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Chris Artman




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PostPosted: Mon 19 May, 2008 11:24 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Well, I have to say, how long can Patrick Barta keep up work like that, it is amazing. Yes, that Silver and Gold inlay, everything about that is just amazing. Maybe I'll contact him at some point. Either way, the first thing I'd do would be to see how well it cuts. I'd want to see how Patrick's sword handles against conrcrete and steel poles, just so I can see how well the craftmanship holds up.

In any case, for actualy playing with, I do like the German rapier, but it seems overly short for the blade and rather small... I think it is certainly a beautiful production rapier, but my concern is that the blade is just too small... maybe I'm wrong, but I love the looks.
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Jean Thibodeau




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PostPosted: Tue 20 May, 2008 12:13 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Chris Artman wrote:
Well, I have to say, how long can Patrick Barta keep up work like that, it is amazing. Yes, that Silver and Gold inlay, everything about that is just amazing. Maybe I'll contact him at some point. Either way, the first thing I'd do would be to see how well it cuts. I'd want to see how Patrick's sword handles against conrcrete and steel poles, just so I can see how well the craftmanship holds up.

In any case, for actualy playing with, I do like the German rapier, but it seems overly short for the blade and rather small... I think it is certainly a beautiful production rapier, but my concern is that the blade is just too small... maybe I'm wrong, but I love the looks.


Aaaaaaah ??? I hope you are kidding about concrete and steel poles: The best sword in the World might not break or take a set if abused this way but the edge will at the very least be ruined and the finish heavily scratched.

Great craftsmanship wont make a custom sword any better at surviving abuse than any other well made sword i.e. good steel properly heat treated.

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Chris Artman




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PostPosted: Tue 20 May, 2008 12:45 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Ha! Just kidding of course! I'd be afraid to breathe wrong on Patrick's sword... it belongs in a display case with white glove treatment only...

I'm having a tought time deciding between the A&A rapiers... I asked a girl to look at all of them and told her to pick the one she liked the most... she picked the German Rapier. Yes, I love the look, and the nice parrying dagger as well, but I don't know if I can deal with that thin of a blade... for my height, etc... I'd like at least a 38" blade, but not to exceed 40".

(I'm playing catch up... I also put an order in for the Dane (Albion) today).

One of my girlfriends said I should just go for the red and Black, with Gold and Silve inlay Patrick Barta rapier... Well, I just did that with the Svante sword... But that Patrick Barta is like (2) Svante swords!!

Even if I did go for the red, black, gold, silver Patrick Barta sword, I'd need something I can actually use and hold Happy

I'll go thru the comments again about the A&A production rapiers. I'll also look at darkwood armoury as per the ealier comment....


Last edited by Chris Artman on Tue 20 May, 2008 5:04 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Chris Artman




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PostPosted: Tue 20 May, 2008 12:49 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Any opinions on the Elizabethian? It certainly is the longest ....
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Richard Hare




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PostPosted: Tue 20 May, 2008 6:34 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

If I purchased a rapier, It would be Vladimir Cervenka's Pappenheimer.

It just looks so Right.

When I mentioned Vlad's work before, a comment was made about having to wait a year and a half.
Good things are worth waiting for.
Like the old saying goes;
"Good, cheap, and fast,.....Pick two.!.."

Richard.
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Bill Grandy
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PostPosted: Tue 20 May, 2008 8:42 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Hi Chris,
I don't know if you're aware, but you can request semi-custom options from A&A for an additional charge. I own some swords that are part of A&A's existing production line with minor modifications, including a change in blade length (as I'm pretty tall). So you could get a German rapier at any reasonable length you wanted.

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Chris Artman




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PostPosted: Tue 20 May, 2008 9:57 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

http://www.sword.cz/rapiers.htm

Pappenheimer
Cavalry sword of the year 1610
(shown without patina),
Central Europe.

Total length: 1200mm
Length of the blade:1020mm
Width of the blade: 30mm
Weight: 1350 g
Balance point: 75mm from quillon

Very nice.

Thanks for the tip on A&A as well.



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Chris Artman




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PostPosted: Tue 20 May, 2008 10:26 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Thanks Bill,

I'll look into the German with a blade change.

Chris also mentioned: "AA Dresden rapier with a wide rapier blade as opposed to the standard broadsword size blade"... As he mentions the balance ends up being excellent. It is a heavy piece, but I can see getting a longer and more tapered rapier blade with it.

Maybe Craig or someone at A&A could help me determine performance so I don't order anything I'm unhappy with.

The Writhen and Gustav Vasa also look very nice.... I like the Gustav Vasa rapier, beuatiful, but the parrying dagger to go with it has such a short guard, which is unnappealing to me (looks like the guard on the parrying dagger got bilateral amputations with two little nubs sticking out)

I have to say the Writhen, and the Writhen parrying dagger keep growing on me... I think the elizabethian is nice too, but nobody here seemed to mention it... maybe it is too long for most people or is unnatractive?
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Chris Artman




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PostPosted: Tue 20 May, 2008 5:08 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Patrick Barta's Shiavonna: Looks like he uses Nathan Robinson's pictures on his website.


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Chris Artman




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PostPosted: Tue 20 May, 2008 5:19 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I did put an order in for Vladimir's Pappenheimer. But like anything, I'll probably pick up a couple more. Vladimir's turn around time is about 1.5 years. I guess the fact that it is custom, not overly priced, well-proportioned, and came with several recommendations led me to place an order for it....

I'll likely pick up 1-2 from A&A as well.

That Shiavonna from Patrick Barta is reasonably priced for a custom piece and quite beautiful.
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Paul Watson




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PostPosted: Tue 20 May, 2008 6:46 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Dale A. Taylor wrote:
To me, this piece by Patrick Barta transcends swordsmithing and cutlery to become full scale art.

(yeah, I kinda like it.)



A sword smith could easily stuff up a sword trying to incorporate that amount of detail. Mr Barta has done no such thing. I think this sword is art or the highest caliber. I would have to say that is my favourite rapier.

I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, but that which it protects. (Faramir, The Two Towers)
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Nathan Robinson
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PostPosted: Tue 20 May, 2008 9:32 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Chris Artman wrote:
Patrick Barta's Shiavonna: Looks like he uses Nathan Robinson's pictures on his website.


I granted permission for the photo usage. Happy

Schiavone are not rapiers, however.... i put together an article on the Schiavona (linked) that discusses their development.

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Chris Artman




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PostPosted: Tue 20 May, 2008 9:52 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I noticed you have owned a few shiavone and sold a couple of yours. Is Patrick's your favorite that you have owned?

Is it safe to assume that when someone sells something from their collection, it must have been something that was relatively easy to part with?

sorry my spelling is off, I'll eventually be able to spell landshnekt and shiavone without having to look it up (as I did not just now)


Last edited by Chris Artman on Tue 20 May, 2008 10:41 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Jeremiah Swanger




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PostPosted: Tue 20 May, 2008 10:12 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Speaking of Pappenheimers, I seem to recall Erik Stevensson (sp?) making a couple of really nice ones. It looks like his website no longer exists. Does anyone have a link to the pics of his swords anywhere?
"Rhaegar fought nobly.
Rhaegar fought valiantly.
Rhaegar fought honorably.
And Rhaegar died."

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Bill Grandy
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PostPosted: Tue 20 May, 2008 10:55 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Jeremiah Swanger wrote:
Speaking of Pappenheimers, I seem to recall Erik Stevensson (sp?) making a couple of really nice ones. It looks like his website no longer exists. Does anyone have a link to the pics of his swords anywhere?


Well, there's this one that I own:

http://www.myArmoury.com/bill_swor_pmc_papp.html?31

HistoricalHandcrafts.com
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"For practice is better than artfulness. Your exercise can do well without artfulness, but artfulness is not much good without the exercise.” -anonymous 15th century fencing master, MS 3227a
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Chris Artman




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PostPosted: Tue 20 May, 2008 11:44 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Nathan, have you ever gone to that metal working place near Oakland? They had an awesome metal sculpture event with fire... lots of the metalworking used propane gas... I forget the name ofthe show, but it is once yearly, late July I think... I just moved here to San Francisco from Arlington VA. In any case, I thought at some point, it would be great to join that metalworking school for a hobby... You have probably been to that event in Oakland, I can't remember the name of it... I'll probably go this year again...
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Bennison N




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PostPosted: Wed 21 May, 2008 2:35 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Just say someone wanted to purchase a Rapier a la Taza, but didn't want to buy one of Mr. Chen's CAS/Hanwei ones... where can you Rapier men recommend that he goes? Or more specifically, where can he find one that he can purchase?

Also, what is your opinion of Taza Rapiers?

"Never give a sword to a man who can't dance" - Confucius

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Chad Arnow
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PostPosted: Wed 21 May, 2008 6:36 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Chris Artman wrote:

Is it safe to assume that when someone sells something from their collection, it must have been something that was relatively easy to part with?


Not always.

I can't speak for Nathan, but for me some sales are easier on the soul than others. I've sold a number of things in my collection. Some sales, of items that disappointed me in some way, were easy. The rest were things I liked at least a little bit and would have liked to have kept, but I needed the money for other swords or other purposes (engagement ring, new trombone, etc.). Some of those sales were really hard; I regret a few of them to this day. But I wouldn't trade my wife or my trombone to have any of them back. Happy

If you want to know more about my collecting philosophy and that of other, there are several threads on the subject that the search function will yield.

Happy

ChadA

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Chris Artman




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PostPosted: Wed 21 May, 2008 9:57 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I guess I'm in a position where I'd like to utilize all of your hard earned experience to avoid buying mistakes. I have a couple regrets already from my initial two swords, one of which is about $900.00 from by-the sword, and another is a $450.00 sword. Its just that now I am starting to learn about the various swordsmiths: I would have avoided buying those two swords and put that toward a custom German two hander that I would have really wanted.

When I see someone has three versions of a sword and keeps one of them, that being of Patrick Barta, I have to assume that they liked that version the best. All of the Del Tin items were also sold... To me, it certainly says a lot about Patrick Barta, if you want the best, at least for what he offers. In other words, if you can only afford to have his version and another, fine, keep both perhaps... If you can only afford his version, then it seems his is being picked over the others. His aesthetics and art arre certainly top notch and the prices reflect that.

For me, I'd be afraid to play with Patrick Barta's stuff, so I'd have to get some A&A rapiers for that purpose alone.

By the way, if anybody knows of an alternative version of the Pappenheimer shown above from Vladimir Cervenka that should also be considered, please let me know or post suggestions, that is greatly appreciated! Vladimir's pappenheimer costs $1,228.00 (780.00 Euro). Have I missed anyone elese version of the pappenheimer I should consider? Has anyone handled Vladimir's version?

By the way, when someone asks with or without Patina, what do you recommend?


http://cgi.ebay.com/Functional-CUP-HILT-RAPIE...dZViewItem

The Paul Chen version of the Taza rapier is $200.00 at Grendel's Cave... Did you mean to ask, who offers a higher quality version of this rapier? Do you like the style?
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Chris Artman




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PostPosted: Wed 21 May, 2008 10:29 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I called Phoenix Metal creations and he said the buisness is being sold and nothing is available for order. He really didn't seem enthusiatic nor did he have anything to say really. So I think Bill Grandy's sword is certainly the last from him?? Maybe that wasn't Erik, I just don't know... Maybe it was Pheonix Metal creations in Arizona... Just not sure now.

Google doesn't come up with much, but it did pull one of Bill's rapier for sale from Sword Forum International. Seems like a great deal for that sword...


Last edited by Chris Artman on Wed 21 May, 2008 10:55 am; edited 1 time in total
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