Equipment recommendations

Training gear:

V-cut white, black, or blue undershirt (helps soak up sweat in the summer and adds a layer for warmth in the winter)

For steel iaito, please email before ordering: https://www.mountainteachings.com/store/c5/Swords.html/

For keikogi, must email for non EU shipping: https://www.urufu.com/shop/urufu-budo-gi/

For sword carry bags, must email for non-EU shipping: https://www.urufu.com/categoria-producto/bags/

For solid color kaku obi (especially for longer lengths), they can do custom lengths as well: https://www.kataaro.com/Products/Iaido-Belt__4993.aspx

Bokken: https://www.e-bogu.com/Master-Series-Oak-Bokken-1-m-NATURAL-p/yut-ken-bok-mq1-natural-.htm

Jo: https://www.e-bogu.com/Master-Series-Oak-Jo-50-127-cm-KANASUJI-p/yut-wea-jo-tqjo-kana-50.htm

For Hakama: https://www.e-bogu.com/Hakama-Kendo-Uniform-Bottom-s/8.htm

For traditional kaku obi: https://www.e-bogu.com/Obi-for-Iaido-s/64.htm

For knee protectors: https://www.e-bogu.com/Knee-Protector-p/ind-pro-mc-8-.htm

For tabi: https://www.e-bogu.com/Japanese-Kimono-Black-Tabi-Socks-p/twt-acc-tabi-black.htm

For Japanese made zinc-duraluminum alloy: https://www.seidoshop.com/collections/custom-made-minosaka-iaito

If you need a 2.8 shaku iaito: http://www.meijin.fi/Meijin_Mob.aspx?Walikko=HaeTuote&NIMI=Iaito%20Doutanuki&Numero=DOTANUKI&Rivi=298&kieli=LEN

Kendo Bokken with saya: https://www.e-bogu.com/product-p/ebg-com-iai-boksaya-set-w.htm

The “Hidden Movements” of Iaido (DVD and streaming options): https://www.mountainteachings.com/store/p30/The_%22Hidden_Movements%22_of_Iaido.html

Shinken:

This list is broken into section based on price points: up to $950, $1000-4,000 , & $4,000+.

29-33″ nagasa recommendations aimed at the practitioner community in the production sub $950 market. I am looking at 90% kata and 10% tameshigiri in use. I own, have owned, borrowed, and more importantly trained and cut with all katana listed in this category.

I prefer a 11.75″ tsuka as standard for 29-30.5″ nagasa.

To order a Skyjiro please email Mountain Teachings: mtteach@ptd.net

To order a Dragon King, Shinken of Swords, Cloudhammer Forge, or Ryan Sword please email: rva.katana@gmail.com

Skyjiro Ashigaru Class (Best 2.50 shaku/30″ nagasa on the market! Ordering via Mountain Teachings you can specify nagasa length, tsuka length, ito color, and bohi or nohi): https://skyjiroforge.com/?product_cat=ashigaru-class-foot-soldier-series

Skyjiro Tenku Mokuroku Class (29″ nagasa & 11″ tsuka, I prefer this over the Ronin Dojo Pro #14 and Dragon King Autumn): https://skyjiroforge.com/?product_cat=mokuroku-class-middle-level

Skyjiro Black Sea (If you want something different, 29″ nagasa & 10.5″ tsuka): https://skyjiroforge.com/?product=back-sea

Skyjiro Tenku Deshi Class (29″ nagasa and 11″ tsuka, these are their entry level shinken): https://skyjiroforge.com/?product_cat=deshi-class-entry-level

Ryansword 1336 (32″ nagasa with bo-hi & 13″ tsuka, very good for kata and light cutting): https://www.ryansword.com/O-Katana-Folded-Steel-Iron-Tsuba-Full-Tang–Ryan1336-p-1183.html

Ryansword 1414 (29″ nagasa with bo-hi & 10″ tsuka, bohi and 3 cm sori): https://www.ryansword.com/Choji-Hamon-Katana-Koshi-SORI-1095-Steel-Full-Rayskin-Tsuka-Ryan1414-p-1341.html

Ronin Katana Dojo Pro #31 (32″ nagasa with bo-hi & 12″ tsuka, heavy cutter that you can do kata with and better balanced than the #9): https://roninkatana.com/dojo-pro-katana-model-31-musashi-o-katana/

Ronin Katana Dojo Pro #14 (29″ nagasa & 11″ tsuka, heavy cutter): https://roninkatana.com/dojo-pro-katana-model-14-30-inch-blade/

Shinken of Swords Hand Forged Japanese Samurai Katana Sword Clay Tempered L6 Steel Suguha Hamon Blade Full Tang Razor Sharp (31″ nagasa & 12″ tsuka, medium sori): https://www.shinken-sword.com/Japanese-Swords/Hand-Forged-Japanese-Samurai-Katana-Sword-Battle-Ready-Clay-Tempered-L6-Steel-Suguha-Hamon-Blade-Full-Tang-Razor-Sharp?sort=p.price&order=DESC

Bugei Dragonfly 5160 with bohi (29.5″ nagasa with bo-hi & 11″ tsuka, feels better than the Dragon King Savior but heavier): https://bugei.com/collections/bugei-katana/products/dragonfly-katana-5160-steelk-with-bohi

Dragon King Savior (29.5″ nagasa with bo-hi & 12.25″ tsuka): https://casiberia.com/product/savior-katana/sd35250

Dragon King Winter Sun (30.5″ nagasa & 13″ tsuka, only 2.55 shaku on the market): https://casiberia.com/product/winter-sun-katana/sd35220

Dragon King Autumn Leaf (29.25″ nagasa & 12.25″ tsuka, smaller Winter Sun): https://casiberia.com/product/autumn-ginkgo-katana/sd35210

Huawei (This is their longest production katana, custom order is the way to go for longer): http://www.huaweiswords.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=20_27&product_id=56&sort=p.price&order=DESC

Cloudhammer O-katana (31.5″ nagasa & 12″ tsuka, deep sori): https://cloudhammerforge.com/products/o-katana-practical-elite-heavy-cutter-s5-31-5-nagasa-shallow-sori

Cloudhammer 2.8 Shaku O-katana (In development)

I do not recommend in the sub $950 price range:

  • Cold Steel (very underwhelming for the price point, lengths include habaki)
  • Dynasty Forge (meh ito and problematic saya, the lengths given include the habaki)
  • Hanwei (tsuka shape and length)
  • Bugei (tsuka shape and lengths)
  • Ryujin (Kengo is heavy & meh saya. O-katana had a meh saya, 14″ tsuka, and they advertise it as a 33″ nagasa but that includes habaki.)
  • Sinosword (excellent super tight ito but meh everything else, can be heavy and not great bohi)
  • Hanbon Forge (doesn’t offer anything production in the blade lengths)
  • Brandon Sword (defunct and meh)
  • Yes Katana (very short tsuka, I dislike the leopard habaki)
  • Balaur Arms Byakko (Meh, also I dislike the leopard habaki)
  • Sheng (doesn’t offer anything in the blade lengths, does offer Hanjiro and Yagyu tsuba)
  • Mini Katana (offers two 29″ nagasa but for their asking point you can do much much better)
  • Forge Direct (O-katana is out of production)

For the $1,000 to $4,000 price point:

Skyjiro: https://skyjiroforge.com

Motohara by Evolution Blades (Semi-custom production): https://motoharablades.com/

Citadel Imperial (Good luck finding one): https://casiberia.com/product/imperial-citadel-katana/sc4040

Huawei Swords (Custom, must email): http://www.huaweiswords.com/

For the $4,000+ modern steel new production custom Gendaito Nihonto aimed at practitioners:

Tokensho & their Americas rep: https://tokensho.com https://www.yugenswords.com/

%d bloggers like this: