Hello. What material was used for this sword's grip? or is that how the grip is suppose to be? Doesn't look like a very comfortable grip if it is. And why is the grip shape like that?

What you are looking at is the Shank.

There's usually an outer grip that goes on it. That's what mines got. I could be wrong.

The grip is usually wood with lather binding to hold the wood together.

thank you for replying. So what is the purpose of having the tang shape like that? Is it so the handle is studier?

Better grip for the metal/wood interface. Stops it from moving too much and gives it a more solid feel.

I couldnt see the image before, so didnt comment. Now I can see it is a Warring States era sword.
The grips are not wood. This sword dates from the 2nd or 3rd century BC and the bind is of cord/silk. This can be fine or coarse. Occasionally these remain visible on the hilt/grip. The examples I have seen on swords of this period are more like silk. Very fine thread.
Here is a diagram.

Other swords from later periods (Han) such as I have examined and are shown in books also suggest fibre like hemp too as binding.
Some early swords have wooden or ivory handles but these are generally either a southern or earlier West Zhou stlye and have a simple tang and no intergral hilt. Diagrams of these can be seen in Y. Hongs text.
The later Zhou styles like this with the intergral hilt are bound in cord, and the distinctive circles on the hilt are likely to help this cord fixture. They are a final form of the East Zhou double edged jian.

Later period swords, and even some of those earlier swords with more simple tang..no doubt had wood hilts attached too, but the binding on these East Zhou swords is observable. It is one of the first things to look for when inspecting a sword. (actually check the picture on nearby thread 'Han sword" posted by Yun. You can see the cord traces).
I will post another example shortly that shows the cord binding imprint.

This is an example from Changsha, in the British Museum, with well-preserved silk binding.



Picture from William Watson, Early Civilization in China (Thames & Hudson 1966).

Wow! That is amazing! I have seen many texts on British museum pieces (most Chinese artefact studies in English draw from this) but have never seen that picture.

The fibre is coarser than those I have seen on swords, but the preservation is excellent and to see the pattern is very exciting. I know, I am sad. It does explain the 'X' pattern that I had seen on these hilts before..
Thanks for the picture!

On this bronze sword (from Yuns thread) the binding is clearest on the bottom picture. I have another in a text I meant to post last night but forgot. I'll add it shortly.
This sword is earlier, a hollow hilt example from 4th century BC aprox.


MY own example at home with fabric on the hilt wouldnt show becuase you need at least 20x magnification to make it out...and it is still unclear. Duncanheads example makes it unnessecary though.

Note to mods; could 'hafting/binding of Zhou era swords' or some such other notation be put in this thread title?
I didnt even notice it for some days since a title 'question' conveys no indication as to the content for a browser of the forum.

I see the X marks in the shank. Wow....

Here are more mineral traces showing fabric binding on a later East Zhou sword. The stlye of the hilt is the same as the British museum example.

Cord binding is also seen on a Han era dao I posted on another thread earlier.
(Allens Authentication of ANcient Chinese Bronzes)

As an example of wood hilts at this time is this iron sword. The sword is very similar to examples found in minature in Jingdi's buried army. There have a simple tang for a wooden hilt to fit on.
This sword is Han, or perhaps Warring States and is around 60-70cm long if memory serves me correctly.
The tracesof wood both on the handle and the balde can be seen here.

Wow very interesting. I haven't checked this thread for a long time. But do any one know if there are any sites out there that has instructions on how to bind jian handles?