JKOO / Sinosword $99 Steel Iaito (practice/blunt katana) Review
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- Опубликовано: 14 окт 2024
- JKOO 1050 Iaito
This is a review of the JKOO iaito. You can find more info about their products here. www.sinosword....
Some work needed to be done but I thought it was worth the asking price. If you are looking for a practice katana on a budget this is a worthy consideration.
Handle/Tsuka Length: 11”
Blade/Nagasa Length: 28.75” (without habaki)
Sori: .75”
Moto-haba: 1.23”
Saki-haba: .79”
Motokasane: .29”
Sakikasane: .10”
Weight: 2lb 3.9oz
POB: 4” from tsuba
MSRP: $99
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I think it's funny that a 100$ practice sword manages to get noticeable distal taper while so many swords on the reproduction market seemingly no matter the price point ends up lacking any distal taper when they really should have it and makes them feel like crowbars.
likely because Longquan, where it was likely made; has more tenured experience swordsmiths than the rest of the world combined. Don't know how they managed to keep up that habit through the CCP dramas of the last century, but glad they did.
Appreciate this review. I feel it does fill a need for the beginner iaido practitioner who is on a budget.
Great review! Thanks Matthew.
Excellent video as always. Good job, sir
Thank you for sharing Matthew all the swords you review you make me want to buy them! :-)
I started practicing at the being of the year with a bokken and bought an $80 steel iaito 8 weeks ago to use instead. The difference is like night and day. Love using the iaito and it feels great in the hand. So much nicer than using a piece of wood!
Idk I started with a nice Japanese made bokken. While swords are awesome a good wood bokken feels nice the the hand in my opinion.
I have my 2nd JKOO sword on the way! Should arrive tomorrow. They do take a while to arrive.
Matt, excellent video, and presentation of this jkoo liado sword as usual, Along the same quality control issues I have had with my jkoo shinken that I have addressing with them for months now...so much so I am having them totally redo one of my early orders with them...curious how did the Habaki fit and stay in place along the nakago? This was my biggest issue along with the tsuba and seppa not sized in place on the nakago...With better quality control on the fit and finish this would would have a very good option for the money, which it still is as you said...I understand QC may not be there at 99usd but it is also not always present on 300usd....nice gesture at the end to donate the sword, always good of you..great job...cheers Matt
Hey Jensen Love your vids , you are awesome and hilarious . Thank you for your insight , much needed & appreciated . I'm a novice collector but watching your vids have helped . Your rants are rare but hysterical and informative . Jkoo needs to improve on customer service and quality control , they don't do very well at fulfilling custom requests on certain inventory that allow for cosmetic and aesthetic changes . I only care to give Them another chance because their blades are superb . Their t10s are pretty awesome & solid for the price . But really customer service is dismal !
Thanks for the review. Digging the "top knot".
I ordered this exact iaito from them. But I recieved an iaito that had completely different fittings and black ito. Lol. And the bo hi was very shallow which makes the tachikaze barely audible. Even with proper form and edge alignment. But at least it was a steel blade and not the zinc alloy.
Indeed, it is not the easiest tool to use for sure but for the money its not too shabby. I find the newer pieces out of Tozando tend to be better learning tools if they are in your budget.
There is also another option which is to make a kabihito from a shinken. You can find a decent shinken sub $200, and blunt it.
Hi Matthew
Nice review, the zinc alloy is allowed in Japan any other kind of steel is not allowed especially when attending All Japan Kendo Federation and other federations tournaments and taikai in Japan and also applies to Shinken blades as well.
Things have changed. The cheapest Iaito on Tozando's site is $377.95 USD. They go up quick from there, the next 2 put you over the $500 USD mark. That's a far departure from the 200 USD you said in this video. Making, JKOO/Sinosword's Musashi performance iaito, still at 99 bucks 2 years later, very much worth it. (By the way, they don't charge for moving the kurigata, I'm missing my right arm. Every other forge I called wanted 40 bucks. So, say what you want, and I know results vary, but I've been enjoying the feel. I highly advise you take a chance, if you are looking for a dull iaito. If you are buying a Daito... you might should look elsewhere, like said Tozando. No questioning their quality.
I have been using Jkoo iaito (aluminum alloy) for 6 months now.
As Mr. Jensen said, you have to do DIY "adjustment". I had to shim my saya koiguchi because it was very loose.
I shimmed it with cotton paper (watercolor paper) and wood glue.
I am expecting Tozando in a few months. But it's good for the price.
is the aluminum alloy one like sharp
like can it cut ur finger
Dull blade (unsharp), so you can't hurt yourself.
I am about to start learning Araki Ryu Iaido, so this kind of encourages me. I am beginning to collect nihonto (eagerly awaiting a sweet blade from Swords of Northshire), but was always curious why iaito seem to cost less than shinken on average. I guess it's because iaito are generally unsharpened as well as the grade of steel used?
16:53 Candle wax rub and a light blast with a heat gun would be my suggestion. might take 3 coats but I like how it makes the wrap feel. Just personal preference that lacquer sucks for wraps.
I have not tried that yet.
@@Matthew_Jensen I once tried with lacquer and some time later it was worn off. Likely absorbed into my hands to some degree, as skin is permeable. Just my opinion, the wax is superior not just in feel but as a matter of avoiding chemical toxicity.
My problem with sub $350 is for my style Seiteigata and MSR they blades are short. The shortest blade we recommed people get is 2.45 but usually 2.55/2.6 is what people get as their first iaito. Many of the sub $250 iaito is that they only go to 29" if that and the fit of the tsuka is usually bad.
Three years later and it is STILL only $99. Not sure if that's a good thing, tbh. Seems like it would be fine for someone who isn't training in any serious manner, but if you are, I'd say hold off until you can afford something better, then try some out until you find the weight and balance you like before you commit.
Something to note is that this iaito appears to only be available in one blade length. Most "proper" iaito can be purchased in different blade lengths, which is important in relation to your height. At 2.34 shaku, (71cm) the JKOO would be suitable for someone around 5'5" (165cm) tall.
I mean a decent bokuto is going to run you about 100 including saya and decent sageo, and you also don't get to choose its length.
Hi Matthew, are those marks on your arm from practicing iaito (re-sheathing) with a sharp blade?
nope, not sword related
@@Matthew_Jensen keep up the great work. Love your watching your channel in Australia 👍
Nice, I ended up buying a cheaper Ryujin brand Iaito to train with while I wait for my Tozando Iaito to be made (since their lead times can be a couple months). It's a bit heavier and I hopefully don't develope any training scars trying to fight the weight but nonetheless it allows me to start.
Matt, that’s a cool shirt by the way, where’d you get it?
Its a shirt from my Toyama dojo, I was headed there after recording the video.
Well said sir 👏
neat thanks
You mention towards the beginning of the video buying swords directly from japan, is there a good website for that?
Tozando is a great place to buy iaito and i believe they also offer Shinken upon request.
No complaints about Tozando, but I personally prefer Seido. They have very good customer service.
@@ambulocetusnatans Oh, cool, thanks for the reply to both of you. I was going to ask if Tozando had any competition I could compare between. Thanks for the suggestion.
Couldn't one just order one of the other MANY katanas that are out there that are 1060 steel for a
Good video. 👍
What is the name of the heavier Iaito? I’m looking for something similar
I think you can get a steel iaito from JKOO and it would be heavier.. Or are you asking about Bertha?
Who is the maker of Bertha?
is it heat treated? can it be sharpened and used as a sword? and how will it be compared to a 1045 or 1060 blade?
The site says that it is but it would not be too easy.. the edge is pretty thick and it would take a lot to give it a good edge angle.
You can get a sharp from them for the same price range, so I'm not sure why you would want to do that.
Hey guys,
You think you’d be able to put a niku edge on it?
Instead of your standard sharpening.
@@ambulocetusnatans maybe at some point some may want a sharp sword after practicing with iaito,,, so having the blade heat treated will save a lot later... and the reason i asked is i already have one made of 1050 steel.. thinking of sharpening it,,
@@raizowanderer My advice: join a Dojo and ask your Sensei.
Is it springy or bendy ?
👍✌️
Not bad for $100. Maybe ill snag one just for safety reasons around my kids...
Can you comment on the balance of this Iaito?
Balance was fine, a bit light but that is sometimes ideal in iaito.
I know its not a sharp sword but everytime you touch the blade it kinda scared me.
I have 4 katons
Snafu
? did I miss something?
Cpt Snafu from chivalry deadliest warrior?