MING DYNASTY Disc Guard cutting JIAN

Please note that the final production version will have teal color scabbard,  blue dye ray skin and grayish silver iron fittings.

Disc guard cutting Jian is an expressive mid to late Ming dynasty Jian. 

As a classical Ming Jian, the Ming cutting jian has the standard 3 feet total length,  a wide sturdy blades and is designed as an authoritative cutting sword. Both cutting edges run almost parallel to each other with subtle tapering and end in a roundish tip.  

Different from early Ming Jian design that feature heavy solid pommels, mid to late Ming Jian often feature a lighter, open metal iron gourd shaped pommel cap. Paired with a 4-loop iron disc guard with raised rim, this unique mid to late Ming style offers a simple yet expressive decor to the sword.  The handle is wrapped with a true ray skin for its simple elegance and the blade is protected by a  faux leather wrap scabbard with sturdy and subdued steel furniture.  

This unique style can be seen in a fair number of surviving Ming Dynasty antiques.

Specifications

All measurements are approximations

Sword only weight:  approx. 939 g (2 lb. 1.09 oz. )

Blade length: 70 cm (27.56")

Handle without pommel length: 12.6 cm (4.96")

Iron Pommel length: 8.65 cm (3.4")

Total length: 91.44 cm (36")

Subtle tapering with gentle round tip

Width at hand guard: 35 mm

Width near tip: 25 mm   

Thickness at end of hand guard: 7 mm

Thickness at the tip: 3 mm

POB:  approx. 11.5 cm (4.53") from base of hand guard by the hilt

Blade Profile: diamond 4 surfaces

Steel option 1

Folded pattern steel: 

1060 carbon steel + T8 tungsten-vanadium high-speed tool steel.

1060 carbon steel

Element % 

Carbon            0.55-0.660    

Manganese     0.60-0.90           

Phosphorus     <=0.040         

Sulfur               <=0.050 

T8 tungsten-vanadium high-speed tool steel.

Element %                      

Carbon            075-084.

Silicon              <=0.35           

Manganese     <=0.40           

Phosphorus     <=0.035         

Sulfur               <=0.030

Tungsten         <= 0.30

Vanadium       <= 0.02        

Chromium       <=0.25           

Nickel               <=0.20 

Copper            <=0.25

Molybdenum  <= 0.20

Steel option 2

GB 60Si2MnA High Carbon Manganese Spring Steel 

(Compare to AISI/SAE 5160 spring steel) 

Element %       60Si2MnA    AISI/SAE 5160   

Carbon            0.56-0.64      0.56-0.61

Silicon              1.60-2.00       0.15-0.35

Manganese     0.60-0.90      0.75-1.00

Phosphorus     <=0.030        <=0.035

Sulfur               <=0.030        <=0.040

Chromium       <=0.35          0.70-0.90

Nickel               <=0.35          <=0.25

Superior heat treatment:  Hardness 54-55 HRC. 

Blade rebounds to true after bending,  

Cut bamboo with ease.

Hand polish to smooth soft shine and sword sharp edge.

Fittings

Precision cast steel fittings. The hand guard is a 4 loop disc design, known as papaya style disc guard. The pommel is a Ming unique 6 loops open metal work gourd design.  Minimalist cast steel scabbard fittings offer a visual contrast to the elaborate pommel and disc guard.

Fit and finish

We perfected the fit and finish of our swords and the final assembly is meticulously performed by our senior craft masters.  It takes a skill craftsman one whole working day to assemble our sword to a precision fit.