Thanks for the video man. I just ordered my first real sword (Dojo-Pro #13) based on some of your past videos. This review came at the perfect time to tide me over till mine gets here. Can’t wait to see the upcoming review of the Iron Tiger Forge.
I am accumulating quite a collection of Ronin katanas now and the first thing I do is apply polyurethane with an artists brush on the entire Ito and knots. It still remains somewhat soft and has relieved my anxiety of anything unraveling or moving around freely.
I’m so glad that I watched this video. I purchased this exact sword from the scratch and dent sale. I don’t own many swords so when I do get one I don’t want to just get any old thing. I appreciate your reviews and I look at just about every sword that you review
Thanks for the review, Matthew. It's fun to watch someone going back to his roots (UA-cam review-wise, not your collection) to work on another RK katana. I like how you showed it's competent by using minimal effort in cutting and how well it performed. Sounds like a durable and fun sword. The close-up shot of the cross section after breaking is very helpful--the grain structure is like heaven and hell comparing to that Deepeeka you've just reviewed. Like fine silt vs coarse sand. We can also see the v-section edge bevel with zero niku--which is why it performs well in cutting but not as durable as other RK models perhaps. Great to see your collection and channel grow over the years, something that some of us can relate to! BTW did I read that right? Motokasane: .274” Sakikasane: .251”? There's this little distal taper? .251" is really thick for the blade at the yokote line.
Kane, just double checked and that is accurate.. though a little below the yakote it thins to .246" it tapers up above the yakote to the reinforced tip. Very little distal taper in the blade. It is worth noting there are a number of examples of historical blades that have little distal taper to them. It fits with the intent of robust cutter.
19:58 made me cringe and squirm in my chair, but 21:01 made my heart fall to my stomach. i knew what i was getting myself into by watching this video, and i wanted to know what kind of fun, yet soft stuff i can easily cut through without fear of damage with a sub $300 katana, but that sound will never not hurt my ears and my soul. as a lover of blades and an amateur bladesmith, the *ting* of a blade snapping is a painful, heartbreaking sound.
After rewatching cause I’m thinking about buying one all I can say is your katana throwing skills are getting impressive! Would love to see a dojo pro vs entry level can’t decide for my first real sword (have bought a few machete line swords from cold steel)
Hi Matthew, always watch you're videos and always love the information I pick up. I have a important question, murasame is listing L6 and t10 katana's for sale on web and Amazon. I'm curious is the steel genuine 🤔 for the price from 379 to 600 I'm skeptical. Any help greatly appreciated 🙏
I would love to try and purchase one of Ronin's elite katanas, although I personally have no confidence in their Dojo Pro line. The blade I got had one of their 'ghost hamons', and after some use I realized that only the center of the blade had been hardened. The entire tip and area just above the habaki was soft, which tells me that whoever tempered the blade only heated the middle of it in their forge. An acid etch confirmed that to me too.
I read from their website that their dojo pro line swords are built stronger than and are heavier than their elite line which are made in a more traditional way, that’s strange if your dojo pro sword had soft spots. Did you contact Ronin Katana about it?
My use is very minimal and more based on motions and movement. So far nothing has shown any signs of loosening. My entry levels take the most beating (tear up the low cost ones seems smarter) and they have not shown and signs.
Just ordered mine using your link! This is the second katana I bought based on your recommendations, love your reviews! Could you make an updated list of best swords under of different price ranges?
I got lucky with a nice tight Ito on mine, but the tanto I recently got from them is wrapped semi loosely. That being said, for the price I'm very happy with both of them. Thanks for the great reviews as always!
Great vid as usual. I appreciate you revisiting swords that you previously reviewed in order to discover any changes in quality and handling. Have you ever gotten your hands on a sword from Armour Class?
@@Matthew_Jensen it's a Scottish maker who actually outfitted the cast of Outlander. They make European swords, but if you ever stumbled upon one, I'd love to hear your thoughts
Thank you for posting. I purchased a Dojo pro #7 around two years ago through Sword Buyers Guide. Beast of a blade, but everything else was loose right out of the box. Extremely difficult to take apart only to find a cracked tsuka. Kashira came off from swinging at pool noodles. I was hoping to see that they improved, but I see they have not. I have a $150.00 Musashi with a much much better put together tsuka. Granted that the blade doesn't compare, but after spending $300.00 °on a Dojo Pro I realized that I paid $290.00 on a nice beast of a blade and $10.00 on the rest.
@@Matthew_Jensen No, I tried giving it 4 coats of spray lacquer, it held tighter for a couple of months. I super glued the kashira. It is still holding tight. I used a hypodermic needle and injected super glue everywhere. Now it's holding tight. I considered ordering a new tsuka for the Dojo Pro from Ronin, but I have been reluctant because of such problems. My worries are when I swing the blade I feel it shift in the tsuka.
Matthew, is this the Ronin Katana you would recommend over all the Ronins you have tested ? Just curious which one has the best cutting performance along with durability, thanks 🙏🏼
I think they have very similar blade shapes but this one cut pretty well. Its a bit small for me but if it fits your preferences then this was a solid cutter.
Another very well done review Matthew. No surprises here, pretty much what we have come to expect from a Dojo Pro. Durable through hardened blade, simple robust fittings, sadly mediocre to poor itomaki. I would think that given the value proposition of a 1060 through hardened blade and a simple set of Koshirae that Ronin could find a way to improve the known quality issue with the itomaki. A good handful of other value oriented Chinese sword houses seem to have found a way to produce respectable itomaki in value oriented Katana, ie. Jkoo/Sinosword, HuaWei, even Hanbon and Ryan can do a decent job. 🤷♀️
Hey . Ya know these simple fittings really appeal to me . A well tempered 1060 blade etc etc .What’s not to like . I feel like it would be a great candidate for someone who wants to customize their first sword or get into polishing etc etc
Since the blade is surprisingly durable given the price point, would you be inclined to do a video on the Ronin Bare Blades as a basis for full custom jobs?
Love the opening shot btw, sitting in the pond, feels like a little homeage to kurosawa more than a little. Good n tough looking sword for that price, was a little shocked to see such a bad knot area though, that is drastically undersized for the ito width. It looked like there was a full wrap over itself of maybe 95% overwrap.
The ito is the biggest issue I had with the sword. Some folks say they have tight ito but it being a bit on the loose side seems common enough too. If you have plans to rewrap or use something to stabilize it anyway then it is less an issue. Still not ideal.
On the one i got, the blade was nice, but the tsuka was trash. On top of being warped, the kashira was literally dangling by the ito after less than 10 cuts on water bottles. Really liked the tsuba and the blade seems to be well done. One of these days I may get her done back up. Love their Euro #2 though. Gotta love that Ronin wax. Lol. Nice to see you got a slightly better one. Lol.
I just picked up a 30 and its wakizashi counterpart for a good price. I love the way it feels and handles so far, I'm not a cutter so I enjoy this as a reference should I ever....NEED a sword, if you get my drift.
Matthew, is there a particular reason you tend to use shorter bladed katanas? I know a while ago you made a video about needing a longer (30" or longer) blade so that you couldn't "cheat" and not use your hips for drawing and sheathing, so I was curious why you tend to use shorter blades. Is it because one or both of the arts you practice encourage using a specific blade size? I'm not familiar with what blade lengths Toyama Ryu or Katori Shinto Ryu recommend. The art I practice, Shinshin Ryu, recommends longer blades, and I believe you are about the same height as me (~6'1"), so I'd be very interested if you were to review swords with longer blades.
I am often at the mercy of the review samples sent. In this case I opted to test a sword that had swirly mitsudomoes because they are awesome instead of a longer blade.
@@Matthew_Jensen In this case I understand why you chose the shorter option, but I can't think of more than maybe one katana you've tested that had a 30" blade or longer. Admittedly, they're far less common, but a handful of manufacturers do make them. Do you own any longer blades and, if so, do you use them for iaido?
My dojo pro is my cheapest and arguably ugliest sword but after sharpening the blade on sandpaper its cuts like a laser. It's a fun backyard cutter and I'm glad I own it.
They make a solid blade, but I think for the money Huawei makes a better overall sword in terms of fit and finish for the money. The only way I would get one is with the annual scratch and dent sale.
I like Huawei too. They make great product. Not sure if they make a metaphorical beater sword though. Ronin also stocks locally in the US so there is a different experience in buying them. Not saying you are wrong but there are other factors a person might consider.
I like the sword but I think it would be better with a square guard and tachi fittings but that's just my way thinking you do you bro with all the swirly mitssudomes you can get your hands on
I laugh every time you do the”Throw it at a tree test”. Im curious of the hardness of the edge. You dont use your HRC scratch test files on more ? I got some recently.They’re nice to use to find out strength of a sword.
Yeah,but did you test it,or is that the info they gave you?I’ve noticed when j test these in tge 200 ti $500 range,the number i get is usually higher than they give in the description. In my experience anyway . Which is a good think ,i think
Hey there Matthew I got a "suggestion" / questions... I'm doing a project "entertainment project" and I'm looking for 2 katanas and many answers For the Katana: FIRST AND FORMOST. Utility > coolness, the blade can be boring as long is the best possible blade... Ive been looking for a decent durable katana in around $300-500, the Katana need to have all the basic Japan culture history (authentique ray-skin, real differentially tempted hamon etc). The swords needs to be pretty enough to create a "legend" but their materials need to be the best edge retention possible a great quality over all, the Katana need to be made with the intention of REAL self defence the day to day life, this sword will be used according to the story: Every morning 1000 air cuts / katas training Light mantainance/cleaning in a traditional way after training The sword should be battle ready at any point of the day and if used (wich will be a constant, imagine like RPG games that you use the katana to kill monsters and humans) it will be used against soft and hard targets all the "FANTASY" range from slimes to armored type "Dulahan" mythological creatures, flesh, bones, armor etc. I was looking into some examples of both ranges($200 colored blades to $700 reputable forges) Ive seen ofc I'm asking for guidance about the purchase since this has to be a "legendary" blade for the story purposes. The legend doesn't need or should not be based on real life legends so no replicas of ancient blades. other question is the materials for the type of formerly described usage the best steel option in my mind would be 1095 or t10 high carbon steel but that why I required guidance since my knowledge of metallurgy is fairly limited. now the options I have described: 1) Black/rusted like blade lamination Honsanmai, 1095 High Carbon Steel+Folded steel (In paper it seem exactly what Im looking for but IDK about how well are colored blades... www.ryansword.com/Honsanmai-Clay-Tempered-Katana-Black-Blade-Iron-Tsuba--Ryan904-p-719.html 2) A beautiful copper colored blade with a Maru type blade, 1095 High Carbon Steel IDK how well a Maru type will go against a Honsanmai in terms of durability and edge retention. www.ryansword.com/Kiriha-Zukuri-Red-Blade-Katana-1095-High-Carbon-Steel-Clay-Tempered--Ryan1305-p-1130.html 3)An amazing beautiful black on black Maru type blade, 1095 High Carbon Steel, are colored blades any good T-T ? www.ryansword.com/Clay-Tempered-Black-Blade-Kiriha-Zukuri-Katana-1095-Carbon-Steel-Iron-Tsuba--Ryan1308-p-1133.html 4)These are natural looking blade with shihozume and Honsanmai lamination respectfully. www.ryansword.com/Clay-Tempered-Shihozume-Katana-Japanese-Samurai-Sword-Hazuya-Polish-Functional--Ryan1146-p-753.html www.ryansword.com/Clay-Tempered-Katana-Honsanmai--Ryan1349-p-1221.html 5)Hanwei - Snake Katana for the research I made Hanwei seem to be a very respectable forge and I had to take in consideration some of their offering each of this options have been carefully chosen for it performance, weight, and feel in hand. (leaning towards Practical Plus Katana Classic more than the others) www.battlemerchant.com/en/snake-katana www.kultofathena.com/product/hanwei-practical-light-katana/ www.kultofathena.com/product/hanwei-practical-xl-light-katana/ www.kultofathena.com/product/hanwei-practical-plus-katana-classic/ 6) John-Lee-Practical-Katana an affordable option too, very simple but elegant design. www.samuraischwerter.de/Samuraischwerter-11/Handgeschmiedete-Samuraischwerter/John-Lee-Practical-Katana.html 7) Cold Steel heard all kind of thing from them from chunky and not very well balance to amazing quality blade and details... www.kultofathena.com/product/cold-steel-mizutori-crane-katana/ 8) Some takes from Ronin Katana roninkatana.com/hanzo-steel-clay-tempered-black-bat-themed-katana-model-5/ roninkatana.com/dojo-pro-katana-model-31-musashi-o-katana/ roninkatana.com/samurai-sword-clay-tempered-high-carbon-steel-katana-model-3/ roninkatana.com/dojo-pro-katana-model-32-ko-katana-black-bat/ 9) Hnbon Forge since you suggested it www.hanbonforge.com/Japanese-Swords/Katana/Japanese-Sword-Handmade-Full-Tang-Red-Damascus-Steel-Blade-Clay-Tempered-With-Real-Hamon?sort=p.price&order=DESC www.hanbonforge.com/Japanese-Swords/Katana/Clay-Tempered-Shirasaya-Japanese-Sword-Samurai-Katana-Black-Damascus-Steel-Blade?sort=p.price&order=DESC www.hanbonforge.com/Japanese-Swords/Katana/Japanese-Samurai-Sword-KATANA-Unokubi-Zukuri-Full-Tang-Clay-tempered-Blade-Leather-straps?sort=p.price&order=DESC www.hanbonforge.com/Japanese-Swords/Katana/Kill-Bill-Sword-Set-BILL-BRIDE-SWORDS-Damascus-steel-clay-tempered-blade?sort=p.price&order=DESC www.hanbonforge.com/Japanese-Swords/Katana/HAND-MADE-KATANA-JAPANESE-SAMURAI-SWORD-T10-STEEL-CLAY-TEMPERED-HAZUYA-POLISH?sort=p.price&order=DESC 10)Dragon sword Maru 1095 swordcn.com/product/1095-basic-style-katana-real-yokotesuji 11) a Longquan forge with a beautiful blue blade www.chinesesword.store/products/surf-katana-high-carbon-steel-blue-blade-solid-wood 12) Longquan sword against and the last one a beautiful purple blade www.chinesesword.store/products/samurai-sword-katana-t10-high-carbon-steel-purple-blade-yellow-scabbard-alloy-tosogu-length-39 And for the suggestion for your content: a fantasy related video based on all those fantasy games: tittle "Can a real katana survive a fantasy world adventure".
Seems like the typical Ronin Katana sword - well forged and very durable blade with mediocre ito maki and fittings. I would definitely purchase more of their products if they did a better job on the other aspects of the sword. Still very impressed by how durable it is though.
Please talk on your videos more about what exact metals they are made from This is critical fir me to know where to spend my money ! I want a great great blade. I don’t bash metals rocks ect Mostly plant life and tetami matts.
Live bone & dead bone are very different things indeed. Live bones or bones in freshly killed animals are slightly flexible and very much like a dense sponge and if you've ever cut fresh bamboo it's more like cutting that. Dead bone calcifies quickly & becomes very hard, inflexible & brittle. It's somewhere in between hard wood & easily broken rock. In other words cutting on dead beef bones is a stresser & much more than fresh bones.
@@Matthew_Jensen Hadn't thought about that before.... Not to take the easy way out but I'll have to say a mix of both. Newer zombies have fresh, middle aged zombies have live bone inside but exposed bone would be dead & old zombies are all calcified dead bones... But this 8s just a theory & may require testing
Well since zombies arent real and because of that we have no idea what would happen to bone density there is no real way to know. And to be honest if there is a zombie outbreak it will be more like the ones from 28 days later than any other movie or show. It will be living people who have become pure animal instinct. So the question should be how would it cut through live bone. It would be easier to cut live bone than calcified bone.
For swords in this price range I really like 1060 and I think this shows why. The forges in China seem to work well with the material and the heat treatment tends to be closer to ideal. On more expensive swords, the answer will change but on a budget I like 1060.
Your critique they will never listen to or take under consideration. They don't listen to anyone and Paul feels its fine. He makes enough money from them he doesn't have to care. So take that how you want when buying their stuff. If you can do the work yourself, wrapping and such, then it's ok but if not it sucks. Better learn how to do work oneself. I did.
I get the feeling they care a lot but are also trying to do what is feasible for them. For example I had a chat with Chris from Ronin about the wax in the scabbard. This is the lesser of the evils based on their supply chain. The stock items that are warehoused in the US, light oil coats don't hold up for them and risk sending rusty blades. The wax (despite its drawbacks) prevents the rust for long-term stock.
Great review as always! I'm going to have to pick one of these up eventually. Thank you!
Great photography and footage of the practice in the snow. Another top level review
I wish I could say that was planning, it just happened to snow a lot on the days I had to record. Rain or shine, sword reviews gotta get done.
@@Matthew_Jensen Appreciate the effort you put into it.
Also, I have a video up about using wax to tighten the ito if you want to check it out.
Love these videos man!
Thanks Scab!
Dude! When you got it to stick in the tree was awesome, the side view slowmo was epic! 👍
It is fun when it sticks but oddly the goal is to not.. I am trying to hit it on the hilt or some other way that makes the sword bounce.
@@Matthew_Jensen Fare enough, still epic though! Thanks for all the great content! 👍
Thanks for the video man. I just ordered my first real sword (Dojo-Pro #13) based on some of your past videos. This review came at the perfect time to tide me over till mine gets here. Can’t wait to see the upcoming review of the Iron Tiger Forge.
it will be a bit yet.. I need to spend a little more time with the ITF katana.
Man you’ve got such a relaxing voice. I love the video
Glad you enjoy it!
I am accumulating quite a collection of Ronin katanas now and the first thing I do is apply polyurethane with an artists brush on the entire Ito and knots. It still remains somewhat soft and has relieved my anxiety of anything unraveling or moving around freely.
how does that work?
I’m so glad that I watched this video. I purchased this exact sword from the scratch and dent sale. I don’t own many swords so when I do get one I don’t want to just get any old thing. I appreciate your reviews and I look at just about every sword that you review
Thank you for the kind words. Glad you like the videos and find them helpful.
Thanks for the review, Matthew. It's fun to watch someone going back to his roots (UA-cam review-wise, not your collection) to work on another RK katana. I like how you showed it's competent by using minimal effort in cutting and how well it performed. Sounds like a durable and fun sword. The close-up shot of the cross section after breaking is very helpful--the grain structure is like heaven and hell comparing to that Deepeeka you've just reviewed. Like fine silt vs coarse sand. We can also see the v-section edge bevel with zero niku--which is why it performs well in cutting but not as durable as other RK models perhaps. Great to see your collection and channel grow over the years, something that some of us can relate to!
BTW did I read that right? Motokasane: .274”
Sakikasane: .251”? There's this little distal taper? .251" is really thick for the blade at the yokote line.
Kane, just double checked and that is accurate.. though a little below the yakote it thins to .246" it tapers up above the yakote to the reinforced tip. Very little distal taper in the blade. It is worth noting there are a number of examples of historical blades that have little distal taper to them. It fits with the intent of robust cutter.
@@Matthew_Jensen Thanks for the double checking and confirming it, Matthew.
Anytime mucacho! SwordTubers gotta keep each other honest
I'm sold. Thanks for your review!
19:58 made me cringe and squirm in my chair, but 21:01 made my heart fall to my stomach. i knew what i was getting myself into by watching this video, and i wanted to know what kind of fun, yet soft stuff i can easily cut through without fear of damage with a sub $300 katana, but that sound will never not hurt my ears and my soul. as a lover of blades and an amateur bladesmith, the *ting* of a blade snapping is a painful, heartbreaking sound.
The sound sends a feeling of alarm through me. Imagine hearing that sound in the middle of a fight in the past. That had to terrible.
After rewatching cause I’m thinking about buying one all I can say is your katana throwing skills are getting impressive! Would love to see a dojo pro vs entry level can’t decide for my first real sword (have bought a few machete line swords from cold steel)
Cheers Mr.J. ya know, none of us are Kensei till we've been blooded in combat. 🤪.Always a pleasure. Great review as always. Slan Go Foil.☘
Thank you.
Hi Matthew, always watch you're videos and always love the information I pick up. I have a important question, murasame is listing L6 and t10 katana's for sale on web and Amazon. I'm curious is the steel genuine 🤔 for the price from 379 to 600 I'm skeptical. Any help greatly appreciated 🙏
I would be skeptical too but who knows. I have not had anything from the company so I don't have a lot to provide here.
Hi Matt. What would you say is more important, the type of steel or the tempered/hardened?
I would love to try and purchase one of Ronin's elite katanas, although I personally have no confidence in their Dojo Pro line. The blade I got had one of their 'ghost hamons', and after some use I realized that only the center of the blade had been hardened. The entire tip and area just above the habaki was soft, which tells me that whoever tempered the blade only heated the middle of it in their forge. An acid etch confirmed that to me too.
I read from their website that their dojo pro line swords are built stronger than and are heavier than their elite line which are made in a more traditional way, that’s strange if your dojo pro sword had soft spots. Did you contact Ronin Katana about it?
I have several Ronin from entry to elite and they have all been an excellent bang for the buck!
How has the ito held up on your swords?
My use is very minimal and more based on motions and movement. So far nothing has shown any signs of loosening. My entry levels take the most beating (tear up the low cost ones seems smarter) and they have not shown and signs.
Grain structure looks good
Just ordered mine using your link! This is the second katana I bought based on your recommendations, love your reviews! Could you make an updated list of best swords under of different price ranges?
I am kind of working on it.. As in a giant list of all the swords I have reviewed.
Got an Ronin entry level and the ito is super tight..hopefully they fixed that on the dojo pro as well
I got lucky with a nice tight Ito on mine, but the tanto I recently got from them is wrapped semi loosely. That being said, for the price I'm very happy with both of them. Thanks for the great reviews as always!
Great vid as usual. I appreciate you revisiting swords that you previously reviewed in order to discover any changes in quality and handling. Have you ever gotten your hands on a sword from Armour Class?
I don't recall seeing anything from Armour Class
@@Matthew_Jensen it's a Scottish maker who actually outfitted the cast of Outlander. They make European swords, but if you ever stumbled upon one, I'd love to hear your thoughts
Love the content a lot man. Picked up a #9 on scratch/dent. You reviewed it actually.
Where do you study iaido? Is it online?
I do Katori and Toyama. Both are in person kind of things.
The other Dojo pro model you reviewed was like $100 more not sure why though they seem the same
Thank you for posting. I purchased a Dojo pro #7 around two years ago through Sword Buyers Guide. Beast of a blade, but everything else was loose right out of the box. Extremely difficult to take apart only to find a cracked tsuka. Kashira came off from swinging at pool noodles. I was hoping to see that they improved, but I see they have not. I have a $150.00 Musashi with a much much better put together tsuka. Granted that the blade doesn't compare, but after spending $300.00 °on a Dojo Pro I realized that I paid $290.00 on a nice beast of a blade and $10.00 on the rest.
Its odd that the ito was tighter on the cotton stuff they use on the RK series blades. Did you find a way to fix the tsuka?
@@Matthew_Jensen No, I tried giving it 4 coats of spray lacquer, it held tighter for a couple of months. I super glued the kashira. It is still holding tight. I used a hypodermic needle and injected super glue everywhere. Now it's holding tight. I considered ordering a new tsuka for the Dojo Pro from Ronin, but I have been reluctant because of such problems. My worries are when I swing the blade I feel it shift in the tsuka.
@MrX XXX No No, it's parked.
Matthew, is this the Ronin Katana you would recommend over all the Ronins you have tested ? Just curious which one has the best cutting performance along with durability, thanks 🙏🏼
I think they have very similar blade shapes but this one cut pretty well. Its a bit small for me but if it fits your preferences then this was a solid cutter.
Another very well done review Matthew. No surprises here, pretty much what we have come to expect from a Dojo Pro. Durable through hardened blade, simple robust fittings, sadly mediocre to poor itomaki. I would think that given the value proposition of a 1060 through hardened blade and a simple set of Koshirae that Ronin could find a way to improve the known quality issue with the itomaki. A good handful of other value oriented Chinese sword houses seem to have found a way to produce respectable itomaki in value oriented Katana, ie. Jkoo/Sinosword, HuaWei, even Hanbon and Ryan can do a decent job. 🤷♀️
Thank you Stephanie! I agree that the itomaki seems like others in the ballpark have tackled. I hope they find a way to resolve it.
Cannot move the ito on my RK 31. Tight as tight can be. Bought in late May.
Is there a chart of the difference between different Ronin Katana Models? How can we tell which have niku?
Hey . Ya know these simple fittings really appeal to me . A well tempered 1060 blade etc etc .What’s not to like . I feel like it would be a great candidate for someone who wants to customize their first sword or get into polishing etc etc
Exactly!
I understand what you are doing, but I almost weep seeing you detroy this nice sword
have you found anything that will take more punishment then the rinin dojo pro #30 lit me know
please
Since the blade is surprisingly durable given the price point, would you be inclined to do a video on the Ronin Bare Blades as a basis for full custom jobs?
The ronin dojo pro and the hanwei raptor both make decent blades for projects if you want a durable blade to customize.
Love the opening shot btw, sitting in the pond, feels like a little homeage to kurosawa more than a little.
Good n tough looking sword for that price, was a little shocked to see such a bad knot area though, that is drastically undersized for the ito width. It looked like there was a full wrap over itself of maybe 95% overwrap.
The ito is the biggest issue I had with the sword. Some folks say they have tight ito but it being a bit on the loose side seems common enough too. If you have plans to rewrap or use something to stabilize it anyway then it is less an issue. Still not ideal.
@@Matthew_Jensen Kingfisher just did a video on that aotually.
m.ua-cam.com/video/L3MzOKFoQ_I/v-deo.html
Your tree is like "why do you hate me?".
It has seen better days. Though it is a cottonwood tree and shits out fluff every year. I need to remind who is boss.
On the one i got, the blade was nice, but the tsuka was trash. On top of being warped, the kashira was literally dangling by the ito after less than 10 cuts on water bottles. Really liked the tsuba and the blade seems to be well done. One of these days I may get her done back up. Love their Euro #2 though. Gotta love that Ronin wax. Lol.
Nice to see you got a slightly better one. Lol.
I really do dig the diamond on the back of the kissaki.
heat treat and the reinforced kissaki are my favorite parts.
@@Matthew_Jensen likewise.
I just picked up a 30 and its wakizashi counterpart for a good price. I love the way it feels and handles so far, I'm not a cutter so I enjoy this as a reference should I ever....NEED a sword, if you get my drift.
I love my dojo pros. I have 2 Daito sets, the #31 Okatana and a couple of their tantos.
i’m looking at getting the #31, what’s your opinion of it?
@miraak9521 love it, I'm 6'2 and the draw is just about perfect for my arm length.
Matthew, is there a particular reason you tend to use shorter bladed katanas? I know a while ago you made a video about needing a longer (30" or longer) blade so that you couldn't "cheat" and not use your hips for drawing and sheathing, so I was curious why you tend to use shorter blades. Is it because one or both of the arts you practice encourage using a specific blade size? I'm not familiar with what blade lengths Toyama Ryu or Katori Shinto Ryu recommend. The art I practice, Shinshin Ryu, recommends longer blades, and I believe you are about the same height as me (~6'1"), so I'd be very interested if you were to review swords with longer blades.
I am often at the mercy of the review samples sent. In this case I opted to test a sword that had swirly mitsudomoes because they are awesome instead of a longer blade.
@@Matthew_Jensen In this case I understand why you chose the shorter option, but I can't think of more than maybe one katana you've tested that had a 30" blade or longer. Admittedly, they're far less common, but a handful of manufacturers do make them. Do you own any longer blades and, if so, do you use them for iaido?
My dojo pro is my cheapest and arguably ugliest sword but after sharpening the blade on sandpaper its cuts like a laser. It's a fun backyard cutter and I'm glad I own it.
They make a solid blade, but I think for the money Huawei makes a better overall sword in terms of fit and finish for the money. The only way I would get one is with the annual scratch and dent sale.
I think most people agree but isnt Huaweis lead time like over a year or something right now?
I like Huawei too. They make great product. Not sure if they make a metaphorical beater sword though. Ronin also stocks locally in the US so there is a different experience in buying them. Not saying you are wrong but there are other factors a person might consider.
any plans for a z-sey sword review? I do have one i'm willing to lend for a review .. =)
They may send a sample but I don't have much to say yet.
I like the sword but I think it would be better with a square guard and tachi fittings but that's just my way thinking you do you bro with all the swirly mitssudomes you can get your hands on
I am a sucker for those swirly mitsudomes. Handachi fittings are pretty cool too.
I laugh every time you do the”Throw it at a tree test”. Im curious of the hardness of the edge. You dont use your HRC scratch test files on more ? I got some recently.They’re nice to use to find out strength of a sword.
I could give this one a scratch.. I put it in the details most of the time..
Rather, I did put it in the details already.
@@Matthew_Jensen sorry,i didn’t check there first,lol
Yeah,but did you test it,or is that the info they gave you?I’ve noticed when j test these in tge 200 ti $500 range,the number i get is usually higher than they give in the description. In my experience anyway . Which is a good think ,i think
Hey there Matthew I got a "suggestion" / questions...
I'm doing a project "entertainment project" and I'm looking for 2 katanas and many answers
For the Katana: FIRST AND FORMOST. Utility > coolness, the blade can be boring as long is the best possible blade...
Ive been looking for a decent durable katana in around $300-500, the Katana need to have all the basic Japan culture history (authentique ray-skin, real differentially tempted hamon etc).
The swords needs to be pretty enough to create a "legend" but their materials need to be the best edge retention possible a great quality over all, the Katana need to be made with the intention of REAL self defence the day to day life, this sword will be used according to the story:
Every morning 1000 air cuts / katas training
Light mantainance/cleaning in a traditional way after training
The sword should be battle ready at any point of the day and if used (wich will be a constant, imagine like RPG games that you use the katana to kill monsters and humans) it will be used against soft and hard targets all the "FANTASY" range from slimes to armored type "Dulahan" mythological creatures, flesh, bones, armor etc.
I was looking into some examples of both ranges($200 colored blades to $700 reputable forges) Ive seen ofc I'm asking for guidance about the purchase since this has to be a "legendary" blade for the story purposes.
The legend doesn't need or should not be based on real life legends so no replicas of ancient blades.
other question is the materials for the type of formerly described usage the best steel option in my mind would be 1095 or t10 high carbon steel but that why I required guidance since my knowledge of metallurgy is fairly limited.
now the options I have described:
1) Black/rusted like blade lamination Honsanmai, 1095 High Carbon Steel+Folded steel (In paper it seem exactly what Im looking for but IDK about how well are colored blades...
www.ryansword.com/Honsanmai-Clay-Tempered-Katana-Black-Blade-Iron-Tsuba--Ryan904-p-719.html
2) A beautiful copper colored blade with a Maru type blade, 1095 High Carbon Steel IDK how well a Maru type will go against a Honsanmai in terms of durability and edge retention.
www.ryansword.com/Kiriha-Zukuri-Red-Blade-Katana-1095-High-Carbon-Steel-Clay-Tempered--Ryan1305-p-1130.html
3)An amazing beautiful black on black Maru type blade, 1095 High Carbon Steel, are colored blades any good T-T ?
www.ryansword.com/Clay-Tempered-Black-Blade-Kiriha-Zukuri-Katana-1095-Carbon-Steel-Iron-Tsuba--Ryan1308-p-1133.html
4)These are natural looking blade with shihozume and Honsanmai lamination respectfully.
www.ryansword.com/Clay-Tempered-Shihozume-Katana-Japanese-Samurai-Sword-Hazuya-Polish-Functional--Ryan1146-p-753.html
www.ryansword.com/Clay-Tempered-Katana-Honsanmai--Ryan1349-p-1221.html
5)Hanwei - Snake Katana for the research I made Hanwei seem to be a very respectable forge and I had to take in consideration some of their offering each of this options have been carefully chosen for it performance, weight, and feel in hand. (leaning towards Practical Plus Katana Classic more than the others)
www.battlemerchant.com/en/snake-katana
www.kultofathena.com/product/hanwei-practical-light-katana/
www.kultofathena.com/product/hanwei-practical-xl-light-katana/
www.kultofathena.com/product/hanwei-practical-plus-katana-classic/
6) John-Lee-Practical-Katana an affordable option too, very simple but elegant design.
www.samuraischwerter.de/Samuraischwerter-11/Handgeschmiedete-Samuraischwerter/John-Lee-Practical-Katana.html
7) Cold Steel heard all kind of thing from them from chunky and not very well balance to amazing quality blade and details...
www.kultofathena.com/product/cold-steel-mizutori-crane-katana/
8) Some takes from Ronin Katana
roninkatana.com/hanzo-steel-clay-tempered-black-bat-themed-katana-model-5/
roninkatana.com/dojo-pro-katana-model-31-musashi-o-katana/
roninkatana.com/samurai-sword-clay-tempered-high-carbon-steel-katana-model-3/
roninkatana.com/dojo-pro-katana-model-32-ko-katana-black-bat/
9) Hnbon Forge since you suggested it
www.hanbonforge.com/Japanese-Swords/Katana/Japanese-Sword-Handmade-Full-Tang-Red-Damascus-Steel-Blade-Clay-Tempered-With-Real-Hamon?sort=p.price&order=DESC
www.hanbonforge.com/Japanese-Swords/Katana/Clay-Tempered-Shirasaya-Japanese-Sword-Samurai-Katana-Black-Damascus-Steel-Blade?sort=p.price&order=DESC
www.hanbonforge.com/Japanese-Swords/Katana/Japanese-Samurai-Sword-KATANA-Unokubi-Zukuri-Full-Tang-Clay-tempered-Blade-Leather-straps?sort=p.price&order=DESC
www.hanbonforge.com/Japanese-Swords/Katana/Kill-Bill-Sword-Set-BILL-BRIDE-SWORDS-Damascus-steel-clay-tempered-blade?sort=p.price&order=DESC
www.hanbonforge.com/Japanese-Swords/Katana/HAND-MADE-KATANA-JAPANESE-SAMURAI-SWORD-T10-STEEL-CLAY-TEMPERED-HAZUYA-POLISH?sort=p.price&order=DESC
10)Dragon sword Maru 1095
swordcn.com/product/1095-basic-style-katana-real-yokotesuji
11) a Longquan forge with a beautiful blue blade
www.chinesesword.store/products/surf-katana-high-carbon-steel-blue-blade-solid-wood
12) Longquan sword against and the last one a beautiful purple blade
www.chinesesword.store/products/samurai-sword-katana-t10-high-carbon-steel-purple-blade-yellow-scabbard-alloy-tosogu-length-39
And for the suggestion for your content: a fantasy related video based on all those fantasy games: tittle "Can a real katana survive a fantasy world adventure".
Can someone point me in the direction of a solid hard sparring katana?
Seems like the typical Ronin Katana sword - well forged and very durable blade with mediocre ito maki and fittings. I would definitely purchase more of their products if they did a better job on the other aspects of the sword. Still very impressed by how durable it is though.
I qas just wondering you said its short for you. How tall are you? Im 5'6 and i feel a 40" katana is a little hard to wield.
im a bit over 6'
@@Matthew_Jensen Thanks for the reply. I feel I should go with a Ronin Ko Katana.
Please talk on your videos more about what exact metals they are made from
This is critical fir me to know where to spend my money ! I want a great great blade. I don’t bash metals rocks ect
Mostly plant life and tetami matts.
what are some swords that have survived that last test?
None yet
Live bone & dead bone are very different things indeed.
Live bones or bones in freshly killed animals are slightly flexible and very much like a dense sponge and if you've ever cut fresh bamboo it's more like cutting that.
Dead bone calcifies quickly & becomes very hard, inflexible & brittle. It's somewhere in between hard wood & easily broken rock.
In other words cutting on dead beef bones is a stresser & much more than fresh bones.
What kind of bone do you think zombies would have?
@@Matthew_Jensen Hadn't thought about that before....
Not to take the easy way out but I'll have to say a mix of both. Newer zombies have fresh, middle aged zombies have live bone inside but exposed bone would be dead & old zombies are all calcified dead bones...
But this 8s just a theory & may require testing
Hmm weird these variables exist when zombies dont lol@@asa-punkatsouthvinland7145
Whats on your face while ur testing in the woods??
shaving cream from the cans I cut
The question is if bone damages the edge how well would it do in a zombie apocalypse
Well since zombies arent real and because of that we have no idea what would happen to bone density there is no real way to know. And to be honest if there is a zombie outbreak it will be more like the ones from 28 days later than any other movie or show. It will be living people who have become pure animal instinct. So the question should be how would it cut through live bone. It would be easier to cut live bone than calcified bone.
2:12 what's going on here? Is it an optical illusion or is your camera just mapping out your face for some reason?
Now I’m stuck between a dojo pro and a cloudhammer🤔 after this video I’m leaning towards the pro…
Both are good options. Dojo pros do a lot for a little. The cloud hammer stuff can be a little nicer but it costs a bit more.
@@Matthew_Jensen thanks for the quick response. I have both blades in shopping carts 🤣
Tiny grain. Good Heat Treat
Tough product.
Thanks Matthew.
Looks like the Dojo Pro review did better than the Dojo Elite.
Dia Duit. Matthew. Forgot to ask you, what is your favorite steel for your swords. Slan Go Foil. ☘
For swords in this price range I really like 1060 and I think this shows why. The forges in China seem to work well with the material and the heat treatment tends to be closer to ideal. On more expensive swords, the answer will change but on a budget I like 1060.
@@Matthew_Jensen thank you. God bless you and yours. ☘
Roninkatana makes a better $350 32" nagasa katana, #31, than Ryujin.
Like i think if u wont throw it at a tree or wont try to cut someonen in half or wont cut metal i think it is okay i guess
Hello there swordfrens
I know it’s late but Hi 👋
Please do another drunken review.
Its on my list..
Stupid sharp. Lol. Great job on this one!
Thank you.
Your critique they will never listen to or take under consideration. They don't listen to anyone and Paul feels its fine. He makes enough money from them he doesn't have to care. So take that how you want when buying their stuff. If you can do the work yourself, wrapping and such, then it's ok but if not it sucks. Better learn how to do work oneself. I did.
I get the feeling they care a lot but are also trying to do what is feasible for them. For example I had a chat with Chris from Ronin about the wax in the scabbard. This is the lesser of the evils based on their supply chain. The stock items that are warehoused in the US, light oil coats don't hold up for them and risk sending rusty blades. The wax (despite its drawbacks) prevents the rust for long-term stock.