Weight on a Katana.

[Cryozombie]

I had a Katana made for me a couple years ago... I never thought much about this, but recently some friends of mine purchased some Paul Chen Katanas...

I notice that theirs, have an overal weight and balance that is radicaly different than mine.

When I hold mine in a one-handed grip, it feels heavy twords the tip of the blade, like most of the weight is in the cutting area... almost as if the point wants to pull twords the ground.

On their Paul Chen's, the weight seems centered lower, closer to the Tsuba, so that the sword seems to have a natural balance between the blade and the Tsuka.

Is it wrong that my blade balances this way? And if so... would that be correctable by having a longer Tsuka made for the sword?

 

[Ronald R. Harbers]

Some people like a heavier blade because they feel it gives them a better cut. Others prefer the weight at the Tsuba so that the blade seems as if it isn't there at all. I guess it's a matter of preference.

 

[Charles Mahan]

The more towards the tip the weight is shifted, the better it will cut all other things being equal. The more you shift it towards the tsuba, the easier the sword will be to manipulate, a characteristic which is VERY important in a fight. There is a happy medium between the two, but it varies a bit from person to person.

 

[Cryozombie]

Do you think that lengthening the Tsuka is a good idea then? I asked the guys who made my Katana, and they said that if the Nagako was long enough there would be no problem lengthening it to 15", which is closer to what a prefer. (the Bokken that I use for training has a long Tuska)

Thats expensive, however, and I don't know if that will make a signifigant difference...

 

[bignick]

not to get too off topic here...but you had a katana made?...sounds pretty cool...do you have any pictures of it...???

 

[Cryozombie]

not to get too off topic here...but you had a katana made?...sounds pretty cool...do you have any pictures of it...???

I do, on my other PC. They are not very good, they are the ones the guy from the sword place took.

I'm good friends with a photographer who does a lot of product photos for ad's and stuff... maybe Ill ask her to shoot some pics of it tomorrow when I meet up with her in the AM.

If she can, Ill post a couple tomorrow afternoon sometime.