Ryujin 1060 Carbon Steel Yong Lo Sword
SOLD OUT
Amazing Value - Fully Functional Hand Forged 1060 Carbon Steel Blade and Ornate Brass Plated Fittings and one heck of a meaty, powerful double fullered blade.
The most affordable version of this unique fully functional replica of this unique Ming Dynasty Sword just got even cheaper!
This is the same sword that many unscrupulous vendors try to pass off as much more expensive than it actually is, simply because it looks like it SHOULD be expensive and because they can get away with it.. But as you all know by now, that is not the SBG way..
The blade is forged from solid 1060 monotempered carbon steel for strength and durability, while the fittings are heavy brass plated castings over wood core hilt and scabbard, and is highly intricate and well defined. And the best part is,the weight - at only 2.8lbs this is one of the lightest versions of the historical Yong Lo sword and closest to how the original would have handled.
No matter which way you look at it, this is an amazing deal on one of the most iconic Ming Dynasty Swords ever made.
Click here to read more about Yong Lo swords, including the backstory on how we came to offer this particular version or HERE for a quick review from one of our customers who purchased it when it first came out at SBG.
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Featured positive reviews:
When reviewing a weapon I find it helpful to start with the price-point and function first, then determine the ratings based on what I see versus reasonable expectations for a product in this category, even if the rater's personal preferences are very different. This is helpful for rating anything, BTW, from craft beer to products on Amazon..... (Ex. Just because someone doesn't like stouts, that doesn't mean they should rate every stout poorly; it should be rated as compared to expectations for stouts in that price-point.)
In this case the $180 dollar price is modest, so you'd expect to see a couple of corners cut but generally good quality steel and design for example. SBG obviously is going for both cutting functionality AND artistic beauty, so both have to be considered. The following ratings would be significantly different if the price-point was the original $600 range or if it was an unsharpened historical art piece, as the expectations would be very different in either case. So, enough prologue:
Appearance (4.9 out of 5)
Pros: Beautiful blade, expertly made, sharp edges, very unique eight sided (octagonal?) blade geometry, visually pleasing colors and textures, non-cartoonish dragon head handle, stunning scabbard
Cons: Faux leather on scabbard could be more realistic (or could just use real leather....)
Functionality
Pros: Nimble despite weight and density, could be wielded one or two-handed (a dragon bastard?), could do serious damage to unarmored (limb severing) or armored (concussive force) foes alike.
Cons: Not dry-shaving sharp, understandably blade heavy when wielded in single hand
Bottom Line (5 out of 5)
I do not have a particular affinity for Chinese or ornate swords generally, but this is the exception that proves the level of quality on display. Everything from the weight to the cross-sectional geometry to the feel of the brass is spot on. The faithful representation of a historic weapon is impressive. It is a piece of art that I will gladly pass this on to my son when he is of age, which is the highest compliment possible in regard to craftsmanship. The affordable cost only multiplies these positive factors.
This is truly an ancestral sword.
