COLD STEEL Battle Gim Sword - ΣΠΑΘΙ (88FG)

While researching traditional Chinese weapons near Shanghai, Cold Steel® visited a distinguished collector who had an ancient Wu Jian or Battle Gim. Its appearance and martial spirit were so unique and impressive that it warranted being reproduced for Cold Steel®'s customers.

The Battle Gim is forged from Cold Steel®'s finest Damascus steel by talented smiths. It features a broad symmetrical point and a slightly wider, heavier blade than custom would dictate. This gives it a more pronounced blade-heavy balance, making its twin razor-sharp edges slightly more suitable for cutting and slashing than for thrusting.

The attractive wooden hilt is framed by a blackened iron guard and pommel embellished with an intricate filigree of traditional Chinese peony flowers and leaves. The matching wooden scabbard is styled in a similar fashion on its chape, throat and ring mounts.

Damascus Steel
The terms Damascus steel, damascene or pattern welded designate a compound steel forged out of two or more different types of steel. It is named after its birthplace, the Syrian city of Damascus, a former stronghold of the patterned steel production. As a common practice, a harder high carbon steel and a milder low carbon steel are repeatedly forge welded and folded together. The high carbon steel ensures a higher hardness, a better temperability and longer lasting edge retention, whereas the milder steel confers greater blade flexibility and tensile strength. This procedure, which arose in a time where steel qualities were often low and inconsistent, enables to combine the positive attributes of the various steel grades. Besides, the different shadings generated by the varying carbon content of the alternating layers engender strikingly beautiful patterns. Undoubtedly, these unusual patterns partly explain why inherent magical properties were attributed to the Damascus steel blades of the Middle Ages.

Details:
- Material: Damascus steel
- Overall length: approx. 94 cm
- Blade length: approx. 76.2 cm
- Blade thickness: approx. 6 mm
- Handle: approx. 17.8 cm long, wood w/ blackened iron guard & pommel
- Weight: approx. 1106 g
- Incl. wooden scabbard w/ blackened iron fittings
- Cold Steel® Product No.: 88FG