Restock of two hot specials – Yong Lo and the Gunto..

From the team behind Ryujin Swords, we are pleased to announce that two extremely popular low cost but great quality swords have just arrived back in stock..

First up, the stunning and ornate Yong Lo sword – a replica that looks like it should be one of the $1000+ swords from our Forge Direct line, but is just $174.99 – and is no toothless tiger, with a double fullered 1060 Carbon steel monotempered blade..

The Yong Lo Jian – $174.99

And just in case you are wondering if it really is ‘all that’ or if it somehow seems too good to be true, here is a review submitted by one of our customers who purchased it the first time it came out..

And the second sword, a faithful recreation of a Gunto 98 WWII Japanese Officers sword in differentially hardened T10 tool steel – a STEAL at just $199.99…

Both of these and more are available in the HOT SPECIALS section of our site – and at these prices, for this level of quality, they surely wont be there for long..

Note on the Gunto 98

Our version looks pretty similar to how the original looked 80 years ago..

For comparisons sake, here are some pictures of an original antique type 98 sword that was made sometime around 1938 and the SBG Gunto via Ryujin Swords.

First a quick comparison of the hilt – it’s pretty close – the original ito has darkened with time and the rayskin yellowed.  The mekugi peg of the original is also on the same spot of the tsuka even..!

See how you go, it’s almost like a game of ‘spot the differences’..(I can only actually only spot TWO real differences, how about you?)

A shame the original photo did not show the fuchi which is obscured in shadow, but you can look for more pictures of type 98 gunto online to see what these military issue swords looked like first hand.

Next picture shows both full length side by side – note that the original color of the saya on the original was once army green too, but time has taken it’s toll on both blade and fittings, turning the saya whitish in color and darkening the color of the fittings. But look closely and you will see the blades are almost the same length..

Same length blade and handle – it’s a very accurate replica..

Looking around online, most other Gunto are around $450 or so, and normally a fair price would be $329.99 – but while stocks last this functional replica T10 tool steel blade with real hamon can be yours for just $199.99..

In the meantime, here are a few quick high resolution pics of the original again which was submitted to SBG by a visitor to the forums looking to identify what they actually had..

And just for fun, if you want to learn how to actually antique it to make it look more like the original, check out this new article on SBG ‘How to Patina a Sword’

For a quick and – as always – overly simplistic explanation about Shin Gunto Type 98 Swords Wikipedia has at least a sketetal outline:

Shin guntō (new military sword)

Shin gunto with leather combat cover

The Shin guntō (新軍刀, new military sword) was a weapon and symbol of rank used by the Imperial Japanese Army between the years of 1935 and 1945. During most of that period, the swords were manufactured at the Toyokawa Naval Arsenal. In response to rising nationalism within the armed forces, a new style of sword was designed for the Japanese military in 1934. The shin guntō was styled after a traditional slung tachi of the Kamakura Period (1185-1332). Officers’ ranks were symbolized by coloured tassels tied to a loop at the end of the hilt. The corresponding colors were brown-red and gold for generals; brown and red for field officers; brown and blue for company or warrant officers; brown for sergeants, sergeant majors or corporals.[11] The blades found in shin guntō ranged from modern machine made blades through contemporary traditionally manufactured blade to ancestral blades dating back hundreds of years.

Type 98

The change to the Type 98 shin guntō (九八式軍刀 kyūhachi-shiki guntō) occurred in 1938 and was essentially a simplification of the Type 94. There were only minor differences between early Type 98 swords and the Type 94 swords that preceded them. Most notably the second (removable) hanging point was omitted from the scabbard.

Many changes occurred to the Type 98 between 1938 and the end of the war in 1945. Late in the war Japan’s supply of metal was drying up and shin guntō were produced with painted wooden scabbards, and with cheaper or no brass ornamentation. Some of the final swords produced in the last year of the war utilized cheap copper or blackened iron fittings.

NEW from Ryujin – 5160 Spring Steel DH Katana Series..!

Something brand new from our friends at RYUJIN – this time a completely different steel..!

Previously all the swords have been made from T10 tool steel – but this time Ryujin are trying something different with hard wearing 5160 Spring Steel, differentially hardened to create a real suguha hamon and available with a completely different set of iron fittings and tsuka handles made specifically to fit the blade dimensions of this new line called appropriately enough the Ryujin 5160 Spring Steel Katana ELITE – Suguha Hamon

The blades are simple in their beauty, with the 5160 Spring Steel taking on a particularity clear and vivid hamon.

And this time around, the customization options have been kept deliberately simple. You can choose from one of 4 different iron tsuba based on Japanese antiques. And for the tsuka – you have three options – black cotton, sandy brown cottton or even black suede for extra comfort on the hands.

Normal industry pricing would see these swords sell for around the $500 mark – but for our trial run they are just $299.99

Stock is quite limited – and some of the most popular configurations are likely to sell out very quickly, so if you want to get in on this deal, you snooze – you lose..

Check them out here at the top of the full Ryujin Sword lineup exclusive to SBG

A couple of Scratch & Dent Forge Direct Jian Specials

Just a super quick post here – we have a couple of S&D swords with minor issues for one of the most popular sword models in the Forge Direct Chinese selection – the Red Ebony Jian..

Red Ebony Jian

One of the swords has a light surface patina developing on a small patch of the blade – otherwise is in as new and unused condition and could fairly easily be polished out if you know what you are doing (click the images to enlarge)

And the other one has a hairline split in the saya caused by exposure to humidity and a small area that is slightly scuffed as pictured below.

Both swords have become casualties of the warmer weather it would seem – but our bad luck is your chance to save a small fortune (plus no waiting time!)..

Price on the first sword with the minor Patina/pitted area is down from $879.99 to just $559.99 (with free shipping) – saving of three hundred and twenty bucks for a few black spots..

And the one with the split scabbard and tiny scuffed area – $499.99 – a saving of $380..

In all honesty, the issues should only really take $50 to $100 off the value, but Forge Direct is no ordinary sword line – and so they are being sacrificed and will be sold on a first come first served basis.

Coming Soon from A.P.O.C.

Following up on the success of the Katana and the Cutlass in the A.P.O.C. Tactical series are two new designs by the legendary Gus Trim..

Expected to be available in late September – as with all of the swords in this series – the two new models will be made from Monotempered 9260 Spring Steel and with full sandwich tang ensuring no moving parts for maximum durability of the entire assembly.

The first new model is the Survival Broad Sword:

With a wide cutting blade terminating in a servicable tip, this sword takes the medieval arming sword to its natural evolutionary conclusion – and with a listed weight of 2lbs with point of balance 5″ from the guard makes it nice and fast in the hand with quick recovery times.

Got to love their official ‘blurb’ trailer:

“After everything hits the fan and the muck has settled, all the symbols that represented the best man had to offer (honor, compassion, liberty, truth, trust, dignity, integrity, justice) are laid waste to give way to what now matters most: survival. In the twilight of man’s morality, a new symbol emerges to bring law to the foreboding chaos to come .. the A.P.O.C. Broad Sword. “

The second sword is one of the most unique and perhaps the most menacing looking..

The Wasteland Gladius:

This one looks particularly interesting, with a versatile hand and a half style grip and substantial weight behind it (2lbs 8oz) – not to mention the intimidation factor..!

From the official blurb:

Containing all the expected features of the swords in the series, our Wasteland Gladius design arises from the larger gladius designs featuring a pronounced “wasp-waist” or “leaf blade” curvature. Along the 21 3/8” blade edge it gives you different angles for different tasks needed on the desolate wastes. The blade flares out from 1 3/8” to 2” creating a brutal chopping cutter and a powerful piercing point or whichever you need. The pommel of the handle doubles as skull cracker, glass breaker for whatever needs bashing or breaking. The 9 ½” handle allows for easy single-hand or two-hand sword use making the Wasteland Gladius probably the most versatile swords in the series.

Awesome stuff, can’t wait to see these come in!!

In the meantime..

We are pleased to say we still have stock of the original two A.P.O.C. series swords that started it all off.. Now with lower pricing on the Tactical Katana and still with FREE SHIPPING



Check them out here – currently under the Dragon King brand but once the two new swords hit A.P.O.C. will be considered mature enough to exist as a new brand in its own right.

SBG Custom Katana Update

Batch 43 of the SBG Custom Katana is now in the very final stages of completion and is scheduled to ship out from the forge around the 25th of July. Below is a quick pic that the forge took of some of the swords from this batch – looking good even if I do say so myself..

Of course, once shipped from the forge they need to clear customs, who have become extremely pedantic and hard to deal with of late – and then once cleared they need to be carefully inspected before shipping out, so at this stage it is looking that they will be delivered to their owners in early to mid August – which of course means that we will not be taking new orders (batch 44, the last for the year) until after they are out..

Indeed, we actually recently received a shipment of Black Dragon Swords from the same forge, some real classics that we have not seen for years, but will not be listing them for sale until the custom Katana from Batch 43 are shipped out as a courtesy to the customers who are waiting on them.. And customs was REALLY hard on this shipment, charging us unprecedented fees which we really cannot afford to absorb, but even if we make a loss again on the custom Katana (which is likely the case) we do this as a service to the community so we have to grin and bear it..

Anyway, in the meantime here is a sneak preview of the Black Dragon Forge Swords..

As stated though, we won’t be selling these until after batch 43 is clear – but thought you might enjoy seeing a sneak preview of what is coming next month..

Talk to you all again soon.

– Paul