[Johannes Zenker]

Last year I took an interest in military sabres and looked at different reproductions while researching complex-hilted swords.

I happened to find this one by Peter Regenyei's smithy (http://www.regenyei.com/en_index.html), with whom I've had only positive experiences previously, in stock with an online retailer based in Germany. Since Peter usually has a substantial queue due to high demand and I found the price of 260€ (free shipping) to be very fair, I bought it.

Specs:
Weight: 891g
Center of Gravity: 13.5cm from the hilt
Blade Length: 85cm
Vibrational node: circa 24.5cm from the tip
Blade Width at the Base: 2.5cm
Blade Width 24.5cm from tip: 1.8cm
Blade Width at the tip: 1.3cm
Blade (spine) Thickness at base: 5.5mm
Blade (spine) Thickness 24.5cm from the tip: 4mm
Blade (spine) Thickness at the tip: 1.8mm
Edge Thickness: 1.2mm for the most part, 1mm at the tip
Handle Length inside hilt: 14cm
Hilt Width: 11cm
Hilt Height: 15cm

I've used it quite a bit in training, mostly for sparring between different weapon types, and also for solo drills since my HEMA group does not have a regular sabre fencing course. It performed quite admirably in all those situations.

Handling was a problem at first. The hard, cord-bound grip proved to be very slippery with even light gloves on and I also found it to be too thin for my hands. I took some tennis grip tape, wrapped it around the original grip and voila, it's much better now. No more slipping and the added girth also suits my hand much better. This modification cost me about 5€ and took 10 minutes.
Now it flows through the motions much better and allows for much more precise control of movements. Quick cuts are delivered in a cinch now and moving from guard to guard feels much more positive now. Typical for a sabre it does not have a massive pommel so the point of balance is rather far out, but since the weight is rather low as well it does not feel clunky at all. Peter's blades also feature a generous amount of distal taper. The blade is pretty stiff, so good protective gear is mandatory in sparring. I decided to have the stiffer blade because it feels more responsive and works better in a bind than the more flexible variants. The bent-over tip also substantially increases safety when stabbing.
The hilt offers ample protection due to its generous dimensions, but it is possible for a blade to stab through the slits. Protective gloves are, of course, highly recommended. Lacrosse gloves can fit inside the hilt quite snugly, but that somewhat limits the range of motion you have. I therefore choose to wear thinner padded gloves, as the hilt itself fortunately protects the hand from most serious blows.

The blade has a rough matte finish with a section near the hilt left in a blackened state, which looks very nice. The inside of the hilt has not been completely polished and shows several marks of the making process. I like that.
The blade appears to have a threaded tang with a large pommel nut solidly wedged in place. It has so far shown no signs of loosening. The overall fit of the components is very tight, nothing rattles, nothing moves.
One slight caveat is that the blade is not perfectly straight, being very slightly bent to the left in the foremost quarter of the blade. It doesn't cause any problems, though, and is in my opinion very acceptable if I consider the price point and purpose of the item. There are a few nicks in the blade from sparring and I've had to grind off a few flakes of steel here and there, but considering how thin the edge is and that I've even used the sabre against long swords I consider the durability of the blade quite remarkable. The same also goes for the hilt, which takes even heavy blows admirably.

I have, of course, also included pictures.

[Isaac H.]

Very pleased to see someone taking the time to post a review of a Regenyei product. I have a definite interest in these blades, as my historical fencing academie here in California practices Hutton's sabre form. The Hanwei Hutton sabres are a dissapointment in many ways, the Regenyei offering looks much more period accurate.

I contacted Mr Scott Brown of HEMA supplies , the Regenyei distributor here in the US. At over $400 USD , it's still a very substantial investment for a trainer . The information presented in your review helps me when considering whether these swords are worth the cost. The information on distal taper ,weight, and edge thickness were particularly helpful. Seems a safety concern to have a 1mm thick edge at the tip... hardly a comfortable level of bluntness.

[Johannes Zenker]

Thanks for the feedback, I'm glad I could help.

The relatively thin "edge" near the tip is only a safety concern if you hit a completely unprotected target with significant force. It will, of course, more easily leave red marks (like a whip) through light clothing, but as soon as some padding comes into play the difference between 1mm and 3mm edge becomes negligible (thanks to the safety tip - a 1mm thin point would be a safety risk indeed).

It's unfortunate that Peter Regenyei's training weapons come at such an added cost, but shipping to the US alone is a very expensive service. You could try Darkwood's sabres (http://www.darkwoodarmory.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_46&products_id=365), but I've never handled one before and the Darkwood sidesword I used to own did not last very long. It also had quite thin edges, thinner than the Regenyei sabre if I remember correctly, but flexed more readily.

[Shahril Dzulkifli]

It looks somewhat strange to me for a training sword to have a tennis racket grip tape wrapped around its handle.

[Johannes Zenker]

I can see why it might, but as I mainly got it for its handling characteristics and toughness and not its stunning looks I decided to modify it thusly. My hand would cramp before I added the tape. It's purely about performance (combined with historically accurate handling), as it's a HEMA and not a re-enactment item for me. I had even considered using pink overgrip tape just to throw my training partners off a little. Combining Wilson and HEAD sticky tape to fixate it is a nice touch anyway, if I dare say so myself.

I did choose the slit pattern hilt for the looks, though. The dot pattern guard definitely offers more protection against stabs.

If I were more talented and could be bothered to spare the extra time required I perhaps could have replaced it with a more authentic leather wrap, yielding similar results with better looks.

[Isaac H.]

[Johannes Zenker]