Great review! I have a few Huawei katana and they are by far the best in the price range as others have said in the comments. They're hamons are very well done.
Very good review. Looks like they've changed a few things since I got mine a few years back. Yours looks like it has a bit more sori. Good to see their still making a good sword.
Excellent review on a fantastic sword and sword Company. Very well made, succinct, and not overwhelmingly long like so many videos that can’t hold my attention. Really like your content. Hope you do more Japanese sword reviews in the future.
Good review - thanks. I looked at these but the website baffled me. Customise a sword? Didn't seem possible, but I was looking for a wakizashi and not a katana.
If a katana offers resistance drawing, NEVER keep parts of your hands over the edge. As it leaves the scabbard. Change technique. People have lost hands and fingers if lucky.
I habe a Huawei Katana as well...different style though. I love it. The quality is excellent. I did change the Tsuba though for a larger and nicely cast iron one without sharp edges.
That was a really good review. I have the same sword in 9260 through-hardened from them and it is also above par for the price. Only took minor filing of the koiguchi to make it fit right. Was also too tight, very similar to yours, but that's a minor thing and easily adjusted.
@@alientude The one I have is a very similar blade to yours here. Looks to be the same proportions, just not dh. They make a lot of nice ones, though I picked it because I wanted something both light and capable. Have since dulled it somewhat for an iaito, and happily the tachikaze is viscous!
interesting point about the tsuba you mentioned. modern tsuba are smaller than the ancient swords had. I believe that when they went from having battles all the time and the katana became a self defense weapon, the need for a larger tsuba decreased, and a smaller one makes it easier to carry. I don't know of any moves in iaito that use the tsuba as an actual guard, at this point its 99% to keep your hands from slipping onto the blade. as for sizes, historical tsuba were thinner and could get as big as 9.5cm in diameter, but the average was 8-8.5 or so. now you don't see many tsuba that reach 8cm, most are 7.5 or even 7cm.
Just watched again. you presented this katana VERY well! when you mentioned the bo hi traveling into the nakago "as it should be" is not entirely accurate. Bo hi termination is a preference of the swordsmith and/or the customer.
For 268 dollars you can't go wrong at all dealing with huawei . I been wanting one of their dotanuki katanas . The attention to detail is good and the quality is probably the best you gonna get for that price range .
I get confused between the names of some of these vendors... Is this the one that takes over a year to get a sword to you and is bad at about answering emails and might just arbitrarily refund your money if you make too many inquiries as to where your storage is at, or am I thinking of somebody else with a similar name?
@@alientude That's too bad. It mostly been using Hanbon, but I wish they would pay more attention to their tang like that. But then again they contract out so there's not much Choice there
@LzY PaNdA I've not had a new saya made for a katana, so no experience. I would recommend joining the Facebook group Kompletely Katana and asking there - tons of knowledgeable people who are happy to help.
Thanks! The listing for the sword is at www.huaweiswords.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=51. Looks like they're out of stock right now, however.
Depends on what you consider affordable, of course, but in general... Japan, most definitely not. Smiths there are limited by law to a certain number of swords made per year (I think 2, but I could be wrong), and they're generally highly in demand, so the prices are not what I would consider affordable. America, probably not. Labor in America is expensive, and sword-making is a laborious process, requiring a lot of hours of work. You might be able to find an individual smith who could make you a katana, but no clue what the price would be. In general, affordable swords are affordable because they're made either in China and/or India, where labor is much less expensive.
I hope he does too. I had an idea for a slightly customized katana from HuaWei, but I wouldn't try to order right now. FYI, this katana is currently on its way to Cottontail Customs for some improvements. Looking forward to re-reviewing it once it's done.
Thanks! The water bottle stand is homemade, yes. The stand for the pool noodles I ordered from the SBG store: sbg-sword-store.sword-buyers-guide.com/product443.html The katana was delivered by SF Express.
hey hopefully you got yours by now, but i’ve been waiting for mine since november and i still haven’t received it yet. to be fair i did ask for some light customization which i understand can take longer than normal, but just be aware it may take some time for it to ship.
@@oliverbutz4620 still haven’t gotten it, I ordered their cheapest in stock sword, was told over a month ago they only needed 10 more days, I plan on ordering one of their high end swords too, I’ve heard the more expensive in stock swords they get to faster but who knows
@@alientude I have studied various Sword arts for 15+ years, there are so many different shapes, fittings, and geometric differences just in Katana blades, I dont know if anyone could ever know everything about them. If you have Amazon Prime there is a documentary about the Japanese Katana, (I believe its called Samurai: Behined the Blade) that follows making a Katana from start to finish, by one of the few Licensed Swordsmiths in Japan. Robert Turnbull and Ian Bottomley are narrirators, there are scientists showing the steelunder a microscope and why it is like no other steel made even today. Allot of great information on the Japanese Katana
Bend your knees much more, stand wider in both axis with the weight a tiny bit on the balls of your feet, try to move into measure right when delivering a cut and then exit, be light on your feet, cut should be done in a similar motion to swinging a fishing rod, it protects the hands a bit more until the edge moves before them and is more direct even if a little less powerful. Don't hesitate to use the momentum of the sword to help you reset for the next cut instead of fighting it, it can also be beneficial to match your breathing with the cut, exhaling when delivering it. In most situations it is best to spread your hands as much as the hilt allows to gain as much leverage as possible, try to add a tiny bit of twist as if you were wringing out a wet towel. It would also be good to follow some hema or kenjutsu channel for further points, so that you will learn stances, cuts, moving, tempo, parries etc :)
@@alientude They are apparently so backed up with ordered that it may take longer than I want to wait. $300 for a Hanwei Raptor version that I can get now is a good deal. Also 28.5" nagasa so a slightly longer blade.
@tengu190 Yeah, I've heard that also. Too much good press too quickly, maybe? Hopefully they're able to up their production without sacrificing quality.
@@alientude I'm waiting to see if they will offer an O-katana again. I've bought various 30" + nagasa katana from everyone but Dynasty Forge so far. My next paycheck I'm getting a Dragon King Winter Sun. I'm still on the fence on the Ryujin O-katana. Not sure if 33" nagasa is too big to do iai comfortably with plus they are out of stock.
The tsuba is about 2.75" (about 7 cm) in diameter. A very quick Google search implies average tsuba diameter is about 7.5 to 9 cm (3" to 3.5"), which some ranging up to around 10 cm (3.9"). Increasing the diameter to 3.75" doesn't seem out of line.
Do you mean a katana and wakizashi from the company Ronin Katana? If so, I'm afraid I don't own any of those and don't really have any plans to buy them.
It would be nice to have a daisho from RK and complete the 3 blade set, come to think of it. It might happen eventually, but will definitely be lower on my priority list.
![[UNCUT] “บอสณวัฒน์” ลากไส้!! ใครหนุนหลัง "แม่ตั๊ก ป๋าเบียร์" I คนดังนั่งเคลียร์ I 30 ก.ย. 67](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/QlD7mU2KKRk/mqdefault.jpg)
Great review! I have a few Huawei katana and they are by far the best in the price range as others have said in the comments. They're hamons are very well done.
I've owned 4 katanas in the budget price range, and this one certainly is the best in terms of fit and finish.
Very good review. Looks like they've changed a few things since I got mine a few years back. Yours looks like it has a bit more sori. Good to see their still making a good sword.
Really nice cuts!
Thanks! I wonder if the extra sori is by design, or it just happened during the heat treat. Either way, I like how it came out.
@@alientude welcome. Right. Looks good. Love how they feel in hand.
Excellent review on a fantastic sword and sword Company. Very well made, succinct, and not overwhelmingly long like so many videos that can’t hold my attention. Really like your content. Hope you do more Japanese sword reviews in the future.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!
Good choice, and well done review. Huawei is one of the best in the price range they sell in.
Thanks. It's certainly the best katana in the price range I've received, compared to a couple Ryujins and a Yomikuni budget katana.
Nice review. Came over from our fb real swords page. Quick and succinct review awesome!
Welcome aboard!
Good review - thanks.
I looked at these but the website baffled me. Customise a sword? Didn't seem possible, but I was looking for a wakizashi and not a katana.
Thanks!
Their website is not the best, for sure. I believe to get a custom blade made, you need to contact them directly via the form on the website.
If a katana offers resistance drawing, NEVER keep parts of your hands over the edge. As it leaves the scabbard. Change technique. People have lost hands and fingers if lucky.
Awesome review. They really do make a nice sword. This one is beautiful
I habe a Huawei Katana as well...different style though. I love it. The quality is excellent. I did change the Tsuba though for a larger and nicely cast iron one without sharp edges.
Nice! I do plan on getting a better tsuba for this one, and probably new tsukamaki as well.
That was a really good review. I have the same sword in 9260 through-hardened from them and it is also above par for the price. Only took minor filing of the koiguchi to make it fit right. Was also too tight, very similar to yours, but that's a minor thing and easily adjusted.
I've heard good things about that model, if we're talking about the same one - the wide bladed mat cutter. Looks like a fun katana to use.
@@alientude The one I have is a very similar blade to yours here. Looks to be the same proportions, just not dh.
They make a lot of nice ones, though I picked it because I wanted something both light and capable.
Have since dulled it somewhat for an iaito, and happily the tachikaze is viscous!
interesting point about the tsuba you mentioned. modern tsuba are smaller than the ancient swords had. I believe that when they went from having battles all the time and the katana became a self defense weapon, the need for a larger tsuba decreased, and a smaller one makes it easier to carry. I don't know of any moves in iaito that use the tsuba as an actual guard, at this point its 99% to keep your hands from slipping onto the blade. as for sizes, historical tsuba were thinner and could get as big as 9.5cm in diameter, but the average was 8-8.5 or so. now you don't see many tsuba that reach 8cm, most are 7.5 or even 7cm.
Just watched again. you presented this katana VERY well! when you mentioned the bo hi traveling into the nakago "as it should be" is not entirely accurate. Bo hi termination is a preference of the swordsmith and/or the customer.
8:20 you should avoid slamming the katana into the saya, over time you will crack the saya, especially if its not got a horn or metal koiguchi.
I learned quite a bit from your video. It is very straight forward and honest. I hope you do more on more swords an great job.
Thank you for your kind words. I really appreciate it!
I really liked this review. Very well done.
Thank you kindly!
That’s a beautiful hamon you have there,....happy cutting and God bless.
Thanks!
Excellent review. Congratulations. Stef
Thank you!
For 268 dollars you can't go wrong at all dealing with huawei . I been wanting one of their dotanuki katanas . The attention to detail is good and the quality is probably the best you gonna get for that price range .
Good video sir
Thanks!
nice
Appreciate it.
Nice review. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
The blade looks overly curved… but idk 🤷🏽♂️ too much on swords.
It certainly has a pretty deep sori (curve) to it, but I think it works out well.
Unokubi light Sword
subed...you..nice detailed review friend
Thanks for the sub!
@@alientude with pleasure...please check on my channel as well
Great review!
Glad you think so!
I bet it was my tracking number they gave you,i live in iowa and ordered one from them a while back and they gave me a california tracking number.
Ha! Amusing that you should find this review then!
Kinda passed off that Huawei canceled my order of this exact sword only to be sold out after months of waiting, lol
Unfortunately, HuaWei is pretty bad at the whole customer service thing.
Just subbed too!
Thanks!
Good review, that's a good value for that piece...
It's definitely a good price. I'm pretty shocked at how much attention to detail Huawei puts into a sword under $300.
I get confused between the names of some of these vendors... Is this the one that takes over a year to get a sword to you and is bad at about answering emails and might just arbitrarily refund your money if you make too many inquiries as to where your storage is at, or am I thinking of somebody else with a similar name?
HuaWei has developed that reputation, yes.
@@alientude That's too bad. It mostly been using Hanbon, but I wish they would pay more attention to their tang like that. But then again they contract out so there's not much Choice there
Where would I get my katana blade fitted with a saya
@LzY PaNdA I've not had a new saya made for a katana, so no experience. I would recommend joining the Facebook group Kompletely Katana and asking there - tons of knowledgeable people who are happy to help.
Awesome video thank you for sharing! :-) can you please tell me where I can buy one of these swords? :-)
Thanks!
The listing for the sword is at www.huaweiswords.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=51. Looks like they're out of stock right now, however.
@@alientude thank you for the reply but it ended on however. LOL
Not sure what you mean. "However" was the last word of the reply.
@@alientude okay thank you I thought you were going to add more in that cut off but thank you for clarifying. :-)
Are there any companies in Japan or America that make affordable katanas?
Depends on what you consider affordable, of course, but in general...
Japan, most definitely not. Smiths there are limited by law to a certain number of swords made per year (I think 2, but I could be wrong), and they're generally highly in demand, so the prices are not what I would consider affordable.
America, probably not. Labor in America is expensive, and sword-making is a laborious process, requiring a lot of hours of work. You might be able to find an individual smith who could make you a katana, but no clue what the price would be.
In general, affordable swords are affordable because they're made either in China and/or India, where labor is much less expensive.
@@alientude Yeah, slave labor is no bueno and I don’t want to throw money to the CCP . Oh well.
Thanks for the detailed review of this model in particular! Now if only Jacky would get through his backlog…
I hope he does too. I had an idea for a slightly customized katana from HuaWei, but I wouldn't try to order right now.
FYI, this katana is currently on its way to Cottontail Customs for some improvements. Looking forward to re-reviewing it once it's done.
Good review, nice stands too, home made? I ordered mine two months ago and still haven’t received it, who delivered yours? Thanks
Thanks!
The water bottle stand is homemade, yes. The stand for the pool noodles I ordered from the SBG store: sbg-sword-store.sword-buyers-guide.com/product443.html
The katana was delivered by SF Express.
@@alientude nice! I made all the stands in my videos, almost as fun as cutting haha
Nice job on the cuts too
hey hopefully you got yours by now, but i’ve been waiting for mine since november and i still haven’t received it yet. to be fair i did ask for some light customization which i understand can take longer than normal, but just be aware it may take some time for it to ship.
@@oliverbutz4620 still haven’t gotten it, I ordered their cheapest in stock sword, was told over a month ago they only needed 10 more days, I plan on ordering one of their high end swords too, I’ve heard the more expensive in stock swords they get to faster but who knows
Great review. Very nicely done.
Thank you kindly!
Huawei makes swords ?
Not the phone company.
www.huaweiswords.com/
Keren boskuu..mantapp👍👍👍
All katana even Nihonto use a enhancing solution on the Hamon
Learn something new every day!
@@alientude I have studied various Sword arts for 15+ years, there are so many different shapes, fittings, and geometric differences just in Katana blades, I dont know if anyone could ever know everything about them. If you have Amazon Prime there is a documentary about the Japanese Katana, (I believe its called Samurai: Behined the Blade) that follows making a Katana from start to finish, by one of the few Licensed Swordsmiths in Japan. Robert Turnbull and Ian Bottomley are narrirators, there are scientists showing the steelunder a microscope and why it is like no other steel made even today. Allot of great information on the Japanese Katana
Bend your knees much more, stand wider in both axis with the weight a tiny bit on the balls of your feet, try to move into measure right when delivering a cut and then exit, be light on your feet, cut should be done in a similar motion to swinging a fishing rod, it protects the hands a bit more until the edge moves before them and is more direct even if a little less powerful. Don't hesitate to use the momentum of the sword to help you reset for the next cut instead of fighting it, it can also be beneficial to match your breathing with the cut, exhaling when delivering it. In most situations it is best to spread your hands as much as the hilt allows to gain as much leverage as possible, try to add a tiny bit of twist as if you were wringing out a wet towel. It would also be good to follow some hema or kenjutsu channel for further points, so that you will learn stances, cuts, moving, tempo, parries etc :)
Thanks for the tips. I'm going to be attending my first HEMA class next week. Looking forward to it!
If it had a battle wrap tsuka I would get it over the Raptor.
You might be able to ask HuaWei to do a battle wrap instead.
@@alientude They are apparently so backed up with ordered that it may take longer than I want to wait. $300 for a Hanwei Raptor version that I can get now is a good deal. Also 28.5" nagasa so a slightly longer blade.
@tengu190 Yeah, I've heard that also. Too much good press too quickly, maybe? Hopefully they're able to up their production without sacrificing quality.
@@alientude I'm waiting to see if they will offer an O-katana again. I've bought various 30" + nagasa katana from everyone but Dynasty Forge so far. My next paycheck I'm getting a Dragon King Winter Sun. I'm still on the fence on the Ryujin O-katana. Not sure if 33" nagasa is too big to do iai comfortably with plus they are out of stock.
@@alientude All the reviews on Dynasty Forge have been meh so far, but they are one of a few who offer a 32" nagasa as a standard production model.
Great review
Appreciated, thanks!
The tsuba could be enlarged a full inch!?!! No. Definitely not
The tsuba is about 2.75" (about 7 cm) in diameter. A very quick Google search implies average tsuba diameter is about 7.5 to 9 cm (3" to 3.5"), which some ranging up to around 10 cm (3.9"). Increasing the diameter to 3.75" doesn't seem out of line.
@@alientude its higo... I'm slapping my forehead right now.. definitely not on unokubi zukuri.. it will throw off balance!!
Okay.
Very good and thorough review
hi im a new sword colecter and would like you to review a ronin katana and wakizashi
Do you mean a katana and wakizashi from the company Ronin Katana? If so, I'm afraid I don't own any of those and don't really have any plans to buy them.
@@alientude i do but its a nice colection (because of how you have the tonto)
It would be nice to have a daisho from RK and complete the 3 blade set, come to think of it. It might happen eventually, but will definitely be lower on my priority list.