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Brandon B
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 Posted: Sun 03 Dec, 2006 12:49 pm Post subject: Hand and a Half, Albrecht II, sword by Hanwei / Paul Chen |
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I recently purchased the Hand and a Half swor by Hanwei / Paul Chen / Cas Iberia. Does anyone know how solidly built it is? I noticed at the Pomel where the tang comes through it is very small. It looks like rat tail tang construction, because of how small the tang protrudes where it is peened over. Are there any additional methods used to secure the handle or pommel to the tang on this sword?
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Patrick Kelly
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| Posted: Sun 03 Dec, 2006 7:38 pm Post subject: |
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I've never handled this particular sword so I can't comment on it specifically. However, the size of the tang end, whether secured by a nut, peened, etc., isn't neccesarily an indication of the tangs width.
In this photo you can see the end of the tang as it has been peened over on this sword by Vince Evans.
No one will claim that Vince makes shoddy work. The end of the tang is often narrowed down in it's width for the last bit, so that peening or threading can be achieved.
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Brandon B
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| Posted: Sun 03 Dec, 2006 8:50 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the response, tomorrow I will list some photos of the hand and a half sword, so others can see what I am talking about. I'm almost sure that the tang isn't rat tail constructed. It feels too solid, and I know at the price of it, much more detail was put into it than just an average wall hanger. Are there any origional photos of the Albrecht II sword showing the pommel and how it was peened over? I would be interested to see if mine is accurate in that aspect of the sword.
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Steve Grisetti
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| Posted: Mon 04 Dec, 2006 7:06 am Post subject: |
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| Brandon B wrote: | | ... Are there any origional photos of the Albrecht II sword showing the pommel and how it was peened over? |
The original sword that the Hanwei Albrecht II is based on is XVIIIa.1 in Oakeshott's Records of the Medieval Sword. The only photo in that book is a full profile view, so it is difficult to tell much about the tang. (I was going to scan and post a copy of that photo, but my copy of the book started to fall apart at the binding - a generic problem with the paper back version.) One can see in the photo that there is a slight bulge at the top of the Type J pommel, suggesting that the tang is simply peened over the pommel, i.e., there is no peen block.
"...dismount thy tuck, be yare in thy preparation, for thy assailant is quick, skilful, and deadly."
- Sir Toby Belch
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Brandon B
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| Posted: Mon 04 Dec, 2006 7:30 am Post subject: |
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| Steve Grisetti wrote: |
The original sword that the Hanwei Albrecht II is based on is XVIIIa.1 in Oakeshott's Records of the Medieval Sword. |
I found this one the spotlight of xviii swords. I will have to look in the record of the medieval sword for a clearer photo.
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Steve Grisetti
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| Posted: Mon 04 Dec, 2006 7:40 am Post subject: |
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| Brandon B wrote: | | Steve Grisetti wrote: |
The original sword that the Hanwei Albrecht II is based on is XVIIIa.1 in Oakeshott's Records of the Medieval Sword. |
I found this one the spotlight of xviii swords. I will have to look in the record of the medieval sword for a clearer photo. |
I wouldn't say the Records photo is any 'clearer' than the one from the spotlight. The Records photo is not as contrasty, but essentially the same view.
"...dismount thy tuck, be yare in thy preparation, for thy assailant is quick, skilful, and deadly."
- Sir Toby Belch
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Bryce Felperin
Location: San Jose, CA Joined: 16 Feb 2006
Posts: 552
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| Posted: Mon 04 Dec, 2006 11:23 am Post subject: Re: Hand and a Half, Albrecht II, sword by Hanwei / Paul Che |
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| Brandon B wrote: | | I recently purchased the Hand and a Half swor by Hanwei / Paul Chen / Cas Iberia. Does anyone know how solidly built it is? I noticed at the Pomel where the tang comes through it is very small. It looks like rat tail tang construction, because of how small the tang protrudes where it is peened over. Are there any additional methods used to secure the handle or pommel to the tang on this sword? |
I own one of those. In fact, it was my first functional sword that I bought used from someone else. Since I started buying Del Tins, Albions and AA swords it has been sort of relegated to the back of my safe for storage.
It's pretty solidly built at the pommel, but I believe the pommel is hollow since it sure sounds like it is if struck. The cross though tends to loosen up a bit but that can be fixed by a simple wedge if necessary. Also the grip is not stitched but only glued, so be prepared to replace this also sometime in the future. On the plus side, it comes with a loose but nice functional wood core scabbard which is excellent for the price. I can't say anything bad about the blade, it works, keeps an edge and seems to be of good construction. For its price it also has a good neutral balance to it, but this is more due to the the large pommel being hollow I think.
My personal opinion though is that it is not nearly as good a functional sword as an Albion, Atrim or AA sword is. However, at about half the price of those I guess you're getting what you paid for. ;-) My verdict is that for what it is and what it costs it is a good "starter" sword for those on a budget who need one.
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Brandon B
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| Posted: Mon 04 Dec, 2006 12:50 pm Post subject: Re: Hand and a Half, Albrecht II, sword by Hanwei / Paul Che |
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| Bryce Felperin wrote: |
I own one of those. In fact, it was my first functional sword that I bought used from someone else...... |
How long did it take before the grip started to come off? What kind of usage was the sword used for? And last of all how long before the cross guard became loose, and how do you tighten it?
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Marc-Antoine Jean
Location: Canada Joined: 10 Dec 2005
Posts: 71
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| Posted: Mon 04 Dec, 2006 1:28 pm Post subject: |
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On all the hanwei swords that we took the pommel apart, they all had hollow pommel...casted in cheap stainless metal. In the other hand, the blade of the ALbrecht II is really interresting has Bryce said. I never had ormblems with hanwei swords and we fight a lot with those.
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Brandon B
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| Posted: Mon 04 Dec, 2006 1:33 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="Marc-Antoine Jean"]On all the hanwei swords that we took the pommel apart, they all had hollow pommel...
How was the tang on the pomels you took apart? On mine it is really small and round. Did Hanwei use any method other that peening to fasten the grip and pomel to the blade?
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Marc-Antoine Jean
Location: Canada Joined: 10 Dec 2005
Posts: 71
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| Posted: Mon 04 Dec, 2006 1:47 pm Post subject: |
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I have some photos from an ancient project.
 Attachment: 10.96 KB
Attachment: 15.57 KB
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Brandon B
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| Posted: Mon 04 Dec, 2006 1:56 pm Post subject: |
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What specific type of sword is this from? And how hard was it to remove the grip? Did the grip slip inside of the hollow space of the pommel?
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Marc-Antoine Jean
Location: Canada Joined: 10 Dec 2005
Posts: 71
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| Posted: Mon 04 Dec, 2006 1:58 pm Post subject: |
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yup, the grip was slipped inside the pommel. All the grip was glued to the tang with some sort of epoxy. Now you know why hanwei are that cheap (O: Great blades mounted with a cheap way (O:
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Brandon B
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| Posted: Mon 04 Dec, 2006 2:13 pm Post subject: |
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| Marc-Antoine Jean wrote: | | yup, the grip was slipped inside the pommel. All the grip was glued to the tang with some sort of epoxy. Now you know why hanwei are that cheap (O: Great blades mounted with a cheap way (O: |
Have you ever had a problem with the grip and pommel coming loose from the tang with this type of fastening system? How hard was it to remove the grip from the tang with the grip being epoxied to the tang?
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Bryce Felperin
Location: San Jose, CA Joined: 16 Feb 2006
Posts: 552
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| Posted: Mon 04 Dec, 2006 3:01 pm Post subject: Re: Hand and a Half, Albrecht II, sword by Hanwei / Paul Che |
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| Brandon B wrote: | | Bryce Felperin wrote: |
I own one of those. In fact, it was my first functional sword that I bought used from someone else...... |
How long did it take before the grip started to come off? What kind of usage was the sword used for? And last of all how long before the cross guard became loose, and how do you tighten it? |
It hasn't for me yet, probably because I haven't used it much (it is a sharpy after all). However, the practical version's grip does tend to come off after about six months of hard use and it's almost identical in design to the Functional version. I know this because I have observed it in my salle where we have two of them. If you want to prevent this then you probably could stitch it yourself. My observation and estimate is that the grip is sound leather, but the glue is cheap and doesn't hold it together long.
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Bryce Felperin
Location: San Jose, CA Joined: 16 Feb 2006
Posts: 552
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| Posted: Mon 04 Dec, 2006 3:04 pm Post subject: Re: Hand and a Half, Albrecht II, sword by Hanwei / Paul Che |
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| Brandon B wrote: | | And last of all how long before the cross guard became loose, and how do you tighten it? |
Again, the crossguard problems were observed on the Practical sword version and not the Functional version, but they seem to have the same crossguard. This problem happened much more rapidly than the grip one and develops after only a few months of use. It doesn't really cause too much of a problem since the guard stays in place, but it does loosen up to the point it rattles. You could probably use some wood wedges between the blade and guard to tighten it down if your so inclined.
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Bryce Felperin
Location: San Jose, CA Joined: 16 Feb 2006
Posts: 552
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| Posted: Mon 04 Dec, 2006 3:08 pm Post subject: |
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| Marc-Antoine Jean wrote: | | yup, the grip was slipped inside the pommel. All the grip was glued to the tang with some sort of epoxy. Now you know why hanwei are that cheap (O: Great blades mounted with a cheap way (O: |
Yes that is my impression too. The furniture is cheap and not that well put together. Where Albion or the other top line companies closely fit the guard, grip and pommel together and hot peen them or use a pommel nut, the Hanwei European stuff seems to be glued with pretty loose tolerances.
However I must say that the blades are good quality for the price.
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Brandon B
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| Posted: Mon 04 Dec, 2006 4:14 pm Post subject: |
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| Bryce Felperin wrote: | | yup, the grip was slipped inside the pommel. All the grip was glued to the tang with some sort of epoxy. |
One last question. So did the wood grip come loose from the tang after some use, or just the guard and pommel? I just wonder how well that epoxy holds up for holding the tang to the grip.
I agree with the quality of the blades. They don't seem to flexy and are thicker than MRL Windlass swords. They seem to bounce back just fine without bending too. I must say that my Edward III sword by Hanweii seems to have a more solid pomel construction, and is peened over better. It also has a sharper sword blade probably like Albion's swords. I can't really say since I don't own an Albion sword yet, but intend to eventually.
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Marc-Antoine Jean
Location: Canada Joined: 10 Dec 2005
Posts: 71
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| Posted: Mon 04 Dec, 2006 7:00 pm Post subject: |
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it seems that hanwei uses soft woods such as poplar or basswood to make the handle. The use of harder wood such as hard canadian maple or oak is really better to prevent the loose in the handle and the guard.
We made some modifications on some hanwei swords like on their german longsword and on the practical hand and half like changing the pommel and the handle and now we do extreme fighting with them and I can assure you that hanwei blades are really really great.
Before those changes the guard of the practical get loose really quickly (one month of fighting). I never get that problem with the sh2250 bastard sword. We change the handle and pommel on that one because of its original poor balancement. it seems that on the beter lives the guard is fixed with more care, but the pommels are just the same shit as the practical series, just like the epoxy in the handle; crap!
So, the Berne flag is really great (O:
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Brandon B
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| Posted: Mon 04 Dec, 2006 7:32 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the fun information, where did you get replacement pomels for the practical series? I might have a new project in the new future. Also did you notice that on Cas Iberia's announcement page that they recently updated their practical swords to have stronger tangs. They said they made them more durable, but I am not sure about the pommel.
I like the Berne canton flag, because I was able to trace my ancestory back to the 1400's in Berne Switzerland. If anyone wants to know where a good place to research family ancestory for free, let me know, and I will tell you how.
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