COLD STEEL CS88BK Warrior Katana by Hans Fricke, January 2007
From a practical point of view the Warrior Katana is a success. It cuts well, handles well, is well proportioned and fine looking. What impresses most is that the blade has niku; making it a sturdy and potent tameshigiri sword.
The fittings and handle are tight fitting and of good quality. The scabbard is of standard black lacquer finish and set off with buffalo horn around the koi-kutchi.
The basic Warrior Katana is ideal for beginners and advanced tameshigiri practitioner as it's well balanced and well made. The only problem we encountered was with the handle as it was a bit too bulky for our lady member's hands which prompted them to buy a different brand with a more accommodating handle. I too found the handle a bit too big, but after some cutting I got used to it and it suddenly felt quiet comfortable.
The basic Warrior Katana comes with a machine-ground blade giving it a nice mat looking finish. The cutting edge performed well in a paper cutting test but showed some slight bluntness in the monouchi area. In a cutting test comparison against a polished blade it became obvious that the fine lines left behind from the machine finish slowed the blade down somewhat. This was to be expected and easily rectified.
Using thumb sized 800 wet and dry paper with water I worked my way along both sides of the blade, all the while following its profile (niku). Polishing a couple of inches at a time the sides of the blade soon became very smooth and after a follow up with 1200 wet and dry the blade had a beautiful shine and a razor sharp edge.
This blade has performed extremely well; with no signs of cracks along the cutting edge or the need for re-honing.
© 2009 - SSJS, Sei Do Kan Dojo All rights reserved.
Conclusion:
Functionality
10
out of
10
Practicality
9
out of
10
Quality
9
out of
10
Looks
10
out of
10
Feel and handling
9
out of
10
Highly recommended for beginners and advanced tameshigiri practitioners.
