Online shopping for functional oriental swords

Can someone suggest some decent sites for finding oriental swords that are not merely replicas? WWW.weaponmasters.com is a good site as it rates different aspects of their swords, but it is the only one that I can seem to find.

Hi, J. If you are looking for Japanese swords, I recommend Nosyuiaido. I bought a practice sword and was quite happy with it. Be warned, though; they can be really expensive. I sold mine when I got out of the biz. If you can't find something that suits your taste a member of my dojo makes swords of all types, and I can pass along his contact info.

Dude, I have a #load of theses websites, bookmarked at home ! Some are completly crazy stuff, like swords at 2000 and 3000 bucks, and sometime over that.

Some are totally unreasonnably cheap (like a sword at 50 $ or soemthign similar).

But some of the websites are just okay. I'll even show you wich ones I'm planning on buying in the next months/years.

I'll check out the site you suggested.
Just out of my head right now, I remember www.oriental-weapons.com... was okay, I think.

[Edited on 26-4-2004 by m0rbid]

I would consider paying a couple hundred if I really loved the sword, but it would have to be more then just display quality. I had a Samurai 3000 Katana which is advertised as functional, but the bolt inside the hilt snapped and there is no way to fix it now. I would shell out the money, but I want to know that I am getting as advertised.

Jonna

Yeah, I know what you mean. On the site I posted, there's a funcitonnal swords section. Some of them, over 500$, must be pretty solid stuff. But again, usually, the more you pay, the more you get. The katana 3000 rate at approximatly 100 or 200 bucks I think...

BTW, I want the Zaitochi's swords !!! They're freakin' awesome, especially the second one they made...

Check 'em out, like in the Cold Steel section, the double-edged katana at 699,00 $ looked interesting...

[Edited on 26-4-2004 by m0rbid]

Originally posted by m0rbid
BTW, I want the Zaitochi's swords !!! They're freakin' awesome, especially the second one they made...

Ya, the one in CAS Iberia caught my eye (for the price) at another site. Do you have any that are intended for full contact? I would love to get some first hand reviews.

Ok...here we go...

www.imperialweapons.com...

That's one of the websites that looked pretty good to me. Lots of choice. Their bamboo stick katana are cools.
They even made a solidified version of the first zaitochi sword. You can check it out here, that's one of those I'd like to buy.
www.imperialweapons.com...

This one also has a reasonnable array of different sword, approx same prices than previous websites.
shop.store.yahoo.com...

There's also this one, wich have some swords I haven't seen at other places.
www.lords-armory.com...
I want to buy this one.
www.lords-armory.com...

Just a lots of link about japanese swords.
pages.prodigy.net...

Ok now, some more serious stuff. Check out the "Battleready" section, most of the swords there are over 1k... This must be some quality swords.
www.ingali.com...

This one is also for serious swords. They also have the double-edged 25 inches katana.
www.e-blades.com...

And there is this one...and this one...
swords.bergdan.com
www.blades-uk.com...
lots of stuff, even concealed blades.

And this one, for old stuff, or collectible.
www.oldrarethings.com...

But for serious stuff, I recommend ingali or e-blade, they got the most expensive blades I've seen on the net. There's also lots of people (and commerce) who sells blades on ebay.

[Edited on 26-4-2004 by m0rbid]

Originally posted by m0rbid
They even made a solidified version of the first zaitochi sword. You can check it out here, that's one of those I'd like to buy.
www.imperialweapons.com...

*Drool, drool, drool*
This one really caught my eye. I guess there goes my state refund for the year. Thanks for the links!

Originally posted by Jonna
*Drool, drool, drool*
This one really caught my eye.

Yeah, she's real nice, isn't she? The original Zaitochi was cool too, in a classic way, but this one, from the pic and what is said, looks WAY more solid. And the steel rings add to the great look of it.

BTW, those reversed swords in the link you posted are wicked. I think I'm getting one of those, just for the heck of it. And your new blue sig is funny lol...

Morbid---You seem to be knowledgable about all this. I have only last question before I purchase the zaitochi sword you mentioned. What are a sword's quality/sharpness qualifications for level four competition? I haven't been able to find anything on this.

Originally posted by Jonna
Morbid---You seem to be knowledgable about all this. I have only last question before I purchase the zaitochi sword you mentioned. What are a sword's quality/sharpness qualifications for level four competition?

Nah, I really don't know that much. About this one's quality/sharpnes qualifications, I really don't know. But since I haven't seen this model anywhere else on the net, if I were you I'd consider maybe writting to the webmaster to ask him. Especially if you want to use it for competition stuff.

I'll post you another link this evening, when I'm home, that had lots of stuff and weapon, they had less pretty swords, but the website was more oriented toward competition and training stuff. Just so you can check it out.

Wish I could help you more, but I'm no sword expert. I think level of sharpness are usually measured with 440c, etc... rate. I don't remember if they gaved a rate like this about the Zaitochi 2.

What puzzled me tho, is that on the site you linked, they seem to measure sharpness on a scale of 1 to 10? Is that a different measure system?

Originally posted by m0rbid
What puzzled me tho, is that on the site you linked, they seem to measure sharpness on a scale of 1 to 10? Is that a different measure system?

I think that it is just a scale that the site constructed to gage the items quality in relevence to their own items. I have gotten quite a few things from them (Folding Grappling Hook, Serrated Blackend Blade Machete, Hiker Knife, Guardian of the Warrior Priest (staff w/ hidden swords), 19 1/2 Inch Chrome Finished (Sais), Dualize Combat Knife, Viper Twins, Deadly Snowflake (star), Seeker Shadow Knife, Mega Night Watchman). Although some of it is not the highest quality, you can't beat the prices.

Bumped at m0rbid's request.

www.weaponmasters.com...


I did end up ordering the Blind Warrior Mark II Katana Sword from a few posts back and I am rather happy with it. It is quite nicely balanced.

Hey, thanks Jonna.

So, does it look like solid construction? What do you use it for, are you doing swords competition?

Originally posted by m0rbid
So, does it look like solid construction? What do you use it for, are you doing swords competition?

Definetly! Even my girlfriend said it was me. No competition, I just wanted a functional sword. I am one of those people that is obsessive about collecting things and the last few years it has been oriental weapons.

Cool. Cuz I really wanted that sword too. Looks real nice. Will you call me a copier if I buy the same one ? lol..

Seriously, one question, might sound dumb but whatever... Does the shelve stays in place? Or does it slide real easily? Like kind you pretend it's a walking stick and walk with it?

And did it came already really sharpenned?