Guan dao

[Ben Fisher]

I'm interested in picking up the guan dao as a supplement to my training/workout... I got some basic training in it years ago, but in looking around, I have a few questions:

Anyone ever tried to make one? I'm thinking rebar will make it heavy enough for my purpose, since the only one I can find currently which is heavy enough is $500, buying is out for now.

Anyone know where I can buy an inexpensive training guan dao, at least 25#? Or know of an easy substitute?

My exposure is through Chen taiji, any other system I should look at for inspiration?

Thanks!

[Lu da]

I bought mine in 99 for $250. The shaft is a painted steel pipe with threads(a nut or two?) welded inside one end. The blade is just one big heavy piece of metal with threads from a bolt (3 inches wort, 5/8" bolt) arc welded on to the bottom of it. It's very simple and very very effective. It comes apart for easy transportation in the car but stays together through long periods of violent swinging and stabbing. The spear point is very simple, a couple triangular pieces of steel welded in to a plus shape (giving it 4 edges) and then welded on to the bottom. All told it's very simple and very easy yet well done and long lasting. I'm sure the cost has gone up since then but even $500 is worth it for a tool that will last a lifetime.

Building it yourself should be no problem if you have access to metal working tools. Even if you don't you could probably take the metal and detailed designs to a metal or even autoshop and they'd do it for $100 or less. It's not tough. Just cut out the metal and maybe 5 welds. You can get most of the stuff at a home improvement store though you'll find better steel at a store that just sells steel.

If you want I can email you some pictures of mine or if you give me an idea of how to do it I can post the here.

[Ben Fisher]

That sounds perfect. Don't know how photos work, but pretty sure you can attach them to a private message.

Incidentally the one I found online is http://www.wle.com/products/WGL320.html

I agree 500 isn't bad, it is just too much for me right now.