We
are pleased to be able to offer shinken for iaido practice once again.
These are
made
in China, are a great price, and I think they're great for iaido.
Available Jan 19, 2012:
1x 2.35 shaku
2x 2.4 shaku
2x 2.45 shaku
On order: 2.5, 2.55, 2.6
These
blades come
in whole sun sizes up to 2.8 sun. We will have models in stock
continually
and you can choose from them. If you don't like the fittings we
have
in stock we may get your size in different fittings in a later shipment
but we won't be offering customized fittings since we wish to keep
prices
down and supplies up.
The photos
on this
page are an example only, fittings, especially tsuba, change from blade
to blade. The blades come with a cloth bag.
The top image is under natural light, the bottom under
flash.
I didn't wipe the oil very well so what may look like flaws is
actually
dust or reflections.
Price: $1400
US plus shipping and applicable taxes.
Email
us to check on available stock and to buy.
Yes that's a fingerprint on the kissaki, I wiped it off when I
re-oiled
it I promise.
Faq for fans of Chinese shinken.
Q. Who makes them?
A. Why would I tell anyone who my
supplier
is? I don't have an exclusive deal with the fellow. But I can tell you
they're made in China, are great for iaido practice and I think they're
a great price.
Q. Are they forge folded.
A. I doubt it, but I don't know. I
do
know they're made in China, are great for iaido practice and I think
they're
a great price.
Musashi tsuba
Q. Are they papered?
A. You're kidding right? They're
made
in China. Did I mention that they are great for iaido practice and I
think
they're a great price.
Q. Can I buy them in bulk?
A. Sure, email
us.
Q. Can you see the grain in the
metal?
A. I can't, but then again I'm not
surprised
since I doubt they're forge folded.
Q. Can I get them customized?
A. For this price? I'm not going to
argue
with the fellow, we have a small range of fittings that we'll be using
but you get to order your size in whole sun only (I'm not going to
re-fit
them to half sun differences, buy the next whole sun below your iaito
please,
that way you'll be doing your noto in your range).
Higo tsuka kashira
Q. Are they sharp?
A. Yes.
Q. Are they battle ready?
A. No.
Q. Is there a blood groove?
A. Yes there's a hi, and it whooshes
nicely.
Q. Where do I send my vial of
blood for
the smith to forge it into the blade?
A. This is an actual question, but I
didn't
get it so I'm not answering it. Now of course all you jokers are going
to email me with that question aren't you?
Catfish menuki
Q. Are they good for tameshigiri?
A. For legal purposes I'm not
recommending
them for tameshigiri. If you want to cut mats with them please be
careful,
do it under proper supervision and training, and remember that I don't
recommend, endorse, advise, warrant or otherwise acknowledge that you
do
so. Did I mention that I think these are great for iaido?
Q. I am a poor student and would
like a
discount please?
A. These, like our iaito are already
down
around our cost price, so no we can't discount it for you. Besides, if
you're a poor student you need to spend your money on food. You don't
need
a shinken. You don't need new skis either!
Q. Will these stand edge to edge
contact?
A. You're not listening. These are
for
iaido, for full contact battles please join the nearest kendo club and
battle safely.
Q. Are they made traditionally?
A. The end product is traditional,
otherwise
I wouldn't use it for iaido. I don't imagine there's a shinto temple
somewhere
in China with a wizened old smith hammering these things out by hand
with
his apprentices.
I really should have wiped the oil off better before taking
photos,
the habaki looks better than that, it's brass.
Q. Is it a full wrap same?
A. No.
Q. Is it real same?
A. It looks real to me.
Seriously folks, these aren't
collector
blades (we'll sell you those too, at a bit under 10X this price but
fully
papered, by a real smith in Japan) but they're well made and I think
they're
great for iaido. I also think they're a great price. Several sensei
from
Japan have also inspected them and been impressed by the quality. It's
taken a while but they're here now.
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