New Budget Beater Training and Cutting Katana from Ryujin: Introducing the Hatamoto II

In tough economic times like these, you really do want your dollar to stretch as far as humanly possible – and since their release a few years ago, there was a sword model by Ryujin that I felt would be extremely popular at times like these – and that was the original Ryujin ‘Hatamoto’ Katana.

THE ORIGINAL HATAMOTO KATANA

This $150 sword with its very traditional ‘Hatamoto’ style iron fittings and differenttially hardenened 1060 carbon steel blade was a popular seller, but was priced too low to be sustainable and despite numerous requests to bring it back, it has remained in production limbo ever since..

But from its winning concept and design comes the next generation of Hatamoto Katana – with the Hatamoto II Cutting Katana and Training Iaito (steel blunt).

Unlike the original Hatamoto, the Hatamoto II has a spring tempered blade forged from hard wearing 65mn spring steel and is available in both sharpened and iaito configuration, allowing you to train or spar relatively safely with an unsharpened blade that weighs and handles almost identically as your cutting sword, ensuring the way you practice and actually use the sword for real is exactly the same.

And while both blades are monotempered to leverage the durability and strength of modern steels, they are adorned with an attractive and subtle cosmetic hamon that is so well executed it looks like the real thing.

Like the original Hatamoto sword, the Hatamoto II series decks the blades out on both models with best of breed fittings – with real rayskin, iron tsuba, iron fuchigashira and rayon ito wrap and sageo – and is available for $150 for the cutting sword and $130 for the Iaito – making a complete training package for form work and frequent (and even abusive) cutting priced so that nearly anyone can afford it.

So if you are in the market for some real workhorse blades at bargain prices – the Hatamoto Series is for YOU!

Check them out below for all the details, pics and specs:

Hatamoto II – Cutting Katana ($149.99)

Hatamoto II – Training Iaito ($129.99)

Tatami Mats Available (but not for long!)

The 2020s have seen sources for Tatami cutting mats pretty much go dry and they have become almost as rare as hens teeth. But if you are quick, we just secured a small shipment of 10 boxes of 20 mats per box and despite their rarity and an incredible amount of backlogged pressure, they are STILL available at the bargain price of $209.99 which works out to be a very reasonable $10.49 per mat (and as you probably know, you can stretch the mats further by rolling half mats with a bamboo core).

Plus, we also have assemble yourself cutting stands for those who don’t have one or who can’t be bothered to DIY one yourself.

Grab ’em while they are still in stock because with no price increase and years of very limited availability, they are sure to sell out fast!

Two New Scorpion Swords Models

Over the years, Missouri based budget friendly blade maker Chris Palmer has continued to expand his rage of available sword models – and today we see another 2 blades join the line up, bringing the total number of available swords and large knives in his repertoire to 34 different models.

The first new addition to his blade family is a short but deadly replica of a Roman Legionaries Gladius that packs one heck of a punch..

As is often the case with modern replicas, if the Romans actually had a sword made from this quality steel and tempered like Scorpion Swords do, their Empire might have expanded even quicker than it did – as this modern recreation would literally chew up and destroy any contemporary sword that dared to stand against it..

As always, it is a quite the bargain at just $249.99..

And the next one is a the SECOND variation of a VERY utilitarian blade design, the Dark Filipino Ginunting (click here for the original version).

The name itself effectively translates to ‘Scissor blade’ as they are reminiscent of one half of a pair of particularly savage looking scissors, and as you might suspect, they are optimized for deadly shearing cuts and quick, deep flicking hacks. So much so that these blades are a principal sidearm of the Filipino Marine Corp, making them the only military in the world widely that still arms itself with swords (and boy, do they know how to actually USE them!)..

And again, it is bargain priced at just $259.99..

Check out the full Scorpion Swords line up below, if you haven’t taken a good look before you are in a for a treat..

APOC March Madness Megasale

Last year it would seem that every few months we offered a special discount on the ‘no bells and whistles, Apocalypse ready’ monotempered 9260 spring steel blades in the Angus Trim designed APOC series. As a result many a prepper, survivalist, outdoors-man, sword collector and blade enthusiast added at least one model to their potential bug out bag..

With 2024 already shaping up to be ‘more of the same’ with Flashpoints across the world in Palestine, Iran, Ukraine, Russia, China, Taiwan, North and South Korea, US versus itself, Environmental degradation, Rouge AI and the ever present threat of an unexpected ‘Black Swan event’ – being prepared for the worst yet hoping for the best is more sensible now than it has ever been..

TIME MAGAZINE: Top 10 Global Risks for 2024

If you missed out, or just want to add another design to your tactical toolbox (after all, APOC make modern versions of many historical types of swords and blades from so many different eras and cultures, there is always another model of interest) NOW is the time to grab it at the very best price possible!

Maybe if you purchased the discounted Survival Katana last time, this time you will want to round it out with a matching Wakizashi for a Neo-Miyamoto Musashi two sword fighting style or a back up Tanto tucked away in your boot or your belt (or two bladed fighting style with Wakizashi and Tanto for in your face, up close and personal defense).

Or if you bought the Longsword last time, maybe you want to add a Broadsword – or even a Chinese Kung fu Jian and pair of Wing Chun style Butterfly swords, mixing and matching as your personal preferences dictate..

With the current special pricing of 15% off are ALREADY discounted prices, you are guaranteed to get more value than what you pay for. So grab a bargain while the sale is on and while stocks last.

You just never know when that ‘last chance’ will really be – and as the old saying goes “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” (or 2lbs 6 oz or so depending on the model!).

New Version Legacy Arms Gladius Out Now

While the CLEARANCE SALE on the now discontinued line of Generation 2/Legacy Arms Roman Gladius stalled out somewhat unexpectedly (it is a very strange market for swords in 2024) this new sword was originally scheduled to arrive AFTER the original stock had cleared..

But as that is still a long way off, and the swords have already arrived in stock – now it would seem lovers of Gladius are spoiled for choice..

You can pick up the still hot off the forge new model for $255 (marked down to $199.95 at SBG):

THE NEW MODEL

Or you can grab a bargain and pick up the now discontinued original version for just $149.99:

THE ORIGINAL MODEL (NOW ON CLOSEOUT)

THE MAINTZ VARIANT (ALSO ON CLOSEOUT)

No matter which one you go for, a bargain price is assured!