Student Swords

[Colin]

I'm looking at a few jians for under $100 to replace my current aluminum sword (which is increasingly resembling a coat hanger).



Particularly, the Paul Chen practical jian, and the grooved jian offered by the Yang style association headed by Zhenduo. Both are $80.



Has experience led to a consensus of the better of the two swords mentioned? Are there others I should consider? Please offer your opinions.

[Scott M. Rodell]

I have handled Paul Chen's Jian. Its fine as a beginner sword, but you might like to look for something heavier. The problem I've found with all the production swords I've examined & looked at on line with students, is they are too light. They are all generally a good weight for beginners, but any serious practitione will out grow them in a year.



I know the probelm is that most serious practitioners are taiji bums. I certainly was one for a decade. So a $1500+ antique is out of the question. What I suggest, as a less expensive alternative, is buying an unmounted antique blade & having it fit locally by a knife or sword maker. Good old blades are generally around $6-800 USD. Figure another 100 for fittings, maybe less. I know that's a lot more than you are thinking of, but I've been in this business for over 12 years, & I cannot tell you the number of times this has come up. Typically a student in your positions ends up purchasing several modern production swords, none of which they are really happy with, & spending more than half of what they would have buying a good antique. Then they give up & call me for a real blade.



I hpoe this doesn't sounds like a come on, I think everyone knows I'm in the antique arms business. I just know who wonderful practicing with a real jian is over the modern junk... best of luck...

[B.Ko]

First sword: KC Gim, second: Paul Chen practical sword, third: Darryl Guertin Bat Jian (this one is heavy and the most lively of them all). Yup, I bought lots and just kept 'upgrading'. I agree with Sifu Rodell's advice.



One question there are some highpriced replicas from zhengwutang.com from a smith in China who's been featured in swordforum.com. they offer hand folded sanmai blades and weight is listed around 2.2 lbs or so. Would these be a good practice blade?

[Scott M. Rodell]

...One question there are some high priced replicas from zhengwutang.com from a smith in China who's been featured in swordforum.com. they offer hand folded sanmai blades and weight is listed around 2.2 lbs or so. Would these be a good practice blade?

They aren't bad, but as you noted, they are high priced. I wrote a product review of their Yin Long Jian for SFI (www.swordforum.com). It's a well made sword priced at $3000 USD. Since I wrote the review for SFI, I shouldn't let out the details until they publish it. Mr. Zhou's jian is also being evaluated by other experts.

[B.Ko]

Sifu Rodell,



I do notice that the heavier swords with a more distal POB tend to almost move themselves through the form effortlessly (as long as I initiate movement with my waist ) despite the heavier weight. It's almost counterintuitive to what many people think.



Regarding antiques...I would love to own one. However some of my family members have very traditional Chinese superstitions regarding weapons which may have 'seen use'. Therefore out of respect for them I am limiting myself to modern replicas. (the new antique in your catalog is so tempting regardless.....)

[Colin]

A jian I'd like to see put through the Rodell Ringer:



http://www.hdmartialart.com/proddetail.asp?prod=hcdtcs

[Scott M. Rodell]

A jian I'd like to see put through the Rodell Ringer...

Feel free to write them & ask them to submit a sword for testing...

[Colin]

I did contact them--over a week ago now--and haven't yet heard back...