I doubt anyones is to blame here. While theses swords are made for such drill anything over time or use will break or become worn. Maybe you just found the achilles heel to these blades and something like a welder would make a easy fix.
Anything in life that you use will either break or wear out in time sometimes faster then others..
But noones really to blame you probably just got a bad batch and while it can be fixed sometimes things like this happen I have had a few blades break on me over use but the way I see it is neither mine nor the factorys or vendors fault it just happens even to the best of us.

Sander, I also purchased a Hanwei/Tinker recently. I would like to suggest that the manufacturing tolerances necessary
for replacing blades may be the problem.

I had to shorten my handle approximately 2mm so that the pommel would seat tightly on the unthreaded portion of the tang before tightening the hex nut. I believe that is what makes the hex nut pommel as strong as a peened pommel.
The threaded portion by itself cannot withstand any force applied to the pommel. It is only there to keep the pommel from
moving backwards off the tang.

I also had to shorten the threaded portion by 3mm to allow the nut to tighten properly.

A disassembly and inspection of the swords of other members of your group that have not broken yet may reveal similar issues.

If used regularly for sparring, minor fitting adjustments like this should help extend the life of your swords.

Ryan,
I would like to apologize for my own reactionary post earlier in this thread. I misinterpreted Nathan's first post here ("so the question is...") and that his intent was to clarify an implied question, not to assert the same question (Nathan, correct me if I am wrong). I cut fairly hard and regularly with the H/T Great Sword of War and the Longsword that I purchased from KoA recently and I have been nothing but pleased by them. I wrote that post hastily, and I do wish I had phrased that first sentence especially more tactfully.

I honestly did not intend to imply that I believed that either Hanwei or Kult of Athena was knowingly passing off structurally questionable items as "first run". In asking if any knowledgeable person had inside info on any alleged "factory second sale" I was expecting at most to hear something in the vein of the ongoing quest for improved edge profiles or something like that (and please don't take this as a complaint about the edges on my swords - they work just fine, thanks!).

I jumped on that sale last October because it was an opportunity to grab two of the swords high on my wish list. My choice of the Hanwei/Tinker swords was based largely on my faith in Tinker's engineering of the swords, including his hilt assembly method. In following the development of this series via myArmoury and Tinker's website, I also have faith in Hanwei's intention to honor Tinker's specifications and quality commitment.

Finally, I have had a handful of telephone conversations in the past year or so with you, Ryan, as I worked out how to invest my very limited sword budget most effectively; you have always been helpful, patient, and frank in your appraisal of your stock and I continue to trust you and your company. I am truly sorry if my chiming in as I did was interpreted by you or anybody who reads this thread as an accusation, either direct or implied. I can see how it might have been, in context of the rest of the thread, and I deeply regret that. You have my most sincere apology.

Yours,
Eric W. Norenberg

Thank you Ryan.
Just to clarify my standpoint. I ONLY buy swords from you at KOA. You have a great range of products, the best price and best customer support I've found. Everyhting I've bought from you has been more than satisfactory.

I just wish I had more money to spend in your webshop. And that you'd have those sweet Hanwei Saxons as bare blades. ;)

Just a quick update on this. Ryan and I have worked this out privately, and he has lived up to his excellent reputation on customer service. I'll definitely will be doing business again with him (in fact, my next KoA order will be submitted in soon).

It took a bit of time (on my part, we wanted to combine the warranty replacements with a new order to save on shipping) and some extra time lingering in customs, but the replacements have finally arrived. Along with our new goodies. We were happily surprised to see that Ryan hadn't just shipped replacement blades for these swords, but complete replacement swords! KoA reputation is well deserved.