FAQ

Q: What kind of guarantee do you offer?

A: We guarantee all our products to be brand new and fully as described.

We also guarantee that your shopping experience will be a secure and enjoyable one. If your shopping experience is substandard in any way, please contact us through this form and we will do everything possible to rectify the situation...

A: Shortly after you have placed your order, I'll send you a confirmation that your order has been received. Should a product be out of stock, we'll notify you of the delay immediately. If that happens (not likely), we will ask if you prefer to cancel your order.

All of our products are either shipped direct from the manufacturers warehouse or one of our trusted shipping agents, usually within 2-3 business days. Of course, preparation lead time will vary according to the current workload and may be shortened or extended by a matter of a day or two (this is all explained in detail in the confirmation email I will send you).

SPECIAL NOTE FOR PRE-ORDERS: As we process all payments via the store with paypal, the money is automatically deducted from your account. So in essence, if you place a pre-order using Paypal you will be charged the moment you place the order, not when the item comes in. See below for more information as to why we use paypal and not a regular merchant account.

Q:What is your return policy?

A:Quite simply, we stand behind every product we sell.

So if you are not absolutely pleased with your purchase return it to us within 30 days in the original packaging and original condition via insured parcel post or UPS and we will give you your choice of an exchange or refund (excluding shipping fees).

You must contact us using the form provided above prior to returning any item so that a Return Authorization Number (RAN) can be issued.

Returned products must be in like-new condition with original packaging and materials. A 10% re-stocking fee will be applied towards your refund.

Please allow up to 14 days for processing of returns.

Q:Do you ship outside of North America?

A: Yes we do, but not all products (Hanwei swords we can ONLY ship to an US address)...

We can ship MOST Cheness Cutlery swords outside of the US by using USPS Airmail, however due to recent size restrictions, the longer swords - such as O-Katana, Oniyuri, etc simply cannot be shipped using an economical method. Cheness swords that cannot be shipped by airmail are designated in the swords description...

However, if you are outside of the USA and looking to order one of our longer Cheness swords or any of the others that cannot be shipped outside of North America, there is one option I can personally recommend...

Recommended to me by a customer in Denmark Acess USA offer an international forwarding option at rates around 1/3 of the usual UPS shipping costs and almost TWICE as fast (not to mention fully trackable and insured). Highly recommended, and MUCH more reasonable than paying the standard UPS shipping charges.

Click here for more information on this service

Q:Can I get a tracking number?

A:For most of our US shipments, a UPS tracking number is provided when your sword is dispatched.

Unfortunately, Cheness Cutlery are not as yet integrated with the various carriers they use and so a shipping number is not automatically generated when the shipment has been sent. However, if there are special circumstances or your sword has exceeded the maximum estimated wait time (10 business days in the US, 3 weeks internationally) please let us know and we will manually track it down for you.

Q: Is there a minimum age to buy one of these swords?

A:Yes, you must be 18 years old to legally buy a sword. We cannot and will not knowingly sell to minors.

Q: What are your payment options?

A: For your security (and ours) we only process payments using paypal - however do do not need a paypal account to order, you can select to use it to pay with your visa and mastercard, or secure payments direct from your checking account.

By using paypal, we don't have to store your credit card information anywhere (we never even see it!), plus with the strongest commercially available encryption available, we find their service to be easy and safe, both for you and the SBG sword store.

Q: Why am I not getting replies to my emails from you?

A: I can assure you that they are being sent... ALL order related emails are answered within 12-24 hours (48 hours at the absolute latest, excluding weekends and public holidays)...

However, I have noticed of late that aol email addresses are often very hard for me to reply to and seem to be blocked by aol for reasons unknown (I have tried contacting aol about this, but they never get back to me).

It is for this reason I recommend entering your telephone number when you order so I can give you a call if my emails aren't getting through to you and let you know what is going on.

Q: What the heck is a 'bo-hi'? (or what are the advantages and disadvantages of choosing a sword with or without one?).

Some of our Japanese swords come with the option to select either a 'solid bodied' blade or a blade 'with bo-hi'.

A bo-hi is essentially a fuller or groove that runs down the length of the blade, lightening it and changing the balance point to make it a bit faster and easier to wield. A by product of a Katana with bo-hi is that it makes a great 'Tachi-Kaze' (sword-wind-sound) when it swings through the air, giving some nice feedback on the angle and speed of your cut.

The structure of the bo-hi is such that it minimizes any loss of durability, acting much like an 'I-beam' as used in the construction industry.

At the end of the day then - if you want a real 'choppper', select the solid bodied blade. For a sword with a little more finesse, go with the bo-hi.

Q: What is the difference between the entry level SBG Katana and the Professional Grade ones?

A: For a start, they are made at different forges - the Professional Grade Katana are actually made at a very (very) small family owned and operated business that almost exclusively makes swords for SBG (and are quite specialized), while the SBG entry level custom blades are made at a larger, more commercial forge (I don't reveal which forges primarily because I don't want other sword sellers rushing in and trying to get in on the act as it would seriously slow down production across the board, and that is not good for anyone!).

Anyway, the primary differences between a sword made by the entry level forge and the professional grade forge is the attention to detail. The entry level custom swords have great blades, but the professional grade forge spends more time on them, both in the forging, polishing and sharpening - and the final mounting is MUCH more precise and done with a higher grade of material (which is one of the big differences between acceptable entry level swords and exceptional high end Katana)..

The hamon in particular is a lot more prominent on the Professional Grade swords, and can be seen from EVERY angle, while most entry level Katana (including the SBG entry level Katana) fade in and out depending on the angle..

You can see this illustrated in the video below..

So essentially, the main differences are that the entry level grade Katana are just that - definitely good quality, but there are quite a few other swords on the market that are as good for a very similar price (just not customizable) - while the Professional Grade swords really are quite unique and in a league of their own (they are, in reality, very underpriced!).

The final decision depends pretty much on your budget, and how important customization is - both are great value though or I wouldn't be offering them, it just depends on how 'fussy' you want to be with it! ;-)

Q: Do you have a personal favorite out of all the swords you sell?

A: Tough Question! As you know, I only sell swords that I would be proud to own. So it is VERY hard to narrow them down to just one...!

That said, I try to list a few of my current favorites in the stores home page - but at the end of the day, when it comes to buying swords - do the research, listen to what others have to say about them, and then go with what your gut is telling you...

Any other questions, just use the form at this top of this page to ask them. Who knows, they might even get included in the FAQ... ;-)

Thanks for reading,

Paul Southren
Sword-Buyers-Guide.com