Cheness does not heat treat the kissaki as a standard

by Don
(Indiana)

I am still pissed about this buy. I knew that I was getting a cheap sword and was ready for the worst but I was going to use this as a project. What I got in first sword was a chipped Blade and a cracked tsuka now when I called I got a little run around about the chip, thats undestandable because he did not know if I cut with it but the chip was so small it was easy to see how it got by QC. So he did replace It promptly the second one the Tsuka was cracked to but I did not care beause I was remounting it any way I sent the first one back stricktly because of the blade. All I wanted was a blade and fittings in good shape every thing else I ready to forgive. I started my project the way any one should by a light etch to locate the hamon when I found the hamon stoped at the yokote I contacted paul at cheness. Now I know that his refusal to replace my blade due to time frame is on the web site but I want you to focuse on the fact that they say they dont heat treat the kissaki as a standard thats not on the wed site then the fact that he repeats that this blade is for iaido but his web site says light cutting. My small understanding on iaido 90% of draw cuts aim for an enemys wrists with the kissaki area.

P.S. This subject get pushed under the rug on sword info sites I have posted before hope you will post this as it is not heresay but the standard and would greatly have helped me not buy the wrong sword for me.

Here is proof that I'm not making this up.



Mr. Paul Chen I bought a kaze a the end of last year it had a cracked tsuka and a small chip in the blade. I sent this back and received a new one it also had a cracked tsuka. This was not a big deal because I planned to polish and remount it. My project was put on hold until now. I used a mild etch to locate the hamon and was surprised to find that the hamon stops just past the yokote due to the whiteness in this area I was unaware of this. Now if this area was full hardened it would be okay but the way it takes the jizuya stone lets me know that it is much softer then the cutting edge this is a terminal flaw in this sword and makes it unusable in test cutting. the last time I shipped the sword I incured shipping this to me is unacceptable this time I would like to ship back to you at no cost and receive a hand inspected kaze.Please email me any comments and return authorization number. Best Regards Don Biggs

Hi Don, Though I try to do all that I can to keep my customers satisfied, there is a point where I know that I will not be able perform... In this case, one of the biggest problem would be that I do not have a piece available where the hamon at the kissaki is treated to the extent you are looking for. Especially considering that I currently only have about a dozen Kaze remaining in inventory and about to go on backorder to search through. Additionally, I would be exposed to the same problem as you had... as in not being able to identify the extent of the heat treatment at the kissaki until an etch has been done, so there is no practical way for me to search through my inventory for what you are looking for.
But primarily, the fact that I do not fully heat threat the tip of the kissaki as a standard
(The kissaki is a non-functional, cosmetic portion of the blade for all modern iaido dojo applications) , not as an oversight, is the reason why I know I will be unable to provide you with a sword that you would consider flawless. Without going through the sales records, I already know that this transaction is already at a financial loss for me. Through one exchange, the shipping and fees as well as the returned item would have put this into the red, simply based on your description of what already transpired. I know that at some point, there will be nothing more that I can do.
My swords are sold cheap, so the margins are extremely low compared to some of the other makers. As a tradeoff, I am limited to the amount of services that I can do.. generally through one exchange within the 30 day limit, before paypal locks in the fees and has to be expensed. But because of the low price, the standards to which most people understand the swords to be at is going to be a bit lower, and without the same expectation as they would have in an art piece, services at a limited extent is possible to satisfy practically all the issues that arises. I apologize for the limitations at which I can conduct the exchanges, but at this point, I am unable to perform any further exchanges. Best Regards, Paul Chen