I’m wondering if it has the super flimsy tip I’ve seen on other wushu swords. The description reads as if it might be flexible but not flimsy.
I like the fact that it is offered in a variety of sizes. I have a couple of rather short students that the usual 28 or 30 inch blade is way to long for.
Also, I’ve been taught that the blade length should be relative to your arm length, perhaps 1 or 2 inches longer than the measurement of your arm from wrist to top of shoulder. This works well for me though I prefer a shorter sword around 24". I have one of the Hanwei weapon grade blades http://www.martialartsmart.net/451011.html that I practice with and much prefer the shorter length.
Does anyone else have a ‘rule of thumb’ for measuring broadsword length?
I handled one last year in San Fran. It’s way flexible but it’s not like the tinfoil wushu blades. It’s also got a really nice weighted handled/pommel but the blade is not firm like a “combat steel” blade.
As for the measurement of sword blades, there’s some variation between schools, but usually it is measured from your wrist to your forehead. That being said, you should use whatever size with which you are most comfortable. It’s your practice. It’s your sword. I almost always modify my ‘off the rack’ swords to fit my personal needs.
As for the competition swords, I discussed the whole competition sword issue in our Jan Feb 2005 Sword special in an article titled Can Chinese Swords Make the Cut? - Sun Moon Competition Swords and the Olympic Bid. Personally, I have mixed feelings about the competition swords. On one hand, the need for competition standards for weapons for modern wushu is absolutely necessary. The Sun Moons do level the palying field and set the bar higher than before. On the other hand, their regulations and enforcement are mediocre and at this point, it’s all controlled by a single entity (re: monopoly). In the article, I compared the new standards with that of modern fencing, and it’s clear that wushu still has a long way to go. One thing is clear - if you’re going to play wushu, you don’t have a choice - these are the swords you must use.
But wushu politics aside, I gather your asking about the swords for general practice. Like I said, they are improved, much better than what we’ve all previously been calling ‘wushu steel’. The hollow-ground T-cross section makes for a decent forte and an adequte media. In fact, this blade structure is more authentic to historic examples than the typical flattened triangle cross-section seen in many ‘combat steel’ swords. Where these become wushu steel is the foible, which is whippy like all modern wushu swords. So I really like the first 2/3rds of the weapon. I just don’t care for the point end.
Were I to modify one of these swords for non-modern wushu practice, I’d be tempted to buy it oversized, then clip off the foible in hopes of removing the whippy section, and reshape it to my needs - that would really only work to make a much shorter blade, and note that these are chromed, so to do it right, you’d have to strip all the chrome and keep it oiled. Sound like a lot of work? It wouldn’t be with the right tools. It would probably be too much bother for such an inexpensive sword.
We won’t be doing any wushu tourneys but I was looking around for a good basic sword for practice and competition as we are planning to go to 4 or 5 in 2006.
I may order one to check out for myself. The price is good and if I resell them in my school then that will certainly be an issue.
I don’t like the cast aluminum ones either…they feel dead and the weight is certainly off.
It is widely accepted that you perform the way you train.. My personal training weapons are “live” and functional.. i do not insist that my students follow suit, but i remind them that how you train is how you perform.. Certainly, i do not expect to engage in “live” sword fights, but.. i do feel it contributes to the general philosophy of training in a sincere scenario when you train with authentic weaponry.. i have enjoyed the several times a Wushu player picks up one of my swords and attempts to “flash” his form..
Maybe it’s from training batto-jitsu and iaido, but I prefer live blades too. In fact, I think that the pervasiveness of dull blades is the greatest weakness in Chinese swordsmanship. Of course, the Japanese arts teach all manners of sword etiquette, something that is almost completely lacking in Chinese styles in general. That is absolutely necessary if you’re going to train live blades. You must have an earnest respect for a live blade. If a blade catches you being disrespectful, it can be really nasty.
That being said, MartialArtsMart does offer some live blades. My personal fav that’s now in stock is the Hanwei Kung Fu Broadsword. I love the way that blade feels for cutting. You don’t see too many flattened-diamond cross-section blades for Dao anymore. The forges at Shaolin used to make a lot of them, but I haven’t seen one there in the last few years. The Hanwei Dao is nice too - nicer fittings and meatier blade, with nice fuller work. I still lean towards their Kung Fu Broadsword more. We also offer a Dragon Well Dao that’s sharp. It’s a decent blade but the fittings are mediocre. I actually bought a Da Dao for myself recently, for my xingyi practice. I love it, although I trimmed off the half knuckle bow, since I’ve never seen that on a historic example and it bothered me. I’m planning to re-wrap it too, as soon as I get some time and some new wrapping.
TCB, I agree and that is the choice for my own training. As I said above, I have one of the Hanwei Dao blades that Gene mentions.
However, this is the first time any of my students have worked with a blade at all. They are working with wooden ones now and I wanted to get them some metal blades for doing competition by May '06. I wouldn’t put a live blade in the hands of someone who’s never had experience with one much less before they actually know the form all the way through and can do it w/o hitting themselves.
Also, though I’m relatively new to the tournament scene, I think that if my students are going to be competitive with the others who are using sub 2# blades then they need the same weight weapon. That’s the point the Wushu Union or whotever is making. I might be wrong on this but I don’t think that most judges are going to take in to consideration that one person may be using a sword that is 33% heavier. That % is based on the weight of my Hanwei at 2# and the wushu blades being 1.5# or less.
