Masahiro Swords

MASAHIRO SWORDS AT A GLANCE Official Website: NONE Manufactured in: China Steels Used: Carbon Steel – Exact Composition of their blades is Unknown Edge/Sharpness: Factory Sharpened Price Range: $149 to $299 Best Deals: Click here for special pricing info

Masahiro is not so much an actual sword manufacturer, but rather a re-brander – sourcing their swords from several Chinese forges. However, with no official website or point of contact for the general sword buying public, who actually owns the brand or creates it is unknown – and has been the focus of speculation and many a discussion on the various sword forums.

They are distributed in the US primarily by Master Cutlery and Sunpoint USA (who sells them on ebay) and by Hill Giftware in the UK. There are even rumours that the brand – and their sister brand ‘Ryumon’ is owned by Master Cutlery in the US, which is backed up by an electronic Trademark search – however it would appear that the Brand name ‘Masahiro’ is actually abandoned (reference – A Step Up for Masahiro – Sword Forum International).

Regardless of who owns them, Masahiro Katana are some of the cheapest on the internet, though with no official point of contact, questionable quality control and no warranty – whether or not you get a good deal is dependent entirely on the vendor who is stocking them...

Price range is typically in the US$60 to $150 range, while their ‘Ryumon’ series swords are typically in the US$250 to $550 price category.

MAIN PRODUCT LINES

MASAHIRO: Since there is no website (at least one that is accessible to non-dealers), the only place to find Masahiro’s products is at the various vendors. One such example is here at Swords of Might. They produce not only katanas but assemble-yourself katanas, as well as fittings and a traditional cleaning/sharpening kit. However, products often have different names depending on where they are sold (ie the “White Ronin,” AKA the “White Shadow” katana). As such it is difficult to get a good picture of how many products they have on the market.

RYUMON: Made to a higher standard than their Masahiro brand, Ryumon are closely related to Masahiro but the blades are often differentially hardened and the fittings of better cosmetic appearance. Their swords include numerous accessories, including a large pine box, a small 'users' manual (actually quite good - with instructions on how to maintain the sword and more), a certificate of authenticy (written as a scroll) and a cleaning kit.

KNOWN ISSUES

The main issue with Masahiro seems to be Quality Control. One piece is great, the next is quite poor. Tempering is inconsistent – the Bamboo reports were quite varied on this regard, and the Sakura katana (reviewed here at SBG) took a major set on a plastic water bottle.

The fittings can have a tendency to be loose or improperly fitted (again, this is on a sword-by-sword basis), which can lead to dangerous results. Many of their swords are sold on ebay, and these could be great or lemons – you won’t know until you unpack it. Few people who have been in the sword collecting community for long seem willing to take a chance on them when Musashi puts out swords in the same price range, yet have a well-known website and customer service history. Until Masahiro becomes more accessible, it is unlikely that they will break into the market in a big way.

REVIEWS

Sword Buyers Guide.com Reviews Reviews of a Masahiro Sword by our sister site: Sakura Click image for full review. Shadow Warrior Click image for full review. Ryumon Dragon Click image for full review.

WHERE TO BUY

Due to the aforementioned QC issues with Masahiro, it is extremely important to buy from a vendor who has a solid reputation for customer service (and great pricing).

One such vendor of Masahiro Katana is Evan at Trueswords.com who stocks a growing range of Ryumon and Masahiro swords at prices WELL below other retailers and has a flawless reputation for highly professional customer service that goes well beyond the call of duty.

OTHER MASAHIRO VENDORS

Other sellers of Masahiro Swords include:

Swords of Might
NOTES: One of the original stockists, they have a great range and also a 5% SBG Discount Available here

Kult of Athena
NOTES: Prices vary - from average to exceptional. Customer service, availability and shipping options and speed are all top notch. Includes some lesser known models

The collectors edge
NOTES: Prices are very inflated, but they have a good range.

Do you own one of the swords made by this company? Or know any good stories or information not covered here? Share it!

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...

actually liked mine  i have only bought one masahiro blade and it was actually a pretty good sword...it was sharp as it was advertised....nothing wrong with the blade at all....

Masahiro mayhem!!!   Masahiro is just one of those sword brands with barely any quality control, or proper forging to the point where you want to pull your own hair out! Pretty ...

Good but not exceptional  I purchased a Masahiro Katana kit from a reseller out of Philadelphia, PA. With a discount offer and free shipping, I managed to squeeze the price down ...

Masahiro Rollercoaster  Well, I'm Jose Rosario from Puerto Rico, better know in the SBG forums as AkuZokuZan. I've had and have a few Masahiro pieces and I must agree with the ...

skeebobiz  i own a white shadow----purchased about two years ago.

very nice sword---very sharp----appears to have some quality in blade.it has a sanded edge [hamon ...

Mimura Shinji BR @ aol . com  I currently own 14 Masahiro blades. Ranging from the Feudal Lords to the Sakura, Sunflower, Dragon etc.

I also have wholesaler's licenses from many ...

Not so impressed...  I purchased a Masahiro Katana nearly a year ago. It came in a triangle shaped cardboard box, that was also supposed to act as a display stand, but somewhere ...