Overview
Our sharpening service will provide a good serviceable edge on the blade. The result is typically “very sharp” with a small secondary bevel and a bit of an “apple seed” profile. The resulting edge is somewhat dependent on the particular blade. Some blades will take and hold sharper edges than others and the thickness of the blade will determine how wide the bevel will need to be. We adjust the angle of the edge to suit the specific blade and attempt to get as close to a bevel-less edge as possible without marring the surface of the blade.
The Sharpening Process
The sharpening service is done with a belt sander. The process involves many passes with sanding belts of various grits. The blades are rested between passes to prevent them from becoming hot and damaging their temper. By default we will sharpen as much of the blade as possible including any false edges if appropriate. If you have a different preference, feel free to make that request in the special instructions at check out. We can sharpen only the last half or third of an edge, for example. Our sword sharpening expert has personally sharpened several thousand swords at this point, so will provide you with a professional service.
What the Service is Not
The resulting edge will be “sword sharp” not razor sharp. Our goal is to provide you with a usable edge for cutting practice that will hold up to some use and not require constant re-sharpening. In other words, we intend to provide you with a serviceable weapon, not a personal grooming implement. The service will not provide a completely bevel-less edge. To create that type of edge will necessarily scratch up the blade surface and we lack the machinery and time to provide a full re-polishing of a blade’s surface. A service of that nature would be significantly more expensive as a great deal more time would be required. We do not offer this type of service at this time.
Disclaimer
We make no guarantee that the resulting edge will meet with your expectations. Every blade is different and some will take and hold a sharper edge than others, due to the blade material, heat treatment or geometry. Some customers can also have incorrect assumptions about sword sharpness and improper expectations as a result. All we can say for sure is that the resulting edge will be sharper than the default edge, in most cases, significantly so. We can not provide any refunds for the service once it has been completed, so consider it to be provided “as is”. That being said, if you are unhappy with the product for any reason, we do still allow you to return the item for a full refund, including the sharpening costs under our normal return policy. This does not apply to special sharpening requests, for example if we sharpen something specially for you that does not normally list that option on our site. The vast majority of our customers are happy with the results of the service, so as long as you keep the above mentioned in mind, we are confident you will be pleased with the results as well.
Misha –
Won me over I was looking for a robust and durable spare cutter on T10 steel, and I liked how it has larger than typical blade profile. Upon arrival i was happy with the blade profile but very disappointed that the handle was incorectly listed. Instead of 11″ as specified in the description it was 14″. Much larger than I’m accustomed to. I was going to return it in exchange for the XL which is also apparently incorrectly listed but is the one which is really 11″.
Never the less it was the elite blade profile that i wanted and so i decided to keep it. The durability and cutting performance has exceeded my expectations and the handle hasn’t been an issue. It fact it allows easier more controlled cuts.
Michael Dwyer –
Love it It’s 45 inches long and the handle is 14 inches long. Blade is 30 or 31 depends on how you measure. Great feel
Sherry F. –
Beautiful Craftmanship I am a novice with edged weapons, but I was looking for a good and durable Katana to practice Iaido and function as an above average slicer. The sword is made of arguably the strongest steel T10 while still maintaining flexibility. The hamon from the clay tempering is prominent and beautiful. I’m very impressed though Inexperienced with swords, this one ticks all the boxes for me as a first time buyer. Powerful, Elegeant, Authentic and Capable.
The Tsuka being a little bit longer actually feels better to me at 14 than the 11 advertised and It feels much significantly better to swing than my Bokken training Katana. If I was to say anything negative it would be the simple discoloration of the paint on the Tsuba “maybe this is typical”? I’m definitely a fan of manufacturers that imitate tried and true swords. The Saya fits like a glove, and the leather over course rayskin makes the tsuka easy to hold. Overall excellent purchase for an affordable battle ready katana whether you are a newbie to the art of swordsmanship, or an established veteran looking for a fully functioning Katana you shouldn’t be afraid to put to use.