best "off of the shelf" viking sword -- myArmoury.com

Gabriele Becattini

i would like to have your opinion about who makes the best "off of the shelf" viking sword in the market (Albion doesen't count, as it is well outside mi price range)

i'm not looking for a particular hilt tipology or a style that fit a particular timeframe, just for a reasonably good looking, good Handling sword, better if available from a european vendor, as i'm not willing to buy anymore from the U.S market due to the crazy customs fee in my own country.

on the top of my list there are the windlass 5 lobed and the hanwei tinker, but i'm eager to receive further imput and comments, i have just seen, for examples, some nice swords from the vendor wulfhund...

thanks for your help

Roger Hooper · Posted: Tue 17 May, 2016 3:41 pm Post subject:

Arma Bohemia makes a couple of Viking Swords - http://www.armabohemia.cz/Novestr/swordsA.htm -

I can't speak as to their quality - here is a thread that talks about Arma Bohemia - http://myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=259...ma+bohemia

Glen A Cleeton · Posted: Tue 17 May, 2016 3:57 pm Post subject:

I haven't handled a Hanwei Cawood but if viking swords were on my list, it would certainly vie for attention. I have played with a Tinker/Hanwei viking and endorse it enthusiastically. So much is going to be subjective though and I wuld buy the Cawood before anything else at that price point.

Cheers

GC

David Wilson · Posted: Tue 17 May, 2016 4:39 pm Post subject:

You can't get much better than the Hanwei Tinker for the price, in my opinion. I highly recommend it. I also have the Windlass 5-lobe and it's a very nice sword as well, but since it's discontinued I imagine it would be harder to come by.... some of the other Windlass Viking swords (the Sticklestad and Leutrit, mainly) have pretty good reputations....

You also may want to take a look at Del Tin, but be careful as most of their Viking swords are grossly overweight. The 2104 and 2105 are actually quite reasonable and are the only models I'd recommend. I've got both swords and I'm still rather fond of them.

Gabriele Becattini · Posted: Wed 18 May, 2016 5:49 am Post subject:

thank you for your imputs guys,

Roger- the swords offered by Arma Bohema are very nice, i suspect that they are made by Pavel Moc, that i have heard is agood maker, his website is not updated by a very long time, but i think that they are a good value for the money

Glen- the hanwei cawood hs caught my attention too, it is one of my favourite design and i have read good comments about it unfortunately at the moment i have not been able to find an european based vendor that keeps it in stock, the same for the Hanwei-Tinker...

David- i have just noticed that the 5 lober is out of stock in the UK vendor website that use to keep it, if it is truly discontinued i believe that it will be very hard to get one, they still have the Sticklestad and Leutrit but i'm not very fond of them. I'm italian, so your suggestion for Del Tin is interesting, i like the 2104 and i ave found a couple of good rewievs
i was concerned about the weight, but looks like if it is a nice Handling sword.

i'm waiting also from an answer from Vladimir cervenka, but i fear that his swords are outside y budget, probably they are priced simialarly to albion

Johannes Zenker · Posted: Wed 18 May, 2016 6:06 am Post subject:

Gabriele, I can alleviate that concern. According to the price list he gave me two years ago (which I am not going to fully disclose), Vladimir's swords are considerably more affordable than Albions. They're not "off the shelf", though, so you'll likely have to wait a few months.

They do have a very charming roughness to their finish, not as perfectionistic as mass-produced, cast hilts or CNC milled swords.

Some day I'll get myself a Viking era sword made by him, currently only have a renaissance sidesword.

Christopher Gregg · Posted: Wed 18 May, 2016 8:55 am Post subject:

You can get an Albion Squire Line at Viking-Shield.com, fits in around your price and you still get an Albion. I love my Albion Thegn.

Roger Hooper · Posted: Wed 18 May, 2016 10:29 am Post subject:

Concerning Wulflund, I have handled some of their blunts and been impressed with their quality, especially for the price that is being charged. However, this doesn't help you in judging their sharp blades. From looking at specs at KOA, there doesn't seem to be much distal taper in the blade geometry.

Gabriele Becattini · Posted: Wed 18 May, 2016 11:49 am Post subject:

Johannes- if i can ask, could you give me an idea about Mr.Cervenka prices?

had Albion Europe still alive i would have not hesitate to get the Squire Line viking Christopher, but unfortunately the import fees in Italy are crazily expensive, and plus i cannot import a sharp blade...

from what concern the Arma Bohemia vikings Roger, i can definetively confirm that they are made by Pavel Moc

http://www.swords.cz/pictures/swords/newvikings1-6.jpg

the hilts are very nice but the blades are a little strange, they looks like some kind of practice sword, and strongly remind me the Hanwei practical viking

Gabriele Becattini · Posted: Wed 18 May, 2016 1:00 pm Post subject:

may be that can be of some interest, i have just got an answer from Mr.Cervenka, his prices are really very good and much lower than i was expecting,

unfortunately the waiting list is currently August 2017....

Luka Borscak · Posted: Wed 18 May, 2016 1:08 pm Post subject:

Hanwei Cawood isn't really a viking sword, it's late 11th, early 12th century sword... I would definitely recommend Hanwei Tinker Viking...

Bram Verbeek · Posted: Wed 18 May, 2016 2:03 pm Post subject:

http://www.celticwebmerchant.com/nl/tinker-pe...waard.html

Is european and has the Tinker viking sword. I just have the bastard sword, but the quality seems quite good of this line. Serious sharpening is in order though, if you want it really sharp.

Gabriele Becattini · Posted: Fri 20 May, 2016 6:06 am Post subject:

wow, the hanwei tinker is very expensive for a mass produced sword, i can get a Cervenka or Del Tin for such a price,

do you think that it is Worth 400 Euros?

Bram Verbeek · Posted: Fri 20 May, 2016 8:28 am Post subject:

Gabriele Becattini · Posted: Fri 20 May, 2016 12:56 pm Post subject:

your suggestion to uy just the blade is rather intertesting Bram....139 euros for the sharp version, and i have already a maker n itly that could make the fittings for me, probably that's a good soution

i have had some isses in the past with hanwei blades, i have the hutton sabre and the the blade broke at the tip after a few bouts withmy sparring partners,

hopefully the tinker line is more carefully designed

Gabriele Becattini · Posted: Fri 20 May, 2016 12:57 pm Post subject:

if i remember correctly Luka has a wonderful custom viking made out with a tinker blade, or i'm wrong?

Luka Borscak · Posted: Sat 21 May, 2016 2:38 pm Post subject:

You are right, but I sold it to a guy in USA a few years ago...

Jeffrey Faulk · Posted: Mon 23 May, 2016 10:06 am Post subject:

The Hanwei Tinker replacement blades are absolutely worth the money. Either a Viking or a Norman blade would be quite excellent, especially with custom fittings and a properly sized grip. The stock grip on a Viking is a bit too long as is.

Also, 400 Euro seems a bit high, but if it's the only thing available in your area (I understand there are legal issues with sharp blades in many parts of Europe) then I would definitely go with getting a bare blade fit out to your taste. It'll cost about the same but you'll get a slightly better sword out of it.

Johannes Zenker · Posted: Tue 24 May, 2016 5:09 am Post subject:

Gabriele Becattini · Posted: Tue 24 May, 2016 12:13 pm Post subject:

i have just bought the blade, it has costed me 160 euros shipped so i believe that if the quality will match your comments, it will be a very good acquisition.

waiting time was a big issue for me, do you know that when someone badly need to scratch a hitch,... so having the HT blade hilted locally is a brilliant idea,

now i have to decide what style..