|
|
Post by MakChingYuen on Nov 17, 2012 0:18:39 GMT
One thing I realize about the jade lion sword I wanted to share here.. since we are talking about fajin.. The jade lion sword is really light if compare to most of the swords I use for practice. It's a thin blade and the grip is small and tight. What I find is that the sword is great if you like to do wrist work tactic with sword, like doing circles, sneaking for spots to tap and hit, and it's not great for slashing big and wide, not good for chopping down like a cleaver, not good for sweeping in a big line.. it's good for poking, thrusting, stabbing, and tapping with wrist work in all angles. It's very agile and very fast. If you do tai chi sword with this, you are doomed. It's not even giving you that weight for the sword work in tai chi. Most of the so called "tai chi sword" now are really crappyly made, with light and ultra light materials. Really, if you hold a 3.9lb sword in hand to do tai chi sword, you will really know what enjoyment is in the form. It's really cool with a heavy blade. The jade lion is good if you do a sword form like the mantis sword or the ching ping sword where you go very fast and agile. I found this guy on youtube and I think the jade lion sword really fit the form if you are talking about a form that exist in the other already developed styles Enjoy! |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 17, 2012 8:07:38 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by MakChingYuen on Nov 17, 2012 11:36:33 GMT
Thanks! Yeah I do like the Jade Lion Sword a lot and it got it's own character with the fittings and design done right for theme, all the art work is matching one theme and that is very important to know. It is a jade theme sword, with the scabbard rayskin really done like jade (it looks like real jade from far away!) and the handle is also made like jade with the green cord wrap and light white-greenish rayskin below.. the lions are done right and the flowers around do give the meaning of prosperous.. meaning that with the celestial lion's guardian, it gives you and the place the sword was hung a forever peace and prosperous future. A every meaningful piece of art. MUCH better than some crap on the market who just don't even know what art means and start popping in random patterns just to quick sales. The reason for the subtle damascus pattern is also fitting the theme too. We used to say, for a good man to have peace, their character should be well concealed inside them with the beauty and wealth hidden from the public's eyes. (like you don't always showoff your money and how much $$ you got). That is the way to stay in good shape for long... see? it's nicely done!
For the cutting sword.. well I do agree that is a good "tool" for cutting since many tried it already. But the problem is that I fear the weight is not my cup of tea, maybe I should give this one a try in the future. For plain swords, I prefer han jian style which is more stylish. This one is kinda weird looking for me as all the fittings are just like there for the sake of "use" and not really a piece of art. The steel blade is also not well polished up.. maybe to save cost? do you think you can polish the blade up abit yourself afterward to get it nicer? I saw from the online pic and the blade is like... you can even see the lines from sanding.. holy crap that is a rough blade!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 17, 2012 12:11:51 GMT
You're right, the Cutting Jian design is "for use" - very serious use, and not a piece of art at all as you correctly mention. The blade polish is what you call a 'working polish', blades designed for extensive cutting get scratched, and if the polish is not too fine, you can quickly sand out the scratches without too much work. It's as practical as a jian can get, strippped of all the art and decoration. You could almost call it a tactical jia, but the polished rosewood scabbard is very pretty. The weight of this piece is historically accurate. For a pretty and very decorative but fully functional and historical accurate jian that can cut, the Huanuo Royal Peony is the one to get. I'd like to get one of these.  This is the one here: sevenstarstrading.com/site/huanuo/peonysword/ |
|
|
|
Post by MakChingYuen on Nov 17, 2012 12:25:48 GMT
I do agree about the cutting sword but I like the Peony sword more! With the price "about the same" as the cutting jian, this one is way more beautiful and I think I am paying for the sword (function) AND the art as well. This is a better deal for a 2 way win win! Maybe I will put the Peony sword in mind for future purchase then! Seems like a good one to me!
I just used my budget recently for purchasing a few more cold steel blades, so have to wait a sec for that~ but yeah, the Peony sword looks good in that price range and quality!
|
|
|
|
Post by Gundoggy on Nov 21, 2012 3:55:24 GMT
Be careful with the grip wrap on the huanuo swords they can loosen up with use.
|
|
|
|
Post by Daishikaze on Nov 23, 2012 19:06:06 GMT
I want to get a Jade Lion so bad, and I probably will in a month or 2, but what I'd really like is this: www.huanuosword.com/?product-265.htmlThats the full real deal high end one that Huanuo makes, that is really really nice |
|
|
|
Post by MakChingYuen on Nov 23, 2012 19:19:31 GMT
Gold plated? Um.. I like the one by CS more because of the green jade vibe that made it less bling bling. I am not a fans of gold and stuff, so that thing doesn't quite fit my taste. The greenish vibe is very jade like and give you a clean, pure and immortal kinda feeling. Imagine a white han dynasty dress girl holding the jade lion, you will love her so much, ahhaha!
|
|
|
|
Post by Daishikaze on Nov 23, 2012 19:26:32 GMT
I think the blade is higher quality than the one they make for Cold Steel, that more what impressed me about it. That blade on the Cold Steel fittings and scabbard would be the perfect amalgamation
|
|
|
|
Post by MakChingYuen on Nov 23, 2012 22:12:07 GMT
Maybe, look at the pattern density and you notice it, it is more dense with patterns?
|
|
|
|
Post by Daishikaze on Nov 23, 2012 22:48:08 GMT
The patterns are quite visible, also I think it is a Sanmai blade too. Given the choice between a Monosteel or Sanmai, I would choose the sanmai blade personally (if I could afford it, that is)
They sell the more affordable model that looks the same as the CS one, but they said its made to their specs, not Cold Steel's, Cold Steel didn't want their specs. So the Make their Jade Lion differently than they make for Cold Steel. Its more expensive than the Cold Steel as well with an MSRP of nearly 1000$ compared to Cold Steel's 799$
I wonder what they do differently on their version that they don't do for the ones the make for Cold Steel?
|
|
|
|
Post by MakChingYuen on Nov 23, 2012 23:03:29 GMT
Yeah that is one thing I want to know too! with a difference of $200? What can you get? Cold Steel want their swords to stab through a car's hood, can't be too bad. haha! I somehow found the edge of my jade lion doesn't come that well sharpen. It was sharp but the edge was more sharpened toward one side meaning you can feel the scratches on it when you run a cloth to wipe the blade. So I have to use sandpaper to re-tune the edge myself and now it slides through without any obstacles scratching my cloth. But before I fix that problem up, the sword chopped into a soup can (hard type) and cut in, but chipped the edge! Dang! I don't expect it to chip! Then I refine the edge and was already hesitating to chop any cans with it already, hahaha! Bad experience.
The butterfly swords, battle gim and GIM sword do fine in this test out of the box though, no chips or anything. Weird.
My Jade Lion's guard went loose too, with very little use, I think that also add a factor to the chip as well because the blade wasn't secure enough and so it should move upon impact and so the thing chipped. Not good. I have to use JB weld to weld the blade and guard together from that opening spot and I weld it all around.. hahaha! Now it is SOLIDLY held together in one piece. Dang.. what a bad experience. If the battle gim come like that I will really lose faith in CS. Glad that the battle gim is rock solid!
|
|
|
|
Post by Daishikaze on Nov 23, 2012 23:29:58 GMT
Perhaps your Jade Lion was one of those few flawed blades that sometimes slip through Quality control?
|
|
|
|
Post by MakChingYuen on Nov 24, 2012 2:04:28 GMT
I don't know but another member here say his Jade Lion was worse! It chipped by cutting bottles and even bended when his friend use it to stab something, I was SHOCKED to hear that and seems like mine is okay enough already, hahaha! At least I am chopping METAL that chipped it at first, hahaha!
|
|
|
|
Post by Nox on Nov 24, 2012 6:51:09 GMT
Yup that would be me, my jade lion has a nice big chip in the blade. I should take a picture of it.
that being said I really love this sword, it has a good feel to it.
I used to have the cold steel gim a few years ago and never had a problem with the blade chipping, it could be the heat treatment they use for the damascus steel on the jade lion. My jade lion is still pretty solid though, nothing loose or anything which is good.
I like how this sword looks, BUT I would prefer it with silver fittings instead of gold with maybe a black rayskin scabbard, would look pretty nice. It would be interesting to try out some of these swords the cold steel ones are based on, maybe they are tougher for the higher price? but I kinda doubt it.
|
|
|
|
Post by MakChingYuen on Nov 24, 2012 7:51:34 GMT
Yeah the I doubt that too.. seems like their "DAMASCUS" blade are mostly about the same, but it's the way how they take pictures make the pattern look more visible only. If you see my review in my blog, you can see I can take pictures that make the jade lion's blade look crazily intense with patterns too.. hahaha.. when you get it, it's not like that for sure. Same to the battle gim, don't get tricked by photography, hahahaha!
I really wish I have a machine to check the HRC level of blades, then I can check to see if these were build to standard or not by trying out the hardness and see if it is what they claim..
|
|
|
|
Post by Daishikaze on Nov 24, 2012 8:44:35 GMT
Well, I'd be more inclined to trust the Huanuo versions simply because Scott Rodell swears by Huanuo's work, So I gotta think the ones they make have to be a bit better for the price than the ones they make for Cold Steel, I'm thinking for one, that Huanuo use a higher grade of steel on theirs compared to Cold Steel's 1055. I've also seen the CS Gim with a sanmai blade And the Battle Gim as well, and also the Battle gim had a really nice carved sandalwood scabbard, which I found interesting.
Like I said, I'll probably end up with CS's Jade Lion anyways, because My wife would kill me if I spent 1000 on the Huanuo version. I just hope my Jade Lion doesn't chip or get all loose from a little use.
|
|
|
|
Post by MakChingYuen on Nov 24, 2012 13:22:49 GMT
Hey man, for the CS version, get it for half the price (about) and your wife will not be mad. Check this place out, it's really good pricing too. wildbillwholesale.commerce-searc ... &query=gim Of course you can also go to KofA to get it which I saw the battle gim is abit cheaper too, under the $400 line. Kinda crazy but well.. yeah. Shop around. The Huanuo version have no discount, that really is a BIG difference. hahaha... never pay full price for these CS products, it's not meant to be for us smarties, hahaha! |
|
|
|
Post by raf2 on Nov 24, 2012 14:03:36 GMT
Amazon has one for $455.00 and only $8 shipping www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001SF ... ffisurv-20 The seller is Nidacast Feedback Rating: 4.9 stars over the past 12 months 4.9 stars over the past 12 months (7,373 ratings) NOTE: I have *NO* affiliation with this seller. I just do a lot of buying on Amazon as a PRIME customer. |
|
|
|
Post by Nox on Nov 24, 2012 20:42:49 GMT
Here it is. that is the nasty chip caused by the top rim of a water bottle. And... while I was taking this picture I hit the camera by accident against the blade just below the chip and it caused a small dent in the edge of the blade.  |
|
