Hanwei Cutting Jian?

[Dave Chesser]

Do we have an update as to where these swords are in the process? If I remember correctly there was to be a jian and a dao. Has that project been scraped?

I may be in the market soon for one of each and want to know if I should hold off buying for now. Thanks!


MOD Note: Its out as of January '10, see - http://www.sevenstarstrading.com/html/hanwei/cuttingjian.html

[Scott M. Rodell]

It is coming along slowly... I spoke with Barry Ross, the president of CAS/Hanwei for an update last week & saw the mechanical drawings for the fittings. The short of it is, 3 to 6 months the jian should be on the market. The slow down had to do with a new factory being built & Paul Chen has not always been happy with the steel he was being supplied with & is not going to smelt his own to ensure a high quality. Happily, my Hanwei Cutting Jian should be one of the first to use this new steel.

[Dave Chesser]

Thanks for the update. I've been checking Hanwei's site but seen nothing. they don't seem very good at promoting their own products IMO.

Any info on the dao shape or design? Their oxtail dao already looks good for around $200. I might just go with that one.

http://www.casiberia.com/product_details.asp?id=SH1011

Will the new dao be substantially different?

[Scott M. Rodell]

... Hanwei's site... Any info on the dao shape or design? ... Will the new dao be substantially different?

Yes, it is a WIllow Leaf Dao with a type fangshi (squared) iron fittings that are round in cross section. As with the jian I designed for Hanwei, the dao blade & fittings are taken from historical examples. The jian will come out first, then they'll do the dao.

... Hanwei's ... oxtail dao already looks good for around $200. I might just go with that one...

If you want a light weight dao for forms practice it is fine & a good deal, but if you want a dao for cutting, either go with one of the Huanuo dao or wait for my Hanwei Cutting Dao to come out. The steel of Hanwei's Oxtail dao is too soft for cutting & its edge too thin.

BTW, for those interested in Qianlong era swords, Huanuo is coming out a several new pieces that are replicas of the Emperor's personal jian & swords in the Imperial Regulations.

[Dave Chesser]

Excellent. Thanks for the details and the willingness to provide them. That gives me more info for making my purchase. Please keep us updated on the progress of the swords.

[Dave Chesser]

I see Hanwei has a new jian in the price range that was suggested -- The Swallow jian:
http://www.casiberia.com/product_details.asp?id=SH2398


Here's their new taiji dao:


http://www.casiberia.com/product_details.asp?id=SH2380

So are these the cutting jian and dao that we've been waiting for ? Thanks!

[xingyi24]

Long time reader, first time poster...
I'm not sure if it's the difference in style that makes the dao more appealing to me, and my training partner, but we have found that much talk was already put out about Mr. Rodell's test of a jian blade. Is there any update on the dao? Additionally, everyone on this forum certainly has nervous twitches when buying any sword online, and since Prince George's County doesn't pay it's teachers well, it's no less of an investment than a car. Does anyone know if seven stars allows practitioners to handle a sword by walk-in or appointment?

[Scott M. Rodell]

... Hanwei has a new jian in the price range that was suggested -- The Swallow jian...
Here's their new taiji dao:
... these the cutting jian and dao that we've been waiting for?...

No, these swords do not have blades that will stand up to cutting of any kind, they are light "wushu" swords.

I'm over in Europe teaching the next two weeks, I'll check in with CAS/Hanwei when I'm back & give everyone an update in the Chinese cuttings swords.

[Scott M. Rodell]

... everyone on this forum certainly has nervous twitches when buying any sword online... Does anyone know if seven stars allows practitioners to handle a sword by walk-in or appointment?

Seven Stars Trading Co. (http://www.sevenstarstrading.com/html/huanuo/) is my company, & yes you can make an appointment to visit & "test drive" a sword before making a purchase. Also, every legitimate dealer has a grace period in which the customer can return a sword if it is not what they expected, that's only fair since the buyer can't handle it until they bought it & had it sent to them. Our return polices are posted on our site.

[Dave Chesser]

No, these swords do not have blades that will stand up to cutting of any kind, they are light "wushu" swords.

I'm over in Europe teaching the next two weeks, I'll check in with CAS/Hanwei when I'm back & give everyone an update in the Chinese cuttings swords.

Interesting. The specs seem wrong for wushu blades, as do the prices. The taiji dao is also advertised as being sharp. But any update would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Scott M. Rodell]

Interesting. The specs seem wrong for wushu blades, as do the prices. The taiji dao is also advertised as being sharp...

The sample "taiji dao" CAS/Hanwei sent me had a very light & very flexible blade that was not sharp. I am not a practitioner of performance Wushu, so i can no speak to the proper spec. for "wushu" swords, I used the term here to mean that these blades are not designed for cutting & as such, in my mind, not true swords.

This is a good place to point out that not all swords made today, even those made by the same company, are made to the same standards for the same purpose. A company like Hanwei produces swords for diverse groups from Civil War & other re-enactors, who just want something inexpensive to hang from their hip or on the wall (& should not be used for anything aside from decoration), to those who practice historical swordsmanship with blunt steel swords, to those practice test cutting. The short of all this is to read the catalog descriptions of any sword carefully before ordering that sword.

[xingyi24]

As a curiosity, does anyone know where information on the idea and design of the "yang saber" can be found? Is it a creation of modern industiral convenience? There are a bunch of alarms going off in my head about what the guard was used for.

[Nik]

If you are refering to that moderately curved saber with an S-shaped guard, I think it's the same as the guard used on army dadaos or the ones made today. Perhaps they just copied that, or even used the same parts. The idea should be that it's cheaper and easier made than nice plate versions.

[xingyi24]

Many people are talking blade on this jian, but, as far as the furniture, there are many sword styles that promote a handle grip only, but some styles use a grip that only puts three fingers on the handle, and the tigers mouth goes on the "brass." It almost reminds me of Italian fencing. Does anyone know if the furniture will allow for this?

[Scott M. Rodell]

Do we have an update as to where these swords are in the process?...

Yes! Just got in the completed prototype a week ago... I've very happy with, been testing cutting as often as travel allows & it is cutting quite well. I was concnerned that the tougher, historically accurate, curved edge geometry wouldn't cut soft targets, like plastic bottles, well. Fortunately it does, & quite well at that. I've also gone thru all the mats I had on hand, thru the 2" diameter green bamboo I have growning in my garden & thru caoren (single mats wrapped around a bamboo core) with no problem...

Here's a sneak peak of the hilt with a caoren I cut in the background. The fittings are steel.