Kesshi Katana Testing vs a European Sword Comparison

Описание: Full review on Sword Buyers Guide here: http://www.sword-buyers-guide.com/fol...

The Kesshi Katana by the Imperial Forge is an extremely sharp, traditionally folded and hand clayed "no frills" but relatively expensive (between around $800 to $1400 depending on where you buy it) sword designed for traditional cutting practice. The focus of this line is on the sharpest, best blade possible for the price, but in our tests we push it too and slightly past its limits..

We also compare it to a less sharp, but stronger European sword - while it is a myth that European swords were ungraceful blugeoning crowbar like things, as the European warrior would more frequently encounter armor than a Japanese Samurai (especially during the later Edo period) the compromise was that the Katana was sharper and cut unarmored targets better while the European sword was more versatile in the range of targets it could easily handle.

The Kesshi Katana did extremely well until the final tests on thick bone of a pork leg. Much denser and stronger than human flesh and bone, it felt like cutting into a rock - and the end result was minor chipping to the Katana and no damage to the Euro sword..

This is consistent with historical swords. To quote Hank Reinhardt from "the Book of Swords":

Generally speaking, European swords were not quite as sharp as many Eastern swords, particularly the Japanese katana. This reflects the type of combat more than anything else. Although mail was not worn at times, shield and helmet were the two most common methods of defense. A sword with a thin razor edge simply wouldn't last very long when used to strike mail or a tough wooden shield with a metal boss and rim."

Pg 198, the Book of Swords, Hank Reinhardt

Overall, this is a cool, super sharp blade with wicked Sori (curvature), nice hada (folding pattern) and decent, if less than flashy fittings.