Chinese Jian sword

[Bill M]

Originally Posted by BluErf

Hey Bill,

Very very nice jian! It reminded me to take photos of my short jian. Mine has even newer fittings, bordering on the rather fancy side, but nice enough. The jian is very hefty, with a consumerately substantial tang. It may have been a war sword, especially with the pommel ring.

I committed the sin of letting the sword rust more than a year ago and I am still doing 'penance' for that. More than a year ago, after I discovered the rust on the polished blade, I used autosol to get rid of the new rust, which covered the blade in straight polishing marks. I had been using sewing machine oil and tissue paper to polish those straight marks off the blade. After more than a year, I think I'm only a third done. Looks like I have 2 more years of 'penance' to go...

http://www.kampungnet.com.sg/modules...view_album.php

Hi Kai Wee,

Rust is something we all have to watch! I have found a few spots here and there on some of my other pieces that are really only noticeable in the strong photography lights. I have been cleaning also.

It looks like your blade started life in a longer shape. Notice the distance between the last dot and the tip of the blade? Usually this is the same distance as between the rest of the dots. This could indicate a reshaped tip. I have never seen a ring pommel on one before, but I confess this is not my area of expertise.

I have not heard of the size jian you and I have as being a "war sword." I thought that jian were usually civilian weapons, at least in the Qing dynasty. I don't have information about the Ming dynasty. Usually the military used Dao, single edged swords.

I have a reshaped "horse killer" jian that was originally about four feet long, that was used in battle. But it was my understanding that the shorter jian were traditional weapons of scholars and priests.

Did Phillip Tom polish your blade also?

Nice jian you have there! I think that we got them from the same seller.