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Sonny Suttles
Industry Professional
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 Posted: Thu 18 Mar, 2010 2:34 pm Post subject: CF407 Malatesta - Production Model |
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Here are some pics of the actual production pieces. I will try to get more later.
Modified to add more photos
www.valiant-armoury.com
www.customswordshoppe.com
Last edited by Sonny Suttles on Thu 18 Mar, 2010 6:12 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Joe Fults
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| Posted: Thu 18 Mar, 2010 3:55 pm Post subject: |
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Is it actually available for purchase now?
Is it still just pre-order status?
"The goal shouldn’t be to avoid being evil; it should be to actively do good." - Danah Boyd
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Sonny Suttles
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Thu 18 Mar, 2010 4:25 pm Post subject: |
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We are working the Leather on these now. Some have been shipped and if you look around a few dealers including Christian Fletcher have them listed as available.
www.valiant-armoury.com
www.customswordshoppe.com
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Joe Fults
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| Posted: Thu 18 Mar, 2010 7:03 pm Post subject: |
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So much of that combo looks really nice but I can't help looking and thinking that the furniture really wants to be married to a Type XV or XVIII blade.  In these photos it looks like you've changed that handle wrap from what I've seen in the originals. From a smooth leather to a grip impressed with a cord overlay? Nice touch.
"The goal shouldn’t be to avoid being evil; it should be to actively do good." - Danah Boyd
Last edited by Joe Fults on Thu 18 Mar, 2010 7:03 pm; edited 1 time in total
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JE Sarge
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Thu 18 Mar, 2010 7:03 pm Post subject: |
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I ordered one though the Custom Sword Shoppe this evening. I'll post my thoughts on it when it arrives. 
J.E. Sarge
Crusader Monk Sword Scabbards and Customizations
www.crusadermonk.com
"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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Roger Hooper
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| Posted: Thu 18 Mar, 2010 8:06 pm Post subject: |
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That is a very attractive piece.
It would have been easy to avoid the criticism that the hilt and the blade don't match historically - use an XVIIIa or b blade instead of a XIIa.
Still - mighty pretty. Mr. Sarge, I look forward to reading your impressions of this sword.
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Jean Thibodeau
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| Posted: Thu 18 Mar, 2010 10:40 pm Post subject: |
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| Roger Hooper wrote: | That is a very attractive piece.
It would have been easy to avoid the criticism that the hilt and the blade don't match historically - use an XVIIIa or b blade instead of a XIIa.
Still - mighty pretty. Mr. Sarge, I look forward to reading your impressions of this sword. |
There is always the old idea of an older blade remounted later in the currently popular style. 
Also I think that I read that type XIIa or XIII blade types became popular again when armour started to become less universally complete in the late 15th early 16th. century and big cutting sword had a more target rich environment where ordinary soldiers wouldn't be as fully protected as knights i.e. pikemen and archebusiers.
In any case a very appealing sword and sword furniture combination at a competitive price.
You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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Greg Mele
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Fri 19 Mar, 2010 11:17 am Post subject: |
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| Jean Thibodeau wrote: | | Roger Hooper wrote: | That is a very attractive piece.
It would have been easy to avoid the criticism that the hilt and the blade don't match historically - use an XVIIIa or b blade instead of a XIIa.
Still - mighty pretty. Mr. Sarge, I look forward to reading your impressions of this sword. |
There is always the old idea of an older blade remounted later in the currently popular style.
Also I think that I read that type XIIa or XIII blade types became popular again when armour started to become less universally complete in the late 15th early 16th. century and big cutting sword had a more target rich environment where ordinary soldiers wouldn't be as fully protected as knights i.e. pikemen and archebusiers.
In any case a very appealing sword and sword furniture combination at a competitive price. |
Certainly true, Jean. Consider the blades in 16th, 17th and even 18th century broadswords - may of them really would not look at all odd mounted in a cross hilt with a wheel pommel.
Greg Mele
Chicago Swordplay Guild
www.chicagoswordplayguild.com
www.freelanceacademypress.com
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Joe Fults
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| Posted: Fri 19 Mar, 2010 1:25 pm Post subject: |
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If the blade is drawing critcism, its got to be pretty mild criticism. The kit looks great as it is but the imagination does wander a bit sometimes. Perhaps not as much now as it did years ago. Still...
"The goal shouldn’t be to avoid being evil; it should be to actively do good." - Danah Boyd
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Roger Hooper
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| Posted: Fri 19 Mar, 2010 5:30 pm Post subject: |
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| Joe Fults wrote: | | If the blade is drawing critcism, its got to be pretty mild criticism. The kit looks great as it is but the imagination does wander a bit sometimes. Perhaps not as much now as it did years ago. Still... |
It previously drew some of that mild criticism, and it was, If you can believe it, on this forum  - http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t...=malatesta -
I can see it as one of those Renaissance Great Sword throwbacks, though those were typically XIIIa's
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Joe Fults
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| Posted: Fri 19 Mar, 2010 7:22 pm Post subject: |
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Pretty mild. Regardless I'm impressed with this piece, at least in these photos, since that's all I've seen of it is photos. Its a nice effort and I can only hope some posters here manage to get their hands on one and tells us what its like in person.
"The goal shouldn’t be to avoid being evil; it should be to actively do good." - Danah Boyd
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P. Cha
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| Posted: Sat 20 Mar, 2010 12:22 pm Post subject: |
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| Joe Fults wrote: | | So much of that combo looks really nice but I can't help looking and thinking that the furniture really wants to be married to a Type XV or XVIII blade. In these photos it looks like you've changed that handle wrap from what I've seen in the originals. From a smooth leather to a grip impressed with a cord overlay? Nice touch. |
Or a XVI...but yeah I thought the same thing . I think mentioned that when I first saw the prototype pictures...just not sure where and to whom hehe. Glad somebody else agrees.
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JE Sarge
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Fri 26 Mar, 2010 4:45 pm Post subject: |
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I got my all black Malatesta from the CSS today...
While I will not go into a lengthy review of it yet, my initial feelings about it are great. Everything about this sword is spot on the way it should be. The Malatesta is by far my favorite Valiant offering to date. I have swords I paid twice as much for that are not on par with this sword.
I won't leave everyone in the dark here, so I will try to link back to a mini-review with full specs, photos, video when I get the chance.
J.E. Sarge
Crusader Monk Sword Scabbards and Customizations
www.crusadermonk.com
"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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Joe Fults
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| Posted: Fri 26 Mar, 2010 6:20 pm Post subject: |
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I'd heard rumor that your black toy was indeed very nice.
I look forward to seeing some photos or somesuch of it soon.
"The goal shouldn’t be to avoid being evil; it should be to actively do good." - Danah Boyd
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JE Sarge
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Sat 27 Mar, 2010 3:46 pm Post subject: |
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I did a review of this sword on the SBG site here:
http://sbgswordforum.proboards.com/index.cgi?...read=15486
Details and photos galore for any interested... 
Here are are some quick photos of some finer details for the benefit of the thread:
J.E. Sarge
Crusader Monk Sword Scabbards and Customizations
www.crusadermonk.com
"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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Joe Fults
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| Posted: Sat 27 Mar, 2010 5:47 pm Post subject: |
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From your linked review:
"...Valiant Armory has again set the bar very high with the Malatesta. Though it’s imported, it handles every bit like a higher-dollar offering from a US manufacturer. The other sword importers need to step up their game, or Valiant will have them looking for work...."
Not sure I feel all good about it, but from what I can see of this package online, and from the raves this sword is drawing, I'd say its not just the importers who are going to feel some competetive pressure. A sword with that aesthetic value and with that kind of scabbard and suspension to boot, is just not something I've ever seen near the VA price point before. Like...ever. Hell it probably even has the potential to take some value out of the second hand market. Especially if VA can keep things like this coming to its dealers.
"The goal shouldn’t be to avoid being evil; it should be to actively do good." - Danah Boyd
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Paul Watson
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| Posted: Sat 27 Mar, 2010 10:03 pm Post subject: |
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Is it right to categorise this blade as a XII? Although the edges are not parallel, the profile does not appear to taper as much as a XII and is more like a XIII.
From the photo's the tip also appears to be quite spatulate like a XIII.
Comparing it to some offerings from Albion, the fuller is more like that on the XIII's, being narrower than that of a XII.
My overall impression from the photo's is that it looks like it shares a lot more of the characteristics of the Duke, Steward or Count, than those of the Knight or Baron.
I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, but that which it protects. (Faramir, The Two Towers)
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JE Sarge
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Sat 27 Mar, 2010 10:27 pm Post subject: |
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| Paul Watson wrote: | | Is it right to categorise this blade as a XII? Although the edges are not parallel, the profile does not appear to taper as much as a XII. From the photo's the tip also appears to be quite spatulate. |
You raise a good point: I call it a Type XII because it's a little too short to be a Type XIIA (in addition to the differences which you spoke of), lending itself to be a unique type of bastard sword (presuming it was a fictional re-hilt). A Type XIIA is what it was designed as by Christian Fletcher / Angus Trim; as were the 304S and the Kriegschwert. There is definately some lateral movement from the Typology in all of these Type XIIA blades. However, in light of the differences between what other manufacturers classify blades (such as an Oakeshott Type VI  ) - calling it a Type XII works in my book as a general guideline as to what it is.
J.E. Sarge
Crusader Monk Sword Scabbards and Customizations
www.crusadermonk.com
"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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This is a standard topic