Hi, this is Dave Baker.
And today we're going to take a look
at some of the most iconic Chinese weapons
seen on "Forged in Fire."
Now, the Chinese culture has a documented history that
goes back thousands of years.
And in those years, they've developed
a wide array of weapons.
So let's take a look at some of the weapons
we've had on "Forged in Fire."
This is the Chinese dao.
The very first Chinese daos were made of bronze and use
during the Shang Dynasty.
The handle of the Chinese dao in combat
was often wrapped in silk.
It was believed to bring luck and bravery to the user.
In martial arts movies, the dao is often depicted as having
this wobbly, flexible tip.
Though flexible, these blades were stout cutting machines.
These are a Chinese favorite of mine, the butterfly swords.
These swords were designed to be carried in one sheath.
They could be drawn and used with one hand.
They could also be offensive or defensive weapons.
The design of the guard on the butterfly sword
has a knuckle bow to protect the hand and the knuckles.
And a rear quillon that allows the sword
to be dropped into a defensive position,
but also defend from another blade.
Nice.
DAVE BAKER: Now, the butterfly swords
were very popular in southern China in the mid 19th century,
when many martial arts forms were built around their use.
As far as short sword design goes,
these give you both an attack and a defense.
Makes for a good blade.
These interesting blades are deerhorn knives.
Designed by the creator of the martial art Baguazhang,
these blades were both defensive and offensive in nature,
consisting of sharpened points and long curved blades
that not only cut and thrust, but protected the hand.
Whoa.
Now, the story is told that the creator of these weapons
was a tax collector, and he use these for personal protection
while collecting taxes for the Chinese emperor.
I think I'd pay my taxes.
This is the Tai Chi sword, the jian, the jian dao,
the scholar's sword---
one of the oldest sword designs in China,
and one of the oldest sword designs
still in use on the planet.
It consists of a long straight, double-edged blade
with a thrusting point, a small guard for the hand,
and a single hand handle.
These blades were designed to be light and fast.
There are many martial arts built around this blade,
the biggest being Tai Chi.
Now, these swords became a status symbol
in the late 19th century and were carried
by educated gentleman often used in self-defense or in dueling,
and that's how they got their name, the scholar's sword.
Now, these nasty looking things are called hook swords.
And usually, these weapons are used
in martial arts demonstrations.
Forms like Wushu often use these, hooking them,
spinning them, and doing forms.
I'm good with that.
The hook sword has a hook that's
sharpened on the outside, a blade sharpened on the inside,
and that crescent which protects the hand is also sharpened.
Then on the back, a point, giving you multiple
places to attack and or defend.
When used together, this pair of weapons
could be used both to hook an opponent as well as attack him.