Design Help Need in Modern Vs. Antique Wing Chun Swords

Discussion of Chinese historical swordsmanship from all styles.

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bond_fan
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Design Help Need in Modern Vs. Antique Wing Chun Swords

Post by bond_fan » Fri Oct 28, 2011 9:25 pm

Anybody know anything about sword and knife geometry and can give an opinion on some modern Wing Chun Butterfly swords (Hudiedao) I am designing?

The modern style I am checking out seems too top heavy for my tastes and I am trying to determine why and how to resolve this issue with a design I would like to have made. The sword in question is pictured below:

Image

It was designed by Everything Wing Chun & Jeffery D. Modell and features a downward angled handle. I believe part of of the problem is the geometry, where the blade is angled lower than the handle, thus when holding the handle the blade has a natural tendency to be weighted even more downward toward the tip. There is a slight belly on the cutting edge before the blade curves up to the point, which tends to add the weight to the end as well. Supposedly, this is to help make it better for chopping, as many Wing Chun styles do. The point of balance is only about 1.75" from the front of the guard, so I would think the issue is more with the handle angle and the belly on the cutting edge?

Here's a close-up showing the prominent angle of the handle:

Image

BTW this is a full tang version with pretty beefy blades, as the back edge is 4mm pretty far down toward the tip, which is about 12.25" from the front of the guard.

In comparison is the above modern version with an antique hudiedao, which doesn't feel top heavy:

Image

Typically more of the antique styles have the handle being an extension from the middle of the blade like the antique pictured on the bottom instead of coming right off the top of the blade as this modern version. The modern geometry supposedly helps the stabbing motion to be more powerful, since the top of the blade is in alignment with the hand, but I am not sure? I think this configuration also moves the weight closer to the tip than say having the tang emanate from the middle of the blade as with the antique version. Is there really that much of a trade of in power with the blade top of the handle configuration?

Ultimately, I think a not so pointed modern version with a straight handle would be better suited to the modern Wing Chun style I practice. What do you think?

Thanks!

PS. This was edited from my original post to omit the link to the picture of the modern version and to show it on the actual forum post.
Last edited by bond_fan on Wed Nov 09, 2011 2:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Scott M. Rodell
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Re: Design Help Need in Modern Vs. Antique Wing Chun Swords

Post by Scott M. Rodell » Wed Nov 09, 2011 7:31 am

There is still so many modern Chinese weapons being produced that no one can show any historical examples for. But think about, why would we want a modern/contemporary design from some one who never fought for his life with a blade. It makes much more sense to trust that the people who actually used bladed weapons in combat had it right, than to try & reinvent the wheel. So, I strongly suggest you have faithful reproductions of your antique examples forged & forget modern versions...

bond_fan
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Re: Design Help Need in Modern Vs. Antique Wing Chun Swords

Post by bond_fan » Wed Nov 09, 2011 2:50 pm

Thanks for your opinion Laoshi!

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