Skyjiro Forge Domoe Katana Review

[@RCGJR_]

The hour glass handle is what hanwei needs to take note of.

[@WayneDoThings]

I wonder if the loose habaki is a common issue with Skyjiro. Been looking at their swords recently and I think that would bother me with a $500+ sword when I have much cheaper swords that are put together more solid.

[@kristopheralonge2813]

Great review, Matt. I was thinking on the fence about whether or not to get a Skyjiro from either Bugei or KoA, but after watching your two Skyjiro reviews I'm probably gonna go for it.

[@mr.excalibur1455]

Hey Matt ... I'd like your input on Skyjiro as a company over all. I noticed you have reviewed a couple of their products and I have a couple of questions. First of all ... do you still own any of these. Yes, I know you review these for friends ... but am just wondering if you have any in your personal collection and which ones would those be if you do. Second ... just recently you made some comments (either in the review or in print on the review) about ordering issues recently with Skyjiro. I'm wondering if you could provide some more info on that if you could. Third ... recently I ordered two swords from them. The Ancient Warrior and the Hanabira (custom length ... 30" nagasa & 12" tsuka). What have you heard about these models? What do you think I can expect with either one of them? Thank you.

[@erichusayn]

Good review, as always. See they've made a few runs since this review. Curious if they've improved since. We will see.

[@shanewright344]

I would rather have this over my Cold Steel Warrior Katana. I think the Cold Steel is probably tougher, but this sword has what I'm looking for aesthetically

[@317consulting5]

Has there been improvements with ordering from Skyjiro directly? Thank you for all your videos!!!

[@JoeSteel1]

Matt congrats on 11K Subscribe...you deserve it....great work and effort my friend

[@Matthew_Jensen]

Thank you sir. I am sure you will not be too far behind. Keep up the good work too!

[@New2Kendo]

The owner of Skyjiro must be a big fan of Chushingura (the story of the 47 Ronin, aka the Loyal 47). The Skyjiro symbol is the Asano Clan Mon, and this sword the Domoe has the Mon from Oishi Yoshio family Mon

[@317consulting5]

Just ordered one these from KOA. Great video.

[@katanacustoms9532]

Nice review sir.... yust got my secondhand Skyjiro Taka Chigai and its quait ok, little heavy but nice, no rattle on the sword or when its in the saya. Best regards Gustavo

[@Matthew_Jensen]

I think skyjiro makes some decent pieces. At least there are some things about them that are done better than other competitors. The two that I have had all seem nice.

[@katanacustoms9532]

I agree!

[@j.d.4697]

It's designed and made in the USA. I'm surprised it's not a massive slab of metal with guns strapped to it.

[@miketong2007]

hi Mathew! do you know anything about new sword smith name Motohara? his L6 katana kind expensive -$1500 -$2500

[@Matthew_Jensen]

I have not seen them in person but I have heard good things. A few folks on youtube have made videos and they seem to be getting good reviews.

[@miketong2007]

Matthew Jensen thank you sir.

[@skane-yi8kc]

Well produced review as always. Looks like a nice low drag TH cutter with decent mount quality. Interesting you mentioned it looks like a shinogi with the ridge ground out. That could contribute to it being a low drag cutter that splits... i.e. it's like a blade with hira niku that has reduced back-plane drag. The one on KoA looks like a shinogi with hi (even has a yokote), and the one on SnA is a shinogi zukuri w/out hi. Maybe the previous owner had it reprofiled, making this sample look like a hira in the process, or it's a different version of the same model.

[@Matthew_Jensen]

I think about it as $550 gets you a sword that is sharp, that the tsuka is not cracked, that the ito is tight, that the transitions in various spots line up, and that does the job out of the box as worth the $550. There is not much for me to shit on at that price. But that is why I don't do rating scales and such, my interpretation of what is worth $550 is different than someone else. I just know that lots of swords out there from many different companies don't give you those items for $550. I will keep an eye out for a munetoshi sword. I have had a few in the past and I thought highly of them. I have just not had any around lately and I only recently started doing these reviews with regularity.

[@Johnwalter88]

Looks like a pretty good mat cutter Matthew.

[@Matthew_Jensen]

The first skyjiro I owned gave me a bit of a shock. At a glance they look like most other chinese made blades but after having owned a few.. I think they are a little better than average..

[@Johnwalter88]

+Matthew Jensen (Funny Sword Reviews) I wasn't impressed with the first ones a few years back,turned down a request to test/review some of these newer ones.Maybe I should reconsider?

[@Matthew_Jensen]

It would be for comparison. I have had 4 of them now (three I have made a video about) and each of them seemed good for the most part. Not perfect but good compared to some of the stuff out there. I think you have a better view on munetoshi and they make some nice pieces for the money. It would be interesting to hear your thoughts on skyjiro.

[@Johnwalter88]

+Matthew Jensen (Funny Sword Reviews) I take into account the company itself when reviewing their product,I like their honesty and ease to deal with.Ive not gone above the $450 mark with Munetoshi,so I can't talk about their higher priced pieces.Everything I've tested for them,with the exception of the budget priced Lion Dog and Water Dragon,had very good attention paid to blade profile,and fittings and such are fairly consistent with the market,not great,but better than decent.Really good cutting swords by an honest company.I don't really get a chance to do many reviews anymore tho,had to turn some down,work keeping me busy. I'd love to get my hands on some of the swords you've had.Always enjoy your reviews.

[@Matthew_Jensen]

LOL, yeah I have had a few fun ones.. I would have liked to see you have them too. Your hands are more capable than mine. Thanks for the kind words on the reviews.

[@frankdrebin1023]

Are you trying to say this blade is fully convexed?

[@Matthew_Jensen]

I don't remember anymore. It has been a while sense I had this one in hand. Hopefully the video shows if it has niku or not. I want to say it had a healthy amount.

[@frankdrebin1023]

@@Matthew_Jensen That's another reason I want a howard clark so badly. At least from what I understand the cutting geometry is different w/ his blades. Where traditionally most Japanese swords are almost a flat grind to the cutting edge, his are convexed. Therefore, better cutting geometry, and superior edge retention. However, few vids out there of someone cutting w/ a howard clark.

[@Snowboarder3195]

What's your all-around favorite katana for a reasonable price?

[@Matthew_Jensen]

reasonable price is subjective. How much is reasonable to you?

[@Snowboarder3195]

I was thinking roughly $500.

[@Matthew_Jensen]

The answer might change with a variety of factors.. But if you want to ask me what I like for $500, I would keep an eye out for a second hand Bamboo Mat from hanwei.. they come up on the forums or ebay for around $500 often enough. If you just want out of the box katana. The pieces from Huawei seem nice for the money. I also liked the Skyjiro warlord. My main suggestion is to look on the second hand market though. I think your money goes further that way.

[@Snowboarder3195]

Great, thanks so much!

[@soykanmuri7277]

Perfection your movements are strong outstanding form

[@Matthew_Jensen]

I appreciate the kind words but I have a long way to go before I am any level of good. I think I have gotten a bit better sense the video was made but it is a journey. I still appreciate it.

[@soykanmuri7277]

For me as well great gifts like having talent can only be admired and perfected astoundingly

[@FabledHeroes3351]

Third to comment and I thought you'd never even try and review a Skyjiro Forge Katana after what you thought of the other one or am I thinking of a Thaisuki

[@Matthew_Jensen]

I think my review on the last skyjiro was mostly positive.. the Thaitsuki was not..

[@FabledHeroes3351]

Matthew Jensen oh ok I remember now

[@icolater27]

Cool videos !!!

[@highlander200268]

hira zukuri is a flat grind to knife guys

[@dubsydabster]

The music lol. Sheesh

[@bmxriderforlife1234]

its funny when a 500$ katana does better then a 2000$ one, heres lookin at you thaitsuki

[@Matthew_Jensen]

The thaitsuki gave you a few different things.. san mai construction folded steel blade.. Hand made fittings and some silver stuff. It would be better to compare this to one of thaitsukis other swords like the KTN2

[@bmxriderforlife1234]

Matthew Jensen fair enough but i also saw one of thaitsuki's blades brand new well less then a year old bought brand new snap on a double roll of tatami with about a 1 inch in diameter piece of bamboo. ive also heard of others having similar issues with blades breaking, and on another note from some research i did into them awhile back the hamons apparently werent real and the difference in hardness on the blades wasnt achieved through claying the hamon is apparently a mix of an acid etch and polishing tricks at least on the older blades, if i can find the review with the evidence ill post it here but im not sure if ill be able to it was on one of the sword forums, but the guy had what looked like a thaitsuki katana, went and tried polishing sections to check if the laminations and hamon were real and they came off he etched the blade and the only thing that came up was the fold pattern in the steel but none of the other activities that shouldve been present. silver fittings may be nice and hand made is usually a good thing but from what ive seen of thaitsuki nihonto i wouldnt touch their stuff with a 10 foot poll at least not for the price tag on it and the level of fit and finish, i mean for about a grand or two more you start getting into real nihonto and customs that dont have super loose ito or extremely overly large saya or really thin looking tsuka. just my two cents but last i saw pryzemek had fully polished katana in shirasaya for like 1500$ or so and then with a restoration package from fred lohman with his fittings your looking at another 1500$ and while itll definitely look alot simpler you have cast copies of real antique fittings that look pretty good still a new saya and tsuka and a fresh wrap and its only only a few hundred more then thaitsuki nihonto's highest end offering on kult of athena

[@Matthew_Jensen]

Bending on a double roll with a bamboo core can happen to just about any sword. I have not tested many thitsuki so I don't really know what to say. It seems like they have the same praise and criticism that many sword companies have.. just that they tend to charge a lot for their products. Their base line blades are not much more than Hanwei and their san mai pieces are more but they offer something (if truly san mai) explains the cost difference. I personally think they are OK but they are not the most value oriented blade out there. The comparison to a Przemek blade is fair but I think you are going after something different. I see the high end thaitsuki as a blade that gives you handmade fittings, a traditional construction blade style for half the price of a shinsakuto out of japan.. You get less but you pay less. The przemek blades are not folded, not san mai... He makes great swords but I think they go after different markets. If you don't care about folded steel, if you don't care about san mai construction... then its not the right place to put your money.

[@bmxriderforlife1234]

Matthew Jensen it didnt bend it snapped clean through the entire way ill see if my buddy has the photo's of it still

[@bmxriderforlife1234]

Matthew Jensen valid point about hand made folded laminated versus monosteel but at the 500$ or so price point comes ronin dojo elite bare blades which can make for a great custom project and would lower the budget. im just saying for the price point i cant really say they are worth it ive memory serves tozando right now has shinsakuto as well as older blades in new koshirae for as low as 3k and an authentic nihonto is definitely a step above thaitsuki. i really feel for the price point they either need to step up quality control and fit and finish or just lower their prices. i mean dynasty forge which ive heard alot of priase about has their diamyo class tamahagane stuff at the low to mid 2k mark and i havent heard of their blades snapping after fairly mild usage. folded steel and laminated blades are fine but its marketed as a "battle ready blade" yet they really arent up to par, and folded steel and laminated blades can be fairly durable when done right i just dont think thaitsuki nihonto are meant for practitioners or actual usage.