I want to buy a Jian's/Gim's- but which one???

[No_SuRReNDeR]

Hey guy's/ladies,
I'm thinking about buying a nice live edge sword and I was wondering if anyone was familiar with the Gong Chang Seven Star Sword Damascus series. It is a sanmei steel blade construction the design looks nice and appeals to me.

Plus kung fu direct has it for a decent price for a Damascus blade. I am happy with most dragon well stuff.

http://www.kungfudirect.com/proddeta...=hcdtcs&cat=17

The other ones I was thinking about was Cold Steel's Gim. I hear the weight is a bit too heavy but it is well constructed. I have found that one for 249$ at true swords (cheapest reliable site I know of)

http://www.trueswords.com/cold-steel...rd-p-1960.html

Now aside from Hanwei who I like don't get me wrong...I have only one other sword manufacturer I was looking at-- and no sword in particular because they all look AMAZING---Zhisword

http://www.zhisword.com/index.php?ma...73b778f09ea2b1

I have never had a "real"sword only those stainless 440 ones and of course spring steel wushu weapons that I train with or cheapy 40/50 dollar types, so if I am going to fork over the bread for a nice sword.... I want to be sure I don't screw up and by some hunk-of-junk----any info is appreciated--

Oh yeah-- I want to stay under $400 if possible---

[Sifu Darkfist]

i had the Cold Steel version i gave it to GM Yang cause he is a sword lover.
The blade is the real deal, the construction is excellent the only major downfall is handle length it is too short to be considered a real Jian or Gim as they like to call it. You cannot get the write snp with the handle that short for northern jian styles (traditional) such as kwen wu, or san cai, qui jian, and of course its way too short for tang lang jian.

if you can get over that flaw it is otherwise flawless

[No_SuRReNDeR]

Hey man that's good to know since I primarily focus on stuff like San Cai Jian and taoist sword forms mainly I don't think cold Steel's weapon will make me beam with glee........I have been thinking about this sword from master Forge-I read that I can get it unsharpened and for 250$(with shipping) its actually a great deal- Plus I like that Han dynasty look...
here check this one out Scroll down for the pics of the blade-

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ayphotohosting

[SimonM]

Am I alone in applying Jian techniques to the arming sword?

(I prefer to test the balance of a blade before I buy it and there are only two jian available at the local sword store, a $1000 cas/iberia product and Adam Hsu's unmitigated piece of crap).

I ask because I have been using an arming sword, with a shorter hilt, more pronounced taper and wider forte than a jian without difficulty for my jian practice. If anything my single-handed sword technique has improved with the different blade.

For the record my arming sword of choice is the Windlass Steelcraft Naumburg Sword.

As Wilhelm Von Camburg lived in the late 1000's the statue at Naumburg Cathedral was most likely errected somewhere between 1086 and 1186... and the sword is patterned off the statue. The church was consecrated in 1044 and saw improvements and additions up until 1884.

[YMC]

Have you looked into http://www.sevenstarstrading.com/

For ~500.00 you can get a jian that handles just like an antique.

[David Jamieson]

cas iberia/hanwei are nice. probably one of the best...no offense mam.

http://www.casiberia.com/product_details.asp?id=SH2006

[David Jamieson]

Have you looked into http://www.sevenstarstrading.com/

For ~500.00 you can get a jian that handles just like an antique.

Guy, that site runs stupid scripts that try to take over your browser with quick time plug ins. I would recommend that nobody go to that site based on that alone. Lord knows what other kind of phishing is prevalent there.

that is bad netiquette my man.

[YMC]

Guy, that site runs stupid scripts that try to take over your browser with quick time plug ins. I would recommend that nobody go to that site based on that alone. Lord knows what other kind of phishing is prevalent there.

that is bad netiquette my man.

Well, I don't know if there is phishing going on on the site. As far as I know the plug in is for a clip of actual tatami cutting with a jian. The owner is an antiques dealer in Chinese arms that is well respected among the ethnographic arms collecting community. I have purchased a few pieces from him so that take if for what it's worth. I just suggested him be most CMA people have never handled real jian or dao and so have no comparison withwhich to make when buying modern replicas. So I apologize if you think I'm party to some scam.

[The Willow Sword]

Angel sword makes the REAL thing. All those other sword links are not made from quality Steel nor are they crafted to take any sort of clashing or punishment nor do they posess the real tempering of a real sword.

http://www.angelsword.com/chinese/chinese_home.php

They are expensive but you get what you pay for. Angel Swords will chop most of those other blades in half.(ive seen it done.) They Demo at our Local Renaissance Festival here in Texas and they do tempering/Hardness tests. They get "quality swords" from other manufactorers and and show you just how crappy they really are.
Anyway there it is.

Peace,TWS

[David Jamieson]

Well, I don't know if there is phishing going on on the site. As far as I know the plug in is for a clip of actual tatami cutting with a jian. The owner is an antiques dealer in Chinese arms that is well respected among the ethnographic arms collecting community. I have purchased a few pieces from him so that take if for what it's worth. I just suggested him be most CMA people have never handled real jian or dao and so have no comparison withwhich to make when buying modern replicas. So I apologize if you think I'm party to some scam.

the poorly implemented plugins that take over a browser are not thought out and generally bad web design. If the guy doesn't want to be thought of as a scammer, he should give the choice to the user about what to activate on the page and what not to activate.

[SimonM]

I just suggested him be most CMA people have never handled real jian or dao and so have no comparison withwhich to make when buying modern replicas.

Speak for yourself.

Just my jian collection is stuck in China at the moment.

[No_SuRReNDeR]

Angel sword makes the REAL thing. All those other sword links are not made from quality Steel nor are they crafted to take any sort of clashing or punishment nor do they possess the real tempering of a real sword.

Well I do really appreciate the info however it's a bit out of my price range (at $1400-8000) A-- and B these swords look like superbly high quality contemporary blades which makes me think they are actually intended for practical use, kinda scary but the thing is I don't doubt the practicality or durability of the swords just the way they look is too modern for me..however if I was rich ---oh heck yeah I'd buy one....

Have you looked into http://www.sevenstarstrading.com/

For ~500.00 you can get a jian that handles just like an antique.

I had no trouble with this site on Firefox. It was a video of a guy cutting a tatami mat with a Jian. Oh and they seem to have some very nice swords there too. All out of my meager price range but definitely a site to bookmark for later. Thank you again..

[SimonM]

Check out www.reliks.com for many good historical replicas though only a few Chinese.

[The Willow Sword]

Did not mean to seem "Snooty" about the Angel swords. It's just that i have Wielded them and felt the difference in play and practice as opposed to the other brands. Not that the other sites dont produce quality weapons,some do actually and are affordable. I dont own an Angel sword but i am saving up for one of their Jians. I am a sword collector and i have a few in my closet. Two of which i used to practice with and they were real combat blades, sharp and able to take punishment.

Museum replicas carries pretty decent quality weapons(most are from the Windlass Steelcrafts line(which operates out of India). Museum replicas are out of Atlanta Georgia. i have Two of their swords, one a chinese broadsword or Dao.(they dont make them anymore) and i have a Crusaders European Broadsword(for my Ren Faire Costume). As for a good Tai chi sword that is affordable and a pretty decent weapon to wield in practice, I reccomend Kris cutlery. A company out of the Phillipines and they do a good job on their swords, i have one of thier Gims. it is lightweight, fast as hell and very durable not to mention sharp.

Here is the link. http://kriscutlery.com/documents/chinese.html

When we talk about the "Snap" of the sword when doing a form, i have found that the angel swords give you the most snap due to their flexability. The Kris cutlery Gim that i have can provide that same snap but the blade is a little stiffer(but not so stiff that you cant whip it about).

Maybe the Kris Cutlery Weapons are more in your $$$ range. Trust me they are excellent quality.
Peace,TWS

[SimonM]

TWS do you own any Windlass blades - the renfair one? I have one and find it provides the best snap of any of my swords (including my longquan blades presently stored in China). If you have how does your windlass compare to the angel blades for snap?