The various potential "fighting irons" are:
1. Iron ruler (鐵尺 (traditional), 铁尺 (simplified) , Pinyin tiě chǐ). Short iron bar, with or without distinct grip, with or without guard.
2. Jian (usually translated as "mace", 鐧 (traditional), 锏 (simplified), Pinyin jiǎn). Not the same character as jian "sword", which is 劍 (traditional), 剑 (simplified), Pinyin jiàn. Sword length (short sword) rather than dagger length.
3. Bian ("whip", 鞭, Pinyin biān). Apparently distinguished from jian by having a knobbed or segmented shape. Also "hard whip", to distinguish it from jointed metal whips (also bian) and flexible soft whips.
Jian and bian are often called "swordbreakers" in English. They appear in the Ming classic, The Water Margin, as weapons used by some of the heroes. Traditionally used in pairs.
At least some jian/bian are training devices, rather than weapons per se. If they're very heavy, or cast iron: probably trainers.
Some antique and modern examples shown in
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=16220
Some more examples, some with scabbards:
Pair of tie chi:
http://www.oriental-arms.com/item.php?id=2499
Jian:
http://www.oriental-arms.com/item.php?id=2004
http://www.oriental-arms.com/item.php?id=2280
http://www.oriental-arms.com/item.php?id=2463
http://www.oriental-arms.com/item.php?id=1704
Long jian:
http://www.oriental-arms.com/item.php?id=3624
Bian:
http://www.oriental-arms.com/item.php?id=4309
There were also long two-handed jian, like the long one above, but with longer grips.