TANG HENG DAO 唐橫刀 (618-907 AD)

Tang Heng Dao is a single handed straight dao featuring a scabbard with two-point suspension system influenced by the Sassanian swords.  The two-point suspension system enables the dao to be worn in a more or less horizontal (Heng 橫) position.  Tang Heng Dao was used for combat on foot as well as on horseback.  Heng Dao was compact, light weight, and was the standard regulation side arm for conscripts, elite troops, commanding officers and imperial guards.  

Heng dao was expensive to make and each piece worth about one month's salary of a junior level government official.  As an expensive military resource, Heng Dao was forbidden to be used as funeral goods.  As a result, there were very few unearthed specimens found today. Fortunately, Heng Dao was pursued by the Japanese delegates and sent back to Japan as treasures for the royal court and those few rare Heng Dao samples are preserved in Nara today.

Specifications (approx.)

Sword only weight:  approx. 860 g (1 lb. 15 oz)

Blade Length: 70.5 cm (27.75")

Handle Length: 21.5 cm (8.46")

Total Length: 93 cm (36.6")

Length of upper edge at tip 10.2 cm (4")

POB from hand guard  11 cm (4.33")

Gradual tapering

Width at hand guard: 3 cm (1.1")  

Width at 10.2 cm from tip: 2.33 cm (0.92")

Width at 4 cm from tip: 2.14 cm (0.84")

Thickness at hand guard: 7.41 mm 

Thickness at 10.2 cm from tip: 4.68 mm

Thickness at 4 cm the tip: 4 mm 

Blade cross section profile: triangular wedge shape

Blade length wide profile:  straight blade, pointed tip with upper edge

Commander Grade

Labor intensive classic forging.

Folded pattern steel (1065 & T9) wraps resilient A3 steel core.

Clay clade differential tempering for hard edge.

Straight Hamon. Cut mature bamboo with ease.  Pierce wooden boards.

Polish to a sharp and hard cutting edge. 

Ironwood scabbard (Handroanthus serratifolius) .  

Elite Grade

T10 Tungsten-Vanadium High Speed Tool Steel. 

Element %                      

Carbon            0.95-1.04       

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

Clay tempered differential heat treatment in clay furnace.

The traditional clay clad differential heat treatment will bring out a beautiful straight Hamon and hard cutting edge around HRC 56 with a resilient spine with HRC around 40-45. 

Cut bamboo with ease.  Pierce wooden boards.

Polish to a sharp and hard cutting edge. 

Ironwood scabbard (Handroanthus serratifolius) .  

Warrior Grade

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

Through tempered oil quenched mono steel blade,  

Hardness 54-55 HRC. 

Cut bamboo with ease.  Pierce wooden boards.

Polish to a sharp cutting edge. 

Wenge scabbard (Millettia laurentii) .  

Decorative tassels shown on the video not included.

Fittings

Blackened Iron fittings, 1:1 model after a Tang Dynasty set.

Fit and finish

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