Ryan's Journal

Reason #625 to like New York: BLT Martial Arts supply store, on Mulberry between Canal and Bayard in Chinatown. They sell swords.

I stepped off the artifically cool bus into a steamy, sun-baked New York Chinatown with no particular aim in mind. Moving north, I soon discovered the aptly named Light(ing?) District as I wandered up Bowery, pondering what kind of population could sustain so many blocks of stores that sell only light fixtures. As the bulk of the district began to thin out, I glanced to my left and was surprised to see a martial arts supply store, something new in my experience. As I stepped out of the bright afternoon into a dimly lit (and unsurprisingly so) store, I noted all the beautiful weapons in their large display cases. As I explored, I began to notice a bent towards Japanese weaponry and a distinct lack of Chinese flavor. The helpful clerks pointed me back towards Chinatown after trying to locate a long sword in their merchandise.

I lingered a little longer in the cooled environment, a stereotypical suburbanite marvelling at the wonders a crowded, angry city can produce. Stepping into the heat once again, I made my way ten blocks south, a walk the clerks estimated at five to ten minutes. Why does everybody in this city seem to think walking is such a hurried endeavor? I guess I've slowed down over the past couple years despite the pressuring of New England to rush, run, and be frazzled.

My excitement built as I consulted the man behind the counter in this next store, familiarly cluttered like all Chinese shops around the world seem to sprawl themselves. Here they had double-edged long swords. Here they had exactly what I was looking for though I hadn't been searching. I love it when that happens.

My new toy is a training sword, made out of unsharpened, highly flexible spring steel. Thus I can tap its edge on my arm without doing any damage (to me; skin oils are probably no good for the steel). The blade is 28" long. Thrusting it correctly produces a satsifying snapping sound due to the steel's flexilibity; incorrectly produces a sad wobbling. The vendor claimed it says "Beijing spring steel" on the scabbard in a rather uninspired attempt at aesthetics.

It is far cheaper than any training weapons I found online. The sword, the bus fare, and all the food I paid for combined cost less than purchasing a sword through an online vendor. New York, New York.