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Ras Kune Do Wing Chun Butterfly Swords (Collector's Series)
(a.k.a. Wing Chun Butterfly Knives, Bart Jarm Do, Bot Jaam Dao, Hudiedao)
The Ras Kune Do Butterfly Swords are a very limited 1st edition collector's item (only 4 available) commissioned by Sifu David Rasko. Almost 2 years went into the detailed design of this sword. They are beautiful and very comfortable 12" choppers with a trapping quillon... (read more below).
Specific Specs For This Sword:
For more info please read our blog post: Everything Wing Chun Butterfly Swords Guide
Series: Sifu Series. The Sifu series are unique designs and/or fine quality weapons.
Blade Style: Chopper Blade
Blade Length: 12 inches (31 cm)
Blade Steel: High-Quality 440C
Blade Grind: Hollow-Grind
Blade Sharpness: Sharp
Blade Finish: Glossy
Blade Ricasso/Choil: These swords have a Ricasso.
Blade Fuller: These swords have fully functional fullers (blood groove).
Blade Tapers: These swords have profile and distal tapes for improved function and balance.
Tang: Full Hidden Tang
D-Guard Metal: AISI 304 Stainless Steel.
Knuckle-Bow: Custom Design
Handle Material: Wood Grain Phenolic (Micarta™ type material)
Handle Angle/Alignment: Straight Handle. Aligned to tip and spine.
Handle Shape: Straight Bellied Ergonomic.
Handle Type: Full Handles
Flipping vs Trapping: Trapping Only.
Sword Measurements: 17 inches overall (43.5cm)
Sword Weight: approx 1kg (2 lbs each)
Design: Modell Design, LLC / David Rasko
Forge Master: K. Ali
Notes: These swords are hand-made. No two swords are perfectly identical. Small variations in the measurements are typical. Please read #2 under "Things you should know" and "Not Product Defects" under the warranty for more information.
Case/Sheath: A free sheath will be provided for these swords. Sheaths are offered as free gifts and are given to you "as-is". Blades that are sharp come with a leather sheath that have a nylon interior. Blunt blades come with a nylon sheath. One should not store swords in leather sheaths long term because the chemicals in leather can corrode/tarnish metal. IMPORTANT: Some of the leather sheathes have a metal rivet on the inside that can scratch the blades. The sheath maker considers the exposed shiny rivet head normal construction. We don't. The fix is to put a piece of Gorilla Tape over the rivet - please do this.
General Product Information, From Sifu Rasko:
Here are a few notes on these blades:
1) D-Guard. The D Guard is heavy duty, designed so that you can defend or attack with every part of it (and protect your hand). It is superior in design to the historical precedents in that it uses AISI 304 stainless steel, a far more durable material, rather than primitive iron, brass or the lower quality Chinese steels available historically. The quillon is specialized for trapping and represents the culmination of decades of martial arts experience and years of research and expensive research and development by EWC and Modell Design LLC, the top purveyor of high quality Wing Chun Butterfly Swords and foremost international Butterfly Sword design shop (recognized in Wing Chun Illustrated), respectively. Not only is the architecture outstanding for trapping an opposing weapon and the post heavily strengthened on the assumption the opposing weapon is real, the quillon tip is solid enough for serious eye gouging. Note the thickness and curved profile of the knucklebow that protects the hand. These two factors make it extremely strong and capable of surviving heavy impacts that would crush historical precedents as well as great for bashing. Further, note how the knucklebow skims comfortably outside the hand without surplus space. That minimal profile, characteristic of the popular Ku Sang design, reduces the odds of an accidental intersect between the knucklebow and an opponent's weapon. The edges of the knucklebow are rounded both to protect the user's hand and to minimize surplus weight while maximizing structural integrity. Finally, there is a healthy pommel capable of punching or bashing as opposed to the weak, thin traditional historical design.
2) The handle is a straight handle appealing to traditionalists and experts trained on straight handles. It is ergonomic for better comfort, lower fatigue and improved retention. The fat point is moved forward cola bottle fashion so that it fits the curvature of the hand rather than centered as with the typical jian style handle. It is a modern commando knife style handle adapted for a much larger weapon.
3) Blade style: These are chopper style blades optimized for slicing and chopping. They represent years of thought by Wing Chun expert Sifu Rasko and are his personal design. The mild forward rake of the cutting edge increases its length (more linear cutting edge) and improves the "bite" on chops and slices. Blades feature true fullers on each side, reducing weight while maintaining structural integrity, not the cheap shallow cosmetic "blood groves" seen on most Chinese Butterfly Swords.
4) Many RKD blade models have a wide hollow grind, a feature commonly requested on full custom Butterfly Swords costing $3,500 and up per pair. These grinds, expertly done at the Iron Man Steel forge (who produced the famous Wing Chun Integral Knives), make the swords look deadly sharp even if the edges are true blunts. Hollow grind weapons are intended for individual practice or blade on flesh. Lenticular (convex) ground edges have more edge support but without question lack the aesthetic appeal.
5) Blade steel: The blade steel is imported high quality Bohler steel, professionally tempered to a weapon's grade that balances the need for hardness with the need for resilience.
6) There is a full tang for maximum strength; it runs the entire width and length of the handle. This is a much stronger tang than the historical combat proven hidden tang. Further, the D Guard is connected to the blade via industrial grade welding which is a far stronger joining than the historical method of peening at the butt.
7) The handle scales are an extraordinarily beautiful wood grain phenolic (micarta™ type material), with a gloss finish that is comfortable to grip and facilitates retention by the naked hand. The scales are glued and triple-pinned to the full tang.
8) Blade and D guard are an outstanding high gloss finish that you just don't see on swords in this price range outside of products from the same design/limited production team.
9) Fit and finish - speak for themselves. Puts these weapons in a whole different class from the brand X competitors.
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