Kriss Sword from CAS Iberia
Aug 25, 2007 14:10:46 GMT
Post by Brendan Olszowy on Aug 25, 2007 14:10:46 GMT
Review by Brendan. O, Perth Western Australia.
I found this little gem on ebay under a search for Hanwei. Global Gear advertise anything from CAS Iberia as Hanwei. Though clearly this is not Hanwei, I am unsure who the original manufacturer is.
The CAS Iberia product code is SR514. However I think you'd be hard put to find one of these swords new now.
It is an interesting piece, and made of “High Carbon Spring Steel” apparently. So I got it; and as usual on ebay the auction ended well under the retail price of $155 USD.
As usual Global Gear are very prompt and professional posting out your ebay purchases. They must do 100 sales a day, they are huge operators on ebay. It came with a heavy layer of grease, in a cheap, flimsy, plain cardboard box. It wasn’t well packed, just had plastic wrapped around it to hold the grease.
This sword does have a companion dagger:
First Impression:
This sword is not very long, and nice and light, with a very lively feel thanks to the close point of balance. It was quite sharp thankfully, coz god knows how you sharpen a blade like this??? But the meaness of it, with its shiny steel set against the black leather brings a smile to the face of the weilder. It actually looks really smart in its scabbard. Not overly styled like many fantasy blades, just subtle sculpting.
Statistics
Blade length: 28 1/2" (725mm)
Hilt length: 8” (200mm)
Overall: 36 ½” (925mm)
Grip Length: 4 ½” (110mm)
Guard Width: 6 ¾” (170mm)
POB (point of balance): 2 ¼” from base of guard
COP (center of percussion - 'the sweet spot'): Approx 20" from the guard
Weight: 2lbs 10oz (1200g)
DESIGN, FIT & FINISH
The Blade
I should leave this till last cos this is where this sword falls flat on its face. The flame style blade is reasonably well sculpted. The grinding marks are obvious but uniform and tidy. It comes plenty sharp enough for bottle cutting, or hedge pruning. Quite dangerous for a primarily decorative piece. Lucky because I have no idea how to sharpen the concave bits LOL!
The blade is very easy to flex, and offers very little resistance or spring. It's really thin, too thin...
However the big problem is in the temper. I bent the blade cutting a bottle on probably my third cutting session with this sword and it really bent, like 6” out of true. Upon trying to straighten it I noticed it stayed wherever I put it. It was a little S shaped. So I just bent it back and forward here and there til it was nice and straight. It was too easy, and that is the problem. Normally you have to strain it the other way. This just goes where it is pushed.
Disappointing for a fun little sword.
The Grip
It it leather wrapped and has a hard feel. The glue ridge is too high and hard as a rock. The raised spiral ridge is also hard but offers a secure, and surprisingly natural grip. A very good length for single handed use. There are little Gen 2 style spacers at each end of the grip. The hilt is solid as a rock, no components of this sword rattle or budge at all.
The Pommel
This is a nasty little begger. The little points are sharp. Obvious from my antiquing is the fact that the hilt furniture is carbon steel. There are numerous little pits residual from the casting process. No signs of Peening are visible, so I assume it is threaded on.
The Guard
Similar story to the pommel in its casting. However it is simetrical, uniform and true. It is simple, not gaudy. I like it. It has a kind of Batman look about it, no?
The Scabbard
Sturdy built, Leather covered and well glued. There is a belt loop rivetted to the rear. Very nice for a cheap piece. Fitting is great. It hugs the cross, and grips the blade securely without sticking. I’m impressed.
Testing
Well the above blade review painted the final picture on testing. It scores a big red [glow=red,2,300]F[/glow].
However before it bent on that wayward bottle cut it did slice and dice very well. I used it for a bit of ‘wooden man’ / 'pell' training on a medium sized tree, and I loved the quick lively way I was able to flick this sword around. It left the tree looking quite worse for wear. It was sharp enough to prune the foliage with little momentum behind it.
That is really where this sword comes into it’s own, as a training tool and very light cutter.
Coke Bottles and the like were no problem to cut. It was fine provided my form was ok. But my amateur abilities require a forgiving blade, that can handle poor form.
I have since oven tempered the blade, but haven’t had the heart to try cutting again, or the patience to get it nice and straight if it goes all SSS shaped on me again. I guess its in the spirit of the blade to S out! Flame style.
Antiqueing / Display
So it just sits on my wall now, looking pretty. Obviously its been rusted and bathed in acid to blacken the blade and add a weathered look. I didn’t let it go long enough to pit the blade. It will polish up like new if I choose.
I made a plaque to display it. I chose to keep with the flame style motif. I drew it on pine and jigsawed the shape, and sanded it off smooth. I drew the dragon and then burned it in with a soldering iron. Finally I stain / varnished the plaque, leaving a light coat on the features, and a thicker coat on the background.
Rating:
Historical Accuracy: 0/5 [yet credible, not pure fantasy wallhanger B.S.]
Fit and Finish: 2/5 Well it's solid in the hilt, and not rattly.
Handling: 5/5 there's no weight in the blade so it flies.
Structural Integrity: 1/5 at least the blade didn't fly off.
Value for Money: 2/5 - you can get far more functional blades for $155 USD. The scabbard saves it.
Overall: 2/5
Conclusion
I give top marks to this sword for art factor. I like the fact it looks functional and genuine, in stead of the glitzy wallhanger rubbish around. It still has a dark knight type fantasy feel. It’s a bit of fun. But it really belongs on the wall.
*EDIT*
I gotta come back and say what a piece of crap this sword actually is now that I have ripped it to pieces. The tang was micro, it had a beefy rod butt welded on, and I really question if the sword was ever hardened at all. I kept the pommel cos it looks cool in a Ringwraith way, and maybe I'll cast off it oneday.
Here's a pic of the tang:
I found this little gem on ebay under a search for Hanwei. Global Gear advertise anything from CAS Iberia as Hanwei. Though clearly this is not Hanwei, I am unsure who the original manufacturer is.
The CAS Iberia product code is SR514. However I think you'd be hard put to find one of these swords new now.
It is an interesting piece, and made of “High Carbon Spring Steel” apparently. So I got it; and as usual on ebay the auction ended well under the retail price of $155 USD.
As usual Global Gear are very prompt and professional posting out your ebay purchases. They must do 100 sales a day, they are huge operators on ebay. It came with a heavy layer of grease, in a cheap, flimsy, plain cardboard box. It wasn’t well packed, just had plastic wrapped around it to hold the grease.
This sword does have a companion dagger:
First Impression:
This sword is not very long, and nice and light, with a very lively feel thanks to the close point of balance. It was quite sharp thankfully, coz god knows how you sharpen a blade like this??? But the meaness of it, with its shiny steel set against the black leather brings a smile to the face of the weilder. It actually looks really smart in its scabbard. Not overly styled like many fantasy blades, just subtle sculpting.
Statistics
Blade length: 28 1/2" (725mm)
Hilt length: 8” (200mm)
Overall: 36 ½” (925mm)
Grip Length: 4 ½” (110mm)
Guard Width: 6 ¾” (170mm)
POB (point of balance): 2 ¼” from base of guard
COP (center of percussion - 'the sweet spot'): Approx 20" from the guard
Weight: 2lbs 10oz (1200g)
DESIGN, FIT & FINISH
The Blade
I should leave this till last cos this is where this sword falls flat on its face. The flame style blade is reasonably well sculpted. The grinding marks are obvious but uniform and tidy. It comes plenty sharp enough for bottle cutting, or hedge pruning. Quite dangerous for a primarily decorative piece. Lucky because I have no idea how to sharpen the concave bits LOL!
The blade is very easy to flex, and offers very little resistance or spring. It's really thin, too thin...
However the big problem is in the temper. I bent the blade cutting a bottle on probably my third cutting session with this sword and it really bent, like 6” out of true. Upon trying to straighten it I noticed it stayed wherever I put it. It was a little S shaped. So I just bent it back and forward here and there til it was nice and straight. It was too easy, and that is the problem. Normally you have to strain it the other way. This just goes where it is pushed.
Disappointing for a fun little sword.
The Grip
It it leather wrapped and has a hard feel. The glue ridge is too high and hard as a rock. The raised spiral ridge is also hard but offers a secure, and surprisingly natural grip. A very good length for single handed use. There are little Gen 2 style spacers at each end of the grip. The hilt is solid as a rock, no components of this sword rattle or budge at all.
The Pommel
This is a nasty little begger. The little points are sharp. Obvious from my antiquing is the fact that the hilt furniture is carbon steel. There are numerous little pits residual from the casting process. No signs of Peening are visible, so I assume it is threaded on.
The Guard
Similar story to the pommel in its casting. However it is simetrical, uniform and true. It is simple, not gaudy. I like it. It has a kind of Batman look about it, no?
The Scabbard
Sturdy built, Leather covered and well glued. There is a belt loop rivetted to the rear. Very nice for a cheap piece. Fitting is great. It hugs the cross, and grips the blade securely without sticking. I’m impressed.
Testing
Well the above blade review painted the final picture on testing. It scores a big red [glow=red,2,300]F[/glow].
However before it bent on that wayward bottle cut it did slice and dice very well. I used it for a bit of ‘wooden man’ / 'pell' training on a medium sized tree, and I loved the quick lively way I was able to flick this sword around. It left the tree looking quite worse for wear. It was sharp enough to prune the foliage with little momentum behind it.
That is really where this sword comes into it’s own, as a training tool and very light cutter.
Coke Bottles and the like were no problem to cut. It was fine provided my form was ok. But my amateur abilities require a forgiving blade, that can handle poor form.
I have since oven tempered the blade, but haven’t had the heart to try cutting again, or the patience to get it nice and straight if it goes all SSS shaped on me again. I guess its in the spirit of the blade to S out! Flame style.
Antiqueing / Display
So it just sits on my wall now, looking pretty. Obviously its been rusted and bathed in acid to blacken the blade and add a weathered look. I didn’t let it go long enough to pit the blade. It will polish up like new if I choose.
I made a plaque to display it. I chose to keep with the flame style motif. I drew it on pine and jigsawed the shape, and sanded it off smooth. I drew the dragon and then burned it in with a soldering iron. Finally I stain / varnished the plaque, leaving a light coat on the features, and a thicker coat on the background.
Rating:
Historical Accuracy: 0/5 [yet credible, not pure fantasy wallhanger B.S.]
Fit and Finish: 2/5 Well it's solid in the hilt, and not rattly.
Handling: 5/5 there's no weight in the blade so it flies.
Structural Integrity: 1/5 at least the blade didn't fly off.
Value for Money: 2/5 - you can get far more functional blades for $155 USD. The scabbard saves it.
Overall: 2/5
Conclusion
I give top marks to this sword for art factor. I like the fact it looks functional and genuine, in stead of the glitzy wallhanger rubbish around. It still has a dark knight type fantasy feel. It’s a bit of fun. But it really belongs on the wall.
*EDIT*
I gotta come back and say what a piece of crap this sword actually is now that I have ripped it to pieces. The tang was micro, it had a beefy rod butt welded on, and I really question if the sword was ever hardened at all. I kept the pommel cos it looks cool in a Ringwraith way, and maybe I'll cast off it oneday.
Here's a pic of the tang: