msmalik
November 25th, 2008, 01:23 AM
I received my Paul chen practical XL from swordsofmight about a week ago. Jason did a price match on it and I believe I got a good deal on it. Just to comment on my experience with swordsofmight, it was excellent! The shipping was fast and everything was packed nicely. My next swords will definitely be bought from here, if they carry the one I want. I also ordered some beach mats, but I'm not quite satisfied with them. They bend too easily. Next time I'll get high quality tatami mats.
On to the sword. To summarize before I even begin, I LOVE this sword. It is currently my favorite out of the all the katana's I own (cold steel warrior, cheness tenchi, and a cheap musashi). Compared to my other katana's, this sword is sharper, and is aesthetically on a higher level.
The sword came in a box with foam spacers, and was wrapped in a sword bag. See pictures below.
Upon taking it out, the first thing you notice is that little tag warning you about the sharpness of the sword. Take this tag seriously! Ignoring the warning on the tag, I proceeded to check the sharpness of the blade with my thumb. Bad idea indeed...See below for results.
One thing that really stands out about this sword is the saya. Most saya's come with the glossy finishes, which look great, but hold finger prints like none other and I had to constantly wipe off finger prints. The saya for this sword came with a fingerprint free finish, and this was a big plus to me. It feels great, and I don't have to worry about wiping it down after every use.
The iron sunburst tsuba looks fantastic!
The tsuka has genuine rayskin same, and the ito is wrapped nice and tight.
Now, the best part. The blade! As you can see, it has a very prominent hamon. Compared to my cold steel, the balance on this blade is excellent. The XL geometry was made for cutting, and cutting with I'm certain will be a joy. So far I haven't done any cutting with it. Of course you have to be careful not to use it on harder targets, because the edge will chip easily due to it's razor sharpness. This sword isn't like a big beefy cold steel backyard beater.
And here is my usual paper cutting test that I do.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJqPIrxbpzg&fmt=18
If you have around 350ish, I do recommend this sword. I'm wondering how it would compare to a dynasty forge though. Anyone have one of those? I've read a lot of good things about those.
Final verdict: Buy this sword from swordsofmight! (hint: price matching is your friend). Call Jason and order from him. You will not be disappointed. This sword will be a beautiful and simultaneously addition to any collection
On to the sword. To summarize before I even begin, I LOVE this sword. It is currently my favorite out of the all the katana's I own (cold steel warrior, cheness tenchi, and a cheap musashi). Compared to my other katana's, this sword is sharper, and is aesthetically on a higher level.
The sword came in a box with foam spacers, and was wrapped in a sword bag. See pictures below.
Upon taking it out, the first thing you notice is that little tag warning you about the sharpness of the sword. Take this tag seriously! Ignoring the warning on the tag, I proceeded to check the sharpness of the blade with my thumb. Bad idea indeed...See below for results.
One thing that really stands out about this sword is the saya. Most saya's come with the glossy finishes, which look great, but hold finger prints like none other and I had to constantly wipe off finger prints. The saya for this sword came with a fingerprint free finish, and this was a big plus to me. It feels great, and I don't have to worry about wiping it down after every use.
The iron sunburst tsuba looks fantastic!
The tsuka has genuine rayskin same, and the ito is wrapped nice and tight.
Now, the best part. The blade! As you can see, it has a very prominent hamon. Compared to my cold steel, the balance on this blade is excellent. The XL geometry was made for cutting, and cutting with I'm certain will be a joy. So far I haven't done any cutting with it. Of course you have to be careful not to use it on harder targets, because the edge will chip easily due to it's razor sharpness. This sword isn't like a big beefy cold steel backyard beater.
And here is my usual paper cutting test that I do.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJqPIrxbpzg&fmt=18
If you have around 350ish, I do recommend this sword. I'm wondering how it would compare to a dynasty forge though. Anyone have one of those? I've read a lot of good things about those.
Final verdict: Buy this sword from swordsofmight! (hint: price matching is your friend). Call Jason and order from him. You will not be disappointed. This sword will be a beautiful and simultaneously addition to any collection