What do you know about katanas?

LiquidChaos66 · June 2014

I really really want a traditional Japanese handmade katana. What can you tell me about them?

0patience · June 2014

LiquidChaos66 · June 2014

That's my biggest problem right now. I've seen a few newer non-famous blade maker swords for around 200-500. But I really want one with papers and all the official whatnot.

0patience · June 2014

LiquidChaos66 · June 2014

I found a few older blades with the original authentication paperwork and build diagrams going or 10k+. It only made me want them more. I had a friend tell me about a few local places that get old WW2 katanas periodically. I would love to score one of those.

perkinke · June 2014

jd50ae · June 2014

I know you don't want to hear this....but your timing sucks. Just had a friend offer up a pile of the real thing, and they were in outstanding condition. Sold for an average of $750 each. If I wasn't so broke I would have bought 3 of them, and then traded you for cigars.

LiquidChaos66 · June 2014

LiquidChaos66 · June 2014

perkinke · June 2014

hehe, you'd have to kill to get them.

I'm pretty torn on whether to try and restore them or leave them in their current condition. I'm not sure what they looked like when my grandpa brought them home. I guess when my mom was young he had them displayed by the fireplace, apparently it was the first thing the boys saw when coming to pick up my mom or aunt for a date, rumors were rampant amongst the high school guys about what they were used for. My grandpa always claimed he never thought about that, and while I wouldn't have put it past him for that to have been deliberate he certainly would have admitted to it later in life.

but anyway, I have been thinking about restoring them because for all of my life (30 plus years) they had sat in his store room outside of the main house, and while it was dry (northern CA) I am not sure if the paint on the scabbard or hilt degraded in the 60 years they've been here.

Beaker38 · June 2014

NEVER RESTORE THEM!!!! they lose value and they look like crap afterwards IMO leave them the way they are. they look beautiful the way they are. put them up on a wall in your house. If you have ever watched pawn stars they say never restore guns or swords they lose the value.

wwhwang · June 2014

I wouldn't bother trying to restore them unless you get someone to do it professionally. Trying to do amateur restoration usually ends up damaging it and bringing the value of the weapon down.