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3 of 4 found the following review helpful:
 "Economical" means "Cheap" Apr 14, 2011
By dib
"dib"
Review for: Hanwei Practical Pro Katana Sword
It's nice enough, for what it is, but it is far from being "quality" in any way - even as just a practice "cutting sword for heavy targets". It's "nice" for a cheap sword, but this is still just a cheap sword.
I was disappointed in the blade quality. I would compare this to a very large kitchen knife with a sturdy blade, but I have used nicer kitchen knives (high-end chef cutlery) with better blade quality than this has. I am extremely hesitant to the idea of trying this blade in any strenuous tests (to measure its cutting ability), I feel there is a good chance that it would not withstand them.
And, from what I can tell, the hamon isn't even real. I had to examine it a long time, go over it very closely, have a friend look at it, and (after a lot of consideration) I (we) are pretty sure the hamon (the differently tempered edge "using a traditional claying method") is not real. It is an affect added on, and done poorly (it has a blurred/fuzzy/brushed look compared to a real hamon edge). I was at least hoping they would have done that much right, but it's faked.
The handle length is too long, I think it's more of a gimmick than a real practical consideration. I stand 6'1", I have longer than average arms, and I would say the handle is too long by 3" (or more, from the feel of the weight distribution). It throws the balance off, it makes finding a good grip position awkward. The longer handle's weight is distributed better when held in one hand (but it is still awkward, and realistically too heavy for this), but it does not feel better in one hand than other katanas that are more properly proportioned do. If the blade length was longer this might work better, but this is not the case. The handle length, and the consequent weight, are impractical and poor for it's design/functionality.
What I was looking for, as what was advertised, was a good functional blade (to beat the crap out of). I thought this would be like other economical swords (like the Ryumon line), but I find this to be sub-par. This might make a nice katana to compliment a costume, but I find it hard to accept this as a "practical" blade.
But I do like the tsuba, it is very nice; simple and elegant.
My advice, for someone looking for a "functional" katana, is to save your money and get something better/more. This was, in my opinion, a "too good to be true" item for what it is advertised as. (And my opinion of this is based off of the fact that I paid less than $150 for this.)
3 of 4 found the following review helpful:
 Great working blade Jul 27, 2010
By Ichiban Saru
The sword came packaged in an enormous outer box with the smaller sword box inside. It's a very nice blade. Heavy, but that's to be expected for a working blade. It was packaged very well and only took a little cleaning to remove soom green oxidation that had accumulated around the habaki. It was easy to clean off.
It comes with a black cotton cloth sword bag that wasn't advertised. The synthetic leather tsuka-ito has a nice grip, but it looks a bit like plastic because of its shiny sheen (which I think will fade after time and use). The synthetic samé skin looks very plastic on close examination, but it has great textured grip which is what matters.
Be aware that this sword is VERY long. The size keeps it from being practical for batto-jutsu or iai-jutsu unless you're very tall. As a cutting weapon, it's a very nice blade. I would've prefered more of a sori (bend) in the blade, but the photos clearly show the nature of blade so I wasn't surprised when it arrived.
I would recommend this sword for anyone looking for an affordable quality working blade. It's not a decorative display sword, but it can be displayed. I found it interesting that the sageo cord came wrapped in a display knot when the blade and saya are so clearly meant for utility. That's easily fixed however.
Great sword for the price.
 The Pro if for Pros Jun 29, 2011
By Gordon B.
The Practical Pro Katana is the BIGGEST and MEANEST Katana in the Practical Line of Hanwei Katana. Compared to my Practical Katana, this sword is a beast!
The first thing about this Katana is that the Blade is thick and Long at 29" (but right for a person with a 6' or higher frame) and has a Satin Finish with a etched REAL Hamon. This Frosty Etch can be removed easily with Mother's Polish. The Katana cuts very well and has no problems with Tatami mats.
The Tsuka is one of the things i have a slight problem with. My Tsuka on my sword was somewhat fat and bulky. I had a hard time properly grasping my hand around it to execute a proper cut. But I solved the problem by Disassembling it and sanding it down to a more comfortable size before I customized it. This might be a problem on your Pro as well but like I said: EASY FIX. Also, The Samegawa is fake, which is annoying considering that the Practical Plus Katana and Wakizashi has REAL Same, but for the length of the Tsuka it might make it more economical. The Tsuka-Ito is a Faux Leather, which is nice looking and durable but to me is a bit slippery, and doesn't feel safe especially when combined with it's bulky-ness. Other then that, my Tsuka was very nice, but I have heard that the Tsuka on some Pro's were split on arrival.
The Koshirae of the Pro has a Dharma Wheel stylized Iron Tsuba, with matching Iron Fuchi and Kashira. It has a Musashi Style Menuki, with the famous Boat-Oars and some Kasa Straw Hats. The do appear to be copper.
The Saya wasn't as thick as my Practical Katana and it seems to lack a Kojiri. The Sageo is also too short to use. But the Lacquer is thick and heavy enough to withstand heavy use.
This is a somewhat watered-down version of a review but here's a link to the Sword Buyer's Guide review of the Pro:[...]
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