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Michael Pikula
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Location: Madison, WI
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PostPosted: Thu 25 Aug, 2011 3:18 pm    Post subject: BIG type XIIIa from Michael Pikula         Reply with quote

One of the last swords I made has gotten quite a bit of attention and someone in the tread suggested that they would love to see a two handed version of that sword. Ok, my attention was captured and I came up with a concept that I think matches the spirit of the XIIIb "lost Oakeshott" fairly well, or at least I think so! It was hard to come up with a design that is still boarder line historical, still have handling that doesn't make just a hunk of steel. I probably could have taken some more mass from the tip area, but I decided to leave it as is since when imagining the type of use this blade would have seen I feel that it would better suited the dynamics.

Overall weight: 4lb. 11oz.
Point of Balance: 4.6" forward of guard
Point of Percussion: 26.5" forward of guard
Blade Length: 40.3"
Blade Width: 3.1"
Length Overall: 53.5”

This is another one of those blades that you just have to hold in hand and swing around to truly appreciate how it all came together. It doesn't feel or behave as heavy as it sounds and really is a ridiculous sword in every best way possible. I will leave it to questions and comments, please feel free to chime in and I will answer any question the best way possible, and also shipping is available, to your door Happy

I am asking $1850 for this sword



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Jean Thibodeau




PostPosted: Thu 25 Aug, 2011 3:55 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

WOW, that is scary and when the sword is in a pic all by itself it fools one into thinking it a normal sized sword with an oddly thin and narrow handle, but in the pic of Michael holding it, it really shows off it's size.

Oh, and " UNFAIR " you are giving my sword and me an inferiority complex !

I will also repeat a comment I made on the Topic, on the " smaller " sword I just bought, about very wide bladed swords is that I wonder if one side effect in fighting is that such a wide blade would be much more difficult to successfully grab and make that technique ineffective. Wink Question Big Grin Cool

Really good idea to make two fullers rather a wide and very shallow one both aesthetically and for design reasons.

Weight can be very surprising with well designed and handling swords: My OlliN made RavenWolf sword is a 5 pound one hander and it doesn't feel ponderous, although one would tire faster than with a 3 pound sword. Wink Laughing Out Loud

At 4 pounds 11 oz. with a long handle this huge sword should handle very well. Oh, and good to leave a bit of meat on and close to the tip to give it some presence and to back up the edges with a not too thin cross section. ( I'm guessing here ).

I just feel sorry that I can't afford to buy ALL YOUR SWORDS.

Oh, and congratulations on another impressive piece of work. Big Grin Cool

You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!


Last edited by Jean Thibodeau on Thu 25 Aug, 2011 4:37 pm; edited 3 times in total
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Jeremy V. Krause




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PostPosted: Thu 25 Aug, 2011 4:15 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I'd call that a pretty fearsome cavalry weapon! Makes me want to retreat from my computer screen just looking at it!! Laughing Out Loud

I usually dislike really big swords as sometimes I think they are just done for effect but I sure like this one. Happy
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Patrick Kelly




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PostPosted: Thu 25 Aug, 2011 4:48 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

That has my name written all over it, too bad my checkbook doesn't. Big Grin Suddenly I'm looking around thinking of where I can find the money, it's been a long time since a sword made me do that.

Michael that's simply awesome.

"In valor there is hope.".................. Tacitus
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W. Knight




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PostPosted: Thu 25 Aug, 2011 5:01 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I have really liked what I have seen on this forum of the swords you are making. I must say, though, the one thing I disliked was that many of them are so light. I admit I wondered how well they might fare against heavy targets.

But this sword is a true WARSWORD! I can only imagine the damage this blade would do...

This looks like a very impressive (and devastating) sword. I really like to see a sword that is nice and heavy when it is designed purely for cutting. Big Grin
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Brian K.
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PostPosted: Thu 25 Aug, 2011 5:47 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

The BEAST!

Nicely done Michael!

Brian Kunz
www.dbkcustomswords.com
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Scott Kowalski




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PostPosted: Thu 25 Aug, 2011 6:18 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Jean Thibodeau wrote:
Oh, and " UNFAIR " you are giving my sword and me an inferiority complex !


And here I was thinking that your sword gave my XIIIb an inferiority complex! This new one does it even more. My poor sword being so small. Sad

That is just a truly awesome sword Michael. It looks great though I think that Brian hit it on the head. BEAST indeed! I just wish I had some money laying around so that I could buy this. Unfortunately things have become pretty lean around here and there is nothing I am currently willing to part with. Cry

Chris Landwehr 10/10/49-1/1/09 My Mom
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Mike Capanelli




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PostPosted: Thu 25 Aug, 2011 7:11 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

OUCH!!!! I'm not really a fan of big wide swords like this but this one is just awesome. I love the double fullers too. I bet this would look great on your website Wink
Winter is coming
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Jason Elrod




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PostPosted: Thu 25 Aug, 2011 8:08 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I wish I had some money to commission a piece off of you. I love this sword. I particularily love the symmetry of the pommel. Funny but the first thing that I noticed about all of your swords was the attention to the shape of the pommels. Don't know why, but all of them seem perfect.
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Alexander Lambrinos





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PostPosted: Thu 25 Aug, 2011 8:27 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

That looks like an incredible sword, I really like it and even more so, I want it.
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JE Sarge
Industry Professional



PostPosted: Fri 26 Aug, 2011 2:36 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Wow! Just wow!

That's seriously the beefiest sword I have ever seen and an awesome companion weapon to the Type XIIIb you did. I think you nailed the idea right on the head. That thing could cut a swath of enemies five men deep.

Kudos to a truly unique work of art there. I love it! Big Grin

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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Neil Gagel




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PostPosted: Fri 26 Aug, 2011 6:41 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Wow, yeah, that is definitely a beast capable of giving a guy's sword an inferiority complex. I think you should probably name it the John Holmes of Swords or maybe Blade Holmes. If you don't recognize that name, do yourself a favor and DO NOT google it at work... or with kids around... fair warning.
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Tim Lison




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PostPosted: Fri 26 Aug, 2011 8:01 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Great works as always Michael! The pic of the 2 type XIII swords together is just cool. I love the double fullers!
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Matthew G.M. Korenkiewicz




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PostPosted: Fri 26 Aug, 2011 11:57 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Ya' know, Michael ... I think you need to relax, sit a spell, take your mind off of
swords for awhile. Have a cup of coffee, or maybe you're drinking too much
coffee ? maybe putting in too much sugar ? maybe having one too many
donuts ?

B-)


I keep getting this vision of you after showing us that one-hander, thinking ...

... hmmm, I THINK that needs to be bigger, yep, that's the ticket ... I can
make it bigger, better, wider, with a longer grip ...


What the heck is coming NEXT ! I'm almost afraid to fathom a guess ....



ps. by the way, awesome.
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Dan P




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PostPosted: Fri 26 Aug, 2011 12:05 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

That's like, scary enough to count as an antitank weapon.

In the future I bet there will be a video of someone using this sword to do a hundred or so straw mats in one cut.
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Michael Pikula
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PostPosted: Sat 27 Aug, 2011 10:34 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Happy I'm really happy you guys like the way it came out. This was a pretty interesting piece to work on, and I actually used a new technique to make the pommel. I drilled an oversize hole in a block or round stock, and then upset the bar to close the hole and fit the tang. I didn't get a perfect circle when I upset the block and I tried to keep as much of that organic material flow as I could while cleaning it up. I think that gentle flow helps soften the form. I originally hoped that the material would increase in diameter more, but with being so far away from the guard and blade, I think it came out just right.

This sword makes me giggle Laughing Out Loud

Ohhh, and I am limited by my salt tubes that I use for heat treat so I don't know if I can get much wider, but there is one way to find out! What do you think? Add another inch and another fuller? Hum... that would be an interesting commission!
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Paul Watson




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PostPosted: Sat 27 Aug, 2011 1:52 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

That sword is as you say ridiculous for all the right reasons. Congratulations on getting such an extreme example to work in all respects. I will join those saying if I had the money I would buy it.
I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, but that which it protects. (Faramir, The Two Towers)
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Ken Speed





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PostPosted: Sat 27 Aug, 2011 5:21 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Michael Pikula told us that, "This sword makes me giggle Laughing Out Loud" I'm truly afraid to ask what makes you laugh! So do you have a name for this sword? Something like, " Rhinoceros Killer" strikes me as appropriate!

It is an amazing accomplishment, as huge as it is it still looks right somehow . Congratulations!
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Raman A




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PostPosted: Sat 27 Aug, 2011 5:42 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

wow that sword looks like something out of a movie or video game. Is it really only 4 lbs? The double fullers and thin cross section must have really pulled their weight on this one.
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Jeremy V. Krause




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PostPosted: Sat 27 Aug, 2011 6:37 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Raman A wrote:
wow that sword looks like something out of a movie or video game. Is it really only 4 lbs? The double fullers and thin cross section must have really pulled their weight on this one.


I disagree; if that were the case it would look like crap, which it definitwly does not!
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