buying a katana

[icewolf16]

ok, first sorry if it's in the wrong place, but i wasn't sure where to put it. anyway, i was planning on buying a friend a katana for his kendo class. i've searched a little and plan on talking to his instructor soon. all i know so far is that it should cost between 250 and 300 dollars and has to be unsharpened. if u have any tips on finding a katana, that'd be great! i'll keep searching too. thanks in advance for ur help.

[hamish]

That's great, but he shouldn't actually need one for kendo class. You'd be much better off buying him a good wooden bokuto or shinai, something which he could actually use in class.

[shred_lord]

Depends, If he's really high up, he may want a silicon carbide kata sword for demos. Don't buy him an iaito, they're not strong enough, but kendo no kata swords are normally listed in the iaito section of webstores.

DO check with his sensei, as he'll look really silly if he's ikkyu and turns up to class with a sword. Don't know what level you would consider using one, but I would have thought you'd be at sensei level or more (6th dan maybe).

[icewolf16]

thanks for ur replies. and as far as i know he needs one to pass to the next level, not to practice with. yeah i know, that's why i want to get him the right kind of sword. yeah, he already has a bokuto and shinai, obviously since he's been taking kendo for a while. thanks again!

[Neil Gendzwill]

You'd better check with your friend directly. There's no level in kendo that requires anything other than bokken and shinai.

[Paikea]

Sounds like he's into Iai, perhaps in addition to his Kendo?

[icewolf16]

k well when i visited him, he said, 'i really need a katana, otherwise i can't get my next belt.' i'm pretty sure that's exactly what he said. i also confirmed it with his best friend who took kendo with him. i'm trying to get it for him as a surprise so that's why i'm not asking him straight out. maybe he's into that too, i'm not sure. i don't know much about kendo or other japanese martial arts, heh.

[rainmaker]

This is strange. I have never heard any Kendo dojo that requires sword to pass the belt. I suspect it might be Haedong Kumdo. I hear katana and belt.. Haedong Kumdo is not real Kendo. Anyway, my recommendation for you is to ask his sensei where, what kind(type and length), how much and most importantly how fast.. Some takes about few months to deliver katana...

Good luck..



k well when i visited him, he said, 'i really need a katana, otherwise i can't get my next belt.' i'm pretty sure that's exactly what he said. i also confirmed it with his best friend who took kendo with him. i'm trying to get it for him as a surprise so that's why i'm not asking him straight out. maybe he's into that too, i'm not sure. i don't know much about kendo or other japanese martial arts, heh.

[Pokie]

hey hey ! i was wondering this too. i see some pictures and read articles of ppl performing kendo kata in japan...but they use real swords..sharp ones. im not sure if i read right...but it was during a competition and some guys performed with real swords.