siwode Katana Handmade Full Tang Sharp, Alloy Golden Dragon Tsuba Japanese Samurai Sword High Carbon Steel 1060, 40-Inch

This is the strongest “real” katana you will find for $110, and beyond. Real, for me, means that the blade is 1060+ steel, razor sharp, and it can be removed from the tsuka and tsuba and reassembled with zero wobble. This Japanese-style sword matches all of these criteria. It is not a sword for the untrained, as this sword could easily kill or injure anything in its path, including the wielder. It is beautifully detailed, with real ray skin, and two mekugi that hold the full tang blade firmly in place. One thing I could do without is the dragon on the saya, but that is a minor issue. This is a sword — it would be battle ready for a fight with other edged weapons, not against firearms. For anyone who likes cutting practice with bamboo, and putting a sword through various other cutting and stamina tests, this seems like a fine blade for that purpose. A slight deviation in the spine of my blade is the only blemish I can find — the cutting edge looks perfect. I would not spar with this sword or get near anyone sparring with one. I would only train solo with this sword. This is a beautiful katana, at any price, and highly recommended; but if your kime is weak, or you are untrained, buy at your own risk.

Rock solid, razor sharp, straight as an arrow and pretty as the pictures.. Keep the blade oiled with Corrosion-X or CLP and it should stay pretty.The tsuba doesn't attract a magnet, but most made today don't. The tang does draw a magnet all the way back to the last 1.5" of the handle.I wrapped the grip with a few wraps of hockey tape and couldn't be happier with it. This red/black handled model doesn't come with a sword bag, but I have found that those inexpensive $4 shotgun cases (52x4" those thin ones) work way better for this anyways - the cuff can be rolled back down to index on the Tsuba. You can then choose to have more (or less) of your handle showing, or you could use elastic bands to (almost) get the same basic effect with a standard sword bag.Weight and balance are both comfortably within the Goldilocks zone.Weight is a midrange 2lb & 6oz.Sori is an optimal 13/16."Handle is 10.5" and blade is 28.5."The scabbard holds onto the sword a tiny bit looser than I prefer, but your preference might be different.Disappointment = ZERO.Recommendation = definitely. If I decide to get another (excellent) Chinese katana, I will certainly be back here for another Siwode because they have a decent variety to choose from, and they know their craft.

I was VERY skeptical with the cheaper katanas on Amazon. But after purchasing this I gotta say that this one changed my mind. Other katanas at this price point are probably garbage but not this one! The fact that they've taken the time to do amazing packaging to protect they're product shows me that they stand behind they're katana. Are there better katanas on Amazon, absolutely. But you'll pay the extra $ for sure. Whether this is handmade or not, this is an amazing sword for the price.Pros: True Full Tang, nice and tight in the scabbard, not loose rattling sound when sheathed, very sharp out of the box, blood groove on the spine, perfectly straight(mine anyways).Cons: "Printed" dragon on the scabbard(not a big deal), a little bit to much "bling" IMO with the gold color(I usually don't like alot of gold on my swords), but that's personal preference. Also needs to be oiled often if it's going to be "used", which is typical with 1060 steel. Great "basic imo" katana that stands apart from other "cheap" ones on Amazon.

I'm glad I chose this katana. Good craftsmanship and a very well finished product. When I read reviews of others spending $130 for this model, and then I watched the price drop to $38.00, it seemed like a no-brainer. This will spend most of its existence as a display item. Its nice to know that it's functional if the need arises... like the way-too-big 4th of July watermelon. I like the brass colored dragon handgaurd and the dragon emblem on the wooden scabbard. Glad I grabbed this one when the price dropped!