Outpatient
Washington State

Oct 29, 2009

Pros: Materials, Overall Quality, Blade Material, Sheath/Scabbard, Finish, Usable, Handle Material

Cons: None

Great Sword

This is not the first sword I have purchased but it the first Cold Steel product that I have owned and I am a fan. The blade came with a great edge and the craftsmanship of the handle is quite good. I have not cut anything but fruit and some cardboard with it yet, but still amazed. I Am already looking to buy my next Cold Steel Product (Next Sword in the Warrior Series)

Kurt H.
Largo

Dec 27, 2012

Pros: Blade Material, Handle Material, Overall Quality, Materials, Sheath/Scabbard, Finish, Usable

Cons: None

Just Right

This is just what I was looking for. A sharp, short, and well built sword for in-close fighting. I am not a Ninja, or a sword collector, but I do appreciate a good deal when I see one. This will probably be used as a "last resort" only. Until then, it will make a nice addition as part of my indoor decor.

Jerry D.
Eastern OH

Jan 07, 2013

Pros: Blade Material, Handle Material, Overall Quality, Materials, Sheath/Scabbard, Finish, Usable

Cons: None

Cold Steel Warrior Wakizashi

Great service Knife Center! Got a promptly delivered, excellent example of CS's Warrior Waki from blade tip to end of handle, very sharp, excellent craftsmanship overall_completely satisfied_hope this is the usual consistent quality control & craftsmanship at the forge in China, being so i'd recomend Cold Steel's Warrior Series to any wanting this type of sword, whether a katana, wakizashi, or tanto. I use it for its intended purpose like the Samurais did (minus cutting humans to pieces, haven't had any violent home invaders haha). My SK-5 CS Gurkha Kukri Plus (from Knife Center) is excellently crafted too, & mine is razor sharp out of the box (beyond my expectation). This wakizashi handles very well for me & is a great cutter (not used for wood cutting though), very flexible, shock resistant blade, can whack it really hard, flat of the blade, on work table & feel its spring power, doesn't phase it, strong, highly bend resistant tang also _ & for me, 'fast as a frog's tongue' but a little POB blade heavy which gives it more 'clout'. If u want to swish & whip out a sword like Toshiro Mifune did, get the katana and/or the wakizashi & build up to it til u can whip it out fast as a frog's tongue w/rapid fire cuts to boot, & u won't need a pistol or shotgun if ur violently home invaded_ lol. Knife Center's the best in my books. Would have liked a few more specs, e.g., POB, Rc blade hardness, but w/Cold Steel's Japanese style swords that's no concern to me_i also have the CS Emporer Series Wakizashi, a five star example_was called Imperial Series when i bought it, can whip it around like a switchblade, fun to work with. These are among the best made.

Chop Curtiss
Midwest

Oct 12, 2019

Pros: Blade Material, Overall Quality

Cons: Handle Material, Sheath/Scabbard

Patiently Crouched Beneath My Bed Like a Panther!

Lightly oiled and razor sharp, it doesn't beg for food nor water! Honestly, I've got no idea how to pronounce Wakazashi properly. However, I just refer to it as 'Handle with caution if you value your digits' Those rolled up karate matts should shudder in fear of my deadly tool! Can't we get Common Sense Sword Control. Fits nicely on my tactical belt behind my MP-5

Eric
Randallstown MD

Mar 12, 2012

Pros: Blade Material, Handle Material, Overall Quality, Materials, Sheath/Scabbard, Finish, Usable

Cons: None

A solid battle-ready Wakazashi - no frills no nonsense - but in keeping with the Warrior Series put out by Cold Steel. Perhaps slightly heavier than people who expect the weight of a period reproduction. But extra weight and heft makes it a very robust blade with a lot of cutting power for its size.

Jere
La Canada, CA

May 21, 2013

Pros: None

Cons: None

Practical and solid

First, you'll need to actually sharpen it. Best way I've found is with the accusharp tool sharpener (http://www2.knifecenter.com/item/AS1/Accusharp-V-Sharp-Tungston-Carbide-Replaceable-Blade-Sharpener). Mine had a slight nick in the blade in the tip area, but I've mostly worked that out with the accusharp. Overall, it's seriously solid - while possible to wield one-handed, it's definitely more comfortable with both hands on the wheel. The blade is thick, solid and that adds real weight. Careful of putting fingerprints on the thing though - it's high carbon steel, which means your prints will quickly become little patterns of rust. Best to keep it lightly oiled.

Alex
Maryland

Aug 20, 2008

Pros: Blade Material, Usable, Handle Material, Overall Quality

Cons: None

A Fearsome Weapon (a little heavy though)

I have mixed feelings about production Japanese swords. Unless you pay a couple thousand dollars for a Katana or Wakazashi you are surely making a compromise in at least one of the following areas: Durability, Weight, Cutting Power, Overall Usability. This sword is better than most in many respects because it only really suffers in one of these areas. Weight. This however, is a fairly serious compromise in terms of its authenticity. A 'real' Japanese sword can be drawn and wielded very quickly due to its light weight, and fine balance. I have fairly strong shoulders and forearms, but I still find myself being pulled into the cut because of the heft of this sword. Having said all that, this is a good product. It is a real sword in the sense that it cuts well and won't break when hit with another sword (or other metal item). By contrast, a Paul Chen Japanese (Style) sword is for cutting only and will chip or break if struck. This sword comes very sharp and pointy, and the blade and fittings look great. And when all is said and done, this is a fearsome weapon. Certainly the one I would reach for in the event of a zombie attack. Finally, if you are getting a sword with these traditional fittings, you should learn to take the handle off and put it back on. I had to do this as soon as I got it because the tang pin was not big enough (it's just a piece of bamboo) and I had to fashion a new one. Once I did that the handle was tight and worked fine.

Lou
Massacchusetts

Mar 01, 2011

Pros: Overall Quality, Usable

Cons: Sheath/Scabbard

a well made blade for a reasonable price

I study Seite Iaido and MJER Iaido. I own a cold Steel katana for tamasagiri, and the addition of the Cold Steel wakizashi allowed me to practice cut with the shorter blade. Cold Steel is very out front with the fact that the blades are not in "full polish". None the less they are really wonderful blades for the price. A bit on the sturdy side, but this may not be a bad thing for the beginner at tamasagiri.

Daniel
Oman

Feb 12, 2013

Pros: Usable

Cons: Handle Material, Overall Quality, Materials, Sheath/Scabbard, Finish

I was quite excited to received this Wakazashi, based on Cold Steel video. Big dissapointment. Cons: Bad edgde with blurs out of the box. Kashira and Fuchi out of bad plastic. Koiguchi small, Saya large, so the blade comes out if you run with it fixed at your belt or turned upsite down. Heavy for a 21"blade. Pros: Solid blade , but an axe could also do the job.