Shinken Selection Guides

Shinken are real katana made for real use.  These katana are all hand made so there will be some variation between each sword. This section has been designed to help you pick the right sword for you.

• Model Comparison - Basic data about all of the different models
• Size / Weight Charts - Full set of measurements on all of different models
• Choosing a Blade Length - Guides in choosing a sword length
• Types of Steel - A Guide to the different types of steel used for swords.
• Choosing a Wrap - Pros and cons of the different tsuka ito wrap types
• Old and New Practical Comparison
• Old and New Practical Plus Comparison
• Elite, XL, and XL Light Comparison performance blade types

For more information about swords see these pages

• Sword Term Dictionaries - Dictionary of Japanese sword terms
• Forging Steps - Description of the steps used in forging katana
• Samurai Swords - Legacy of the Samurai