Yumcha,
Are you refering to the Do called ‘blue dragon broadsword (—´“)’, or is there maybe a brand called ‘Dragon’ that sells broadswords? Hope you’ll forgive my ignorance 
Spanish Swords
For centuries, when the issue of a fight depended not only on the personal hability of the fighter, but also on another decisive factor - the perfection of his weapon -, with Toledo’s exceptional steel were forged the most terrible arms in the world. Their extraordinary hardness made of each of these swords an invencible force in the hands of an expert swordsman. All European armies knew the superior quality of Toledo’s steel and many great warriors relied only on sabers of Toledan provenance.
Their origin comes from the most ancient Spanish customs. More than 2,000 years ago, in the 5th century B.C. , Iberian blacksmithes already forged swords known as falcata which had an iron blade inside and a special design made to increase the bluntness of the slash.
Due to their fame, these swords were choosen by Hannibal for his army and the Roman legions, defeated by those weapons, adopted them later and supplied their centurions with the dread Toledan blades.
The times of Excalibur kind of sword passed by. The Middle Ages blacksmithes exalted the office, as they relied more and more on technological progress and not only on the good quality of their steel. The Muslim armies feared the sword that had defeated them. They didn’t revere only the hand of a Master - the Cid Campeador - but also the excellence of his weapon, a Toledan sword, of course! The Muslims adopted such a technics to produce their slender two-edged scimitars, transmitting their secret from one generation to the other.
Then, the Toledan manufacturers would yield the famous rapiers so well popularized thru d’Artagnan and his fellow Musketeers.
Also today’s Toledo is a quiet city with about 50,000 inhabitants, it has been for a time the capital city of the widest empire in the world, an empire “where sun never set”. Kings from all parts of the world have had swords and sabers forged in Toledo. Even Japanese Samurai were aware of the existence of Toledo’s steel as it had been introduced by the Spanish merchants that followed the steps of the Spanish and Portuguese Jesuites. As Japan lived in a state of continuous civil war, it is not surprising that some of their Daimyos even came to Toledo to have their katana and wakizashi forged there. Thay knew how important was a perfect design and finish for the effectiveness of a sword.
One exemple of what was once the most noble art in the world is no dubt the gold inlaid hunting dagger of King Charles the Fourth, with the mark and the name of the smith who did it engraven on it. Toledan craftsmen can be rightfully proud of such a fine blade and splendid finish. This art is actually disappearing because swords have been replaced by another type of weapon, like pistols, guns, rifles.
The internal structure of the blade and the mystery of its fabrication were a secret well kept by the manufacturers. It hasn’t been unraveled until the 20th century! To make such an exceptional weapon, they had to forge at the same time and at a very hot temperature hard steel with high contents of carbon and soft steel. This way, they could obtain excellent mechanical properties as well as a better fastness to wear.
An appropriate selection of raw materials, their adequate proportion in the blade and the forging of both types of steel at a temperature of 1454 º F during the exact interval of time required, give the most perfect sword ever built in the world.
In old ages, the blacksmithes used to recite psalms and prayers keeping always the same rythm, in order to calculate the time that the blade would remain inside the furnace. This timing had to be respected to avoid any deviance: a longer time would melt the steel too much and on the contrary, a shorter one wouldn’t let the metal reach its melting-point.
Forging requires forcefulness and efficiency in a very short time. Then comes the following step: cooling with water or - sometimes - with oil, to get a clear and clean welded seam. In some cases, the blacksmith had to blow even 20,000 times in order to get a perfect tempering, but such a level of perfection wouldn’t allow him to make more than 2 or 3 blades in a year!
In other parts of the world, craftsmen have tried to imitate the perfection of Toledo’s steel, but they all failed. Damascus’s steel was too hard, not at all flexible, because it contained only iron and carbon and wasn’t refined of all the mineral impure elements.
Swedish steel was based on a soft steel, carbured in a furnace, surrounded by animal horns and hair, leaves, etc. and heated at a temperature of about 1650º F. Swords were also manufactured in Solingen (Germany). There, they twisted together wires of different thickness and carbon contents in order to get a threadlike structure that combined hard and soft steel. the swords of Nimes (France) were also recognized for their good quality.
But everywhere there were forgeries as the fame of Toledan swords was unique in the world. If you could convince the buyer that the sword you were trying to sell him was an authentic Toledan sword that came all the way from the world capital of steel forging, you’d done a really good deal. But of course, you’d better disappeared before he tried it! At use, nothing could equal Toledan steel.
Long Quan (Dragon Well)
I personally have ordered my swords from Longquan, ZheJiang Prov. I set the specifications according to the classic script for each method and in Longquan after two months they make the most wonderful swords.
The weight of the swords is alot greater than the typical wushu variety, and without skill a normal practitioner would find it unwieldable.
Yum Cha, should you desire a good quality sword please send me an email with specifications - they cost around 5,000 Yuan to make (at the top of the range) or I can obtain ready made ones but of top quality for less. I will be there again sometime at the end of december to pick up and inspect my order.
greetings
swords
Thanks SM, always nice to see you. Thank you for your generous offer.
As you know, I like the Fey Fung Scheng Do pattern. When you spoke of the various types of swords before I assumed you were speaking of Gim, is that correct?
Tell me more about a “high quality” do from Longquan, are they forged? Do tell…
The “Dragon” do I refer to are a brand, mass produced in China. You see them everywhere. Usually Black Scabbard, standard issue kinda stuff.
I see myself repeating this over and over again. I am not saying tin foil swords are effective, but as you have seen in the posts written, a flexible blade.
The katana is a good sword, but it is primarily used while dismounted, since the solid nature of the blade would instantly dismount the attacker. Think about a) The angle when striking a person from horseback b) The surfaces being cut, including bone, tissue, and the clothing/armor c) And the resulting impact from a full cavalry charge.
Most of my Chinese historical references are sitting in my hometown college. I used to read them between classes prior to joining the armed forces. Once I arrive at my next duty station, I’ll be looking for more, so if you would still like the titles of the ones I get, I can be sure to accomodate. All pretenses aside, I gained my first smidgen of eastern history with a game for the Nintendo called Romance Of The Three Kingdoms. I was fascinated with the Han dynasty, and all the heroes they had… Lei Bei, Sun Ci, Lu Bu, Guan Yu, who allegedly held a bridge with 20 men against hundreds.
Drake~
Horse Chopper
What about the blade of the horse chopper kwan daos? i dont think they were flimsy, i have antique kwan dao and it is thick and hard and heavy. I also bought another kwan dao in henan next to shaolin temple and a thick sharp tiger fork.
One thing i must add i have seen the weapons the real antiques at shaolin temple by the monks and they are big and heavy. Just my 2 cents worth here!
regards
FT:)
Drake,
That would be really good! If you have/get anything on chinese warfare, I’m in boots and all!
FT,
How the **** did you get those through customs?! When I was coming back from Japan last time I had only wooden swords and polearms, but they wanted to check all of them! 
FT:
How did you get those antics from china. Having been there, they only sell the flimsy stuff at tourist stores.
What did you say when the customs official asked if you had anything to declare? You must be once fierce mother to have gotten this though customs.
It is hard for comeone to imagine the brutality of the weapons around at that time unless one has flet, touch and weilded it. Movies and worse still wu shu demos don’t do justice.
Shaolin Master sure does know a lot about his swords. One thing I would add is that the curved blade of middle eastern swords improvec their cutting abilities. But they are still one handed weapons. I think on horse back you’re better off with a chinese broad sword.
Don’t go to the tourist shops. It takes time but eventually if you can develope good relations with enough of the locals you will find that there are places where you can have weapons made to order according to your specs. for surprisingly little money.
Omarthefish:
I would surely like to have a chinese broadsword made of Toledo’ steel. But I’m sure technology these days can produce swords made of exotic alloys of even greater cutting ability, good weight for momentum and just enough give so the are strong and yet not brittle.
It’s diffcult to develop good relations when I was just passing though in China. Perpahs even if they know me more, they might dislile me so much that shoing me the antic sword means slicing me in half. A lot of people on this forum have already branded me as troll or the master troll. even you hate me. I live in a bell tower shunned from the real world, rining the church bell from mid night till dawn when I’m not posting on this forum or smoking grass.
Guys
My Antique kwan dao is believed to be around 170-190 years old and its been used in battle. I bought it here in an antique shop where they had samuria sword and other chinese weapons. The other 2 weapons i bought at shaolin and i had much more that i sold, a nice broadsword i sold to a friend that his girlfriend broke it in half when they split up.
Customs was only interested in the wood i brought it back in that looked like a coffin. They kept the wood and took my weapons.
LATER
FT:D
yah i’ve had only minor problems when i brought some weapons back to Australia from HK. i remember they were concerned about the wood too.
they were also concerned about the size of the weapons as well but as mine were all pretty big they weren’t too worried so i got to get all mine past.
i had this gim but it was a lot thicker than the skinny blades and didn’t flop around at all and quite heavy. i’m not even sure whether i should call it a gim or a broadsword. i also brought back a do (knife) and a long stick as well. it hink next time i’m going to get a spear and gwan do if i can.
nah I won’t advice anyone to buy weapons from HK’s flee markets where gim looks like a cross between a floppy sword and a broad sword and spears look like chop sticks with pointy ends. It’s probably ok for the unastute martial artist like some.
FT: that ex-gf of his must be one fiesty chic, to have broken a battle tested weapon in half!
It’s probably ok for the unastute martial artist like some.
Hey Ego, that hurt! 
haha
the weapons were purchased in China and taken back to HK by a person who has many good contacts in China. one of the benefits of being well connected 
is good quality training weapons at decent prices. sorry to gloat my good friends but i get mine for free :).
ego minimus!!
kelvin chumpy!!!
If I can get my computer to recognize this stupid digital camera I could post/email pics of the ‘antiques’ I’ve found. A couple of my shi-xiong have purchased gleaming steel taiji dao. (not jian) and they feel like real weapons. Sorry no Toledo steele but these things could certainly cut an arm off . . . if you wern’t wearing armor.
Ego . . .
When you fly down from your bell tower and admit the superiority of southern gong-fu over your silly acrobatic northern kicking styles I will relent in my quest to have you eradicated from the face of the earth ! ! ! Don’t be upset just because all those northern monks had to flee south to fujian and be protected by the REAL fighters .
Omarthefish:
Northern kung fu was used by the military, what have the monks fleeing gotb anything to do with the ability of northern kung fu. Monks pray, warriors fight. But for some twisted reason, southern kung fu people see things in reverse.
Looks like I’ll be in the bell tower for awhile longer posting to correct your ignorence on kung fu and life in general.
I’ll spell it out for you
Originally posted by Ego_Extrodinaire
[B]Omarthefish:
Northern kung fu was used by the military, what have the monks fleeing gotb anything to do with the ability of northern kung fu.
[/b]
Northern Monks who fight using Northern Kung Fu had to flee south to be protected by Southern kung fu. True or not, that is what he said and you were too ignorant to see the obvious.
Monks pray, warriors fight. But for some twisted reason, southern kung fu people see things in reverse.
Catholic Monks pray, Shaolin monks fight when necessary. Get this straight in your little noggin, junior.
Looks like I’ll be in the bell tower for awhile longer posting to correct your ignorence on kung fu and life in general.
Looks like you’ll definately be ignorantly in the bell tower Gokti/Ego/Kelvin! Have fun with each other…
Jables:
Let me spell it out to you, it is the military who have good northern kung fu. Of course novices at fighting ie. monks have to run away from professional fighters - won’t you? How would you stand up against a heavy weight boxer or a octogan fighter?
I’ve seen shaolin monks fight in kung fu movies but their fighting styles in documentaries look quite unimpressive. I think the average bishop at the local church would be a fair match against any of them.
I also have seen footage of special forces apply unarmed combat skills. I think faced against a monk, the monk would do best to run away, perhaps hide in the local church.
nah I’m a senior member but look who’s the noggin now?
Ego,
Your senior membership is something to be embarrassed about as it only shows how much time you spend TYPING about gong-fu as opposed to actually training.