Crystal Ninja | Crystal Katana vs Täntō: Are they Worth it?

After Parts 1 and 2, Part 3 was the most exciting part of this series. My first passion is strass. I knew I could very well find something I love or absolutely despise. As far as decoden and rhinestoning go, these are tools you’ve probably seen on Etsy or eBay. I’ve always seen them in Ad placements as well as in retail stores. It wasn’t until I started this blog that I decided to fork out the cash to try these tools out.

There were two things that troubled me before I decided to dive on in. First, these deco tools are made by the same company, Crystal Ninja. I couldn’t find other picker tools that would be at the same price point or caliber as the Crystal Ninja ones. At the end of the day, I was thinking they would be more or less straight forward product reviews. Secondly, the price was way more than what I believe a casual crafter would spend on a tool like this. I didn’t really check to see how many people have done reviews on the Katana or Täntō and frankly, I thought those reviews would be biased.

I purchased these tools myself. I was not asked to review these products by any company. I am no expert by any means and my opinions are just that, opinions.

Crystal Katana Review (What I Expected vs What Happened)

The Crystal Katana is definitely a lovely weapon that would be great to have in your crafting arsenal. The package came with adhesive and a container of Swarovski flat back crystal rhinestones. I contacted their customer care and was told the glue was Gem-Tac. I did not use the crystals included in the package. I will use them for something else in the future. Instructions state exactly what size rhinestones you should use with this. As terrible as this sounds, I really didn’t want to like this deco tool. It’s body is wooden and light. The Crystal Katana is about the size of a fat washable crayola marker. This had an optional case as an additional purchase, but I really couldn’t understand why I should buy the case. I felt like I was being nickeled and dimed. Also, replacement tips are available. Sheesh.

When I drew the wax black tip along my forearm, it wasn’t waxy feeling at all. When I’ve seen the Katana in store, I somehow got the impression that the tip was rubber, not wax. I think the idea of the tip being wax, like a lot of picker tools, seemed so commonplace. My mind just decided it had to be something else besides wax. The truth is, the wax composition they have come up with is far superior. The details in the packaging state several times to mind the wax tip and store properly. Since I did not buy the Crystal Katana case, I was extra careful storing it. The other end has a repositioning stick like feature. You can unscrew it for removal if you feel uncomfortable using it. I’ll admit, this end looked scary, but when I started to use it, I realized it was a remarkable feature to have on a component grabbing tool. I know I end up using the end of something to reposition those tiny pieces. Why not the end of the Katana?

When I started my projects with the Crystal Katana, I was so upset that I liked it so much. The wax left no residue on the components. I didn’t have to fuss with it to get it to pick up the rhinestones. I did not find my self constantly searching for this tool. It is bigger than all the other ones. I fell in love. The tip is rather rigid therefore the longevity of this tool should be great.

Pros

• Dual end tools allow for faster setting
• Zero residue
• Light weight
• Wax tip appears to last a long time

Cons

• Intended use is only for rhinestones
• PRICE!

Tanto Tool Review (The “Budget” Option)

Described as the “economical” version of the Crystal Katana, the Täntō by Crystal Ninja has been the oppositional focus for this part of the “Tools of the Trade” series. This component grabbing tool is more like a pencil. I was happy to see it came with a cap. Much better than feeling like you need to purchase a special case for your tool at an additional cost. It is light in weight and comes with 6 wax replacement tips.  The Täntō definitely looks and feels like an economy tool compared to the Crystal Katana. In continuance of my mean spiritedness (haha) I didn’t want to like this tool either. I thought it was still too expensive for what it claimed to do and I didn’t have much faith in it because it came with so many replacement tips.

After uncapping the Täntō, it drew the tip along my forearm. The wax tip felt the same in texture as the Katana, however, the physical tip itself was more blunt. I was ambivalent to this observation. When I began to set my rhinestones, I quickly became frustrated. The tip that came with my Täntō wasn’t picking up the components. I was in compliance with the instructions. I started to press a little harder and that caused the tip to leave residue on my rhinestones. Blah! I decided it was time to try a different tip. After I pulled the switcheroonie, the rhinestones were easily lifted, however, there was still residue left on the crystals. If I were using larger crystals, this would be easier to overlook. But when I used 1.5mm rhinestones, and wax was smeared on them, the stones just lost their brilliance and just looked greasy. This was a complete let down for me. These tools seemed like night and day.

Pros

• Price – nearly half the price of the katana
• Comes with 6 replacement tips
• Smaller in size, more like a pen with a cap

Cons

• Leaves behind residue
• Intended for rhinestones only
• PRICE – Way too much money for what it does

Crystal Katana vs Täntō: Final Verdict

Crystal Ninja has created rhinestone tools in a league of their own. The branding is clever and the wax for the tips they have created is unmatched. Between the two, the Crystal Katana wins hands down. Even for the price, I, an avid rhinestone setter, am glad I took the chance and spent money on this tool. My heart sank when I fell for the Katana. The ease of use was so amazingly ridiculous that the price tag just didn’t matter. I would probably even spring for the replacement tip when the time comes. I wouldn’t buy the case. I’d rather roll the dice on that one or find another casing alternative that is more accommodating for other tools and accessories.

My main gripe about these tools is the price. It’s so much more money than other comparable tools, that the average crafter would go another route. Honestly, they should. Unless you have a strong passion for rhinestoning, these tools are not necessary for you.