One of the main things that people have asked for on the Jitsu sword courses is advice on choosing a sword to buy or train with. The following advice is for any martial artists interested in practicing with katana.
That depends what you need it for. If you want to practice sword defences, cutting and blocking then what you really need is a bokken. They are cheap and blunt and perfectly adequate. Even if you want to practice drawing and re-sheathing then all you need to add is a golf tube which costs about 50 pence.
And yet...
There is something about a proper metal sword. They just feel different and training with them has a totally different atmosphere. A huge number of martial artists buy them just to stick on their mantlepeices. There are now a large number of suppliers selling aluminium and stainless steel swords with fancy scabbards and handles.
Then there are "proper swords" - shinken. These could be new swords forged and sharpened in the traditional way, or riddiculously expensive antiques.
Hold the sword with a correct cutting grip. Take off your left hand, stand up straight and lower your arm to the side. The tip of the sword should be just clear of the floor.
You shold also check out the handle. Most cheap swords all have the same size handle- too short. You should be able to hold it properly and have space between your hands.
A blunt one. The blunter the better. Even a blunt one is very dangerous. There is no excuse for training with a sharp sword.
As somebody who has been hit with a smooth wooden knife, I can assure you that no blunt weapons are toys. Remenber that kendo is done with bamboo sticks because bokken are too dangerous even with armour.
If you want to learn iaido, then by all means fing a club and do so. But be prepared to spend years in training without seeing a live sword. It is simply not worth the risk to yourself or others.
Peg problems
The handle is fixed to the blade by a small peg. Nothing else stops the blade flying out when you cut. Check that the peg is secure and whole. It should be made out of bamboo or at the very least metal. I have seen hollow pegs and pegs made out of plastic. If you have one of these, find out how to replace it.
Loose Binding
The cord on the outside of the handle must be tight to give the best grip. If it is loose, it will move against the handle causing the sword to shift in your hand.
All things ninja
The word "ninja" is used by manufacturers to appeal to a certain type of consumer. The less said about this the better.
Ninja swords often have special features like concealed blades in the handle or superfluous spikes. Even proper ninja swords are straight and have square guards. This means that you can lay them flat on the floor with the edge upwards.
Blade groove
A groove in the blade is a wonderful trainig aid. If you cut correctly, there will be a satisfying "woosh".
Plain wooden scabbard
The purpose of the scabbard is to protect the blade, and not to harm it. It should be made of soft wood. The outside can have as much decoration as you like.
The most important thing to check is the mouth which should be plain like the one shown here. Many fancy scabbards have a nice metal decoration around the mouth. These will only scratch the blade.
Worst of all are metal scabbards. The rattle, they sctatch the blade and they cannot be cleaned or repared.
Follow this link for a list of sword suppliers on the Web. Please note that these companies are nothing to do with Jitsuka, so this if information not a recommendation or gaurentee.
However, if Jitsuka does hear about anyone having a bad experience with these companies, that company will be removed from the list.