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Pierre T.




Location: Ottawa, Canada
Joined: 14 Dec 2007

Posts: 63

PostPosted: Sun 08 Nov, 2009 5:26 pm    Post subject: Saxonforge: anyone heard of these guys?         Reply with quote

Hello

While looking around for irish swords, I stumbled upon this link:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=146080421

This is an Ontario based sword maker that does hand-forged weapons with antiquing. He's only selling (as far as I can tell) on this particular auction site.

Has anyone heard of this maker?

cheers,
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JE Sarge
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PostPosted: Sun 08 Nov, 2009 6:48 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I've not heard of them before. Looking over their items, I would not call them antiqued - I would say that they are just not finished to high level. Now, I am no blacksmith, but though tang looks good, but I'd question the actual integrity of the them because there is alot of deep occlusions, air pockets, and slag in the finished blades. The weight seems to be pretty heavy, proportions are off, edge profile/taper are not present, and the leather grip wraps are nailed on?

I would not mind seeing one, but I'd not purchase one for myself....

J.E. Sarge
Crusader Monk Sword Scabbards and Customizations
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"But lack of documentation, especially for such early times, is not to be considered as evidence of non-existance." - Ewart Oakeshott
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Nathan Robinson
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PostPosted: Sun 08 Nov, 2009 7:12 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I wouldn't call it antiquing either. I'd call them rough. Very rough.
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Gavin Kisebach




Location: Lacey, Wa US
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PostPosted: Sun 08 Nov, 2009 11:38 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

These swords may or may not be sturdy, but the make seems to have caught a bad case of the dreaded "Burlap Syndrome". If this were my first effort I might hang it in the garage, but I wouldn't be selling it for that price. As has been noted, unfinished is NOT antiqued.
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Artis Aboltins




PostPosted: Mon 09 Nov, 2009 12:15 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

If that was my first effort I would probably keep it in my shop to remind me to make sure my next attempts are better Happy That said, general form of the blade is not THAT bad - but right now it is more of a "sword-like object" than something I would call a sword. And they aparently have no real connection to historical samples either With some more effort one could robably forge/grind these blades into somethng having better geometry and shape, then again, might be easier just to make a new one instead. Then again, if he is offering them this way, aparently, there is enough demand for this style? And where there is demand, there will be offers.. eventually.
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Pierre T.




Location: Ottawa, Canada
Joined: 14 Dec 2007

Posts: 63

PostPosted: Mon 09 Nov, 2009 4:43 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Thanks for the input... although now I have to ask: what is the dreaded "burlap syndrome"? I surely would want to avoid it! Eek!
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Paul Hansen




Location: The Netherlands
Joined: 17 Mar 2005
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PostPosted: Mon 09 Nov, 2009 4:46 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

What I dislike most about the swords from this maker is the descriptions...

The swords themselves are indeed very rough, but could be quite useful for fencing or battle-reenactment. The swords of several of Eastern European makers are more or less similar in roughness but are very good working swords. Certainly better than Windlass, and in my opinion preferable to the Hanwei Practicals (edit: referring to these Eastern European makers, not the maker in question).

But the "although intended for display and costume purposes it should be known that this is a real and functional sword." sentence worries me a little bit in this regard...

If intended solely for decoration... Well, whatever floats your boat. I kind of like the proportions at least.

But for the money I think there are much better options.


Last edited by Paul Hansen on Mon 09 Nov, 2009 10:09 am; edited 1 time in total
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Artis Aboltins




PostPosted: Mon 09 Nov, 2009 7:21 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Pierre T. wrote:
Thanks for the input... although now I have to ask: what is the dreaded "burlap syndrome"? I surely would want to avoid it! Eek!


"Burlap syndrome" is when someone assumes that everyone in middle ages was walking around in the rags, with gear rusted and very roughly made.
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Myles Mulkey





Joined: 31 Jul 2008

Posts: 250

PostPosted: Mon 09 Nov, 2009 11:27 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

While I really like the "rough and ready" look, this is waaay too overpriced for what it is, and a bit overdone for my tastes. If the price were lower, I might actually think about getting one as a decorative piece. But $349 is too much for one wall hanger...
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Lin Robinson




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PostPosted: Mon 09 Nov, 2009 11:33 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Paul Hansen wrote:


But the "although intended for display and costume purposes it should be known that this is a real and functional sword."


The maker is leaving himself wide open for a liability suit with that statement.

Lin Robinson

"The best thing in life is to crush your enemies, see them driven before you and hear the lamentation of their women." Conan the Barbarian, 1982
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Luke Zechman




Location: Lock Haven Pennsylvania
Joined: 18 Jan 2009

Posts: 278

PostPosted: Mon 09 Nov, 2009 12:57 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

To me antiqued is when something that once had been finished is prematurely aged. These blades just look as though they have never been finished in the first place. I believe simple designs can be elegant and beautiful, however even they are finished properly. I for one also believe that antiquing a blade makes no sense in the first place. It is like chemically etching a hamon on to a Japanese style blade. It makes it look authentic, but in the end it means nothing. A sword should abouve all be functional and sound before it looks any particular way. Otherwise it is just decoration.
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Pierre T.




Location: Ottawa, Canada
Joined: 14 Dec 2007

Posts: 63

PostPosted: Mon 09 Nov, 2009 4:34 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Lin Robinson wrote:
Paul Hansen wrote:


But the "although intended for display and costume purposes it should be known that this is a real and functional sword."


The maker is leaving himself wide open for a liability suit with that statement.


But maybe it is true?

Anyway, I don't buy swords from unknown people, and since it seems that no one has heard from this fellow, well I guess I will pass.

thanks folks
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