This is the second katana I have purchased from Handmade Sword. The katana is exactly as described. Good sharpeness to the blade and well balanced. It has a very good feel to it with a nice weight. Handmade Sword never disappoints.

I had originally purchased the Cherry Blossom 1045 model (along with the matching wakizashi) because I liked the mitsutomoe theme, but when I realized that the thick, heavily-detailed brass tsuba was especially uncomfortable with a tight, high grip, I searched for a less-ostentatious alternative. I saw that this 1060 blade was somehow $20 less, and I jumped on the return, though it does puzzle me that the Musashi model lacking the bo-hi is $70 more. A more-thorough tempering on the other one, perhaps?
Anyway: This sword arrived in a tube (in a box in an Amazon box) with a nice Japanese-themed design, compared to the plane brown paperboard tube of the lower-grade blade, but still no certificate as mentioned in reviews of other swords from the same company. I think such niceties may be reserved for the more expensive/higher-grade blades.
The Musashi tsuba is aesthetic in its simplicity, and the blade is sharp enough to slice up bananas in my living room. The rayskin appears to be real (though from an ethical standpoint I would prefer a synthetic alternative) and the cotton ito is tightly-wrapped. There were some small rust spots on the spine of the blade and near the tip where the storage grease must have rubbed off inside the saya, but I can handle that. The saya itself has a mirror-like finish and looks great with the cotton sageo display knot.
I also purchased the matching wakizashi and it's just as well-made (though I am again confused as to why the shoto was $20 more than the daito), along with a nice two-tier wall hanger, also from HMS, to display my daisho above the bureau in my living room. I am now seriously considering the purchase of the matching 1080 tanto to keep on my bedroom dresser, though there is also a lovely mistutomoe-themed tanto of the same grade and price which tempts me to break from the Musashi pattern. Dilemma!

This is my first sword as well as my first purchase from Handmade Sword. I am very pleased with it, and I find The quality to be better than I expected.

Great blade + fit and finish for $130 katana. Nice saya, real cotton, real rayskin, 1060 is tough yet flexible, BEAUTIFUL hamon (looks like stormy waves), I got with no hi so it is slightly heavier which I like. Handmade isn't joking about these swords being tough and functional. The tang is very slightly loose inside the tsuka, other than that all fittings are very tight and sturdy feeling. I have used this to cut through tatami and homemade palm frond rolls with relative ease. The sword arrived decently sharp, but gets much sharper if you know how to sharpen one. Great starting point for someone wanting a real usable katana without breaking the bank and/or being obsessively concerned about damaging a $500+ blade. I LOVE that there is no brand name or other words engraved onto the seppa, blade, etc. Keep up the great work Handmade.

This is an excellent sword for the price. However when it arrived the sheath was stuck on the blade. While trying to remove it I sliced my finger down to the bone.