Kriscutlery Dao opinions please

[Ky-Fi]

OK, I'm thinking about buying a decent dao. The $195 price tag for this one:

http://www.kriscutlery.com/Kris/Chinese/DarnDao.asp


is about the upper limit of my price range. It will basically see intense form work and single person drills from me, but no 2-person drills or cutting. I'm just looking for a very well made weapon that WILL NOT loosen, rattle and fall apart from this type of use. I know there's some knowledgeable sword people here, so any opinions or suggestions are welcome. Thanks in advance.

[Water Dragon]

I have a Gin from Kris. The weight carries in the bottom 1/3 of the blade. It took a couple of weeks to get used to that, but I love the handling now. It is a solid, well built weapon which takes rather nicely to the sharpening stone. I don't have the Dao, but may get one soon.

I like Kris products.

[Ky-Fi]

Thanks, WD. That's encouraging that you're satisfied enough to buy another weapon from them. Do their swords come already sharpened? I don't want it sharp--- I've banged myself up with various MA weapons for many years, and I really don't need to lose a digit......or worse......

[premier]

They're real sharpened swords. They wouldn't cost that much if they were only practise swords.

[Radhnoti]

You might want to check swordforum.com, they have some good reviews over there.
If you don't feel like checking it out...and since I did some research about this very issue not so long ago...the majority opinion is that the Kris dao is the best for the money overall. A few reviewers even said that it compares well or is better than the $500 swords from Museum Replicas.
When I get one it's going to be a Kris sword.

[Ky-Fi]

Great--thanks for the info, guys. I'm probably going to go with it.

[MonkeySlap Too]

I've bought Kris Cutlery swords for my students as wedding gifts - they are a great value. I personally practice regularly with their Kerambit, which is a great, weird little knife.

[Sho Pi]

A classmate has a Kris Dao and it is wonderful. I have used it a couple of times and the weightis right and it is balanced.

They do come sharpend but you can ask for them to be dulled or they will give you instructions on how to do that. My friend cut herself pretty bad when it started to fall and she grabbed for it and forgot it was sharp. No permanant damage but it is a nice scar.

I will hopefully be buying one soon myself.

Sho Pi

[dedalus]

I'm also in the broadsword market and have been considering the Paul Chen dao. Can anyone offer some comments about this sword with respect to the Kris dao?

[Radhnoti]

I dug this up on swordforum.com a while back and posted it, here it is again (can't believe I found it):

Alexander Chin (SFI Executive Editor)-
"The KC swords are decent attempts and excellent values for their price (around $200). The blades are ****geneous steel (5160) and the fittings are not historically accurate. The dao is actually the most functional, since the gim & jian lack the distal-tapers needed to properly balance the swords. As a result, the guards and pommels are too heavy, which makes the swords vibration-prone in cutting.

For the average martial arts practitioner, the KC swords should prove sturdy and functional enough for forms practice and cutting. Again, this is all at a very reasonable price
I forgot to mention one other useful thing regarding the KC swords. They can be ordered sharpened or not. This is important for safety and many schools are reluctant to allow people to train with sharp weapons (for obvious reasons).

If you are looking at purchasing a dao, then you might consider the Willow Leafs (offered under various names) by Cicada Forge and Museum Replicas. These are unsharpened, but quite well done, albeit more expensive than the KC swords."

Philip Tom -" Kris Cutlery sells an inexpensive one made in the Philippines that is well balanced and of good steel (although it is not very attractive to look at and the finish is mediocre)."

Manoucher - "If you are looking for a good affordable Jian and dao: Check Kris Cutlery: Iown a Gim, a Jian and a dao, all excellent and sturdy, each for $195,-. They cut very well. My KC dao is a cutter. It prevailed the hardest cutting test. I own a Paul Chen Jian(www.casiberia.com also know as a Hanwei)(I guess around $400,-) as well; excellent and beautiful piece with a nice balance. Chen has introduced new lines of Jian lately as well.


A.D. Dacus - "The Kris is well worth the Money. It has the feel of live steel. I don't think you would be disappointed. If you want a "wall hanger" then go with the P.C."


Anyway, that's what I was able to dig up from "the experts".

[Gargoyle again]

I bought a dao from kriscutlery a year ago. Like everything posted here, an excellent sword for its value. Nicely balanced and solid, a fine sharpened edge. The only drawback to the sword might be that it is a little bland, aesthetically. But if you aren't concerned with looking pretty, then I'd recommend it.

The scabbard comes unfinished, I put a nice glossy maple stain on mine, and a red silk cord. It looks quite snazzy now.

I love mine :D