I am shopping around for a sword at the moment and came across these guys on ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Hand-Forged-...ryZ43338QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting Anybody that bought swords on eBay, any comments or should I look else where? Any keywords to look for when searching?
I'm sorry to say I don't know anything about the sellers but that is a really nice sword. But I'm not sure what quality you willl get on ebay. I'm also looking for a sword, hopefully I'll get one for my 18th.
eBay Every one I've bought has been rubbish. One was the wrong sword even and I never had any luck getting it changed (I forget the name of the company). The majority are cheap and nasty in my experience. I wouldn't hold much hope in finding a quailty one on there, especially not from the companies who use eBay to shift them. You'll find a LOT for around £15 that are just crap. But I'm sure there are some genuine sellers so do your homework and know what you're looking for before hand. Check out more reputable sites and examples of quality swords. Also, have a good think about why you want to own these swords, seriously. For example do you practice a style that uses them or are you collecting for the sake of it/because they 'look good'?
You should, in my limited experience, be looking at the minimum of 200 quid for a decent starting Iaito.
I agree the cheap ones on eBay are complete rubbish though often the same swords as you'll find in high street shops for 4 times the price, so if you're after the kind of quailty (or not) that you'll find in your local MA shop for around £150 then those on eBay would be fine for what you're looking for.
This particular sword doesn't look too bad but there are some awful ones out there and you often see the old 'kebab shop photo' scenario. You know, the photos above the counter of the mouthwatering kebabs and burgers that don't look quite as attractive when you open the polystyrene box ten minutes later! Sellers like Koto Swords and Badtrack sell what are basically budget versions of Paul Chens (which themselves are considered 'budget' swords by afficionados) and whilst you may get the odd bargain when they are listed as auctions rather than 'Buy it Nows', you still have to be careful, especially if the VAT isn't included or the shipping from China or even your own country is ridiculously high. Cheness are slightly cheaper than Chen but are meant to be okay, whereas other 'named' brands in the same bracket don't tend to have non-sharp steel blades suitable for iai or our kenjutsu. Ebay Feedback is always worth looking at, but remember that a lot of people will give feedback without really knowing what they've just bought or without sufficient knowledge to be objective. The sword you posted looks okay for a starter sword as far as type of steel and tang are concerned, and the fittings at least don't appear to be plastic, but I would go for something a bit plainer if I were you. You also probably don't want a sharp blade yet so ask if they have a non-sharp version of the same sword. If you think the seller is honest and reliable then go for it.
Can't remember what that one is like now. Mind you it's not going to be as bad as that one Barry's got :cry: :cry:
God the thing, I wont say sword because it didn't qualify, was bloody awful. It must of been good though his mate had hacked up pigeons with it
Anyone got any experience of the Masahiro brand? I've seen them on ebay but also in shops and online weapons stores. They're advertised as 1045 or 1060 steel, differentially tempered, but seem astoundingly (suspiciously?) cheap.
A lot of the swords I've seen on ebay have been replicas, meaning they are cheap, shoddy things made in someone's backyard. I got a broadsword and the damn thing was like tinfoil. I'd get more stabbage done with a lolly stick! Mothers! If all you want is something to look nice then go for it, but for an actual training aid or use for crime and/or duelling then look elsewhere.
When something appears to be too good to be true.. it generally is. Stay away from 'cheap swords' even if they look nice because "nice" is in the eyes of the beholder and, I can assure you, what someone here thinks is a nice sword is often a load of old crap. Never buy nihonto off eBay unless you know the seller is trusted and knows what the hell they are selling.
I got a great deal on a hanwei prac plus. Except the seller dropped out after i won it. grrr. No probs when I bought a wakizashi though from a private seller in UK. . If you're buying known brands from the larger merchants with good feedback, I don't see a prob. Thre seem to be a lot of dodgy merchants out in the far east selling repro crud as genuine antiques though. Jen.
