Oct 06, 24 09:06 AM
Many people claim cheap Samurai swords (under $150) are a complete waste of time and money..
And 9 times out of 10 they would be right..
The overwhelming majority of cheap Samurai swords being sold online are not in any way functional. Sure, they are made of steel and yes, some of them might even be sharp - but sharpness alone doesn't mean very much if the blade bends, snaps or comes flying out like a helicopter of death on the first attempted cut...
Now don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with buying some nice looking Samurai sword sets to display over the mantelpiece, etc.
Indeed, we have put together a beginners guide to buying decorative Samurai Sword Sets here for those primarily interested in cheap Samurai swords purely for display purposes.
Do you know how much these swords are worth? $30? $300? $3,000? $30,000? Or more? Truth is, it's hard to tell - this kind of mounting is called 'Shirasaya' and is used to house a blade. But the value of the blade can vary? How much do you think this set is worth? To find out about this and real katana prices generally, click here
The only problem is that many people who believe they are starting a real Katana collection aren't getting what they think they paid for...
VIDEO: The home shopping network clip
"OUCH! A piece of that tip just got me O'dell"
At the end of the day, most display swords are made of Stainless steel - which is a great choice for knives - but in anything over 12" long (like a sword) it tends to become overly brittle. What makes things worse though is that the tang of display swords is typically a thin steel rod spot welded to the blade.
When done quickly like this - the tang of these cheap Samurai swords tends to bend and or break off inside the handle when swung, and as a sword is only as strong as its weakest point, it can can sometimes send the blade flying out like a missile...
9 out of 10 Katana under $150 are like this (or worse). But fortunately, not all.
Fortunately, there are some good ones out there. Indeed, some of them are true DIAMONDS in the rough...
Back in 2006 a sword appeared on the scene that created quite a stir - the legendary "Masahiro Bamboo" Katana.
It was made of 1045 carbon steel - the most basic steel there is for a functional sword. It was FAR from traditional. But boy oh boy was it tough...
And the price? $56!!!
True enough, you cannot buy them these days. But this sword, while upsetting the purists with their $1000 plus Katana, set the standard against which all other cheap Samurai swords are compared to. And set the scene for the swords which you CAN buy these days...
Click here for a trip down memory lane and to find out what all the fuss was about..
Before we get into any reviews or specific recommendations, let's start with a quick guide on what to look for when buying cheap Samurai swords that are halfway respectable..
There are quite a few swords that can be had for well under a hundred bucks that I would call 'bare bones' functional.
At an absolute bare minimum a functional Budget Katana needs:
Any sword which possesses these most basic characteristics stands at least a reasonable chance of being a half decent facsimile.
These kind of swords are quick an easy to produce, milled from slabs of cheap 1045 carbon steel, machine sharpened and fitted out on the cheap. They sure aren't great, but these wanna-be's are at least a step up from the stainless steel wall hangers...
Let's take a close look at some of the better ones.
Quite a detailed look at two typical bare bones swords. One was pretty much what you would expect for the price. But the other one more than made up for it.
Just goes to show you that there are still some jewels in the junk to be found. Average price $65
Simple, economical with a serviceable blade. $59.00
Not a bad attempt, even comes with a bonus (if flimsy) kozuka knife $54.95
Unique appearance, not a bad attempt for the money. $99.95
It handles okay. But more wallhanger than cutter. $54.95
Now it would make a lot of sense that the closer you get to $100, the better the sword would be, right?
Well, not necessarily..
In truth, it is very hit and miss. Here are a couple more hands on reviews for you. The first what you would expect and the second one, well, not so much..
Last but not least, a real gem for you - indeed, it is a sword that that SHOCKED a lot of people when it first came out, myself included..
It may not have been as durable as the legendary Masahiro Bamboo, but it redefined what was possible for swords under the $150 price point.
Why?
Two things..
And funnily enough, it was also called "Bamboo" but this time by Musashi..
While it ticked almost all the boxes, it wasn't perfect. But for the price, nothing else really comes close.
Read the review and see what I am talking about for yourself.
Sub $100 with a real hamon? Almost too good to be true.. $149.95
So there you have it..! Cheap Samurai swords that can actually cut stuff without falling apart..!
Before we go, one more quick option. True enough, it might not be very traditional - but it is VERY affordable, VERY durable and well, a whole heap of fun - all for under $40..!
To heck with tradition - just a cheap, super tough mean ol' blade.. $49.95
If you are in the market for cheap Samurai swords of all shapes and sizes, we recommend you visit Trueswords.com
They stock literally hundreds of swords under the $150 price point and who knows, with the knowledge here and some luck, you may just find the next "Bamboo"...
I hope this information on cheap Samurai swords has been helpful. To return to A Beginners Guide to Authentic Japanese Swords from Cheap Samurai Swords Under $100, click here