Sword Testing and Reviews for under $300 swords. -- myArmoury.com

Nathan Robinson · myArmoury Admin

The grip on my lowlander isn't hollow. The pommel is a hollow sphear consisting of two hemispheres overlapping at a seam and secured by a pommel nut--a feature not uncommon historically.

Bob Burns · Posted: Sat 21 Oct, 2006 1:22 am Post subject:

OK

I went and picked up my new Lowlander Friday 10/20/2006 and it's still fine! Laughing Out Loud

I will not be hitting any wooden targets with it! Idea

There were two of them in stock so I had the opportunity to take a look at the tangs on both of them and there is no uniformity to the dimensions of the width of the tangs. Also, the tang is welded in two places, one is precisely where my first Lowlander broke, approximately 3 inches above the beginning of the blade and the second is up at the top near the pommel end where the "screw on" for the pommel nut is welded on.

For as decent as the blade looks on the Paul Chen Hanwei Lowlander Two Handed Great Sword, the tang is a far cry towards the poor end in quality in comparison. In my opinion personally, I think it's really sad that a company who spends the time and money to put a decent blade, crossguard, not a bad grip and an OK pommel, on a sword, would do such a shoddy job on they're tang work. But I'm sorry, the tang work in comparison to everything else on this sword is downright "shoddy" and "shameful" in quality!

Too bad, because if Paul Chen Hanwei just spent that little bit extra on getting a decent tang done on this sword, it would be a pretty darn good sword for the money!

Sincerely,

Bob

Jean Thibodeau · Posted: Sat 21 Oct, 2006 2:40 am Post subject:

Bob Burns · Posted: Sat 21 Oct, 2006 6:50 am Post subject:

Hi Jean, well of the two Lowlanders in stock over at Kult of Athena, I bought the better of the two and it was a very clean weld. Also, what I did was I held the sword naked of it's grip, crossguard, pommel, etc., just the sword with it's welded on shoddy tang and purposely wobbled the sword holding it by the bare tang so that the flat of the blade was horizontal to the floor. I did this several times and turned it over 180 degrees and wobbled it some more and saw no stress distress at the weld sight.

I would sure welcome advice from others on how I can cut down the blade of my broken Lowlander to make a nice thick strong tang out of it! I have numerous tools, lots of power tools for working with wood, high quality tools, stuff like Bosch, Porter Cable, like my swords I am picky about my tools too! Laughing Out Loud

The few power tools that I do have for working with steel are a Bosch Jigsaw, a DeWalt 8 inch extra heavy duty bench grinder. But what would I need to cut this tempered 5160 blade steel down with in order to make a tang?

Any help of any kind is most welcome, I am only a novice beginning my second year of total bliss and obsession in the world of European replica sword collecting.

Is there any such thing as too many swords?

Bob

Jean Thibodeau · Posted: Sat 21 Oct, 2006 7:33 am Post subject:

John Cooksey · Posted: Sat 21 Oct, 2006 7:53 am Post subject:

Vassilis,

I like your idea of the tire pell very much.
Back on the farm, I used to have both a swinging tire pell and a wooden post. I used hickory or oak wasters when practising with the tire, and both cheap steel and wood when working with the post.
My post was black locust wood, which is very hard and strong. It lasted a great number of years before chipping and weathering made it useless.
We also had black walnuts, which made great aerial targets when the husk was still on. I only used wood or cheap steel on these, as the highly acidic juice was terrible for steel. But it was great fun to toss a golf-ball sized walnut up in the air, or have someone else do it, and slice it in half! Really gave you a feel for how your hand-eye coordination was improving.

Bob Burns · Posted: Sat 21 Oct, 2006 12:09 pm Post subject:

Jean, thank you yet once again for your help! Sir you have solved my problem! While I do not have a Dremel, I do have a Rotozip, in fact I have a higher end model from the Rotozip company and I am a whole mile from Home Depot! Laughing Out Loud

So really all I need to do is make myself a template or whatever and clamp it, or a straight edge and clamp it, and I have umpteen clamps of every shape and size. Thankfully, I do not need to run out and buy tools, this obsession was for the most part conquered some years ago back in my cabinet making days. When once upon through those years I went tool nutzoid Laughing Out Loud

! In fact at one point Gayle told me if she saw one more tool come in the house that " *# *@* $*%@^^ %**@**^^$^#^&&*#!" Well you get the idea! Laughing Out Loud

Thanks again Jean!

Bob

Angus Trim · Posted: Sat 21 Oct, 2006 4:16 pm Post subject:

Bob Burns · Posted: Sat 21 Oct, 2006 5:30 pm Post subject:

Angus Sir, how very nice of you to take the time to help with this! And let me say I have admired your swords for a very long time, you are a very talented swordsmith Sir! Very nice Swords!

Thank You very much!

Bob

Jean Thibodeau · Posted: Sat 21 Oct, 2006 8:21 pm Post subject:

Jean Thibodeau · Posted: Sat 21 Oct, 2006 8:34 pm Post subject:

Bob;

You should also consider what kind of sword you would like to make with it that would be convincing with the blade style.

One possibility might be a Roman Spatha: With your wood working skills you should be able to make a really nice one using a very attractive wood. Some brass or even better brass plate could be added inleted into the wood at the front.

Then you could go nuts making a scabbard with bronze fittings ?

Or maybe an early iron age sword of another type grip using mostly wood like the spatha ?

The good thing is that working on your own sword project could keep your mind off the waiting for other swords you have on order or are thinking about: Make easier to wait and the design and making should be fun. ( Slow and patient with good research and planning. Big Grin

)

Angus Trim · Posted: Sat 21 Oct, 2006 9:20 pm Post subject:

Steve Grisetti · Posted: Sun 22 Oct, 2006 7:59 am Post subject:

Chad Arnow · myArmoury Team

Folks,
We're straying off-topic here. Let's get back on. Thanks!

Julian Arellano

Hi Julian. Yes I recommend the Lucerin. It is tough and stiff, deffinelty something you can take into combat. The tang is strong and it is peened to the pommol so it should hold together well. The handle with pommol is a full 10 inches so it will provide plenty of leverage.

Personaly I prefer the new G2 black prince. The blade is identical is shape and about 2 inches longer. The handle is about 2 inches shorter. You give up some leverage but you won't need it on a blade this light and balanced. The shorter handle also means less stress on the tang. The handle on the black prince is also a bit thicker near the pommol.

Keep in mind that all weapons are perishable. They wear the more you use them just like a pencil or the brakes on your car. At the same time, an unused weapon is a useless weapon. That said, you should get some very good milage from either one of these two swords.

Vassilis

Julian Arella wrote:
Hi Vassilis , could you give me your opinion about the Lucerne sword , is it capable to be used in a hard combat ?? , is it the tang really strong ( 'cause I had some experience with the hanwei bastard sword the tang was skinny and well it broke in a combat ) , , I saw your tire- pell test , and wow !! I can't wait to buy my own lucerne sword , but yes . I need your opinion with those questions . Thanks and we' ll see you soon ..bye

_________________
"With 2000 years of examples behind us we have no excuse when fighting, for not fighting well."

T. E. Lawrence