Laminated Steel Practical Katana HiGo 9260+1045 Carbon Steel ! REAL Ray Skin !

The HIGO is perfect for Iaito.It is a hefty feeling blade that is easy to handle. The steel construction makes this a blade harder than other swords. It is constructed of a laminated 9260 Carbon Spring Steel core with 1045 wrap. The second generation HiGo has improved blade geometry as well as a cleaner, more attractive fitting and tsuba as well as two mekugi. This hand forged, hand sharpened, and hand polished blade is unbeatable in value. What makes this feel like a real sword in your hands? It has a same made of REAL ray skin. Ray skin is banned since 2017 and while others promise it to have , once you have it in your hands, more often than not it turns out to be just plastic. Plastic is cheap and the only legal solution nowadays. The Ito is made of heavy duty cotton, not the nylon used on cheaper swords. The wrapping around the handle is not just tighter and resists the forces of a tight grip, it is also better in absorbing sweat in a training session. When nylon gets wet, it usually gets more slippery, too. The tsuba and fitting will not start rattling after a short time of training. The fittings are tight and leave no tolerances to get loose, supported by 2 bamboo menukis that keep the grip on the full tang. This sword was made almost 20 years ago and resurfaced from long term storage . It may show some storage wear and age, the blade is in fine condition and has no rust . I stored all my swords with a thick layer of grease so rust had no chance. I do have a typical eCRATER sword that I used for cutting practice. All the above mentioned things happened to the cheap one. Holding this one already makes you feel the difference in quality. And yes, it is SHARP. That is why it is not as cheap as the cheap ones.