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Asante
Mage


Registered: 02/06/02
Posts: 86,958
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I bought a Wakizashi sword
#7550174 - 10/23/07 08:12 AM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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A Wakizashi is a Japanese short sword, intermediary between the Katana sword and the Tanto dagger. It's mainly intended as a sidearm for the katana and for fighting indoors, where a katana's size would be awkward.
Its overall length is 27 3/4" (68cm) with a 19 3/4" (50cm) differentially tempered high carbon steel blade. It's a Hanwei-CAS Paul Chen Practical Plus Wakizashi.
In it's price class ($150-$250) it's the best Wakizashi money can buy.
Here's a picture of one such Waki, my hamon is far better looking though 
The blade is forged and differentially tempered (HRC60 edge, HRC40 back) using the traditional clay method. For those in the know, here are some specs:
Quote:
Hanwei-CAS Practical Plus Wakizashi (実加脇差) . Made as a companion piece for our Practical Plus Katana, the Wakizashi features an edge-tempered high carbon forged steel blade with a prominent hamon, genuine Same (Rayskin) on the Tsuka, and a handle wrap (Tsuka-Ito) specially developed for its gripping qualities. The fittings of the Practical Plus are decorated in a Japanese Dogwood motif with dragon menuki, and the handsome Tsuba is of an iron "sunburst" design with a brass habaki. . --Hanwei Forge Paul Chen Practical Plus Wakizashi --Japanese dogwood theme Fuchi/Kashira --Iron sunburst tsuba --Dragon theme menuki --Black synthetic leather tsuka ito --Genuine same (rayskin) inlay --Black textured saya --Forged high carbon steel 20" blade --Chu (medium) kissaki --6 1/2" tsuka (handle) --Differentially tempered
Its weight and weight distribution is great. It came lubed up in machine oil and was already so sharp that I could smoothly slice the bill in 1/4 inch shreds 
You don't buy a real sword everyday! Though I was a bit skeptical at the price, it definitely is one fine wakizashi! If anyone is looking for a good *real* Japanese short sword but happens to be on a budget, the Paul Chen Practical Plus Wakizashi is where it's at!
For lack of tatami mats, the next guy who breaks the forum rules will be hit with tameshigiri instead of the ban stick
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Hakim0777
aka RACKBONE!!!




Registered: 08/25/06
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Re: I bought a Wakizashi sword [Re: Asante]
#7550207 - 10/23/07 08:29 AM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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So uhh what are you gonna do with it?
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Asante
Mage


Registered: 02/06/02
Posts: 86,958
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Re: I bought a Wakizashi sword [Re: Hakim0777]
#7550277 - 10/23/07 08:47 AM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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I bought the PPW to practice the motions of swordfighting and perhaps if I'm confident about the blade and my handling of it, doing some tameshigiri. (practice cutting)
That you should NEVER EVER buy a crap sword (a wallhanger) is beautifully illustrated by these home shopping clowns and their piece of shit Katana:
As a teen I bought a crap Katana (I had no idea of quality) and as I swung it through the air the damn blade broke off the hilt and put a huge hole in my stucco wall. I didn't hit anything: swinging the blade in mid air was enough to break it.
You can see that that ofcourse won't do, if you buy a wallhanger (or 9 out of 10 so-called "battle ready" swords which are crap also, anything by Valiant Armory comes to mind) and do anything more than hang it on the wall, you are endangering yourself, others, and your property.
If you buy a sword, let it be a REAL sword. A real sword is never made from stainless steel, it's always carbon steel, which rusts if you neglect it.
The Paul Chen Practical Plus series are the best budget "real" Japanese swords you can buy. The design is right, the materials are right, it is well-assembled, this is on par with the real thing of centuries past. It outperforms many swords twice its price, that is if you use it for tameshigiri where your sword and your skills are put to the test.
I hope I'll never have to use this thing for self-defense, but with a PPW you very well could if you needed to.
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Asante
Mage


Registered: 02/06/02
Posts: 86,958
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Re: I bought a Wakizashi sword [Re: Asante]
#7551337 - 10/23/07 03:18 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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Is it just me or is YouTube's sound broken?
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MOTH
Wild Woman


Registered: 06/06/03
Posts: 23,431
Loc: In the jungle
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Re: I bought a Wakizashi sword [Re: Asante]
#7551503 - 10/23/07 03:59 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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Cool sword. My partner used to collect medieval and renaissance weapons but I've always been partial to Japanese weapons.
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Psilobuds
₪


Registered: 03/23/07
Posts: 1,775
Loc:
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Re: I bought a Wakizashi sword [Re: Asante]
#7551519 - 10/23/07 04:03 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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Quote:
Wiccan_Seeker said: Is it just me or is YouTube's sound broken?
its just you
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RobMarley420
LSD Enthusiast



Registered: 05/01/05
Posts: 12,554
Loc: Mushroom Mountain
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Re: I bought a Wakizashi sword [Re: Asante]
#7551597 - 10/23/07 04:22 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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Nice. Kill Bill style.
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brshroomer
Moss bear hunter



Registered: 12/10/06
Posts: 970
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Re: I bought a Wakizashi sword [Re: RobMarley420]
#7551949 - 10/23/07 05:41 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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well...it's not the best sword money can buy...but sure is a great deal, i like the atitude of not buying shitty industrial swords...
in on my way to making me one of these (i work with forging), and when you start to learn about bladesmithing you understand all the complexity that a blade like that holds... it's extremelly dificult to make a traditional japanese sword...
was even harder on feudal japan...as they had to sort the steel and judge it's 'hardness' by eye...
there's a kind of construction with 7 diferent layers of steel of diferent aspects....these swords are just fucking bladesmithing bliss
btw...beautiful sword
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Asante
Mage


Registered: 02/06/02
Posts: 86,958
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Re: I bought a Wakizashi sword [Re: brshroomer]
#7552019 - 10/23/07 05:56 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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Quote:
well...it's not the best sword money can buy...
You didn't catch my nuance: in it's price category ($150-$250) it's the best sword you can buy. There definitely are better ones, and you can have one custom forged, but then you're moving towards the $1.000-$3.000 region and quite frankly: I don't wanna go there 
Quote:
i like the atitude of not buying shitty industrial swords...
The illusion of having a good sword is more dangerous than an actual good sword would be, as demonstrated by the home-shopping people.
In many ways nowadays it is hard to get "the real thing", everything imitates it but few things actually are genuine anymore. If you do find "the real thing" of whatever you want, it's often prohibitively expensive. Yup, a forged sword for that price is quite a bargain, though at first glance it's just a curved piece of metal.
Quote:
in on my way to making me one of these (i work with forging), and when you start to learn about bladesmithing you understand all the complexity that a blade like that holds... it's extremelly dificult to make a traditional japanese sword...
Wow that would be quite an endeavor! Indeed, what I know of it its quite adifficult process, one that requires a true craftman's skill. If you do end up making that sword: pictures please
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Phishe
Lysergic Bliss



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Re: I bought a Wakizashi sword [Re: Asante]
#7552024 - 10/23/07 05:58 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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Wow that's pretty awesome...
I used to always want a sword, but I don't know what value it would have to me anymore.
I'm all about collecting instruments now.
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brshroomer
Moss bear hunter



Registered: 12/10/06
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Re: I bought a Wakizashi sword [Re: Asante]
#7558948 - 10/25/07 11:56 AM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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Quote:
Wiccan_Seeker said: Wow that would be quite an endeavor! Indeed, what I know of it its quite adifficult process, one that requires a true craftman's skill. If you do end up making that sword: pictures please
i'll probably take 1 year or so to start making it... i alredy gave a shot at a tanto... and i cracked the blade in two spots while making the hamon(hardening)...kinda hard to get the method right...
now i'm going to make some smaller blades first... mostly daggers and folders...
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Cheezit
Feel like aStranger

Registered: 10/19/07
Posts: 843
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Re: I bought a Wakizashi sword [Re: Asante]
#7558967 - 10/25/07 12:03 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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I watched a special on PBS about japanese sword makers. Interesting how they use a highcarbon steal on the outside and low carbon flexible steal for the spine.
Thats how the bend is made in the blade. When they quench and anneal the blade the two metals contract on each other and pull the tip upwards as it cools.
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WhiskeyClone
Not here


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Re: I bought a Wakizashi sword [Re: Asante]
#7559133 - 10/25/07 12:43 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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How much does the matching katana cost?
-------------------- Welcome evermore to gods and men is the self-helping man. For him all doors are flung wide: him all tongues greet, all honors crown, all eyes follow with desire. Our love goes out to him and embraces him, because he did not need it. ~ R.W. Emerson, "Self-Reliance"
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Asante
Mage


Registered: 02/06/02
Posts: 86,958
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Re: I bought a Wakizashi sword [Re: WhiskeyClone]
#7559443 - 10/25/07 02:22 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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Depends, if you live in Europe this stuff is way more expensive due to VAT and bullshit tax but in the USA you can get the Wakizashi for $170 and the Katana for $230.
And that's killer prices for The Real Thing.
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usefulidiot13
Dark Passenger



Registered: 05/22/07
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Re: I bought a Wakizashi sword [Re: Asante]
#7559539 - 10/25/07 02:50 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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hey thats awesome wiccan.
a good friend of mine has a few nice swords. i know at least one of them is an actual japanese katana.
according to what he has told me you DID get a great price man. good fuckin buy.
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WhiskeyClone
Not here


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Loc: Longitudinal Center of Canada ...
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Re: I bought a Wakizashi sword [Re: Asante]
#7560284 - 10/25/07 06:44 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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I want one.
Whenever I see a katana it reminds me of an incident in the paper a few years ago in my hometown.
A young woman was home alone, getting into bed when she heard someone break in. She had very poor vision and couldn't find her glasses, but she grabbed a katana she happened to have at her bedside. She burst into the living room chopping madly at the blurry figure.
The man screamed and ran off. She called the police and finally found her glasses. She discovered blood splattered everywhere and a chunk of the guy's ear. He was arrested shortly after when the police were called after a man stumbled into an emergency room, bleeding badly.
-------------------- Welcome evermore to gods and men is the self-helping man. For him all doors are flung wide: him all tongues greet, all honors crown, all eyes follow with desire. Our love goes out to him and embraces him, because he did not need it. ~ R.W. Emerson, "Self-Reliance"
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Liquid_Dimension
Lighthousekeeper



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Re: I bought a Wakizashi sword [Re: WhiskeyClone]
#7560315 - 10/25/07 06:54 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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johnm214



Registered: 05/31/07
Posts: 17,582
Loc: Americas
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So did the guy in the video break off the shaft from the handle? I can't really tell...
Did the thing break and fly up and stab him? Or did he just cut himself cuz he's a retard?
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Asante
Mage


Registered: 02/06/02
Posts: 86,958
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Re: I bought a Wakizashi sword [Re: johnm214]
#7560605 - 10/25/07 08:20 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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Quote:
So did the guy in the video break off the shaft from the handle?
Worse. He taps it on the table, the blade breaks in two in the middle and flies off stabbing him in the ribs. This shows how the quality of the steel is absolutely rock bottom.
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johnm214



Registered: 05/31/07
Posts: 17,582
Loc: Americas
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Re: I bought a Wakizashi sword [Re: Asante]
#7560664 - 10/25/07 08:39 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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Hahahahahahaha
That's hillarious... I couldn't really see what happened cuz it looked like the sword was still attached at the base.
How the hell could the blade break in the middle? He didn't hit the table that hard?
Best vid ever
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