Kung Fu Weapons

[ngokfei]

Dan Dao (單刀, "single knife")

[ngokfei]

Good Comparison of basic types.

[ngokfei]

Nice diagram The Niuweidao (Chinese: 牛尾刀; literally: Ox-Tailed Sword) was a type of Chinese saber (dao) of the late Qing Dynasty period. A heavy bladed weapon with a characteristic flaring tip, it was primarily a civilian weapon, as Imperial troops were never issued it.

[ngokfei]

Here is a pictorial of the major types of single Sabers. #4 is the Oxtail
can you name the others?

[B.Tunks]

Wan dao (yuan dao), yanmao dao, liuye dao.

[RickMatz]

I don't know much about Chinese Swordsmanship. What are the pros and cons of the various saber shapes?

[GeneChing]

It's like that, just bigger.

Cool diagrams, ngokfei.

[ngokfei]

Here's a pretty extensive description sheet

[ngokfei]

Yun/Yuan Dao (圓刀) - Circular/Round Knife
Wan/Waan Dao(彎刀) - Curved/Circular Knife

Many are used to calling it a version of the Arabic Scimitar

Another version I've seen has it looking very much more like a Sickle.

And even the terms are used in a movie title.

[ngokfei]

Just giving our Boy Gene a hand in promoting the sponsors products 1st:

Martial Arts Mart Chinese Saber

[GeneChing]

Anyone ever seen a form with those circular knives (the double ended ones)? Not a movie form - I'm curious to see a minjian or chuantong taolu. I'm not sure that I've even seen an authentic antique of those. Many 'historic' weapons are actually fabrications from opera or temple ornament weapons. That doesn't necessarily invalidate them - those can be antique too - but they were never combat weapons.

[ngokfei]

Its probably a spin off of the Middleastern Daggers known as the Khukuri/Gurka and the Janbiya.

This is the only one I've seen that is double bladed.

[ngokfei]

this is also a cool example but with something extra.

[ShaolinDan]

Totally not into double bladed weapons...way too likely to stab myself. Almost skewered my thigh the one time I ever played with hook swords.

[ngokfei]

Practice Practice

Perhaps you may want to start with a pair of practice wooden ones. like these.