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Post by Jayhawk on May 15, 2011 4:57:32 GMT
Although I'm this close to buying the Hanwei military dadao, I came across Sword N Armory's Qin Dao tonight thanks to my good friends at google: www.swordnarmory.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=LP%2D8021I'm not familiar with this company, but man is it cool looking...alleges it's carbon steel, full tang and sharpened, but the price is so low (along with no familiarity with the company), well, it makes me wonder about the quality. Anyone play with one of these? If it weren't so darn cool looking, I wouldn't even ask.  |
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Post by Vincent Dolan on May 15, 2011 5:37:09 GMT
SwordNArmory is a very respected vendor around here, so if they say something's functional, I'd personally be inclined to believe them, even though I haven't bought anything from them (yet; may be getting a jian from them for my bday).
Anyways, I have a vested interest in the functionality of this sword, as well, seeing as it's on my wishlist, but I believe it's relatively new, so I'm not sure if anyone's handled one yet. However, the reviews do look rather glowing. As for the price, you'd be surprised; the jian I mentioned is 40$ and fully functional.
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Post by Jayhawk on May 15, 2011 14:58:51 GMT
I've sent them an email...I'll post their response. If it's combat ready, I love this sword!
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Post by Vincent Dolan on May 15, 2011 15:17:26 GMT
Looking forward to it; it's just too hard to find a decent dao on the market in a reasonable price range.
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Sean (Shadowhowler)
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Post by Sean (Shadowhowler) on May 15, 2011 18:31:09 GMT
Call me suspicious... but I don't believe that a Dao or Jian for 40-50 bucks is going to be all that functional at all... I wouldn't buy either... I'd be happy to be proven wrong, but in my experience with swords there is at least some 'you get what you pay for' factor. When you go looking for the bargin basement price one you end up with crap.
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Post by Vincent Dolan on May 15, 2011 18:44:58 GMT
Don't get me wrong; I wouldn't expect it to hold up under the rigors of battle or even heavy cutting, not for 40$. However, the short clip put up by SwordNArmory seems to suggest it might even handle something a little heavier than bottles. |
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Sean (Shadowhowler)
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Post by Sean (Shadowhowler) on May 15, 2011 19:12:48 GMT
I always believe vendor-provided videos... that is why I only buy Cold Steel products. If you watch their vids you know their swords can cut cars and $#@%. :roll:
To each their own... you wanna pay 40-50 bucks and expect to get a real functional sword... go right ahead. I'm just saying in my experience... you will get what you pay for. I've bought swords at the under 50 dollar price point and the over 1k price point. You CAN find great functional weapons under 300... as is the mission of this site... but under 100 it gets really sketchy... and around 40-50, if your expecting much of anything, your likely to get disappointed.
Again... this is just one mans opinion based on buying hundreds of swords over the past few years.
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Post by Vincent Dolan on May 15, 2011 19:24:30 GMT
I'm not expecting much and I'd gladly go for one of the more expensive items on my wishlist first, but I don't have a whole lot of options, frankly; 40-50$ is the most I could conceivably afford at the moment (well, technically it'd be a friend sending me a gift card for said amount).
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Post by Jayhawk on May 15, 2011 20:57:03 GMT
I bought a Depeeka archers sword quite a few years back...truly a piece of junk. The ball on the end of the pommel is basically baseball size - they must have taken the photo at just the right angle to minimize the size of that sucker. It's definitely carbon steel, but I'd call the tang pure rat tail. Yuck. That's why I posted here about this Qing Dao. I had an earlier post with KC's dao (the $95 one). KC got back nicely and confirmed not functional which matched what folks on the board thought as well.
You can find good deals from time to time. The Hanwei dadaos (which I'm most likely going to buy) come to mind. I also bought a nicely forged medieval ax that I've chopped wood with for $40.
So, it never hurts to ask...no one having bought one is kind of a sign in it's own right. Still, for $65, I might be willing to take a chance depending on what the sword n armory folks say. I partly am wanting a nice looking wall hanger, but I'd prefer a functional wall hanger....just in case of a zombie apocalypse if you know what I mean. :-) If the sword n armory folks say more of a decorative or tai chi form sort of sword, I'll have a Hanwei dadao on the way next week.
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Post by Turok on May 15, 2011 21:25:25 GMT
Man, a lot of these swords looks like they copied designs from Hanwei! According to the review, someone complained that the sword used in the video doesn't have a full tang. I dunno, but some people wouldn't recommend it for cutting...Don't know what to think of your dao though, but it would be great to get a response! Scroll down and take a look at the reviews: Carbon Steel Functional Kung Fu Chinese Tai Chi Sword Jian Sharp Edge
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Post by Jayhawk on May 16, 2011 22:36:23 GMT
Here is the response on the Qin Dao:
Dear Eric,
The sword is able to cut light to medium traditional targets. The medium carbon steel means that the blade will be softer than a high carbon steel, but it will also be less likely to chip.
If you have any further questions please feel free to contact me.
Best Regards,
SwordnArmory
Medium carbon steel could be 1045, and Hanwei uses 1050 on the practical dao and their dadaos. I'm assuming this is more of a practice sword with the medium carbon steel - similar to KC Cutlery's $95 Dao - something to allow some blade clashing but not truly what I would call a functional sword.
Is that a good guess? Or, does Sword N Armory's response sound more functional than I think?
Thanks,
Eric
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Post by nihontoman on May 18, 2011 13:43:52 GMT
well, it sounds more functional to me, they did say that it is able to cut light to medium traditional targets. well, it should at least be able to cut some thin-walled water bottles and milk jugs.... I think...  |
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Post by Anders on May 18, 2011 14:39:49 GMT
Hm, kinda looks like the Kris Cutlery dao-qing, though theirs has an untempered blade.
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Post by Jayhawk on May 18, 2011 22:49:07 GMT
I agree it looks like Kris cutlery's dao. I'm asking Sword N Armory if the blade is tempered. The reviews are pretty good, and if it's tempered I think I'll get it. Granted, the Hanwei dadao would be the ideal zombie apocalypse sword, but I already have a real 15" long blade negrito bolo that looks like a miniature Chinese war sword that would handle actual zombies.
While this dao may not be made for heavy cutting, I wouldn't use my 1898 Spanish cavalry cutlass for medium/heavy cutting, either, yet is is a fully functional and apparently used sword.
Eric
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Post by Jayhawk on May 19, 2011 1:56:44 GMT
Here is there response about tempering:
"As far as I know the blade is tempered.
The blade is more than likely 1045 steel.
I am sorry I cannot answer your questions with complete certainty. We are only a vendor for this item and did not manufacture it. However, we have cut with the item and I am fairly confident that the sword is through hardened 1045 carbon steel.
I should warn you that although the blade is functional it has a very forward balance and is a bit heavy. But, for the price it is very well made."
It's an honest answer, and I decided to go ahead an order one. Between their comments about cutting with the sword, and the 6 reviews which include several folks doing some form of cutting (from bottles to a branch...I'll let someone else cut branches with their swords!) it seems like it'll be a sturdy sword. Granted, I'm mostly buying it as a wall hanger, but it sounds like a tough enough sword for me. Plus, I'm willing to take it apart, fix/improve fittings, tighten rattles, etc. I definitely like the looks. Plus this way, I can always ask for dadao for my birthday in September.
I'll let everyone know what I think of it when it arrives.
Eric
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Post by Vincent Dolan on May 19, 2011 2:01:02 GMT
I look forward to hearing your thoughts, Eric. It's rather difficult to find a decent dao that's not quite expensive.
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Sean (Shadowhowler)
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Post by Sean (Shadowhowler) on May 19, 2011 2:35:49 GMT
Indeed.
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Post by Jayhawk on May 19, 2011 3:13:06 GMT
You'll get an honest review from me when it comes in. I own everything from a late 18th century cutlass made in a no longer existent city in what's now Mexico up to a couple of modern reproductions (none of which I love...except the viking ax...I cut wood with that sucker). I primarily have antiques, so I have a pretty good field of functional weapons to compare it to.
This sword looks much nicer than any of my modern reproductions, so it'll be a nice addition to my Chinese room in the house in the worst case scenario. Maybe it'll end up being a decent low price banger...who knows?
It's nice to hit a point in life where I can afford a less than good $70 experience (that's with shipping). Despite being able to afford it, I am just cheap enough that I can't really can rationalize buying a nice, $300 dao just to hang on the wall. I've found all my antiques at odd locations (English antique shops in the 80s, US antique shops and flea markets, garage sales, etc., and I've never paid more than $100 for an antique sword. I once haggled down a flea market vendor from $75 to $15 for an antique Brazilian hand made machete...
Eric
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Post by Pogo4321 on May 19, 2011 4:45:29 GMT
Are you freakin' serious??? They don't know what it is they're selling but claim it is functional? This is the kind of thing that gets people hurt. No way will I ever buy a sword from these people again.
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Post by Vincent Dolan on May 19, 2011 5:59:04 GMT
Not to point out the obvious or nothing, but not every manufacturer attaches name or specifics to their products. How's a vendor to know that information if it's not given? Go to Kult of Athena, e-mail them about one of the nameless, yet functional items they sell that don't list the steel and see if you get a different answer.
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