Paul Chen / Hanwei Weapons

Photograph courtesy of Ayer Edwards Sensei, Shodan (1st. Degree Black Belt)

My students and I have purchased three of the "practical katana", or "PK" style swords from Swords.com around 1999. This sword produced by Hanwei/CAS Iberia has several flaws, yet is a good value for the asking price. The tsuka (hilt) is made of wood with simulated plastic same (ray skin) and the mekugi (peg) is glued in. The mekugi ana (peg hole) had been drilled at an angle so that both ends of the mekugi could be seen in between the tsuka ito (handle wrapping).

When I removed the well - made hardwood handle, (I had to completely destroy it, as it was glued on) I found that the original mekugi ana (peg hole) had been soldered shut, and an extra length of metal welded on to make the nakago longer. The nakago also angled down about 3 degrees from the original curvature.

I have since made a longer tsuka for it.

I normally train hard with a Japanese style sword until the tsuka ito (handle wrapping) packs down, and then remove the handle and make one out of hardwood.

Unlike the stainless steel replicas with a fake yakiba (flame edge) etched into it with acid, this model has a real hamon (edge badge). The shallow sori (curvature) is a lot like the Bizen sword style.

I hear that the hardness of the ha (edge) is in the 60's on the Rockwell scale with the spine in the 40's. I am very concerned that this makes the blade too brittle and too soft. It cuts very well so far.

The Paul Chen line has steadily made more and more improvements through the years. Other PK's I've made tsuka for have a very good nakago (tang).  I have since learned this blade is known as a "Generation 1".