who makes a good short sword?

[Loner]

Something in the likes of a wakizashi. I know Cold Steel makes one. Any other manufacturerer that won't break the bank?

[Jay Cunningham]

I think Hattori Hanzo might be your best bet.

[Spade]

I think Hattori Hanzo might be your best bet.


Good call but I thought he retired & only makes sushi :(

[Shihan]

What are you wanting to use it for? When you say wont break the bank please define limits? Is a wakizashi what you want?

[Buck]

SPQR made a fine short sword...

http://www.realarmorofgod.com/store/images/products/19_large5.jpg

[QuickStrike]

Ever thought of a khukuri instead? :cool:

A little bit shorter than a short sword but I can chop pennies in half with it.

The ones from himalayan imports aren't that much either...

[Loner]

forgot about the kukri, I think this will fit the bill better. do you think hattori hanzo will make me a kukri? :D

[Bolt_Overide]

Ill take my hayes waki any day over anything else in that class.

[Lympago]

If your looking for something a little more modern, Junglee makes a short sword that goes for about 90 bucks with AUS8 stainless steel for the blade and a kraton handle.

http://www.knifeoutlet.com/shop/10Expand.asp?ProductCode=JU2000

http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=ju2000

http://www.knifecenter.com/knifecenter/junglee/images/ju2000web.jpg


Entrek made a nice Tanto short sword a while back but discontinued them from what I can see. You could always get one on Ebay if you use it.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Entrek-Knives-Master-Short-Sword-w-scabbard-EN-MASTER_W0QQitemZ260168381868QQihZ016QQcategoryZ43325QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

[ToddG]

I know zippy about this stuff. However, I'm rooming with a guy at SHOT who is a knife freak and I can tell you from personal experience over the past three days that people at the big knife companies treat him as an expert and with great respect.

He recommends these three makers as high-end options:

Laci Szabo

Pat Crawford

Phill Hartsfield

[RCS III]

New here, but for what its worth, the guys at Busse make a waki-style short sword. Micarta handle slabs, and a guncote-ish finish, seems like it might make a decent using blade if your not too hung up on the traditional look.

[Lympago]

I know zippy about this stuff. However, I'm rooming with a guy at SHOT who is a knife freak and I can tell you from personal experience over the past three days that people at the big knife companies treat him as an expert and with great respect.

He recommends these three makers as high-end options:

Laci Szabo

Pat Crawford

Phill Hartsfield

All those guys make really nice knives, but Laci Szabo makes some very interesting knife and tactical weapons designs.
The guy who makes the Espada sword on Laci's site (Jerry Hossom) makes some incredible designs and very much what I've been looking for in having a custom knife and sword made for myself.
Thank you for passing their names on. :)

http://www.szaboinc.com/index1.html

The sword on this site page (3rd down) is just beautiful.

http://www.hossom.com/index_page0006.htm



Here's Pat Crawford's and Phill Hartfield's sites,

http://www.crawfordknives.com/available_knives1.htm

http://www.phillhartsfield.com/catalogthumbnails.html

[Loner]

Thanks for the ton of info will definitely check them out.

[K.L. Davis]

I have had great luck with Paul's blades...

www.chenessinc.com (http://www.chenessinc.com/)

[Shihan]

I have had great luck with Paul's blades...

www.chenessinc.com (http://www.chenessinc.com/)


I wouldnt use any of his made in China Katana's for anything more than a room ornament.

[QuickStrike]

If your looking for something a little more modern, Junglee makes a short sword that goes for about 90 bucks with AUS8 stainless steel for the blade and a kraton handle.

http://www.knifeoutlet.com/shop/10Expand.asp?ProductCode=JU2000

http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=ju2000

http://www.knifecenter.com/knifecenter/junglee/images/ju2000web.jpg


Entrek made a nice Tanto short sword a while back but discontinued them from what I can see. You could always get one on Ebay if you use it.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Entrek-Knives-Master-Short-Sword-w-scabbard-EN-MASTER_W0QQitemZ260168381868QQihZ016QQcategoryZ43325QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting


Thin 14.5" blade.... made of stainless steel.... STAY AWAY!!1 :eek:


Stainless are okay for shorter blades but would probably risk snapping in bigger ones!

From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sword-like_objects#Materials


Decorative swords often have stainless steel blades. This is because stainless steel will not rust when on display. However the chromium content that makes steel "stainless" also effects the material properties of the steel making it more brittle under similar heat treatment. A stainless steel blade with a small flaw or a poor heat treatment can be brittle and shatter on impact with a target, often resulting in injury.



and read:

http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3486

And this is what can happen!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEvZ3K_bIE8

Can you make out "stainless" in the description? :D

[K.L. Davis]

I wouldnt use any of his made in China Katana's for anything more than a room ornament.

Curious... I do not know anyone that would consider these blades JSLOs? I am very pleased with the couple that I own, and know a few pretty respected blade guys that speak very highly of them -- for what they are.

They are not Nihonto for sure, but based on the original post, I doubt that he is willing to drop 10K on a blade. I will admit that I am not tough on the Cheness blades (I have a couple of custom blades that are my favorites. I am a sucker for Shikomizue)... but I have been very pleased with the performance of his "Goza Cutter" for a two to three hundred dollar tameshigiri blade.

But, if you recommend leaving them on the wall... then other than a little rough kissaki, they do look pretty nice ;)

[Shihan]

Curious... I do not know anyone that would consider these blades JSLOs? I am very pleased with the couple that I own, and know a few pretty respected blade guys that speak very highly of them -- for what they are.

They are not Nihonto for sure, but based on the original post, I doubt that he is willing to drop 10K on a blade. I will admit that I am not tough on the Cheness blades (I have a couple of custom blades that are my favorites. I am a sucker for Shikomizue)... but I have been very pleased with the performance of his "Goza Cutter" for a two to three hundred dollar tameshigiri blade.

But, if you recommend leaving them on the wall... then other than a little rough kissaki, they do look pretty nice ;)

My reference is to the Katana that Cheness sells and not the short sword of the original post in which it loks like he wants a kukri. Most of the made in China including Paul Chen's stuff dosent impress me too much. He does havea few higher priced blades that are decent. I had a student buy my a Cheness katana and it is a hunk of junk from my stand point. But positions do differ in what one looks for in a blade. But hey for 300.00 bucks as long as it dosent break and kill someone they are ok for what most guys buy a katana for. Do you train?

[Lympago]

Thin 14.5" blade.... made of stainless steel.... STAY AWAY!!1 :eek:


Stainless are okay for shorter blades but would probably risk snapping in bigger ones!

From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sword-like_objects#Materials



and read:

http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3486

And this is what can happen!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEvZ3K_bIE8

Can you make out "stainless" in the description? :D

LOL, that Home Shopping Network bloppers video was funny as hell. :D
That's an example of an extremely poor quality decorative sword though and not a premium quality stainless blade like the AUS8 from Junglee or 440C that Entrek uses that both have a higher carbon rate than your low quality stainlesses and higher quality than that 2 dollar sword in the video.

If a blade can't stand up to some simple chopping there's a serious problem in the quality of steel and heat treatment.
Think of all the survival/combat knives out there today using quality stainless and are used for chopping all the time.
The Entrek and Junglee are really just a longer knife though, and if someone's looking for an actual battle ready practice sword for heavy contact there certainly are better choices, but what the OP's desired use for his short sword purpose are only he knows.
For me these days either would just be a blade that would split work in being a machete, and defensive tool for my BO rig "if" it ever came to that, but otherwise I'd just be practicing with it regulary open air, no contact and it's still more novelty than common use work blade regardless.

[rhino]

A $10 machete and some time with a belt grinder to sharpen it appropriately would probably suit most people's needs for a "short sword."

[QuickStrike]

LOL, that Home Shopping Network bloppers video was funny as hell. :D
That's an example of an extremely poor quality decorative sword though and not a premium quality stainless blade like the AUS8 from Junglee or 440C that Entrek uses that both have a higher carbon rate than your low quality stainlesses and higher quality than that 2 dollar sword in the video.

If a blade can't stand up to some simple chopping there's a serious problem in the quality of steel and heat treatment.
Think of all the survival/combat knives out there today using quality stainless and are used for chopping all the time.
The Entrek and Junglee are really just a longer knife though, and if someone's looking for an actual battle ready practice sword for heavy contact there certainly are better choices, but what the OP's desired use for his short sword purpose are only he knows.
For me these days either would just be a blade that would split work in being a machete, and defensive tool for my BO rig "if" it ever came to that, but otherwise I'd just be practicing with it regulary open air, no contact and it's still more novelty than common use work blade regardless.

I'd still use carbon steel for choppers just to be safe. Himalayan Import's Kukris are made from spring steel. From salvaged leaf springs of cars. :D :cool:

[Shihan]

Anyone make a more modern sheath for a kukri?

[K.L. Davis]

Anyone make a more modern sheath for a kukri?

S&W's is nylon, Ka-Bar's is leather and nylon, Cold Steel's is nylon an iirc has a kydex tip... and there are several all kydex sheaths out there for the kukri.

[Cold Zero]

Anyone make a more modern sheath for a kukri?

Check out Deployment Solutions. They make custom kydex sheathes. $45 for a small, or $50 for a large Kukri sheath. I have two of their sheaths, good stuff, fast turn around.

[Shihan]

Thanks