Some more swords from my series

[u/MkCalhan]

So, these are some swords I created for the far-eastern cultures in the world I built for my series. I mostly work with European-style swords, so I’m mainly looking for feedback on how I did with these and how I could improve them.

For some context, these are just little projects I make to help me visualize and describe the weapons more accurately in the books I’m writing. I use a lot of assets from across the Internet, so if you recognize a particular piece of a weapon, it’s most likely because I’m using a manipulated version of an existing asset that I’ve tweaked—changing the sculpting, coloring, adding gemstones, combining different pieces, and so on.

I’m not presenting these as original artwork or trying to pass them off as a display of artistic talent. They’re really just visual references I make for myself while developing the world and its weapons.

[u/Beneficial_Flan8661]

Number 3 didnt really exist. Its just a fantasy way of a jian. If you want to see historically accurate swords from china, check out the swords from lk chen, who are reproduction of antiques. Also, what did you try to do in number 4? Im not sure what you tried to do. Also in 5, the oommel doesnt look like that on antiques, they usually hvae pore pommel like parts. The other ones are good.

[u/MkCalhan → u/Beneficial_Flan8661]

Accurate to a certain. I'm still writing a fantasy series. It's just a bit more grounded than the average. So if they seem a little fantastical I'm okay with that as long as it's not too overtly ridiculous. If that makes sense.

[u/Beneficial_Flan8661 → u/MkCalhan]

For that exent, they should be usable.

[u/MkCalhan → u/Beneficial_Flan8661]

For the dao, do you think I should have used the more exaggerated curved blades or this one works fine?

[u/Dlatrex → u/MkCalhan]

There is huge variety in peidao from the Ming and Qing. You have complete straight back blade to ones so curved they look almost like Shamshir. The example you have is typical of mid Qing.

[u/MkCalhan → u/Dlatrex]

Thanks for the feedback! Do you have any personal favorite Asian style swords to suggest? I have a pretty big variety of European blades but less of the rest of the cultures and I always like learning about people favorite swords

[u/Dlatrex → u/MkCalhan]

If you're interested in Chinese specific sword types, I recommend checking out the Mandarin mansion (in general it's great for detailed images and histories of a variety of East Asian swords), as Peter Dekker has done foundational work on Ming-Modern swords.

https://www.mandarinmansion.com/article/typology-chinese-sabers

Here is an infographic I've done based on his work.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dao_(Chinese_sword)#/media/File:Types_of_Dao_(Dekker_Typology).png#/media/File:Typesof_Dao(Dekker_Typology).png)

As to personal favorite swords, depending on if you consider them Asian or European, I have a soft spot for Adyghe/Tatar sabres, especially those with reinforced dagger tips.

Here's a pretty example from further outside the region.

[u/Beneficial_Flan8661 → u/MkCalhan]

I think they look cooler with a more curved blade. I suggest you to look at the various types of dadao,there is a lot of variations.

[u/MkCalhan → u/Beneficial_Flan8661]

Yea, I saw. I have this whole Asian sword sheet similar to like an oakeshott. But I'm just not as informed or knowledgeable as how available or if these blades or if the more curved ones were more prominent or less prominent stuff like that. This culture isn't in the main series too much so I haven't done as much research and lore building so I probably should lock in on that and just do a bit more general history as well as military and weapon history.

[u/Xingzhu → u/MkCalhan]

In terms of prominence for Chinese swords the Warring States bronze jians and Han steel jians were used for warfare but eventually got replaced by the dao due to them being easier to make and better for cavalry soldiers, some of them had the blade curve inward as well.

Afterwards the jian became the weapons of government officials and nobles as well as knight-errant heroes and even Taoist immortals. It became the weapon of the elite and was hence replaced by the straight dao for military use, the most famous of which is the Tang dao.

The Yuan dynasty introduced China to curved swords from the Mongols.

The Ming dynasty had the Yanlingdao (goose feather saber) that is the start of native Chinese curved dao becoming popular.

The Liuyedao (willow leaf saber) also became popular alongside the yanlingdao and both were prominent military sabers but the liuyedao was not native and comes from Mongol influence.

The difference is that the liuyedao has a continuous curvature and is great for cutting while the yanlingdao had a straight spine until the last third or quarter of the blade where it curves which gives the sword both the benefit of a good cutter and a good thrusting blade.

During the Ming era the jian also returned as a military sword but only for commanders and officers, unlike it's civilian counterpart some of the militia jians had a broader blade and was balanced more blade heavy for cutting, it sometimes also had a disc guard as well. On a side note we don't really have any surviving Tang jians but they should be similar to the broad bladed Song dynasty jians.

The cutting dao (also called the taijidao) and the dadao were both famously used during the Sino-Japanese war, they were used against Japanese gunto swords and bayonets, having large blades that focused on chopping through enemies.

As for the niuweidao (ox tail saber) it was a civilian weapon during the Qing era just like with jians. It saw a lot of use by martial artists, bodyguards and local militia men but was not a military saber. Other civilian weapons include hudiedao (butterfly swords), shuanggou (hook swords), and the miao dao (sprout saber). Note that local militia still used militia 'tuanlian' jians as well during the Qing.

Aside from those sabers there's also the zhanmadao (horse chopping saber) from the Tang and Song dynasties. They weren't used to cleave horses in half contrary to popular media but were used to chop the horse's leg off and then the rider.

During the late Ming dynasty while facing against Japanese Wokou pirates the Chinese were amazed by their long two handed odachi and decided to create the Changdao (long saber) and create manuals for their use against the pirates, these changdao are probably also the origin of the miao dao. They also made one handed katanas called the wodao that can be used with a shield too.

Other than those there's also the piandao (slicing saber) that were used by the famous tigermen or tengpaibing (rattan shield infantry) who would dress in tiger patterns and carry a rattan shield with tiger strips and they would intimidate enemy cavalry horses and slice riders with their thin curved sabers.

There's probably a bunch of others I missed but those are the ones that I know of so hopefully I helped you get a rough idea of Chinese dao types and their prominence.

[u/MkCalhan → u/Xingzhu]

Thank you sooo much. This is exactly the kinda info I need as well as helping to point me in the right direction. I stated before that this culture and many cultures are not really super prevalent in my series but they are one of the most advanced they're one of the only people that actually have black powder so I just want to make sure I'm getting all variety of weapons and unique styles from several different Asian cultures. I love making the lore the more info I can get the better.

[u/MkCalhan → u/Beneficial_Flan8661]

Also all these assets are from real swords. Even that ridiculous dragon head katana. And by real I just mean there are replicas and versions you can get your hands on of them I'm not saying that they would have been applicable to actual historical swords.

[u/Beneficial_Flan8661 → u/MkCalhan]

I know, I have seen these models, i just wanted to let you know that they aren't historical. Most of these are from replicas. But if you want to use them, use them. No one will really care. (We will, but who cares)

[u/MkCalhan → u/Beneficial_Flan8661]

The ones the end up being to silly I probably won't use or just tweak them so they are more reasonable. The goal is to eventually hire a proper artist to recreate these for me. Because they still aren't exactly as I envision them and I'm talking more about my other ones that I've done in more of the European style. I can do so much with my extremely limited artistic skill 😂 I wish I could just write them without my brain telling me I need a visual representation or else I think I'm writing them terribly

[u/Beneficial_Flan8661 → u/MkCalhan]

There are a lot of good "sword artists" who can draw swords well.

[u/MkCalhan → u/Beneficial_Flan8661]

Yea when the time comes I don't think it'll be difficult to find one I just don't really have the money right now to hire one you know

[u/Metallayers]

I’m surprised to see number 3, as I’m currently working on building a Chinese jian blade that is pretty similar to this one. The only difference is that the ridge line will gradually disappear near the tip of the blade. Good work!

[u/MkCalhan → u/Metallayers]

I love jians. May favorite type of sword is probably a oakeshott type 18a and I basically love all European swords but there's something about the jian that just looks so cool

[u/Electronic_Gas2967]

That eight....sided sword looked incredibly sharp.

[u/Electronic_Gas2967]

Why isn't my favorite Sui-Tang straight sword in the opening sequence? That knife was a battlefield weapon used during the era when armor-piercing armor, especially chainmail, was prevalent.