Is this sword all fantasy or could it have been for real? -- myArmoury.com

Joachim Elsander

A year ago I ordered a sword from Szczepan Twardoch, Poland. I wanted the sword to be a mix between fantasy and reality. (I would have chosen something more historic correct today, but this was a year ago and I didn’t know then what I know today) I wrote down very exact instructions how I wanted the sword to look, and emailed it to him. So don’t blame him if you think the sword looks terrible!
He followed my instructions with stunning exactness.
I expected to receive the sword within 3 to 4months but it took a year.
But he has answered all my emails so I never really doubted if the sword would arrive.

Anyway here is some specific:
Length of the blade: 92 cm
Width of the blade: 4,5 cm
Thickness of the blade: 0,7 cm
Length of the fuller: 52 cm
Hardness: about 52 HRC
Width of the quillon: 19 cm
Handle length (without pommel's "shaft"): 20 cm
Pommel: 10 cm high, about 5 cm in diameter.
Over all length: 122 cm
I know the pommel look a little different, anybody seen anything like this before?
Weight: about 900 gr
Center of weight: 12 cm under the quillon

The sword is light and handles very well. But please realize that I have no experience with sword so my opinion is noting to consider!

The inscription on the blade is on both sides and says ” Kyrie eleison” it’s Greek and it means ”Lord, have mercy”. (Now I realize that inscriptions in Greek is very uncommon, and maybe not historically correct, but than again, to me the greek letters have a little “Tolkish” fantasy look to them).

Over all I am happy with the sword, though today I would have wanted something more “traditional” looking. But anyway, it is a unique sword!

The sad thing is that the scabbard was damage when Polish costume opened the package, so Szczepan will fix it end send it later. The second bad thing was that the pommel was a little bent because of rough treatment during the shipping. My own conclusion is that the package could have been better.
When I told this to Szczepan he offered to pay for the shipping back to Poland to fix the sword. I really don’t no if I will do that. Since I believe I will use this sword for decoration only. And for that it more than qualifies, considering the price with scabbard is equal to a UC wall hanger replica of for example the Strider sword without scabbard!

Please comment! Is this mostly fantasy or can it fit in somewhere in history?

Greetings
Joachim Elsander

Nate C. · Posted: Thu 07 Apr, 2005 1:11 pm Post subject:

I am by no means an expert but here's my 2 cents.

Blade: plausable - It's slightly Crecy-ish
Engraving: ?? - weren't mottoes and the like usually engraved smaller?
Cross Guard: is a historical type, but a little out of scale with the blade (wider would be better?)
Pommel: WTF?!

- I have no clue! Laughing Out Loud

I'm also not sure about blade to guard period agreement i.e. they may be from different time periods. But that's part of the fun with fantasy pieces, they don't have to be accurate Big Grin

.

Cheers,

Kenneth Enroth · Posted: Thu 07 Apr, 2005 1:19 pm Post subject:

You can tell it's a modern design but I don't see anything fantastical about it. It's pretty straigthforward. The outline kind of resembles some of the offerings from Armourclass. I think you have a foot in both camps with that sword.

Very light at 900 grams.

James Nordstrom · Posted: Fri 08 Apr, 2005 12:40 am Post subject:

I am sure if yu look thru the history's deep enough you'll find something very simular if not exact.

Cheers
Jim

Joachim Elsander · Posted: Fri 08 Apr, 2005 4:45 am Post subject:

Thank you all for your replies and your help. I want one more advice, What do you think should I send the sword back or should I just hang it on the wall and be happy.
A I said, the package was poor and the pommel took some damage. This made the hilt to be a little, well not loose, that would be to say to much but still not ”dead tight”
(you can’t see if of course, only feel it in the handle if you use some force when you swing it).
Szczepan was very sorry for this, he ensured me that the hilt was thigh when he shipped the sword.
He offered to pay for the shipping back and fix the hilt.
Now I am thinking, This sword will spend most of its time on my wall, I think it is to beautiful to cut and play with.
And remember it took me a year to receive the sword in the first place, if I send it back, well, I know what I got now but…
On the other hand the sword is made to be fully functional and it would be god to know it is as good as it was made to be. You see my dilemma, What do you think?

Joachim

Elling Polden · Posted: Fri 08 Apr, 2005 11:31 am Post subject:

As far as I can see, the sword is pretty straight forward, with the exception of the ball shaped pommel, and inscription; Most historical longswords I've seen have barrel or knob shaped pommels.
Take a look at the swords in the albums;
http://www.myArmoury.com/albums/thumbnails.php?album=17

Aaron Schnatterly · Posted: Fri 08 Apr, 2005 12:04 pm Post subject:

Joachim Elsander · Posted: Sat 09 Apr, 2005 11:22 am Post subject:

Thank you Aaron for the advice, here comes another newbie question.
How is sword supposed to be shipped?

This one came in a poor package, it was basically two pieces of corrugated cardboard paper with packing tape wrapped around it and the sword in the middle!
I was not surpassed that the long pommel was damage, it was a little bent,
(Well not the pommel but the iron it is attached to I guess) and that in turn made the hilt a little loose.
So how is sword usually packed?

If I send it back to him I am thinking about making a little wooden box with a lot of material around it for protection.
Maybe he can use the box when he sends it back to me.
But I am surprised that such a skilled smith would put such a nice sword in such a poor package in the first place.

Aaron Schnatterly · Posted: Sat 09 Apr, 2005 11:50 am Post subject:

Joachim Elsander · Posted: Sat 09 Apr, 2005 10:19 pm Post subject:

Thank you for the pictures, I think I will do something like that. Maybe a wood box is a little too much.
A good box made of cardboard paper will do the job, I will look and see if I can find a good one.
I think I have decided to send the sword back, as I am still waiting for the scabbard that was destroyed in custom, he can send them both back at the same time.

Joachim

Glen S. Ramsay · Posted: Sun 10 Apr, 2005 10:21 pm Post subject:

For suggestions on where to get good boxes, check this thread:
http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t...ping+boxes
I got a good box once at my local superstore (try Wal-Mart or something) that was originally for long fluorescent light bulbs. Worked perfectly...
Just make sure you pack the sword well, so it won't move around in the box. If you feel there's some risk of the sword sliding, maybe put some kind of wood piece in the end of the box (the "tip" end) so the tip won't poke through the cardboard. Wouldn't hurt to put pieces of foam or wood where the crossguard ends may also touch the sides of the box, as I believe some people have had swords arrive after shipping where the guard ends have actually punched through the box.