Overview
Our sharpening service will provide a good serviceable edge on the blade. The result is typically “very sharp” with a small secondary bevel and a bit of an “apple seed” profile. The resulting edge is somewhat dependent on the particular blade. Some blades will take and hold sharper edges than others and the thickness of the blade will determine how wide the bevel will need to be. We adjust the angle of the edge to suit the specific blade and attempt to get as close to a bevel-less edge as possible without marring the surface of the blade.
The Sharpening Process
The sharpening service is done with a belt sander. The process involves many passes with sanding belts of various grits. The blades are rested between passes to prevent them from becoming hot and damaging their temper. By default we will sharpen as much of the blade as possible including any false edges if appropriate. If you have a different preference, feel free to make that request in the special instructions at check out. We can sharpen only the last half or third of an edge, for example. Our sword sharpening expert has personally sharpened several thousand swords at this point, so will provide you with a professional service.
What the Service is Not
The resulting edge will be “sword sharp” not razor sharp. Our goal is to provide you with a usable edge for cutting practice that will hold up to some use and not require constant re-sharpening. In other words, we intend to provide you with a serviceable weapon, not a personal grooming implement. The service will not provide a completely bevel-less edge. To create that type of edge will necessarily scratch up the blade surface and we lack the machinery and time to provide a full re-polishing of a blade’s surface. A service of that nature would be significantly more expensive as a great deal more time would be required. We do not offer this type of service at this time.
Disclaimer
We make no guarantee that the resulting edge will meet with your expectations. Every blade is different and some will take and hold a sharper edge than others, due to the blade material, heat treatment or geometry. Some customers can also have incorrect assumptions about sword sharpness and improper expectations as a result. All we can say for sure is that the resulting edge will be sharper than the default edge, in most cases, significantly so. We can not provide any refunds for the service once it has been completed, so consider it to be provided “as is”. That being said, if you are unhappy with the product for any reason, we do still allow you to return the item for a full refund, including the sharpening costs under our normal return policy. This does not apply to special sharpening requests, for example if we sharpen something specially for you that does not normally list that option on our site. The vast majority of our customers are happy with the results of the service, so as long as you keep the above mentioned in mind, we are confident you will be pleased with the results as well.
miles coleman –
Im surprised no one has reviewed this sword- well here goes! I give this 4 stars. I own many jians most purchased here at the Kult. The closet in price and quality to this Is the Scot Rodel Jian. This has VERY good balance, Sharpness and cutting ability. L.K Chen has been getting a lot of positive press for what they are making. HOWEVER they are getting negative press for things like lack of glue on fittings..fittings falling off poor attention to detail ect. Mine had loose sword fittings I had to re-glue. The blade could have used a bit more polishing- to remove some obvious scuffs and the cast sword fittings had sand inclusions they didnt fully grind/ buff out. If I could take the quality of the Rodel jian and the balance and distal taper of the Gale wind and put them together you would have a phenominal under 400$ sword. I have other JIAN that I like and dislike for various reasons. This is my favorite right now because it feels so “alive” but I have others that look better. Just A bit more attention to detail from L.K would go a long way.
Erik (verified owner) –
I’m giving this sword top marks because of it’s superior handling, excellent tempering and the soundness of it’s assembly.
the Gale Wind is superb to wield, the mass distribution gives it a good weighty feel in the hand but leaves it fast and accurate with a enough weight forward to know where your tip is. Very tight and solid even after multiple sessions of cutting targets of different hardnesses – it has perfect alignment of fittings.
The scabbard is only slightly better than an after thought but keeps the blade ( mine came very sharp) from damaging self and others.
I think at the cost it’s a total deal, really the chance to have a truly good sword. It certainly came without the fancy features and perfect polish that would make it a good wallhanger, but if you’re oriented towards welding your blades and want a historically accurate, thoroughly alive sword – get this one!
N-Fiend –
I shall preface this by pointing out I am not a major collector. Beyond a knock about ebay katana, this is my first high(er) end sword. I bought it directly from the LK Chen website.
My first impression was that this is a very attractive artwork. The wood looks fabulous, the fittings give it a streamlined martial aesthetic. Everything was tight and where it should be. The sword came shaving sharp, which I highly appreciate.. On picking it up, I found it slightly heavier than I expected (due to inexperience). I quickly got used to holding a one handed sword, and I find it extremely well balanced and light weight. The sword wants to move in yr hand; even someone like me who is just starting out with swords/martial arts, the sword moves with a balanced elegance that belays its cutting power.
On the subject of cutting, this thing diced up bottles like a hot knife going thru butter. Even with blows with mediocre edge alignment, the bottles just parted as if hit by a light saber. After dicing thru 10 or so bottles and a ridged cardboard tube, the edge is still sharp enough to shave with.
The blade itself has no secondary bevel; I elected to go with the mono-steel model. It is simply a very beautiful piece of work. Gradual distal taper, a decent amount of spring and a surprisingly penetrative point.
Overall, LK Chen has been a pleasure to communicate with. The customer service was prompt and delightful. They asked me to give my reasons for buying the Gale Wind, and after mentioning that I am into history, and love the idea of having a historical reproduction, KK sent thru a bunch of resources and articles on Ming Jian, including a historical lecture.
Overall this sword is a 10/10 piece, and I would highly recommend LK Chen to anyone interested in a low cost/high quality sword. Honestly, if I saw the Gale Wind for half again its current price, I would still consider it a bargain.
Archades115 (verified owner) –
I received mine sooner than expected. It is much lighter than I expected, but still has some heft to it. The sword and scabbard are both beautiful, good quality. Minor, barely noticable, imperfections from the crafting process, but I rather like that. Modestly sharp, but not frighteningly so. That can be improved myself. It is definitely a solid sword that can endure solid blows, not a cheap display piece. I hope I never have to use it, but I trust I can rely on it should circumstances ever demand it. Truly satisfied.
rayblundell@yahoo.com (verified owner) –
Sence oct. 4th 2022 I have purchased 14 swords all were balaur arms and lk chen swords this lk chen gail wind ming jain came sharper than any of the others and they all came very sharp.My ststes on the sword-gail wind jian are about the same as koa stats.The sword is very well balanced.I just received it today so have only cut various types of water bottles,but it cuts very well.There is a little rust on insige of the guard,and the small threaded portion that the fitting fits over is welded,this should not be a problem due to the handle is glued on also there is a tyoe of pin in the handle.I have a few good jains one from iron tiger forge one from a co. in china also one from the munetoshi swords.This one – the gail wind is my favorite one.I especially like the color of the wrap on the handle and the material the handle is wraped with.Also really like the distal taper lk chen puts on his swords.All in all if tou are looking for a good jian this is the one to buy.Rember only cut water bottles,mats and bamboo,safe cutting Ray Blundell
BrickDBlack (verified owner) –
Excellent sword. This sword is not overly light, but is very well balanced. It cuts excellently. It is solid, and the shape is beautiful. The fit and finish is what you expect from this price range, but nothing effects performance. I highly recommend this sword if you are looking for a jian to cut things with.