LK Chen

"Saxony" is a recreation of a beautiful 16th century German rapier, inspired by the fine collection of German Renaissance Rapier in the New York Metropolitan Museum of Arts and other European museum collections.

This is another exacting recreation that LK Chen has taken on, with with valuable input from experts in the details of its decoration and construction methods such as the braiding of the elaborate "Turkish head" wire knots in the hilt.

Total length: 117.6 cm
Blade length: 102 cm
Hilt length (handle & pommel): 15 cm
Handle length: 10 cm
Cross-guide width: 13.5 cm
Total Weight: 1.25kg
Point of Balance (from the tip of the hilt basket): 7 cm
Point of Balance (from crossbar): 12 cm
Blade thickness: 7 mm
Material: High Carbon Manganese Spring Steel
Scabbard: Yes (wood covered with black leather)

All dimensions are approximate and may vary from piece to piece.

LK Chen Munich Town Guard sword take inspiration from iconic battle sword crafted by the fame German sword maker Wolfgang Stantler. c1600 in the early 17th century, commonly know today as the Munich Town Guard sword. 

The Town guard swords are in essence medieval single-hand arming swords with the addition of protective bars to take the place of the plate gauntlet.  While post-dating the Oakeshott's medieval sword typology, Munich Town Guard typically correspond to Oakeshott Type XV and XVIII blades, balancing cutting and thrusting abilities by starting broad at the guard and tapering dramatically to an acute point.

The Town Guard's thick forte and tang, strong profile and distal taper, complex hilt and wire-bound grip combine to create a lively weapon that also is heavy enough to withstand and excel at use against armored opponents on a crowded battlefield.

Powerful, beautiful but subdued, this is practical sword one can rely on in the battlefield or in any confrontation.

Total length: 102 cm
Blade length: 80 cm
Total Weight: 1.4 kg
Point of Balance (from crossbar): 3 cm
Blade thickness: 6.5-2 mm
Material: High Carbon Manganese Spring Steel
Scabbard: Yes (Black fine top grain leather over wood core)

All dimensions are approximate and may vary from piece to piece.

Inspired by 19th century Persian Shamshir in the New York Metropolitan Museum of Arts. This Persian Shamshir has a beautiful curvature and is light and fast in hand.

Total length: 93 cm
Blade length: 76 cm
Total Weight: 725 g
Point of Balance (from crossbar): 13 cm
Blade thickness: 6-2 mm
Material: High Carbon Manganese Spring Steel
Scabbard: Top grain leather wood core scabbard

All dimensions are approximate and may vary from piece to piece.

Designed by Major-General John Gaspard Le Marchant, the 1796 pattern light cavalry saber was based on Central and Eastern European hussar swords. As a young captain, he observed the clumsy design of the heavy, overly long 1788 Pattern swords. He gave the blade of this saber a pronounced curve, which made it more adept at cavalry attack methods, and designed it with a widened tip that affected the balance, but made slashes far more brutal.

It was issued primarily to British Light Dragoons and Hussars and was also used by the King's German Legion light cavalry during the Napoleonic Wars. The blade profile became so popular that the Prussians and other German states emulated its design throughout the 19th century.

Total length: 94.2 cm
Blade length: 81.5 cm
Total Weight: 926 kg
Point of Balance (from crossbar): 15 cm
Blade thickness: 7.5-1.7 mm
Material: High Carbon Manganese Spring Steel
Scabbard: Yes (Stainless Steel Scabbard with wood lining)

All dimensions are approximate and may vary from piece to piece.

DAMAGE: Rip in the leather grip.
Quantity: 1

The 1860 saber received its name to distinguish it from the larger and heavier Model 1840 Heavy Cavalry Saber that it replaced. Like its predecessor M1840 it had a brass guard, leather-wrapped grip and steel scabbard but unlike the M1840 it was smaller and easier to handle.  M1860s were carried not only by cavalry but also by many infantry and staff officers.

High-ranking officers, often had their swords ornately engraved with gilding and foliage. Famous 1860 saber owner's included Union general George Armstrong Custer and Confederate general J.E.B. Stuart.

Except for a few early German imports, the majority of 1860 sabers were produced in the US, primarily by Ames Manufacturing Company in Chicopee, Massachusetts, a major provider of side arms, swords, light artillery, and heavy ordnance for the Union in the American Civil War, and by firms such as Tiffany and Co in New York and Emerson and Silver in Trenton, New Jersey.

LK Chen US 1860 Cavalry Saber is created after detailed study  of an 1864 Emerson and Silver antique saber.

Total Length: 104 cm
Blade Length: 89 cm
Handle Length: 15 cm
Total weight: 1.2 kg
Material: 60Si2MnA High Carbon Manganese Spring Steel  
Scabbard: Steel

All dimensions are approximate and may vary from piece to piece.

Royal Arsenal Infantry Han Dao is a high fidelity recreation of an Infantry Han Dao. Royal Arsenal has a gem like quality and once you have it in your hand it is difficult to put down. A perfect piece to add to your sword collection.

Total length: 76 cm
Blade length: 61 cm
Handle length: 11.5 cm
Total Weight: 570g
Blade thickness: 7.2-4mm
Material: 1060 carbon steel
Scabbard: Yes (High quality ebony scabbard)

All dimensions are approximate and may vary from piece to piece.

Gale Wind is 1:1 recreation of a classic Ming Dynasty Jian.

Total length: 97 cm
Blade length: 77 cm
Handle length: 15 cm
Total Weight: 1 kg
Point of Balance (from crossbar): 9cm
Blade thickness: 7-2.5 mm
Material: 1060 carbon steel + T8 tungsten-vanadium high-speed tool steel
Scabbard: Yes (Wenge hardwood with stainless steel scabbard mount)

All dimensions are approximate and may vary from piece to piece.

Ribaldo is a recreation of a beautifully proportioned early 15th century Italian sword, one of over 170 bearing inscriptions from the Arsenal of Alexandria in Egypt. The original was sold by Sotheby's in 1979.  This sword is very similar to the one in the Royal Armory collection and likely forged by the same sword maker sometime before 1432. 

"Ribaldo"  is the name of Italian skirmisher troops who would have used this sort of type XIX sword at early 15th century. In art the "Ribaldo" troops are often seen with light armor, a shield and a spear and with this type of arming sword.

The typology of this sword is Oakeshott XIX which was popular during the 15th century. The complex blade features a ricasso, flat hexagonal blade that change to lenticular shape at the tip.   This geometry make Ribaldo a capable cut and thrust sword.

The sword has a very early example of a guard for the forefinger, which was an early step in a series of developments that would lead into increasingly complex hilts of the later 15th century and beyond. By looping the forefinger over the unsharpened ricasso, a user would be better able to align the edge when cutting and also gain a more refined control of the tip. Having the finger in front of the cross-guard would leave it vulnerable on a simple cross-hilted sword, hence the development of the protective hook.

The recreation of this sword is a collaboration between LK Chen and Matt Easton, who offer much valuable guidance and advise, as well as providing the dimensions and specifications of the original Italian sword.

Total length: 110 cm
Blade length: 93 cm
Handle length: 17 cm
Total Weight: 970g
Point of Balance (from crossbar): 20 cm
Blade thickness: 5 mm
Material: High Carbon Manganese Spring Steel 
Scabbard: Ash wood wrapped Oxblood Oiled-Waxed fine top grain leather

All dimensions are approximate and may vary from piece to piece.

The 1860 saber received its name to distinguish it from the larger and heavier Model 1840 Heavy Cavalry Saber that it replaced. Like its predecessor M1840 it had a brass guard, leather-wrapped grip and steel scabbard but unlike the M1840 it was smaller and easier to handle.  M1860s were carried not only by cavalry but also by many infantry and staff officers.

High-ranking officers, often had their swords ornately engraved with gilding and foliage. Famous 1860 saber owner's included Union general George Armstrong Custer and Confederate general J.E.B. Stuart.

Except for a few early German imports, the majority of 1860 sabers were produced in the US, primarily by Ames Manufacturing Company in Chicopee, Massachusetts, a major provider of side arms, swords, light artillery, and heavy ordnance for the Union in the American Civil War, and by firms such as Tiffany and Co in New York and Emerson and Silver in Trenton, New Jersey.

LK Chen US 1860 Cavalry Saber is created after detailed study  of an 1864 Emerson and Silver antique saber.

Total Length: 104 cm
Blade Length: 89 cm
Handle Length: 15 cm
Total weight: 1.2 kg
Material: 60Si2MnA High Carbon Manganese Spring Steel
Scabbard: Steel

All dimensions are approximate and may vary from piece to piece.