The name Paul Chen and Hanwei has been widely known in the sword industry for many years now. Paul Chen, whose Chinese name, 'Chen Chao-Po' means, “morning wave”, is the founder of the Hanwei sword-making company that is currently based in Dalian, China.  

Paul Chen grew up in Taiwan and had been fascinated with swords ever since he was a child. He began making swords at the early age of eight, wishing to add more swords to his antique sword collection which was mostly given by his grandfather. This desire eventually turned into a passion for sword-making as he began to do custom work himself, partly out of frustration of not being able to afford fine quality swords. Later on, this passion grew and led him to Dalian, China where he started out his own sword manufacturing business.

Known for its high-quality swords, top-of-the class authenticity, and affordable pricing schemes, Paul Chen swords are now very much sought-after by sword enthusiasts, martial artists, and sword collectors.

In 1991, He chose a handful of the finest craftsmen in town and formed his own team of highly skilled sword smiths.After two years of making knives for other companies, Chen decided to take a major leap in his sword making career and formed his own company – the Dalian Hanwei Metal Co. Ltd., or simply Hanwei.

Its humble beginnings were with Samurai swords, which have remained widely sought until the present day. The company maintains a Samurai sword restoration facility where many old and damaged swords have been restored into its original beauty and uncompromised fit. This has provided the company greater knowledge about swords and further enhanced the techniques used in creating beautiful and functional swords.

Until now, every sword made by Hanwei is a learning process and each one gives insight on how to improve the next sword. This reflects Chen’s unceasing passion for sword excellence as he continues to find ways on how to further increase the beauty and strength of his swords.

In the middle of the 90’s, Chen decided to take another step forward and began to introduce European-style swords into Hanwei’s line of swords. This move proved to be a success as his clientele grew to cover areas around the world, particularly the sword collectors. At the same time, Hanwei also expanded its operations in its line of knives which also carries a rich history of culture.

The company got its much needed space in 2002, when it was finally able to move into a bigger facility. With over 300 highly-trained employees, Hanwei continues to produce finely-crafted swords using a combination of the traditional forging techniques as well as modern metallurgy. Its swords are initially polished using a machine but its final polishing is done by hand. Most of the work is actually carried out the traditional way using hammers and anvils.

Although Paul Chen have faced numerous criticisms from various sword enthusiasts, he do not let these stop him from pursuing his goal. He continuously strives hard to produce the finest of swords at the most affordable price. There is no doubt that Hanwei by Paul Chen will remain to be the largest selling brand of swords in the world for many years to come.