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Dave Wilson Owner of Mugen Dachi the premier source for Tamishigiri supplies. I asked Dave for an Honest opinion of the Citadel line based on his cutting with them while visiting Europe. Cutting Test 1 Waza / Technique Performed: Kesa, Kiriage, Yoko Katana Implemented: Citadel “Bizen” Target Structure: Mugen Dachi half and full tatami omote Result: All cuts went through the targets cleanly and easily. Observations/ Comments: Because of the substantial distal taper of the Citadel blades it is not a surprise that the cutting went well. I was happy to see that there was no bending of the blade. The balance and feel of the sword was light, but nice.
Cutting Test 2 Waza / Technique Performed: Kesa, Kiriage, Yoko Katana Implemented: Cold Steel Target Structure: Mugen Dachi half and full tatami omote Result: All cuts went through the targets. Observations/ Comments: A somewhat beefy blade that felt a bit unresponsive in my hands. Cutting went well but not as well as other swords. Not sure if it was cutting edge geometry or if it was not sharpened properly.
Cutting Test 3
Waza / Technique Performed: Kesa, Kiriage, Yoko Katana Implemented: Paul Chen “Practical Plus” Target Structure: Mugen Dachi half and full tatami omote Result: All cuts went through the targets cleanly and easily. Observations/ Comments: These swords cut very well for the money and seem pretty solid if the handle is done well… a real crapshoot so be careful and check the sword BEFORE you buy. They are sharp and cut well, probably due to the flat grind geometry of the cutting edge. Not pretty with the wavy grinding marks on the blade but the cost is low.
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