Manchurian Candidates
Various Katana made by Chen Chao-Po a.k.a. Paul Chen

by WarAngel. Revised April 29, 1999

Less than two years ago, a Taiwanese gentleman named Chen Chao-Po (or "Paul Chen" in English) caused a ripple in the mass-market production sword industry with the advent of a Japanese-style sword dubbed "The Shinto Katana". Loosely based on but not accurately reproducing the blades (and performance of) the Japanese Shinto Period (1597 - 1790 A.D.) swords, the Shinto Katana was the western world's first production sword actually forged to traditional-style specifications.

The traditional Nihon-to (or "Japanese Sword") is a product of forge folding, clay treatment, and differential hardening. This creates a hard edge for edge-retention while allowing for a softer back for shock tolerance and impact absorption. Traditional Nihon-to are forged straight or with only a slight curvature. Clay is applied to the blade, with a very thin coat on the edge and a thicker coat on the back. In the final stages of the heat treating process, the blade is quenched. The thinly coated edge cools at a faster rate than the back, transforming into a crystalline form called "martensite", which is a very hard and relatively large crystalline form. Conversely, the thicker coating on the back allows slower cooling and the crystalline structure reverts back into "pearlite", which is a comparatively smaller form. This metallurgical phenomenon creates the curve that is characteristic of the traditional Nihon-to.

The ripple grew larger as people began to see the differences between the Shinto Katana versus the plethora of replicas made of stainless steel by companies in Taiwan and Spain. The blade of the Shinto katana is a differentially tempered steel blade mounted in traditional style fittings. Although it has its shortcomings (see our January 1999 article for an extensive review) it is by nature a fully serviceable weapon and stately display piece, and the closest thing to a real Japanese style sword for a retail price under US$600 (street price around $400).

In time, the ripple grew larger and spread to influence the product line offered through Bugei Trading Company. Realizing the potential of Chen's steel-working factory in Dailin, Manchuria, China, kenjutsu trainer James Williams - CEO of Bugei - coordinated with Chen the manufacture of various swords exclusive to Bugei Trading Company that are priced at the US$1,250 ange. The result of that relationship were various unique and attractive swords ranging from the standard style Bamboo Koshirae katana (i.e. where the furnishings - or koshirae - are styled with gold-highlighted bamboo motifs, not to be confused with a competitors offering consisting of a "sword-in-a-stick", bearing the similar name "Bamboo katana") to a handsome Tokugawa Tachi and even a "Little Crow" Kogarasu-Maru Tachi - which is a Heian Period (900 A.D.) semi-double-edged blade design.

Bugei, however, became the center of controversy in offering Chen-made swords with handles that are the equivalent length from 13 inches to 15 inches where the standard length has been at around 9 inches. Williams' basis are photographs of period swords and period tangs which reflect a longer hilt length. He states that longer hilt lengths were historically accurate, and that there was a legal override to the length, instated by the Momoyama rule during the Edo Period (16th Century). Bugei recommends to their customers to measure from their fist down to the elbow to obtain the desired hilt length.

Practitioners of other kenjutsu ryu and the iai traditions argue, however, that the samurai in fact recognized the benefits of and already used much shorter hilts in the Koto period (pre-1596), well before any edicts were issued in the Edo period, and that the longer hilt lengths actually impede on cutting power, as a hilt carved too long forces one arm to be bent when cutting, robbing the cut of power. "Formulas" for estimating hilt length vary, but a common one is to measure from the wrist joint down to the elbow (this ends up being approx 1 hand width less than the Bugei recommendation), thus allowing both arms to be kept straight and providing power throughout the cut.

Above: Blade and guard of the Kotetsu through www.japanesesword.com - a Chen-made sword by the design of Alf Tan and Mike Yamasaki of the Shinkendo Federation. The sword is named after Nagasone Kotetsu who was an armor maker of Echizen Fukui, but after he passed the age of fifty he changed his profession to swordsmithing, at about 1658.

Having similar convictions in terms of hilt length, another martial arts organization responded to the ripple. Mike Yamasaki of the Shinkendo Federation turned his attention to Chen's ability to manufacture production katana. The Shinkendo Federation was recently founded by cutting champion Toshishiro Obata. Yamasaki examined the Shinto katana and identified all its weaknesses and approached Chen with specifications for a katana optimized for cutting for Shinkendo practitioners. As a result, another sword came into being. Working in conjunction with Alfred Tan - a Japanese sword dealer - the sword is marketed in two flavors: grooved and non-grooved. The furnishings of the "Kotetsu Katana" are plainer and more utilitarian than those on the swords offered through Bugei Trading Company. The Kotetsu was to be a martial arts practice weapon and nothing more, and cost several hundred dollars less than the Bugei offerings.

Initially, all Chen-made swords were ridiculed as "Chinese katanas" as they were made in China. However, since the Shinto katana, these swords were heat treated better than the Taiwanese and Spanish-made stainless steel replicas. The Bugei swords repeatedly and successfully emerged from green bamboo cutting tests. The "Kotetsu" from Alf Tan and Mike Yamasaki were tested by Soke Toshishiro Obata himself on harder yellow bamboo. In all these instances, regardless of test cutting medium, Paul Chen proved himself to be able to adapt to specific needs on a production scale. Chen's swords were here to stay.

Then, towards the end of 1998, two more Japanese-style swords joined the ranks of the Shinto katana, as $500-range swords distributed through wholesaler C.A.S. Iberia. These were the "Golden Oriole Katana" and the "Musashi Daito." Each sword featured a hilt longer than the norm - clearly a design influence from Chen's interaction with Bugei Trading Company. The advent of these Bugei-style swords have caused many prospective buyers to look more closely at the newcomers. While not as decorative, they were strikingly similar to the ones offered through Bugei and cost approximately $750 less.

James Williams of Bugei wanted to ensure that his swords were the best that they could possibly be, - although the steel source was railway tracks from Manchuria, a material that the Japanese had found to produce very durable swords during WWII, Williams related to SFMO that he personally observed and specified that the railway track steel be folded for consistency of quality. Bugei's website also states that the swords comprise a softer steel laminating a harder edge.

There has also been much market confusion with the Chen-made swords. Initial Rockwell hardness readings published on sales sheets were inaccurate and illogical. The Shinto katana was marketed as to having a 60RC edge with a 20RC spine. However, traditional Nihon-to spines rank in the mid-30s to low-40s RC range; a mere 20RC signifies unhardened steel. In a differentially tempered state, a blade cannot possibly have a spine this soft. Hank Reinhardt of Museum Replicas Limited acquired measurements of 62-63RC for the edge and low-30RC for the spine. Our tests had shown the edge of the original Shinto katana to be too brittle. Higher Rockwell hardnesses do not mean that the sword is better. On the other hand, Bugei's published figures are 59RC for the edge, and 45-48RC for the spine, which are more standard and acceptable hardness levels for a Japanese-style sword.

Keeping in mind that Chen's swords are not of custom quality but are mass-produced in a factory, the question remains whether Bugei's swords are of a truly unique configuration. Would it be more cost effective for Chen to glean from the expertise of James Williams, Alf Tan and Mike Yamasaki to improve the katana-making process, and apply that process to every single sword produced in the factory in Dailin, Manchuria instead of producing a different types of blade for each customer? If that were the case, would the only difference then be the furnishings? In light of these questions, the ripples have become a pending storm, as the outcome could make a sizable impact on the production sword industry.

The Line-Up

The swords covered in this review are:

1. The original release of the Shinto Katana
2. The Bamboo Koshirae Katana exclusively from Bugei Trading Company
3. The Kotetsu Katana by Alf Tan and Mike Yamasaki of the Shinkendo Federation
4. The Golden Oriole Katana
5. The updated Shinto Katana with full tang

Note: The Shinto Katana, Golden Oriole (and Musashi Daito) are distributed through C.A.S. Iberia.

1. The Shinto Katana

The Shinto Katana was first reviewed in our January 1999 issue. (Click here to see that article.) It, along with a "sword-in-a-stick" style Bamboo Katana were Paul Chen's entry into the production sword market. Initially, the Shinto katana was believed by many to be a martial arts grade weapon. Unlike the stainless steel replicas made in Taiwan and Spain, the Shinto Katana's only major design flaw was the short, thin 6.5" tang housed in a soft-wood 10.5" handle. Some martial artists had found the Shinto unable to withstand the stresses of tameshigiri test cutting, and the last four inches of the handle would break where the tang ended.

The blade edge is tempered slightly too hard and, as a result, may be vulnerable to chipping. In short, while the blade can indeed serve as a weapon, it is not recommended for martial arts use due to its design flaws and weaknesses.

Not to be confused with the "sword-in-a-stick" motif, the Bamboo Koshirae Katana is a basic katana with furnishings that convey a bamboo motif. This is one of several swords that are exclusive to the Bugei Trading Company.

From the ground up, CEO James Williams designed this sword as a martial arts grade weapon. William relates that the sword withstood fifty consecutive cuts of green bamboo.

Bugei offers these swords in hilt lengths of 13", 14" and 15". The sword evaluated was in its 15" flavor. While the hilt lengths may vary, the tang length remains the same 11 inches.

The handle features two peg-holes and thus offers redundant security for the pegs. The pegs prevent the sword blade and tang from ejecting from the handle during use.

The Kotetsu Katana derived its name from the style of tsuba (guard) chosen to adorn the Chinese-made katana blade. The Kotetsu was designed by Mike Yamasaki and Alf Tan based on the study of various period swords.

Also secured by dual pegs, the blade is a far heftier version of the original/initial Shinto katana. The blade of the Kotetsu is wider and thicker, features a more conservative curvature, is slightly longer, and sports a full tang with minimal tapering.

The Kotetsu has indeed been tried and tested by cutting champion by Shinkendo founder Toshishiro Obata on five-inch yellow Chinese bamboo. This breed of bamboo is notably harder than the young green bamboo often used. In addition, this bamboo was dry when serving as a target. Earlier prototype Chen swords were given this torture test until the final prototypes resisted breakage. The Kotetsu was thus ready for the market after Obata Sensei's successful testing.

The Golden Oriole and the Musashi Daito are some of distributor C.A.S. Iberia's latest pride and joy. Each sword features a longer handle, reflecting Bugei Trading Company's design influences. Many originally wondered if they were simply redressed Shinto Katanas. If the weakness in design of the Shinto was carried over to the Oriole and the Musashi and the tang length remained the same, the chances of breakage are extremely high.

Are the Oriole and Musashi closer to their predecessor - the Shinto Katana - or to the Bugei Bamboo Koshirae?

The updated Shinto katana unfortunately suffers from one thing: lack of publicity. We discovered its existence completely by accident when one retailer removed the handle and found a 10" tang instead of the 6.5" tang. This increases the stability of the handle significantly and virtually eliminates the chance of breakage.

The blade dimensions of this "updated" Shinto Katana are identical to the original release. The tang is lengthened but retains the same large degree of taper in thickness of its predecessor. While the original release was plagued by sub-optimal Rockwell hardness, it is unknown but not impossible that the "updated" Shinto may have been the product of Chen's latest attempts at improving quality; after all, he has now benefited from the experience of Bugei as well as Mike Yamasaki and Alf Tan.

It should be noted that the "updated" Shinto Katana is not marketed as of yet as a separate product number, and there is no differentiating between the old stock of short-tanged swords versus the last of the batch that featured full tangs. At the time of this article, C.A.S. Iberia reportedly sold out its entire supply of Shinto katanas. Those that remain among retailer channels may be both short- or full-tang. Thus, buyer be aware of this situation so that the sword you receive does not fall short of your expectations - no pun intended!

The Shinto katana - both the original/initial release as well as the "updated" version - makes a wonderful display piece. Even with its updated full tang should you be fortunate to obtain one - the Shinto is not recommended for cutting anything beyond soft targets. The thin blade and its thin slender tang will provide little resistance to bending in comparison with other swords in the line-up. It's curvature may be too pronounced for some martial artists who will now have to adjust their grip in assuming traditional stances, as the angle of the sword point is greater than what they are used to. These would not be considerations for the beginner desiring the Shinto Katana as a modest display piece.

The Kotetsu is a "plain Jane" martial arts weapon. The ray skin ("same") wrap envelops the entirety of the handle and the two ends meet on one side. While the adjoining line forms ungracefully, it is somewhat comforting that the tsuka had received a full wrap. The menuki are little copper baseball bats (for lack of a better description). The blackened iron "Kotetsu" guard ("tsuba") was cast from an original. The temper line of my evaluation sword was the most unattractive of the lot, in that it resembled a ball-point pen scrawled across the blade. The curvature of the edge of the tip ("kissaki") was "pregnant" and the back ridge ("shinogi") of the kissaki was very crudely formed. As mentioned before, the Kotetsu is available in grooved and non-grooved versions. Our evaluation sword was grooved. The groove lightens the sword without undermining its structural rigidity significantly. The point at the kissaki where the groove terminates is inelegantly done and does not lend to the aesthetics of the sword.

Above: Bugei Bamboo Koshirae (Furnishing) Katana. The sword we evaluated featured a brown scabbard with lacquered black ends, and a brown handle wrap. Conversely, the Bugei catalog model sword features a blue handle wrap and a black scabbard.

Bugei's Bamboo Koshirae Katana appears to be the most attractive of the lot. The fittings are gold-highlighted, however the workmanship of the gold detailing is more likely to be Chinese workmanship than that of Fred Lohman Company (http://www.wnstar.com/katana/) as some that theorized. Further examination reveaeled that the fittings were not blackened iron. The fuchi-kashira caps are in fact brass and the guard cast of copper. The furnishings were painted black and gold colored paint used to highlight the details (I was not able to determine if the paint actually contained gold).

Like the Shinto Katana and the other C.A.S. Iberia katana offerings, the ray skin of this Bugei sword however is delivered in strips rather than being in a full wrap. The temper line is similar to that of the Shinto katana, and is more pleasant than the Kotetsu. It's tip shape - the over-pronounced edge and the poorly shaped shinogi - suffer from the same aesthetic deficiencies as the Kotetsu and other Chen-made swords in this line-up. Keep in mind, however, that this is a martial arts weapon rather than a collector-grade Nihon-to. Our evaluation sword sported a 15" hilt. The hilt length counterbalanced the sword blade effectively and made for a lighter-feeling sword even though the sword technically weighed slightly more than the katana. A shorter hilt length could change the balance point such that it would be more blade-heavy.

Finally, the Golden Oriole. Like the Musashi Daito (not reviewed in this article) this US$500-range newcomer to the production sword market echoes the design specifics of the swords offered through Bugei Trading Company. Unlike Bugei which offers varying hilt lengths and blade lengths, the Golden Oriole is a production sword with no customization. The fittings of the Oriole, like the Bugei Bamboo-koshirae are of Chinese-manufacture with gold highlights, but they are simpler and of more austere design; the fit and finish are not as good as the Bugei fittings, with several people reporting patchy patination on the fittings. In traditional straw-mat cutting (known as tameshigiri) the Golden Oriole performed very well for a $500-range sword (the rolled tatami mats are the equivalent of the human neck - and a more civilized means of practicing cutting!). The blade and tang are similar to the Bugei Bamboo Koshirae

Observations and Comparisons

The comparison criteria will cover dimensions of the sword, cutting ability, and durability as a whole.

Cutting Ability

The Japanese katana is first and foremost a cutting weapon. It must be kept in mind that its use will most certainly differ from the European cut-and-thrust sword.

Due to its dimensions, the Shinto katana falls more in a "light weapons" category in comparison with the other swords in this line-up. We will therefore focus more on the others.

In terms of cutting ability, both the Kotetsu and the Bugei Bamboo had already performed superbly in bamboo cutting tests by their creators. The Kotetsu raises the bar even more by being able to cut through yellow dry Chinese 5-inch bamboo which is more difficult to cut. Further, the Kotetsu designers have the benefit of the Kotesu being torture-tested and qualified for use by Soke Toshishiro Obata, the founder of the Shinkendo Federation, and the world's foremost cutting champion.

While their website publishes the successful cutting through young green 2" bamboo, a Bugei Trading Company representative related that 5.5" packing tube with 5/8" walls were also cut successfully. The Bugei Bamboo Katana has a slightly thicker blade, but the Kotetsu compensates by having a slightly wider blade.

The CAS Iberia Golden Oriole performed admirably in a tameshigiri test on water-soaked straw mats; it has not been tried on bamboo, and we have not torture-tested this sword. Golden Oriole's blade is slightly more slender than the Kotetsu and Bugei Bamboo (the Musashi, not reviewed here has a blade that is comparatively thick). The 3.9" balance point of the Oriole makes this sword comparably quicker and lighter and an effective cutter for light targets.

The Kotetsu and Bugei Bamboo appear to be more apt for heavier cutting, Though the Bugei Bamboo and Golden Oriole look remarkably similar, the Bugei configuration sports a slightly thicker blade and is a hairline wider. Whether the difference is noticable in use remains to be seen.

The "Upgraded" Shinto katana has a generous 10 inch slender tang - a marked improvement over its original release which sported a 6.5" tang, thus creating a 4-inch clearance that housed nothing but wood and created a potential breakage point at the end of the tang. However, because of its dimensions, our consideration will be, again, turned towards the "heavier" swords in the line-up.

The Bugei Bamboo - as well as other similar swords available through Bugei - have an 11 inch tang, which does not vary in length when custom hilt lengths are ordered (e.g. 12", 14", 15"). Contrasting this with the Kotetsu which sported a 9" tang (but 10.5" handle) the Bugei sword felt more balanced for maneuverability, with a Point of Balance (POB) of approximately 5.5" while the Kotetsu rates at 6.5". The Kotetsu with its conservatively lengthed hilt and tang makes this sword slightly more blade-heavy, but this may be a quality desired by more experienced martial artists.

Our evaluation sword had a 15" hilt which unfortunately creates a 5" clearance of wood which housed no tang (1" of the 11" is taken up by the habaki and tsuba). This presents Bugei swords - especially those with longer hilt lengths - with a potential problem. All swords made by Paul Chen in this line-up use the same weak wood (however, Chen may have upgraded the wood for swords of more recent manufacture). This wood is evidently weaker than traditional Japanese honoki. The Bugei katana's hilt may not withstand long term torture-testing due to the 5" no-tang clearance. With the longer 15" hilt length (as Bugei favors hilts longer than what's considered the norm) the hilt could potentially be more vulnerable due to the greater distance between the hands. Any force differential is amplified. The Oriole and the Musashi through CAS Iberia will have similar problems. For the Bugei sword, the more conservative 12" hilted version may compensate this potential problem, creating only a 2" clearance, and reducing the chance of breakage. However, these options are not available to customers of the CAS Iberia swords, unless they are willing to reduce the hilt length themselves (see our article in this month's issue on reducing hilt length).

Of the "heavier" class swords, the Kotetsu has the thickest tang. While two inches shorter than the Bugei and CAS Iberia swords, the Kotetsu has an excellent tang-to-hilt ratio, only having 2" to 2.5" of clearance. This isn't too bad, as one's second hand holding the pommel end of the grip would be holding the steel tang as well. While the Bamboo katana's tang starts out thicker, it tapers drastically. The Kotetsu's tang starts out just as wide, but does not taper as much - in essence the Kotetsu's tang is the most solid of the lot. Further, the Kotetsu's tang ends wide while the ends of the tangs of the other swords terminate with a "pinch" down to as little as 1 mm (this was not recorded in our comparison table). This may have an effect of digging into the handle wood - remember that the Chen uses weaker woods, and this will include the pegs. The Kotetsu is in no danger of endangering the handle wood and is most likely to resist bending under extreme torture.

Another thing in favor of the Kotetsu is the full wrap of same (pronounced "sah-meh" - i.e. ray skin). This is the white textured material beneath the handle wrapping. Ray skin is applied one of two ways: in lengthwise strips under the exposed diamond-shaped openings in the wrap (less favorable) or fully enveloping the handle (most preferred). Considering that the handle must endure the stresses of use, the two halves of handle wood are best reinforced by the ray skin wrap, the silk/cotton/leather cord wrap, and the fuchi-kashira (handle ferrule/cap at neck and pommel). The ends of the same adjoin on one side of the Kotetsu's hilt. The adjoining line is unattractive but is traditionally done to leave visual evidence of a full-wrap.

The Bugei Bamboo's rayskin is deployed in strips which means the fuchi-kashira and the silk wrap bear the brunt of all handle stresses. While in no immediate danger of coming apart, the Bugei Bamboo katana - as well as the CAS Iberia Golden Oriole and Musashi Daito do not have the added reinforcement as the Kotetsu does.

The handle wrapping of each sword appears to be very solidly done.

As the saying goes, form follows function, but with traditional Japanese swords, form is not only integral with and evidence of functionality but the entire sword is esteemed as a work of art.

The Bugei Bamboo Koshirae Katana wins hands down in terms of overall attractiveness. As each Chen-made blade has its certain aesthetic characteristics, namely the uneventful temper line and "pregnant" curvature to the edge of the tip, none of the swords make any strides in terms of blade beauty - none of the swords will win in a contest of traditional Nihon-to. Perhaps the Kotetsu is the least attractive, as its temper line looks like a ballpoint pen scrawled across the blade.

Further, the Bugei Bamboo sword has the most attractive scabbard and furnishings. The Bamboo has a bamboo-motif fittings set which are a gold color highlights. The Bamboo Katana's scabbard is a burgundy with each end's buffalo horn fittings revealed, offering an attractive but subtle contrast.

With all production swords, it is important to keep in mind that variances in quality will exist within batches. Because our tests have only involved only one sword per category, it is impossible to concretely state the safety, and usabilty of every single Chen-made sword in existence.

As mentioned before, each Chen sword hilt is made from the same wood. Further, the pins holding the blades within the tangs are similarly of a less than ideal wood that should be replaced with something that can withstand the rigors of martial arts use. Two pins provide redundant safety; in single-pin swords the weak wooden pin is the only thing that prevents a blade from remaining within the handle. Were it to break during movement, a fly-away blade can be an extremely dangerous thing.

With the exception of the Shinto Katana having but a single pin, the Kotetsu, Bugei Bamboo, and the CAS Iberia Golden Oriole and Musashi Daito are affixed with dual pins.

The Kotetsu again raises the bar with the full wrap of rayskin. A handle is held together by three elements: cord wrap, fuchi-kashira (end caps) and the ray skin. Because the others use panels of rayskin, they only have two out of the three criteria.

Sales sheets from CAS Iberia have stated that the steel source of their Chen-made swords is 1095. It is believed that the steel is from railroad tracks. According to sources in CAS Iberia, Chen had related to CAS Iberia that he was unsure as to the metallurgical composition but that the closest American equivalent would be AISI 1095 (which features .95% Carbon). While much marketing in the industry would lead one to think that the higher the number the better the steel, that high a percentage is above the ideal for Japanese style swords (0.50% to 0.86% is preferred). Would a 0.95% carbon steel result in blades being too brittle?

Bugei Trading Company states in their catalog and on their website, "These blades are laminated with a softer steel (45-48 RC) surrounding the harder edge steel (59 RC). This provides excellent strength and shock resistance with superior edge holding and cutting ability." Further, Bugei states that the main difference between the CAS Iberia $500-range Chen swords and Bugei's exclusives are the laminate construciton. According to James Williams of Bugei, Chen had stated that the railroad track steel was already forge folded (or, more correctly termed, "forge welded") as part of the specifications of the Japanese during their occupation of Manchuria where Chen's factory is located. Williams told SFMO that he desired to raise the bar of quality even farther and had Chen's factory forge weld the steel nonetheless in order to ensure that Bugei's customers would receive the utmost of quality possible from Chen's factory in Manchuria.

The purpose of laminate constructions, in general, is to sandwhich harder steel between side panels of softer steel - commonly known as san-mai. (One traditional Japanese technique was to even have a soft piece for the spine . This construction was known as ho-san-mai.)

How different were the Bugei swords compared with the CAS Iberia swords? Since Chen was supposedly forge welding Bugei's blades, would it have been more cost effective to forge weld everything they did? If so, then that would mean that the $500 range Golden Oriole would be of very similar quality to the $1,250 Bugei Bamboo.

Our test to determine the construction of the Kotetsu, Bamboo, and Oriole were performed by North America's foremost expert in forge welding - Daryl Meier (http://meiersteel.com). Various "windows" on the tangs of each sword were polished to 600 grit and treated with Nital (a metallurgical-grade etchant containing a weak concentration of Nitric acid). The Nital would accomplish two things: If the steel were forge folded, the acid would attack the microscopic gaps and to reveal the welded pattern. Also, Meier checked for laminate construction of each of the swords, which would be revealed by the Nital.

After examining the surfaces with a 3X optivisor and a 30X hand microscope, Meier stated that although it was not impossible for the blades to be forge welded, however, none of the blades exhibited positive evidence of forge welding, nor did the tests reveal the existence of a laminate construction.

At the time of this writing, several readers had reported "cracks" in the steel of a Golden Oriole, Shinto Katana, and Musashi Daito. Some believe them to be welding flaws which, in traditional Nihon-to are sometimes indicative of evidence of forge welding (or folding) in the case of Paul Chen's swords, it is not direct evidence that the steel is folded, as steel lapping from a power hammer use on homogenous steel produces the same phenomenon.

(The cross section of a railroad track is slightly similar to an I-beam where the top of the rail has a pronounced roundness. The first step for Chen's steel workers is to forge the railroad track into a rectangular bar from the rail shape. In so doing, if not done qualitatively or properly, the steel may exhibit some lengthwise "gaps" or welding flaws.)

Further, our research suggests that the steel source used in the railroad tracks are an amalgam of recycled steel from various sources. In essence, if Chen's Hanwei operation is recycling recycled steel then it is further possible that the hada (or forge welded grain) people are seeing are nothing more than the banding together of different metallurgies of metals enhanced somewhat by an acid etched treatment. We were able to etch a sample of North American railway track and found banding in the steel that looked very similar to hada.

During our tests, the Bugei Bamboo's blade suffered an accident which it dropped - edge first - first on the table top and then onto the floor. The accident, however, gave us more insight into the construction of Chen's work which, in the past, featured edges too hard and brittle. The table top was mild steel, but the floor was dirt, decorated with many small bits of weldingrod ends, arc welding slag, band saw, trimmings, and other small steel scraps. The Bugei blade edge was inspected. It was interesting to note that most of the nicks were actually deformations rather than chips. This would suggest that the edge is not as hard and brittle as one would expect, but it might be tempered on the soft side. (This impromptu test should not be used to judge against Bugei's entire product line. The quality here may be an isolated incident, as we've only studied this one blade at the time of this writing).

Thus far, based on the scope and limited time for this article, our tests results are inconclusive, as performed on the Kotetsu, Bugei Bamboo, and Golden Oriole.

If indeed the Bugei Bamboo were a laminate construction, then there would be some price justification between the $1,250 Bamboo over the $500 Oriole. Performing a cross sectional analysis is one way of finding out for sure if the Bugei swords are of laminate construction as advertised, but is beyond the scope of this article. Such a cross section must be obtained quickly to avoid heat build-up from affecting the temper. Then the section would need to be polished at the sectioned surface (we suggest an extremely high grit polish finished with 1 micron diamond paste) followed by a metallurgical standard Nital etch. Nital is an etchant that would attack steels of different hardnesses (and consequently molecular structures) at different rates and reveal if a sword was made by cored (kobuse) or laminate (san-mai) or just plain homogenous steel.

It is difficult to clearly identify a winner, as each sword tailors different expectations and degrees of martial arts skill. The swords are aesthetically a far cry from fully polished authentic historic Nihon-to. However, depending on the sword, the Chen-swords can potentially fare very well as martial arts weapons.

The Shinto Katana remains an entry-level katana which can serve as a handsome display piece featuring an above-average degree of curvature. It is a very light sword, and based on its dimensions we would not recommend it for anything more than light targets. It has the most slender blade of the line-up and thus the blade is potentially more fragile.

The Kotetsu will be favored by martial artists seeking a solid sword capable of withstanding use upon targets that would otherwise cause weaker swords to bend or break. Beginning swordmen may find the Kotetsu to be heavier, but perhaps a heavier sword is what their skillsets may soon rise to. It's handle stability and safety is reinforced by a full wrap rayskin, and of the "heavier" class swords is the least likely to break at the handle, having a superb tang-to-hilt ratio. In addition, it has been torture-tested by international cutting champion Soke Toshishiro Obata - may be considered the toughest configuration of the line-up. (Again, our test sword came in the grooved variety. Weight, balance, etc. will differ slightly with the non-grooved version.)

Is the Kotetsu officially endorsed, however? It would be safe to say that while Mr. Obata may have had a hand in the development of this sword, sources say that he will only endose swords he has personally tested rather than endorse the entire production line of Kotetsu. Says Nathan Scott - licensed instructor at the world headquarters of the Shinkendo Federation and assistant to Mr. Obata, "The Shinkendo Federation hesitates to endorse any sword across the board since swords are all unique. Especially when it comes to swords that are being semi-mass produced. The Chen [Hanwei] forge has produced some good swords for the money in the past, but it remains to be seen what kind of quality/defect control we can expect from them over all. I would urge others to really consider swords on a more case-by-case basis." Scott further states that the Shinkendo Federation approaches sword selection with the utmost of caution, as swords are potentially dangerous to users and spectators - thus safety (and consistent quality) must be of the highest priority.

The distributor price for the non-grooved version is US$800 while the grooved version is US$950. Alf Tan will sell these swords at these prices for group orders of five or more. With its full-wrap of ray skin, it remains the safest sword of the line-up.

The Bugei Bamboo Koshirae is also a performer and is by far the most attractive of the lot. It is joined by various other swords within the same price range. It's performance has not been tested to the point the Kotetsu has. Due to its balance, the Bamboo Katana feels lighter than the Kotetsu (this however may change with a 12" hilt instead of the 15" hilted sword we evaluated). This sword might be considered more maneuverable, depending on the martial arts style that the sword is applied to. The clearance of wood housing no tang at the end of the hilt may pose a problem, but this can be remedied by specifying a shorter hilt length in the 12" variety. Bugei swords average US$1,250.

Finally, the CAS Iberia Golden Oriole. Perhaps the biggest question is whether these US$500-range swords - the Golden Oriole and the Musashi Daito - are basically the same as the Bugei $1,250 swords with merely different fittings. Technically speaking, they are non-identical - our measurements show that the Bugei is a proportionately but slightly thicker sword than the CAS Iberia offerings, with a very slight width increase over the Golden Oriole and Musashi Daito. The Bugei Bamboo Koshirae also enjoys a slightly thicker tang that tapers very slightly less than the CAS Iberia cousins. Whether an experienced martial artist will notice the difference in blade dimensions is debatable. The Golden Oriole may feel slightly lighter than the Bugei Bamboo due to its Point of Balance. (However, the Musashi will feel heavier and massive.) We were able to test-cut with the Golden Oriole successfully on two tatami bundles in a row, and on occasion three in a row. (The Bugei Bamboo could probably do just as well or better. The Kotetsu has been tested by Toshishiro Obata on seven in a row.) One "impromptu" test with the Golden Oriole involved accidental abuse of the sword where the tip struck a low ceiling. Upon inspecting the damage, it was found that the steel edging over the drywall had been cut through right down to the wood framing underneath, but the sword took only some scratches - no edge damage/chipping. The scratches appear fairly deep, as they were caused by steel-on-steel contact, but the sword has proved that it can withstand some abuse.

It should be pointed out that the Bugei swords are marketed as martial arts weapons, while the CAS Iberia $500-range Chen swords are not marketed as martial arts tools and have no such guarantee. We have not been able to determine with absolute certainty the unseen differences between the Kotetsu, Bugei and CAS Iberia blades with respect to construction, though the preliminary test results show that all three are possibly all non-folded (homogenous) steel. Again, performing a cross sectional analysis of a Bugei blade to determine the existence of laminate or cored construction is beyond the scope of this article. Prospective customers should determine this directly with Bugei independently.

Without this data, we can only say that from the "surface" (no pun intended) that it appears that the Bugei and the CAS Iberia offerings are remarkably close. Being unable to verify for ourselves the existence of cored or laminate construction, it is a challenge for us to justify the extra $750-850 for a Bugei sword. Unfortunately, we did not forsee that the scientific process to obtaining this information was beyond the time alloted to this article.

However, Bugei has some exclusive models such as the Kogarasu-Maru and the Palace Tachi. Regardless of the unavailability of construction data, the exclusive models would be of good value. Still, beginners not notice any significant difference between the Bugei Bamboo and CAS Iberia Golden Oriole, and could easily purchase new Fred Lohman Company or D. R. Langenbacker fittings and customize the sword for an extra $95-200 themselves as part of a personal upgrading project.

Contact Information

Bugei Trading Company is located at http://www.bugei.com/

Alf Tan - the sole distributor of the Kotetsu - is at http://www.japanesesword.com

The C.A.S. Iberia swords are sold through retailers. We recommend the retailers listed under our Editor's Choice list.

Author's Comments

The author wishes to express to readers to consider the information in the article very carefully, to not use the information out of context, nor to make any quick assessments without perhaps a re-reading of the article. Much detail was covered in this article that may be overwhelming to those new to the forging of sword blades, and this may result in the misinterpretation of the data or readers mispresenting the information of this article to others.

Author's Thanks

Daniel Feasel for without whose generosity and patience in lending us his Bamboo Kosirae!
Daryl Meier of Meier Steel (http://MeierSteel.Com) for examining the blades for evidence of folding and laminate construction.
Donn Nieder of Tuscany Trading (http://www.tuscanytrading.com) for chancing upon the "Upgraded" Shinto Katana and lending it for review.
Christopher Lau for his insights on the Golden Oriole and Musashi Daito, and for the tamashigiri.
Alf Tan (http://www.japanesesword.com) for allowing me to kidnap his Kotetsu for so long!
Mike Yamasaki of the Shinkendo Federation for the informal informational interview.
James Williams of Bugei Trading Company (http://www.bugei.com) for the informal informational interview.

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