The Big Swords of Cheness Cutlery – O Katana Review

When it comes to big swords, the Cheness O Katana is in a league of its own.

Historically, O Katana (meaning, literally ‘great sword’) were an older style of Katana designed for somewhat tall Samurai so that they could use their height to maximum advantage. And while this sword is indeed particularly well suited to anyone over 6’5” tall – even a shortie like me (5’ 11”) can get a whole lot of good clean cutting enjoyment out of it...

But this review also answers an important question...

While previous heavy duty torture testing of the 9260 Spring steel in a variety of geometries has proven these swords to be remarkably durable – some people (myself included) that this extra long blade may not be able to utilize the steels properties.

So in this hands on review I will be putting these big swords to the ultimate test, pushing one far beyond the limits of even my previous demanding tests to see once and for all if there is any Katana geometry this steel is unsuitable for...

Cheness Cutlery O Katana

With a 33” blade, the Cheness O Katana is somewhere in the middle in terms of the length these big swords are usually found in. For example, the Cold Steel O-Katana is 36” long in the blade, while the Dynasty Forge O-Katana is a more conservative 31”...

However, the first indication you get of this swords size is the box it comes in.

Much longer than the usual length Cheness box, and with three latches to keep it closed when in storage/transit – you just know that you are in for a nice surprise...

Opening the box reveals an equally long saya (scabbard) to house this big swords blade.

And while it may only be 5” longer than any of the other Cheness blades, that 5” makes a big difference...

Interestingly, with a point of balance around 7” from the tsuba, and weighing in at only 2lbs 7oz, this sword actually feels surprisingly light in the hand. Before I had ever held one of these big swords, I was always under the impression that it was going to be blade heavy and cumbersome.

But in reality, nothing could be further from the truth.

“When wielded, this sword positively SINGS!”

Indeed, with a full length bo-hi (fuller/blood groove) – the additional length of this Katana means that it makes the most authoritive Tachi Kaze (sword wind sound) as it slices the air that is music to the ears...

Anyway, these surprises aside – let’s take a moment to go over the O Katana from top to bottom.

FIT AND FINISH

Overall, this is a very attractive piece and has come a long way since its first inception.

It really is a very sleek and elegant sword.

Everything about it was extremely well put together, with no looseness in any of the components.

And while it is hard to get a sense of just how much bigger it feels than any other regular length Katana without holding it or seeing it yourself.

I simply was unable to photograph it in a way that really highlights this – trust me, it has some real presence to it and would instantly draw attention to itself in any collection.

The Tsuka is wrapped extremely tightly and is now available in either a choice of blue or brown ito.

It also sports the upgraded and improved tsuka core construction – that due to criticisms on a particular sword fora - is now somewhat overbuilt, with two mekugi pegs – one of seasoned winter bamboo at the top, and one of brass at the bottom.

The menuki (handle ornaments) were pretty simple, and the same (ray skin) nice and even – nothing flash, but that isn’t the point.

All in all, more than adequate for its purpose, though the Fuchi and Kashira (caps on either end of the handle) could use a feature or two to break up the monotony of their smooth finish.

The Tsuba, a traditional crane pattern, really sets this sword of beautifully.

The first generation of these big swords had a very plain ‘Shura’ style tsuba, but the symbol of a long legged crane is the perfect choice for a long blade.

While the tsuba itself could have done with a little more rounding of the edges, this is a minor criticism and, unlike many production Katana, it is not crying out for a custom guard.

It sets it all off very nicely, and gives a very positive overall impression.

But while the fittings are actually quite impressive (especially from a functionality point of view) – the blade itself is a stunner.

As this is a monosteel blade, the hamon is of course cosmetic only. But it is both subtle and attractive, and combined with the bo-hi, its elegant sori (curvature) and length – it just looks, for want of a better word, very sexy!

The level of polish on the sword is perfectly acceptable for what is to be a cutting blade. I noticed no flaws or blemishes along its significant length – and it was extremely keen, ready to slice and dice straight out of the box!

Which is of course, exactly why I got it!

PUTTING THE O-KATANA TO THE TEST

I’ve cut a lot of varied targets with the O-Katana, and it has failed to disappoint me yet.

The combination of the 9260 Spring Steel, allowing it to keep its shape no matter what it connects with – and this big swords edge geometry, sharpness and handling makes it an extremely versatile cutter.

From pool noodles to water bottles, tatami omote, soaked and rolled newspapers and everything in between – it has never failed to deliver anything less than a perfect cut despite my crappy mostly self taught form.

VIDEO: Light Target Cutting Some basic cutting on water bottles, including 10 milk jugs in a row and some dry handling at the start

Whatever it touches – ends up in two pieces.

INTERLUDE – A BIT OF FUN Now before I graphically answer some questions about this big swords durability – I would like to share a rather fun video I made that features a somewhat suitable target. ”Naturally, when you are dealing with Big Swords like this one – a BIG TARGET is in order... And what could be bigger than a 55 gallon plastic container...! I was pretty delighted to find this monstrous thing inside one of the steel drums I was preparing for the final torture testing... And how could I resist filling it with water and slicing it up! ;-) In short order, it was soo full and heavy that it broke the table it was supported on! I turned off the tap, and spent a minute or so trying to figure out how I would cut it in one blow! This big swords blade was the only one I knew off long enough to stand a reasonable chance of cutting it. And while this test was more for fun than anything else, it was also indicate if there was any part of the blade that was not sharp enough to do the job. VIDEO: Cutting a 55 Gallon Water Filled Container! Big swords like this need a big target… And this is the BIGGEST target I have cut so far! As you can see, I needn’t have worried... The first cut sliced almost the entire way through, leaving it hanging by a small amount of ‘skin’. And I then proceeded to finish it off, with water gushing everywhere. Easily the biggest water filled target I have taken on! And a whole lot of satisfying fun to boot...

With that out of the way, it was time to address a question – would the additional length and relative thinness of the blade create weak points that even the legendary Cheness 9260 Spring Steel could not accommodate?

To first way to answer this question was with some tree branch slicing.

Unlike most other targets, the layers of a trees branch will bunch up when cut – allowing any potential problems with edge rolling to quickly come to the fore. Worst case scenario, the sword would either snap in half – bend laterally or roll the edge.

VIDEO: Testing on Tree Limbs Testing the sword to see if it can withstand direct edge impacts without taking a set, and for any possible rolling of the edge - with a silly 'Kill Bill' theme..

Again, I needn’t have worried. As clearly shown in the video above – the blade sliced through without any incidents, leaving it as straight as when I had started.

But still, while impressive enough, I needed to really push this big swords edge to the limit to determine if its additional length was a liability. And the only way to REALLY do this was by testing it on a 55 Gallon Steel Drum...

Now I have privately tested normal length 9260 Spring Steel Katana on these drums and was more than happy with the results. But I must admit going into this test, I was not certain if this big swords blade could handle it.

I kept having visions of the blade breaking in two on impact (hopefully) ending up in the bottom of the barrel... But I just had to know... So donning a protective mask just in case, I prepared for what was most definitely (pardon the pun) make or break time...

VIDEO: Destructive testing on a 55 Gallon Steel drum… Despite my reservations, and concerns that this sword might even snap in half, the 9260 Spring Steel held fast… With very impressive results

The end results were far beyond my expectations.

Not only did this sword survive relatively unscathed, but it delivered some truly terrifyingly effective cuts and thrusts.

Thrusts penetrated well beyond the blades kissaski (tip) with minimal deformation.

And cuts? Well, as you can see – while the blade did suffer some minor edge damage – it was extremely minor. I have tried a variety of swords on these barrels, and most cannot even cut the lip. But two of the cuts went quite far into the steel – in one case cutting closer towards the tip – 3” into the steel with NO damage (cosmetic or otherwise).

After these tests, I can very confidently say that these big swords are as strong as any other Cheness 9260 Spring Steel sword.

The amount of damage the blade sustained was negligible, and the edge proved itself to be very hard and effective at cutting literally anything put in front of it.

To say that I was pleased with the results is an understatement.

CONCLUSION

I really cannot find any fault with the Cheness O Katana.

I usually do not feel satisfied until I have found SOMETHING wrong with a sub US$300 sword, but in this case – I really can’t...

It handles exceptionally well for a sword of this size. The fittings are a little plain in the most part, but eminently functional. And the blade...

Well, I think we already know how I feel about that...!

Quite simply, I do not think it matters very much how tall or short you might be (other than the obvious safety concern that, if you are quite short, you do need to take some additional care when swining the blade that you do not contact the ground – as much as for the grounds sakes as anything else!).

In all seriousness – I just love this blade. These big swords offer truly exceptional value for money. VERY highly recommended.

PROS

• Exceptionally durable, especially for such a long sword

• Surprisingly fast with amazing handling

• Overall, a very impressive looking blade

• Best suited to taller practitioners

WHERE TO BUY

We were so impressed by the Cheness Cutlery O-Katana that we have made it available manufacturer direct right here at the SBG Sword Store