Weapon House Rei Tsang
Weapon House is an online shop specializing in medieval swords and armor. Owner Rei Tsang has been collecting weapons for over 12 years. He tells Yannie Chan about his collection and making leather armor for his cats.
HK Magazine: Why medieval weapons?
Rei Tsang: In most cartoons and movies, men have weapons that feel like extensions of their personalities. I like the sense of justice the weapons carry: they’re used to kill monsters and villains. I have about 300 weapons, and I have some custom-made equipment that only exists in manga. My collection is all cold weapons, meaning they do not involve explosives. These older weapons are like art. A machine can churn out hundreds of guns and rifles a day, but it takes months and years to create a sword.
HK: How do you feel about the violence inherent in all weapons?
RT: Many do say that to me, and they think of weapons as vicious objects. Firstly, I only collect and sell unsharpened weapons. That basically makes them safer than fruit knives. But more importantly, unlike modern weapons, archery and the art of wielding a sword take years to perfect. That trains your mind as well.
HK: Is it legal to sell weapons?
RT: I was worried about this, and I consulted my lawyer friends. It turns out that you can sell sharpened Japanese swords—weapons that can seriously injure someone—and it’s perfectly fine. But you can’t own or sell weapons that are smaller in size and therefore easily hidden. Things like knuckle dusters, butterfly knives and extendible batons are prohibited, but many people still ask about them. I only stock unsharpened weapons and if I come across a customer who seems off, I only sell him decorative weapons.