Hey everyone! One thing that I forgot to mention in the video is that although I wouldn't mind at all if this blade had a slightly sharper edge, many swords in history were not razor sharp. One prominent example being pre-Edo period Katana which had a slightly less sharp more resilient blade to withstand the stress of the battlefield. Please let me know what you all think about this video and this sword!
Thank you for sharing. 1st time that i see a review of this sword. Will watch it tonight and the rest of your channel. It has very interesting contents. I've always been fascinated by historical Chinese weapons. You got a new subscriber👍
this blade profile is actually more liuyedao. Woyaodao or wodao most of the time would have japanese blades directly from japan. Japanese blades would not necessarily be wide like liueydao, but it was thick. thick and wide are not necessarily the same thing it would have a thick blade with a very geometrical tip, which the japanese famously call it kissaki
Could you provide a link to the site where this is quoted? My statement was based off the link to purchase the blade from them in the video description. One of the lines states, "Utilizing a special steel formulation and heat treatment regimen developed by Hanwei, the blade optimizes edge hardness and body toughness, ideal characteristics in a cutting sword." If you could post the link confirming the use of 5160 steel, I will make sure to put that in the description.
@@thescholar-general5975 I really want to pick up Dynasty Forge's yanmaodao but it always seems like it's out of stock. I've had my eye on this cutting dao for a while now. However it so hard to find quality usable Chinese weapons that are not wall hangers or form weapons. I'm still on the fence as there is so few options out there.
I don't find the rounded style 圓式 fittings to be more comfortable than this one. This blade actually has transitional style fittings which do not have the hard edges of the earlier square style 方式.
Qijiadao specifically have Japanese style shinogi or shobu zukuri blades on them. It’s why they’re often also referred to as wo yao dao. The cross section on the blade of this sabre piece is more in line with historical continental dao sabres that had wedge-cross section or pseudo-wedge cross section blades, there are both antiques and lots of longquan swords that sport this blade design.
Thank you for your response! Some shinogi zukuri blades can also be pseudo-wedge shaped, though perhaps the biggest difference between this dao and a shinogi zukuri blade is the lack of a ridge along the spine present on typical Qijiadao or Woyaodao. Many modern longquan blades and antiques with psuedo-wedge shaped blades also have fullers which technically makes them a different cross section to this blade. Qijiadao can have fullers as well, but many of them are fuller-less, which bears a certain resemblance to this blade. Overall, I think that the exact typology a given Chinese dao is extremely difficult to determine due to a lack of standardization and the diversity of dao blades themselves, but that is a topic for another day. What matters most for this video is that the Cutting Dao handles like historical dao, cuts well, is affordable, and is fun to swing around!
I got to handle the Cutting Dao and it's a bit forward heavy because there are no fullers on the blade. Both the Rodell jian and dao should be able to cut tough targets with ease!
So I just got my Cutting Dao today. To me it seems it's very very blade heavy. Maybe I am just use to Dao for forms. However my other cutting swords of different styles and culture seem to be more balanced. I'm use to the balance being closer to the guard. Do you find this awkward to use and swing?
Yes, it was a little heavy at first, but it doesn't feel nearly as heavy anymore. What other cutting blades do you have? Dao come in many shapes and sizes. Some lighter weight slashing dao did exist, but this one is meant to simulate a sidearm carried on the battlefield so it has a little heft and is not really a dueling weapon. I am not an instructor and I think that speaking with one about this (possibly Rodell himself) would be a good idea. My advice would be to do basic cuts and forms with it often. And try to use larger muscle groups like your hips, torso rotation, or shoulders, to drive power behind the cut. You may want to begin by practicing broad sweeping cuts with a large arc and make sure that you get good edge alignment which can make the blade make a quiet whistle through the air. After you can consistently have good edge alignment on broad cuts, then take it outside and cut stuff!! Eventually, I would then work on getting all those same muscle groups to activate in a much smaller cut while still listening for that whistling sound (a quiet room to practice will help). Also, I don't really spin tight circles or moulinettes with my wrist when using this blade, the elbow bends with most cuts. There are other things that one can do to manage heavy blades, but I won't go into all of that here, and I would recommend finding a good instructor.
Also, the other Dao I have reviewed, the LK Chen Song Hand Dao, is just as heavy, if not heavier than the Scott Rodell Cutting Dao, so you could watch some of my cutting footage with that blade at the end of my review vid or a recent cutting vid I put up to kind of see what I mean by powering with larger muscle groups.
@@thescholar-general5975 I have a Japanese O-Katana made by Cheness (suggested because it's so hard to find Dao that is not a wushu sheet metal piece) I also have a European arming sword but I can't remember who made it. I don't think my other blades would hold up in cut practice. I honestly don't do much cut practice, I've mostly done forms or sparing with wooden or polyurethane/plastic weapons. Most of the swords I have tend to be maybe 1 or 2 inches out from the guard. For this dao I feel like I need to choke up on the bing and bing'gu right under the hushou. My main focus before my Sifu quit teaching was yang style taijiquan. This dao doesn't lend very well to the movements or at lest I don't feel comfortable doing the techniques with this dao yet. Great advice, I am familiar with the whistle and edge alignment. however I am finding that recovery from a cut or small cuts tend to feel very weighted. Since this would be first Chinese blade I have handled that is cable of being used for cutting I was not sure if the weight is what should be expected. Or maybe it's my style or the sword is designed more for heavy cutting vs wielding? I just don't know and figured I'd pick your brain :) I think I will take your advice and also reach out to Sifu Rodell.
@@thescholar-general5975 thank you, I'll check them out. I think I got spoiled with the two handed, S guard dao. I know it's a modern design and all but I like the ability to get two hands on the grip.
I don't have any, but certainly wouldn't mind getting my hands on some! Scott Rodell is a very highly regarded authority when it comes to Chinese swordsmanship, and I wouldn't imagine him putting his name on something that wasn't a quality product.
10:56 Ate that cut like a chad... If I recall correctly there were accounts of military sabre drills on clay piles and lead bars. However there's barely any youtube videos on clay cutting and none I could find on lead cutting. It seemed to me that both are hefty enough targets to roughly represent flesh and bones, they're reusable thus cheaper than tatami mats, and they can reveal many details about edge alignment. Would you use such targets for future videos? And on a side note will you do some lk chen reviews as well? Anyways glad you've uploaded again, I'll need to hit the bell instead of watching vids after 3 weeks lol.
2008davidkang Yeah, clay and lead targets were used in as cutting targets in the past. I will definitely look into it! Also, I plan to get a hold of an LK Chen sword eventually, don’t have the funds on hand atm. A new video should be out soon!
@@thescholar-general5975 I see some good reviews of L K Chen, but the Rodell cutting Jian is nice too. It's a tough decision, but I need to get better at the form first anyway, so I have time to decide.
@@thescholar-general5975 Exactly and it was never issued to imperial forces as it is too cumbersome and heavy. Meant for untrained peasant to have full force chop.
Nice video. Perhaps I missed it or didn't make an assumption that I should have but.... how substantial is the tang? Given the wrap and all, you couldn't see it if it were full tanged and i'd hope it wasn't just a rat tail.
Thanks for watching! I haven’t unscrewed the pommel on this sword to inspect the tang, but I highly doubt it is a rat tail tang because it was designed specifically with heavy cutting in mind by an instructor who actually does a lot of test cutting himself. In some ways this dao is purpose built for that task and it doesn’t really handle like a dueling weapon.
@@thescholar-general5975 You're welcome. Since our first exchange, I put all of your videos on my "watch Later" list and am working my way through them. Nice stuff! As you know, I'm still on the hunt for a matched set of swords - regardless of historical accuracy - and will be heading out in a couple of weeks to check out the LK Chen collection of a guy who lives in MA. Can't wait to see those swords!
Hey everyone! One thing that I forgot to mention in the video is that although I wouldn't mind at all if this blade had a slightly sharper edge, many swords in history were not razor sharp. One prominent example being pre-Edo period Katana which had a slightly less sharp more resilient blade to withstand the stress of the battlefield. Please let me know what you all think about this video and this sword!
Thank you for sharing. 1st time that i see a review of this sword. Will watch it tonight and the rest of your channel. It has very interesting contents. I've always been fascinated by historical Chinese weapons.
You got a new subscriber👍
this blade profile is actually more liuyedao. Woyaodao or wodao most of the time would have japanese blades directly from japan.
Japanese blades would not necessarily be wide like liueydao, but it was thick. thick and wide are not necessarily the same thing
it would have a thick blade with a very geometrical tip, which the japanese famously call it kissaki
Hanwei website says the blade is 5160 steel, similar to the cutting jian.
Could you provide a link to the site where this is quoted? My statement was based off the link to purchase the blade from them in the video description. One of the lines states, "Utilizing a special steel formulation and heat treatment regimen developed by Hanwei, the blade optimizes edge hardness and body toughness, ideal characteristics in a cutting sword." If you could post the link confirming the use of 5160 steel, I will make sure to put that in the description.
@@thescholar-general5975 It's actually on that very same page. If you scroll down a bit and check "Specifications" they state it is 5160 steel.
AWESOME video, you have great content
Thank you! I am glad you enjoy it!
@@thescholar-general5975 I really want to pick up Dynasty Forge's yanmaodao but it always seems like it's out of stock. I've had my eye on this cutting dao for a while now. However it so hard to find quality usable Chinese weapons that are not wall hangers or form weapons. I'm still on the fence as there is so few options out there.
@@BlazeLeeDragon Yeah, I wouldn't mind having a dynasty forge Dao myself but they are long gone it seems. Maybe one day they will restock them.
Looks amazing. I love that song during the cutting. It’s in a lot of Kung fu movies
I believe the steel is 1566. I need that blade but I can't find it in the UK.
I would contact 7 stars trading company and ask them about how to get ahold of one in the UK.
Do you find later era hilt (slightly crooked and have a ball pommel) is more comfortable than this earlier type?
I don't find the rounded style 圓式 fittings to be more comfortable than this one. This blade actually has transitional style fittings which do not have the hard edges of the earlier square style 方式.
then why transition had happened?
is it just for aesthetic?
s ss Yes mostly aesthetic. There may be some relationship between the curved grip to the decline of armor, but that is not really provable.
It'll be interesting to see how this compares to the new LK Chen oxtail dao for cutting.
Nice review I am currently deciding on what to get for my first Dao style sword and this is a contender
Qijiadao specifically have Japanese style shinogi or shobu zukuri blades on them. It’s why they’re often also referred to as wo yao dao.
The cross section on the blade of this sabre piece is more in line with historical continental dao sabres that had wedge-cross section or pseudo-wedge cross section blades, there are both antiques and lots of longquan swords that sport this blade design.
Thank you for your response! Some shinogi zukuri blades can also be pseudo-wedge shaped, though perhaps the biggest difference between this dao and a shinogi zukuri blade is the lack of a ridge along the spine present on typical Qijiadao or Woyaodao. Many modern longquan blades and antiques with psuedo-wedge shaped blades also have fullers which technically makes them a different cross section to this blade. Qijiadao can have fullers as well, but many of them are fuller-less, which bears a certain resemblance to this blade. Overall, I think that the exact typology a given Chinese dao is extremely difficult to determine due to a lack of standardization and the diversity of dao blades themselves, but that is a topic for another day. What matters most for this video is that the Cutting Dao handles like historical dao, cuts well, is affordable, and is fun to swing around!
I got to handle the Cutting Dao and it's a bit forward heavy because there are no fullers on the blade. Both the Rodell jian and dao should be able to cut tough targets with ease!
ELVendedor5000 Many historical blades also have forward weight, it also puts more power into the cut.
So I just got my Cutting Dao today. To me it seems it's very very blade heavy. Maybe I am just use to Dao for forms. However my other cutting swords of different styles and culture seem to be more balanced. I'm use to the balance being closer to the guard. Do you find this awkward to use and swing?
Yes, it was a little heavy at first, but it doesn't feel nearly as heavy anymore. What other cutting blades do you have? Dao come in many shapes and sizes. Some lighter weight slashing dao did exist, but this one is meant to simulate a sidearm carried on the battlefield so it has a little heft and is not really a dueling weapon. I am not an instructor and I think that speaking with one about this (possibly Rodell himself) would be a good idea. My advice would be to do basic cuts and forms with it often. And try to use larger muscle groups like your hips, torso rotation, or shoulders, to drive power behind the cut. You may want to begin by practicing broad sweeping cuts with a large arc and make sure that you get good edge alignment which can make the blade make a quiet whistle through the air. After you can consistently have good edge alignment on broad cuts, then take it outside and cut stuff!! Eventually, I would then work on getting all those same muscle groups to activate in a much smaller cut while still listening for that whistling sound (a quiet room to practice will help). Also, I don't really spin tight circles or moulinettes with my wrist when using this blade, the elbow bends with most cuts. There are other things that one can do to manage heavy blades, but I won't go into all of that here, and I would recommend finding a good instructor.
Also, the other Dao I have reviewed, the LK Chen Song Hand Dao, is just as heavy, if not heavier than the Scott Rodell Cutting Dao, so you could watch some of my cutting footage with that blade at the end of my review vid or a recent cutting vid I put up to kind of see what I mean by powering with larger muscle groups.
@@thescholar-general5975 I'll check that out, thank you
@@thescholar-general5975 I have a Japanese O-Katana made by Cheness (suggested because it's so hard to find Dao that is not a wushu sheet metal piece) I also have a European arming sword but I can't remember who made it. I don't think my other blades would hold up in cut practice. I honestly don't do much cut practice, I've mostly done forms or sparing with wooden or polyurethane/plastic weapons. Most of the swords I have tend to be maybe 1 or 2 inches out from the guard. For this dao I feel like I need to choke up on the bing and bing'gu right under the hushou. My main focus before my Sifu quit teaching was yang style taijiquan. This dao doesn't lend very well to the movements or at lest I don't feel comfortable doing the techniques with this dao yet.
Great advice, I am familiar with the whistle and edge alignment. however I am finding that recovery from a cut or small cuts tend to feel very weighted. Since this would be first Chinese blade I have handled that is cable of being used for cutting I was not sure if the weight is what should be expected. Or maybe it's my style or the sword is designed more for heavy cutting vs wielding? I just don't know and figured I'd pick your brain :)
I think I will take your advice and also reach out to Sifu Rodell.
@@thescholar-general5975 thank you, I'll check them out. I think I got spoiled with the two handed, S guard dao. I know it's a modern design and all but I like the ability to get two hands on the grip.
Very nice, how much?
Hi, thanks for doing the review!
Do you have any of the Rodell jians that you wouldn't mind reviewing? :)
I don't have any, but certainly wouldn't mind getting my hands on some! Scott Rodell is a very highly regarded authority when it comes to Chinese swordsmanship, and I wouldn't imagine him putting his name on something that wasn't a quality product.
10:56 Ate that cut like a chad...
If I recall correctly there were accounts of military sabre drills on clay piles and lead bars. However there's barely any youtube videos on clay cutting and none I could find on lead cutting. It seemed to me that both are hefty enough targets to roughly represent flesh and bones, they're reusable thus cheaper than tatami mats, and they can reveal many details about edge alignment. Would you use such targets for future videos? And on a side note will you do some lk chen reviews as well? Anyways glad you've uploaded again, I'll need to hit the bell instead of watching vids after 3 weeks lol.
2008davidkang Yeah, clay and lead targets were used in as cutting targets in the past. I will definitely look into it! Also, I plan to get a hold of an LK Chen sword eventually, don’t have the funds on hand atm. A new video should be out soon!
@@thescholar-general5975 Yes! Can't wait for more videos!
@@thescholar-general5975 I see some good reviews of L K Chen, but the Rodell cutting Jian is nice too. It's a tough decision, but I need to get better at the form first anyway, so I have time to decide.
dao looks awesome
Yes, it is really nice!
this is the genuine chinese curved sword that used by our ancestor in the late Song till Qing dynasty. Not those "broadsword" depicted in the media.
Yes the oxtail saber (aka broadsword) is a 19th century design.
@@thescholar-general5975 Exactly and it was never issued to imperial forces as it is too cumbersome and heavy. Meant for untrained peasant to have full force chop.
Hello brother, is this Willow leaft or ox tail?.
Thanks for watching! This is more like a willow leaf than oxtail because it does not widen out towards the tip and it lacks a clipped tip.
@@thescholar-general5975 thank You very much.
is it ming saber or qing?
maybe both?
s ss Many Ming saber styles continued into the Qing. And this blade is similar to many Ming and Qing blades.
Originally, that style saber was started from Mongol. Exactly that saber is mongolian saber.
Nice video. Perhaps I missed it or didn't make an assumption that I should have but.... how substantial is the tang? Given the wrap and all, you couldn't see it if it were full tanged and i'd hope it wasn't just a rat tail.
Thanks for watching! I haven’t unscrewed the pommel on this sword to inspect the tang, but I highly doubt it is a rat tail tang because it was designed specifically with heavy cutting in mind by an instructor who actually does a lot of test cutting himself. In some ways this dao is purpose built for that task and it doesn’t really handle like a dueling weapon.
@@thescholar-general5975 You're welcome. Since our first exchange, I put all of your videos on my "watch Later" list and am working my way through them. Nice stuff! As you know, I'm still on the hunt for a matched set of swords - regardless of historical accuracy - and will be heading out in a couple of weeks to check out the LK Chen collection of a guy who lives in MA. Can't wait to see those swords!
Good knife