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Often times fans write in and report that after swinging their Marto Sword of the Dragon around, that they experiencing a
rattling noise inside the handle. This article discusses the construction
of such a sword in contrast with the construction of an authentic
Japanese-style sword.Western Tangs vs. Japanese Tangs One of the greatest differences between replica Japanese-style swords and real Japanese swords is the shape of the tang. The difference can be night and day. Replica tangs result in swords that can easily break, which an further cause injuries to those around you. Unfortunately, many replica swords are marketed improperly as "full tangs." Let's examine what the tangs look like within the handle.
The diagram above shows you illustrates the unfortunate difference between the tangs of traditional Japanese swords and that of the Spanish-made Sword of the Dragon. The Japanese sword tang is typically shaped like, well, a banana, and is fairly contiguous with the katana blade, in both thickness, width and curvature. This is ideal for maneuvering, impact absorption, weight and balance. The unfortunate thing about replica swords - be it European or otherwise - is the use of tangs that are as thin as chopsticks. Even if there is a thicker tang involved, it may only be a few inches long, and the remainder is still a mascara-pencil-thin tail with threading on the end. In the case of the Sword of the Dragon, I believe the tang is shaped as shown in the above diagram, which, basically, is very poor for the sword structurally. In metal versions of this sword, the tang slips through the handle, and is secured on the dragonhead end by means of a hexagonal nut. The head then slips onto the end. In the plastic/ivorite version, there may be a steel jacket involved, which is encased in the ivory-colored plastic.
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If the sword is rattling, chances are that the threaded end of the tang (near the dragon head) broke from its place. If you feel rattling near the dragon's neck, then that's the securing point. If not, and feel the rattling in the middle of the handle, then the tang broke in the middle of the handle - which is hard to imagine, but possible. There is no way of really repairing such a sword. I'd recommend that you purchase one from any of our fine HSG-Certified approved sword businesses. Another problem with these swords, again, is the way they are marketed. Let's say the Sword of the Dragon really had, say, a rectangular four or five inch tang. A rat tail is still required to guide the tang through the handle to reach out the other end, totallying 10 inches. Though the tang may be five inches, this is sometimes marketed as a "full tang". The Western market - especially in America, favors full tangs over partial tangs. Believe it or not, traditional Japanese swords seldom had "full tangs" in compliance with this line of thinking. Their tangs were well constructed, and generally were around the 5"-7" range. The handles were made of honoki wood, and the wood and the tangs were such a good fit that the handle ended up functioning as an integral and contiguous part of the tang. Remember that the Marto sword - while being the real Sword of the Dragon (versus all those Taiwanese fakes out there) - was made as a wall-hanger and not as a real sword. Don't use it like a real sword and behead trees. There is no sword on the market that looks like a Highlander sword and is made that tough, short of spending US$6,000. And no Japanese sword is indestructable like in Hollywood movies - that's all silver screen fiction. However, there are swords that can really take a beating because they were made right. Visit our other sword articles for something that may interest or inspire you farther!
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