Post by Marc Kaden Ridgeway on Mar 31, 2009 22:21:19 GMT -5
Oni Forge Kogarasu
April 8,2007
On the sixth of this month I returned home from a grueling two month European trip , to find the double-edged katana from Oni Forge on my doorstep.Talk about a balm for weary travelers...
The azalea by my back porch is blooming, so there's no need to import flowers this time...
Specifications[/SIZE]
Nagasa: 28 in.
Tsuka: 11 in.
Weight: 2.5 lbs
Sori: 3/4 in.
Moto-Haba: 1 1/4 in.
Saki-Haba: 1 1/16 in.
Moto-Kasane: 5/16 in.
Saki-kasane: 4/16 inch
Steel: AISI 1070
Aesthetics[/SIZE]
Sugata is kissaki-moroha-zukuri. The moroha kissaki measures 13 1/8 inches (this is the double edged portion of the blade)
The hamon is Gunome-Midare , and transitions to Suguha in the kissaki. It is subtle , and would be a knockout with a little acid enhancing.
The blade features a bohi up to the kissaki, with a parallel sohi extending the full length of the sword.
The fuchigashira are the same stone finished set on the Kiyomaro and Ryu. The menuki are silver waves, and the tsuba is the 8 circles design.The tsuba looks more at home on the Kogarasu than on the Kiyomaro.
This is my biggest issue with Oni : lack of variety in the hardware. The fittings are nice enough, but several models share the same outfittings.Model specific hardware would be nice for those of us who can't seem to stop at just one.
Fit and finish are up to Oni's usual excellence.Ito-maki is nice and tight,and is blue, a nice break from the usual mundane black ito.
Polish is well done, and the unusual kissaki is nicely executed.
Handling Characteristics[/SIZE]
The Kogarasu handles like a dream. Ito-maki is tight and slip-free. Tsuka-ho is slim and tapered...making it ergonomicaly pleasing to the grip.
Nagasa is 28 inches, combined with the bo hi so hi and long double edged kissaki results in a balance point of around 4.5 inches from the tsuba. Needless to say it is very lively.
Cutting[/SIZE]
My original inclination was to believe that this was the area in which this katana would be weakest.
Although both edges are nearly razor sharp, I believed the geometry and cog would make a poor cutter.
While in truth , I haven't tackled any heavy targets(and most likely won't) this thing is wicked on light targets , sailing through plastic bottles with no resistance.
Ususally on empty 20 ouncers , I pooch a couple of cuts and the bottle sails... however not with this sword.
Conclusion[/SIZE]
This sword is well put together, nice looking and fun to handle.It excells in all the areas you really want from a user production piece .
It is another good model in Oni's lineup.
Oni demonstrates consistantly high quality,well performing products, with refreshing imagination.
I can't wait to see what Loren has in store for the next generation or two of Oni products.
As always , thanks for taking the time to read this humble review.
April 8,2007
On the sixth of this month I returned home from a grueling two month European trip , to find the double-edged katana from Oni Forge on my doorstep.Talk about a balm for weary travelers...
The azalea by my back porch is blooming, so there's no need to import flowers this time...
Specifications[/SIZE]
Nagasa: 28 in.
Tsuka: 11 in.
Weight: 2.5 lbs
Sori: 3/4 in.
Moto-Haba: 1 1/4 in.
Saki-Haba: 1 1/16 in.
Moto-Kasane: 5/16 in.
Saki-kasane: 4/16 inch
Steel: AISI 1070
Aesthetics[/SIZE]
Sugata is kissaki-moroha-zukuri. The moroha kissaki measures 13 1/8 inches (this is the double edged portion of the blade)
The hamon is Gunome-Midare , and transitions to Suguha in the kissaki. It is subtle , and would be a knockout with a little acid enhancing.
The blade features a bohi up to the kissaki, with a parallel sohi extending the full length of the sword.
The fuchigashira are the same stone finished set on the Kiyomaro and Ryu. The menuki are silver waves, and the tsuba is the 8 circles design.The tsuba looks more at home on the Kogarasu than on the Kiyomaro.
This is my biggest issue with Oni : lack of variety in the hardware. The fittings are nice enough, but several models share the same outfittings.Model specific hardware would be nice for those of us who can't seem to stop at just one.
Fit and finish are up to Oni's usual excellence.Ito-maki is nice and tight,and is blue, a nice break from the usual mundane black ito.
Polish is well done, and the unusual kissaki is nicely executed.
Handling Characteristics[/SIZE]
The Kogarasu handles like a dream. Ito-maki is tight and slip-free. Tsuka-ho is slim and tapered...making it ergonomicaly pleasing to the grip.
Nagasa is 28 inches, combined with the bo hi so hi and long double edged kissaki results in a balance point of around 4.5 inches from the tsuba. Needless to say it is very lively.
Cutting[/SIZE]
My original inclination was to believe that this was the area in which this katana would be weakest.
Although both edges are nearly razor sharp, I believed the geometry and cog would make a poor cutter.
While in truth , I haven't tackled any heavy targets(and most likely won't) this thing is wicked on light targets , sailing through plastic bottles with no resistance.
Ususally on empty 20 ouncers , I pooch a couple of cuts and the bottle sails... however not with this sword.
Conclusion[/SIZE]
This sword is well put together, nice looking and fun to handle.It excells in all the areas you really want from a user production piece .
It is another good model in Oni's lineup.
Oni demonstrates consistantly high quality,well performing products, with refreshing imagination.
I can't wait to see what Loren has in store for the next generation or two of Oni products.
As always , thanks for taking the time to read this humble review.