[_328th_Bantar]

I just got 3 of their samurai swords, I think they are great, I'm thinking about buying more of their stuff for a diorama.

Take a look:

:ninja

 

[Paladin]

thats weird....a few minutes ago i thought about opening a thread about those swords. Cause i am getting some Samurai Armor, but no sword so i thought about getting one of those.
Can you take some closeups?

 

[_328th_Bantar]

I don't have a good camera but here they are:

They look like very realistic, if you have any questions just ask.

 

[cryoguns]

I was dissapointed with the three I had gotten. All of them had pretty scuffed blades and didn't fit together well. One of the tangs was warped enough that about 1/4" would not slide into the scabbard.

 

[Renascor]

The 1/6 Mononofu swords are made of real metal and not painted, the edges are blunt. And the swords have an etched hamon. (A hamon is the wavy pattern near the blades edge). It's the only company that does Hamon on Katana blades, that I know of. The Tsuku (handle) of the swords of the Mononofu series can be slide off and they have an engraved signature of the 'sword smith name'. The tsuku fits snugly to the Nakago (tang) and wouldn't fall off so as to speak. The Tsuba (guard) is also detachable.

The blade fits well into the scabbard as well (Saya). So you can do all those sword drawing poses.

As for the Sageo (Cords) if you untie it from its knot (Musubi), You will find that its not done with 1 long strip of ribbon but instead two strips of ribbon. One of then is lightly gluded to the Saya (Scabbard). The sageo in real life is just one long cord. So if you are planning to remove the knots, bear in mind this point. I un-did my Mononofu Katana musubi.

They are going quite cheap on ebay, at one point of time J-List was selling the whole set of the Shinsengumi Mononofu swords (The series shown in the photos by Bantar) for I think US 45? you can buy individual swords from Hong Kong Ebay sellers. Usually going for less than US 10 bucks each.

The Mononofu series katanas are -the- best 1/6 katana in non-tachi mounts avaliable. I think they do a few in tachi-mounts (where the edge is worn downwards like in the Takeda Shingen swords) but its in a different series. So if you are planning of bashing some Japanese swords go for it. You won't regret it.

I just read cryoguns post, the mononofu sword I had is the one shown in the last photo by Bantar. I can't say much about the rest of the swords in the series though. But at least that one fits well.

By the way Mononofu, translates as 'Serving Object' (i.e retainer) it is another way of calling a 'Samurai'

Cheers

 

[Hollowpoint]

Wow, those look very nice.

 

[Paladin]

I just bought one, if i am disappointed ill shoot burning weasels from a catapult right into your house!

 

[Chesh313]

I wasn't really all that thrilled with the newest Shinsengumi(?) set...A lot of the newer mononofu stuff has been kinda subpar compared with the earlier swords they released...they're kinda underscaled for some, or the stuff was loose...I still think they're cool though...

 

[WritinMan]

Their newer swords are a little disappointing, but their earlier swords were fantastic. The Series III swords maybe? Can't quite remember....

 

[Chesh313]

I never had the series 3 ones, but the series 5 ones were top notch, my fav of the bunch...that set came with the ninja swords and some cool katanas. I really think mononofu needs to stop doing pole weapons. They're always underscaled and I'd rather have another unique in scale weapon or sword than that.

I've yet to see the newest mononofu set on ebay.

 

[WritinMan]

I just found one of the boxes I had stashed away--I do have some of the Series III swords, and they were some of the best 1/6 weapons I've ever seen. Very realistic. Hard to find now, but every now and then one shows up on Ebay.

 

[Chesh313]

Yeah, I kick myself in the ass for not getting them...this was the time in my weapons collecting where I didn't include blades and passed on them...

 

[the toy doc]

Those are awesome. Can I have one?

 

[mpchi]

Their swords are a mix bag. Some are fantastic, some are not too great. I had one red one that fits in the sheath snug, and no visual flaws. But I bought multiples of a blue one and each fits differently. Some very loose and wobbly. Even need to fix one that the metal sleeve on the handle is peeling. So I guess really depends on which series to get, but I don't have the details.

 

[Mike Rich]

are these still available for purchase? Who sells these?

 

[Paladin]

Alex @ UrbanSamuraiHobbies has some still in stock, thats where i bought mine.

 

[_328th_Bantar]

Echobase toys has a few left.

 

[Staggerly]

Michael reviewed a couple a while back, too. With every series I think I'll get one, but I never do. (So I missed the Zatoichi cane sword :sadshake )

 

[mistamoose]

Mononofu V was probably my favorite of the series (two Ninja-to, several samurai swords, Zatoichi's cane sword, Excalibur, other stuff). My only criticism of that series is the use of a sticker at the sword hilt, which was cheap and can get worn away. Later series used metal at the hilt, holds up better.

 

[LordAzrael]

I have succesfully used mononofu's V's to upgrade both Modern McLeod Highlander figures as well as Cordelia from the buffy series. Makes a very nice upgrade.