Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - Dha-Lwe average measurements please

Mark · 23rd July 2007, 03:35 PM

Dear Antonio,

That is a great design!

I can't wait to see how you treat the fittings.

I echo PUFF's comments about the tang, but I see why you want to make it a full tang. I do suggest making it clear to the maker that the tang needs to continue the curve of the blade, at least somewhat (usually the curve of the sword is not uniform, but increasing a bit toward the tip, so it does not need to be an arch of a circle). It might be possible to taper it a little both in width and span without weakening the handle, too. Though it is traditional, I don't recommend the small triangular tang unless you really want to copy an old blade. Though it has a function (it makes the handle vibrate less, makes it easier to tighten the blade in the handle when it loosens with use, and makes it easier to change the handle), it makes a pretty unstable grip overall if you are not using the sword in the traditional way(s). I think the proportion of the tang to the blade is good (assuming a full tang).

I think that some of the balance problem of the blade can be remediated by using a "double taper," with the taper more dramatic near the base of the blade. As you will note from the measurements of the antiques, the spine at the base is very wide (generally a half cm, or a bit more), and it tapers quickly to about half that over the first quarter or third of the blade, with a more gradual and uniform taper after that. It makes for a graceful sweep when viewed from above, and adds greatly, in my opinion, to the grace and beauty of the sword. I suggest 6/3.5/3/2.5 rather than your 6/6/5/3.5 (I am assuming those are the measurements at the start of each section), with the final taper going at the tip to essentially the width of the blade edge as you have it in your design.

To further help balance, I think that you may have to counter the weight of the tang with a heavier ferrule section next to the blade. It would add to the overall weight of the piece, but I think the balance and feel of the blade would be close overall to that of a dha/daab. The point of balance should only be around 7-8 cm,a t most, from the base of the blade (they are very light at the tip). Oh, and the square tip itself has an edge, the spine width at the tip being essentially that of the bottom edge, making for only a very, very slight taper from the spine to the bottom edge at the very tip, rather than a typical triangular cross-section. It looks like from the design that you have incorporated this feature, but I thought I would point it out, has I didn't mention it before.

Finally, I don't know how closely you want to match the side-view profile of the blade, but if you look closely at the profiles of mine, and at the blade width/span (edge-to-spine) measurements, you will note that there is a slight "waist" or narrowing of the blade at the beginning, the narrowest point being near the point of balance (I think this would also help balance, by the way), than the gentle flare toward the tip. This is characterist of Tai blades (Tai, Lao, Shan, etc.), and it adds a further touch of feminine beauty and grace.

Mark

PS: regarding fittings, the wide bell-shaped ferrule at the base is often polygonal in cross-section (I forget the number, but I can check), though sometimes it is circular.

PPS: I have been tabulating these various measurements to see if I can detect a pattern, but I have let most of my research idle this last year, unfortunately, so it is not yet complete.

23rd July 2007, 03:35 PM	#17
Mark Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 987	Dear Antonio, That is a great design! I can't wait to see how you treat the fittings. I echo PUFF's comments about the tang, but I see why you want to make it a full tang. I do suggest making it clear to the maker that the tang needs to continue the curve of the blade, at least somewhat (usually the curve of the sword is not uniform, but increasing a bit toward the tip, so it does not need to be an arch of a circle). It might be possible to taper it a little both in width and span without weakening the handle, too. Though it is traditional, I don't recommend the small triangular tang unless you really want to copy an old blade. Though it has a function (it makes the handle vibrate less, makes it easier to tighten the blade in the handle when it loosens with use, and makes it easier to change the handle), it makes a pretty unstable grip overall if you are not using the sword in the traditional way(s). I think the proportion of the tang to the blade is good (assuming a full tang). I think that some of the balance problem of the blade can be remediated by using a "double taper," with the taper more dramatic near the base of the blade. As you will note from the measurements of the antiques, the spine at the base is very wide (generally a half cm, or a bit more), and it tapers quickly to about half that over the first quarter or third of the blade, with a more gradual and uniform taper after that. It makes for a graceful sweep when viewed from above, and adds greatly, in my opinion, to the grace and beauty of the sword. I suggest 6/3.5/3/2.5 rather than your 6/6/5/3.5 (I am assuming those are the measurements at the start of each section), with the final taper going at the tip to essentially the width of the blade edge as you have it in your design. To further help balance, I think that you may have to counter the weight of the tang with a heavier ferrule section next to the blade. It would add to the overall weight of the piece, but I think the balance and feel of the blade would be close overall to that of a dha/daab. The point of balance should only be around 7-8 cm,a t most, from the base of the blade (they are very light at the tip). Oh, and the square tip itself has an edge, the spine width at the tip being essentially that of the bottom edge, making for only a very, very slight taper from the spine to the bottom edge at the very tip, rather than a typical triangular cross-section. It looks like from the design that you have incorporated this feature, but I thought I would point it out, has I didn't mention it before. Finally, I don't know how closely you want to match the side-view profile of the blade, but if you look closely at the profiles of mine, and at the blade width/span (edge-to-spine) measurements, you will note that there is a slight "waist" or narrowing of the blade at the beginning, the narrowest point being near the point of balance (I think this would also help balance, by the way), than the gentle flare toward the tip. This is characterist of Tai blades (Tai, Lao, Shan, etc.), and it adds a further touch of feminine beauty and grace. Mark PS: regarding fittings, the wide bell-shaped ferrule at the base is often polygonal in cross-section (I forget the number, but I can check), though sometimes it is circular. PPS: I have been tabulating these various measurements to see if I can detect a pattern, but I have let most of my research idle this last year, unfortunately, so it is not yet complete.