Posts: 8,310 Location: Montreal,Quebec,Canada
Fri 21 Oct, 2011 8:06 pm
The sister sword to my lost
Oakeshotts looks great and the " improvements " do sound good to me, although there is nothing wrong with my version the new one builds on the knowledge acquired from making the first one in giving the edges just a touch more " beef " supporting the edges and a little less flexibility.
Since my sword's edges survived the slight mishap of hitting a steel chinning bar by accident and showing no signs of any impact I assume that this new one has a slightly increased margin of " robustness " of the edges.
Being one inch shorter in the blade probably is one other reason for being just a little more rigid plus the few thousands of an inch more blade thickness.
I like the new pommel being closer to the original but not necessarily more than the curved and tapering towards the peen thickness of the pommel on mine: The aesthetics are not something so much of anything being better, but every difference gives a uniqueness to any two closely alike swords.
In hand, if I could see and hold both side by side, who knows which one I would have decided to buy but I think it would have been a difficult choice decided mostly by feel and handling than by aesthetics that are both excellent.
Your, folded steel work look flawless and is very impressive but unfortunately I don't think I could afford to buy one unless I restrained myself from buying anything else for a year ( Hard to do by the way: Not buying other things ;) :lol: ).
But your work is really up there in the very high HIGH end and I hope that people realize how much of a bargain even your most expensive pieces are ! I feel lucky to have ordered a few custom weapons and spears and this sword before too many people start to realize that there are very few who can even make work that equals yours, and
fewer still that exceed it.
Aesthetics are certainly up there, but also your swords and other weapons are designed and made as if they where to be depended on to survive in a real fight ! Some other makers are known for making performance swords but tend to more modern interpretations of period sword while you seem to be able to combine the " material " and design qualities of the current technology and the geometries and aesthetics that are very close to period swords in handling.
Oh, the inlay work on the Viking Sword is also outstanding and congratulations to Jeff Helmes also.