Stats:

Weight: 2 lbs 15 ounces
Overall Length: 43 inches
Grip: 9 inches
Blade Length: 34 inches from guard
Point of Balance: approx. 4 and 1/4 inches from guard
Center or Percussion: approx. 21 inches from guard
Distal Taper
At Crossguard -.6 cm
At COP - .5 cm


Initial Impressions:
Fast, sharp, tough blade , but QC issues in the assembly for cutting

Appearance:
I have owned this sword in the past before Cold Steel began using the same forge as Windlass. I have always liked the look of this sword. The grip and pommel are attractive, and the proportions seemed in good harmony. The blade and fittings carry a high polish. The scabbard is not bulky, and hugs the blade tightly. The Cold Steel look is not for everyone, but for those who don’t mind the “bling factor” of their Western Swords, this sword will do.

Handling:
The sword is very quick, and makes that nice whooshing sound when dry handling. It is easy on the recovery, and it is very sharp. I did not cut with this review model, but when I owned one in the past, it cut anything and everything with ease from water jugs to pumpkins to tree branches. If you get one without any issues, it is conceivable tough and should provide excellent light cutting.

What you should expect:
This sword will sell anywhere from :$212 on ebay to roughly $275. Kultofathena sells it for $260. At this price, and the way it is advertised, you should expect a tough sword with tight fittings. I used to be a big apologist for this blade because there were stories of its pommel falling off during cutting due to its threaded tang. In the past I put mine through lots of handling and cutting with no issues. However, this one arrived with a loose Crossguard. Nothing major in and of itself, but when I twisted the pommel, it almost came off. After tightening it back up, I can’t get it to budge again, but this is a major concern. I would like to take this sword apart to inspect the pommel and tang before decided how I feel about its durability. On its own, the threaded tang if done properly does not worry me, but it certainly leaves a lot of room for failure that I am not pleased with. I will no longer be suggesting this sword for cutting anything more than water jugs, and I would stress an even more thorough inspection than normal before using this piece.

I was one of the folks who experienced pommel breakage with this sword. I really liked the sword. As Mike experienced, it cut any and everything I put in front of it. However, the pommel on mine fell off after a minor cutting session. The tang was a welded-on bit of 1/4-inch threaded rod that broke off in the grip. The rod showed a lot of rust and pitting, and was very soft.

But I liked the sword so much I took it to the machine shop and milled the tang to move the guard 2 inches forward, re-established the taper of the tang, then filed down and threaded the tip to fit the pommel.

The result was still a nice handling sword. However, the tang snapped off at the pommel the first time I cut with it. The problem being that the steel is uniformly very hard throughout. And the 1/4-inch threaded bit was just not strong enough for two-handed use IMO. The next project for this blade will be to shorten the grip and rework the tang again to make a single-hander. Not sure how I want to proceed on the pommel. Any suggestions would be welcome.

I enjoy modestly priced swords because they are fun. When I hear of a cool new Windlass I get excited because it's a sword that I will be able to cut with, and if minor damage occurs, I don't burst an artery. But there are so many modestly priced swords that are durable. My Kris Cutlery Teutonic is of similar dimensions, is of historical design, and though not going to win any beauty contests is an absolute tank.

What I am saying is that i am a forgiving audience for the sub $300 swords. I can forgive clicky grips, and threaded tangs that loosen, etc. But I have to say, I am critical of bad engineering. I own and enjoy Cold Steel swords, but they really should replace the sword with the broken pommel at no cost to you. That is simply a badly drawn sword, and anyone who is in the sub $300 sword market really does not have $300 to waste.

That said, I am always grateful to someone like yourself to share pics and thoughts and review those swords that I see on line and I am alaways so curious about.

Colin McKinstry , the head of HEMA ( Historical European Martial Arts ) a training group here in New Zealand had his Cold Steel hand and a half sword break off at the tang weld while holding it in between test cuts, this happened within half an hour of receiving the sword.

What's the point in having a broken sword replaced if it's going to have the same problem all over again ?

Tony I sent this post by mistake to your PM box, apologies offered .

I actually asked Lynn at Cold Steel about this particular piece, and the problems associated with it a few weeks ago - as I was interested to try it out at SBG, but wary of the hilt and pommel problems reported on the various fora...

He replied that he is aware of the problems, and that the latest models - which are due to come out in January 2008, should have a new and improved pommel attachment...

I'll probably try it out soon after, so fingers crossed. If they can get this sword right - it would seem to have a lot going for it in the sub $300 end of the market...