Hi folks
earlier this year I've post a topic about my dismantled bastard sword
http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=6916&highlight=

I finaly took a picture of it
During the summer I had the chance to improve that blade using it for several combat shows, some armoured and some without armour. Now, that weapon is totally incredible! The balace point wich was at 11 inches from the guard is now at 3.5 inches for a total weight not higher than 3 pounds. The sword is really reliable and quick. For the price paid, even with the modifications, it is outstanding. The sword isn't really for a collection purpose but much more for fencing use.

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It looks fantastic! The ridged hilt with the new pommel go really well together[[/img]

Very nice work making it functional and it does look good.

The tang looks reasonably good in the original picture: Wide and well radiused corners, so at least you had something decent to work with and not a welded on rattail tang.

Nicely done. The sword has a greatly improved appearance to go with your reported handling improvements. I find project success stories like this to be very inspiring!

we took a part of the inspiration to do that on an image from Diebold Schilling in his Spiezer Chronik in a representation of Berne

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Your are positive that the blade is steel?

I have a practical knight and somebody suggested that it is duraluminium ...

Obviously when you need it you don't find a magnet ....

The Hanwei "practical" series swords have steel blades. They were created for theatrical use, etc. This is how the company specs it and the weight compared to size ratio suggests it's steel, too.

DUralium isn't hard enough in "steel" combat. In fact duralium is a kind of hardened aluminium (it has the weight of aluminium) The hanwei swords (the ones I own) are definitively in steel. Even more, the steel of the blade is quite of great quality; hardened to something around 50rc and has a great flexibility. Did someone knows if they are made qith 1050 steel, or someting else?

Duraluminum is the material that was used in early Land Rovers (Series I, II & III) to make the body panels. I do not kow if it is used by the company now, but I can assure you that you cannot make a useable sword blade from it. The body panels on my 1973 Series III are quite "flexible".

LR

Thank you, maybe it will be worth to attempt some improvements on mine.

(changing blade geometry ..... better to make a new one at the forge)