review – “A sort of Samurai sword is a Japanese sword that features a curved single-edged blade with a round or square shield and a long handle to accommodate two hands… It was used by samurai in feudal Japan with the blade facing upwards. While authentic katana swords made in Japan using old-fashioned metalworking methods are extremely expensive and nearly impossible to obtain, handcrafted personalized katana swords are within reach. Just look at Romance of Men’s custom katana.
What is it?
This sword is an imitation katana sword made in China. Don’t be discouraged by the word “replica” as this is a real sword. Romance of Men (ROM) custom katana allows customers to select each part of the sword, which the ROM then crafts into a personalized weapon. ROM’s target Is “provide the best service, value and the best tool product design”.
What’s in this box?
katana (scabbard) in saya
Hardware Specifications
The exact specs will depend on the choices you make, but the lengths will be the same:
- Overall Length: 40.5 inches
- Blade Length: 28.3 inches
- Blade Thickness: 0.27″
The katana I designed was 48.3 ounces, which is a little over 3 pounds.
Design and Features
If you go to the katana page of the ROM, you will find a lot Ready-to-use katana. If you find one that’s exactly what you’re looking for, that’s great, because you can save a little money this way.If not, please click Custom katana link And get ready to have fun designing yourself.
When customizing my katana, I had to make ten choices. First, I have to choose whether the blade is sharp or not, I chose the sharp one. I don’t have kids at home, so there’s no real threat of harming anyone (except myself, I think).
Second, I had to choose the blade material. ROM has five different types of steel alloys. Since I’m not familiar with these materials, I did some research to see which one I wanted:
- Carbon steel is the basic choice.
- Manganese steel has high impact strength and wear resistance.
- Spring steel contains some silicon, which gives the sword some flexibility and helps it retain its original shape when twisted or bent.
- Patterned steel gives the blade an old-fashioned look.Centuries ago, katana makers had to fold the steel repeatedly to remove impurities, which gave it Unique “water-like” pattern. Today, high-quality steel makes this technology unnecessary, but it can still be done.
- The higher carbon content of T10 steel makes the blade tough, sharp and scratch resistant.
The ROM’s website has some information about type of steel, like many others. I recommend doing your own research before choosing what you want. I chose T10 steel. It costs a bit more, but I think it’s worth it to keep the edge over time.
Third, I had to choose the blade color. Each blade material can be made in different colors. Both manganese and patterned steels have an incredible looking blue option. But in the end I insisted on using T10 and chose hamon black. Hamon refers to the temper line of the blade, which visually marks the separation of the harder edge from the softer spine. This is the result of a differential hardening process, in which the edges cool faster than the spine. This makes the edges harder and sharper.
Fourth, I had to choose if I wanted the blade to have a bo-hi, a groove running along the blade to save weight a little. I chose not to eat bo-hi as weight is not an issue for me.
Fifth, I had to choose the saya, which is the scabbard. There are many colors and styles to choose from. In the end, I opted for a simple wood look, one that is more understated than flashy.
Sixth, I have to choose tsuba, the guard that protects the hand. Again, the ROM has a lot of options, I chose a nickel-colored tsuba that depicts a heron hunting in the water. I hope this color contrasts nicely with the wood and Ito colors.
Seventh, I had to choose the habaki, the collar that helps the blade fit into the scabbard. It’s unfortunate that habakis don’t pair well with tsubas, so I chose a color that looked as close to tsuba as possible.
Eighth, I had to choose colors and materials for ito and sageo. ito is the rope used to wrap around the handle and provide a good grip. The sageo is attached to the scabbard and used to attach it to the wearer’s belt (or belt). I chose black to go with the blade. This rope is made of cotton, which is affordable and somewhat durable; if silk was an option, I would choose it, as good silk is more durable.
Ninth, I had to get the samegawa color, which is the material that covers the handle. Ito was wrapped in the same Kawakami. I chose white to contrast with the black ito.
Finally, I have the option to add engraving to the blade. While I’d love to find some Japanese characters that represent strength or power or other cool Japanese characters, in the end, I opted to be more pragmatic and simply add my initials.
Once I made my choice, I just had to sit back and wait for my custom katana to arrive. The ROM’s website says it should take 7 to 10 days, and mine arrived after 12 days. This is acceptable considering the challenges in shipping these days.
I have only one complaint about the process of selecting katana parts: the lack of information. The ROM’s website rarely provides any details about the material they use. I have many questions such as:
- What percentage of carbon is used in carbon steel blades?
- Is the blade full?
- What wood is my scabbard of choice made of?
- What metal are my tsuba and habaki made of?
- What is Tongchuan made of?
- How is the engraving done?
I wish ROM had more information on their website so customers could easily find it when choosing components. I sent an email to their support team (hello @romanceofmen.com) to ask these questions. By the next morning – and I’m always amazed and delighted when the company responds so quickly – my questions were answered:
- Steel is 1060.
- Yes, it is full tang.
- The wood is wenge.
- The metal is a zinc alloy (which is still not a very specific answer).
- samegawa is artificial ray skin.
- Engraving is done by laser.
However, overall I really enjoyed the process, especially studying the different parts of the katana and understanding how they were made. I was impressed by the number of options the ROM offered for each component.
installation and setup
When the katana arrived, I was surprised to find it didn’t come in a box. Instead, it’s a long piece of custom Styrofoam wrapped in a ton of orange tape.
i used ceramic blade Cut the tape and open the package. The katana comes in a plastic bag with shrink wrap for the handle.
When I removed the blade from saya, I found it was wrapped in saran wrap-like material Use plenty of oil to prevent rust. The ROM did protect the sword well on the way to my house.
Performance
Why would anyone want to buy a katana sword? I can think of several possibilities. Maybe your house is oriental; a katana sword on a cape would be a great addition. Maybe you like one of these martial arts and are looking for a weapon to use in demonstrations.Maybe you have based some anime characters (like Sakata Gintoki from Gintama or Sakura knife from Destiny); the katana will be the “resistance” of your ensemble. It could be a home defense weapon, especially for someone without a gun. Keep in mind that a sword like this does require a fair amount of space to swing properly, so maybe a long knife would be a better choice, especially for an apartment. Finally, if you have a man’s cave, or, like me, a home office to decorate, “this is really cool!” is probably the only reason you need it.
How did the sword come out? I like this sword. I like it very much. It feels solid and sturdy, and has some heft. It’s well-balanced, feels good in the hand, and swings easily. The shield or handle didn’t move; it’s a well-made sword that looks great mounted on my wall.
Here’s my take on the various parts:
- T10 Black Blade – Black looks very disgusting; I love the color. Harmon is clearly visible.
- Saya – I’ve never seen wenge before, but it’s beautiful. The pictures on the website look reddish, but the actual saya is dark brown, almost black, which I like. It’s not a flashy design, but it’s exactly what I was looking for.
- Tsuba – I don’t know how strong this defender really is, if it’s actually hit by another sword, will it actually protect my hand, because I don’t really know what “zinc alloy” is. At least, I can say the Heron’s design looks really good.
- Habaki – The collar holds the blade well in the scabbard. There is a noticeable gap between the blade and the fan, unfortunately; the collar doesn’t seem to be designed specifically for this blade.
- Ito and Sageo – ROMs took a lot of time to staple because they looked so sharp. There’s some scuffing on the cotton out of the box – a different material might be better – but it still gives it a nice grip.
- Handles and samegawa – black and white is a classic pattern that looks so pretty.
- Engraving – it’s a bit bigger than I expected and I’m not sure I’d go for gold. However, it’s definitely different and definitely gets the job done.
Honestly, there’s really nothing to complain about with the look and feel of this sword. Again, I really like it. I made this short video to show each part in more detail:
The last question is about the blade itself: how sharp is it? There are well-defined edges on the blade, but not very sharp. I can press my thumb against the blade with a lot of force and it has no chance of hurting my skin. It seems to me similar to a knife blade in my kitchen. I made another video to show how sharp the blade is and how well it cuts through various things around the house:
A Man’s Romance assured me that if I had the proper training, I could have broken through the Pringles. I candidly admit that I am not a samurai and have no training in swordsmanship, so please take my video above with a grain of salt.
Extra features
If the katana sword isn’t your favorite blade, check it out ninja, road, Knifeand other weapons they make.
what do I like
- Ability to customize every part of the sword
- Solid, strong, balanced feel
- amazing look
what would i change
- Add more information about the material on the website
final thoughts
Romance of Men offers a variety of swords and knives on their website. Their latest product is a custom katana sword that allows buyers to choose the material, color and style used for each part of the sword. The result is a beautiful and functional weapon that can perfectly complete a room or outfit. I enjoyed learning about the history of katana swords and the materials that made them, and more importantly, I really enjoyed the katana that the ROM made for me. It’s a beautiful piece, and the style matches my personal taste; I’ve planned a spot for it on the wall of my home office. If you’re looking for a handmade katana that matches your style, I highly recommend checking out Romance of Men.
Price: $180
where to buy: Romance in Men’s Online Shop
resource: Samples for this review provided by man’s romance.
