Wang Hulud's Sickle

Wang Hulud Sickle

　　The Wang Hulud Sickle from Kaifeng was created by the veteran artisan Wang Youcai. Passed down through three generations, it has a history of over a hundred years.

　　This product is made from fire-resistant steel and iron, undergoing three rounds of hot forging in the furnace and cold processing. It is then quenched, followed by cold working such as flattening and surface finishing, before the sickle handle is attached to complete the product. The sickle is 138 centimeters long, 36–39 centimeters wide in the middle, 3.5 centimeters thick at the back, with a sickle tang head that is 18–20 centimeters wide and 28–30 centimeters long, weighing 0.15–0.2 jin.

　　The Wang Hulud Sickle is shaped like a wooden comb, and is characterized by its wide steel body, flat surface, thick back, thin base, sharp blade edge, resistance to chipping or curling, and exceptional durability. The product is sold in nearby counties around Kaifeng and some areas north of the Yellow River.

　　Before 1962, the highest annual production reached over 11,000 sickles. In 1962, after improving the production method, three people could produce 55 sickles per day, a 57% increase over the original output. With the rise of rural commune and brigade enterprises, the Wang Hulud Sickle ceased production in the 1960s.