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Thomas G
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 Posted: Mon 20 Oct, 2008 5:33 pm Post subject: Torino Rapier (Left-Hand)? |
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Are these any good? I am going to start taking a fencing class and after I get done I would like to do some historical fencing( I'll probably do modern fencing too) after the class is over. Will this blade get damage if I would use it for historical fencing? How is the quality on these things? Are they heat treated, have a full tang, and made with a carbon steel blade? Thanks
Edit: Sorry I didn't provide a link.
http://www.casiberia.com/product_details.asp?id=SH2204L
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Dan P
Location: Massachusetts, USA Joined: 28 Jun 2007
Posts: 208
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| Posted: Mon 20 Oct, 2008 6:08 pm Post subject: |
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Well, that sword comes with a sharp and pointy blade... so unless you attend very "unconventional" classes thats probably not allowed.
CAS/Hanwei also makes a practice rapier blade (a blunt) that can be swapped out for the live one. I think all their rapier blades are carbon steel, not cheap stainless junk, which is good. I've handled a similar model they make and I found that it was pretty solid, but the blade was just too slender, too flexible, and too long to be ideal for me.
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Thomas G
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| Posted: Mon 20 Oct, 2008 6:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Dan P wrote: | Well, that sword comes with a sharp and pointy blade... so unless you attend very "unconventional" classes thats probably not allowed.
CAS/Hanwei also makes a practice rapier blade (a blunt) that can be swapped out for the live one. I think all their rapier blades are carbon steel, not cheap stainless junk, which is good. I've handled a similar model they make and I found that it was pretty solid, but the blade was just too slender, too flexible, and too long to be ideal for me. |
Thank you sir. So you just didn't like the feel of the blade?
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Nathan Keysor
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| Posted: Mon 20 Oct, 2008 6:55 pm Post subject: |
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I got the anitqued version of this last year for Christmas. I have to say it's a great piece considering the price. The cheapest I've found it is www.Dragonflyproducts.com
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for dinner.
Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!"
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Sam N.
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| Posted: Mon 20 Oct, 2008 10:12 pm Post subject: |
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On the bright side, you may not even have to pay extra for a blunt blade to go with this. From what I remember from handling a similar piece with the same model of blade (the Hanwei Gustav rapier, http://www.myArmoury.com/review_casi_gustav.html), the blade has a blunt edge but a sharp tip. When I tested its flex, it had enough flex that I would not object to an opponent using the blade against me (assuming the tip was blunted). I might even go so far to call it too flexible. All you would really need to do is blunt the point, put a cap on the tip and there you have your blunt practice rapier.
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Li Jin
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| Posted: Mon 20 Oct, 2008 11:46 pm Post subject: HI |
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HI Mr.Thomas
I have two Hanwei Rapiers, Bone handled and Gustav. What I found out is there are about five models of Hanwei Rapier uses the same blades. I didn't believe it at the first time but they do, and I had to spend more money ordering the same thing but different style. I would suggest the Hanwei Practical Rapier which cost 120$ in kult of athena. Very flexible
blade good for fencing. Torino Rapier i would say is a collecting piece even though the blade is very flexible but it would make a very nice looking piece but more importantly, a cheap price  .
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Thomas G
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| Posted: Tue 21 Oct, 2008 1:38 pm Post subject: |
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Well If this blade is too flexible what other brands would you recommend?
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Sam N.
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| Posted: Tue 21 Oct, 2008 10:57 pm Post subject: |
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| Thomas G wrote: | | Well If this blade is too flexible what other brands would you recommend? |
That would depend upon your price range.
Personally, I really love the pieces made by Darkwood Armory (http://www.darkwoodarmory.com/store/). They are semi-custom, so you can mix and match hilts, pommels and blades as you see fit. The few I have handled have been absolutely amazing, not one bit of wobble, yet still enough flexibility in the thrust to allow for spirited sparring. Scott can also make great custom hilts at a pretty good price if you feel like heading that way.
Their cheapest model is their "economy class" rapiers that each run at $265 U.S. On the other side of the scale are their "collectors pieces" that can get up to $750 U.S. Everything else is somewhere in between the two.
Another producer that lies in roughly the same price range is James the Just (http://www.jamesthejust.com/), a maker that caters primarily to the SCA crowd. He makes his own hilts but gets blades from other sources like Hanwei or Darkwood Armory. I have handled some pieces from him and they are just as solidly built as Darkwood pieces, but lack the aesthetic Darkwood has. Personally, I find them too, well, SCA-looking.
The producer of your original choice, CASHanwei, is probably the bottom end of the functional spectrum as far as practice swords go. I assume you have looked over their wares already, so I won't say much in general, but one model I have handled from them that is well designed is their Practical Cup-hilt Rapier (http://www.kultofathena.com/product~item~SH22...Rapier.htm). The blade on this rapier is a new type that isn't wobbly at all, in fact, it is one of the best feeling blades I have handled. The hilt isn't bad, but isn't quite up to a piece from Darkwood or James the Just. I feel the only problem I have with this rapier is the pommel, it just seems a bit small for the rapier and leads to a very blade heavy rapier, but this was present on some antique rapiers and so is more just an issue of personal preference (on the bright side, a blade heavy balance leads to better cutting).
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