I am buying a new sword and cannot decide between these two

Cold Steel - Italian Long sword

http://www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=...Long+Sword

Hanwei - Albrech II Hand and a half

http://www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=...Half+Sword

I am leaning more to the Hanwei, overall I like this blade type better, however I am worried that the Hanwei has a peened pommel (Italian long sword is threaded), and I would much prefer threaded pommel.

Now this is relevant because I am completely useless with any kind of tools or DIY stuff - I tend to injure myself or other while attempting basic fixes:). It seems to me that if anything goes wrong with the Hanwei hilt, being peened there is very little I can do about it. On the other hand, with a threaded pommel I can at least retighten it or dissassemble and attempt to do something, however basic.

So how realistic are my fears? How likely is it that a peened pommel with start giving me problems considering light cutting use, on this particular model? Does anybody own this Hanwei model - if yes, have you experienced any problems with the hilt?

Thanks,
Zlatko

I can't speak for the Cold steel, but I have owned the Hanwei Sword and really liked it. It is one I would not mind owning agan. As for repairs, if the sword is treated well i kind of doubt the peen will just come loose. If it does following the very simple steps here: http://bjorn.foxtail.nu/swords.htm should solve your problems.

The Cold Steel one will probably have an all thread piece welded onto to the tang, then have the pommel drilled through with a cap bolt that is epoxied on. Once you break the epoxy, it unscrews and you are able to dismount the furniture. The handle is also mostly epoxy. Once everything is stripped, you may want a blade smith to redo the tang. I have friends with both weapons, the Hanwei if I remember correctly is peened.

New Cold Steel Italian Longsword supposedly has a nut similar to that of ATrim swords...

KOA says it has a pommel nut, though based on the pictures of it on their site it doesn't look anything like an Atrim pommel nut. Those, according to my understanding can be taken apart with a hex wrench, this does not look like that at all.

Why would you need to disassemble the hilt? To clean it? Why would you need to clean the tang? To repair it? You've already said you have no inclination for mechanical talent. Having a threaded pommel just invites loosened hilt components. Sure you can tighten them, but it would be an ongoing thing. Could you imagine this during a real fight? "Excuse me, but my pommel is rattling. Let me get my allen wrench and tighten it. Hold on. There, that's better. Now, where were we? Wait, are those my guts on the floor? When did that happen?"

A peened pommel seems to be the 99% norm for swords from the time frame represented by the two swords. If it were well made, nothing would rattle or come loose. I have a Del Tin 2130 with peened pommel that is seventeen years old and it is still as tight as the day I bought it. The Windlass Knightly Hand and a Half sword with its threaded pommel nut I have issues with all the time with rattling and loosening.

Edited because of a horrid spelling error and to clarify with underlined text.

This guy will customize your hilt any way you want and he will have no problems with grinding off the peen, doing the job with the hilt components and then peen it again. He did it a few times for me, and he also made me some nice completely new, not just customized fittings.
http://www.top-kristo.hr/