Covering a range of samurai topics, primarily their weapons and armor. Some videos may feature Japanese mythology (yokai), samurai related video games, and / or martial arts. Medieval Knights of Europe will also show up in some videos, as I have more experience in HEMA: Historical European Martial Arts, than I do with Japanese martial arts.
... it's so funny that people forget the traditional Japanese swords, for the most part were made from horribly inferior, low quality, rot, iron, and low quality steel, which is what required them to for it, and he treated and forged and treated so many times because the or was of such low quality, even low quality, modern swords, outperform old Japanese swords by orders of magnitude🤣
@SamuraiJames hey you're a pretty cool dude. You actually replied to my comment. I own quite a few swords myself. Got a couple from Swords of Northshire and a genuine nihonto from RVA Katana. Then I've got a few anime swords from mini katana just for fun.
Replies are sporadic sometimes since I'm married with kids, but I try! I have one from Swords of Northshire, who I have heard actually buys from RyanSword, Hanbon Forge, and a few others, then marks them up and sells them. RVA Katana is good and I have a couple of their swords too. No experience with Mini Katana but anime swords seems like their specialty. I've got the Onimusha sword and Devil May Cry sword from the video games, but nothing anime specific (although I've got plans for a reverse blade like Rurouni Kenshin some day).
@SamuraiJames Funny you should mention the Rurouni Kenshin sword because that just so happens to be one of the ones I got from Mini Katana. It is pretty cool and a decent cutter, considering it's "unorthodox" design.
I love old samurai armor.. medieval Japanese culture is so fascinating.. people don’t realize the history.. most of them only want to judge and hate history.. if only it were a pair of Nike shoes or someone pranking and annoying people then they will love it.
Wow…as a Japanese I didn’t expect you have such authentic armor. These “Japanese samurai re-enacter” are only access to English source so it’s usually terrible. I’m completely “off my Kabuto” to your effort (this Japanese verb means respect deeply)
Thank you! There is an armor in the Tokyo national museum, a 19th century hon kozane made with purple (murasaki) fading to white that was my inspiration for this armor. I chose green as the main color and red hishinui as the more traditional color. It was customized with many options and upgrades not available as standard by Iron Mountain Armory at the time and they did a great job. The yoroi hitatare is a bit too big but I ordered one size larger than needed as I was worried it might not fit. Thankfully the Tanki Yoriaku Hi Ko Ben has an English translation to work from, and some documents can be translated online. I first started fascination with samurai armor in the 1990s and it was much harder to find any good information. I am honored by your compliment. I have other videos with this armor too. Two are "How Do You Wear Samurai Armor", one with assistance, and one alone. They show the source documents as part of it. I also have a video doing a full review of this armor on the channel, if you are interested.
Yes they are. I have a nodachi by them (review video pending) and am happy with it. Their naginata is disappointing, but the swords have been good. They had some quality issues in the past but seem to have improved their quality control dramatically.
Although having a genuine Samurai sword or any genuine antique sword is cool bc of whose hands may have held it and it’s history…. Modern metallurgy makes todays swords far more superior.
Yes, absolutely. I have modern katana and out of modern steels too. I wanted a true antique nihonto so that I have a basis for evaluating replicas / modern swords beyond just comparing them to pictures.
I wonder where my family blade set is. The Hojo Clan blades from the kamakura period. Great grandfather Masaichi Hojo “Hojio” could only bring the tanto. They wouldn’t let him take the katana and wakizashi on the boat. Somehow the tanto was stolen from the home back then and ended back in Japan.
I hope they weren't destroyed but that's always a chance with the WW2 surrenders and destructions. Perhaps one day you will find one, or the entire set.
I got an extra custom Nodachi with overall length of 195 centimeters. Blade is 150 cm and handle is 45 cm. It is folded and tempered 1095 steel. I would of preferred a T10 folded/tempered but 1095 still holds and edge pretty well with relatively high carbon content. I had my family crest put on it, the 3 dragon scales of the Hojo Clan
That sounds awesome! I've heard that "chinese T10" is very similar to 1095, as in different to American standard T10 steel, which is why the pricing of them is often similar or identical with many makers. Where did you get yours from?
Got it from katanas for sale like you got that one. My rosewoood saya was fractured coming out of the box but they’re working with me to get that settled
I mean this is a sword made in Japan hundreds of years ago, rather than a modern Chinese made replica that so many videos are about. You are correct about the origin and I have a video about the evolution of Japanese swords which mentions that (the early double edged straight swords).
I agree that there are a lot of manufactured swords from China, but on the other hand almost everything is made in China nowadays. I make some very nice katana, but I admit that my partner who forges the blades is Chinese in origin. He is also from a long family line of sword makers from Longquan where they forged the first steel swords over 2000 years ago.
Understood. The vast majority of reviews and videos on here are about modern repros made in China (or at least Asia). This one is a real Japanese made antique and I wanted to distinguish that in the title. I also have some modern pieces made in China and generally have no complaints about them, with exceptions to certain bits of certain swords which are specific to makers / fitment and in most cases are expected given the price points.
@@SamuraiJames I knew she looked familiar! Well played. Mine is being made at Albion presently (18-24 month wait). What did you use to sharpen her? Ken Onion? Very nice.
A six stage from 600 grit to 2000 grit on a slack belt grinder modified a bit to use specifically for swords instead of just general grinding. It's a difficult wait but they are worth it!
I tested a hatchet by rubbing my thumb on it one time and it cut my thumb wide open and that was an old camping hatchet! I did the same thing again with someone’s pocket knife … couldn’t even feel it so cut close to the bone I guess. Moral of the story is not supposed to be that I am an idiot for doing it twice but never test a blade with your thumb. Some blades cut like melted butter. Never even felt the cuts. It’s completely backwards of what you think your senses will tell you. I will never touch a sword, probably cut off my whole thumb if I did.
Around the 9:30 mark where I held the blade with my thumb? The sharp edge is pointed forwards and I'm holding it on the sides. If it wasn't that, the "thumbnail test" is to very gently put the edge against your thumb nail and see if it slides across it or scrapes a bit. Moving your thumb while the sword is stationary works best. But definitely don't use the fleshy edge of your thumb unless you enjoy bleeding lol.
I find it ridiculous how even until recently this is basically how putting on armor was. You needed someone else to help. It took forever. Same with taking it off. But now part of the armor is built into the clothing, and the rest just straps across your torso.
@@SamuraiJames Yes I think George Lucas approved the early drawings that were based on Samurai armor. He was a big fan of Samurai movies too. You can read this in his biography.
For a long long long long long long long time I have watched how these men who make these swords handle them and I realize your shortcomings when it comes to understanding the importance of what you have regardless of the status of the sword. But I can understand your excitement and but I also notice your lack of understanding of what you have. I know that you couldn't have men come and present the sore to you in person and go through the steps but regardless try to show a little bit more decorum after all it is a 500 year old sword.
