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SBG Sword Forum :: Reviews :: Sword Reviews :: Ronin Dojo Pro Katana - Model 001 Author Topic: Ronin Dojo Pro Katana - Model 001 (Read 2,601 times) snowstorm Man at Arms Review Points: 20 member is offline Joined: Jan 2010 Gender: Male Posts: 20 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Karma: 6 Ronin Dojo Pro Katana - Model 001 « Thread Started on Jan 29, 2010, 3:28pm » For some time now I have wanted a real sword. Call it too much reading, but to me a sword represents freedom and liberty; a spirit that will not be repressed. For as long as books and swords have been existed they have been linked. For myself, I wanted not a show piece, but a sword. I am not Japanese nor will I ever be a samurai but (and let the flaming begin) the katana is about the only sword still being produced in quantity that a good blade is reasonably priced. Through time swords have advanced with the end results being sabers and katanas. Other swords seem to have exited the stage some time ago, but these remain and are still produced today. In my search I first purchased a Musashi, one of their 1060 line, as for $70 it couldn't go that wrong. The blade on the Musashi was good, sharp and the balance good, but the pegs were not quite lined up and in general the fittings were just cheap. I wanted a better sword. I next looked at Ryumon and some higher end Musashi from both trueswords and swordsofmight. While these looked good, the reviews were mixed on both blades. The main problem seemed to be quality control with fittings not quite right, pegs off center, etc. That and an inability to see a justifiable difference between these $250 offerings and my $70 Musashi. Either my Musashi is way better than it should have been, or these are just for people that want to pay more for more of the same. (This may be an unfair judgement, but it is my opinion). Then I happened on the SBG store and with all the terminology swirling through my head of harmons and tsubas and iron vs alloy for fittings I saw Ronin Katana's; wrote them off as overpriced knives and gave up the hunt for a while... I mean they don't have a harmon... they are not folded steel, and aren't made by a one eyed magic monk with secret asteroid metal.. how good could they be. I went to look at Cheness or an SBG custom as they cought my eye. But again, I just couldn't find what I was looking for and ended up on Ronin Katana's site, noticed they sold on ebay and clicked the link. Then wondered what I was missing... this guy has a 100% positive rating... on ebay? selling swords? What are these things that no one, even on ebay, would speak ill of them or their seller? Back on Ronin's main site I found videos that frankly blew my mind. I've seen tough swords tested, but a 1045 that can take the hits I was seeing... wow. Back to the SBG site to take a longer look at the Pro line. Silk wrap, iron fittings, buffalo horn... I'm finally finding the difference I was looking for; something to set it apart from all the harmonized cotton wrapped swords indistinguishable from each other in most cases but mostly sent in very nice wooden boxes. A few e-mails back and forth with Chris to be sure I wasn't seeing things, and my decision was made. Credit card in hand I made the purchase from SBG on Friday about 5pm eastern time. By 11pm I had e-mails from both Paul and Chris and the sword was ready for UPS (not sure if these guys have no life or just like working on Friday night, but wow) so tracking number in hand the pacing began. Historical overview Ronin Katana's are made with Dotanuki style blades; this means a thicker wider blade than the usual. From my initial impression, this is one strong weapon. The tsuba on this sword is based on an edo era antique from the okinawa. At 6'4" I'm a big guy and this blade style is perfect for me. This katana has a gentle curve somewhere between a sabre and scimitar. It is primarily a cutting weapon, but the Ronin offering also has a reinforced diamond shaped tip for thrusting as well. The silk ito on this sword is closer to the way the katana was meant to be. All you have to do is feel it in your hands to know, this is what a katana was designed to feel like. I know it may seem a small thing, I mean there is some nice cotton out there, but think of what you are touching all the time. In general I would say that, while Ronan Katana is not trying to be a historical reproduction, it is fairly close to what a samouri would have carried if he was given the chance. The blending of modern steel and forging with old style silk and buffalo horn creates the effect of being a historical replica while being a thoroughly modern tough sword. Initial Impressions Friday; go time. Exactly one week to the day from my order and the sword is here. No wooden display box, but well packaged and with some unadvertised extras like a sword stand, gloves and rubber mallet. No Chinese magic scroll or wooden presentation box, but it looks like they put the money where it counts The sword itself is wrapped in a standard black sword bag, which I prefer to the girly ones The material seems to be linen and is black with white lining. The blade was, as usual, covered in grease and thus well protected. No sign of rust or anything else that may harm the blade. After some TLC the blade looks more like this Statistics Steel: Through hardened 1060 Saya: Hand cut and polished buffalo horn Kurikata, Koguchi and Kojiri. Weight: 2.6 pounds POB: 4 1/2- 5 inches Length in saya: 42 inches Tsuka: 11 inches Blade: 28 inches Habaki to tip: 27 inches Ito: Silk Sageo: Synthetic silk Fuchi: Backened iron Kashira: Blackened iron Menuki: Brass Components The Blade/Nagasa The blade is smooth and with no harmon. The point is well done and looks stronger than some others I have seen. There is some heft to it and I expect it to stand up to some powerful cutting. The Handle/Tsuka The wrap on this is tight and silk which feels great. The ray skin seems of quality and the pegs are set perfectly. I'm not sure what the menuki are (something crossed between a fish and dragon?) so if anyone recognizes them pass it back. The Guard/Tsuba The Tsuba on this model is a reproduction of an Edo era from Okinawa. It is iron and fitted perfectly. I like the style as it has elements of the spiral but in a unique fashion that looks great. The Scabbard/Saya The Saya is a laquered black and reinforced with buffalo horn which adds not only some durability but also looks great. The wrap on the saya is a synthetic silk blend and is thick and heavy. It makes me see my old musashi for the shoelace it is by comparison. There was no rattle. Handling Characteristics At 6'4" and 280lbs I am a big man. This sword feels light and easy to handle. The Point of Balance is as advertised at about 4 inches out and makes this blade beg to cut. Test Cutting I am not qualified to cut more than some paper at this point, and as I'm in Pittsburgh with snow on the ground, I hung a couple pieces of paper in the basement and carefully tried the blade. No pressure needed, this blade slides through the paper easily. When it thaws out up here and I learn what I'm doing I'll try to get some cutting videos. Honestly tho, with all the videos of Ronin's budget models and what they can do, the pro line is not going to disappoint me. Conclusions This sword is a warriors blade. It is not a museum piece or something you will put on the mantel and stare at and comment on the harmon (it doesn't have one). It is however the kind of blade I would want if I had to fight in ancient japan; or if zombies take over western PA. It is a no nonsense blade with excellent fittings that is, in a word, tough. This sword sets the bar on heavy cutters. Pros - silk grip - Iron fittings - excellent fit and finish - quality control top notch with each blade tested before shipping - customer service with Ronin Katana beyond belief - customer service with SBG excellent Cons - Didn't make me a samurai master - Have to wait for the zombie apocalypse to really test it out The Bottom Line If you are looking for a real dojo cutter with fit and fittings above the rest, buy this sword. Link to Post - Back to Top   Logged joeydac Knight member is offline Joined: Jul 2009 Gender: Male Posts: 198 Karma: 2 Re: Ronin Dojo Pro Katana - Model 001 « Reply #1 on Jan 29, 2010, 4:48pm » great review very nice sword Link to Post - Back to Top   Logged mrfatbucket Swashbuckler member is offline Joined: Mar 2009 Gender: Male Posts: 442 Location: UK Karma: 45 Re: Ronin Dojo Pro Katana - Model 001 « Reply #2 on Jan 30, 2010, 9:23pm » Anyone else notice the problem where the blade meets the habaki? Link to Post - Back to Top   Logged snowstorm Man at Arms Review Points: 20 member is offline Joined: Jan 2010 Gender: Male Posts: 20 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Karma: 6 Re: Ronin Dojo Pro Katana - Model 001 « Reply #3 on Jan 30, 2010, 10:14pm » Mine seems snug and there is no rattle from the saya... What problem do you mean? Link to Post - Back to Top   Logged Hyoujinsama Swordmaster member is offline Now fortified with 100% DV of "Screaming like a Hobo" Joined: Jan 2009 Gender: Male Posts: 938 Location: California Karma: 69 Re: Ronin Dojo Pro Katana - Model 001 « Reply #4 on Jan 30, 2010, 10:55pm » Jan 30, 2010, 10:14pm, snowstorm wrote: Mine seems snug and there is no rattle from the saya... What problem do you mean? He's probably talking about the misaligned habaki or the damaged hamachi. See it a lot on production blades. Link to Post - Back to Top   Logged Stop: Don't impulse buy! Look: Research, compare, research more. Listen: Ask someone with experience. Not just anyone knows good swords. "Never mess with anything old and or valuable unless you're absolutely sure you know what you're doing. Amateurs...would save considerable time and achieve similar results if they left the art alone and set their money on fire." -G. Doffin sicheah Guest Re: Ronin Dojo Pro Katana - Model 001 « Reply #5 on Jan 30, 2010, 11:08pm » The habaki seems to small for the blade...that's pretty for production level swords because the habaki is usually manufactured in large quantities and blade size varies individually. I would not comment on misaligned habaki since I cannot see it with my untrained eye (noob here). But from the picture you could see that the hamachi (edge of the blade) is touching the habaki. In a properly made habaki, the hamachi "floats" in the habaki. The hamachi is the weakest part of the blade. Poor disassemble technique or a strong jolt on blade when cutting might damage the hamachi. For a production katana, it is too costly to get a custom made habaki. Link to Post - Back to Top   Logged Paul Southren Administrator member is offline Joined: Dec 2006 Gender: Male Posts: 1,391 Location: Australia Karma: 212 Re: Ronin Dojo Pro Katana - Model 001 « Reply #6 on Jan 31, 2010, 6:02pm » Excellent and fair review Snowstorm, +20 review points. Link to Post - Back to Top   Logged www.sword-buyers-guide.com Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out. Forget this and attaining Enlightenment will be the least of your problems. There's an old saying about those who forget history. I don't remember it, but it's good. Makoto Pat Knight Review Points: 20 member is offline To be true to myself and others Joined: Dec 2009 Gender: Male Posts: 239 Location: Cookeville Tn US Karma: 17 Re: Ronin Dojo Pro Katana - Model 001 « Reply #7 on Feb 13, 2010, 11:03am » +1 karma from me. Great review. I can't wait for you to do some cutting. Some advice...be sure to get your first cut on video and have some mats, too. It is going to be great. I am also a big fan of Ronin Katana's QC and Customer service. I salute you. Link to Post - Back to Top   Logged What is good in life? To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and the lamentation of the women. johnwalter Swashbuckler member is offline "I fart in your general direction" Joined: Jan 2010 Gender: Male Posts: 494 Location: N.C. Karma: 27 Re: Ronin Dojo Pro Katana - Model 001 « Reply #8 on Feb 13, 2010, 12:14pm » Im very interested in these blades, I like the size of them.Been trying to decide if ill get one or not.Sent questions to sbg about them a week ago , still waiting for a reply.The habaki doesnt look quite right to me either(Im pretty new to this also),and the diamonds in the ito look a little rough as well.Let us know how it cuts. Link to Post - Back to Top   Logged "Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time" "Make it a steal,with a Wiwingti deal!" Tomius Knight member is offline vires et honor Joined: Dec 2009 Gender: Male Posts: 225 Location: finland Karma: 16 Re: Ronin Dojo Pro Katana - Model 001 « Reply #9 on Feb 14, 2010, 9:56am » very nice review and nice sword too.. Link to Post - Back to Top   Logged Proprium humani ingenii est odisse quem laeseris nihontoman Swordmaster member is offline Joined: Jan 2010 Gender: Male Posts: 613 Location: Tbilisi, Georgia Karma: 6 Re: Ronin Dojo Pro Katana - Model 001 « Reply #10 on Feb 14, 2010, 2:19pm » nice review, +1 from me. as for the habaki: yeah, i can see why it bothers some of you (it would bother me too, but I'm in a way too good mood to be bothered ) I like the aesthetics of the habaki though, it is easily one of the best habakis in sub 300 swords and maybe paul chens habaki is only other contender for this title (I really like hanweis habaki, they are pretty) I also like the fact that POB is 4 inches, I like that that blade is beefy, I like that it has some horn hardware, love the tsuka shaping and silk ito/sageo. only thing that ios interesting for now is the kissaki: yokote, is it geometric? is the polish rogh compared to the rest of the blade? 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