Hi Paul,

Just wanted to let you know that the iaito arrived this afternoon. Very nice! Paul Chen at Cheness offers the most bang for the buck, by far.

Rick Fine

Thanks Paul! Your site was intrumental in my decision to go with Cheness as my second blade.

(My first was a (Hanwei) PK Plus that SNAPPED immediately - and was HARD and brittle as hell. I could shave with the thing after a week of polishing -(literally), but it snapped right in half (third cut) and almost took my head off! (A razor sharp CHUNK of steel spinning like a helicopter through the air = Very Not Good. 8<

This sword (30" nagasa 9260) is VERY well balanced and very sturdy. I think I can actually learn to use this one, without fear of losing a limb or something after a bad cut.

Paul your site works like a champ, got the sword in 3 days and at the lowest price anywhere. You rock man!!!

You have really done a great service to those us looking to get a real cutter to learn on without spending a small fortune.

Cheers,

A Very Happy Customer,
Mike H.

Dear Paul,
Faster than you can say Jack Robinson! It took just about a week for the Kochou to arrive. Solid business. Thank you for being most helpful. Great service, great place to buy from, and certainly a great person to deal with. Please feel free to give my name and address for reference.

Cyrill Benz
Federal Office of Police
Nussbaumstrasse 29
3003 Bern
Switzerland

Hey Paul,

Just wanted you to know my Kaze came today. It completely surpassed my expectations. I know the box, cleaning kit and stand probably dont cost much to include, but its a really nice touch.

The sword is beautiful. The blade is almost perfect except for about a inch long scuff/tool mark (1/8 inch wide) on the blade, but its hardly noticeable (the hamon is awesome). The tsuka wrap is really tight, and the color is nice (just like you said). The saya fit is tight and I really like the sageo wrapping. The cord used is substantial and really makes the wrap and the knots stand out.

For the same price as the PPK, I really feel its a better sword overall, especially the blade. I had an email conversation with Paul Chen and he felt the Hanwei swords had better fit/finish than his but that his blades were better. I really think he's selling himself short.

Anyway, thanks again,
Greg.

Hello Paul,

Just recieved the Kaze in the mail the other day. Just thought I would would email you to say thanks and give you my impressions. Once again, a fantastic sword. What stunned me most about it was the hamon which was more pronounced than I was expecting. As depicted/advertised it is more prodominent than the Kanbai (properties of the steel as explained on the Cheness site). However, it makes me curious to see if you could similar results out of the Kanbai through a hybrd polish or etching. I will probably pose the question on your forum. I have been highly impressed with the Cheness line thus far. I can honesty say that I have not seen a rivial product at that price range that compares.

I am still waiting on warmer weather to put them through backyard cutting, but from the appearnce alone I would be safe to infer that they could rival or out perfrom some of my higher end katana (Furuyama, Hanwei). I have a Hanwei Orchid that although looks very stunning I have yet to cut anything besides paper for fear of damaging its somewhat thinner construction. After seeing the robust Cheness blades I have no reservations to taking a few target swings with those swords this summer.

I just wanted to say thanks once again and to keep up the excellent work you are doing on your website.

Kind Regards,

Aaron

Hey Paul,

I LOVE this sword. I fell in love with it the moment I pulled it out of its saya; it's beautiful. I have to admit, I was a little worried about having bought a lemon, especially after all the noise over on Sword Forum International about poor quality tsukas, but I was totally wrong. I love the feel of this sword- it's amazing (and you're right, the version with the bo-hi does make a cool swoosh when you swing it through the air, haha).

I could not have hoped for more. The tsuka-ito is firm and tight, and the same looks pretty good. There is one area in which it looks cracked, but after a close inspection it thankfully only LOOKS cracked. I actually quite like the "tameshigiri polish" on the blade, it looks more functional to me, as opposed to the mirror finish you see on museum quality pieces which look more like art than swords of combat. There are a couple of scratches on the blade, minor cosmetic defects left after the buffing wheel, but they don't distract me at all.

I have yet to cut anything, but I have to say, I am rather looking forward to it.

Thank you VERY much!

~Gabriel

Hey Paul,

Thanks again for the prompt response! you have no idea how happy I am with the Kanbai I mean its such a beautiful blade, as soon as I received it I inspected it and only found one minor scratch down near the habaki but nothing that cant be polished out, the hamon line is beautiful specially in the sunlight. so far I've done lots of cutting with it I've even taken on a 1.5 inch tree branch, clean cut no problems at all! that was one day after receiving it. and as soon as I made that cut I was convinced that I needed to get a second one. so I started working some overtime so I could put some money aside to get the Shura. and so here I am 2 weeks after receiving the Kanbai, ordering the Shura. Now as soon as I get the Shura I think its going to become my cutting blade and I will retire the Kanbai to the wall after polishing the surface to a display grade polish because I bet that hamon line will have tons of nice interesting activity.

Thanks again, You definitely run one of the best businesses I've ever dealt with.

Good job on the site and the store!

Jorge del Cid
Chief Engineer CKQB The Bear
1504 Merivale Road
Ottawa, Ontario

I just received my Kaze a couple of hours ago and have given it a preliminary inspection. It looks terrific! The ito is tight , the saya glossy and smooth and the blade had only a very slight wired edge on the kissaki which stoned off very easily. I am anxious to try out the edge on some water filled milk jugs and see how it does. I would have to say that at this point I am truly satisfied with my purchase decision.

Gary Gurski

I really appreciate the service I have received. It beats anything I have ever received in my life. Your dedication to total quality and customer satisfaction is second to none and I will be sure to buy Cheness again and continue to use SBG for my future purchases.

Please feel free to use any of my comments on the site because you provide a great service and I truly do appreciate it!

Greetings Paul,

Wanted to let you know my iaito sword arrived yesterday.

It appears to be a very good value for the money. I'm glad I decided to go with a steel blade versus alloy as it feels nicely substantial to hold. It should give me a good idea of the way a live katana feels. Eventually, I hope to move on to a live blade to do some casual test cutting. In the mean time, guess I'd better start stocking up on pool noodles and milk containers.

I have really been enjoying reading your sword forum. Nice to know there really are functional beater swords out there to be had for a reasonable price. Sword Forum International is nice, but too pricey for the average person. I'm of the philosophy if one is to own a sword, it should be functional and used, the way a real sword was meant to be.

Thanks again,
Susan Jost

It's Dan again. Happy to report that my Shura has arrived in tact and healthy. There were a few little scratches on the blade surface near the habaki, but nothing to worry about.

I'm also pleased to report that I've had my first experience cutting with a katana! I knew that the Shura could cut through a filled water jug, but I had no idea how it would feel! I hardly even registered that the blade made contact with it. I was sure I missed and made a fool of myself on a snowy evening in my backyard... But sure enough, the water slapped the ground and I looked at a razor straight cut through the plastic. I was very pleased!

Anyways, thanks for all of your help and patience. I am very pleased with the service I received and will gladly come to you again if I decide to purchase Cheness.

Thanks again,
Dan

Hey Paul,
The sword arrived at the post office today and I picked it up. I can't believe the quality for the price.
Thanks,
Mark Charnock

Hello , I received my Kochou today, I was really impressed by the quality and the beaty of the sword for that price. Many thanks for such a great transaction and I hope to buy another one soon.

Thanks

Yoan Meilleur

Hi Paul,
Just got my sword yesterday and was truly impressed by the 30" Nagasa. The wrap was tight, the polish on the blade looked great. The fake hamon looks great and is tastefully done(it gives you the look of a differentially tempered sword, but you still have the strength of the through tempered 9260-the best steel money can buy). The tsuba, tuska, everything was tight. The ray skin looked so good, there were no panels- just a solid piece. I can't believe I doubted the quality of Cheness Swords for one minute. I honestly don't know what some of those guys are talking about when they complain about the fittings on some cheness swords. Yes, the swooshing sound the bo-hi makes is also awesome. I can't forget to mention the service you gave me. It was excellent. I couldn't ask for anymore from the service you provided me with or the quality of the sword.

Paul,
Got my sword today! It is so cool. I didn't hesitate to try it out. cuts like a dream. To top it all off my girlfriend got me this sword and my parents also suprised me with a Hanwei great wave katana. I was suprised to see how the cutting ability of the Kaze compares to the great wave even thought it cost like a 1/3 of what the great wave did. Also i like that the kraze is lighter than the great wave . Don't get me wrong hanwei is awesome as well but its just nice to know that you can find lower costing swords like cheness thats functional ability compares with the higher priced ones.

extremely satisfied and looking forward to purchasing more cheness swords! ( Ie: tenchi,shura and the Oniyuri just to name a few from the wish list! :o> )

Thanks so Much
Brandon Bentley

Thank you very much!
I recieved my Cheness Kaze and Musha Wakizashi yesterday, much sooner than I had anticipated. Thank you for the incredible price on both swords. I'm blown away by the beauty of the Kaze. I was going to cut some water bottles when it arrived. I hate to admit it but the sword is so stunning that I'm a little intimidated by it, or too scared that I'll damage it. It really is a work of art (I'm sure I'll get over it, I'll just admire it for awhile first). BTW, I know that "kaze" means "wind", do you know what "musha" means? Thank you very much for the opportunity to buy both beautiful swords at such great prices and for the exceptionally fast shipping.

Hi Paul,

I got the sword today – and I am happy as a puppy. I’ve gone through the blade and it looks like it’s in fully working condition without any noticeable flaws. I haven’t got the space to do any cutting yet, and the weather is awful outside – but I did some practice swings inside. And the bo-hi makes a really nice *swuuuusscchh* sound, and it feels very well balanced. My next one has to be an unsharpened sword for Iaido practice.

Ps. Thanks again for excellent service and the speedy delivery,

Kind regards,

Michael Vinter

Thanks Paul, You guys are the best sellers I have ever dealt with as far as online purchases go. Thanks for the great website too, otherwise I would be throwing down a hundreds of bucks for cheap little chunks of bad steel.

Thanks Again!

-Ethan Wall

Dear SBG team,

I just recieved my Cheness "Shura" katana today and i would like to say that i am impressed! The sword arived in 6 days (including sat. and sun.), so the timing was faster than i expected. The sword was securely shipped, and came in an attractive box and sword bag. After brushing off a few shipping particles I was able to remove the saya and examine the blade. It came with a light covering of oil (which i appreciate) and the sword fit very well inside the saya. After removing the oil i was able to tell that the sword is polished well, very durable and straight, no cracks or otherwise unsightly blemishes.

The entire Tsuka set is very secure, and the Ito was tighter than i expected with nice uniform diamonds and both menuki in clear view. I got the fuller version, and it truly does make a beautiful high-pitched "whoosh" sound when swung through the air. Sword stand holds the blade and saya securely and all the pieces are of a matching size, unlike some other companies where i have had to literally hammer the stand together.

Only 15 minutes after recieving the "Shura" i took it outside to test it against 3 full milk cartons (already setup a few days ago because of anticipation ^^). It sliced clean through leaving no jagged pieces on the cartons, and after a quick wipe with a soft cloth i noticed not even 1 scratch on the blade! Needless to say i was very happy with my purchase, and i would like to tell everyone else thinking of ordering a cheness katana through SBG that it is as good of a deal as they say it is.

Not only is the sword cheaper than through cheness, but it is the exact same as you would get from cheness: box, bag, stand, saya and sword; all of good quality. And of course the Warranty and all other impressive Cheness customer satisfaction can be found right here at SBG! Thank you very much for offering quality cutters at reasonable prices, and exceptional customer service to boot! ^^

Paul,

I received my new "Shura" earlier this evening. This was a large purchase for me, but I am not disappointed. This blade appears to be everything that was promised. I have not had a chance to cut anything with it yet, but I am sure when I am ready to swing this beautiful sword into a target, it will be more than ready. Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

Barry Grall

HELLO PAUL

just wanted to send you a thank you. i recieved my Shura on wednesday and i am very happy with it .the purchase process was easy and delivery prompt,for that thanks

i havent put it to any cutting tests yet (my plan was not to try and cut every thing i could find as soon as i got it) the sword i know can handle any thing presented and i want to build up strength and precision first so when i put it to the test my ability will be as good as the sword- ----------the hammer might be strong but pointless if i cant hit a nail-------

there are a few things i wanted to note (i dont really care -i got the steel that i wanted !)the blade itself seems flawless ,however

the tsuba ? is it suposed to be a little rough? the inside of the cut out bit

i tell you this not as a complaint just as a little feed back -frankly none of this makes me less happy with my katana,its life with me will contain more nicks and scratches as i get to know this blade -i still got the best blade on the" block"

so thank you -love my sword-will continue to read your news letters -and a pleasure doing business -

ps if any one asks i'll send them your way

take care

Paul,

Sword arrived in good condition. Fittings are tight. Sword is VERY sharp :) I will obviously be needing a sword maintenance kit to take proper care of this fine piece of steel, is there one that you would suggest? Is there an oil you prefer for the blade? Thanks again, nice piece, happy camper. I will be sending you more customers once they see this item.

Regards,

Chris

Hello Paul,

Once again I have been meaning to contact you, but have been delayed.. In any event, the Tenchi arrived on Monday IIRC, and it is quite a blade. It does have a few minor scuffs, but I was looking forward to hand polishing it any way, so no big deal. Most importantly, no fatal flaws that I can tell. I will know more once I get the grain worked down, but I am not expecting any problems. I have yet to cut, but there again, Im not expecting any difficulties. Very clean work from Mr. Chen's people. Thank you very much for turning me on to Cheness Inc.!!!

Sincerely,

Justin Petrick

Paul,

I thank you for being the best Cheness dealer with the best service.

My best to you,

Dan

Hi Paul.

Many thanks for your message - I'm pleased to say that I had a note on Saturday asking for about 35 GBP in import duty/VAT/Parcelforce clearance fee, which I phoned up and paid by CC. The Kaze arrived today and looks (and feels!) fabulous, though I haven't tried cutting anything with it yet. The box and little extras really add to the impression of a quality/value-for-money product, and the whole thing feels solid and substantial (though the ito on the tsuka isn't as tight as on my bottom-of-the-range Paul Chen Nami iaito katana, and you can see areas where the same doesn't reach under the wrapping - but in all other respects the Kaze feels much better put together). I'm certainly pleased with it, and with the delivery - glad I bit the bullet and imported it myself. All told I reckon I've saved about 120 quid this way...!

Thanks again, and good luck with everything sword-related!

Martin

I just wanted to let you know I recieved my katana and I'm very happy with it. Thanks alot!

Cary gets his Kaze!

Thanks for your prompt placement. Initially concerned with customs, it arrived May 9th to my door, with no extra duties or taxes!

Let me get my first minor grumblings out, as you are the only one who'll listen! At first I thought the display box seemed shabby, but it is really ok. The paper backing for the bottom is peeling off, due to age or humidity. The scabbard is in good shape, albeit with some minor scuff marks and lacqeur loss at the tip. The blade has a minor scratch/imperfection on the bevelled back of the blade 4 inches from the guard. I'll live with it. On the other end, on the last 6 inches of the bevelled back to the tip is a noticeable polish difference, as if it was done sideways? Not particularily unnattractive, but curious.

The hamon is beautiful, if subtle. It terminates about 1 inch from the brass habaki. Ok too, but I might have liked it to go to the end. The brass habaki has a small gap on one side of the blade where it tapers down to the edge . Can this be adjusted or evened out? Is this where the blade is cut in to begin the Tang? Or should I ask, how difficult or easy is it to remove the hilt? Info on the JSI site looked confusing. That being said , the fittings are what I expected from your reviews. The cotton wrap is pretty snug. I like the tsuba.

The sword felt heavy in my hands at first, but now it has a natural and smooth feel, an elegant extension.

This is an honest and elegant sword, if these make sense as attributes. Quietly elegant in its' black accoutremonts.

Paul, if there are any other quality tests I can do, plese let me know. If it ever stops raining, Maybe I can introduce Kaze to a water noodle, or something more organic for a first meal. I am at this moment very pleased with my purchase, thanks to you. Best regards, Cary

Paul:
Hey, I got my Shura yesterday. After reading some (bad) comments posted on SFI, I was a little worried with what I was getting. To be perfectly honest, I couldn't be happier with it. In reality, I feel that it handles nearly the same (and in some ways better) than the iaito that I have been using daily for the last 3 years. Basically what you said stands true: It's not an art blade... It's not intended to be... It's a practical $250 piece of functional steel which acts quite a bit like a katana. Maybe after a few more years of practice/training I will realize some short comings; however, for a first cutter, I'm tickled. I think it'll serve well as a training tool to help me get my feet wet w/ cutting. Again, thanks for providing the info that you did.
Gary

P.S.
You were right regarding the bo-hi option. Tachikaze is low, easily attainable, and quite audible. Such a gratifying sound...