American kung fu
Loud Fist Productions, LLC
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WHAT TO CONSIDER WHEN BUYING A KATANA
Choosing the "proper" sword is really not quite so straightforward and is often ultimately based on personal preference. Keep in mind that each sword, long or short, light or heavy, has advantages as well as disadvantages. For instance, a shorter sword may be easier and quicker to draw, but a longer sword may afford the practitioner greater reach. Using a heavy sword or bokken may express great power in your waza (Technique) or kumitachi (How to alternately control the center line, move off it to avoid attacks, and how to blend with an opponent's attacks in the crossing/meeting of swords), where using a lighter sword will allow you to execute your techniques with greater speed and dexterity. You should find the type of sword best suited to your body type, skill, and individual attributes. To find the sword best suited for you, as well to fully develop your technique, you should practice and gain experience with a wide range of swords (Long/Short- Heavy/Light). A large part of determining what type of sword is best for you depends on one's body type, skill, and expression of strategy. Along with these factors you should also keep the sword's quality of construction in mind.The Japanese Katana
1. The long sword (Daito): These are the longer of the two swords commonly worn by the samurai. There are many good swords of this length. It's very difficult to temper a daito evenly from tip to base due to its great length.
2. Medium sword (Wakizashi): These were worn by samurai as auxiliary swords, or by persons of non-samurai classes, who were allowed to wear no more than one sword of a length no longer than around 23 inches. Good swords in this length are rare.
3. Short sword (Tanto): less than 11.93 inches in length. Also served as an auxiliary weapon. Usually they are of the hira-zukuri (without ridge line) type. They are commonly, though vulgarly, called hare-kiri knives.