Nice review. I got the Dragonfly Wakizashi and now I'm thinking about the full-size.

I always noticed that too. Was able to tell the blade was an unokubi zukuri, but was surprised they didn't play thet up in their typical fashion. As an unokubi guy, Would be very interested to feel one of those in hand.

@erichusayn

2 жыл бұрын

Noticing marked improvement in your cutting since you've started. Couple nice statics on there.

@mr.excalibur1455

2 жыл бұрын

@@erichusayn As usual ... you are too kind. As always it is much appreciated.

@erichusayn

2 жыл бұрын

@@mr.excalibur1455 welcome

I believe the narrow bo hi is called a so hi

Great video!

@mr.excalibur1455

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you.

I didn’t even realize, but you’re absolutely right!!

@mr.excalibur1455

2 жыл бұрын

... about what?

Unokubi is a significant blade geometric to mention, don't understand why certain companies don't highlight that...maybe they are catering to a specific market...that is a beefy looking blade simular to the hanwei Raptor Unokubi....Fit and finish is very high on my list on nessecities on katana, for the price that is not good in my eyes...still a handsome looking sword

@mr.excalibur1455

2 жыл бұрын

Yes ... it was a really neat looking sword. I really is a mystery as to why CS didn't mention that about the blade geometry. They are usually so on top of their marketing. Not really sure why that obvious factoid isn't mentioned even in their promotion info.

Holy wow that sword I wanted to get from BudK magazine in like 05.

Man!!! That is a beautiful Katana. I like that a lot. Cool video sir. Suggestion, tone the background music down a little more. Do t change it though, cause it’s awesome ambiance. Just lessen it a bit. Thanks for the review. Love your channel.

@mr.excalibur1455

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much. Glad you like the music.

Great review but Please Lose the Music lol

One thing I didn't notice you say so apologies if you mentioned it but the sori (curvature) Of the blade is more than most production katana.

I may be wrong but I think the dragonfly katana used to be different... One of the earliest sword proof videos by Cold steel I'm pretty sure they're refer to it as a Shobu-zukuri not a Unokubi-Zukuri. But I'd have to go rewatch to be sure.

Would you still recommend this sword? Also I want to buy a Katana around the $500 mark. Any suggestions? Thanks!

i ve seen this in my local ebay jaja (south america version). i always wonder about the quality since i was not able to find many reviews. my other concern was the cold steel brand issues like you say the lose kashira and the sharp fuchi, but mostly the saya in cold steel products seem to crack. may i ask is the nakago glued to the tsuka? i think you and mr Jensen mention that during the handling of the imperial model. great vid really appreciate also more after the huawei one.

@mr.excalibur1455

2 жыл бұрын

Not sure about the about the handle being glued. I, generally speaking, don't disassemble these pieces. Thanks for the view.

I keep wondering what it is with eBay my friends would buy stuff on there and there's always something wrong, I got a katana right from cold steel and have had no problems with it, but Everytime I hear eBay red flags start waving, I'd say if you want a cold steel weapon buy it from them not these other sits .

Can it be disassembled for maintanance? TIA

One thing I dislike about Cold Steel is that they measure the blade length to the tsuba and not to the munemachi. Had a student who had to send a blade back due to that.

@magnumopus1628

2 жыл бұрын

I just say this katana on a website in which they give both measures.

I wish these katanas would have an authentic hamon. Mr. Excalibur, it's called a Bo he. The weight needs to be nearest the handguard and never near the blade's tip.

@mr.excalibur1455

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for the clarification. I appreciate that. I'm aware of the need for proper weight distribution. Cold Steel has always been a weird one. Their designs and castings are really nice. I like the idea of their broad heavy blades. Its the execution of how they seemingly just throw these things together that is very frustrating. And ... I am FAR from alone in that assessment.

1055 steel does it have good edge retention or is it tough

@mr.excalibur1455

2 жыл бұрын

The edge that Cold Steel puts these swords isn't that great to begin with. Its very much a tearing edge. Meaning ... the put a good primary bevel on it ... but then they ripped the edge with a finer secondary bevel. Edge retention ... funny thing ... I've never heard of a Cold Steel katana breaking. As far as actual retention of the blade ... not really sure. 1055 is also used by Hanwei. Cold Steel's blades tend to be VERY robust ... so the mass behind that edge is still gonna do a lot of actual damage. But if you are looking at doing something along the line of tameshigiri ... ya might wanna look at other brands.

You should do the review of the cold steel warrior o katana there okatana model

@mr.excalibur1455

2 жыл бұрын

I've done three CS Katanas now and my assessment has been pretty consistent. They have really nice designs ... but that are poorly executed. I've heard about their O-Katana ... I've also heard its quite the chore in finding one. From what I understand its simply a larger version of the Warrior Katana. I've looked at two of those already. Bought one for the review I did ... and then bought another very recently just to see if I could get one with some of those QC issues resolved. NOPE! Thing wasn't all that sharp ... no problems with the saya this time ... but the kashira had a nasty burr on it left over from casting ... AND the tsuka was shoved up into it at an awkward angle like the Dragonfly being reviewed here. However ... thank you for the recommendation. I'll take it under advisement.

@mr.excalibur1455

2 жыл бұрын

PS- Also did their Golden Lion Katana ... beautiful blade ... lovely hada ... everything else was very subpar though.

@outlawsamurai47

2 жыл бұрын

@@mr.excalibur1455 I found on on kult of athena

@outlawsamurai47

2 жыл бұрын

@@mr.excalibur1455 and thanks for the feed bacj

thats why id recommend all swordsmanship practitioners to drink 1 jug of juice a day

What steel is it made out of?

@mr.excalibur1455

Жыл бұрын

Typically Cold Steel uses a pretty robust 1060 High Carbon Steel for their katana.

@mr.excalibur1455

Жыл бұрын

According to Kult of Athena ... it's 1055.

@cadencero5313

Жыл бұрын

@@mr.excalibur1455 Thanks for the info.

I forgot to ask an extremely important question. Where is it made?

@mr.excalibur1455

2 жыл бұрын

All Cold Steel katanas while marketed in the US are made in China.

Looks like a beefy version of the Munetoshi Viper.

@mr.excalibur1455

2 жыл бұрын

Interesting you should say that. Finally got a hold of one of those bad boys. Been looking for one for a year now. Have to say, overall, not all that impressed. If I had to choose between the two of them ... I'd take my chances with this Cold Steel. I like the heavier blades. Just wish they would sharpen them better. My initial impressions of the Viper is that its a little TOO light. Will do a review if of it ... but it probably won't come out for a couple of months.

@tengu190

2 жыл бұрын

@@mr.excalibur1455 The Viper is meant to be a light cutter.

@tengu190

2 жыл бұрын

@@mr.excalibur1455 The most expensive Unokubi Zukuri has to be Skyjiro Taka at $4,400. You might as well get a custom at that price.

@mr.excalibur1455

2 жыл бұрын

@@tengu190 Agreed. However ... there is light ... then there is "if I miss hitting this little water bottle ... this thing might fly apart!" I think they are too lightly built. Very attractive design though. I can see why they are so popular.

@mr.excalibur1455

2 жыл бұрын

@@tengu190 I currently have on order from Lyuesword a unokubi zukuri bladed katana. It'll have a suede leather ito wrap (love those with the Raptor series), 12"tsuka & a 30" nagasa, with a 9260 spring steel blade. It should be arriving in a few weeks. We'll see how that one turns out.

You know what's really weird about Cold steel the fact that so many of their swords have loose guards yet aren't made by the same company. Their European swords aren't made by the same company that makes their Japanese swords and there's probably several companies that make their Japanese swords. But regardless of what kind of sword you get from them almost all of them have problems with loose guards... How odd

@Man_Cave

2 жыл бұрын

and they always come dull as a butter knife.

@asa-punkatsouthvinland7145

2 жыл бұрын

@@Man_Cave 2 of the ones I have came pretty sharp (talwars & shamshir), 1 came shaving sharp (regular Grosse Messer) & 1 came pretty dull (Scottish basket hilt) but even so I hear many say there's were fairly full so regardless there is definitely room for improvement

@Man_Cave

2 жыл бұрын

@@asa-punkatsouthvinland7145 I have heard that, as well. I suppose all of us who buy swords need to buy a Ken Onion Worksharp .

So they'd selling cold steel on eBay Good buy.

@mr.excalibur1455

2 жыл бұрын

Yes ... based upon what other folks have said about buying swords on eBay ... I guess I lucked out. I also bought two of their European models ... same result ... they both came in perfect shape.