Shinwa "Ironborn" Katana with Saya - Cast Iron Tsuba - Hand-Forged 1045 High Carbon Steel Blade

I've had this ten ryu sword for about 3 months now and it still is just as sharp and battle ready as the day I opened the box. Minus the habaki being loose(minor fix) it is a full tang fully functional (tested) Katana. A must have. P.S. if you use your sword or don't use it. Don't forget to clean it. Its real steel it will rust even if you don't use it.

Awesome sword

So far so good this katana is quite a piece of work it is very sturdy and well put together there are somethings it needs tho but they are only small things the rayskin isnt rayskin but that dont really matter the blade is magnificent i was cutting water bottles on a metal trash can and missed and it the rim on the can where it folds and it sliced into it and the blade was untouched i have not dissassemble the blade yet so i dont know how it looks inside also it came decently sharp but not razor sharp but besides those two things the rayskin and super sharp this is a amazing piece and it came very quick true sword im impressed by the professional performance on the order and i will be buying more from this site and by the when it comes oily thats a good thing this is a high carbon steel sword that just means that they packed it right so it dont rust now the high carbon steel seems to be 1065 carbon steel but it is not stamped but to some it up this was a great purchase and i will get more stuff off this site

My Katana arrived in pristine condition two days before I expected it. None of the staining on the leather wrapping that I had read about in some of the reviews here was present.The saya is in perfect condition with not a dent or scratch to be found. The first draw of the blade produced an ever so slight amount of oily residue from the inside of the saya, which was not present after wiping the blade down, resheathing and redrawing it a second time. Careful inspection found the blade to be arrow straight with a flawless cutting edge. The custom engraving is beautiful. I have to resist the temptation to display the sword unsheathed. This magnificent weapon would be worth every penny at twice the price,and I am happily looking forward to using it in my Iaido kata.

I am amazed at the quality of this sword. For the price I would buy it again. Very quick shipping too i ordered it early Wednesday and it was shipped out the same day and to my porch step friday early morning. Thanks.

Excellent sword!! Arrived very quickly as usual. Less than 50 hours from time ordered. The tsuka is very white and thank you for sending it wrapped in plastic. At some point I may unwrap it but for now I'll leave it on and keep it clean. Well oiled and top rate packing. The extra tsuba included is very nice too and sturdy. When viewed up close the etchings on the blade are just wonderful. The photographs just cannot convey how attractive they really are.

this aword ia AWSOME! nothing more needs to be said..... but ill say more anyway. i orderd this fine weapon along with two others on monday, got here today, wich is wednesday. the box it came in is in tiny peaces in the trash. very pleased with it and recommend to others.

Just got My Sword Today. Worth every Penny. This is 100x better the the garbage sword I brought at my local mall. as said in other reviews, this sword is razor sharp.(so be careful) True Swords has a customer for life

For anyone looking for a good bottle cutter, this is a good buy. My blade came nice and sharp, all of the fittings were tight and the leather wrap was tight as well. Highly recommend.<br /><br />Masahiro is mostly known for their blades and for a hundred bucks, you get a very nice solid-entry level cutter. The white leather looks stunning and yes, it will get dirty over time, but anybody should already know this before-hand so..I personally don't mind the grip getting dirty, I will be using this so..it should be dirty.

great sword for the price!<br />one of the first real functional swords i have bought i have always bought show pieces but this sword is sturdy and beautiful and well crafted could not be happier with my purchase

The sword is great. Really well made and probably best you can get for this price which is probably too low for it anyways.<br /> It's really light and durable. Very sharp and cuts well even with one hand. Sharpness does not dull any from cutting even tough objects. The blade itself withstand some decent impacts without having a trace of damage on it afterwards, not that I recommend testing it like that.<br /> I love the way it looks also. Engraving on the blade is probably what I like the best. Just overall a beautiful looking katana.<br /> Not only the katana is great but so is costumer service that this site have. I am very satisfied with this purchase.

Freaking Awesome......that is all!!!

Best customer service I have ever experienced in my life – without a shadow of a doubt. My sword had slight defects, such as a stain on the wrap, loose ito, sharp points on the tsuba, difficult to disassemble, ect. I notified them I was displeased with my purchase, they called me back the very next day and had a long talk with me, addressing my concerns, giving me advice and helpful insight for future purchases. They are very respectful, courteous, and knowledgeable people to consult with. They told me that they thoroughly check their items before they ship them out, and they werere very sorry that this one slipped by with some issues. But what really blew me away was toward the end of the call. They actually allowed me to get another sword shipped to my house..absolutely free! I didn't have to send back the Shadow Warrior either!... can you believe that?! (Not sure if I should have written that...as I don't want people taking advantage of Trueswords, such as by making up a fake scenario after they read about my experience. ...That would be so horrendously deceitful to do to such gracious people...) I nearly insisted to ship the Shadow Warrior sword back...it just felt so wrong to accept a free sword!...but they told me it was mine, and not to worry about it. I'm still ashamed to keep it T_T<br /><br />I just want customers to know what an amazing level of compassion and philanthropy the staff of Trueswords has...par excellence. Truly leaves me speechless. Trueswords go WAY beyond what they should do to make their customers happy...they make it so that no matter what happens after you open the box – in the end you will never feel dissatisfied with your purchase. I really wish more companies were like this. This is the kind of service that binds loyal customers.<br /><br />I urge all Trueswords customers....if anything is wrong with your purchase... do not hesitate to CONTACT TRUESWORDS! Send them an email – give them a call...your problems will not go by unheeded. What was funny is that they were thanking me for contacting them with my complaints …it's doubtless they genuinely enjoy helping others. I told them that I should thank them, not the other way around, haha. <br /><br />Anyway, I can't really judge the sword properly – given that with Masahiro swords, sometimes the sword can be of good quality – sometimes it's bad. I guess I just got unlucky. But it won't matter if you are unlucky if you buy this sword from Trueswords...they will make sure of it – trust me. Therefore I do recommend this sword, given that if it does have any problems with it, however minor they may be – True swords will be there to assist you every step of the way. <br /><br />Long live Trueswords! Thank you again for your wonderful service!! I will be buying again in the future, I can promise that.

Great Katana for beginners. Good size. It really shows a beginner what a beautiful can be like, and for such a good price!

IT IS VERY SHARP!!!!!!!! thats all the explanation it needs, be very careful and make sure you have some liquid stitches with you if you have a accident but overall amazing ass sword and service.

This sword is amazing! I've loved it ever since i bought it. <br /><br />Pros:<br />It is definitely worth the low price they are asking for it. Mine came RAZOR sharp, and passed the "milk jug" test. I started out with just 1, but have moved up to being able to cut 8 milk jugs side by side with this baby :) All my friends are envious of this thing. <br /><br />Cons: <br />The white wrap gets dirty way easy! I read reviews on this thing from people saying the same thing, and i've washed my hands every time before holding this thing but it still managed to get dirty. But i personally think it looks cooler that way. If you wont like it, I would still recommend this sword, just get the brown one. <br /><br />Overall: <br />Amazing quality at an amazing price... what more could you ask for? <br /><br />9 out of 10

AMANZING SWORD!! its just perfect there was no problems wen i got it the only thing bad was the inside oth the sheath has like a wax in it but it will be perfect after i clean that out

Just got mine a few hours ago. I have to say the sword itself is very beautiful and razor sharp. I'm also very pleased with the shipping

This sword was the best buy i have evr made, i have seen the same sword on other websites for $300. Great at cutting through bamboo and water bottles like butter. Trueswords is the best!

first of i would like to say this is an awsome sword, straight out of the box it was insanely sharp... i cut my thumb open 3 times. only problem i had was it is kinda hard getting out of the scabbard but not that big of an issue. i ran a water jug test on it first day i got it and it cut through 3 gallon jugs right next to each other, it probably would have cut through more but i ran out of jugs. so over all completly worth the 100 $ best sword ive bought yet. i would recomend it to anyone who is thinking about getting a sword

It's an awesome blade. Razor sharp too. The scabard is tight when sheathed. Gotta be careful when pulling it out cuz of how sharp it is. But it's still awesome!

I bought this sword about a year ago and it is the best of collection to date,but it is very sharp i accidently cut all the way through the side of my finger so be careful

Wonderful blade... My first, but love it... came sharp and passed a water jug test.... will def be buying more swords, katanas, etc. from this website!

I got mine about 30 min ago, everyone says<br />they get their swords in 2 days or 3 days, but it <br />always takes me 5 days. This sword is pretty cool. <br />It's so sharp, it Screams when you swing it. Like <br />many other people that brought this sword, the <br />leather wrap came dirty, I washed my hands and <br />everything, prepared to see the pearly white. But I guess<br /> it was bound to get dirty anyway, it just saved me<br /> the trouble of doing it myself. Other than that, awesome <br />blade. It shows class, not to be used aggressively.

I was nervous about getting my "real deal" sword.. fear not. An amazing sword all around, everything is tight, secure, and razzzzooorrrr sharp. cut through plastic and cardboard like butter. What really had me impressed was the superb customer service i got from True Swords. Thank you so much. Please don't hesitate in buy from these guys or this sword. I know you will fall in love with it like i will. ill be buying from True Swords for a verry long time.

This is my second Masahiro in a couple months now, and by far the most favored of all my Katanas.<br />I love the leather wrapped handle, and the blade is very sharp. This sword is a must have, its absolutely stunning.<br />And True Swords once again impressed me with their amazing shipping. I ordered this sword on a Monday, and it was in my hands Wednesday.

i just got the sword about an hour ago and i love it. It is not the best sword in the world but this is one damn fine sword. The handle is very tight although it feels a tad bit sticky to the hands. The tsuba is pretty cool. It says it comes with both but the one currently attached is the one on the left. The blade is where it is at. The ecthings looks fantastic, they dont look machine made becuase they have imperfections so it looks like it was done by hand. The title says razor sharp and it is. It passed the paper cutting test with flying colors and it sliced through a 2" tree lib like butter. i highly recommend this sword becuase of its beuty and style. <br />Pros:<br />sharp blade<br />Tight fittings<br />spacer made of brass<br />nice design<br /><br />Cons:<br />a little bit thinner blade than most<br />wrap feels sticky and will dirty quickly<br /><br /><br />Thats it buy the sword period

Just recivied this a few minutes ago, the blade is very sharp, has some protective oil on it, but i just wiped that off, very sturdy, clean, and awesome. trueswords always the the best items and i will always be a return customer.

Love this sword. the tang goes most of the way through the hilt, about 75% its all lettered up in a language i dont understand, and the blade is Razor sharp can easily hurt yourself if not careful as with all real swords. :D its well balanced and the blade even a week after it arrived can still act as a mirror. <br /><br />only complaints is that one of the two pegs seemed to be slightly loose, no biggy though as it still holds together nicely. And when i first recieved the sword, the leather wrappings were Very dirty but i am about to re wrap it a different color. <br /><br />and one last thing, the scabbard seems to have wax inside of it. the first several times i drew the sword it had wax all over it which is to help preserve the blade as it is Carbon steel, which is nice, just thought i would note it :) <br /><br />overall, love this blade.

This was an incredible sword. It came razor sharp right out of the box and everything from the leather handle to the scabbard was perfect. I took it in my backwards and tried practicing a personal sword Kata I've been putting together (I take Kenpo). The sword is well balanced and follows my every motion perfectly. If you like swords for decoration or for actual use, get this one. You won't be disappointed.

This was an EXTREMELY good buy. I am very picky about what i like and don't like when it comes to all types of swords but this was an amazing katana. It was shipped just as the description states, and came fully sharpened. It passed multiple paper tests when i tried. I have bought a few things from trueswords.com but this katana is the best purchase i have made yet.

I got the sword and it is perfect it's really razor sharp! Everything on it is beautiful! There's only 2 really really really small flaws, is that the white Leather is dirty alittle when it arrives but it's not that big of a deal, and on the saya there's 1 or 2 little gashes. But Thats just my sword. All I can say is buy it!

i just got mine yesterday and man am i happy with the quality of this sword its beautiful and razer sharp and it feals good in your hand i wont be useing it any time soon but as sturdy as it is im sure it would hold its own aginst any other sword it gets a 9 out of 10 from me

Something i am not going to regret buying. It's just as the description says "Razor sharp". I just love it

awsome sword balanced,very sharp,engraving perfect everything nice and tight,beautifull sword

Awesome sword. I am not sorry for this purchase from trueswords one bit. Thanks Evan.

Very good sword at an excellent price. It's razor sharp and well put together.

I TAKE EVERYTHING BACK. I am extremely impressed with the costumer service. They called me not even an hour after I wrote the review and reasoned with me. I once bought a air soft gun off a different website and it stopped working within about a day. They wouldn’t even e-mail back! I will definitely continue to buy here and so should all of you because these people really care about the customer!

very good sword 10 out of 10

This sword is great! id have to say it was a great investment if your a sword collector its definently for you its sharp and looks even better in person.

This thing is incredible. I got it about two hours ago and I've had a lot of stupid things happen to me because of how sharp it is.<br /><br />First of all, before I go to the stories, I'll talk about the sword itself. The leather ito is nice, and does stain a bit easily as others have said. It's not much to worry about though. The fittings are nice and tight, and the sword is very well balanced. The ito knots are very tight and will hold up for a while. Also, the extra tsuba was a nice addition.<br /><br />Now onto the blade. When you think of razor sharp, you usually think of the ability to cut almost anything that can be cut. This sword is definitely razor sharp. I was wiping off the oil with a handkerchief after I unpacked it, and the blade sliced through all four layers of it and gashed my thumb. I was surprised, because I didn't expect it to be THAT sharp.<br /><br />The horimono engravings are a very nice touch. They add nice details to the blade, and the 3/4 bo-hi completes it. The hamon is fake, but is big and looks attractive enough for me. The kissaki is also as pointy as a needle.<br /><br />The worst thing that happened to me in the history of my sword experiences:<br />I have a laptop with a webcam on the top of the monitor. I was showing my friend how well this thing can slice through paper. I decided to cut up some xbox live membership cards that I had already used, and they were made out of plastic. The last cut that I made was a little hard, so I pushed the sword really hard to get it all the way through. Little did I know, the tip barely went across my screen and left a 1" scratch on the upper left hand of my monitor. I can live with it, but I can't believe that I made such a foolish mistake.<br /><br />Overall, this sword is well worth the money. It did come with some dirty stuff on the blade, but you can clean that off (carefully!).

Absolutely beautiful sword. Very sharp, very well put together. I simply fell in love with this sword when I saw it, and I just thought that I must have it. I'm very pleased with the results.<br /><br />My only complaint would be that it comes out of the sheath very easily, it barely holds itself in at all.<br /><br />Other than that, the sword itself is amazing. I like the Masahiro box, and I absolutely love the cotton sword bag it comes in. The two tsubas are also very nice, I prefer the more round one, but it's nice having a choice.<br /><br />I've bought swords online before, but this was my first True Swords purchase, and I can tell you that it won't be my last. Also I'd like to mention that I wasn't expecting this until much later, I ordered it and received it in only two days.

This was my second purchase from true swords and again i was extremely happy with the sword i received. The shipping was fast and the sword was in great shape,light coat of oil, mine is razor sharp like the add says. So far both my orders have been just like the add said it would be. I think im only going to display this sword since its so nice...great buy for the money....

I'd read all the reviews prior to purchasing this katana and was a bit skeptical as some of the reviews stated that fittings were loose and the sword was not solid in its construction. However, after receiving my katana, I was very pleased with it. The blade is very sharp and doesn't have that fake "mirror" finish like most display katanas have. Also, the entire katana's construction is solid and even after being swung several times, it shows no signs of loosening parts or any clinking between the blade and the tsuba. All in all a very satisfying piece for my collection, I'll definately be purchasing from true swords again. Quality was excellent.

as you can read everyone loves this katana its a beautiful blade sharp, grip handle is white very nice two tsubas comes in cylinder artwork box feels great when u swing it if u do it fast enough you can actually hear swish GREAT buy

It seems Masahiro has improved with their quality. This Shadow Warrior is very attractive and a VERY sharp katana. The blade is perfectly straight and through hardened meaning, the hamon is aesthetic, it's wire brushed but still attractive. <br />The engravings are decent, but nothing too spectacular. The 3/4 bo-hi is nice and even makes a nice deep tachi-kaze sound when swung, the sori is decent also. Now onto the tsuka... measuring at 13 inches it has a really good balance and added control, very nice. The ito is a white leather, not grey like described and is tight and even. It will get dirty real easy, make sure your hands are clean. The same'(rayskin) appears to be fake...though I may be wrong, maybe it's just the lacquer used that makes it seem fake. The extra tsuba is a nice gesture, but I prefer the one it came with. All the fittings are nice with no gaps or looseness to be found. The copper habaki and seppa are a really nice touch, you have to see it in person to appreciate it. The only complaint I have besides the fake hamon is the saya. The saya has a nice fit around the habaki but the blade inside rattles alot, other than that, this fully functional katana makes a really nice very sharp display piece. Trueswords is great, the customer service here is first class. Thanks Evan!

I like most every thing about this sword. plus, I got it in three days and I'm in San Antonio Texas.

Just got this beauty a few minutes ago, and I gotta say....AMAZING!!!! The weight is very balanced, and the blade is very sharp. Barely any force is needed to cut with no dings or nicks to the blade. <br /><br />Shipping was fast. Got it a day after ordering. The sword is overall beautiful, with no real complaints except how hard it is to keep gray leather clean. Love the engravings on the blade , and the two designs of Tsuba that come with it. My third buy from Trueswords I can promise many more. The only place to get such good quality.

this sword is amazing!!!!! it comes with an extra tsuba and thats pretty nice to. this sword is SUPER sharp and thick so i wouldnt play around with it if i were you

I am a collector of Samurai swords, and this is the highest quality sword I have ever owned. I own other Masahiro swords that are 1065 high carbon steel, and those others can't even compare. The sword is sharp, the sharpest I have seen. It cuts very easily. Also, the sword is very well put together (which can usually be hit or miss depending on who you buy it from. Buy this from trueswords.com, you can't go wrong). <br /><br />If you're looking for a beautiful, fully functional battle ready sword, you have found it.

This sword is amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!ly awsome...!<br />The sword comes very sharp and nice. It is in fact a battle ready weapon.. when I was using it one day i was practicing on some objects. I sword really hard at a tree branch and just like in the cartoons it stayed there on impact but fell after I turned around to look at it..! Well done true swords!

Another sword for my collection, so I have to review it.<br /><br />Overall for 100 bucks, good buy. I was a bit 50/50 before it got here, Masahiros are known for their hit or miss quality but trueswords.com is dedicated to customer service and the blade I received was in the good end. Its a good blade but let me break it down bit by bit.<br /><br />Tsuka: Cool looking, dual peg, black to contrast the white and some gold dragon designs<br /><br />Tang: Full, and full full, not rat tail or shoddy construction, its not made by a master swordsmith but its hilt construction is well done<br /><br />Ray Skin: While not real ray skin its very well done, it is white, however, so its gets dirty real easy, but then again one would assume you're making sure you're not doing anything insane with the blade and you're taking proper care of it and the body wielding it.<br /><br />Tsuba: Comes with two, the one initially on is the one in the left of the picture and in a small black bag is the second, I personally prefer the first but its a matter of choice, both are pretty good.<br /><br />Blade: Pretty nice, sharp, hamon is obviously not real but it looks nice, blood groove is fairly well done, no real complains. The engravings look pretty cool in person.<br /><br />Saya: Very sleek and shiny, fingerprints will show so grip it correctly. Its got good and bad, the good is its got a nice tight lock on the blade, but not so much its hard to remove the sword, the bad is that when putting the blade back in it easily gets stuck on the wood inside if you don't have the perfect angle<br /><br />Performance: What you all want to hear, well the box it came in is currently lying on my floor in pieces, I'm not an expert but I got some nice clean cuts with minimal effort, screwed up one but that was my own fault with an improper angle. I haven't done any true tameshigiri with it yet, or anything beyond the cutting of the box. I have an empty gallon milk jug that I'm going to fill with water and test it out, I've seen videos, it'll make quick work of that. Just remember, no katana can do the impossible, don't go cutting trees, hard wood, rocks, metal etc. and this guy will serve you well.

this sword is beautiful... the steel is really tempeture sensitive... i like how the metal fogs up when i press my fingers on the side of the blade... <br /><br />this might sound crazy but i think it was talking me one day... if i remember correctly, it said "i am awsome"...<br /><br />the bade is truly sharp... i chopped down a tree with just a few swings.... the tree's diameter i would estimate as about 2-3 inches...<br /><br />this sword is a must have for any collector, its durable, its dangerous, its worth it....

this sword is awsome it is my first one and it is excellent i love it<br />it cuts things to shreds

this is my first sword from true swords and damn am i amazed. it was delieved to me in about 5 days. and when i got it. it was more than what i expected it to be. this is such an awsome sword. its worth every penny. cant find anything wrong about it. and i would suggest buyin it to anyone who would like to collect swords. it comes in a cool container.

Awesome Sword!!!<br />Fully Sharpened as a Ryumon Katana. I will buy another Masahiro Sword soon.<br />Good and Fast Customer Service.<br />Thanks a lot Trueswords.com! ;)

This is by far the highest quality sword I've ever ordered from this site, and it's swords like this that cause me to continue being a loyal customer. Incredible quality for an unbeatable price: exactly what I've come to expect from TrueSwords.

wow.. i expected alot from this sword to being with, beings it is a masahiro, but i was blown away by how nice the sword actually is. it came early in the morning 5 days after i ordered it on a SATURDAY! so big points there. the sword comes in a colorful tube like container which is pretty cool so more points there. the sword is a true work of art and beauty. if you can believe it, it looks nicer in real life then it does in the picture. ITS RAZOR SHARP with the wave like pattern left behind by the sharpener which is cool as hell. a bit longer then expected but easily usable with one hand or two. the handle feels so good in your hands, like its melding to ur skin for better control. the blood grove is nice and deep after the engravings so it makes that awesome WOOSH noise when u swing it. the engravings are great, they look hand done instead of machined by robots, mine came with the flame looking tsuba on and the flower one had its own cotton bag it came in so thats an added bonus. the scabbard is seriously light and strong, i get the feeling i could beat someone to death with it and not dent or break the thing.over all the sword is fantastic for its price, im actually seriously thinking of buying another one its just soo cool. true swords has outdone themselves with this sword. <br /><br />~~cheers

You cant help but love this sword for its craftsmanship, style, and the way it handles. Perfect for any collector.

Sword is amazing<br />its razor sharp and the engraving is well detailed<br />an excellent buy

Nicely balanced,Great grip,beautiful blade. Only problems is the sheeth had a dent at the top and the blade had a little dent in it, It cut nicely through a apple and a sunny d bottle. It wasnt as sharp as expected but it is still good.

I am very pleased with the order, it is truly a great weapon, nicely balanced, and not too heavy. I attempted to change the tsuba but the other tsuba didn't fit on the tang, so I put the original back on. Overall, my best purchase from true swords, I am very pleased.

Think I was lucky. Its been said that Masahiro is a 50/50 shot at getting something awesome or something crappy because they dont do quality control or whatever.<br /><br />My White Ronin is a piece of freaking art. Razor sharp, straight as an arrow and beautifully balanced. The faux leather wrapping is tight and smooth to the touch. Overall its a beautiful piece to add to my growing collection.<br /><br />Sadly. The palm grip thingies (the proper name escapes me atm) beneath the wrappings are loose. So even for some playful swinging let alone some serious cutting that's a bit of a problem.<br /><br />Also, I've read about that "gunk" people tend to have inside the sheaths of the weapons they order here. Figured I was lucky and never encountered it. No longer, that crap mars the beauty of this blade and its thrice dammit annoying. <br /><br />But other than that? Worth every penny.

i got this sword maybe about 6 months ago (i thought i wrote a review, but i guess not) its a very good sword, it cut through water bottles and fruit like paper. only thing is that the wrapping is a leather like material and once it got wet, it turned brownish and messed up, but it gives it a battle-worn sort of look. other than that this sword is amazing.

I had this sword for a while and have been using it to cut,slice, and even shatter wood, bottols, etc.<br /><br />It is a well made, full function,sharp blade so be careful. The only 3 flaws in it is that the blade is an inch or two small then what i would like, the white lether gets very dirty over time, and i would like it even more if the handle was 10 to 11 inch's in length. overall a very nice pice of work and recommend it to all beggeners, novice, collecters, and martal artists.<br /><br />Nice work trueswords.

Absolutely an amazing katana!! The blade was extremely sharp, and it was overall beautiful to look at. I bought this as a birthday present for my boyfriend and the only complaint we had was that there was too much Vaseline coating the blade so he had to thoroughly clean out the saya. Other than that, this is an excellent buy! Just be careful not to cut yourself with this blade!

Very pretty sword. True swords did an amazing job on shipping wish that more companies could be as productive

Just arrived and everything looks alright,<br />except the white leather came heavily stained,<br />it appears as if its been used, rather than new.<br />I guess I might just go over it with some<br />white shoe polish or somethin,<br />when I unsheathed this katana,<br />the blade had alot of wax/oil/crust on it<br />gonna take some cleaning before it can look new. <br />looks alot more glamorous in the display pic. <br /><br />Other than that, It feels great in my hands,<br />heavier than expected and no doubt it is Sharp.<br />4 stars for the craftsmanship and<br />-1 star for the used refurbished look on arrival. :/<br /><br />Came fast too, big thanks to TrueSwords <br />for the 2-Day Delivery and the extra sharpener included.

this is my first sword so i can not really compare it to another one, but i am happy as long as there was nothing loose (handle; tsuba), blade is straight and sharp. Like other said, the white leather is not that white white, but fir the price i can say im satisfyed. It is very close to what I expected.

this is my ninth sword, and it's the biggest and sharpest one i have! it really has a good blade, but the sheath is way too fragile. it chips really easily and if left on a rack, marks are left. other than that, awesome! i would say it was worth my money.

this is my second buy..<br />sword itself is pretty sweet<br />the only thing is that the blade is not that straight and its not as sharp as i hoped it would be but still very sharp...^^<br />also the handle is not very clean...<br /><br />but still its worth the buy for its price so ^^ you should buy this sword ^^

Pretty good katana, may even be the best for it's price range. The cap on the end of the tsuka is a bit loose but other than that it's a great buy.

this was my first sword, but im really happy with it. it was more than i expected... a couple of cons, there is a residue on the inside of my sheath thing, it makes the blade white everytime i put it in and take it out. also, the sheath doesn't stay on unless you hold it. its sharp, very sharp, but i dont know if its as sharp as the rest of you make it sound. its an awesome first sword.

Great looking sword. Very sharp. Extra long. the craftmanship was great except for one thing...on the gold or brass holes at the end of the handle there are ornamental pieces. One of these was off. It's the end hole that the wrapping goes through. Nothing a little super glue couldn't handle.....other then that the sword was excellent. I recommend it especiallly at this price. check else where on the net as much as $50 to $100 more. Great sword. Use clean hands to handle though wrapping will dirty easily.....

Good buy. You are not able to "custom engrave" the sword as I thought but if you are willing to look past the fact, it is a well made, very sharp sword.

This is a revision of my previous review, upon which I gave poor marks to this blade and its overall quality.<br /><br />Upon being brought to TrueSword's attention, they immediately sought to rectify my complaints in full. The level of customer service I received was outstanding and I have since received a replacement of superior quality with none of the defects listed previously. While Mashiro quality does seem to be hit or miss at times, TrueSword's level of service is not; In a word: Excellent.

sword came good condition and quickly. Very sharp and with a nice thick blade. It feels a tad short but the handle has a nice amount of space to grip. All and all its a worth the price.

Very nicely made sword. The only thing I would improve on would be the handle. Also some times hard to take out. Other than that perfect.

This sword is awesome, it would help if they made the handle shorter

Let me start by saying a BIG thank you to TRUE SWORDS and the great customer service they provided. I would like to personaly thank Evan Johnson for all that he did. Now for the review on this sword. The sword is a great display piece, it really looks great every thing about it looks great. The feel of the sword is really good it's almost like the sword becomes a part of you when you hold it and use it. I had fun with this sword cuting up some boxes and milk jugs it did great no trouble at all with that stuff this sword is sharp. If I am going to be honest which is what a review is all about the only flaw I could find was in Masahiros advertisment. In the advertisment they say the sword is razor sharp well when I think of something that is razor sharp it cuts like.... well a razor like the one most guys use on there face to shave with. A razor blade is razor sharp. YES this sword is sharp NO it is not razor sharp like the add says. I feel that this is the only flaw if you are going to say it is razor sharp then thats what I am expecting. Again yes this sword is sharp but not razor sharp. Everything else about this sword is great and it is a good sword for any colloection.

Overall I really like this sword. It's easy to handle and the look is awesome. The only complain I have about it is the leather handle (hard to keep it clean) and the scabert which is gorgeous but is easily dent.

I really like this katana. The engraving looks nice as does the black and white color combo. Very sharp, I had a lot of fun in my backyard with water jugs. The tsuba was also a selling point for me. The only bad part is the white ito wrapping, but if you are able to keep white leather (I think) clean, you deserve a medal.

This swordbis made of good steel. It was put together ok everything was tight. The balance piont is a little forward for me,and the hamon is fake. All in all it is a very goood quality sword for the price.

The only reason i give this sword a 3/5 is because I tried to put on the other tsuba and the damn thing wont go on like it should; it keeps getting jammed about a fraction of a mm to were it was suppose to go. if it wasnt for that I would give this sword a 4/5, but maybe its just my sword that dose it. (might order a new one)