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Joachim Elsander




Location: Sweden
Joined: 01 Mar 2004

Posts: 20

PostPosted: Thu 07 Apr, 2005 12:56 pm    Post subject: Is this sword all fantasy or could it have been for real?         Reply with quote

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



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Nate C.




Location: Palo Alto, CA
Joined: 13 Jun 2004

Spotlight topics: 1
Posts: 301

PostPosted: Thu 07 Apr, 2005 1:11 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

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?! Eek! - 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,

Nate C.

Sapere Aude
"If you are going to kill the man, at least give him a decent salute." - A. Blansitt

If they ever come up with a Swashbuckling School, I think one of the courses should be Laughing, then Jumping Off Something. --Jack Handy
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Kenneth Enroth




Location: Finland
Joined: 04 Dec 2003

Posts: 288

PostPosted: Thu 07 Apr, 2005 1:19 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

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.
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James Nordstrom




Location: Sacramento, CA
Joined: 18 Sep 2003

Posts: 90

PostPosted: Fri 08 Apr, 2005 12:40 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

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

Cheers
Jim
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Joachim Elsander




Location: Sweden
Joined: 01 Mar 2004

Posts: 20

PostPosted: Fri 08 Apr, 2005 4:45 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

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
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Elling Polden




Location: Bergen, Norway
Joined: 19 Feb 2004
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Posts: 1,576

PostPosted: Fri 08 Apr, 2005 11:31 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

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

"this [fight] looks curious, almost like a game. See, they are looking around them before they fall, to find a dry spot to fall on, or they are falling on their shields. Can you see blood on their cloths and weapons? No. This must be trickery."
-Reidar Sendeman, from King Sverre's Saga, 1201
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Aaron Schnatterly




Location: New Glarus, WI
Joined: 16 Feb 2005
Reading list: 67 books

Spotlight topics: 1
Posts: 1,244

PostPosted: Fri 08 Apr, 2005 12:04 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Joachim Elsander wrote:
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-

Nice piece - I understand your dilemma. Took a long time to get, executed as it was wished for, but not as solid as it should be. Send it back, potentially wait vs. accept it as is.

Me, I don't want a piece in my collection that I couldn't literally depend on. If one of my swords were of questionable serviceability, I'd send it back to be adjusted. He's offering to make things right, and at his expense. I would take him up on it.

-Aaron Schnatterly
_______________

Fortior Qui Se Vincit
(He is stronger who conquers himself.)
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Joachim Elsander




Location: Sweden
Joined: 01 Mar 2004

Posts: 20

PostPosted: Sat 09 Apr, 2005 11:22 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

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.
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Aaron Schnatterly




Location: New Glarus, WI
Joined: 16 Feb 2005
Reading list: 67 books

Spotlight topics: 1
Posts: 1,244

PostPosted: Sat 09 Apr, 2005 11:50 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

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


This is going to sound like a flippant response - it isn't meant to be. The answer is "so it won't be damaged". There isn't a definite way to ensure this, or, rather, no ONE way to do it. I've seen swords shipped in cardboard boxes with foam spacers to guard against damage that have been cut to fit the scabbard or sword, slid on, and then placed inside the box. Some use gun cases - effective if you can find one wide enough for the guard AND long enough to deal with the length. Some may go to wooden crates (could be expensive both in cost of making as well as shipping). Albion has used a heavy-weight cardboard box with consistently good results. Here's a picture, robbed directly from their site:



This heavy box also works well when the sword is wrapped in bubble wrap and very well padded with newspaper instead of the foam inserts.

I wish I had a solid "this is it" answer for you - hopefully this is at least somewhat helpful. I wish you the very best of luck!

-Aaron Schnatterly
_______________

Fortior Qui Se Vincit
(He is stronger who conquers himself.)
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Joachim Elsander




Location: Sweden
Joined: 01 Mar 2004

Posts: 20

PostPosted: Sat 09 Apr, 2005 10:19 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

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
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Glen S. Ramsay




Location: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Joined: 10 Dec 2003

Posts: 91

PostPosted: Sun 10 Apr, 2005 10:21 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

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.
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