Joe: The Japanese also make super cheap alloy blades with really crappy handles and wrapping for the consumer market. They aren't used for training either. They're sold for less than iaito because they're not as carefully or precisely made. Since they aren't going to see use they skip much of the care and detail required to make a viable, safe training tool. And given people are always looking for ways to make money, don't you think there would be a ton of choices of iaito for training cheaper than what you're looking at now with "real" blades? It costs more to forge, shape, and finish a heat treated steel blade than simply stamping out a blob-o-soft metal alloy. Why do you suppose that market isn't flooded with choices?
And fwiw, some groups do require their students start with live blades and skip iaito all together. Even outside of Japan that will usually mean spending $1000 and up for a good, safe, appropriate sword. Swords of the type you've asked about are not often used in martial arts settings simply because even sharpened and "ready to use" they often fall far short of minimum safety requirements for quality, fit and finish. So Iaito (or more accurately mogito) are a good option for many a beginning iai student as it allows them to spend the money for the necessary quality, fit and finish without the expense of a forged, shaped and polished steel blade.
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Joe Chao wrote:
In my 15 years of martial arts experience (not iaido) we never used zinc alloy blades. We used and trained with real weapons. When I learned to shoot I used real guns.
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The problem is the advent of super cheap Chinese made Japanese "style" swords can be better compared with so-called "Saturday Night Specials". There are decent swords coming out of China, but they aren't cheap. There are *tons* of cheap swords, however, hitting the market mostly done by people making what they think looks like a Japanese sword. And most fall way short of the mark.
Would you suggest someone learn to shoot with a zip gun or a poorly balanced, inaccurate (but cheap!) knockoff gun that might fall apart in their hands when they fire it? Or blow up in their face? Or worse yet hurt some other innocent bystander who was unfortunate enough to be too close to the idiot trying to shoot it? If you ask a gunsmith or a shooting instructor what gun you should learn to shoot with that person will probably *not* recommend a 20 year old mistreated handgun. Or a cheap knockoff that tends to jam or misfire. They will recommend something with a base level of quality and safety. No, it doesn't have to be a $10,000 hand made handgun. But it will probably not be a $100 POS either. That is a better analogy.
And fwiw, I'm not posting this for your benefit. You just wanted to know which of the three was best and can't seem to accept that people are telling you none of them are good enough. Get what you want. I'm posting it for the benefit of the next person who reads this thread hoping they recognize the faulty thinking. Maybe you know weapons and martial arts, but you clearly don't know Japanese style swords or we wouldn't be having this conversation. The very people who have been working/training/teaching for decades have tried to explain that they are not a good option for traditional training for a myriad of reasons, but you've steadfastly resisted. No one is suggesting you get a specialized, fancy, high end iaito. But for a quality iaito or even a reasonably safe "real sword" you're looking at spending more than what these cost. There are reasons they are inexpensive.