First off, this sword is a monster! It's really big with a wide blade, which is in contrast to the rather slender blade profiles I normally think of when contemplating longswords. The grip is Bubinga burl wood and the furniture is antiqued bronze with a wheel pommel and bow tie hilt.
Despite the large dimensions, the sword is very handy and feels extremely nimble for such a significant piece of steel. At 3 lbs, 9 and 3/4 oz, it's not the lightest sword in my collection of John's creations (of which I have four and one more on order), but it handles so well that it feels like it's at least a full pound lighter than it really is! Truly, the John's abilities to balance out big blades is brilliant!
The aesthetics turned out beautifully. Even though it's a large sword, it also manages to be quite graceful. The strong center ridge is really cool and the hollow grinding is really well done! I really am more and more impressed with this blade every time I get it down from the case and handle it. I also am a huge fan of John's wood work and have all of my swords done by him made with burl wood grips (minus the Spatha that he did with a natural bone grip). They add such a warm tone to a sword when done well.
The last thing that really needs to be mentioned is the scabbard. John's scabbards are an incredible bargain! They fit hsi swords really well and act as a beautiful accompaniment to his swords. He did this one as a baldrick since the sword is so long and it fits me perfectly. Aesthitically, I think it's top notch and at the price he charges for them, I'm surprised they aren't bragged on more often.
Thanks again John for making such a great product! I'm proud to be the owner of another masterpiece of yours!
Specifications:
Type: Hollow ground longsword
Blade material: Monosteel
Blade length: 35"
Blade width at hilt: 2.5"
Blade width 2" from tip: 1"
Grip material: Bubinga burl wood
Grip length: 7 1/2"
Furniture: Antiqued bronze
Total length: 45 1/2"
Weight: 3 lbs, 9 and 3/4 oz
