| Considering all of the features for this week's site update, please rate the quality of our efforts. |
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| Total Votes : 38 |
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Nathan Robinson
myArmoury Admin
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Tom Carr
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 Posted: Mon 23 May, 2005 1:06 am Post subject: Vikings! Vikings everywhere! |
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This updates got enough viking blades to keep Beowulf happy! Very enjoyable and informative! Having cut with the two Cervenkas I have to say they are two of the nicest swords I have handled. Very responsive and well executed in every respect! Now if can just get my mitts on one of those Hersirs! 
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William Goodwin
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| Posted: Mon 23 May, 2005 3:34 am Post subject: |
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Great reviews guys! I too am thrilled to see some of Vladimir's work here. Good job everyone.
Bill
Roanoke Sword Guilde
roanokeswordguilde@live.com
"I was born for this" - Joan of Arc
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Joel Thompson
Location: Virginia Beach, Va Joined: 30 Mar 2004
Posts: 26
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| Posted: Mon 23 May, 2005 6:10 am Post subject: |
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Hey, great set of reviews. It's good to see several Viking blades discussed in one place at the same time. Good for comparisons. My only argument concerns the Del Tin 2102, one of which I own. Mine is a sharp, honed by our friends at Albion.
As always, I maintain that the hammer grip is the proper way to handle these (Viking) blades. Using this grip, the 2102 (IMO) handles pretty well since this changes the dynamics of the technique considerably. It recovers quite well from shield blows and feels better when wielded this way than with the handshake grip. Looking at the picture included with the review, you can see the handshake grip. Notice how the pommel digs into the wrist/fat of the thumb area. This becomes very uncomfortable when using the sword for drills and/or cutting. I realise that this is a separate argument, but I think the sword handles better when used as intended. The review did not include test cutting, but I have done so with my sword, and it performs very well. It will easily cut at least 2/3 of the way through a heavy cardboard tube if not go all the way through. Thrusting is not good as the review mentions, but it's not really designed for this. Just my two cents. I'm off the soapbox now. I love my Del Tin 2102.
Joel Thompson
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Russ Ellis
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Mon 23 May, 2005 6:50 am Post subject: |
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Just a note, a very nice job with the pictures on that 2102 Patrick! Also kudos to you and Nathan for whipping that review into shape!
TRITONWORKS Custom Scabbards
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Aaron Schnatterly
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| Posted: Mon 23 May, 2005 6:53 am Post subject: |
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Nice reviews, Gents! Given a personal recent spurt of focus on all things Viking, this was a treat!
I hadn't focused much in the past on Cervenka's work, so these were definitely nice to see.
Also, to me, the Hersir was the least appealing Viking swords (visually, anyway) that Albion has put out. The photos that Chad included made me start to rethink this a bit. Funny how visual perspective works...
-Aaron Schnatterly
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Fortior Qui Se Vincit
(He is stronger who conquers himself.)
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Patrick Kelly
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| Posted: Mon 23 May, 2005 7:57 am Post subject: |
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| Joel Thompson wrote: | Hey, great set of reviews. It's good to see several Viking blades discussed in one place at the same time. Good for comparisons. My only argument concerns the Del Tin 2102, one of which I own. Mine is a sharp, honed by our friends at Albion.
As always, I maintain that the hammer grip is the proper way to handle these (Viking) blades. Using this grip, the 2102 (IMO) handles pretty well since this changes the dynamics of the technique considerably. It recovers quite well from shield blows and feels better when wielded this way than with the handshake grip. Looking at the picture included with the review, you can see the handshake grip. Notice how the pommel digs into the wrist/fat of the thumb area. This becomes very uncomfortable when using the sword for drills and/or cutting. I realise that this is a separate argument, but I think the sword handles better when used as intended. The review did not include test cutting, but I have done so with my sword, and it performs very well. It will easily cut at least 2/3 of the way through a heavy cardboard tube if not go all the way through. Thrusting is not good as the review mentions, but it's not really designed for this. Just my two cents. I'm off the soapbox now. I love my Del Tin 2102.
Joel Thompson |
Hi Joel,
Thanks for the input but I have to disagree with you in certain aspects. We can't use swords like this as a gauge on how viking swords should be used. This sword is not an accurately designed sword of this type. Fulvio is well aware of this and makes no claim to the contrary. As I mentioned in the review this sword is a reasonable interpretation of a viking sword that has been made with certain compromises in mind. These compromises drastically alter the handling characteristics of the sword and, IMHO, take it out of the realm of a true recreation. I've handled both custom and production swords of similar type that are accurately constructed and the handling characteristics are as different as night and day.
So I agree that the hammer grip is the best way to use this particular sword. On the other hand, we can't use swords like this one as a yardstick of severity on how the type should be used. To form an accurate hypothesis accurate equipment has to be used.
"In valor there is hope.".................. Tacitus
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Chad Arnow
myArmoury Team
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| Posted: Mon 23 May, 2005 8:22 am Post subject: |
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According to my count, this update gives us our 100th hands-on review. 
ChadA
http://chadarnow.com/
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Patrick Kelly
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| Posted: Mon 23 May, 2005 8:24 am Post subject: |
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| Chad Arnow wrote: | | According to my count, this update gives us our 100th hands-on review. |
Cool!
"In valor there is hope.".................. Tacitus
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David Etienne
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| Posted: Mon 23 May, 2005 8:40 am Post subject: |
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Once again a very good review !
I'm very pleased to see some of Vladimir Cervenka's work, his swords look so great ! Very tempting...
Thanks to those who wrote these articles !
David
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Patrik Erik Lars Lindblom
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| Posted: Mon 23 May, 2005 11:43 am Post subject: |
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There can't never be enough of viking swords 
Kirk, how thin is the single-edged blade? when i look at the fullers, i almost falling down there in the deep 
Thanks guys for these reviews, and make my life little harder  i like them.
Frid o Fröjd!
Patrik
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Kirk Lee Spencer
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| Posted: Mon 23 May, 2005 12:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Patrik Erik Lars Lindblom wrote: | There can't never be enough of viking swords
Kirk, how thin is the single-edged blade? when i look at the fullers, i almost falling down there in the deep
Thanks guys for these reviews, and make my life little harder i like them. |
Hi Patrik...
I thought that the review had distal taper info... guess I left it off... sorry.
Here's some more blade info:
Blade Length: 28.8 inches (72.5 cm)
Blade Profile:
Width at base: 2.2 inches (5.4 cm)
Width 2" from tip: 1.4 inches (3.6 cm)
Fuller Width:
1.4 inches (3.6 cm) at cross
0.9 inches (2.3 cm) three inches from tip
Blade Distal taper: 6mm at base, 3.6 mm at midpoint, 2.0 mm at tip
Distal taper to about 30% of maximum thickness
As you can see Cervenka loves his distal taper... It pulls the weight back in your hand making for a very quick and agile sword... But probably takes some of the punch out of a cutting blade.
ks
Two swords
Lit in Eden’s flame
One of iron and one of ink
To place within a bloody hand
One of God or one of man
Our souls to one of
Two eternities
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Joel Thompson
Location: Virginia Beach, Va Joined: 30 Mar 2004
Posts: 26
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| Posted: Mon 23 May, 2005 1:52 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Patrick. I agree wholeheartedly with you on the subject of gauging sword usage based on the handling of replicas. I didn't mean to infer that. I've handled many replicas as well as artifacts, and I was only saying that the 2102 handles much better when gripped as I believe the artifacts actually were. Using the hammer grip. The review was saying that it didn't handle that well, but it did for me using the hammer grip. Especially when doing test cutting on cardboard tubes. Again, I realise the reviewers didn't do this test, but using the handshake grip, none of us could cut more than half way through a tube. Hammer style with bent elbow, we consistently cut 2/3 to all the way through. When I was handling an artifact sword circa 950 owned by Dr. Lee Jones a couple of years ago, the weight of the sword seemed to almost disappear when held hammer style. Handshake style was OK, but the weight of the blade could be felt more easily. So I think that even a decent replica will respond better with this grip. Just like the original artifacts. We could go on and on with the grip discussion, but I'm just standing up for my 2102.
Joel
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Patrik Erik Lars Lindblom
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| Posted: Mon 23 May, 2005 2:52 pm Post subject: |
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They really look deeper, tricky eye, huh
Thanks Kirk
Frid o Fröjd!
Patrik
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Nathan Robinson
myArmoury Admin
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David Kite
Location: Clinton, IN USA Joined: 20 Feb 2004
Posts: 106
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| Posted: Mon 23 May, 2005 6:41 pm Post subject: |
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Lots of Viking stuff! Cool!
Mr. Cervenka's work looks very nice indeed. What's the general price point for his work anyway?
David Kite
GFS, ARMA in IN
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David Etienne
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| Posted: Tue 24 May, 2005 12:48 am Post subject: |
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| David Kite wrote: | Lots of Viking stuff! Cool!
Mr. Cervenka's work looks very nice indeed. What's the general price point for his work anyway?
David Kite
GFS, ARMA in IN |
You can send him an email asking a price list. He will kindly answer you within 24 hours. I can just tell you that his swords are very affordable !
David
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Kenneth Enroth
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| Posted: Tue 24 May, 2005 6:04 am Post subject: |
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Are the two Cervenka swords by any chance inspired by the concept drawings for the Albion Berserkr and Huskarl. They look quite similar.
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Kirk Lee Spencer
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| Posted: Tue 24 May, 2005 8:34 am Post subject: |
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| Kenneth Enroth wrote: | | Are the two Cervenka swords by any chance inspired by the concept drawings for the Albion Berserkr and Huskarl. They look quite similar. |
Hi Kenneth...
The Type S was commissioned by Rob Oxley so I am not sure what the inspiration was... It does resemble the Huskarl and AFAIK Type S with curved guards are rare in the archeological record. Let me say that Cervenka has had other S type Viking swords with curved guards on his website (mod. 200018 & 200019) that were there before Albion published Peter's conceptual drawings of the Huskarl. It is possible that the review sword is a modification of one of these.
In all fairness, I have handled both the Huskarl and the review sword and they feel different in the hand. Peter Johnsson's work on blade geometry can be sensed in the way the sword feels, especially in motion.
I commissioned the single edged Viking so I can speak directly to the inspiration. Before Albion published the design drawing of the Berserkr I wanted a copy of the Arhus Farm sword. When I saw the wide bladed type H Viking on Cervenka's website (mod. 2000114), I asked Vladimir if he would consider making that sword with a single edged blade. He graciously agreed. I sent him a picture of the Arhus Farm sword.
I remember thinking when the Berserkr drawing came out that someone might think that my Cervenka sword was a copy of it. But it you look closely you will see that they are similar only in general profile of the blade and general hilt type. They are different in almost every other area. They have different fullers, grip shape, grip material, pommel shape and thickness of the guards. Another similarity they have is that, as single edged Viking swords, they are both very rare on the production market. So we might often miss the differences we would see easily in swords that are often reproduced.
Thanks for the question Kenneth.
ks
Two swords
Lit in Eden’s flame
One of iron and one of ink
To place within a bloody hand
One of God or one of man
Our souls to one of
Two eternities
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William Goodwin
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| Posted: Tue 24 May, 2005 8:43 am Post subject: |
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Not to really get off the subject here, but since Mr. Spencer and reviews are in order......
Kirk...have you ever considered doing a review up on that Windlass/MRL German Cut & Thrust beauty of yours?
Would like to see more on it.
Sorry for the intrution folks.......
Bill
Roanoke Sword Guilde
roanokeswordguilde@live.com
"I was born for this" - Joan of Arc
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This is a standard topic
