Skyjiro Scalop Katana

[@WayneDoThings]

Thanks for a great review, I'm very interested in Skyjiro Forge swords and you've provided a lot of insight to that end.

[@erichusayn]

Thanks. Informative as always. I am considering that exact skyjiro for my very first non entry level priced production katana. You answered every question I had about it. As theyre pretty much all mail order you really take a gamble dropping $850 on something you don't even get a chance to see in person. Since you don't get a chance to hold and swing it around before buying your reviews extremely helpful. Thanks again.

[@manwich5364]

Just picked up one of these and I am very happy with it.

[@KF1]

Great review. Can't see the sea creature either aha. What comes to mind, very often "scalloped" will refer to the features of meteor craters or lightning strikes, with a ridged but rounded pattern of lines in it. If I squint really hard I can see the same kind of effect on the tsuba, though it's supposed to be convex rather than concave. Rounded with lines in it. Lol far shot, eh.

[@SuperiorAutocraft]

Thanks for another good review, Matt. I think this is the first time I could easily hear your tachi kaze. Cutting technique improving?

[@Matthew_Jensen]

I think my microphone is more sensitive and I am cutting indoors..

[@SpudMagnum]

Hi Matthew, love the videos! On the off chance you'll read a comment on a video 1 1/2 yrs old though, I hate watching you struggle to identify scallops! I think I've seen a couple of videos where you mention you're not sure where they're indicated on a sword. In this case the ornaments on the tsuka are scallops for certain. If you're curious what to search online look at scalloped hot rods. They will show "C" shaped paint schemes. Cheers!

[@Matthew_Jensen]

Thank you for the clarification sword friend!

[@z0sicktanner619]

Thanks for the review on this. made buying easier.

[@thelonerider9693]

Is it weird that despite being into european swords I find the katana aesthetically pleasing? I'm not sure if it is the fact that the variations are all more subtle, while the overall shape remains similar in a broad sense, or the detailed construction of the tsukas, but they are so nice to look at. The blade shapes are also very pleasing. Been watching a lot of these vids, please keep doing more! I am not only learning about these swords from your vids, I am learning to appreciate the fine details of them... and as you say the vids allow for seeing more detail than you get otherwise esp. if like me you cannot afford an 850$ sword yet..

[@arenaforgamers5650]

That Scallop or Huawei Shinogi Zukuri Suguha Hamon Katana? I can't decide

[@phillipjohnson4156]

a solid review! excellent!

[@Trainwheel_Time]

I bought one of these secondhand. Immediately tore it down for refit. I didn't care for the green aesthetic at all and ended up with new fittings, rayskin and ito. I also made a new saya and shortened the blade a bit. The saya to me was just cumbersome and tacky.

[@Matthew_Jensen]

How do you like it now?

[@neilkloppenborg8399]

Great video, Matthew! I recently purchased one of these swords. Being a novice, I had a question I was hoping you could answer: the katana I got is razor sharp further up the blade, but the bottom third or so going down to the tsuba is fairly blunt. I can press my thumb against it and even drag it across in this area with no risk of cutting myself. Is that normal for a katana like this? Like I said, the upper 2/3 is razor sharp, but the blade seems to lose its sharpness as it gets to its thickest point closer to the tsuba. Thanks for your insight.

[@manwich5364]

Imo it shouldn't be blunt, but the cutting edge is the upper part of the blade, so its typically more sharp. Hope that helps.

[@danielchrysalis6554]

I think it’s more like a scoop scallop. Rather than the food. Lol though just my guess looking at the menuki & tsuba.

[@KF1]

That's what I thought, too. Tho creature comes to mind quicker than feature.

[@assturtleinc5216]

About to get this for Xmas. Your video swong me from the hanwei tori xl lite. I have a question though. When you say a blade is for hard/soft targets. What does that imply? Would tatami cutting be soft? And maybe 4 tatami rolled together hard? Or am i missing something. Thanks for the video.

[@Matthew_Jensen]

Single tatami is medium and bamboo is hard. Four tatami is still on the medium side for the edge but hard not to bend.. Hope that helps.

[@polynikes749]

Great review, can you answer about how much niku, if any this may have? Also, can you recommend any blades with a little niku? they are about impossible to find anymore it seems.

[@Matthew_Jensen]

I don't know if they are hard to find but they are hard to predict . There are a lot of variation between blades of the same model. Just about everything on them can change and I don't have one that I can say will consistently arrive with a predictable amount of niku

[@polynikes749]

thanks for the input, any models you can think of that typically have more niku than others? looking for something suitable for med to hard targets... have two options right now for either a Kaneie Silver Dragonfly or Ronin Dojo Elite, really love that Kaneie though just not sure of its niku, think it's petty limited.

[@Matthew_Jensen]

The bugei Samurai I have had some niku on the blades when I got them.. I think your best bet is to look second hand market an ask for photos of a card being held up on the flat of the blade so you can see the niku in the reflection.

[@randomguy3281]

Great review as always. I'm curious, how do you sharpen your "practitioner" swords? I have a Hanwei Raptor (Nambokucho, the big one), I got it 7ish years ago, I may only cut a few times a year. It needs some sharpening, I don't care about it looking nice or resale value, I mean it has some tarnish from the years. I rather not send it out for sharpening, but I don't know if running it through a Work Sharp would be a bad idea, it's what a lot of people use for European swords. And I have plenty of water stones, but I'm not sure if I'm willing to sharpen a full 30 inch blade.

[@Matthew_Jensen]

The short answer is I put them in a box and mail them to someone that knows how to sharpen them... I don't have much skill in sharpening the swords so I get them to people that do. That said, I don't really sharpen them often. I have never sharpened the Bamboo mat I use...

[@randomguy3281]

Well thanks for the suggestion. What would one generally expect price wise for a basic, not looking for a supper polish, sharpening? I actually sharpen knives to fund my knife/sword hobby, I typically charge on average $13 per knife and $17 if they want a mirror polished razor, but I use a set angle set up, so I'm not the best at free hand. I would guess a sword would be at lest $60, if not over $100. I know a proper polish for higher end swords can run many hundreds, if not thousands.

[@Matthew_Jensen]

Nihonzashi does a service for it and they make it sharp. You might try them.. Polishing is sharpening in the Japanese sword world but sharpening is not necessarily sharpening. I have seem basic sharpening done but I don't know many people that do it. Polishing a katana is usually around $1k or more...

[@randomguy3281]

Awesome, their prices are not that bad, I'll consider them. Thanks for the info

[@manuelrocha9762]

I hear that Sky Jiro has a sharpening service for their blades. It wouldn't surprise me if they took over the katana market in the coming years. They seem to have quality wares in all price points covered.

[@sethlantis9756]

How would you say this compares to the tonbo by Hanwei? I watched your review on both and I cant decide. Or is there a better option in that price range? I’m not really planning on doing any cutting. I just want one that’s good quality and has a nice Hamon.

[@Matthew_Jensen]

The Tonbo from Hanwei is very ornate. If you were looking for something pretty, then that would be my choice. For use, I would go with the Scalop. I think it is more functional.

[@sethlantis9756]

Matthew Jensen thank you!

[@roninsurvivor4640]

what sword styles have you studied? I have some basic training in Iaido.

[@Matthew_Jensen]

toyama and katori

[@justmitch4583]

noticed the slight catching and noise when re sheathing my skyjiro moko musashi. its quite strange

[@ramonvelasquez8431]

Hey Matt! Do you by chance re-sell any of your katanas online? I wanted to know if I could maybe buy one from you that is in good shape and it's around the budget I want, perhaps you have a pretty good deal lying over there!

[@MotivatedMetalworks]

His ebay link is in the video description.

[@KanekiKen-ib7jy]

Tatami cutting doesn't whatever you say stain the blade odd to say. The blade needs a bit cleaning and will nice again without the signs of use.

[@Matthew_Jensen]

You and I have very different experiences cutting tatami. In my experience one single cut on a tatami mat will leave residual scratches in the surface of the steel. They are not significant and may only been seen in the right light, but they are most certainly present.

[@mattmanbrownbro]

Seth McFarlane? Is that you?

[@Matthew_Jensen]

We just have very similarly huge foreheads.

[@unaeruditi]

He says that folding does not affect the sword and reduces impurities only. I disagree because a forged blade has a finite naturally arranged crystaline structure where they are spaced further apart compared to heating, folding and pounding with a hammer especially mechanical hammers will decrease the spaces between the crystaline structure rearrange them more compactly like in a multi ton single drop forge of a connecting rod of an engine,but better, thus making the metal more dense. Take a rail from a railroad ...poor mans anvil the top of the rail becomes hardened after years of RR wheels pounded over it. aka case hardened concept

[@Matthew_Jensen]

I am not a swordsmith or metallurgist, I don't honestly know what the answer is. That said, it sounds like you are suggesting that folding and forging are the same thing. From what I can tell a blade can be made from stock removal or forged. Folding does suggest more forging but mono steel blades can also be forged.

[@Matthew_Jensen]

Folding and forging are not mutually exclusive to my knowledge.

[@Trainwheel_Time]

Another dude who has no idea why swords were folded in the first place and buys into the magical idea of super steel "will cut through a block of iron" sword mythology. Don't sweat it Matt. Its just another dude thats watched too many movies.

[@coryvenezia5530]

Hey Mat, is it true that Rick Berrett doesn't make swords anymore?

[@Matthew_Jensen]

It would probably depend on what your definition of "doesn't make anymore" is.. You can ping him on facebook and ask directly. I think he stopped trying to forge new commissions but is finishing old commissions and selling old project blades that he has around. From the buyers perspective he says he does not make them but he seems to have a lot of swords for sale... I think it is just a matter of making good on old contracts and clearing out the shop... Can't say for sure though. You would have to check with him.

[@scollyb]

Scallop can also refer to a shape, the tsuba has a scallop shape

[@Matthew_Jensen]

I see the shapes on the tsuba a bit and I get the menuki.

[@scollyb]

Matthew Jensen looks quite a lot like this goo.gl/images/2kxq1t0

[@MLO101]

thumb up and sub thanks for the info keep up the good work.

[@Maxime_L91]

Given this review, i really don't understand all the hate on Skyjiro on SBG forums. I anyone has any experiences cutting with this blade reply me. I'm considering this one and im a bit curious about the edge retention/ durability. Will mostly do kata and some random cutting.

[@Matthew_Jensen]

I have cut with other skyjiro blades. They do the job quite well. I think the harsh reactions to the swords are from folks that do not place as much value on the small details of fit and finish. You often see pieces from them that have price tags that are double or more what other manufacturers charge. I would argue that the blades are not more durable and do not necessary perform better but they have small refinements that are often overlooked in sub $1000 and sub $500 blades. Some folks don't see the value in that. They would rather pay $300 for a sword that misses a few marks than $700 for a sword that misses fewer marks.

[@Trainwheel_Time]

Overall... it seems to me that the people who complain about this forge on sgb are almost exclusively people who have not even owned or even handled one of thier products. There was some talk about business practices in the advertising area and so on. Not sure how that came to pass or how its even relevant given that anyone who I've ever seen who actually had one of their products had nothing but good things to say.

[@josehouzelot4334]

very Good vidéo ;)

[@Matthew_Jensen]

thanks!

[@euanhare]

did you ever purchase a great quality sword at a cheap price?

[@Matthew_Jensen]

Do you mean getting lucky with an ebay auction type thing or do you mean been impressed by a cheap sword that I bought at retail price?

[@euanhare]

+Matthew Jensen (Funny Sword Reviews) cheap sword at a retail price if you've had one before

[@Matthew_Jensen]

I remember the Ronin Katana RK series blades.. I tested one in 2014 I think.. At the time they were only $100 but they did the job well. There are not many at that price and I thought it was a good deal.. Also the Hanwei Practical XL was an impressive cutting blade for $200ish. It did not do much else well but it did cut real good..

[@euanhare]

+Matthew Jensen (Funny Sword Reviews) thank you very much for the info

[@randomguy3281]

Right now Ronin is having their Scratch and dent sale. Their RK series are $80 and the Dojo Pro line is $165. Of course you will get a sword that has some flaws with it, nothing that should hinder it's performance though.

[@erichusayn]

is the yokote geometric?

[@Matthew_Jensen]

I don't recall. I don't have the sword around anymore but I don't think it had the yakote with a pronounced steep angle. It had a nice shape though.

[@erichusayn]

thanks for the quick response. You have the best, most informative katana focused channel by far. Your videos have been extremely helpful in making my purchasing decisions

[@Matthew_Jensen]

Glad to hear it. What katana have made the short list?

[@erichusayn]

as far as what I own Im still in the sub $400 range but the standouts so far are my practical elite and munetoshi viper. Was considering this one as my first forray in to the next level.

[@erichusayn]

out of a dojo pro, shobu raptor, practical elie, an iron tiger forge,and the viper the munetoshi suprisingly has held up and performs the best.

[@samuraibyrd]

Scallop,lol. Maybe its just a “shell” of a sword😂