Overview
Our sharpening service will provide a good serviceable edge on the blade. The result is typically “very sharp” with a small secondary bevel and a bit of an “apple seed” profile. The resulting edge is somewhat dependent on the particular blade. Some blades will take and hold sharper edges than others and the thickness of the blade will determine how wide the bevel will need to be. We adjust the angle of the edge to suit the specific blade and attempt to get as close to a bevel-less edge as possible without marring the surface of the blade.
The Sharpening Process
The sharpening service is done with a belt sander. The process involves many passes with sanding belts of various grits. The blades are rested between passes to prevent them from becoming hot and damaging their temper. By default we will sharpen as much of the blade as possible including any false edges if appropriate. If you have a different preference, feel free to make that request in the special instructions at check out. We can sharpen only the last half or third of an edge, for example. Our sword sharpening expert has personally sharpened several thousand swords at this point, so will provide you with a professional service.
What the Service is Not
The resulting edge will be “sword sharp” not razor sharp. Our goal is to provide you with a usable edge for cutting practice that will hold up to some use and not require constant re-sharpening. In other words, we intend to provide you with a serviceable weapon, not a personal grooming implement. The service will not provide a completely bevel-less edge. To create that type of edge will necessarily scratch up the blade surface and we lack the machinery and time to provide a full re-polishing of a blade’s surface. A service of that nature would be significantly more expensive as a great deal more time would be required. We do not offer this type of service at this time.
Disclaimer
We make no guarantee that the resulting edge will meet with your expectations. Every blade is different and some will take and hold a sharper edge than others, due to the blade material, heat treatment or geometry. Some customers can also have incorrect assumptions about sword sharpness and improper expectations as a result. All we can say for sure is that the resulting edge will be sharper than the default edge, in most cases, significantly so. We can not provide any refunds for the service once it has been completed, so consider it to be provided “as is”. That being said, if you are unhappy with the product for any reason, we do still allow you to return the item for a full refund, including the sharpening costs under our normal return policy. This does not apply to special sharpening requests, for example if we sharpen something specially for you that does not normally list that option on our site. The vast majority of our customers are happy with the results of the service, so as long as you keep the above mentioned in mind, we are confident you will be pleased with the results as well.
Archimedes –
For $250 this sword can’t be beat. I’m frankly amazed that a sword of this quality is being sold for such an affordable price. It’s a cutting-oriented weapon with a point of balance moderately far from the hand that comes sharp and ready for test-cutting. In the hand this sword definitely feels like a true cutter without being clunky. Thrusting isn’t out of the question though, as the false edge does curve slightly forward near the tip, putting the point more in line with the grip, which aids with effective thrusting. So while there are some problems with the scabbard, the sword itself is a beautiful, well-made, and almost defies criticism.
pros:
-cheaply priced
-comes with a scabbard
-flawless, attractive metal and wood finish (on arrival)
-solid construction
-comes sharp
-distal taper
cons:
-the scabbard scrapes against the guard and can rub off the black finish
-the metal fittings on the scabbard quickly became slightly loose
-the smooth grip can make for an somewhat insecure hold on the weapon (nothing overly problematic though)
other notes:
I’m no expert when it comes to Chinese swords, so this could be poor technique on my part, but what I immediately noticed upon using this sword was that holding it with my hand pushed all the way up against the guard resulted in a bruise quickly forming on the side of my knuckle. I found that making sure there was a gap between my hand and the guard made for a much more comfortable grip.
Roax –
best Dao for the price the best dao i have ever purchased for the price. couldn’t be happier with its weight and balance! much thicker spine than i thought it would have and that makes me super happy about this purchase as other daos i have purchased usually have almost wushu flimsiness even though they are supposed to be “battle ready”
James Whitworth –
Not My Cup of Tea I purchased this sword from KOT and promptly sent it back. The sword itself was well constructed, had good distally tapper, and a sharp edge. However, the sword was not tempered to my liking. Personally I prefer European style swords. As a result I prefer swords that flex a god deal without taking a set. However, this sword being tempered more like historical versions it has more of a tendency to bend rather that flex. I also disliked the wooden handle because it doesn’t provide the best grip. An since the blade is rather heavy compared to other Dao I’ve handled it is a bit hard to handle.
Now don’t get me wrong it’s still a good sword. But I prefer the Hanwei Oxtail Dao.
Gandermail –
Great Sword My sword arrived dull, I contacted TFW and the owner apologized and offered to replace it. I elected to sharpen it myself for the experience. Wonderful company and very well made sword, solid, well balanced, and everything I had hoped for.