollar katana?
Click to expand...

I would consider $800.00 to be on the high end seeing as how I know these aren't the real deal and meant for practice or display.

I also from time to time will marvel at the high dollar authentic swords that go for the $3,000 and up. Wondering how one could bare waiting a year or 2 while the blade was made when I figure these were most likely completed in a couple of days.

Karsten
 
KKHansen said:
I would consider $800.00 to be on the high end seeing as how I know these aren't the real deal and meant for practice or display.

I also from time to time will marvel at the high dollar authentic swords that go for the $3,000 and up. Wondering how one could bare waiting a year or 2 while the blade was made when I figure these were most likely completed in a couple of days.

Karsten
Click to expand...

Okay thanks!
 
$800 is a lot for me....Though I realize $800 is still not going to get you the same quality as $3000. Most of my things are like that. Not really top of the line, but definitely better than stainless wallhangers. Id think theyd be fine for light cutting. Id be reluctant to use them for tatami, but they're safe for other stuff. Either way they still look nice and make good display pieces.
 
to my surprise the package arrived today, I didn't expect it until the 1st of the week.

I just give each sword a quick once over due to limited time and call me easily impressed but I am Impressed.

The pictures posted don't them justice and I think would have looked way better it the blades had been wiped down.

Magnet sticks to both blades, razor sharp blades, buffulo cap at the opening of the Saya, maintainence kit, heavy satin bags, 1/2 inch pine box and sheet with a bunch of writing that does me no good. I will have to find some time and take them apart for a detailed inspection and attempt to take some pictures.

Karsten
 
As advised I spent Saturday taking both apart and going over them well. I found it interesting that the pegs on both insert from oppiste side with te front peg angled rearward and the other angled foreward.

The blades are both signed with what looks ot have been chisled in, not stamped or pencil engraved.

After a lot more searching it appears that Ryumon is made in Japan rather than China or so the online dealer ad material states.

The Hamon is also clay tempered and not a brushed look like the Masahiro or Furubushido swords I have.

On the lesser blades (Made in China) the Hamon polishes off after polishing the blade. These have a slight texure on the Hamon line even after polishing. The blades, grooves, ridge line are well made and forged with no waves, high/low points or other imprefections.

I still have not found these listed anywhere but this one dealer so I am still thinking old stock.

Karsten
 
I would have guess from the picture that the hamon was genuine. In one shot it looked kind of regular and fake, but in some of the others it's pretty authentic-looking for what I can tell--though I'm not an expert in the craft of katanas, of course--I just know what cheapo looks like. :)
 
I have a ryumon bamboo katana and I just sent a high res scan of the cert of authenticity to friends of mine in japan I'll let you guys know what comes of it. I may even get them to do some research on the company.
 
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