I imagine Skall on a real battlefield, just casually cutting a guys arm off and going like: "Oh yeah, this cuts really well. My edge alignment was a bit off, but no problem." While the guy, goes down screaming.
Skall: "Clean parry and counter, unfortunately it was with the edge so I'm gonna have to fix that later, but overall the construction held up." Opponent: "Please I fucking beg you finish me off already."
As if it would matter to the guy that had his arm amputated whether the sword alignment was just slightly off, or if Skall could hear the whoosh of the sword before contact or not
When rolling a tatami mat, a little trick is to fold a portion of the end inwards, so that the end bits don't stick out. This gives a tidier look and helps to access the quality of cuts more easily. - An advice from an Iaido practitioner.
Thanks. I'm aware of that, I just tend to throw them into the soaking tub as they are (they come pre-rolled) to save time. Time has been a very limited resource lately.
The loose cap simulates a shaky pommel that can come loose at any moment, it is meant to strike fear into enemies, an unpredictable pommel is the scariest!!! (someone wanted an obligatory pommel joke, I know it is a bit of a stretch, but we need to keep the tradition alive!)
Historically double bladed edge in that fashion existed in Japan, they are called kogarasu zukuri but I have never seen it on a nodachi, usually on kodachi and katana. Nodachi are any blade that is larger than 90 cm so that's a nodachi
@@aBANDIT. As far as I know they were an alternative for upper class warriors to the naginata. They had the same purpose of great swords but had also social status features as they were quite expensive. Probably quite good to deal with multiple opponents at once
aBandit I remember reading somewhere that the battlefield weapon was used for cutting down the enemies’s horse’s legs. Edit: I also remember that the absurdly long ones were more ceremonial and were tributes to temples.
you never draw cut with a sword that long anyway. On top of being virtually impossible it would leave you super vulnerable. Even Samurai when carrying a weapon this large largely carried the weapon rather than wearing it at the hip because it was such a pain in the ass to draw
@@andrewmayo9400 true, like the crazy boys from Jigen Ryu, but there's a school that uses some kind of technique to draw it like a normal katana, tho can't remember the name
I noticed that too; who else here thinks that, instead of that weird irrememberable long name the seller gave it, it should've been called something like the Rhodachia?
Yeah that’s why I actually really like the idea of a double edged katana/tachi/nodachi because you can use it as a inverse curved blade and a normally curved blade just find that very interesting
When you used one hand to cut the tatami mat and it was still effortless... That was the first time I audibly guffawed and chuckled at cutting footage. Love the sexy cutting footage!
Hey Skall I can tell you are getting your fitness back, good work man! I broke my collarbone in a bike crash about a year ago and I have been struggling to get the weight off ever since. You have been my inspiration tho, I finally invested in a proper sword and have been practicing everyday until my arms hurt. The sword gains are for real! Skol from Chicago!
From my experiences with Swords of Northshire they use some kind of hot glue for the kashira. (pommel.) They never last long especially in hot environments, easily fixable though with super glue or other methods.
Not reeaally a corner to cut but that is also what happens when you make something in one end of the world where the climate is severely different and sending it somewhere else. I have had this issue with SoN too. My katana guard and fittings loosened because of the glue. Totally okay though because I live in a desert. I fixed it with super glue
Oh imagine the DIRTY tactics you could use with this thing back in the Feudal era. You cut. Your enemy assumes an opening and then they're met with a backwards cut to the face by the other side of the blade.
That would suck really bad, and with a clean cutter like this sword...I bet the guy wouldn’t even know what happen till all turns to dark with the swift sound of the sword.
@ it was most likely a combination of lack of skill to smith them and also MUH HONORU ISU DISRESPECTERUDU. Since they were pretty damn big on the whole honor codes and whatnot.
I have to say, you improved a lot Skal. It's even more noticeable on slowmo. Your cuts are more precise, powerful and controlled. Body movements improved a lot as well ! I'm watching you for a long time and you seem much more relax when you teach these tatami mats who is holding the sword.
@@Skallagrim Try apples, it's a great appetite suppressant. I lost 7kg (15 pounds?) in 2 weeks by eating celery, bananas and water (a lot, till you hate it), and everytime you want to raid your fridge, eat an apple. After that you can go back to a "I eat whatever I want" diet since your appetite will be reduced. It worked for me ! Just think apples :) I hope it will help you !
@@Skallagrim Well, I know it's not much since I'm a random internet guy, but you have my full support and I hope that you'll be able to beat your eating disorder. And keep slicing things, it's getting more and more cool !
I have a sword from Swords of Northshire. Haven't had a chance to do any cutting with it sadly. But I did customize it. nothing fancy and the total cost was $185. No tax, no shipping cost.
Kissaki Moroha Zukuri. This is the earliest shape of Nihontou on a sword called the Kogarasumaru, or the little crow, or what are considered Japanese swords. Other swords existed at the time, but they were mostly copies or imports from China. There were also Warabite tou, which were swords used by the nomadic northern tribes called the Emishi. The Kogarasu maru is thought to have been made as a combination between the emishi sword and the imported chinese sword, and thus is curved, double edged, and meatier. This shape went out of use in the heian period for swords, but stayed in use for ceremonial purposes on swords, and was the shape used in yari.
I agree. Your comment is roughly correct. To be precise, it is curved near the hand because it is mainly used on horseback. It is said that it is double-edged because it is in a transitional period when katana is derived from straight sword. Moroha Zukuri is often used later as kogatana (short katana). If you want to know more, I would be grateful if you see my other comments I wrote in this video. Since it's a machine translation, I'm sorry if it's strange English.
@@rinrinzemi I'm explaining in laymans terms :) Not everyone here will want the full detailed account from a nihonto expert(not me, maybe you lol) Koshizori is of course more prevalent in the heian period. until the kamakura period, also in the muromachi period with katate-uchigatana and many sukesada. But the point I was attempting to make is the ancestry of the shape of the blade.
@@rinrinzemi I base my understanding of this from mokusa den, later becoming yamato senjuin. It's just a shame they took such a big hit after the genpei war.
@@Poldovico Maru is a strange term in regards to the name of an object like a ship or a sword. The term is interchangeable between objects of significance.
For swords and knives, I don’t mind the scabbard or sheathe coming a bit tight, they tend to loosen over time anyway. For like OTF or automatic knives, it is a similar concept to wanting the spring that powers the action to be a bit stiff at first, but it loosens a bit over time.
The way I've always heard it, tachi (which were slung edge down) had menuki that rested in the palms with that style of wrap. When the katana developed and they started to wear them edge up it became the norm at some point to place the menuki on the opposite sides from where they were on the tachi so the handles still "looked" the same when worn edge up as they did on the tachi edge down (i.e. with the visible menuki close to the guard). So it became more about aesthetics than function. They became decoration rather than functioning to cover/hold in place the mekugi pins and also acting as palm swells. I too prefer them on the palms and when I re-wrap my handles I tend to place them that way or I use a battle-wrap.
Hey Skall, The end cap issue is just a Katana thing. I practice Kenjutsu (and HEMA now thanks to you and other youtubers) and it has plagued all of my swords. On that note, I'm thankful someone else likes the battle wrap, as my training buddies think I'm crazy for liking it.
That's a replica of Amakuni's "Kogarasu Maru" or Little Crow. 1st Century this is a style of Nihonto that was the cross over from Ken to Tachi. Other copies have been produced. Including hand made by Katanakaji in Japan. It's a "Revered" Style "Zukuri". A Katanakaji or three have been known to make them through the centuries in Reverence to Amakuni.
I'm imagining all the FF7 roster running around three feet tall with garden gnome hats and fighting three foot sephiroth with just a normal sword lmfao
@@kylestanley7843 japans biggest trading partner for tech were the dutch, there is no magic involved as to why japanese have an obsession with "giants"
First time i would actually want to buy a sword from a review. It seems pretty cool to have for a swordnoob. Keep up the great work. Your content is very enjoyable. :D
Fun fact, there is no inbetween a Tachi and a Nodachi, the absolute limits of a Tachi overlap with the minimum of a Nodachi. So, it really comes down to the maker's intention
This kind of edge in japanese is called "Naginata-naoshi" which means a blade that's designed like a naginata. A clipped edge on the upper back spinal region and a fuller only halfway
Thank you Skall! I don't want that sword, too big, but I am a huge fan of the B&W Zatoichi TV series, and guess what else Swords of Northshire makes? You guessed it, a good quality sword stick like that of the blind swordsman.
The butt cap was most likely held on by friction, my guess is that a change in climate caused the wood core to slightly shrink, would also explain why the saya was a little tight, while it can be a bit annoying it doesn't detract from the quality it's just a symptom of shipping weapons from one climate to another
theybadd adhesive but it melts quickly because the blades get sent to hotter climates. I have had this issue with every blade from SoN. Its anneasy fix, just some superglue. The fittings loosening up are the only issues I have had with these guys. I dont think its a bad thing because I live in an desert though
Edo period and later, it became fashionable to put the menuki on the side of the tsuka that faced outward (and least comfortable position for the standard, right-hand lead two handed grip).
Skal, I just wanted to take a moment to tell you that I really appreciate this video's title-card. We don't see nearly enough capering in title-cards these days. In fact, it's almost become as rare as sidling, tomfoolery, or even arms-akimbo! So, thank you. Your capering pose is really a breath of fresh air! :)
The false edge is like a ginunting. This sword is good chasing out looters. Maguro kiri is a good deterrent it’s looks scary but this sword is wicked you have a nodachi with a false edge that cuts like a ginunting.😎
double edged extra long katana, cutting through 3.5 inch trees? what an excellent sword. It's funny seeing Skallagrim finally liking Katana's and Japanese swords. It's cuz they're absolutely superb cutters. The hype is real, even if they can't cut througha tank, and they're not magic, and rapiers tend to be longer and out perform in duels and stuff due to thrusting seeming to be better more reliable technique than cutting. still great swords. absolutely love them.
So the scabbard being super tight is actually a sign of quality, loose ones bounce around surprisingly easily when walking. Also that's the same sword bag I got mine in over 10 years ago... popular choice it seems
I don't use autofocus, it's too random and unreliable. But sometimes it's difficult to get the focus exactly right, especially at a distance, with a busy background.
The blade on that sword looks very much like a Kissaki-Moroha-Zukuri design. It fell out of favor with Samurai in the 12th century, but was still worn by nobility and worn for ceremonial purposes. During Japan's modernization, both Army and Navy officers used Kissaki-Moroha-Zukuri designed swords for parade purposes, although they very much resembled European sword designs at this point.
If you forget that your sword is double edged as you resheath it, you deserve losing your thumb. #1 golden rule handling sharp items: if you cut yourself, you 100% deserved it. I know I have done it before. I left a sword on the ground and was stepping by it, I noticed it and thought to myself "I should probably pick that up before I cut my foot- yeup. Just like that." Was kinda funny but I deserved it
Northshire always felt sketchy to me as does any Chinese based sword store that uses copy-paste English translations all over their website. Took a risk once with a Ryansword (I know) and fortunately wasn't burned on that deal, but they didn't sharpen it very well. Because of the high polish I dare not attempt to sharpen it myself, so unfortunately it is mainly for appearance. It's nice to see you review one of their products, gives me a bit more confidence when considering purchasing from them.
There are a lot of sword factories in Longquan China and some of them are really good, even if their english is far from great and you have to be as simple as possible when communicating with them. Huawei Swords (nothing to do with the phone manufacturer) is one of the best, and most expensive. From more affordable brands Sinosword is good and relatively safe bet. To my knowledge Sword Of Northshire and Ryansword come from exactly the same factory, but I have an impression that Sword Of Northshire may have better quality control (and that is reflected in the price) but you can get exactly the same sword from Ryansword for cheaper, just with more gambling involved. Don't quote me on that though. *edit* Correction, Ryansword is one of SoN's suppliers.
@@MaaZeus That actually makes so much sense! I noticed similarities in Ryansword and Northshire's options and stock. I always play the caution game when it comes to the more expensive selections, because there's always a site that describes a sword as 1095 but the blade shown is obviously a cheap stainless steel blade. The latest trend I see is companies selling T10 tool steel blades. Which I have yet to jump the gun on, but hear good things.
The manuki were meant to keep the mekugi pegs from falling out mid battle and act as palm swells to help align the blade. Problem is, recently, (and by recently, I mean, oh, about five or six hundred years ago) that was forgotten, the side of the koshirae they were on was reversed and they were then used as ornaments rather than functional pieces. They were originally were your palms are. II. The Evolution of the Functions of Menuki and the Emergence of Morphological Patterns. From a pure functionalist point of view, menuki was basically born out of rather pragmatic demand to serve primarily as “mekugi osae” or the cover (or lid) over mekugi pin. Examinations of old Kara-tachi (japanese version of a tang dao, they're about the size of a normal tachi, but straight with the same geometry as the nodachi in the vid) and Kazari-ken (court swords) koshirae (handle) made in Nara through early Heian periods(794 to 1185), such as the ones in Shosoin Museum and Tokyo National Museum, tend to confirm this functional origin of menuki among the earliest styles koshirae. (See Ogasawara, 1994 for photos.) However, soon its secondary function to serve as a pair of ornaments began to be emphasized equally (Suzuki, 1995). Additionally, many other “latent functions (i.e., not originally intended or obvious but still important eu-functions)” were discovered (e.g., tactile indicators to tell the correct orientation of the edge or correct “tenouchi,” palm swells, status/rank symbols, religious charm, etc.). Then over the course of the evolution of Nihon-to koshirae, those secondary and latent functions of menuki seem to have taken over its “manifest function (i.e., originally intended and well recognized purpose)" completely. This kind of phenomenon and the transformation of secondary or latent functions into manifest functions is commonly observed with any material culture/cultural artifact that has one thousand years of evolutionary history... However, the functional evolution of menuki and its placement in the context of specific style of koshirae it is not all random, either. Over the course of its evolution, placement of menuki has certainly developed morphological patterns that can be recognized in each style of koshirae. (See for example Takeuchi, 2003, on historically more accurate menuki placement in two different versions of so called “katate-maki.”)" Katate-maki is the wrap you have. It's purpose is said to have come in to use around the time tachi were being used on horse back, so the thought was that it was predominantly used for a better one handed grip. Then it was thought that it came back into use as a convenience thing whenever the ito came loose and the samurai didnt have time to wrap it. Like, for instance, after, during or before a battle... or something. They would simply coil the ito around the mid section and then continue the traditional wrap as you see. One more thing, nihon-to is the vocabulary for a japanese sword. Like, purely japanese, as in, made in Japan, with japanese tamahagane (bloomery steel), in a japanese forge, by a certified japanese living national treasure bladesmith, using the same traditional japanese tools and techniques they've used for thousands of years. Every sword made this way is a national treasure and it is extremely (might as well be impossible) to get them out of the country. No other type of sword is allowed in the country, other than museum pieces, even the nodachi that skall has. (Well, I suppose it would be extremely difficult to the point of being impossible to get them in, several years of paperwork, monthly check-ups/police visits, etc. Just like owning a gun, I'd assume.) It doesn't even matter if you've been an apprentice under one of the bladesmiths for decades, if you aren't japanese, it won't be considered a nihon-to nor will it matter if you follow every procedure and meet every condition if you're outside the country. It won't be a nihon-to. ... ... ... I acknowledge that this comment is absurdly and needlessly long, that very few people will likely read it and that it kind of goes all over the place with seemingly little connection to each topic and for that... I dunno, you read it lol
Hey Skall, do you think you could get around to testing the Deuce III from zombie tools. I found one video of someone testing it but it was very disorienting and a little too fast paced. Just whenever you want I would be super happy if you did your demonstrations on it ^-^
It's so sad!! Swords Of The Northshire is a great company to work with.. Customer service is awsome (you deal with a dude named Bryce I believe. Great customer service!) But the kashira (end cap) coming off is a problem. Have seen it on several reviews, and it happened on a sword I ordered after 1 tatami mat!!! Seems at this point they would address it!! I have 100 dollar Musashi katanas I have been banging into things for years that are still as tight as when I got them!!! Would be an awsome product if they could rectify that one problem!
Swords of northshire are really good quality. Got a 1095 high carbon steel clay tempered and folded and it's a beauty forgiving on it's cuts but I'm focusing on the form to not rely on the sword as much
0:12 What? I have to click the "subscriptions" tab to see my subscriptions? Wow. Never thought of that. So I have been right all along. People "miss videos" only because they are expecting everything to show on the home page. Not because "RUclips is trying to hide them". Like, for real, if you are subscribed to a hundred channels like I am, there's no way YT could show everything on the front page. It's ridiculous that you have to tell people to check the subscriptions tab if they want to see their subscriptions. EDIT: I literally have my RUclips set in a way that when I click "RUclips" it takes me straight to the subscriptions tab, and I can easily recommend that to everyone else too.
That's not the entire problem. I have seen the "Inbox" page filled with a random subset of comment replies while randomly skipping subscribed videos. I have also seen subscribed videos not listed on the subscription page unless drilling down into each channel. Bell settings are randomly implemented by AI instead of providing deterministic options.
I would love to see you go over some Dark Souls weapons. Obviously some are in the same category as the Buster Sword, being unwieldy, but some are in between: like the Astoria Greatsword, or the Hollowslayer Greatsword. Some weapons are just common weapons, but going over a few that skirt the line would be interesting.
Skal that was a reproduction of murata sword its a double edge katana produce during WW2. my grandpa have that one. And you can see that too in high school of the dead anime one of the female MC use that kind of sword.
Great vid Skall! I've been watching your vids for a long time now, and I love your content. Pretty much all of it entertains me, so much to the point that I found a mod for Skyrim that adds in a lot of the better weapons you've reviewed in the game. Anyway, the vids are great and you never cease to amuse me, keep up the awesome work!
"BUt tHaT's NoT LoNg EnouGH tO bE a SePHiroTH SwwOOrrDD!!!" Geez, Sephiroth fanboys here trying their best to protect their idol's greatest insecurity. Everybody knows good 'ole Seph is compensating for something. This sword is just trying to expose the truth.
They should have called it "The sword of Grayson". In the Honor Harrington books that world has a fencing style centered around exactly this style of sword.
@@logitimate While the hilt point is true and the length can u guess be argued about it´s the closest thing in production to a Grayson sword i have ever seen. (also amusing to see a few ppl here actually getting the reference)
Yeah, I'm a definite Honorverse fan, having looked into it after enjoying Weber's collaborations with Eric Flint on the Ring of Fire . . . "series" seems an inadequate term. Universe? Setting?
@@logitimate good one, my favorite though would be "To treecats, enemys only come in two categories. Those sufficiently dealt with, and those still alive".
That sword is vastly longer than a standard katana, which would qualify it as a nodachi. Japanese sword measurements are very inexact and have broad ranges. As for menuki placement, on my own Swords of Northshire custom katana, it does not have a battle wrap; they have placed the menuki on the opposite sides, under where the palms would be placed, rather than the fingertips. It's much more comfortable, in case you decide to order more blades from them in the future. Keep up the good work, Skall!
Skal just said a japanese-style blade was good. He's either gone insane or this is the best japanese-style blade ever forged. Edit: im being sarcastic skal, love ya man keep up the good reviews.
As I understand about the tsuki-maki. The menuki were originally placed reversed of modern versions because it actually fulfilled the job of filling the cavity in the palm for a more comfortable grip. As the peace times came, they started placing the menuki on the finger's side because it made more better aesthetics during demos and such, that way the pretty little detailed pieces are still visible when held. And the "battle wrap" should refer to the lack of folding/diamonds in the center. The only reason I've heard of it done was to reduce the time needed for manufacturer when supplying and army. I'm sure it was cheaper too since it's a lot less labor. Have you ever tried doing your own tsuki-maki? It's a real hand cramper, and traditionally they would have little triangles of origami under the wrap to make the diamonds more consistent and less likely to come loose, I never did that, WAY too much work. lol
The loose cap isn't ideal but not a deal breaker. They're not typically glued in place anyway, it's just a consequence of actually using the sword and the wrap shifting around. Tighten the wrap and it ought to be fine.
The traditional scabbards for Japanese blades contract and warp slightly depending on the season. In the winter they’d sometimes even change scabbards.
Even though I am more of a European sword fan, Nodachi really pushes all the right buttons for me. Huge, badass and aesthetically pleasing. Plus I really, really liked banzai charging the shit out of enemy army with No-dachi samurai units in Total War: Shogun2
Honestly I wouldnt expect that level of quality on a sword sold as SEPHIROTH SWORD
Yeah anime names should be a huge red flag xD
@@bruce8448 videogame. But yeah, if it tries to ride on the fame of a work of fiction it usually isn't the best.
Especially since it's only half the length of the Masamune...
Yeah just hearing something called a sephiroth sword makes it sound like fake anime bs
Maybe it REALLY IS his sword !
Yeah, whoever decided to name it "Sephiroth" sword was taking the piss. Need at least an extra 3 foot of length.
Should also come with a pear...
Dunno why this lady keeps talking about giving a pear to Clout /s
@@nicholaspaat7302 who's clout?
@@RagnarokLoW its Cloud. Just that in the games and movies when they say Cloud, it often sounds more like clout.
Very heavy on the “at least”...pretty sure the original version was like 8 or 9 feet long lol.
@@jlaw131985 insert obligatory 'compensation' joke here.
I imagine Skall on a real battlefield, just casually cutting a guys arm off and going like: "Oh yeah, this cuts really well. My edge alignment was a bit off, but no problem."
While the guy, goes down screaming.
Tis just a scratch
im dying dude lmao
Skall: "Clean parry and counter, unfortunately it was with the edge so I'm gonna have to fix that later, but overall the construction held up."
Opponent: "Please I fucking beg you finish me off already."
As if it would matter to the guy that had his arm amputated whether the sword alignment was just slightly off, or if Skall could hear the whoosh of the sword before contact or not
"See if I can do a rising false edge cut..."
"Are you telling me your strate- GAAHHHH!!!"
When rolling a tatami mat, a little trick is to fold a portion of the end inwards, so that the end bits don't stick out. This gives a tidier look and helps to access the quality of cuts more easily. - An advice from an Iaido practitioner.
Thanks. I'm aware of that, I just tend to throw them into the soaking tub as they are (they come pre-rolled) to save time. Time has been a very limited resource lately.
@@Skallagrim ahh yes Time the nemisis of us all.
@@AnoterosHershy Indeed. I hate Time!
@@VladiSSius Wish we could get rid of it!
@@VladiSSius lets cancel time. twitter rise up
Skall approves???
I guess this is then a
Y E S D A C H I
Or a H A I D A C H I
😠
@@kannonball5789 That...Actually sounds good
Cease.
@@lostplshelp no
"Expert Weapon Viking reviewing the Japanese weapon he plundered"
Far East objects only reached Vikings via trade, though not necessarily their own. For example certain steels imported via Damascus.
@@johndododoe1411 *whoosh*
@@DarthSanguine ( ° ͜ʖ͡°)╭∩╮
@@DarthSanguine I'm saying that to plunder this sword back in their day, a Viking would have to plunder someone who got it in long distance trade.
@@johndododoe1411 Stranger things have happened in history after all.
Double edge means double the cutting power, OBVIOUSLY
But is it better than the Knecht?
Or seppuku... but..
Haha customization you say? Requests swept hilt double edge...
Double the maintenance.
Holding it in 2 hands doubles the dmg obsvly
The loose cap simulates a shaky pommel that can come loose at any moment, it is meant to strike fear into enemies, an unpredictable pommel is the scariest!!! (someone wanted an obligatory pommel joke, I know it is a bit of a stretch, but we need to keep the tradition alive!)
Maybe it's for quick release so you can quickly take it off and end your opponent rightly.
@@hugoakerlund5114 possibly.
I should know, I am the master of quick release....wait are we still talking about sword fighting?
@@CARBman95 bro, Me too
Could it be the SpaceX design? Rapid Unplanned Disassembly, to use their phrase.
It tells the enemy he could be "ended rightly" even with a Japanese sword
Historically double bladed edge in that fashion existed in Japan, they are called kogarasu zukuri but I have never seen it on a nodachi, usually on kodachi and katana.
Nodachi are any blade that is larger than 90 cm so that's a nodachi
Luca Nic what where nodachi used for I can’t think of anything except maybe defending against or used on horse back? Idk but they Susie are awesome
@@aBANDIT.
As far as I know they were an alternative for upper class warriors to the naginata. They had the same purpose of great swords but had also social status features as they were quite expensive.
Probably quite good to deal with multiple opponents at once
aBandit I remember reading somewhere that the battlefield weapon was used for cutting down the enemies’s horse’s legs. Edit: I also remember that the absurdly long ones were more ceremonial and were tributes to temples.
@@aBANDIT. Anti-cavalry and maybe more of a spear-like use because of the length.
Nodachi were also just use like regular swords there were schools created during sengoku period such as kage-ryu that still teach it.
I’m not much into japanese sword but I like this pattern
OUR SOLDIERS ARE RUNNING! SHAMEFUL DISPLAY!
Shamefur disporay
OWAA SORUJYAZU ARU RANNINGU! SHIEYMFURU DISUPUREY!
YOUR GENERAR IS IN GRRRRRRAVE DANJAH MY LORD!”
MY LOOOOOOOOORD! THE ENEMY GENERAL HAS FALLEN! A *CUTTING* BLOW!!!
*BANZAI* !!!!!
"nOoO you cAnT jUst puT A dooubLE EDGe on A nOdAcHi, iT'lL rEdUcE sHeAtH dUrAbIlItY aNd mEss uP THE DRaw cuut-"
"Hehe, false edge go *choop"*
you never draw cut with a sword that long anyway. On top of being virtually impossible it would leave you super vulnerable. Even Samurai when carrying a weapon this large largely carried the weapon rather than wearing it at the hip because it was such a pain in the ass to draw
@@andrewmayo9400 If I recall there are some horse decaptation techniques that use a kind of iaijutsu stance with the nodachi
@@djyppo usually when iai-like techniques are done with a nodachi they are done with the sword unsheathed at one's side
@@andrewmayo9400 true, like the crazy boys from Jigen Ryu, but there's a school that uses some kind of technique to draw it like a normal katana, tho can't remember the name
@@djyppo Einshin Ryu...and I can very much draw a 37.5 inch blade nodachi from my side but that is mainly due to my height...
When you cut with the false edge it looks like a romphia
Very similar performance in the mode.
I noticed that too; who else here thinks that, instead of that weird irrememberable long name the seller gave it, it should've been called something like the Rhodachia?
Yeah that’s why I actually really like the idea of a double edged katana/tachi/nodachi because you can use it as a inverse curved blade and a normally curved blade just find that very interesting
When you used one hand to cut the tatami mat and it was still effortless... That was the first time I audibly guffawed and chuckled at cutting footage. Love the sexy cutting footage!
0:44 If it's short for a nodachi, then it's definitely far too short to be a "Sephiroth sword" as the website calls it.
It's just about long enough to be a nodachi
@@ozkan576 Thanks. I figured that; I'm just saying that it's definitely too small to be a "Sephiroth sword".
@@ozkan576 Sephiroth's sword is like 4 meters longs or something.
@@somberflight 7 feet, 6 of which is blade.
@@DarthSanguine I don't use the barbarian units, what's that in metric?
7:12 now that cut is a Canadian viking having a grand old time. Just look at his face in the slow mo.
Hey Skall I can tell you are getting your fitness back, good work man! I broke my collarbone in a bike crash about a year ago and I have been struggling to get the weight off ever since. You have been my inspiration tho, I finally invested in a proper sword and have been practicing everyday until my arms hurt. The sword gains are for real!
Skol from Chicago!
From my experiences with Swords of Northshire they use some kind of hot glue for the kashira. (pommel.) They never last long especially in hot environments, easily fixable though with super glue or other methods.
Not reeaally a corner to cut but that is also what happens when you make something in one end of the world where the climate is severely different and sending it somewhere else.
I have had this issue with SoN too. My katana guard and fittings loosened because of the glue. Totally okay though because I live in a desert. I fixed it with super glue
The Viking weeboo with a katana on steroids *colourised circa 2020*
I'm not sure I'd call Skall a weaboo considering his stance on katanas lol
This thing is far from a katana. for one thing it's about 20cm longer, and the tsuka is waaaay longer
@@alliums361 Nordboo?
That's just weeord.
Andrew Mayo its a sword
When is Skallagrim gonna be featured as a boss in a Dark Souls-esque game? He could switch between weapons throughout the fight.
Just a massive porcupine of blades sticking out the back that he breaks loose to wield
They should add him as a mod for the Blade Master in Dark Souls 3 😂
@@torunsmok5890
Now that's a Souls boss.
And whenever he lands a good hit on you he says "that was a good cut my edge alignment was a little off but it still went through"
Basically Soul of Cinder
Oh imagine the DIRTY tactics you could use with this thing back in the Feudal era. You cut. Your enemy assumes an opening and then they're met with a backwards cut to the face by the other side of the blade.
That would suck really bad, and with a clean cutter like this sword...I bet the guy wouldn’t even know what happen till all turns to dark with the swift sound of the sword.
@ it was most likely a combination of lack of skill to smith them and also MUH HONORU ISU DISRESPECTERUDU. Since they were pretty damn big on the whole honor codes and whatnot.
@@Paradox_Edge Samurai weren't big on honor until after the sengoku jidia where there wasn't much war going on.
I've seen that exact technique used in an anime at least once, but hell if I remember where.
he will be a sad boi
I have to say, you improved a lot Skal. It's even more noticeable on slowmo. Your cuts are more precise, powerful and controlled. Body movements improved a lot as well ! I'm watching you for a long time and you seem much more relax when you teach these tatami mats who is holding the sword.
Thanks. If only I could finally beat the damn eating disorder for good...
@@Skallagrim Try apples, it's a great appetite suppressant. I lost 7kg (15 pounds?) in 2 weeks by eating celery, bananas and water (a lot, till you hate it), and everytime you want to raid your fridge, eat an apple. After that you can go back to a "I eat whatever I want" diet since your appetite will be reduced. It worked for me ! Just think apples :) I hope it will help you !
@@CookieKurma I know how to lose fat, I've done it before. The problem goes a lot deeper than that.
@@Skallagrim Well, I know it's not much since I'm a random internet guy, but you have my full support and I hope that you'll be able to beat your eating disorder. And keep slicing things, it's getting more and more cool !
When you're Kensei main but you joined Viking faction
Or when you're a viking main then pick up kensei
When you start off as a Kensei main, realize he is OP, then want to experiment with the other charecters
I have a sword from Swords of Northshire. Haven't had a chance to do any cutting with it sadly. But I did customize it. nothing fancy and the total cost was $185. No tax, no shipping cost.
Dang, he just single handed cut using a nodachi. Dude is strong af.
Gotta say, i love when he leaves the follow through in, just something so pleasing about the way the swords move around.
"Sephiroth Sword". Haha. I suppose an average size machete counts as Cloud's buster sword for them, then.
Cloud's buster sword is closer to a falchion
@@GameFuMaster Cloud's Buster Sword is closer to a construction girder that happens to be sharp on one side.
Kissaki Moroha Zukuri. This is the earliest shape of Nihontou on a sword called the Kogarasumaru, or the little crow, or what are considered Japanese swords. Other swords existed at the time, but they were mostly copies or imports from China. There were also Warabite tou, which were swords used by the nomadic northern tribes called the Emishi. The Kogarasu maru is thought to have been made as a combination between the emishi sword and the imported chinese sword, and thus is curved, double edged, and meatier. This shape went out of use in the heian period for swords, but stayed in use for ceremonial purposes on swords, and was the shape used in yari.
I agree. Your comment is roughly correct.
To be precise, it is curved near the hand because it is mainly used on horseback.
It is said that it is double-edged because it is in a transitional period when katana is derived from straight sword.
Moroha Zukuri is often used later as kogatana (short katana).
If you want to know more, I would be grateful if you see my other comments I wrote in this video.
Since it's a machine translation, I'm sorry if it's strange English.
@@rinrinzemi I'm explaining in laymans terms :) Not everyone here will want the full detailed account from a nihonto expert(not me, maybe you lol) Koshizori is of course more prevalent in the heian period. until the kamakura period, also in the muromachi period with katate-uchigatana and many sukesada. But the point I was attempting to make is the ancestry of the shape of the blade.
@@rinrinzemi I base my understanding of this from mokusa den, later becoming yamato senjuin. It's just a shame they took such a big hit after the genpei war.
The Kobayashi Maru, on the other hand, is a civilian vessel stranded in the Klingon Neutral zone in a notorious Starfleet training exercise.
@@Poldovico Maru is a strange term in regards to the name of an object like a ship or a sword. The term is interchangeable between objects of significance.
For swords and knives, I don’t mind the scabbard or sheathe coming a bit tight, they tend to loosen over time anyway. For like OTF or automatic knives, it is a similar concept to wanting the spring that powers the action to be a bit stiff at first, but it loosens a bit over time.
The way I've always heard it, tachi (which were slung edge down) had menuki that rested in the palms with that style of wrap. When the katana developed and they started to wear them edge up it became the norm at some point to place the menuki on the opposite sides from where they were on the tachi so the handles still "looked" the same when worn edge up as they did on the tachi edge down (i.e. with the visible menuki close to the guard). So it became more about aesthetics than function. They became decoration rather than functioning to cover/hold in place the mekugi pins and also acting as palm swells. I too prefer them on the palms and when I re-wrap my handles I tend to place them that way or I use a battle-wrap.
Can we take a second to appreciate the sound at 6:59
9:03 let’s appreciate this too
WHWEHWIHI
Hey Skall, The end cap issue is just a Katana thing. I practice Kenjutsu (and HEMA now thanks to you and other youtubers) and it has plagued all of my swords. On that note, I'm thankful someone else likes the battle wrap, as my training buddies think I'm crazy for liking it.
Sounds like Skallagrim is coming around on Japanese swords 🧙♂️☄🔥
That's a replica of Amakuni's "Kogarasu Maru" or Little Crow. 1st Century this is a style of Nihonto that was the cross over from Ken to Tachi. Other copies have been produced. Including hand made by Katanakaji in Japan. It's a "Revered" Style "Zukuri". A Katanakaji or three have been known to make them through the centuries in Reverence to Amakuni.
Unless everyone in FF7 was three feet tall, that "Sephiroth" sword needs to be about twice as long.
Canonically, Sephiroth's sword is 7ft long overall, 6ft blade.
I'm imagining all the FF7 roster running around three feet tall with garden gnome hats and fighting three foot sephiroth with just a normal sword lmfao
japanese were short, is that your question?
@@kylestanley7843 japans biggest trading partner for tech were the dutch, there is no magic involved as to why japanese have an obsession with "giants"
First time i would actually want to buy a sword from a review. It seems pretty cool to have for a swordnoob. Keep up the great work. Your content is very enjoyable. :D
Fun fact, there is no inbetween a Tachi and a Nodachi, the absolute limits of a Tachi overlap with the minimum of a Nodachi. So, it really comes down to the maker's intention
This kind of edge in japanese is called "Naginata-naoshi" which means a blade that's designed like a naginata. A clipped edge on the upper back spinal region and a fuller only halfway
Wait, isn’t this basically the Little Crow (小烏丸)? Double edged nodachi with a false edge
Thank you Skall! I don't want that sword, too big, but I am a huge fan of the B&W Zatoichi TV series, and guess what else Swords of Northshire makes? You guessed it, a good quality sword stick like that of the blind swordsman.
Overall sir "IT WILL KEEL"!
When your enemy mocks you when you miss but you come back with the false edge
The butt cap was most likely held on by friction, my guess is that a change in climate caused the wood core to slightly shrink, would also explain why the saya was a little tight, while it can be a bit annoying it doesn't detract from the quality it's just a symptom of shipping weapons from one climate to another
I love the audible happiness and pleasant surprise in Skalls voice during the cutting test.
The loose end cap means the Ito wrap wasn't done tight enough.
Could also mean that it needs to be made differently
Kyle Stanley definitely think they should’ve added a adhesive. Can’t exactly just hand a sword over to the clans blade smith anymore
theybadd adhesive but it melts quickly because the blades get sent to hotter climates. I have had this issue with every blade from SoN. Its anneasy fix, just some superglue.
The fittings loosening up are the only issues I have had with these guys. I dont think its a bad thing because I live in an desert though
I used to watch this channel all the time, then I got busy.
Glad to be back!
7:12 maybe there's something we can do to make the footage better...
*plays Princes of the Universe on another tab*
Edo period and later, it became fashionable to put the menuki on the side of the tsuka that faced outward (and least comfortable position for the standard, right-hand lead two handed grip).
I have a hard time taking it seriously when it's called a "sephiroth sword" instead of "Kogarasu" which it actually is.
Skal, I just wanted to take a moment to tell you that I really appreciate this video's title-card. We don't see nearly enough capering in title-cards these days. In fact, it's almost become as rare as sidling, tomfoolery, or even arms-akimbo! So, thank you. Your capering pose is really a breath of fresh air! :)
Somebody clip the "clean, smooth, effortless" part I must use it for memes.
The glint along the blade at 6:36 made it look like you fully charged your attack before releasing the button
The false edge is like a ginunting. This sword is good chasing out looters. Maguro kiri is a good deterrent it’s looks scary but this sword is wicked you have a nodachi with a false edge that cuts like a ginunting.😎
you really do such good sword reviews
You have to say KOREDE SHIMAIDA when you hit something with that weapon, that's the rule.
I see that u r a man of culture as well.
JINJYO NI SHOBU!
@@jocelinarene1951 its "jinjo" actually
I dunno I just copy pasted the for wiki ^^
Some write it jinjyo, some jinjo and even jinjou so... pick your best i guess ^^
@@chriswiddajonathan8941 Jo and jyo are the same thing
double edged extra long katana, cutting through 3.5 inch trees? what an excellent sword. It's funny seeing Skallagrim finally liking Katana's and Japanese swords. It's cuz they're absolutely superb cutters. The hype is real, even if they can't cut througha tank, and they're not magic, and rapiers tend to be longer and out perform in duels and stuff due to thrusting seeming to be better more reliable technique than cutting. still great swords. absolutely love them.
every time i hear Sephiroth his theme music plays in the background :(
Yeee, and then it goes on for like 2 days. And then Sony takes it down.
"It wasn't ideal" - shows a perfectly straight cut with cut off piece not falling apart. That Canadian humility :v
Nice. Good review. Unokubi Zukuri geometry is my favorite. I know they're not your cup of tea, but us katana guys really appreciate it!
Both sides of menuki placement are traditional, as are both styles of tsukamaki (wrap). The menuki placement changed over time....
Edge damage should strop right out....
Adam Novath can fix that loose kashira/end knot for only $20. Studentofwarcustoms.com
So the scabbard being super tight is actually a sign of quality, loose ones bounce around surprisingly easily when walking.
Also that's the same sword bag I got mine in over 10 years ago... popular choice it seems
Do you have a new camcorder? Panasonic gh5? Is there a problem with autofocus?
I don't use autofocus, it's too random and unreliable. But sometimes it's difficult to get the focus exactly right, especially at a distance, with a busy background.
Anything auto is the problem, technology is SO over rated...
@@stonefox9124 if tech is so overated, why don't you go live in the wilderness with the rest of the animals?
@@stonefox9124 Tool you use is only as "smart" as the user
Skall's battle face at 7:04 is badass
"You have to really yank it to get it off." Life on the Internet.
The blade on that sword looks very much like a Kissaki-Moroha-Zukuri design. It fell out of favor with Samurai in the 12th century, but was still worn by nobility and worn for ceremonial purposes. During Japan's modernization, both Army and Navy officers used Kissaki-Moroha-Zukuri designed swords for parade purposes, although they very much resembled European sword designs at this point.
What happens when you forget that that's a double-edged and do a noto(Japanese resheath technique)?
An event known by the Japanese as
Ao-Chi
@@Abdega lol
If you forget that your sword is double edged as you resheath it, you deserve losing your thumb.
#1 golden rule handling sharp items: if you cut yourself, you 100% deserved it. I know I have done it before. I left a sword on the ground and was stepping by it, I noticed it and thought to myself "I should probably pick that up before I cut my foot- yeup. Just like that." Was kinda funny but I deserved it
Thank you for the thorough review. I purchased one and am currently waiting.
Northshire always felt sketchy to me as does any Chinese based sword store that uses copy-paste English translations all over their website.
Took a risk once with a Ryansword (I know) and fortunately wasn't burned on that deal, but they didn't sharpen it very well. Because of the high polish I dare not attempt to sharpen it myself, so unfortunately it is mainly for appearance.
It's nice to see you review one of their products, gives me a bit more confidence when considering purchasing from them.
There are a lot of sword factories in Longquan China and some of them are really good, even if their english is far from great and you have to be as simple as possible when communicating with them. Huawei Swords (nothing to do with the phone manufacturer) is one of the best, and most expensive. From more affordable brands Sinosword is good and relatively safe bet. To my knowledge Sword Of Northshire and Ryansword come from exactly the same factory, but I have an impression that Sword Of Northshire may have better quality control (and that is reflected in the price) but you can get exactly the same sword from Ryansword for cheaper, just with more gambling involved. Don't quote me on that though.
*edit* Correction, Ryansword is one of SoN's suppliers.
@@MaaZeus That actually makes so much sense! I noticed similarities in Ryansword and Northshire's options and stock.
I always play the caution game when it comes to the more expensive selections, because there's always a site that describes a sword as 1095 but the blade shown is obviously a cheap stainless steel blade.
The latest trend I see is companies selling T10 tool steel blades. Which I have yet to jump the gun on, but hear good things.
The manuki were meant to keep the mekugi pegs from falling out mid battle and act as palm swells to help align the blade. Problem is, recently, (and by recently, I mean, oh, about five or six hundred years ago) that was forgotten, the side of the koshirae they were on was reversed and they were then used as ornaments rather than functional pieces. They were originally were your palms are.
II. The Evolution of the Functions of Menuki and the Emergence of Morphological Patterns.
From a pure functionalist point of view, menuki was basically born out of rather pragmatic demand to serve primarily as “mekugi osae” or the cover (or lid) over mekugi pin. Examinations of old Kara-tachi (japanese version of a tang dao, they're about the size of a normal tachi, but straight with the same geometry as the nodachi in the vid) and Kazari-ken (court swords) koshirae (handle) made in Nara through early Heian periods(794 to 1185), such as the ones in Shosoin Museum and Tokyo National Museum, tend to confirm this functional origin of menuki among the earliest styles koshirae. (See Ogasawara, 1994 for photos.)
However, soon its secondary function to serve as a pair of ornaments began to be emphasized equally (Suzuki, 1995). Additionally, many other “latent functions (i.e., not originally intended or obvious but still important eu-functions)” were discovered (e.g., tactile indicators to tell the correct orientation of the edge or correct “tenouchi,” palm swells, status/rank symbols, religious charm, etc.). Then over the course of the evolution of Nihon-to koshirae, those secondary and latent functions of menuki seem to have taken over its “manifest function (i.e., originally intended and well recognized purpose)" completely.
This kind of phenomenon and the transformation of secondary or latent functions into manifest functions is commonly observed with any material culture/cultural artifact that has one thousand years of evolutionary history... However, the functional evolution of menuki and its placement in the context of specific style of koshirae it is not all random, either. Over the course of its evolution, placement of menuki has certainly developed morphological patterns that can be recognized in each style of koshirae. (See for example Takeuchi, 2003, on historically more accurate menuki placement in two different versions of so called “katate-maki.”)"
Katate-maki is the wrap you have. It's purpose is said to have come in to use around the time tachi were being used on horse back, so the thought was that it was predominantly used for a better one handed grip. Then it was thought that it came back into use as a convenience thing whenever the ito came loose and the samurai didnt have time to wrap it. Like, for instance, after, during or before a battle... or something. They would simply coil the ito around the mid section and then continue the traditional wrap as you see.
One more thing, nihon-to is the vocabulary for a japanese sword. Like, purely japanese, as in, made in Japan, with japanese tamahagane (bloomery steel), in a japanese forge, by a certified japanese living national treasure bladesmith, using the same traditional japanese tools and techniques they've used for thousands of years.
Every sword made this way is a national treasure and it is extremely (might as well be impossible) to get them out of the country. No other type of sword is allowed in the country, other than museum pieces, even the nodachi that skall has. (Well, I suppose it would be extremely difficult to the point of being impossible to get them in, several years of paperwork, monthly check-ups/police visits, etc. Just like owning a gun, I'd assume.)
It doesn't even matter if you've been an apprentice under one of the bladesmiths for decades, if you aren't japanese, it won't be considered a nihon-to nor will it matter if you follow every procedure and meet every condition if you're outside the country. It won't be a nihon-to.
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I acknowledge that this comment is absurdly and needlessly long, that very few people will likely read it and that it kind of goes all over the place with seemingly little connection to each topic and for that... I dunno, you read it lol
Hey Skall, do you think you could get around to testing the Deuce III from zombie tools. I found one video of someone testing it but it was very disorienting and a little too fast paced. Just whenever you want I would be super happy if you did your demonstrations on it ^-^
6:58. That was one neat cut, technique is on point!
Well, now you just needs to buy the custom armor and find a king to serve. But I think you are on track to become Sir Alonne.
I've been waiting for a son review of this quality thanks skall you've come through yet again
Glad you found it helpful.
It's so sad!! Swords Of The Northshire is a great company to work with.. Customer service is awsome (you deal with a dude named Bryce I believe. Great customer service!) But the kashira (end cap) coming off is a problem. Have seen it on several reviews, and it happened on a sword I ordered after 1 tatami mat!!! Seems at this point they would address it!! I have 100 dollar Musashi katanas I have been banging into things for years that are still as tight as when I got them!!! Would be an awsome product if they could rectify that one problem!
Finally a real world usable reliable blade that's customizable. AWESOME review
5:46 Skalls not used to the long handle eh ;)
Ayo
I appreciate that the entire blade isnt double edge still giving you the option to use it like a polearm.
Joy is a blade that just glides through the target
Greatest the weapon that cuts on its own.
Swords of northshire are really good quality. Got a 1095 high carbon steel clay tempered and folded and it's a beauty forgiving on it's cuts but I'm focusing on the form to not rely on the sword as much
0:12 What? I have to click the "subscriptions" tab to see my subscriptions? Wow. Never thought of that.
So I have been right all along. People "miss videos" only because they are expecting everything to show on the home page. Not because "RUclips is trying to hide them". Like, for real, if you are subscribed to a hundred channels like I am, there's no way YT could show everything on the front page. It's ridiculous that you have to tell people to check the subscriptions tab if they want to see their subscriptions.
EDIT: I literally have my RUclips set in a way that when I click "RUclips" it takes me straight to the subscriptions tab, and I can easily recommend that to everyone else too.
That's not the entire problem. I have seen the "Inbox" page filled with a random subset of comment replies while randomly skipping subscribed videos. I have also seen subscribed videos not listed on the subscription page unless drilling down into each channel. Bell settings are randomly implemented by AI instead of providing deterministic options.
I would love to see you go over some Dark Souls weapons. Obviously some are in the same category as the Buster Sword, being unwieldy, but some are in between: like the Astoria Greatsword, or the Hollowslayer Greatsword. Some weapons are just common weapons, but going over a few that skirt the line would be interesting.
He has done that during some of his livestreams.
So what would that make you, a Weajin?
The sound of the wind being cut is so satisfying.
The gaijin living in japan support you! (Or at least I do. I can’t speak for all of us) unfortunately from my understanding, it’d be illegal in japan.
I don't think double edged swords are illegal, but you would have to register it as an art object. So, that'd be an easy $2000/20kyen blade in Japan.
Skal that was a reproduction of murata sword its a double edge katana produce during WW2. my grandpa have that one. And you can see that too in high school of the dead anime one of the female MC use that kind of sword.
No jokes about pommels? I must be too early.
Great vid Skall! I've been watching your vids for a long time now, and I love your content. Pretty much all of it entertains me, so much to the point that I found a mod for Skyrim that adds in a lot of the better weapons you've reviewed in the game. Anyway, the vids are great and you never cease to amuse me, keep up the awesome work!
Your reviews of Katana and katana-ish weapons are very entertaining
"BUt tHaT's NoT LoNg EnouGH tO bE a SePHiroTH SwwOOrrDD!!!"
Geez, Sephiroth fanboys here trying their best to protect their idol's greatest insecurity. Everybody knows good 'ole Seph is compensating for something. This sword is just trying to expose the truth.
You have a good honest channel. Very agreeable
They should have called it "The sword of Grayson". In the Honor Harrington books that world has a fencing style centered around exactly this style of sword.
The Grayson swords canonically have cruciform hilts (Weber has complained about the cover art getting that wrong) and I don't think they're this long?
@@logitimate While the hilt point is true and the length can u guess be argued about it´s the closest thing in production to a Grayson sword i have ever seen. (also amusing to see a few ppl here actually getting the reference)
Yeah, I'm a definite Honorverse fan, having looked into it after enjoying Weber's collaborations with Eric Flint on the Ring of Fire . . . "series" seems an inadequate term. Universe? Setting?
"Your Grace, I have only one question. Do you wish this man crippled, or dead?"
@@logitimate good one, my favorite though would be "To treecats, enemys only come in two categories. Those sufficiently dealt with, and those still alive".
That sword is vastly longer than a standard katana, which would qualify it as a nodachi. Japanese sword measurements are very inexact and have broad ranges. As for menuki placement, on my own Swords of Northshire custom katana, it does not have a battle wrap; they have placed the menuki on the opposite sides, under where the palms would be placed, rather than the fingertips. It's much more comfortable, in case you decide to order more blades from them in the future. Keep up the good work, Skall!
Skal just said a japanese-style blade was good.
He's either gone insane or this is the best japanese-style blade ever forged.
Edit: im being sarcastic skal, love ya man keep up the good reviews.
As I understand about the tsuki-maki. The menuki were originally placed reversed of modern versions because it actually fulfilled the job of filling the cavity in the palm for a more comfortable grip. As the peace times came, they started placing the menuki on the finger's side because it made more better aesthetics during demos and such, that way the pretty little detailed pieces are still visible when held. And the "battle wrap" should refer to the lack of folding/diamonds in the center. The only reason I've heard of it done was to reduce the time needed for manufacturer when supplying and army. I'm sure it was cheaper too since it's a lot less labor. Have you ever tried doing your own tsuki-maki? It's a real hand cramper, and traditionally they would have little triangles of origami under the wrap to make the diamonds more consistent and less likely to come loose, I never did that, WAY too much work. lol
Very happy to see this positive review. I have a custom katana from SON on the way. Hopefully my end cap is more secure.
I really like the lean aesthetic of this nodachi. It has a slim tsuka(grip) and a nice sori(curvature).
absolutely never thought i'd see you enjoying yourself with a japanese sword, let alone one called... *sephiroth sword*
The loose cap isn't ideal but not a deal breaker. They're not typically glued in place anyway, it's just a consequence of actually using the sword and the wrap shifting around. Tighten the wrap and it ought to be fine.
The traditional scabbards for Japanese blades contract and warp slightly depending on the season. In the winter they’d sometimes even change scabbards.
Even though I am more of a European sword fan, Nodachi really pushes all the right buttons for me. Huge, badass and aesthetically pleasing. Plus I really, really liked banzai charging the shit out of enemy army with No-dachi samurai units in Total War: Shogun2
I'd actually love a Nodachi of that size. Reach/mobility/maneuverability.