Paulo Martins
CPM-3V Hard Target Cutter
Great service and support. Jason actually cares about your desires and needs and he can recommend the best options. Remember, Jason is a martial artist himself, so he produces blades that can be used, not just expensive wall hangers. My blade allows me to cut through any target regardless of skill level. It will never bend, nick, chip or dent. And I’ve cut tatami with thick oak wood inside in one slash. I even tested the blade against deer horn and still, not a scratch. Don’t believe me? I have a bunch of videos, ask away. A blade that your don’t have to worry about. How much is that peace of mind worth? Stop reading this and order your blade! Thanks Jason!
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Gabriel Ivanov
SGT Hard Target Cutter
Really in love with my custom Motohara Evolution Blade. Big thanks to Jason for making my dreams come true. Very dedicated to his work, he help me to make the best sword I’ve ever had. The sword is unbelievable. That’s the 20 sword I buy at all and never had so PERFECT sword. I practice iaido and really needed a perfect tool for practice and development. Until now I practiced with Kurin Shoden Shinken which is really good and I love it, but when I grab for the first time my motohara it felt something else, something beyond my imagination and dreams. My SGT motohara has amazing energy, it’s perfectly balanced, perfectly constructed, everything is perfect. I’m very demanding about my sword and really search for some imperfections, but there is non ! Man mekugi which it’s not that important for the looks of a sword or anything else is make with a big attention to the detail. I can write a lot for the sword, but I’ll never can explain what is the feeling when you have your own and grab it. It’s very expensive sword, there is no question about that, but it’s worth absolutely every penny!!! Big thanks to Jason Yoon and his team for the amazing job they are doing!
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Loc Doan
L6 Multi-purpose Cutter
First and foremost, I really appreciate Jason and Motohara Blades for what they do. They give you a functional and beautiful blade with immaculate craftsmanship. The balance is nothing like anything I have handled before compared to your typical production or semi-custom katanas. I have a Japanese-made iaito the same length (~29 in) and the Motohara feels “lighter” somehow. I look forward to getting another Motohara!
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Mark Gagliardi
SGT Mat Cutter
My beautiful new sword was a birthday gift from Cindy. It was given to me as a gift because things were financially tough at the time ( during the pandemic). Jason was very helpful in making sure we were able to get an incredible sword, at an affordable price. He was extremely knowledgeable and gracious. I visited Jason not having a lot of knowledge about the making of a sword; geometry, metals, correct length etc., but, I left Jason having more of an understanding in sword making and creating a correct sword for an individual.
I absolutely love my new custom sword, which I use for both Tameshigiri and kata.
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Tony Jo
First of all, Jason spends a lot of time asking various questions to deliver a product unique to me and my requirements. Questions regarding geometry, koshirae, intended use (battodo or iaido) and so on. What was delivered was a fantastic product, well worth the money. A lot of attention to detail and simply beautiful to look at. Thank you again!!
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Brandon L. Frazier
I highly recommend Evolution Blades and their Motohara line. Jason is extremely knowledgeable and great to work with. He guided me through the order/creation process with sincere detail.
I received an absolute masterpiece from Evolution Blades. It is a custom L6 katana with a hanzo style tsuba, sakura fittings, leather ito and navy ishime saya. The measurements were also customized to match my iaito which was extremely important to me. I had already tested a few of the katana from the Motohara line and knew as soon as my first tameshigiri session was over that my purchase was completely worth it! Thank you, Jason!!
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Adam Yellin
Jason is a great guy and was a terrific help walking me through all of the options. My katana came out better than I could have imagined. I ordered an SGT mat cutter with leather ito and a half rayskin saya. A true masterpiece work of art and a super functional cutter. This sucker is sharp.
The fittings are all super tight, well crafted, and by far nicer than any other modern sword makers I’ve come across. Anyone debating whether it’s worth it, it is!
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Noah Mitchell
Ordered a custom SGT blade with “killer geometry” because I was looking for a lighter cutter than the Kotetsu I’ve been using for the past 10 years. The sword is everything I hoped for! Took a few tries to get used to the lighter weight, but now I feel like it handles even better than the Kotetsu! It cuts single mats like a dream and i also use it for kata, and the lightness of it makes this much easier!
The sword is also gorgeous. The custom design is exactly what I wanted and during the design process Evolution made me feel as though I was their only customer. I’ve ordered custom swords from a number of others for students in the past and none of them come close to the care, effort and customer service level of WB! You will not be disappointed!!
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Rick Braxton
Evolution blades provide top of the line Service -above and beyond and a great product in every way…allowing you to feel your part of the selection process through every step of the way …they produce a great product and stand by it’s genuine product.
Great customer satisfaction – Highly recommended !! Purchased a Light Mat cutting Katana – It has the aspects of no breaking, no bending, and cutting very well !!! Thank you!
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Scott Juarez
Excellent Customer Service on every level. Jason is more than patient with the craziest amount of questions. He takes time to actually call you and explain things. He wants you to get the right fit for your needs and intended use and works with you patiently when you (ME/I) want silly things on my sword and questions answered. Above and beyond!
The hardware/sword… is second to none in the category. As a useable tool made for cutting it stands miles above all else, in terms of fit, finish, craftsmanship, attention to detail and perfection. No detail is missed, and everything is made to such a high standard it’s hard to believe what you get for the price. Motohara and Evolution blades fan for life. Excellent cutter, excellent craftsmanship… excellent on every single level.
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Adam Taylor
Received my custom SGT blade with all silver fittings including a double habaki. The craftsmanship is unbelievable and the beauty of it exceeded my expectations. Most importantly though is that it cuts. It has an amazing edge and balance. Looking forward to many happy years with it.
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Tang Kw An Drew
I have just got my new blade from Evolution Blade. This is a really great blade! Excellent craftsmanship! I cut it happily!
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Dave Drawdy
I currently own three blades from Evolution. When Jason sent a blade around to various dojo for evaluation, we bought it as a dojo cutter. Has done very well, a dojo favorite. One of my guys won the yusho blade at the Tristate tai kai last year. Beautiful blade and fittings. A bit short for the winner, so I traded, perfect size and weight for my wife. Took this one to the California IBG tai Kai this year. Was used by several people for testing and competition, took lots of medals. While there, I found a blade that was forged and mounted for Sang Kim sensei, a long time friend, and had to have it. Beautiful lines, fast, well balanced, highest quality fittings. This will be my main blade for now. Nice work, Jason. Consistent quality.
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Jeff Toms
Extraordinary quality and performance.
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Jeffrey Young
Initially, I recall that I found this blade a bit short. Never the less it is quite aesthetically appealing, the tobacco colored leather ito contrasts nicely with the textured brown saya capped nicely with what I assumed were finely polished buffalo horn at the koiguchi and kojiri.
The kurikata actually contains a nice shitodome that was deftly inserted and didn’t fall out when sageo was introduced, and the the habaki is a rich amber colored that I have never seen before.
The tsukaito as mentioned sports a tobacco colored leather wrap which looks marvelous, and I’d never seen the likes of. The kashira and fuchi were cast in a brightly polished silver with a nami/wave motif. The tsukasame appears to be antiqued which makes the little nodules pop out visually. A really nice effect. The whole tsuka has a nice bit of a haichi shape to it which is actually my preferred shape, and it nicely flares just a bit at the fuchi, lining up perfectly with the koiguchi on the other side of the tsuba.
The tsuba is an iron piece, nicely cast but as I am not quite adept at nukitsuke, the sharp edges tend to bite me when I draw. The blade however is well balanced, and quite wide. I’m not sure of the width but I would say there is only a marginal difference of width between the motohaba and the sakihaba. The hamon is very pronounced, a nice polish, with slight wavy irregularities, and not quite suguha. I forget what this style of hamon is called but I also find it quite appealing.
My first impression of the blades length matters not as it cuts; although I haven’t had much experience with it, this sword cut finer and straighter then it should give me credit for. Even on cuts when I’m sure my hasuji was a bit lacking, the sword still found purchase and deftly cut through the target. It invites you to cut more. I would be hard pressed to say that I’ve had a finer cutting experience with any other sword, and I say that realizing that I may not have been practicing for very long at all, but it has definitely set the bar for any other sword rather high. I would have to say that I’ll definitely be looking forward to working with EB in the future for another sword build. Thank you very much Jason Yoon!
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Dan Kulijan
I received my Motohara Light Mat Cutter (LMC) two months after I ordered it. I was so pleased with the result, I decided to make this a full review. I’ll describe the options I chose and how they look to me, as well as my opinions on craftsmanship, parts quality and handling. Any errors are mine and not Motohara’s. I am a 7th kyu novice. My interest in Iaijutsu began only a year ago.
A week before I received the sword, Jason sent photos of it. A very nice touch. Who else does that? I knew then, if I didn’t already, I’d be pleased. Little did I know just how pleased. The sword has a presence the photos can’t capture.
When I took it out of the package, “pleased” wasn’t the right word. Stunned is more like it! I have a few decent Chinese katana, but this sword is in another league entirely. It is gorgeous. As I held it, the craftsmanship jumped out and smacked me between the eyes. I’m not used to this level of quality, so I was surprised when I examined the components. The quality is worth the cost. Based on the swords I’ve seen, I’m surprised it didn’t cost more. I’m not aware of any other swords in this price point that offer such high quality, features or choices.
Jason has a high degree of confidence in the steels he offers. When you order, be sure to talk to him about steels. He mentioned that SGT will hold it’s edge a very long time and resist scratching even with hundreds (?) of tatami cuts. That’s why it’s more expensive.
Jason consulted with me on each of my choices. The sword would have been different if it had been entirely up to me to choose. I wouldn’t have been as blown away as I am. Jason enjoys talking shop, explaining options and educating me. He was patient and free with suggestions. Jason is a great guy and a pleasure to do business with.
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Jim Kustelski
Thank you Jason for hooking me up with a blade that fits me perfectly. I ordered an SGT killer geometry and it looks awesome!I think the folks who made this katana in Korea also deserve the highest praise. The best part was Jason’s help with getting me exactly what I wanted. Best customer service ever!
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Dale Patten
It’s what I would consider my first custom sword. Many more options than I was used to when ordering and Jason was very helpful in guiding me on making the right choices for my order. Mine was intended for kata and occasional practice cutting on soft targets so I expect to use it a lot. After receiving it I can say that it was worth the investment. It’s heavy like a shinken but a little lighter and balanced well and feels amazingly solid. Fittings are gorgeous (especially the habaki) and the doeskin is great for long training sessions. Everything just feels more “refined”. Blade is shaped very nicely and they even put a shorter kissaki on like I asked. I highly doubt I’ll ever wear the blade out in my lifetime if I stick to using it as designed.
I’ve had a few production swords and some semi-custom ones made throughout the years and I can easily say my Motohara is leagues ahead of them. Especially in fit and finish.
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Stanley Lai
Bought one katana for Tameshigiri from evolution blades. The quality of the blade especially the shape of the blade and the weight/balance is pretty good for cutting tatami. Besides, I am really happy with discussing with them and asking for recommendations such as what kind of steel I should use and how heavy the blade is.
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Matthew Newcomb
Amazing service top of the line product. I am very pleased with my investment! Cannot go wrong!!
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Jason Perry
I have had the privilege of using several of these swords for tameshigiri. They are exceptionally crafted and light. Very quick cuts. I finally bought one and use it for kata and tameshigiri. No complaints! The service was perfect, too, but that’s to be expected from Jason!
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Rob B.
I am Toyama Ryu iaido practitioner and ordered a custom Motohara SGT sword from Jason. My sword was a custom SGT XMC mat cutter with silver koshirae, doe skin ito wrapping and half rayskin saya to be used for kata and tameshgiri.
I had the privilege of meeting with Jason in person at the 2019 Tri State Tai Kai in New York where he was showcasing some of his hardware. His immense knowledge of swords, design, fittings, etc. helped me get an authentic performance katana.
From conception to completion, Jason was steering me in the right direction. We spent a long time discussing my wants and needs and throughout the entire process he was extremely patient. I had a ton of questions and he was more than willing to share his knowledge. Jason knew what I wanted before I had even reached the final product. He customized my sword to not only fit my stature but to handle even better than I thought possible. For example, I had needed some extra adjustments on the length of the nagasa due to my height and that required some tweaking of the balance. He was very thorough with making sure that the final product would not only be a statement piece but one that I would be proud of. We discussed everything from tsuka-ito, steel quality, koshirae, etc and all of the options that were available.
Prior to receiving my sword, Jason sent me final photos of the sword after his own personal inspection. As others have mentioned, who does that? The answer, someone confident in his product, someone excels in his industry and someone wants you to rest easy knowing you are in good hands.
Upon receiving my sword, my jaw dropped at the level of craftsmanship and care that come with it. Practicing kata with it, everything that Jason and I discussed came to fruition. The balance, feel, design and presence exceeds my expectations. I have not had a smoother cutting experience when cutting tatami omote than with this Motohara. It was effortless.
Suffice to say, I will be a repeat customer to not only add to my collection but to support a business that provides top quality customer support and a product to match.
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Shane Csontos-Popko
Extremely helpful and knowledgeable! Jason was an absolute pleasure to work with and the final product came out absolutely flawless. Can’t recommend enough! Definitely will be a repeat customer!
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Sang W Kim
I recently received my 3rd sword with Evolution Blades and it is what I considered the most beautiful sword I’ve used in my sword career. Not only are the blades and fittings great, but how it feels being used for kata is what makes me truly likes this sword. I like to use my swords to do both kata and cutting with and the personality of the sword makes it feel just right.
All the custom swords that I’ve gotten from Evolution have been fantastic to use and aesthetically, and I believe that a big part of that is Jason’s experience and knowledge of swords. He has a great appreciation and understanding of the sword whether it’s just the looks or use since he himself practices and has a high standard where if the sword was not good quality, he would not pass it on.
I highly recommend Evolution Blade swords in a heartbeat.
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Robert Raimondi
Custom ordered a blade for Toyama Ryu practice, for both kata and tameshigiri. The process was made very easy with Jason, and I was able to customize every inch of my sword! from the weight distribution, to the shape of the actual blade, and the asthetics of the fittings and saya, Jason went through every step to make sure I was getting exactly what I was looking for.
After a few weeks of practicing and swinging it around I have to say that this blade is the best one I have ever bought! From the feel to the looks. The craftsmanship is immaculate and the sword itself is constructed very well. I will be getting a lot of use out of this sword! I Cannot wait to cut with it! I would 100% recommend evolution blades to anyone in the market for a new Blade.
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Kevin Hough
Fantastic service, top line product, excellent execution! You can’t go wrong.
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Mikhail Falguenblat
Evolution Blades makes excellent swords. Looking forward to many years of using mine. Thank you, Jason!
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Valient Yeung
Jason recently fit-out a Rick Barrett’s blade I purchased many years ago as a favor since he usually doesn’t have enough time for sword restoration work. The end product far exceeded my expectations. The sword fittings, finishes and fitment are top quality at a very reasonable price. I’m also very happy that Jason was able to modify the blade geometry and improved its mat cutting performance. truly excellent work!
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Scott Kanekuni
I own a couple stock LMCs, custom D2 MMC, and custom SGT from EB Motohara. Been using their swords since Oct 2018 for kata and weekly cutting of used Japanese tatami. These swords are JSA practitioner tools. Unmatched performance, koshirae, and build-quality in the price point, and more.
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Matt Odell
I’ve now purchased two Motohara swords from Evolution Blades. If you’re looking for a new cutter, you must speak with Evolution. The craftsmanship is top notch and the performance is superior to swords at twice the price.
Jason at Evolution is quite knowledgeable and welcomes questions. He’s a practitioner so he has an understanding if desired usage and desired results. He will take the time to assist in selecting a geometry and composition that will give you the results you’re looking for.
Attention to detail is fantastic, the quality is astounding and the customer service is unmatched.
If you know what you want… drop them a line, they can do it. If you don’t know what you want but know the results you’re looking for, drop them a line, Jason can help provide a tool to get you there.
I too am a Motohara and Evolution blades fan for life.
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Shuo Chen
Awesome experience with Evolution Blades. Jason is very professional and communicative. My order was completed in a very timely manner. The customization options keep growing and they continue to improve the fit and finish. In the current production/semi-production katana market today, this blows everything else out of the water.
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John Pope
Received my custom SKS3 LMC yesterday. Amazing sword.Nothing “out of place” or poor fitting. HIGH attention to detail that I just don’t see on other swords near this price. Excellent product, excellent customer service. Top notch quality and craftsmanship.
I test and review swords for the community. I do some product research testing for some makers/vendors. Worked as QC shipper for a website some years ago, I’ve handled, used or inspected nearly everything on the production and custom production market, nothing comes close to Motohara for the price and even more.
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John Vincent
Excellent sales, fit and finish, and of course cutting ability.
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Terry Yu
I am a Toyama-ryu iaido practitioner from Hong Kong and I have custom ordered a motohara blade for my regular use in tameshigiri. I am very happy with the quality of the blade and it is the best cutter among the swords I have. The sword has great cutting ability, excellent balance, and high quality fittings.
I have cut more than a hundred Japanese tatami omotes using this blade and it passed its cutting test with flying colors. It easily cut through the targets, leaving crisp and sharp edges. No cutting edge damage can be found so far, showing its outstanding durability.
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Prin Amorapanth
Ordered a sword for Toyama Ryu practice (kata, tameshigiri) from Jason, who provided a seamless ordering experience, from initial ideas to back and forth exchanges regarding blade steel, kashira, tsuba, handle material, and all the details one obsesses over when ordering swords. Delivered ahead of time, and man, what a finished product. Incredible fit and finish, attention to detail. Super well-balanced and a pleasure to practice with. Haven’t cut with it yet, but if consistent with the other blades of his that I have cut with, should be outstanding in that area as well. Highly recommended.
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