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Posts: 1,812 Location: Washington DC metro area, USA

Thu 14 Jul, 2005 4:05 pm

Gustav Vasa Arrives

I have wanted an Arms & Armor Gustav Vasa ever since I first took an interest in this hobby. I finally ordered one on the very last day (maybe the last hour?) of the A & A Spring Sale - the financial timing was not the best, since I need to pay for a wedding shortly :eek:.

Anyway, after a long, but worthwhile wait, my Gustav Vasa arrived. The predicted completion time was 10-12 weeks, and Arms & Armor actually finished the sword a couple of weeks ago. They kindly delayed shipment to accommodate my hectic travel schedule (and even then, I had to instruct UPS to deliver it to my neighbor, since I was enroute to Venezuela the day it arrived).

I hesitate to post pictures, since they can't compare with Nathan's fine photos in his collection on this site, but I simply must attempt to show off my new pride and joy:

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Gustav Vasa3.JPG

Gustav Vasa3.JPG

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Gustav Vasa2.JPG

Gustav Vasa2.JPG

sorry for the blur on this one

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Gustav Vasa1.JPG

Gustav Vasa1.JPG

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Aaron Schnatterly

Posts: 1,244 Location: New Glarus, WI

Thu 14 Jul, 2005 4:10 pm

Re: Gustav Vasa Arrives

Steve Grisetti wrote:

I hesitate to post pictures, since they can't compare with Nathan's fine photos in his collection on this site, but I simply must attempt to show off my new pride and joy:

Nearly every picture is worthwhile, Steve... these give me a better impression, actually, than the ones of the same sword in A&A's own site. Looks like a very, very sweet piece. You wouldn't know it from my collection, but I am quite fond of rapiers... there's an A&A or two in my future - just not sure how far out.

So, do tell... how's it handle?

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Posts: 410 Location: Arizona, USA

Thu 14 Jul, 2005 4:15 pm

Re: Gustav Vasa Arrives

Steve Grisetti wrote:

but I simply must attempt to show off my new pride and joy:

You shameless show off! :lol: Seriously, it's always fun to see somebody get really excited over a new acquisition. Please, feel free to show off some more. :) She's a beauty. Congrats, Steve. :)

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Posts: 1,812 Location: Washington DC metro area, USA

Thu 14 Jul, 2005 6:12 pm

Re: Gustav Vasa Arrives

Aaron Schnatterly wrote:

...So, do tell... how's it handle?

Well, I am no fencer, but this piece seems to do exactly what it is supposed to do. If I attempt a thrust, the point goes precisely where I would want it to go, and carries substantial momentum with it. Similarly, a cutting movement seems to track very well. That probably doesn't help you much....

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William Goodwin

Posts: 1,001 Location: Roanoke,Va

Thu 14 Jul, 2005 6:22 pm

Beautiful piece Steve! Congrats to you.

Bill

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Aaron Schnatterly

Posts: 1,244 Location: New Glarus, WI

Thu 14 Jul, 2005 6:32 pm

Re: Gustav Vasa Arrives

Steve Grisetti wrote:

Aaron Schnatterly wrote:

...So, do tell... how's it handle?

Well, I am no fencer, but this piece seems to do exactly what it is supposed to do. If I attempt a thrust, the point goes precisely where I would want it to go, and carries substantial momentum with it. Similarly, a cutting movement seems to track very well. That probably doesn't help you much....

Actually, it does. An ill-balanced piece in untrained hands doesn't want to do much worthwhile. I've almost exclusively heard good to excellent things about A&A rapiers - glad the trend continues.

We all seem to go in spurts, picking up pieces of interest in a particular set, era, style, or whatever, then reach a saturation point, and switch to something different (possibly completely different, like guns instead of swords, for example). I can see that any shift in my current "habits" will either be to Anglo-Saxon/Viking pieces, or to later ones like this.

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Posts: 5,739 Location: Wichita, Kansas

Thu 14 Jul, 2005 6:33 pm

Congratulations Steve. The Gustav has always been one of my favorite A&A swords. I love the detail on the hilt, and I love the earlier rapier designs.

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Edward Hitchens

Posts: 819 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Thu 14 Jul, 2005 8:23 pm

Congrats Steve! I hope your Gustav Vasa rapier is everything you hoped it would be. :)

Do you own any other Arms&Armor pieces?

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Posts: 425 Location: Cincinnati OH

Thu 14 Jul, 2005 11:06 pm

I'm so jealous! :p The Gustav Vasa is my favorite production rapier and VERY high on my to-buy list. Excellent pics. Any chance of getting a close-up of the tip? Just curious. Thanks for the report.

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Posts: 1,812 Location: Washington DC metro area, USA

Fri 15 Jul, 2005 6:58 pm

Thanks to you all for your kind remarks. I would hand out cigars, but that's not very practical :lol:

Edward Hitchens wrote:

...Do you own any other Arms&Armor pieces?

Yes. I have the A&A German Bastard Sword :cool: - another piece that I had wanted since "the beginning". Along the lines of my "cigars" remark, the GBS and GV are like my children. I love them both, but differently :lol:.

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Posts: 1,812 Location: Washington DC metro area, USA

Fri 15 Jul, 2005 7:00 pm

Mark Mattimore wrote:

...Any chance of getting a close-up of the tip?

Sure thing - but not until tomorrow.

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Posts: 101 Location: Central New Jersey

Fri 15 Jul, 2005 11:33 pm

Very nice, that’s one of the A&A pieces that are on my list of must someday own.

Congratulations

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Posts: 1,812 Location: Washington DC metro area, USA

Sat 16 Jul, 2005 12:56 pm

Mark Mattimore wrote:

...close-up of the tip?...

Here are a few more photos, including the tip, as promised.

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GV Tip1.JPG

GV Tip1.JPG

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GV Tip2.JPG

GV Tip2.JPG

The lighting and magification make the secondary bevel look very pronounced.

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GV Hilt.JPG

GV Hilt.JPG

Wire wrap is beautifully done. Ricasso is very robust

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Lion Head1.JPG

Lion Head1.JPG

Lion's Head at end of quillions

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Aaron Schnatterly

Posts: 1,244 Location: New Glarus, WI

Sat 16 Jul, 2005 1:11 pm

Nice! Alright, Steve, now THOSE are some pictures! Now, I can see details clearly that I really wanted...

I had actually looked a number of times at this piece on the A&A site, but I had sort of shrugged it off. It seemed dark, and rather unappealing. I've now gone back and looked again - still just didn't hit me. Somehow, I guess I thought I had checked out the review (tried to make it through all of them - must have skipped this one mistakenly)... This is a very attractive piece, when the details can be seen! Yeah, I can see the possibility of one of these making it's way to my place at some point.

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Posts: 529 Location: Northamptonshire,England

Sat 16 Jul, 2005 2:45 pm

Congrats Steve,
Definately one of my favourite swords i've seen via A+A,
actually tried to win one of these a while back on ebay but alas i didnt win,although i think it may have been a forumite i lost out too,
your pics just make me wish i'd won,thanks for sharing, :cool:

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Thomas McDonald

Posts: 2,160 Location: New Hampshire

Sat 16 Jul, 2005 2:55 pm

That is a very nice sword, Steve .... Congratulations & may it serve ye well !

Mac

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Posts: 425 Location: Cincinnati OH

Sat 16 Jul, 2005 11:31 pm

Steve Grisetti wrote:

Mark Mattimore wrote:

...close-up of the tip?...

Here are a few more photos, including the tip, as promised.

Thanks Steve. Exactly what I was looking for. You take great pics :D

This may have just moved up a notch or two on my to-buy list.

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Posts: 4,194 Location: Northern VA,USA

Sun 17 Jul, 2005 7:26 am

Yeah, this is one of my favorite A&A pieces. I have an OLD one (the medusa and lion heads are made of brass on mine), and if I'd only ever seen it, I'd think it was really nice, but I've seen the current model, and it's amazing how much A&A could have improved on an already impressive sword.

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Nathan Robinson

Posts: 11,553 Location: San Francisco

Sun 17 Jul, 2005 10:19 am

Bill Grandy wrote:

Yeah, this is one of my favorite A&A pieces. I have an OLD one (the medusa and lion heads are made of brass on mine), and if I'd only ever seen it, I'd think it was really nice, but I've seen the current model, and it's amazing how much A&A could have improved on an already impressive sword.

I think you have bronze pieces in there, Bill, not brass... I remember oggling that catalog photo and reading that description dozens of times "back in the day" :)

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Posts: 1,812 Location: Washington DC metro area, USA

Sun 17 Jul, 2005 12:39 pm

Thanks again for all of your kind comments. I can feel my hat size swelling! Here is a picture of the medusa heads on the guard rings.

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Medusa Heads.JPG

Medusa Heads.JPG

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