Update to Musashi Wind Dragon

by Dave Garret
(Arizona)

Thought I would post a minor update to Paul's excellent review of the Musashi Bushido Wind dragon.

In Paul's review he mentions the fittings are plastic. The sword I received doesn't appear to have any plastic on it (except for the same). I don't know if the sword has changed since his review, but I doubt it (looks identical to the pics in the review).

Three things make me come to this conclusion:

1) If you have ever touched a piece of metal when it's cold it feels "icy" as opposed to plastic which doesn't have that "icy" feeling (not very scientific I know, but true). The fittings definitely feel like metal.

2) I tested the conductivity of the fittings. They all show no resistance (excellent conductor). To confirm that plastic (some plastics look like they are plated with chrome/nickle or a similar metal) wouldn't conduct electricity I tested a few fake metal (plastic that looks like metal) items around the house and they all showed infinite resistance - would not conduct.

3) One of the fittings has a small knick in it. The material underneath the plating definitely looks like copper.

The tsuba itself also appears to be copper. The box the sword shipped in was handled so roughly that it was almost broken through at the location of the tsuba (the sword was undamaged, but the cotton carrying bag was actually worn through). Where the tsuba was rubbing the box some of the antique finish was removed leaving what looks like copper.

I think this is good news. Metal is preferable to plastic.

The sword I received, as far as fit and finish go (I haven't done any cutting with it), is comparable to the one that Paul reviewed.

Thanks to Paul for his review. It was the reason I bought this sword (I would have been very unlikely to buy a sword for only $60 otherwise).