What steel grades are used in the Chinese tang sword collection?
Updated Feb 2026
Chinese tang sword collectibles in this collection are built from steel grades appropriate to the specific requirements of each blade format. 1045 carbon steel appears in dao broadsword configurations as the reliable foundational grade for medium-weight Chinese cutting blades. 1095 carbon steel is used in the Han dynasty jian straight sword configuration - the higher carbon content is particularly appropriate for the jian's specific balance requirements, where the double-edged straight blade benefits from the stiffness and hardness that the elevated carbon content provides. Manganese Steel appears in both the Chinese dao broadsword and the overlord spear configurations, delivering the exceptional surface hardness appropriate for the largest and heaviest pieces in the collection. Spring steel - typically 65Mn manganese spring steel - provides excellent flexibility alongside good hardness in sword formats that require resilience under handling. Full-tang construction is confirmed across the collection with mekugi or equivalent retention systems appropriate to each Chinese sword format's handle construction standards.