Thanks so much!!! Grip makes a world of difference! I was brought up with the extended finger method, like you said it allows for easier control. However, I've never done the trigger finger grip. It's something I've only recently noticed in demonstrations and tournaments, and particularly in wushu and contemporary styles.

@@SifuKuttel Please forgive me for messing up. When I said "trigger grip", I mean to say to extended finger grip. That's the one that's more of a bad habit. The trigger type grip isn't really bad... as long as it stays behind the handguard. It's when it's used to go over the handguard that it's problematic. Again, I understand why people do it, but in the context of actual sword fighting, it's probably not a good idea.

​@@Swordsage I agree with you 100%

@@Swordsage I've been thinking about the grip a lot lately, especially as to how the extended finger grip became the norm for modern swordplay. I feel like there were a number of contributing factors (standardization, exclusive forms practice, and rare dueling or fencing drills if at all) that lead to the use of lighter swords and more emphasis on posture than combat efficacy. I've been lucky to have the opportunity to work with the Han Jian, and I personally feel like the grip keeping the finger behind the guard is the way to go, and I know it'll ruffle a lot of feathers, especially when it comes to teaching in alignment with the federation I belong to... we'll see how it goes 😅

My Sifu will not allow the fingers to be extended beyond the guard at any time.

Merci Sifu! 🙏🙏🙏 Bonnie soirée

I sure do! Later this week actually :D

Thanks! I might have the chance to try the Cloudhammer coming up, which would be cool to see the similarities between the two. When it comes down to this sword from LK Chen, even after my initial review and this video, I am still very much impressed with the sword!!!

@@SifuKuttel good to hear! LK Chen makes some very cool stuff. I didn't catch in the video, what does this weigh? The Cloudhammer one measures 549g in hand

@@KF1 I know you didn't ask me, but screw it I'm answering anyway. He has it stated in the description- Sword only weight: approx. 795 g (1 lb. 12 oz). Kult of Athena seems to think it weighs less @ 1 lb. 10 oz. I'm not sure if yours is so much lighter because of different dimensions or if your jian has those deep double fullers which lighten it up quite a bit. I have one like that and it's a tad on the whippy side, whereas the diamond cross section is much more rigid. Both great, just a slightly different feel. I have handled this sword and was incredibly impressed with everything about it. I sing LK Chen's praises every chance I get. I too ended up with a Cloudhammer though, but that's just because I really wanted to see that S5 shock steel and the dimensions of the one I got was about perfectly a longsword with a long grip (which is what I was originally after, then I saw those Han Jian and was smitten). I got the last one made like that and I know I can go back and get a Flying Phoenix for years to come, if I decide I regret not having one. It is genuinely a master crafted tool of death in its incredibly elegant simplicity. I am going to pick up a Scarlet Sunrise from LK Chen (Kuttel also reviewed) and that one is a diamond cross section with a much more similar weight to what you have from Cloudhammer. It's very rapier-like, so it can cut surprisingly well, but you probably won't be taking anyone's arm off with it unless you are a true master perhaps (and definitely psychotic). I've never seen anyone bother using it on tatami but it executes bottles with ease. It seems to have served a similar purpose to the rapier for the time; a civilian sidearm for aristocracy. Really fascinating how much of these Chinese period weapons mirror similar times in Europe. It shows you there is nothing new, just reinventions of the same thing that worked. For example, supposedly legs evolved and went extinct several times in Earth's history. All existence is full of mystery and wonder. But enough of my bullshit. Best wishes to you.

Ha! That’s very true!!! And if you don’t knock their head off, you leave a really cool looking bruise 😅

I've learned sword in Choy Li Fut kung fu, Yang Tai Chi Chuan, and a little bit of Wudang from the Kuo Chi-Feng lineage. I prefer to practice Wudang sword with this particular sword, it just feels the most natural. Unfortunately I don't know any schools in Belgium, but if you are interested in an online course, I'd suggest checking out Laoshi Scott M. Rodell's program. He's got an entire vault of information that continues to add to every week. www.grtc.org/

Yes, the trigger finger over the guard has become a popular grip for many Wushu practitioners. Since they are not fighting anyone, and wushu swords are not sharp, there's no danger in hooking over the top. Even though I am not a fan of the grip, I find it to be an interesting evolution if you ask me.

@@SifuKuttel thank for your response to my “thoughts”. For many reasons I am a purist as snobby as that sounds especially in the martial arts. I believe then that people should be told exactly what you explained to me. For example One exercise I do is Eight Pieces of Brocade. I happened to watch a person teach it a few weeks ago. She was VERY believable in her video but did the exercises wrong in several parts. It was very upsetting to me because she even said she liked to do some parts her way with out explaining the original. All Gigong is physically done in a very specific way for a very specific effect on the body. The way she taught it was at best a stretch. In all the comments people were saying how wonderful she was etc etc. she didn’t even go into the history of who developed it and why. It was watered down and for real Gigong benefit, useless. Anyway thank you again 🙏

@@johnemmons9087 The same can be said about Tai Chi. There have been generations of deviation to the point that even on the simplest level of being active and mobile is compromised.

Yes I have! Although it is something I rarely post about, I do traditional Lion Dancing so it's not as exciting as the high jongs that you see in competitions today.

@@SifuKuttel that is cool i would like to go and do liondacing but there is no school near whear i live

lkchensword.com/flying-phoenix But take a look around the site if you can, there's a quite a few different swords available. LK tends to release new products all the time!

Thanks sifu!

www.kungfudirect.com www.dragonsports.eu www.tigerclaw.com and for this sword, and more swords like this www.lkchensword.com

@@SifuKuttel Thank you Sifu !

It took a little over a month, but I think it can vary depending on how busy the workshop is. You can always contact them to check on the status of your order, they are very responsive 👍

Not really, I have a couple of digital downloads like Double Daggers Form, and there is a Sword program in the works, but I will eventually have an entire online program for learning kung fu on my website.

That’s awesome! I will definitely order some, thanks for the advice!!!

HA! Very true!!!

Hi 泥菩萨, I understand your skepticism when the review doesn't have many negative things to say. However, there was no exchange for a good review as you are suggesting. I'm sure you've seen many other reviews of LK Chen swords at this point and as well noticed that they are also very positive. I filmed this review after two weeks of working with the sword. Now, it has been almost two months since it arrived and I still use it exclusively. It has held up nicely to a couple hours a day of work, and although now the grip is getting a bit roughed up and faded from friction, oil and sweat, and there's a scuff on the blade from a poorly executed cut, my views on this sword remain the same... It's excellent. I am also pretty sure that saying this has not changed your skepticism, so if you truly want to see if it's as good as everyone's been saying, pick one up for yourself. You can see first hand that it is actually a quality sword.

For posterity (anyone else who may see this in the future and cause them to question), as of the time of this writing, LK Chen's Flying Phoenix is amazing. I pray they maintain the quality to price (ie, value proposition) they currently meet. I purchased full retail (not even a sale or anything) and I was incredibly impressed with the value. I can't give LK Chen enough props.