11" cable dao blade with hamon, blade only or "kit"

[kevin -the professor]

Hello Everyone,

I have a beautiful 11" welded cable dao blade for sale. This blade has a visible grain sturcture and a subtle etch to highlight the hamon from clay heat treatment. It is a tribute to the beauty of blades made from traditional steels but with the strength and durability of modern materials. This is made from Extra Improved Plow Steel, which is the equivalent of 1084 but with less manganese. Thus, it forms a much more vivid hamon than 1084 can.

AS WITH ALL CABLE BLADES, AND WITH BLADES MADE FROM TRADITIONALLY-SMELTED STEELS, THERE WILL BE MINOR INCLUSIONS IN THE WELDING OF THIS BLADE. These do not affect the functioning of the blade, and serve to enhance its character. That is part of what it means to look like "traditional" steel.

I am selling just the blade for $200. If you want this as a "kit", I will include pieces of curly maple or walnut (please specify) which can be mortised and used to make a handle. If you want the "kit", I will also include mild steel, copper, or brass as specified by the buyer.

11"OAL,
.22"thick,
just over 1" wide at shoulders,
convex grind, beefy edge, razor sharp.
This blade is more of a chopper than a slicer.

$200 for blade alone
$225 for "kit."

insurance on delivery is paid by the buyer, if desired. Otherwise, free delivery in continental US.

 

[Rick]

I really like this beautiful blade, and I'm surprised it's still here.

In spite of the Chinese name, it seems very reminiscent of a fine Japanese naginata naoshi (a pole arm blade with its tang cut down for short-handled sword mounting).

Well done, Professor! :thumbup:

 

[kevin -the professor]

Thanks Rick,
yes - I was emailing Michael Bell and discussing Chinese blades with him (and making them from cable). He had the same comment, that the Chinese swords he had seen in person had visible grain structure and heat treatment coloration (hada and hamon in Japanese) and that they looked very much like nagamaki (I think that is what you call it when a pole-arm blade is cut down and re-mounted as a sword).

So, you and Mr. Bell have the same impression. Now that you two have pointed it out to me, of course, I see it too.

thanks,
Kevin

 

[kevin -the professor]

Oh, now that I re-read your post I see that you did put the term for the re-mounted polearm. I can't keep naginata versus nagamaki straight. I am not really a student of Japanese work, but I absolutely appreciate the beauty and dedication.

 

[Rick]

As I understand it, the Naginata is a comparatively short blade (shaped somewhat like your beautiful Dao, here) mounted on a very long pole, whereas the Nagamaki is a longer sword-like blade mounted to a short pole or long handle. Naoshi refers to cutting down the long tangs of the above and mounting them as Wakizashi or large Tanto.