CHEDING, TAIWAN — The sword maker inserts an 18-inch shaft of metal into his red-hot kiln. Then he adds his special ingredient: a human thighbone. The bone, says Kuo Chang-hsi, is supposed to purify ...

CHE DING, TaiwanCHE DING, Taiwan — The sword-maker inserts an 18-inch shaft of metal into his red-hot kiln. Then he adds his special ingredient: a human thighbone. The bone, says Kuo Chang-hsi, is ...

As an armorer, sword maker and founder of the Golden Gate School of Arms in San Rafael in 2014, Instructor At Arms Benjamin Bowles’ life passion is to preserve the history of classical fencing while ...