Customer Reviews

Black Ronin Ninja Sword w/Shouldeer Harness Sheath

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Revised 22 Feb 2007.

I was looking for a high-end machete when I ran across this little sword by United Cutlery (UC) in Cabela's catalog, where it is sold as a "slimline machete," not a "ninja sword."

It's ground from a single piece of 420 J2 stainless steel with nylon cord wrapped around the hilt. This choice of steel is questionable for any blade over 12 inches. If it is heat treated to a hardness adequate for edge retention, it tends to be brittle, resulting in chipping of the edge or even catastrophic failure. If it is not heat treated, it tends to be too soft to really hold a sharp edge.

Still, I have heard of this piece being put to hard use and have never heard of one breaking. It may be that it's just short enough to get away with using 420 stainless. I suppose it's all in the heat-treat, and without Rockwell testing, followed by torture testing, I'll never know what this thing can and can't do.

It's reasonably sharp out of the box and can be tuned up with a few swipes from a carbide V sharpener. The Tang stamp says "hand made," and the finish is very good. I've heard complaints about loose handle wraps, but I haven't had that problem despite handling the sword quite a bit.

But is it a machete or a "ninja sword?" Well, it sure isn't a machete. It really does resemble a short Japanese sword more than anything. Rather, it resembles a longer version of the Americanized "tanto"-style knives that have become so popular in the "tactical" market. Granted, I have heard of people going into the woods and clearing brush with this thing, but I think it would be tiring, and when it comes to swinging a sharp metal object, tiring equals dangerous.

If you want a brush-clearing tool for fifty bucks or less, there are many choices: the ubiquitous Ontario and Meyerco machetes, the Woodsman's Pal, the Crocodile Knives no. 227, various machetes and field knives from Condor, and a pile of inexpensive offerings from Cold Steel, to name a few. Then there are dedicated gardening tools like ditch banks and weed knives. There's no reason to clear brush with an Americanized Japanese short sword unless you really want to.

As a sword, however, it handles nicely. It's solid and lively in the hand, nimble for thrusting, cutting, and chopping. I've made a mess of many cardboard boxes with it. Again, I don't know how it would hold up if bashed repeatedly into masonry or body armor, but otherwise, it makes for an expedient weapon in close quarters. So a short sword is what it is.

The sword clicks positively into the included Kydex scabbard, which is light and flat and allows for several different modes of carry. I wish I could find a machete at this price that came with such a nice sheath.

I have numerous clubs, axes, knives, swords, and sword-like objects around the house, some of high quality and commensurate price, but it is this el cheapo sword that leans against the headboard of my bed, and it's the first thing my right hand will touch in an emergency. (I'd much rather grab the Paul Chen Practical Wakizashi, but that belongs to my wife.) That, I suppose, is testimony to its design and execution, which is just about as well suited to fighting in tight spaces as anything out there. The grip could fill the hand better, and along those lines, I'm thinking of wrapping the handle with some leather grip tape.

The remaining question is: Can a blade this size, made of stainless steel, both hold an edge and stay in one piece? Come spring, I'm taking this thing into the woods to find out.

_I have collected swords, both eastern and western, for over 30 years now, and I finally bought this model out of curiosity. It is far better in both quality and design than I expected. This is a good quality blade. The steel is a good, rigid, stainless variety that seems to hold its edge. You could chop through a fence pole with it and it would not fold up on you.

_While this is not a full-length katana, it is of a good useable length for use in tight quarters- it is also easily drawable from your back without hanging up on the sheath. The hilt is covered with wrapped nylon over plastic, and of course since the tang is one piece with the blade there is nothing to separate. I find the overall look to be clean and modern- not cheap. The flat black finish will not catch light. There is an elegant simplicity to this tool.

_The sheath is especially nice- it will mount on your back or your hip. It is of solid constuction and will not pierce or pull off the first time it snags on a branch or fence. Being nylon, it will not rot or rust- like the sword itself.

_There are some cheaper knock-offs of this blade on the market for even less, but you are much better off to stick with the proven quality of United Cutlery.

_A sword can be either a tool of ill-omen, or a spiritual symbol, depending on the inner development of its wielder....

I must say first that I am a collector of high grade weapons (CAS Hanwei knows me by name practically). I generally collect only the finest pieces. That being said, everyone needs an "everyday" blade that they don't have to worry about ruining.

I bought this blade from the Atlanta Cutlery in Conyers about 8 years ago. Since then it has remained in the trunk of every car I've owned. I have used it as a machete to cut through brush, a toy to slice up random trash, a weapon to kill snakes (striking violently against concrete in the process), and numerous other purposes. The blade is still sharp, the wrapped handle still in good condition, and the color still present.

The sheath is a durable plastic, and even with the probably thousands of times I've used it over the past 8 years, it STILL stays as secure in the sheath as it did day one (it's not locked but it easily prevents accidental openings while being carried or stored, even while running).

I purchased it for roughly $25 and for that price I believe I've found one of the best quality-for-price blades I've ever owned. For anyone wondering whether or not to get this, I say if you're looking for something to use, or to show off to those that don't know much about blades, GET IT! If you're looking for a true collection piece you should definitely pass, and know that you can't find collector swords for this price.

In summation, it fits nicely in the hand, is weighted well and is one hell of a workhorse.

P.S. It cuts watermelons up like a PRO!

I originally wanted the Black Ronin machete by united cutlery but unfortunately it was discontinued. Now the United Cutlery site lists this as a slim line machete. Despite its looks as a ninja sword it really holds up well like a machete. I've done some brush cutting and chopped up some branch debris left in my yard after a storm but it has held up great. Sure it is stainless steel so you will need to sharpen it more often. The only down side I would say about this machete is that it's grip slides a lot up and down the handle, so I replaced mine with genuine leather baseball bat wrap which gives it a better grip as well as a better look if I say so myself. Now one good feature about this machete is that it is tanto point. So it is good for piercing and stabbing if it comes down to having to defend yourself against something.*

*on a special note about that topic: I have a friend who does hog hunting and he has a machete (the condor hog sticker I believe it is called) he takes with him as brush cutting and last resort, and he said it saved his life once when an angry hog charged him and he wasn't able to load his gun in time, so he used the machete to kill the hog and it worked like a charm, I'm sure the tanto point on this would provide the exact same results.

Now I will add I was pretty skeptic about this machete at first due to it being classified as a ninja sword but also because people had mixed reviews on it. Either this thing was perfect or it sucked, and either the blade was good or it broke the moment it struck something. Personally it's a luck of the blade, but also you need to make your own opinion for yourself. What may be perfect for me may not be right for you, but I would personally give this blade a go. It's great for outdoor use, defense, and if we want to get silly, defending yourself from the undead and lopping off a few zombie heads. I'll give this blade a 5 star any day. This is my machete of choice.

I received this a few months ago & am just now getting to reviewing it. On a positive note, I like the simple design: good size, weight, ballance & overall feel.
The blade thickness, overall geometry and chisel point are all acceptable and the Knock-off Kydex sheath is also a good value for the price and retains the blade well enough. The price is good- no complaints there. The cord wrapped tang is not great (they never are)but this was easily fixed by overwrapping the nylon cord with a double wrap of hockey grip tape.

My only complaint is the quality of the steel used. This is a low 400 series stainless that is difficult to sharpen and doesn't retain it's edge well. I made it work because I can & sharpening it took me about an hour- but I doubt that many would have the tools and experience to be able to put a decent cutting edge on this blade. I'd be glad to pay 4-5 times as much for a sword of the same exact design that's made from 1055C or SK-5 with a spring temper. I'm probably dreaming though since not even Cold Steel makes one in that price range.

Bottom line: this sword has the ballance, size and weight of a BASIC nijato/wakizashi, has a decent sheath and it isn't going to rust if you leave it outdoors- and all at a very good price. It would be fine for basic form work and cutting practice on SOFT materials such as fruits and vegatables, green growth and vines. But all of you would-be Musashis, you aren't going to win any duels with this one. Hell, you could even grind/file the edge and tip completely off till they're blunt and do more serious training with less risk of injury.

Buy it for fun & enjoy it for what it is- a good starter sword. Then practice.

Nice lines for a shank ninja sword. Works well for rugged use in clearing brush. Not for combat or extreme applications. Cord wrapped handle will come apart after a moderate amount of heavy use. I've purchased a couple of these little swords and my first one broke in half after a very heavy (and unintented) impact with a brick. Still, nice lines and very heavy blade compared to similar models in this price range.

This item is an inferior, cheaper version of Ontario's Black Wind swords. That being said, this isn't a bad item. Its makers certainly knew they were using inferior materials, and made the best thing they could anyway. The steel, while not very good, is thick and well designed for maximum durability. The scabbard is pretty useless for wear on the back, it's only good for its belt loop. It's also right handed only, which I find very stupid. It took a whole star off its rating. I threw the scabbard away entirely. Even if you're right handed, it's nothing special, and mine cracked at the edges the first time I drew the blade. Good sword for the price, very bad scabbard. If that's okay, get one.

I just ordered this beauty. The price is right, the price will probably be more expensive in a few months. The full tang is very sturdy. The handle is usually a lil thin (flat) on these type of blades.

I was also looking at the Galaxy Viper twin blades in silver (also comes in black) but there's no pic of the shealth. It just says it's nylon shealth. It holds the 2 blades. This wasn't exactly what I was looking for so I chose the Ronin.

BTW, I got the last 1 from a seller. They were out of stock last time I checked.

Good heavy blade that seems like it would take some abuse. The wrap job on the handle is terrible as others have commented but there are multiple options to correct that. Decent edge but does need sharpening.Don't kid yourself though, this blade is not trying to be a "battle ready katana" or even a decent machete for that matter, but for what it is it is great for the price.

for the price the quality is unbeaten....the sword itself was a great buy.....however the straps were so tight that i just threw them out....... other than that really good quality a MUST HAVE!!!