Looking for advice on chinese Jian.
Jan 7, 2012 0:43:50 GMT
Post by HouShe on Jan 7, 2012 0:43:50 GMT
Vincent Dolan wrote
I wouldn't recommend using a sharp for forms practice, no matter how skilled you are. Get a really cheap wooden jian for that.
I wouldn't recommend using a sharp for forms practice, no matter how skilled you are. Get a really cheap wooden jian for that.
Wait what? This is horrible advice. As someone formally trained in the Jian, I would never use a cheap wooden jian beyond the first month on learning, whereupon your wrist should be strong enough to deal with something more realistically weighted.
If you're like me, whose wrists were strengthened by dao practice and conditioning prior to learning the jian, then you should be getting something close to real weight immediately. Graham Cave at Tigers Den Swords, Tony Mosen (he does it as a hobby) or, if you're REALLY desperate, Raven Studios also make them, cheaper than Graham, but you really do get what you pay for.
As for not using a sharpened sword for forms practice, once you've used a real weight mujian for a year or so, move onto the sharpened steel. Your skills will never increase without the focus you have to bring to bear because the sword is now dangerous, to yourself and anyone who happens to be wandering by.
Hence, it forces you to develop better self-awareness and if you don't enjoy accidentally hurting people, awareness of your surroundings. Plus, your jianfa will dramatically improve. Nothing handles like real steel. Of course, the daily clean down and re-oil can be tiresome if you don't have a lovely twist-core like mine. (I never get bored of looking at the patterns in the steel.)
NightRaid wrote
I've checked out the Rodell, i was quite impressed by it. the one thing that put me off it slightly was a video i saw of someone cutting a cardboard box, and instead of being a nice clean cut, it looked like the box tore. Probably a one-off, but it made me a little uneasy about it, plus i heard that it was rather large for a Jian.
I've checked out the Rodell, i was quite impressed by it. the one thing that put me off it slightly was a video i saw of someone cutting a cardboard box, and instead of being a nice clean cut, it looked like the box tore. Probably a one-off, but it made me a little uneasy about it, plus i heard that it was rather large for a Jian.
Unfortunately, the size of the cutting jian is a bit larger than the norm. SOME have been found to come with less than perfect cutting edges. Although, I suspect that they were bought from the larger retailers. If you order through SevenStarsTrading, you should have absolutely no quality control issues and if you do, it's their reputation on the line so will probably fix it for you.
Vincent Dolan wrote
That may have been the person's technique, rather than the edge. Cardboard is also a very light, but, in my (extremely) limited experience, stubborn target; not to mention, the materials that make it up, such as glue, would resist cutting more than many targets preferred by sword enthusiasts.
Anyways, the Rodell is rather large; mostly in the hilt. Take the following with a grain of salt since this is not my area of interest anymore, but from my limited understanding, a jian is meant to be a one-handed sword that can be grasped in both hands (but not a true hand-and-a-half sword); the blade should be long enough so that, when held by the guard blade up (think of the beginning of a sword form in CSA), the blade should end at the middle of your ear. I remember hearing that the Rodell had been developed with Western practitioners in mind, particularly their larger frames and often larger hands. For me, it would make a quite comfortable two handed sword, but then, I have average sized hands. Some of our members *cough*Sean*cough* have meathooks for hands and would therefore likely find the grip to be perfect for them.
That may have been the person's technique, rather than the edge. Cardboard is also a very light, but, in my (extremely) limited experience, stubborn target; not to mention, the materials that make it up, such as glue, would resist cutting more than many targets preferred by sword enthusiasts.
Anyways, the Rodell is rather large; mostly in the hilt. Take the following with a grain of salt since this is not my area of interest anymore, but from my limited understanding, a jian is meant to be a one-handed sword that can be grasped in both hands (but not a true hand-and-a-half sword); the blade should be long enough so that, when held by the guard blade up (think of the beginning of a sword form in CSA), the blade should end at the middle of your ear. I remember hearing that the Rodell had been developed with Western practitioners in mind, particularly their larger frames and often larger hands. For me, it would make a quite comfortable two handed sword, but then, I have average sized hands. Some of our members *cough*Sean*cough* have meathooks for hands and would therefore likely find the grip to be perfect for them.
Changjian are single handed weapons and are what you're thinking of, however, there are Shuangshoujian Which are literal two handed jian. They have an entirely different set of forms and methodology in their usage, they are also beautiful and one day I plan on learning how to use them as well. They're not as imposing as Euro two handers, (not buying into that Euro weapons are heavy and clumsy) but the Euro 2-handers ARE heavier than the Chinese counterpart.
And as for where the blade should end up, it really depends upon the emphasis you want with your style. There is a narrow design window in lengths of Antique jian, however, the longer end of the spectrum was more for people who desired range, while, I prefer the shorter end of the spectrum, where I get better tip control, without sacrificing cutting ability. I lose out on range, my custom is balanced like an antique however...