eyes bugged out from too much web shopping
A summary of where my web-shopping for iaito has taken me.
At Yamato budogu's site (sale prices) I mentally have to add $45 to the price to cover shipping:
http://www.yamatobudogu.com/Yamato_Series_Nyumonsha_Unryu_Koshirae_p/005-002.htm ($292 + $45 = $337)
http://www.yamatobudogu.com/Yamato_Series_Sakura_Koshirae_p/005-104.htm (botanical theme getting away from the overwhelming number of dragons...) ($381 + $45 = $426)
http://www.yamatobudogu.com/Minosaka_Iaito_p/019-100.htm ($314 + $45 = $359)
http://www.yamatobudogu.com/Minosaka_Iaito_p/019-101.htm (botanical theme. Same sword at Tozando is $459) ($402 + $45 = $447)
At Yamato if I could afford it I'd do the takanami koshirae with blue on black ito/same http://www.yamatobudogu.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=005-112, but total cost on that would be something like $620 including shipping.
I'm aware of Token Mino but these are all custom and thus above my price-range: http://iaito-katana.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1 .
The one I liked at Swordstore, whose link I think I've posted a few times (shipping is ~$30)? http://swordstore.com/japanese-swords/ready-to-ship-iaito-and-steel-iaito/instock-iaito-329-introductory-blade.html ($350 + $30 = $380)
Tozando emailed that the primary difference between the two models I looked at on their site (other than number of customizable options) is that the Toryumon is made by the less-experienced craftsmen in the shop. Quality of materials and fittings, and the actual Al/Zn blades, are identical (I'm guessing they're both made in the same shop from the same stock materials). Tozando's sale ends at the end of the month, so I'm thinking that's my effective deadline to decide if I want one of their iaito.
http://www.tozandoshop.com/Minosaka_Brand_Custom_Jidai_Koshirae_p/016-s101.htm (botanical themed koshirae) ($486)
http://www.tozandoshop.com/107_Classic_Series_Sakura_Karakusa_Koshirae_p/070-107.htm ($459. same as Yamato, but fewer options offered?)
http://www.tozandoshop.com/product_p/070-toryumon.htm ($334)
At 5 foot 7.5 and female, I think I need a 2.35 shaku length.
I need to make a matrix of features I've seen that I prefer vs. the different vendors offerings. I don't think I can get everything I want under $500. :(
notare hamon>suguha
blue ito on black same if any of the hardware features dragons (which are water spirits)>black on white
japanese craftsmanship (my teacher is suspicious of swordstore, saying their quality was good in 2000 but bad in 2004, she hasn't checked since to know if it is good or bad. I don't know who fabricates their swords or what country they're from.)
kuroshime saya >kuroi
oval or 'cloverleaf' shaped tsuba>round tsuba
water themes
botanical themes
Tozando currently has a raffle in which you're automatically entered by any purchase, to win a 1 week trip to a Kyoto ryokan, including airfare and an unlimited 1 week public transit pass. They also have 'loyalty points' that can give you a discount on future purchases (discount equivalent to 5% of past purchases on which points haven't yet been redeemed).
I think the Tozando Toryumon if I could get blue ito/black same (which they don't offer), or the swordstore offering if I had confidence in the quality, would be closest to fitting my preferences.
add: https://www.budogu.com/products.cfm?id=1554 meirin sangyo entry-level ($389 + unknown shipping)
At Yamato budogu's site (sale prices) I mentally have to add $45 to the price to cover shipping:
http://www.yamatobudogu.com/Yamato_Series_Nyumonsha_Unryu_Koshirae_p/005-002.htm ($292 + $45 = $337)
http://www.yamatobudogu.com/Yamato_Series_Sakura_Koshirae_p/005-104.htm (botanical theme getting away from the overwhelming number of dragons...) ($381 + $45 = $426)
http://www.yamatobudogu.com/Minosaka_Iaito_p/019-100.htm ($314 + $45 = $359)
http://www.yamatobudogu.com/Minosaka_Iaito_p/019-101.htm (botanical theme. Same sword at Tozando is $459) ($402 + $45 = $447)
At Yamato if I could afford it I'd do the takanami koshirae with blue on black ito/same http://www.yamatobudogu.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=005-112, but total cost on that would be something like $620 including shipping.
I'm aware of Token Mino but these are all custom and thus above my price-range: http://iaito-katana.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1 .
The one I liked at Swordstore, whose link I think I've posted a few times (shipping is ~$30)? http://swordstore.com/japanese-swords/ready-to-ship-iaito-and-steel-iaito/instock-iaito-329-introductory-blade.html ($350 + $30 = $380)
Tozando emailed that the primary difference between the two models I looked at on their site (other than number of customizable options) is that the Toryumon is made by the less-experienced craftsmen in the shop. Quality of materials and fittings, and the actual Al/Zn blades, are identical (I'm guessing they're both made in the same shop from the same stock materials). Tozando's sale ends at the end of the month, so I'm thinking that's my effective deadline to decide if I want one of their iaito.
http://www.tozandoshop.com/Minosaka_Brand_Custom_Jidai_Koshirae_p/016-s101.htm (botanical themed koshirae) ($486)
http://www.tozandoshop.com/107_Classic_Series_Sakura_Karakusa_Koshirae_p/070-107.htm ($459. same as Yamato, but fewer options offered?)
http://www.tozandoshop.com/product_p/070-toryumon.htm ($334)
At 5 foot 7.5 and female, I think I need a 2.35 shaku length.
I need to make a matrix of features I've seen that I prefer vs. the different vendors offerings. I don't think I can get everything I want under $500. :(
notare hamon>suguha
blue ito on black same if any of the hardware features dragons (which are water spirits)>black on white
japanese craftsmanship (my teacher is suspicious of swordstore, saying their quality was good in 2000 but bad in 2004, she hasn't checked since to know if it is good or bad. I don't know who fabricates their swords or what country they're from.)
kuroshime saya >kuroi
oval or 'cloverleaf' shaped tsuba>round tsuba
water themes
botanical themes
Tozando currently has a raffle in which you're automatically entered by any purchase, to win a 1 week trip to a Kyoto ryokan, including airfare and an unlimited 1 week public transit pass. They also have 'loyalty points' that can give you a discount on future purchases (discount equivalent to 5% of past purchases on which points haven't yet been redeemed).
I think the Tozando Toryumon if I could get blue ito/black same (which they don't offer), or the swordstore offering if I had confidence in the quality, would be closest to fitting my preferences.
add: https://www.budogu.com/products.cfm?id=1554 meirin sangyo entry-level ($389 + unknown shipping)