ShadowDancer has some amazing offerings at amazing price points. I can’t say they are the same company exactly, you know like a Acura/Honda setup, but they are definitely partnered in some way.
Great job my man, that SD. is real looker...very clean lines, beautifully done polish, justice to the Zsey Shadow Dancer name...watch them Audio Levels of the background music, vocals are lost at times...excellent job overall
Thanks brother…I thought I had that under control but it must be how my speaker is handling levels…I wonder if editing with headphones might fix that…I’ve seen people do that
@StudioGDT You just gotta watch the decibel audio levels to be sure they are not higher than your vocals...more importantly, you just gotta trial and Error and know your system...
I agree with you 100 percent-to be honest, the Buffalo horn didn’t matter too much to me. If I had received this in the $410 dollar configuration, I would have been just as impressed. Shadow Dancer has great pics on the web, but when you get this in hand, you just feel like you paid 700 dollars for it. From what I have encountered so far in the 400-500 price range, this is at the top.
@@StudioGDT Personally i will do a couple upgrades like buffalo horn and japanese cotton/silk ito wrap if i was going to use it as a dojo piece. If it was going to be a display piece only, i would probably drop the horn but keep the upgrade ito. Should still keep it around the $500 mark with both these upgrades. I really wish Shadow Dancer made it easier to figure out how certain customizations/upgrades cost on their website. Excited to see how the Swordis store is doing their customization page for Shadow Dancer. I will probably wait to see how theirs works out before i make a purchase.
Wow!! Great review and great production! I don't know much about Katanas, but after every one of your videos, it leaves me wanting to learn more. Keep up the great work.
3:14 minor gripe here. "From a practitioner standpoint" one is not ever supposed to grip the fuchi nor kashira, that's what the tsuka is for. Only what beginners do; hard up against the tsuba, and too low on the kashira. Every first-timer, but no cutting system should teach it. Have no idea why MJ still mentions it. As a Toyama-Ryu practitioner, dude should have learned like 15 years ago, it's a non-issue. Please don't perpetuate. Feels like Katori myth from a non-cutter. Just my 2c as a target learner. Loved this review, watched it twice.
Gripes are ok friend. In my Ryu the Temoto places the last digit of the index finger near the Tsuba. The grip is nowhere near the fuchi or Tsuba but tip of that index finger can get caught or hung up on open Tsuba work. Where I can’t speak for MJs Ryu, I can only speak for mine and something I have encountered directly.
@@StudioGDT Yeah, it's not you. This fancy wide grip just bothers me. Have you ever split wood with an axe? I imagine the bottommhand half-hanging off, and see how poorly that would go. Same thing for a sword meeting strong resistance. Gotta have a sure hold during the moment of impact. Style is fine, but it's important to start with a need for practical connecton imo. Pardon the rant. Have a good day, friend
I’m always open to discussion. My main thing I wanted you to get across was that I wasn’t parroting anyone. I could see how that might seem. So perhaps going forward I can say “in my Ryu I encountered xxx” so I don’t lump in “all practitioners”
@@StudioGDT Fair and accurate point. I stand corrected regarding the context. In Aikido, I was taught on bokken an extremely long grip by someone who had never put a sword into a target. Getting over it became very formative. Appreciate the willingness to hear me out. Love your vids, man
Great stuff. Well presented. Looks like a lot of value. Sword this nice could benefit a lot from genuine silk or high quality cotton ito imo. The synth silk is the only thing that looks cheap on it.
Completely available as an option if you would like-I do not know the cost however and am not sure where that would put the end price and if you would still feel like you got a deal or if it was just priced appropriately. I will say this-their synthetic silk is not nearly as coarse as some others I have handled so that’s a plus and the hishigami is still there.
@@StudioGDT Have noticed after a treatment with wax and a heat gun that synth silk becomes a lot less artificial feeling. Needs a lot of wax and multiple heat cycles, though. Serious difference to my Huawei 9260, easily a fav
Awesome review! I also have 3 (just simple TH blades from Shadowdancer) & they've become my new favorites in my collection and definitely impressed me the most out of the LQ forges I've purchased from before, Have been eyeing this particular one for awhile too! subbed👍
I’m glad to hear that the review was helpful-truthfully I’m thankful to SD for sending this specific sample because it isn’t something I would ever pick out-but you are right, the fittings, the polish, even the chu-Kissaki everything just WORKS.
Amazing sword. I've been wanting a custom from them for a while, but their crucible steel options are a little pricey for me. It's nice to know I can still have such a pretty blade from good old 1095. As far as fitting, I don't mind them putting their branding on the koshirae, cause even if it's a historical copy, they're clearly putting in much more effort and care in thier furniture than any of the other LQ manufacturers and they deserve to have people to know it's their work when it eventually circulates onto the secondary market.
That’s how I felt about it, as far as the polish goes. It’s truly a work of art. On the fittings my take is if you copy a historical fitting, even if you put your name on it, one can’t really hold someone else accountable if they decide to recreate the same thing-that being said, I imagine employees in Longquan have the opportunity to shuffle around a bit and if someone was to “steal” a casting and take it to a competitor, I’d say you have a case there. Who knows what happens in LQ land. Honestly I’d love just stand in the middle of the street and watch. I feel like everyone is far more interconnected than we could imagine.
@@StudioGDT also just want to give props on the video itself, the editing is really nice and I hope you're able to get more swords in the future. Also just to clarify, the kissaki is properly polished in yes? I hate fake yokote and the lighting makes it hard to tell sometimes lol
thank you for the kind words. This is all still just with my iPhone so I will get better I promise! I try and have fun in the editing in the hopes that it bleeds through to you guys. I do hope to keep a variety of manufacturers to review. I have a few more on the way and then I think for my size I will have probably tapped out my options. I understand why the big dogs wouldn’t want to cough up a sword on a relatively new small sub count channel! Won’t stop me from trying! If by proper you mean geometric, it is indeed physical (geometric) and counter polished. Technically cosmetic yokote were a thing on nihionto but the counter polish is so pro you’d never know from a photo. But YES. to answer your question without rambling, it’s physically there.
Thank you for this review. I've been looking in this price point, but keep coming across issues. This looks both beautiful and functional for under $500.
I’d love to see a 1:1 challenger from another manufacturer (hint hint manufacturers) but from my limited knowledge, this is the one of if not the only to check certain boxes.
@@萝莉控不羞耻 thank you for subscribing. I have not formally announced cutting tests yet-but yes it will be done in the future. My next video will explain the direction the channel is going and what you can expect to see beyond the basic review.
Thanks for at least attempting to cut paper with it outside in the wind. I know that doing something as daunting as walking inside and cutting the paper would be an insurmountable obstacle, so I appreciate you putting forth the effort that you did.
I don’t do sword stuff indoors. Not with my two small children around. Me holding a piece of printer paper in one hand and attempting to pass through it with the other is also not the most scientific method to display cutting ability. That will however come in future videos of cutting proper targets with proper cuts.
Excellent review. I haven't bought a Shadow Dancer yet, I have bought Z-Sey. I often wonder if they aren't owned by the same people?
ShadowDancer has some amazing offerings at amazing price points. I can’t say they are the same company exactly, you know like a Acura/Honda setup, but they are definitely partnered in some way.
Great job my man, that SD. is real looker...very clean lines, beautifully done polish, justice to the Zsey Shadow Dancer name...watch them Audio Levels of the background music, vocals are lost at times...excellent job overall
Thanks brother…I thought I had that under control but it must be how my speaker is handling levels…I wonder if editing with headphones might fix that…I’ve seen people do that
@StudioGDT You just gotta watch the decibel audio levels to be sure they are not higher than your vocals...more importantly, you just gotta trial and Error and know your system...
Great review as usual! Those fittings and polish really make the sword look more expensive than it really is.
I agree with you 100 percent-to be honest, the Buffalo horn didn’t matter too much to me. If I had received this in the $410 dollar configuration, I would have been just as impressed. Shadow Dancer has great pics on the web, but when you get this in hand, you just feel like you paid 700 dollars for it. From what I have encountered so far in the 400-500 price range, this is at the top.
@@StudioGDT Personally i will do a couple upgrades like buffalo horn and japanese cotton/silk ito wrap if i was going to use it as a dojo piece. If it was going to be a display piece only, i would probably drop the horn but keep the upgrade ito. Should still keep it around the $500 mark with both these upgrades. I really wish Shadow Dancer made it easier to figure out how certain customizations/upgrades cost on their website. Excited to see how the Swordis store is doing their customization page for Shadow Dancer. I will probably wait to see how theirs works out before i make a purchase.
Wow!! Great review and great production! I don't know much about Katanas, but after every one of your videos, it leaves me wanting to learn more. Keep up the great work.
Thanks buddy!
That is definitely a beauty of a uchi katana. Very clean looking, to bad the original tsuba didn't work out, but that one still pulls it all together.
It’s not a deal breaker by any means!
3:14 minor gripe here. "From a practitioner standpoint" one is not ever supposed to grip the fuchi nor kashira, that's what the tsuka is for. Only what beginners do; hard up against the tsuba, and too low on the kashira. Every first-timer, but no cutting system should teach it.
Have no idea why MJ still mentions it. As a Toyama-Ryu practitioner, dude should have learned like 15 years ago, it's a non-issue. Please don't perpetuate. Feels like Katori myth from a non-cutter.
Just my 2c as a target learner. Loved this review, watched it twice.
Gripes are ok friend. In my Ryu the Temoto places the last digit of the index finger near the Tsuba. The grip is nowhere near the fuchi or Tsuba but tip of that index finger can get caught or hung up on open Tsuba work. Where I can’t speak for MJs Ryu, I can only speak for mine and something I have encountered directly.
@@StudioGDT Yeah, it's not you. This fancy wide grip just bothers me. Have you ever split wood with an axe? I imagine the bottommhand half-hanging off, and see how poorly that would go. Same thing for a sword meeting strong resistance. Gotta have a sure hold during the moment of impact. Style is fine, but it's important to start with a need for practical connecton imo.
Pardon the rant. Have a good day, friend
I’m always open to discussion. My main thing I wanted you to get across was that I wasn’t parroting anyone. I could see how that might seem. So perhaps going forward I can say “in my Ryu I encountered xxx” so I don’t lump in “all practitioners”
@@StudioGDT Fair and accurate point. I stand corrected regarding the context.
In Aikido, I was taught on bokken an extremely long grip by someone who had never put a sword into a target. Getting over it became very formative.
Appreciate the willingness to hear me out. Love your vids, man
@@KF1 all the love brother! Thanks for being here.
Great stuff. Well presented. Looks like a lot of value.
Sword this nice could benefit a lot from genuine silk or high quality cotton ito imo. The synth silk is the only thing that looks cheap on it.
Completely available as an option if you would like-I do not know the cost however and am not sure where that would put the end price and if you would still feel like you got a deal or if it was just priced appropriately. I will say this-their synthetic silk is not nearly as coarse as some others I have handled so that’s a plus and the hishigami is still there.
@@StudioGDT Nice. Thanks
@@StudioGDT Have noticed after a treatment with wax and a heat gun that synth silk becomes a lot less artificial feeling. Needs a lot of wax and multiple heat cycles, though. Serious difference to my Huawei 9260, easily a fav
Awesome review! I also have 3 (just simple TH blades from Shadowdancer) & they've become my new favorites in my collection and definitely impressed me the most out of the LQ forges I've purchased from before, Have been eyeing this particular one for awhile too! subbed👍
I’m glad you stopped by and I was able to review something you were interested in!
I just purchased a sword from shadow dancer. It’s a sakabato Kantana ( advanced) I very excited to receive it
@@jamieadams7550 I am excited for you! They are great swords. Let me know how you like it!
Thats it, this is on my to buy next list. The theme, fit and finish and polish are astounding.
I’m glad to hear that the review was helpful-truthfully I’m thankful to SD for sending this specific sample because it isn’t something I would ever pick out-but you are right, the fittings, the polish, even the chu-Kissaki everything just WORKS.
Amazing sword. I've been wanting a custom from them for a while, but their crucible steel options are a little pricey for me. It's nice to know I can still have such a pretty blade from good old 1095.
As far as fitting, I don't mind them putting their branding on the koshirae, cause even if it's a historical copy, they're clearly putting in much more effort and care in thier furniture than any of the other LQ manufacturers and they deserve to have people to know it's their work when it eventually circulates onto the secondary market.
That’s how I felt about it, as far as the polish goes. It’s truly a work of art. On the fittings my take is if you copy a historical fitting, even if you put your name on it, one can’t really hold someone else accountable if they decide to recreate the same thing-that being said, I imagine employees in Longquan have the opportunity to shuffle around a bit and if someone was to “steal” a casting and take it to a competitor, I’d say you have a case there. Who knows what happens in LQ land. Honestly I’d love just stand in the middle of the street and watch. I feel like everyone is far more interconnected than we could imagine.
@@StudioGDT also just want to give props on the video itself, the editing is really nice and I hope you're able to get more swords in the future. Also just to clarify, the kissaki is properly polished in yes? I hate fake yokote and the lighting makes it hard to tell sometimes lol
thank you for the kind words. This is all still just with my iPhone so I will get better I promise! I try and have fun in the editing in the hopes that it bleeds through to you guys. I do hope to keep a variety of manufacturers to review. I have a few more on the way and then I think for my size I will have probably tapped out my options. I understand why the big dogs wouldn’t want to cough up a sword on a relatively new small sub count channel! Won’t stop me from trying!
If by proper you mean geometric, it is indeed physical (geometric) and counter polished. Technically cosmetic yokote were a thing on nihionto but the counter polish is so pro you’d never know from a photo. But YES. to answer your question without rambling, it’s physically there.
Thank you for this review. I've been looking in this price point, but keep coming across issues. This looks both beautiful and functional for under $500.
I’d love to see a 1:1 challenger from another manufacturer (hint hint manufacturers) but from my limited knowledge, this is the one of if not the only to check certain boxes.
wow your sword looks nice，subscribed
if you dont mind can you add in cutting test in future？
@@萝莉控不羞耻 thank you for subscribing. I have not formally announced cutting tests yet-but yes it will be done in the future. My next video will explain the direction the channel is going and what you can expect to see beyond the basic review.
@@StudioGDT thanks，im eager to watch your future vid
Thanks for at least attempting to cut paper with it outside in the wind. I know that doing something as daunting as walking inside and cutting the paper would be an insurmountable obstacle, so I appreciate you putting forth the effort that you did.
I don’t do sword stuff indoors. Not with my two small children around. Me holding a piece of printer paper in one hand and attempting to pass through it with the other is also not the most scientific method to display cutting ability. That will however come in future videos of cutting proper targets with proper cuts.
Video is cool. Soundtrack is distracting
My apologies, still trying to figure out the levels.