Category Archives: SBG Custom Katana

Batch 28, 7 designs – interesting that this time around there are so many black saya!

Just a quick update on the SBG Custom Katana – batch 30 closed on the 5th of November as scheduled and we are currently making some last minute adjustments as per customer requests before we finalize it once and for all and get the forge hard at work to avoid the Chinese New Year Shut down.

As mentioned in the previous post, we are confident we can make it and have the swords ready by the expected 15th of February deadline, but have temporarily paused Batch 31 while we work out the exact due date as 31 is going to almost certainly hit smack bang in the middle of the month long holiday over there and we need to come up with a strategy to either minimize the delay or just hold off until we are clear.

More news coming on this shortly.

In the meantime, Batch 28 is en-route and now is a great chance to share some preview pics we received from the forge of this batch.

Batch 28, blades drawn from scabbards. Note the geometric kissaki and overall blade quality! Nice work!

Close up on the handles

That’s it for now, another update coming soon!

Thanks all,

– Paul

Hi everyone,

Some good news on the custom Katana – after pausing taking new orders last month the forge has had enough time to catch up. Batch 27 is heading out the door on/slightly ahead of schedule and batch 28 is on its way and well ahead of schedule, as of a couple of days ago we have taken the brakes off and new orders can be placed for Batch 30!

The ONLY possible issue with Batch 30 is a slight chance of delay due to Chinese New Year 2015..

The forge will close down for roughly one month from the 24th of January 2015 – and while batch 30 will almost certainly be out the door before then, there is a small chance that if we encounter any delays batch 30 could end up running up to 2 months behind schedule..

It is unlikely that a delay will occur (due to the pause the forges workload is light enough for them to concentrate on this batch) and once batched up in November the swords should arrive on/around the 15th of February. BUT, if for some reason we get bogged down and the batch is not complete it will arrive around the 15th of APRIL..

Anyway, while it should be fine – it bears a mention – and the sooner we can get all the orders in the better as the next batch, batch 31, will most DEFINITELY be impacted..

So long story short, we are ready to take your order – and the sooner we get it locked in the better!

Hi all,

While we aren’t really all that far behind schedule, especially on the more recent Custom Katana Batches, I would rather err on the side of caution than end up with everything running late.

An examination of the Custom Katana Batch Status Page shows that batch 25 (which was supposed to be in the hands of customers by the 15th of last month) is only 20% shipped with the balance now being sorted, inspected and preparing to go out, so is officially running a fair bit behind schedule.

At the same time, batch 26, which is officially due on the 15th of this month, has only just now started shipping from the forge. While it is not yet late, customs delays could easily make it so – and as each sword is carefully inspected before shipping – it will almost certainly run behind schedule too..

As such, I think that to be fair to everyone with existing orders – and to give the forge a chance to concentrate on batches 27, 28 and 29 without interruption – a temporary pause is in order while we catch up (not to mention, batch 30 will likely be a slow batch too as it will become due during the 2014/15 New Years Period).

Apologies for the inconvenience, but I think it is best for everyone to catch up and ensure we don’t end up falling too far behind.

In the meantime, if you wish to be notified by email when we recommence taking new orders again, simply sign up to the mailing list below:

* Required field.. (naturally!)

Hey all,

Just a quick heads up post – batch 28 of the SBG Custom Katana, due around the 15th of November, has just closed off. In theory the current batch that just opened would be due one month later, on the 15th of December..

The problem is, this is smack bang middle of the Christmas madness parcel scramble that happens around that time every year, and especially sensitive to delays..

So as such, even though we will do our best to bring batch 29 in BEFORE Christmas 2014, it is too close to the date in a time that is typically chaotic at best to make anything even resembling a guarantee..

Thus, the expected delivery date is pushed back to December 27th 2014 to January 15th (a larger than usual expected delivery window too, primarily because we will take some time off during this period too – likely just before Christmas to just after new years, but we may be shipping in between, will keep you updated, but this is where it all stands at the moment).

Some of these swords won’t be here for long, not ony because they are popular but – because it is just SBG and not one of the sword industry giants, we can only afford to bring to market some 5 to 20pcs of any given model at one time..

But, even if I do say so myself, they are exceptionally good and exceptionally fair priced, providing a lucky few people the opportunity to get some truly exceptional value for money!

You see, the thing that first struck me about this particular forge was the quality of their differentialy hardened T-10 tool steel blades – not just the material, but the way they forged, shaped, polished and overall finish to the blade. It was head and shoulders above its mountings, and we knew we had stumbled upon a real gem of an operation over there in Longquan..

But now, adding my own spin to it with my own designs, the fittings in many cases come up to meet the quaity of the blade, and the final package is a sword that we could and probably SHOULD sell for a lot more than what we do..

The best way to understand what I am going on about is to check out the new additions below. While the designs are based loosely on historical precedent, they are pretty much just made to my own taste. So if your taste in Japanese styled swords is like mine, you truly are in for a treat..!

Click for more information