Help me tell what's wrong with this weapon?

**PatrickLB** · Posted On: 3/31/2012 3:54pm

Okay, entirely unsure where to post this, saw the weapon forum but it seemed to be mostly about guns or big military knives.

Sometimes ago, I bought a Chinese Broadsword, one specifically to do forms I believe so it's very thin and very flexible.

Now here's my problem, the end is kind of curved, I always assumed it was because at the end the sword became so thin but I just want to make sure.

Another problem is it has weird smudges over the blade, unsure if it's the metal or factory oil or what but I can't find a way to remove it at all.

The smudges are actually more brown-ish looking, as if someone tried to cut dirt with it, the lighting in the picture is just kind of bad.

**vaquero de las nalgas** · Posted On: 3/31/2012 11:58pm

You might ask on the CMA forum under the heading Traditional forums. My experience is solely with Japanese swords so I can't really comment on this.

**csharp.negative** · Posted On: 4/01/2012 12:24am

The handle is pink.

Who the heck gets a broadsword with a pink handle.

**P Marsh** · Posted On: 4/01/2012 12:31am

Originally Posted by csharp.negative

The handle is pink.

Who the heck gets a broadsword with a pink handle.

Only the manliest of men.

**PatrickLB** · Posted On: 4/01/2012 1:22am

Originally Posted by csharp.negative

The handle is pink.

Who the heck gets a broadsword with a pink handle.

Only the manliest of men.

The handle is actually red, just probably looks slightly pink due to lighting.

Originally Posted by vaquero de las nalgas

You might ask on the CMA forum under the heading Traditional forums. My experience is solely with Japanese swords so I can't really comment on this.

Thank you for this, I'll go ask over there.

**ben1g** · Posted On: 4/01/2012 6:52am

The bend is because you've left it lying around like in the first picture. Try a Scotchbrite pad and a polishing cloth to remove the tarnish.

**Eddie Hardon** · Posted On: 4/01/2012 9:27am

Where's the Red Tassel? It should be fixed into the eye-let at the end of the handle.

For some observers it looks quite pretty but really its purpose is to trick the opponent to watch it rather than the blade...deception....:-)

**Mr. Nice Guy** · Posted On: 4/01/2012 9:57am

It's OK, some ladies like 'em when there's a bend in it...

**Rene "Zendokan" Gysenbergs** · Posted On: 4/01/2012 10:10am

It's made of cheap-ass AS400 steel (a.k.a. S420M steel alloy), which is used in the metalshops of high schools so that students can learn how to use milling machines, turning lathes and so on.
I've worked with that "steel" for 5 years in high school.

Don't use the broadsword for any cutting, just form and/or wall hanger.

The brown spots are corrosion of the iron in the steel alloy, the only thing that you can do is to get it mechanical polist out of the metal, than apply at all time a layer of oil OR paint it with an anti-rust primer and then some grey/metal paint.

The bend in it can be that it got stuck in a pile of broadswords made in Africa or Afghanistan or that the previous owner used it to chop something with, what wasn't the best idea considering the material it is made of.
It can get straighted in a metalshop by hammering it with a brass hamer.

Hope that this was informative enough.