I’m telling you Nikki, Kane’s got competition. Either you both could start a podcast or you need to do a spin-off sword review channel ;-) Great overview of a lovely sword and I appreciate the points you show for how it could be improved upon.
Dragon king really nails it on every sword. Good point about the tsuba it is really different. I have a new appreciation for it, and this sword. I always overlooked it but it is actually really pretty.
Indeed. They really have some good tasteful designs for the koshirae and their casting quality are among the highest within the reproduction industry. If only they could innovate a bit more on the blade geometries.
@@FortuneFavoursTheBold @FortuneFavoursTheBold aesthetically and thematically they really know how to make, a really cool sword. I'm not sure if they will do that. Maybe... I mean it would be great if they did. But hanwei already makes a wide variety of different geometries. It kinda seems like dragon king is "sexy" hanwei, You know? They are more focused as a brand on like, curb appeal let's call it. Unokubi, deep sori, etc. Probably not going to be a thing with dragon king. I think they might have an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Approach to the blades. There's a lot people who love the performance of their blades even if they are all 26-29" plain old katana. Maybe they're playing it a bit on the safe side, but hey you never know. The modern katana is pretty dressed down and performance oriented. So maybe they'll try playing around with blades geometries soon.
Indeed. In terms of blade geometries they are playing too safe. Seems that the owner wants the focus of the brand to be the hilt designs and they have been coming up with some quite attractive designs on that front. In the past people don't ask for a lot outside the comfort zone of the tried-and-true shinogi-zukuri standard length katana. The most you can do is to put a bo-hi on it. But the market is evolving so maybe they will take note of that. I've heard that the modern katana has a hira-zukuri blade so maybe that's good news for the brand.
Nice review, I've always liked the Tsuba that Dragon King designs, trying to tell myself not to buy any of the DK on sale at RVA right now lol. And yes, a Nikki review of the chevalier would be much appreciated, beautiful piece.
When I was looking at (relatively affordable) antique katanas, I decided never to buy one. Not because I don't like katanas, but because I don't want to like katanas. Between antiques, sharps and trainers, keeping the hobby confined to the European continent is the only way to impose some semblance of control on my collecting impulse. Due to those cheap katana reproductions you see in some souvenir shops, I developed a dislike to thematic katana designs. But I have to admit, the sakura flower motive works pretty well for a tsuba. And I agree with Nikki that keeping a spring-steel katana blade simple is fine... and way better than painting a hamon. I found out recently that this is a thing on cheap katanas, and it made me proverbially puke. In my opinion, that's not a design choice, that's simply fraudulent. What's next, painted wootz, painted fullers? No! Nikki, yes on the next review. And when you help Kane film the cutting tests, please step more often in front of the camera and do a cut or two as well. No joke, but because of yours and Kane's height difference, you adapt your cutting stance to be able to use the same stand. That alone results in an interesting additional data point when it comes to a review, particularly relevant for one-hand swords. I think I noticed this on the falchion video, I can't remember exactly, but I know it stuck with me. Old masters reference that people of different heights need to adapt the techniques. I know this fact sounds obvious, but it's nice when one gets to see the obvious in a visual form, when the eyes get to see what the mind has already accepted as truth. And it is still rare to see examples of cutting tests from people of different heights back to back.
Yeah I probably need a better built adaptive stand for cutting. I like this corner stand as it is lightweight to be carried around and has a platform so it’s more stable for the target, but the height is more suitable for my height but not Nikki’s. Time to get an adjustable proper wooden stand that can be used for both tatami mat cutting and bottle cutting. Sadly I haven’t been able to do a lot of the former as tatami mats are insanely expensive here. I need the stand to be adjustable as different cuts require different target height as well. A scheitelhau to the head obviously demands the target to stand taller than the typical oberhau or unterhau.
@@FortuneFavoursTheBold "Yeah I probably need a better built adaptive stand for cutting... the height is more suitable for my height but not Nikki’" Nah, let Nikki struggle with the taller stand. Then put her in the tracking suit and capture her animations as well. After all, games need female enemies as well, and they tend to be shorter. 😏 But you are right about different cuts needing different targets. "...tatami mats are insanely expensive here." Same for me. It's infuriating! I guess the age of cheap shipping across the oceans is over. I am even wondering if corn stalk bundles would work as cutting targets... we need some locally produced biodegradable (so grass based) targets to keep the costs down in Europe. And unlike Japan, we don't have a culture of using rice tatami mats indoors to generate a ton of cheap tatami. But we do grow corn and wheat...
@FiliiMartis most raw plant fiber when bundled and soaked should work pretty well as cutting targets. And yeah I plan having her do some motion capture as well. We already did a trial run and it works rather well.
Your husband is very fortunate you are beautiful and intelligent + you like swords Lucky guy! 😊 also what a wonderful review I collect swords myself and would love to add this one to my collection
Well done! Nice footage and well presented
Thank you!
I’m telling you Nikki, Kane’s got competition. Either you both could start a podcast or you need to do a spin-off sword review channel ;-)
Great overview of a lovely sword and I appreciate the points you show for how it could be improved upon.
I feel the pinch of the competition, haha!
This was probably one of my favorite katana reviews I've seen on RUclips.. Thank you!!
Thank YOU very much for viewing!
Great to see Nikki doing another review! You should definitely review the Chevalier.
Thank you! And we will see more of her, for sure!
Beautiful lady holding a beautiful sword!
Indeed! Thanks!
She is a fine lady into the art of swordsmanship.
Indeed she is 🙏🏻
An oriental flower she is!
Thanks! Quite the Master Yoda you are!
This is another fine sword.
Beautiful.
Thanks for posting the video.👏
Thank you for watching and commenting on it!
She is as beautiful as ever just like the sakura.
Thank you for your kind words!
Outstanding review and editing
Thank you!
Did I sound like a Japanese 🫣
Did I sound like a Japanese 🫣
Japon-ese~~
Nice. I'm going to Japan in two weeks, so this was a timely review for me.
Going to Japan! Cool! Though the sakura season just ended.
Dragon king really nails it on every sword. Good point about the tsuba it is really different. I have a new appreciation for it, and this sword. I always overlooked it but it is actually really pretty.
Indeed. They really have some good tasteful designs for the koshirae and their casting quality are among the highest within the reproduction industry. If only they could innovate a bit more on the blade geometries.
@@FortuneFavoursTheBold @FortuneFavoursTheBold aesthetically and thematically they really know how to make, a really cool sword. I'm not sure if they will do that. Maybe... I mean it would be great if they did. But hanwei already makes a wide variety of different geometries. It kinda seems like dragon king is "sexy" hanwei, You know? They are more focused as a brand on like, curb appeal let's call it. Unokubi, deep sori, etc. Probably not going to be a thing with dragon king. I think they might have an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Approach to the blades. There's a lot people who love the performance of their blades even if they are all 26-29" plain old katana. Maybe they're playing it a bit on the safe side, but hey you never know. The modern katana is pretty dressed down and performance oriented. So maybe they'll try playing around with blades geometries soon.
Indeed. In terms of blade geometries they are playing too safe. Seems that the owner wants the focus of the brand to be the hilt designs and they have been coming up with some quite attractive designs on that front. In the past people don't ask for a lot outside the comfort zone of the tried-and-true shinogi-zukuri standard length katana. The most you can do is to put a bo-hi on it. But the market is evolving so maybe they will take note of that. I've heard that the modern katana has a hira-zukuri blade so maybe that's good news for the brand.
Very flowery. It's a good companion to the lady.
I think so, too. Hence the purchase as a gift to my wife.
Nice review, I've always liked the Tsuba that Dragon King designs, trying to tell myself not to buy any of the DK on sale at RVA right now lol.
And yes, a Nikki review of the chevalier would be much appreciated, beautiful piece.
Thank you, and duly noted! Nikki will review the Chevalier and it’s official.
Nice! She is officially admitted to the Sisterhood of Blades.
Wow! Thanks! It would be her honor.
She is unquestionably shield-maiden material.
Only that she prefers using swords in both hands.
Brilliant my Friend, Nikki Blew up this video, well done...Beautiful quality, cell phone?
Thank you, Joe. Yes, it was recorded on an iPhone 15 Pro Max.
I want to see her review of the Apoc swords.
I do have 2 reviews of the APOC longsword and katana planned.
FOR THE ALGORITHIM
Thanks!
@@FortuneFavoursTheBold Your welcome, Great Review to!
Looks like a great sword👋🏻😁
Indeed it is.
When I was looking at (relatively affordable) antique katanas, I decided never to buy one. Not because I don't like katanas, but because I don't want to like katanas. Between antiques, sharps and trainers, keeping the hobby confined to the European continent is the only way to impose some semblance of control on my collecting impulse.
Due to those cheap katana reproductions you see in some souvenir shops, I developed a dislike to thematic katana designs. But I have to admit, the sakura flower motive works pretty well for a tsuba. And I agree with Nikki that keeping a spring-steel katana blade simple is fine... and way better than painting a hamon. I found out recently that this is a thing on cheap katanas, and it made me proverbially puke. In my opinion, that's not a design choice, that's simply fraudulent. What's next, painted wootz, painted fullers? No!
Nikki, yes on the next review. And when you help Kane film the cutting tests, please step more often in front of the camera and do a cut or two as well. No joke, but because of yours and Kane's height difference, you adapt your cutting stance to be able to use the same stand. That alone results in an interesting additional data point when it comes to a review, particularly relevant for one-hand swords. I think I noticed this on the falchion video, I can't remember exactly, but I know it stuck with me. Old masters reference that people of different heights need to adapt the techniques. I know this fact sounds obvious, but it's nice when one gets to see the obvious in a visual form, when the eyes get to see what the mind has already accepted as truth. And it is still rare to see examples of cutting tests from people of different heights back to back.
Yeah I probably need a better built adaptive stand for cutting. I like this corner stand as it is lightweight to be carried around and has a platform so it’s more stable for the target, but the height is more suitable for my height but not Nikki’s. Time to get an adjustable proper wooden stand that can be used for both tatami mat cutting and bottle cutting. Sadly I haven’t been able to do a lot of the former as tatami mats are insanely expensive here. I need the stand to be adjustable as different cuts require different target height as well. A scheitelhau to the head obviously demands the target to stand taller than the typical oberhau or unterhau.
@@FortuneFavoursTheBold "Yeah I probably need a better built adaptive stand for cutting... the height is more suitable for my height but not Nikki’" Nah, let Nikki struggle with the taller stand. Then put her in the tracking suit and capture her animations as well. After all, games need female enemies as well, and they tend to be shorter. 😏
But you are right about different cuts needing different targets.
"...tatami mats are insanely expensive here." Same for me. It's infuriating! I guess the age of cheap shipping across the oceans is over. I am even wondering if corn stalk bundles would work as cutting targets... we need some locally produced biodegradable (so grass based) targets to keep the costs down in Europe. And unlike Japan, we don't have a culture of using rice tatami mats indoors to generate a ton of cheap tatami. But we do grow corn and wheat...
@FiliiMartis most raw plant fiber when bundled and soaked should work pretty well as cutting targets.
And yeah I plan having her do some motion capture as well. We already did a trial run and it works rather well.
Your husband is very fortunate you are beautiful and intelligent + you like swords Lucky guy! 😊 also what a wonderful review I collect swords myself and would love to add this one to my collection
Great choice!
@@FortuneFavoursTheBold I agree 😁🙌🏻
Beautiful backdrop with cherry blossom grove to show off the sword of this theme!
Thanks!
She is a stunning swordswoman. Is that a word?
Swordswoman? I guess it’s as fine as “newswoman”.
Tu es superbe!
Merci.
You dont know how to use a sword.
Says the troll who has never seen an actual sword left alone handling one, nor left his parents' basement. Keep trying, troll.
You think beating off some hentai anime teaches you how to use a sword? Why don't you do something with your life rather than being an useless incel?
@sparkdrive2900 you sound like a jealous loser.
As if you know how to use one. Have you ever touched a sword even?
@@maievshadowsong7471 have mamy of those and i trained under a legitimate sensei. That is why i can tell you she dont know how to use a katana.