Reviewed: VA Signature Series CF405 Hedemark
Dec 11, 2009 5:50:54 GMT
Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2009 5:50:54 GMT
Signature Series CF405 Hedemark
Designed by Christian Fletcher & Angus Trim for Valiant Armory
Review by Daniel Eggert, Cypress, TX
Introduction
I selected the VA Hedemark for my first sword after a lot of research and thought; I chose it from a handful of options, including the DSA Norman and Generation 2/Legacy Arms’ River Witham, also reviewed here at the Sword Buyer’s Guide. I was attracted to the aesthetic and quality of the grip, pommel, and hilt as well as the overall size and weight of the blade. I was further convinced after interactions with Sonny Suttles, the owner of Valiant Armory, even though this sword was out of my initial price range of $300 USD.
Historical Overview
The VA Hedemark was designed by Christian Fletcher and is meant to replicate swords used by the Scandinavian warriors and raiders of the 10th-11th Century. In fact, “Hedemark” is an Anglicized version of a place name in Norway.
This is the first Viking-style sword by VA to feature a pommel of multiple pieces and is a great step as they continue to chase historical plausibility and authenticity, yet at an affordable price point.
Some who value complete historical authenticity with no grace or mercy will likely be distracted by the top-oriented hex-nut assembly rather than a peened tang and/or riveted guard/pommel like the historic type 4.
I would those remind that this sword is less than $400 USD shipped, then point them to this solution for hiding the nut. (I’ve dubbed this solution the “Shooter-Odin Plug" after its inventors.) Folks, this is a recreation, not an artifact. Please remember that.
Initial Impressions
I placed the order on Sunday. By purchasing through VA’s Custom Sword Shoppe, I had the ability to customize the leather colors, but, unsure of how dying the leather maroon would affect it’s value, I chose the standard color scheme. Shipped, it cost me $380 + sales tax.
(I’ll remind you to always remember sales tax when bargain shopping for your swords. I could’ve saved $34 by purchasing from a vendor not in my same state.)
Sonny let me know it would ship on Monday. The box came very quickly via UPS and arrived on Thursday, thankfully, as I was a bit surprised that Valiant Armoury did not send me a tracking number. I was able to get an update when my sword arrived by sending a message to Sonny.
The sword was well packed in two boxes with foam blocks around the factory container and Styrofoam to hold the sword in place within it.
Statistics
Components
The sword was manufactured overseas and the scabbard and belt were made in the Dallas area. They pair well and it is an attractive set. An A+ on overall presentation.
I was pleased that the sword very closely matched the photos seen on the Internet, but was surprised to see that the “baldric” was both thinner that I had thought and was not very close in color to the scabbard and grip wrap. More on that later.
When first drawn, the hilt and pommel were firm with no rattle. After a few minutes of dry handling, the hilt rattled a little. After disassembly for pictures, it’s all tight again with no sign of loosening. Though some swords come with an Allan wrench, this one did not. I used one provided by the Swedish manufacturer of my bargain, self-assembled furniture. Very Viking of me, I’m sure.
The Blade
The 32” blade is intended to replicate Oakeshott type X (or perhaps Type Xa with the narrow fuller) blades. It features a single central fuller. The fullers meander slightly down the blade, but averaging both sides, are of good quality compared to other pieces I’ve handled in a similar price range. The fuller terminates under the guard and the tang is solid, ending in a thread for the hex head retaining nut.
There is a smallvoid-like blemish occlusion in the blade that is noticeable. There may be a slight twist in the final 5% of the blade, but a second opinion from my best friend agrees that it is hard to tell.
The blade came with a fine edge from VA, but was unable to cut paper without tearing it. The point is very pointy, capable of accidentally picking up cloth on it’s tip.
The Handle
The handle is leather, cord-wrapped over a wooden core in an hourglass shape with a set of central risers. I enjoy the length as it fits well in my hand in both “hammer” and “handshake” grips without needing to slip a pinky over the pommel. I feel I should stress this more. This sword is comfortable in the hand.
The Guard
The guard is in a simple arc with a satin finish to the steel. It too has a similar occlusion. This one bothers me much more. You can see a few rough places around the opening in the guard, but it is acceptable.
Yes, this is all the way in the scabbard.
The Pommel
The Pommel is a Geibig Type 4 and cast in steel to pair with the upper guard. The hex head retaining bolt attaches to the threaded tang from the end, not under the guard like a proper Type 4. It features prominently, but is not a detractor for me.
The Scabbard
The Scabbard is of Very Good quality. A few seams waver and no two leather items match precisely in color, but its of higher quality than anything in the SBG price range, a benefit of having Mr. Fletcher’s name attached to the project.
I was disappointed in the suspension. The “baldric” is less than 80 inches long and feels much cheaper than the scabbard or sword. (It is nothing like the cheap vinyl you get on other products; it just isn’t as nice as the rest of the leatherwork.)
As I am 6 foot 5” tall, I would prefer it if the baldric were set up for use as a belt (though it is far too short for a double wrap on my 42” girth) or came in men’s sizes. I spoke to Sonny about a custom belt before I ever ordered and intend to pursue that end.
The leather bands that hold the wood piece (I can’t find a formal name for this wooden piece.) are a little uneven and the finish is terrible on the back of one of them. If I had to guess, I think they are glued to the rest of the scabbard to prevent slippage. The rough spot looks like the glued it in the wrong spot, then removed and reattached it.
There is some hint of tooling or a stamped design to the front side of them, proving that they are trying to include Mr. Fletcher’s design touches.
The Scabbard has a simple but elegant chape in the same satin finish as the guard and pommel. It is very nice.
Handling Characteristics
I am inexperienced with quality swords and certainly so with the Viking style, but comparing the handling of this sword to the Generation 2 River Witham Viking sword or their 8th Cen. Viking, I’d say the Hedemark is excellent for the type and price range. While it’s point of balance does lead you to wield this as a cutting blade, it is not unwieldy or overly taxing on the wrist and forearm like a few heavy-bladed, Canadian-made swords I have tried.
Again, I am 6’ 5” tall and approx. 280lbs so this sword does not seem large or overly heavy to me. Your mileage may vary.
Test Cutting
To be written later.
I only had one 2L bottle and fleeting light. It was my first attempt to cut a bottle ever and I batted it like I was trying out for the Houston Astros (or another pro baseball team that can actually hit!)
This sword sucks. I'm not an instant martial god with it. It's not my fault. My lack of training and experience, too much exuberance over my first real blade, means someone else needs to evaluate the cutting characteristics of this blade. Edit: someone like Avery. he did it here.
Conclusion
The Hedemark is an excellent product and beautiful. While its price point is just above the SBG sweet spot, its value is comparable to swords three times its retail price. Of late, the low-end Viking swords (with the noted exception of the Hank Reinhart-designed Gen2 River Witham!) are very low on historical authenticity. The Hedemark has an edge on them in that respect.
I am a bit concerned with the blemishes to the blade and hilt, but believe that this sword is still a superb value, with an aesthetic more reminiscent of a designer’s custom project than a limited production sword available from several vendors.
I get the impression that the baldric was created with a different sword in mind and would like to see some changes by offering extra length to the baldric and/or ensuring that it matches more closely to the sword’s colors.
I can’t tell you how wonderful and helpful Valiant Armory was during my selection process. A company owner that will take time to cordially converse and educate a neophyte like myself is a rare man and I would gladly purchase from Sonny and the Custom Sword Shoppe again. (especially if he offered a seax or bearded axe to match the Hedemark.)
Pros
Cons
The Bottom Line
If you’re seeking a Viking-styled sword that is to a level of authenticity and beauty of your already excellent Viking wardrobe, you can’t get much better without spending over $1,000 USD. I’m giddy with enthusiasm and I hope it showed, even though I was fairly critical of what I perceived as shortcomings. I welcome your comments, observations, and feedback.
Designed by Christian Fletcher & Angus Trim for Valiant Armory
Review by Daniel Eggert, Cypress, TX
Introduction
I selected the VA Hedemark for my first sword after a lot of research and thought; I chose it from a handful of options, including the DSA Norman and Generation 2/Legacy Arms’ River Witham, also reviewed here at the Sword Buyer’s Guide. I was attracted to the aesthetic and quality of the grip, pommel, and hilt as well as the overall size and weight of the blade. I was further convinced after interactions with Sonny Suttles, the owner of Valiant Armory, even though this sword was out of my initial price range of $300 USD.
Historical Overview
The VA Hedemark was designed by Christian Fletcher and is meant to replicate swords used by the Scandinavian warriors and raiders of the 10th-11th Century. In fact, “Hedemark” is an Anglicized version of a place name in Norway.
This is the first Viking-style sword by VA to feature a pommel of multiple pieces and is a great step as they continue to chase historical plausibility and authenticity, yet at an affordable price point.
Some who value complete historical authenticity with no grace or mercy will likely be distracted by the top-oriented hex-nut assembly rather than a peened tang and/or riveted guard/pommel like the historic type 4.
I would those remind that this sword is less than $400 USD shipped, then point them to this solution for hiding the nut. (I’ve dubbed this solution the “Shooter-Odin Plug" after its inventors.) Folks, this is a recreation, not an artifact. Please remember that.
Initial Impressions
I placed the order on Sunday. By purchasing through VA’s Custom Sword Shoppe, I had the ability to customize the leather colors, but, unsure of how dying the leather maroon would affect it’s value, I chose the standard color scheme. Shipped, it cost me $380 + sales tax.
(I’ll remind you to always remember sales tax when bargain shopping for your swords. I could’ve saved $34 by purchasing from a vendor not in my same state.)
Sonny let me know it would ship on Monday. The box came very quickly via UPS and arrived on Thursday, thankfully, as I was a bit surprised that Valiant Armoury did not send me a tracking number. I was able to get an update when my sword arrived by sending a message to Sonny.
The sword was well packed in two boxes with foam blocks around the factory container and Styrofoam to hold the sword in place within it.
Statistics
- Overall Length: 39 inches (or 99.06 cm)
- Blade Length (from guard): 32 ⅛” (or 81.597 cm)
- Handle Length: 4 ¼” (or 10.795 cm)
- Guard Width: just shy of 4” (or 10.16 cm) ), but it depends on what part of the arc you measure.
- POB (Point of Balance): 6 ¼” (or 15.875 cm) above the hilt.
- COP (Center of Percussion): about 16" (40 cm) up on my blade.
- Weight: 2 pounds 12.8 ounces (or 1.270 kilograms) by my scale
- Weight with Scabbard & Belt: 3 pounds 1 ounce (or 1.389 kilograms)
Components
The sword was manufactured overseas and the scabbard and belt were made in the Dallas area. They pair well and it is an attractive set. An A+ on overall presentation.
I was pleased that the sword very closely matched the photos seen on the Internet, but was surprised to see that the “baldric” was both thinner that I had thought and was not very close in color to the scabbard and grip wrap. More on that later.
When first drawn, the hilt and pommel were firm with no rattle. After a few minutes of dry handling, the hilt rattled a little. After disassembly for pictures, it’s all tight again with no sign of loosening. Though some swords come with an Allan wrench, this one did not. I used one provided by the Swedish manufacturer of my bargain, self-assembled furniture. Very Viking of me, I’m sure.
The Blade
The 32” blade is intended to replicate Oakeshott type X (or perhaps Type Xa with the narrow fuller) blades. It features a single central fuller. The fullers meander slightly down the blade, but averaging both sides, are of good quality compared to other pieces I’ve handled in a similar price range. The fuller terminates under the guard and the tang is solid, ending in a thread for the hex head retaining nut.
There is a small
The blade came with a fine edge from VA, but was unable to cut paper without tearing it. The point is very pointy, capable of accidentally picking up cloth on it’s tip.
The Handle
The handle is leather, cord-wrapped over a wooden core in an hourglass shape with a set of central risers. I enjoy the length as it fits well in my hand in both “hammer” and “handshake” grips without needing to slip a pinky over the pommel. I feel I should stress this more. This sword is comfortable in the hand.
The Guard
The guard is in a simple arc with a satin finish to the steel. It too has a similar occlusion. This one bothers me much more. You can see a few rough places around the opening in the guard, but it is acceptable.
Yes, this is all the way in the scabbard.
The Pommel
The Pommel is a Geibig Type 4 and cast in steel to pair with the upper guard. The hex head retaining bolt attaches to the threaded tang from the end, not under the guard like a proper Type 4. It features prominently, but is not a detractor for me.
The Scabbard
The Scabbard is of Very Good quality. A few seams waver and no two leather items match precisely in color, but its of higher quality than anything in the SBG price range, a benefit of having Mr. Fletcher’s name attached to the project.
I was disappointed in the suspension. The “baldric” is less than 80 inches long and feels much cheaper than the scabbard or sword. (It is nothing like the cheap vinyl you get on other products; it just isn’t as nice as the rest of the leatherwork.)
As I am 6 foot 5” tall, I would prefer it if the baldric were set up for use as a belt (though it is far too short for a double wrap on my 42” girth) or came in men’s sizes. I spoke to Sonny about a custom belt before I ever ordered and intend to pursue that end.
The leather bands that hold the wood piece (I can’t find a formal name for this wooden piece.) are a little uneven and the finish is terrible on the back of one of them. If I had to guess, I think they are glued to the rest of the scabbard to prevent slippage. The rough spot looks like the glued it in the wrong spot, then removed and reattached it.
There is some hint of tooling or a stamped design to the front side of them, proving that they are trying to include Mr. Fletcher’s design touches.
The Scabbard has a simple but elegant chape in the same satin finish as the guard and pommel. It is very nice.
Handling Characteristics
I am inexperienced with quality swords and certainly so with the Viking style, but comparing the handling of this sword to the Generation 2 River Witham Viking sword or their 8th Cen. Viking, I’d say the Hedemark is excellent for the type and price range. While it’s point of balance does lead you to wield this as a cutting blade, it is not unwieldy or overly taxing on the wrist and forearm like a few heavy-bladed, Canadian-made swords I have tried.
Again, I am 6’ 5” tall and approx. 280lbs so this sword does not seem large or overly heavy to me. Your mileage may vary.
Test Cutting
To be written later.
I only had one 2L bottle and fleeting light. It was my first attempt to cut a bottle ever and I batted it like I was trying out for the Houston Astros (or another pro baseball team that can actually hit!)
Conclusion
The Hedemark is an excellent product and beautiful. While its price point is just above the SBG sweet spot, its value is comparable to swords three times its retail price. Of late, the low-end Viking swords (with the noted exception of the Hank Reinhart-designed Gen2 River Witham!) are very low on historical authenticity. The Hedemark has an edge on them in that respect.
I am a bit concerned with the blemishes to the blade and hilt, but believe that this sword is still a superb value, with an aesthetic more reminiscent of a designer’s custom project than a limited production sword available from several vendors.
I get the impression that the baldric was created with a different sword in mind and would like to see some changes by offering extra length to the baldric and/or ensuring that it matches more closely to the sword’s colors.
I can’t tell you how wonderful and helpful Valiant Armory was during my selection process. A company owner that will take time to cordially converse and educate a neophyte like myself is a rare man and I would gladly purchase from Sonny and the Custom Sword Shoppe again. (especially if he offered a seax or bearded axe to match the Hedemark.)
Pros
- Looks like a Christian Fletcher custom, even my wife “ooohed” over it. A work of art.
- Cost less than a third of a Christian Fletcher original
- An improvement in historical plausibility over previous VA Viking-style offering
Cons
- Overall fit is an A+. Finish is a B.
- Suspension design & baldric receive C grades; are at odds with an otherwise A+ kit
- My Hedemark bore two small but noticeable voids.
The Bottom Line
If you’re seeking a Viking-styled sword that is to a level of authenticity and beauty of your already excellent Viking wardrobe, you can’t get much better without spending over $1,000 USD. I’m giddy with enthusiasm and I hope it showed, even though I was fairly critical of what I perceived as shortcomings. I welcome your comments, observations, and feedback.
Can y'all believe I knew nothing about swords a month ago? This forum and website are a fantastic resource!