Sui Broadsword, Double Dragon - Damascus Steel, LK Chen Forge

Double Dragon Sui Dao

LK Chen Forge:

This Broadsword was forged by LK Chen, a forge that specializes in the recreation of ancient Chinese weapons featuring authentic dimensions, weight, balance and handling.

LK Chen weapons are all designed for cutting purpose. You can train cutting with rice straw mats or bamboo targets.

History of the Double Dragon BroadSword:

The Double Dragons Sui Dao is inspired by a rare Sui Dynasty (581 - 618) Dao in the Weapons and Armor Collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

This sword was discovered in 1930 in a royal cemetery outside the eastern capital of the Sui Dynasty, Luoyang. The Sui Dao Double Dragon is a rare example of a Sui Dynasty weapon and is considered by many to be a national treasure.

This Sui Dao was brought to New York by Yamanaka Sadajiro a Japanese antiquarian and purchased by the Irish-American telecommunications pioneer Clarence H. Mackay (1874-1938) as a gift to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

It has been part of the museum's Arms and Armor collection for the last 90 years.

The Double Dragon Saber:

This Saber has preserved the classical Han Dao tradition of a ring-shaped pommel.
This ring represents two dragons chasing a flaming pearl. This pattern was reserved for the royal court and high ranking officials.  The blade is straight and sturdy, designed to pierce the heavy armor popular at the time rather than cut soft targets.

The fit of the Mozambique Ebony double suspension scabbard is based on Iranian sword designs, this shows the foreign design influences across the Silk Road on Chinese designs.  The double suspension rings allow the Dao to hang horizontally from the body, making it suitable for riding, demonstrating the importance of heavy cavalry at the time.

The blade is made of Damascus steel (laminated steel) in 1060 Carbon steel (Medium / High carbon steel) reinforced with tungsten-vanadium T8 (anti-rust property). The medium carbon steel is a good compromise between the rigidity and flexibility of the blade. The blade does not break easily but still has sufficient hardness for cutting.

The fitting, finishing and final assembly of the sword is meticulously done by the experienced master craftsmen of LK Chen Forge. The Sui Dao has 18 pieces of armature and the assembly is very complex. It takes a professional craftsman two full days to assemble a sword of this type with precision.

Broadsword Characteristics:

• Damascus steel blade (laminated steel)
• Blade Composition: 1060 Carbon steel (Medium / High carbon steel) reinforced with tungsten-vanadium T8 (anti-rust property)
  Click here to access the complete Composition list

• Blade length: 80 cm (31.5")
• Total length of the Broadsword: 100,3 cm (39.53")
• Handle length: 14.5 cm (5.5")
• Ring Length: 5.8 cm (2.28")
• Total length of the Broadsword: 76 cm (30")
• Weight of the blade : 700 g (1 lb 8.69 oz)
• Weight of the sword : approximately 958 g (2 lb 1.8 oz)

• Sharpened blade with progressive taper:
  
  • Width at the guard: 25 mm / Thickness: 7 mm
  • Width at tip: 19 mm / Thickness: 3 mm

• Blade cross section profile: straight with a chisel edge
• Blade length wide profile:  straight blade with round tip
• High quality African blackwood handle

Scabbard:

• High quality African blackwood scabbard (Dalbergia melanoxylon).

Superior Heat treatment:

• Hardness: 58 HRC
• Blade rebounds to true after 80-90 degree bending
• Hand polished to a soft shine and sharp sword edge

Ornaments :

• Double dragon Pommel made of industrial precision cast brass
• Cloud-shaped handguard
• Solid brass frame for a subtle two-tone visual effect