Cold Steel 88BKW Katana, Ray Skin Handle, Wood Scabbard, One Size

This review is on 02-03-15. People have given unfavorable reviews on this Katana, perhaps Cold Steel Quality has improved.Either way, here we go. The only Con I have was that the sword was delivered in a box (which was bent) and it was wrapped in a bubble bag. A thicker cloth black bag was folded inside. There was no warranty or any paperwork. Perhaps this is why it cost only 289.48 instead of 500.00. Out of the box, I was impressed. The blade is quality steel and flawless, no bumps or scratches and the blade is straight. Finish on the blade is satin not a high gloss mirror finish. No Hamon (since these are usually fake on most swords anyway). All fittings and handle are tight, no rattle. The Ito is wrapped perfect as if by hand and the braids are centered perfect. The Menuki (decorative pieces beneath the Ito) is bright with a gold finish and centered perfectly. So far so good. The blade is sharp and well balanced Some say its heavy but for me the weight is fine. Actually its kind of light (I am 5'11" and 53) Cuts halfway through the shipping box without scratching the blade. Laugh if you will but one of my test is the "swoosh". If the blade makes a fairly audible swoosh or whip sound it tells me the blade is straight and the cutting edge is consistent. Paper test. Cutting through a sheet of paper was little rough. A few passes over the cutting edge with a AccuSharp tool and "Holy ____" cut like a hot knife through butter. (if you try one of these sharpeners, start on a cheap sword first to get the hang of it. you will notice the difference)When passing the sharpener over the edge there was almost no steel shreds removed (another test of a quality steel as opposed to a blade made of pig iron that would leave large shards of metal flakes behind. To sum it up. Someone said this is a utilitarian blade. That's a great definition. She is not ugly but beautiful (in a bulldog kind of way)This Cold Steel Katana is a no BS no frills cutter and cutting is what is does! Use it for Iai kata practice, cutting Tami mats and Yes this can be used for self defense! Definitely a mans sword! Good Job Cold Steel!

I have a iaido sword which has a dull blade and have been wanting a katana with a live/sharp blade just in case of zombies, Highlander/Quickening, ninja attacks etc.I've been watching this sword for years and finally bought it. I am NOT disappointed. Everything about it is awesome. Design, feel, weight, craftsmanship, and sturdiness.The packaging was terrible, and the tsuba had beaten it's way through the cardboard box. A strip of foam may have prevented it, but oh well.This sword is not a "safe queen" nor a display item. This is for cutting, slashing, stabbing, dinosaur hunting, bullet-splitting... You name it.Is it a REAL katana? No. It wasn't forged in Japan by a swordsmith. It may or may not have its own name. It's not balanced, it's not polished, it's not perfect. I have held NBTHK certified katanas in Japan, those are REAL. This sword... This will hold up and do the job. It's more of a meat cleaver disguised as a katana, but still functions the same. Just like the Cold Steel videos... go stab metal drums, cut mats down and defend yourself against the hood of a car.If you're ballin on a budget and want a sword capable of surviving a swordfight or apocalypse, this would be your best bet.

I'm going to echo a lot of what has already been said. if you are a "traditionalist", I would recommend that you look elsewhere. This blade is heavy, for what it is, and will definitely take some time getting use to. Due to it's balance and weight it can be slow on the follow through. I read one review that compared it to a cross between a katana and a viking sword...I can see that...This sword is definitely designed for hacking. It will take strong arms to wield it properly. The "sharpened crowbar" review had it right on this one. Now, having said all that, this is a well built sword. The one I received was tight in all the right places...no loose parts or shimming needed. It is sharp but not razor sharp...more tearing paper than slicing through it. It is a thing of beauty in it's own right...I will continue to use it for katas and iaido to build my arm and back muscles, but will probably move to a lighter, more balanced sword in the future. Kudos to The Blade Shop for a good price and good packing as sword arrived without a scratch...would purchase from again. As for purchasing this product, I would have to say, ask yourself, what is your purpose with the sword?

I watched product reviews on YouTube and read the ones provided on Sword Buyers Guide (SBG). The reviews were all very consistent and I can affirm after removing from the box and holding for five minutes; It does feel like a "sharpened crowbar". After a quick exam and the feel for the blade, I let my wife (who is not a sword enthusiast, just married to one) hold it and her comments were less positive than mine. She said it didn't even feel like a katana. She has held most if not all the swords in my collection. She stated the Cold Steel Warrior Katana was not light, maneuverable or refined. The only positives were, the sword was sharp and it had decent fittings that were of above average quality and fit. If this is the entry-level katana sword from Cold Steel, I will have to pass on the rest of the line up. It's like BMW making a bad 3-series car. It's the bread and butter of the companies offerings and if the 3-Series which they sell the most is poor quality, reliability, and design, one would never imagine buying the 4, 5, 6 or 7 series cars. I'll stick to Hanwei, Musashi, Ryujin, Dragon King (Hanwei subsidiary), Ronin and Dragon Sword..., great quality and value and I have never had a bad product from them.