Paul Chen Side Sword? -- myArmoury.com

Phil D. · Posted: Sat 06 May, 2006 4:40 pm Post subject: Paul Chen Side Sword?

Has anyone handled the new PC side sword yet.It looks very nice and I am wondering how it handles.

Any feedback is appreciated.

Thanks

D. Rosen · Posted: Sat 06 May, 2006 8:29 pm Post subject:

I got it a couple of months ago. I don't have too much experience with "higher quality" swords, but I love it. Its very appealing and everything is solid; the sword itself is very quick and it handles smoothly. For a pretty good review, take a look at this
http://www.therionarms.com/reenact/therionarms_c909.html - Lots of photos too.

-Dan

Chris Last · Posted: Sat 06 May, 2006 10:03 pm Post subject:

Hey Dan, can you bring it to the next event that we're both going to be at? I'd really like to take a look if you don't mind.

Roger Hooper · Posted: Sun 07 May, 2006 7:48 am Post subject:

It looks like a very good sword for the money. I checked around the net under its number, SH2203, and found prices ranging from $143.00 to $270.00.

How about the practical version, SH2279 - does anyone yet have one of these? I'm not sure I care for the blade that comes with it It looks like a variation on the Colichemarde style.

http://www.medieval-weaponry.co.uk/acatalog/Sideswords.html

D. Rosen · Posted: Sun 07 May, 2006 4:40 pm Post subject:

Its very nice. My only complaint is the Hanwei/Made in China logo on the 'upside' of the blade. Other than that, I love it.

-Dan

PS: Sent you an e-mail Chris

Ron Banks · Posted: Tue 22 Aug, 2006 8:59 pm Post subject:

Dan,

I'm new to the forum and just ordered a Paul Chen side sword from therionarms.com. Do you happen to know what alloy the guard/pommel is made from? Is it nickel plated over brass, zinc, stainless, etc.?

Thanks for any information you can provide,

Eric Myers · Posted: Wed 23 Aug, 2006 7:21 am Post subject:

Roger Hooper · Posted: Wed 23 Aug, 2006 7:51 am Post subject:

Eric Myers said:
I have seen and handled exactly one of these, and with any luck it will be the last one. The thing was completely unbalanced, the blade had no give and was way too over built, and it's ugly. I could put up with ugly if it was a decently functioning blade, but it's not. On the other hand, the furniture was pretty nice. A friend tried putting the practical sidesword furniture on the practical cup hilt blade, and while it was nice, it was sort of a "1 sword for the price of 2" deal, so he didn't keep it.

That is too bad. Maybe the bad blade is the reason it took so long to be released. The SH2279 is finally showing up at a few U.S vendor sites, still with that odd blade that you wouldn't think appropriate for a sidesword.

I guess the answer is to go to Darkwood, pay a little more, get a decent sword.

Allen Johnson · Posted: Wed 23 Aug, 2006 11:38 am Post subject:

No give? That may not be such a bad thing since so many of the reproduction blades are way too floppy. This might be better...

Eric Myers · Posted: Thu 24 Aug, 2006 7:44 am Post subject:

Bryce Felperin · Posted: Thu 24 Aug, 2006 11:36 am Post subject:

My Salle Master owns one of these swords and he seems to like it very much. Of course he doesn't fence with it since it's very sharp, but he likes how it handles and feels.

For the money, Paul Chen/CAS Iberia European swords tend to be good buys. They're not in the same league as Albions, Arms and Armor or others higher end blades, but they do fill a niche for those who don't want to spend $600 or more on really fine weapons.

So though they may not be perfect, they're at least "good enough" in my opinion.

Geoff Wood · Posted: Thu 24 Aug, 2006 2:23 pm Post subject:

My general impression is that people like the sharp one and hate the blunt one. Is that correct? I've been looking at pictures of the sharp one for quite while now. It would be an oddity, quite out of period for me, but interesting, and the price appears good (as in low), but I've found PC articles to vary a fair bit in quality. Of those i've bought 4 have taken a fair bit of work and 2 were just not worth the effort. That half dozen haven't included any swords, but I note that of the two such reviewed on this site, one had a slight bend, a characteristic I've come to associate with the PC product. My concern over such is probably not historically valid and try to keep it in check, but it is the main thought that puts me off going any further than looking with this sword. Should it turn out to be bent, or otherwise flawed, beyond my limits of acceptability, I've got trash (that I've either got to return and swap, possibly for more trash, or to put up with). Admitttedly cheap trash would be preferable to expensive trash, but either way it would still be trash. Not sure any of this is relevant to the thread. Ho hum.
Geoff

Thomas Hoogendam · Posted: Tue 13 Nov, 2007 2:22 pm Post subject:

Sorry for taking this old thread up to the top again, but it's a year old and I was wondering if people have anymore thoughts on this sword by Hanwei? I've been thinking about adding it to my collection, but sofar I've heard a lot of mixed results.
And is it true that the handle is wirewrap over plastic??

Dan P · Posted: Tue 13 Nov, 2007 3:23 pm Post subject:

I have the sharp version. Its mostly a thrusting sword and a decent light cutter. Its not balanced to give harder cuts though. The pommel is really large, and solid steel, which really pulls the point of balance away from the blade. The handle is long enough that it can be wielded with a finger over the guard, with a conventional grip, or even hand-and-a-half with one hand on the pommel for those harder to cut targets.

The handle is wire over gray plastic. But its sturdy enough to stand up to light cutting, and won't be visible unless one takes the sword apart. This is pretty easy since the pommel unscrews.. maybe a bit too easy since occasionally I need to retighten it after playing around.

Nowadays I would have saved that money for a custom, like from Darkwood Armory, but its still a good sword.

Elling Polden · Posted: Tue 13 Nov, 2007 3:38 pm Post subject:

I've got the blunt Practical Sidesword, and like it for what it is.
Wich is a cheap training rapier.
One will note that the blunt side sword is 10 cm longer than the sharp. (90 vs 80 cm blade), and the blade a lot narrower.
As a ressult, it's pretty much imposible to use it as a sword, but it is a better aproximation of a historical rapier than Hanweii's regular Practical rapier, which is more of a foil.

If you want to use it as a sword, get out your angle grinder and take 10-15 cm of the blade, which would make it a lot more managable.
The looks of the practical are also wastly imporved by pulling of the ridicilous leather cover on the ricason.

As for the flexibility of the blade, a rubber blunt and some propper weapon controll eliminates the problem.

Thomas Hoogendam · Posted: Wed 14 Nov, 2007 3:05 pm Post subject:

Shawn Henthorn · Posted: Wed 14 Nov, 2007 4:48 pm Post subject:

I have one and I like it allot. It looks really good visually, all the furniture is well done and the blade is cleanly executed. The balance is nice (1/2" from the top loop, about 3" from the cross) The blade presence however is minimal and the blade seems to light for any real cutting ( more like a thin rapier blade at the COP than what I think of as a side-sword) Over all I think it is worth the money. I should also mention that I have the sharp version and that I have had no problems with the hilt loosening after cutting or solo practice.