Forge Direct Elite T10 Custom Katana V4.0

Simply Magnificent 01/03/2022
By Dave D
What an absolute piece of art!
Everything about this sword is impressive.
The quality of SBG swords and the fantastic service supplied by their staff makes the whole process of purchasing a sword online a pleasant one.
Special thanks to Paul for his personalised responses and expert advice... Cheers Mate :)
All the best... Dave D (South Australia)

Nice. 05/31/2021
By J.
A small disclaimer first, this is my first ever katana, or sword in general.

This right here is some good shit.

Mine has a 27" blade, musashi fittings, and everything black. Simple. Neat. Tight. TIGHT.

The handle assembly or whatever you call it is solid as shit. Very tight ito. Still tight after fondling it for many hours. Noice.
The uhhh "diamonds" patterned in the ito wrap are actually pretty damn even on mine.

I've handled and whipped mine around like I'm an anime protagonist and it feels great.
It's very easy to move around even with one hand for long periods of time without getting tired. I actually prefer to flail it around one handed.
Even though its easy to move the blade still feels like it packs quite a punch, hard to explain in words.

I've never cut anything with a sword before, no clue what I'm doing.
I smashed a 4" thick roll soaked newspaper so hard the cutting stand did a full flip before landing upside down.

Oh yeah, turns out the newspaper wasn't soaked through, about 60% of it was still dry. So I pretty much just whacked my sword full force against a 4" thick piece of solid wood.

So what happened to the sword?

The blade got bent by like 10 degrees or something. That's it, no problemo.

To clarify, it was a very very VERY hard hit.
My cutting stand requires a LOT of force to knock over and it did a full fucking flip and a half.
I'm pretty surprised it only bent the blade a bit.

Went on to cut some water filled 60oz juice boxes with the blade still bent.
It cut them like they weren't there, even went through pretty easily when they were empty.
And my technique is ass, and not the good kind of ass.

No edge damage even from being bent, no cracks, nothing. Everything is still rock solid.

Bent the blade back, all good. Ready to go cutting again.

Conclusion: I am a dumbass. Sword is good. Real good. Buy now yes. Got mine when it was $899, worth every cent and they're even cheaper now.

Everything Expected And More 12/13/2020
By Jefferson B
My katana specs:
Forge Direct Elite T10 Custom Katana V3.0
28" (71.1cm) Blade
Fuller/bo-hi
Gunome Hamon
iT23 Iron Tomoe II Fittings
M8 - Blue Ito
White Rayskin
G4 Sageo
S5 Saya
When I first ordered the Forge Direct T10 Katana I only had a vague sense of the quality and craftsmanship that was going to be put into it. Now that I've received it it turned out to be even better than I had expected. You really get what you pay for with this, it arrived beautifully finished and razor sharp with no flaws I could make out. I'm glad to say I am VERY pleased with what I received. Communication between me and the SBG staff was smooth and Paul was very assuring when I had emailed about the status of the order. Even with the pandemic it arrived in reasonable and due time. I'd try to put down any cons but there's really none I can think of, this sword is immaculate. I don't think I'll use it practically that much but you can tell that it was made to be 100% functional. Ultimately the SBG Store delivered what was promised and I'm glad I purchased this katana from them. I cannot fully describe the quality of this sword as you'd have to see it in person to appreciate the all handiwork and fine details, so if you're thinking of buying a custom katana this is where you should go, and don't let the price put you off because you'll get every cent's worth, 5/5 stars from me!

See for yourself 01/23/2020
By Garland Golden
No need to sound redundant, so please read the reviews, as well as Paul's initial review, create a custom katana, and see them for yourself - you won't be disappointed. The attention to detail is exquisite and far exceeds my expectations. The only con, the bar has definitely been raised on high end katanas.

The Forge Direct "Muramasa 11/19/2017
By zencowboy
As usual, it was Paul's detailed and insightful reviews that led me to shell out "the big bucks" (at least for this working-class American) for the Muramasa-inspired Forge Direct katana. It would be silly and redundant for me to try to add to his excellent observation about these swords. If you want to rediscover your faith in 'truth in advertising", just read his reviews and put your trust and your $$ in his integrity. The man isn't going to lie to you about something as serious as an instrument that could determine your very destiny. I am chiming in not from a technical perspective, but from a more esoteric one. If you know anything about the legendary sword maker Muramasa, then you will discover that the master sword smiths who forged this particular sword are very familiar with him as well. This sword captures and retains the spirit of the "mad wordsmith", and the more I handle it...the more I explore its incredible speed and agility, its subtle, explosive power...the more I gaze upon its hypnotic hamon...the more I am convinced that Muramasa himself would have cackled approvingly that the forges at Longquan understand his magic as well. If you have ever doubted that the sword is "the soul of the samurai", this sword will convince you that it can be an ally. This katana will have your back, and when it's in your hand you'll feel the truth of that. An exceptional sword in every way. Paul gave this katana 5 stars in his review. After a week of practicing with it, I wholeheartedly concur. It's the gold standard by which all of my other experiences with swords is measured. I bow in gratitude to Paul and SBG for sharing this treasure with those of us who might never afford a true nihonto. A tool for the discerning specialist, and an heirloom to impart wonder to future generations. Bravo.

True work of art 04/19/2017
By Rich
Browsing through the various reviews and products SBG offers, I came across the Forge Direct series line. The options offered are very appealing. The process of being able to choose what type of katana I wanted suited for my tastes had me going through many different configurations. I felt like a kid in a candy store. The choices I finally decided upon for my katana were:
29" (73.6) Blade With Fuller/bo-hi
Gunome Hamon
T0023 Elite Set
M3 - Red Ito
White Rayskin
G7 Sageo S2 Saya

I wanted a sword that stood out from my other katanas in my collection. Up until recently, I was familiar with production type katanas i.e. Hanwei, Musashi to name a few. Putting down $899.99 is a decent amount of investment, but I can truly say it is completely worth it. From placing the order to receiving a shipping notice the wait time was about 2 months. The katana arrived at my front door within the week I first got the shipping email. Those 2 months of waiting paid off.
The katana came in a nice decorative sword case and was packaged very well. There was no signs of any damage to the packaging or sword itself. The first thing that grabbed my attention was the Gunome Hamon. It is a sight to behold. It is one of the best hamon I have seen. There is so much to look at it is mesmerizing. The blade itself is very solid and has a nice weight to it. The full bo-hi gives the blade nimbleness and allows for easy control over the katana. Being a T-10 steel blade, the durability and sharpness is like none other. It feels great to wield for both iaido and any backyard cutting. I am very happy I chose the T0023 Elite Set for the koshirae. The entire look is very sleek and pleasing to look at. The details in tsuba have little to no imperfections. Everything just gleams with quality. The red ito is tight and easy to grip. No complaints there. The S2 white saya I chose, showed no signs of any dents and adds a great contrast between the red ito.
In conclusion, if you have the money to put down for a katana that is configured to your own aesthetics and is truly a work of art; the Forge Direct Elite T10 is the choice you want to make.
Thank you for your time and thank you SBG for providing such a great line of katanas.

A Masterpiece 03/31/2017
By John B
This is what I ordered and received :
Forge Direct Elite T10 Custom Katana
28” Blade with Fuller / Bo-Hi
Choji Hamon
Tsuba T 0023 Elite Set
Black Ito
Red Rayskin
Sageo G 8 Black / Red
Saya S 25 Burgundy Red
It turned out EXACTLY as I had imagined. I am not including photos because the website does an excellent job of describing the options - besides it is up to you to create something that is unique for only you. It might be helpful to potential buyers to learn how I decided to do this. I have designed, created, collected & sharpened various knives for years - but never swords or specifically katanas. My wife bought for me for Christmas a katana from a U.S. mainland based company. I will not mention the name. It is of the so-called Emperor Series - 29" blade length, 41 3/4 oz weight, hardened 1060 Carbon Steel and was supposed to be fully sharpened. I was disappointed to discover that the edge was not uniform in its finish and sharpness. While trying to teach myself how to sharpen a katana (which is not easy) I discovered the SBG website. The Forge Direct Elite Katana is a differentially tempered T 10 tool steel. Its edge was beautifully finished, uniform and VERY sharp. It weighs 34 1/2 oz. I am extremely satisfied. Yes it took about 2 months between ordering & delivery but when I saw the result the time did not matter. The Forge Direct katana comes across as a full-sized sports car in comparison to a standard sedan. I must mention that Director Paul Southren was accessible at all times and most helpful. He eased my insecurities and inspired trust & confidence. I am happy to recommend Sword Buyers Guide, Forge Direct & Paul Southren. I will certainly be a repeat customer. Thank you to all of the craftsmen for a true work of art.

Forge Direct Elite T10 Custom Katana V4.0

^{CUSTOM KATANA TIER III BLADE, TIER III FITTINGS}

^{CUSTOM MADE TO ORDER!}

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