A Word About Sword Reviews

Not long ago we introduced the sword review and rating feature on our website. We felt it beneficial for shoppers to have as much information as possible and also give buyers a chance to share their purchase experience with other sword enthusiasts and “would be” buyers.
We discovered fairly quickly that almost everyone is excited about their new sword and posts a glowing review extolling it’s virtues. This has raised the question from shoppers as to why a $100.00 sword earned the same five star rating as a sword that costs hundreds or even thousands more.
The reasons for this are twofold:
Japanese Swords 4 Samurai have been selling Japanese swords since 2004. After countless sword shows and exposure to what is available to the consumer, we are able to select swords from forges that consistently turn out quality pieces. The result of this due diligence is that we rarely have a customer who is disappointed with their purchase.
The other reason for the for the high ratings is that buyers are rating how well they like that specific sword, not making a comparison with swords at other price points. In fact the customer may not have ever owned or handled a high end sword so they just don’t realize the differences. The Thaitsuki buyer who has spent thousands on a katana will post a five star rating because it is in fact a five star sword, however the buyer of a $150.00 entry level sword may also post a five star rating because that sword is exactly what he wanted and to him it is a five star sword at that price.
Does this mean that the five star Thaitsuki and five star $150.00 sword are in the same league in terms of quality? Not even close! Both buyers are happy with their sword and even though each katana earned a great review they are not comparable in quality.
So keep in mind, when using the rating system to help guide your purchase. Price is the primary determining factor in overall sword quality among reputable forges. A higher priced sword simply has more invested in materials and skilled labor. The rating system can help you decide if a particular sword might meet your needs, but a five star rating among swords at different price points is not a statement that the two are of equal quality.