Iron Tiger Forge Cultured Jian
In stock
Price range: $399.99 through $649.99
- Shipping estimated at checkout
- Every blade inspected before shipping
- Class
- Battle Ready
- Blade
- 1045 & 1065 Folded High Carbon Steel
- Overall Length
- 40 1/4''
- Weight
- 3 lb 11.6 oz
- Brand
- Iron Tiger Forge
- Culture
- Chinese
Overview
Iron Tiger Forge Cultured Jian
The Jian, originally a pillar of Chinese militaries, lost in popularity to the single-edged Dao of various forms after the Han Dynasty. The mass-conscripted armies that have been a mainstay of Chinese military history found the Dao easier to train with. The Jian required more skill to master, and thus became a weapon of the noble and gentleman a mark of someone with the time to perfect its use and exploit its forms.
It became then, more typical for a Jian to be ornamented, an expression of the wealth and dignity of its wielder, such as this Jian. With embellished fittings depicting noble plants, flutes and Jian, this sword exhibits the tastes of the Chinese nobles. The pommel lanyard features a plate of white jade etched in the form of a dragon. Chinese high society had an insatiable desire for jade and believed the perfection of the stone was a reflection of the qualities of beauty, grace and purity that they valued.
This Jian was made in Longquan, a region central to sword production in the Song Dynasty. The blade is folded high-carbon steel of 1045 and 1065 containing 3,800 layers. Folded steel was a common blade-making technique in China as it minimized impurities and melded hard and flexible steels together for a compromise containing both qualities. The hilt, guard and fittings are handmade brass and the scabbard is wood. The sword comes in a wooden gift box with a boxed cleaning kit and an embroidered silk sword bag.
Specifications
Every measurement that matters
- Brand
- Iron Tiger Forge
- Culture
- Chinese
- Pommel
- Nut
- Overall Length
- 40 1/4''
- Blade Length
- 28 1/2''
- Blade
- 1045 & 1065 Folded High Carbon Steel
- Weight
- 3 lb 11.6 oz
- Edge
- Very Sharp
- P.O.B.
- 3 3/8''
- Thickness
- 9.6 mm - 4.2 mm
- Width
- 44.3 mm
- Grip Length
- 5 1/2''
- Class
- Battle Ready
- Country of Origin
- China
- Type
- Jian
Reviews
What collectors are saying
Q&A
Questions from the community
Q What materials are used for the blade and fittings? Common Question
The blade is folded 1045/1065 high-carbon steel; the hilt, guard, pommel, and scabbard fittings are handmade brass with a wood grip and wood scabbard.
Q How sharp is the edge out of the box? Common Question
It is listed as very sharp from the manufacturer.
Q Is this suitable for cutting practice or reenactment? Common Question
Classed as battle ready and suitable for light cutting practice; always follow local safety rules. It is not a blunt reenactment blade.
Q What are the dimensions and weight? Common Question
Overall length 40 1/4 in, blade length 28 1/2 in, width 44.3 mm, thickness tapers 9.6 mm to 4.2 mm, grip 5 1/2 in, point of balance about 3 3/8 in from the guard, and weight approx. 3 lb 11.6 oz.
Q Where is it made? Common Question
Made in China (Longquan).
Q What accessories are included? Common Question
Includes a wood scabbard with brass fittings, a wooden gift box, a boxed cleaning kit, and an embroidered silk sword bag; the hilt has a tassel with a decorative white jade plate.
Q How does it handle? Common Question
Balanced near the guard (P.O.B. ~3 3/8 in) with a fuller along the blade; weight and size give it a substantial feel typical of a long Jian.
Q What is the historical inspiration? Common Question
A Chinese Jian with ornamented fittings reflecting gentry tastes; made in a region historically associated with Song‑dynasty swordmaking.
Q Any maintenance recommendations? Common Question
Keep the high‑carbon blade clean and lightly oiled; use a brass-safe polish for fittings and avoid moisture in the wood scabbard.
Q How is the pommel secured? Common Question
The pommel is secured with a nut.
The Maker
Iron Tiger Forge
A Kult of Athena developed line, Iron Tiger Forge focuses on high quality Chinese swords and Martial Arts weapons. By working directly with the factory we are able to provide these products at unheard of prices for the level of quality and materials.
Often paired together
Great sword The sword is 100% as described. Heavier and bigger than I imagined. Sharp and nicely decorated. Can see the patterns on the steel from the folding technique. I’m quite inspired as a sword beginner. Thanks Kult of Athena
Sword came with a very messed up cross guard as it is popped open on one side and also misaligned with the blade. Blade came sharp however experienced several chips after cutting a few thin aluminum cans . Overall the blade is very good looking other than the messed up guard but for the price this is a complete rip off. 1 star
After having this sword for a couple months now, I’ll give my two cents about it. The included wooden box, decorated bag, and cleaning kit are great extras that came with the sword which would have costed me extra if I was buying another brand/style of sword as many swords in this price range don’t even come with a scabbard (let alone a cleaning kit). The scabbard is well made and fits the sword quite well with no rattle/looseness, though it did have some oxidation on the brass parts of it which does suck but some brass cleaner took care of this, still does suck that it had that though but not a big deal. The blade itself is quite stunning (at least my example of this sword) the Damascus pattern is really cool, but a little hard to see, don’t know if this was because of the etching process or how it was forged, but something to point out. One of the criticisms I have with the blade is that it came with some small dents/chinks and tiny scuffs on the edge of the blade (no more than 3 or 4 that I counted), again all I would have to do is sharpen it and polish it myself and this can be fixed, but it is unfortunate that it came with these tiny flaws (especially at the price point). The brass fittings and pommel are quite cool to look at but as another review pointed out with his sword that the brass fittings/parts (in my case around the sword and the handguard) are not completely straight/lined up with the blade symmetrically. My swords handguard is a bit lopsided to one side (looking at it from the swords edge) and the ornate brass fitting around the base of the blade is also not completely symmetric looking at it from the blades edge, also there was some oxidation on the inside of the handguard as well which again I cleaned off, again these flaws were not visible at quick glance and only appear at closer inspection, again something to take into account. The pommel is very cool looking with its ornate look, for me so far there have been no problems with it. The included tassel and jade piece, while beautiful when it sits on a sword stand, is quite annoying while trying to handle and use/test the sword so I ended up taking it off whenever I use it for cutting. The blade from what I have put it through which has been mainly light cutting such as cardboard and gallon water jugs from the store has done very well as it came from the manufacturer pretty sharp, I have not put it through any hardcore use such as chopping wood and such, but I don’t plan to use it for anything like that. The wooden handle is decently comfortable but probably not for long periods of time/use. From all the cutting that I have put it through, there are no new chips or chinks in the blade (aside from the small ones from the manufacturer already stated), The balance is quite close to the handguard (which is what I think Jian swords are supposed to be, I could be wrong on this) it is also a bit on the heavy side as well mostly due to its size. Overall, the sword is a good solid piece (at least my example), the fact that you get a sword, scabbard, wooden storage box, and cleaning/maintenance kit is really appealing, the sword is solidly built, looks quite stunning and handles decently well, The main downsides it has is mainly the Quality control from the factory/manufacturer as it seems from other reviews that they are not paying attention to the other parts of the sword, mainly the fittings (handguard, ornate blade fitting, etc.) in making sure they are properly installed on the sword, as well as the blades edge with the scuffs and chips/chinks on the blades edge. I give this sword 4 stars from what I have experienced with it as even with its flaws it is quite a solid overall piece as well as a great room decoration. I would hope that Iron Tiger Forge steps up its Quality Control as this sword is quite nice, only for it to be ruined by sub-par/improperly mounted brass fittings and parts.