Fechner 35

All tameshigiri after 1999 has been done with this Fechner katana, and with a blade length of 74.2 cm (2.35 shaku), weighting in at a mere 1050 gr. and with a handle length of 26 cm is surely not a heavy-weight.

It not only cut tatami-omote, but some 100 length of 6 cm diameter bamboo without ever having lost it sharpness, something I can't say of a recently bought Daimyo 1095Line katana with a badly scratched blade at $ 1455 AU which, in a controlled comparison cutting test against the Fechner didn't do to well. After having contacted their Australian agent I received an e-mail suggesting that I must have either cut into dirty targets (sand) or my cutting angle was wrong all the while

Students have ordered a variety of katana over the Internet and they all cut well. I'm surprised at some of their good quality and one particular brand the Cold Steel Warrior Katana I found to be very robust and well made and for $ 550 AU delivered from the US (within 7 days of ordering) is a good deal indeed.

The katana; you either love it or you hate it. For six solid years I have been cutting with this "made to order" sword and it hasn't disappointed once. All those years its cutting edge never failed and rarely has come into contact with a sharpening stone.

Fechner's katana is well balanced (a big plus) and its tsuka feels just right, not like some of the katana that either have straight tsuka I detest, tsuka that are too long to be practical, or they are too thick, wrapped in bindings that, after a couple of cuts, want to unrap. The only alteration I did to the Fechner was when Nakamura sensei presented me with a Nakamura tsuba. It has been part of the katana for four years now and I will never know how I could have done without it all these years. Its practical; the katana never rolls around when placed on the floor and its moulded to protect the fingers, especially when practicing batto-giri-do.

The blade is made of a mono steel bar and evenly quenched/heat-treated to 59 Rockwell without a temper-line hamon. The blade's thickness is 6 mm as the base tapering off to 5 mm at the monouchi with a low mune of 2 mm. Its curvature sori at 16 mm makes it comfortable to draw and is similar to a koshi-zori, but not as deep. Having a blade width of 35 mm at the base and 24 mm at the monouchi gives the blade a mere 14 mm surface; making it rather a slim weapon.. Having a flat shinogi-ji of 8 mm in the monouchi area and a medium point chu-kissaki this blade's measurements hide it's toughness and cutting power.

The blade's profile has pronounced niku accounting for the cutting edge's durability. There are many different opinions about in regards to blade profiles for cutting tatami-omote. A flat profile will give a thinner and therefore sharper edge, but may be easily damaged during a cut. The more rounded niku profile supports the cutting edge and makes it less prone to chipping; in my oppinion a good choice.