Doing the VA AT303S happy dance
May 9, 2009 2:01:29 GMT
Post by Kilted Cossack on May 9, 2009 2:01:29 GMT
Gents and ladies, lads and lassies, rogues of all persuasion:
I am proud to report that I have done some light cutting with my new VA AT303S, and I am pleased as punch with it. This is not a review this is not a review this is not a review.
I'll confess, when the blade arrived, I was a wee tad disappointed, as there is an ever, ever so slight bend about 1/3 down from the tip, on the order of 1-2 degrees. Guess what? I don't care.
I worried about it for a few days, but finally decided that, for me, the cost of shipping it back wasn't worth it, EVEN IF THE COST WAS PICKED UP BY SOMEONE ELSE.
This is a dandy little sword.
It's a cutting son-of-a-something-or-other, too!
It is light in the hand, and responsive. (Note: my other swords are the Windlass Qama, the Windlass Kindjal and the Windlass American Revolution Saber, so perhaps my opinion is not so well informed as one might hope.)
I have cut six times with it, and batted once. All of the cuts, and the bat as well, were on two liter (litre?) bottles which once housed sparkly water. (We is crazy mad for our sparkly water here in the Cossack household.)
Here's the breakdown of the cuts: the first cut was a right handed, outside-inside cut that clipped off the neck of the bottle, and knocked the bottle over. I refilled the bottle, sans its neck. The second cut "pickle chipped" the bottle approximately 1/3 of the way down. The third attempt---and the first and only bat----did some serious damage to the bottle, but only ripped a partial cut through it. The fourth, fifth and sixth cuts were on two fresh bottles, with one low cut on the second bottle and two cuts, high and low, on the third bottle.
Honestly? I think the Qama is close to, if not equal to, the 303S cutting ability. Then again, I've cut a couple dozen bottles with the Qama, and had three bottles' worth of practice with the 303S. I anticipate that the greater length of the 303S will prove its worth with continued practice.
So far, all my 303S cuts have knocked the bottle over. I am convinced, however, that, "It is I" and not the sword. I think, I am convinced, that when I get the hang of it, I will be leaving 2 liter bottles decapitated yet standing. Time will prove my convictions true or false----but they are my convictions nonetheless.
The hilt was a wee bit loose when I got it, and between bottles two and three, I tightened it up. After bottle three, it remains tight and solid, and I actually quite like the ability to tighten it up when it should prove necessary. Having hex keys to hand, once more, proves to be handy. At this stage in my education, I rather like the ability to tighten and/or change hilts, guards, pommels and suchlike seems rather to be a bonus, not a drawback. As the hepsters in the IT field like to say, "It's not a bug, it's a feature!"
My sword seems to have a slight secondary bevel. Lurvs it we does, anyway---and no sleeps we be losing over it, in any way.
The scabbard does not in any way hold the blade when it is tilted upside-down, but is of nice leather over wood (?) and presents a very creditable look. (We are talking about a sword which cost me, delivered to my door, US$215. SBG Store, all I'm saying, a wink is as good as a nudge, after all.)
I am new, yet, to this sword, but my initial impressions are good, and I quite look forward to developing a proper rapport with it.
I have speculated, and later concluded, in the past, that I approve entirely of what Mr. Suttles of Valiant Armoury is doing in driving the market forward, by offering "specced by Gus Trim" and "specced by Christian Fletcher" swords for the value-conscious buyer. A quote by Winston Churchill, referencing the Grand Canyon, comes to mind. "My expectations were very great, and they were exceeded." (Or something, at least, along those lines.)
I can think of FAR WORSE WAYS to spend US$215. (Indeed, I have spent US$215 on far worse things.)
If this sword be an indication of the direction that Mr. Sonny Suttles is taking Valiant Armoury, then I'll be buying more swords from Valiant. From my earlier list of swords owned, you may notice a fondness for Windlass Steelcraft products. Based on this sword, let me say this: if it comes down to a question of Windlass or (new) Valiant, and the difference in price is within a hundred or so (US) dollars, I'll spend the extra money for a Valiant.
It's a cutter.
It's a looker.
Once tightened up, it's a solid feeling blade.
My congratulations go out, in no particular order, to Sonny Suttles of Valiant Armoury, to Angus Trim, to the Chinese craftsmen who forged the blade, and to Paul Southren. I am a happy camper, and look forward to being happier still.
As the fellow once said, "I've got mine."
I am proud to report that I have done some light cutting with my new VA AT303S, and I am pleased as punch with it. This is not a review this is not a review this is not a review.
I'll confess, when the blade arrived, I was a wee tad disappointed, as there is an ever, ever so slight bend about 1/3 down from the tip, on the order of 1-2 degrees. Guess what? I don't care.
I worried about it for a few days, but finally decided that, for me, the cost of shipping it back wasn't worth it, EVEN IF THE COST WAS PICKED UP BY SOMEONE ELSE.
This is a dandy little sword.
It's a cutting son-of-a-something-or-other, too!
It is light in the hand, and responsive. (Note: my other swords are the Windlass Qama, the Windlass Kindjal and the Windlass American Revolution Saber, so perhaps my opinion is not so well informed as one might hope.)
I have cut six times with it, and batted once. All of the cuts, and the bat as well, were on two liter (litre?) bottles which once housed sparkly water. (We is crazy mad for our sparkly water here in the Cossack household.)
Here's the breakdown of the cuts: the first cut was a right handed, outside-inside cut that clipped off the neck of the bottle, and knocked the bottle over. I refilled the bottle, sans its neck. The second cut "pickle chipped" the bottle approximately 1/3 of the way down. The third attempt---and the first and only bat----did some serious damage to the bottle, but only ripped a partial cut through it. The fourth, fifth and sixth cuts were on two fresh bottles, with one low cut on the second bottle and two cuts, high and low, on the third bottle.
Honestly? I think the Qama is close to, if not equal to, the 303S cutting ability. Then again, I've cut a couple dozen bottles with the Qama, and had three bottles' worth of practice with the 303S. I anticipate that the greater length of the 303S will prove its worth with continued practice.
So far, all my 303S cuts have knocked the bottle over. I am convinced, however, that, "It is I" and not the sword. I think, I am convinced, that when I get the hang of it, I will be leaving 2 liter bottles decapitated yet standing. Time will prove my convictions true or false----but they are my convictions nonetheless.
The hilt was a wee bit loose when I got it, and between bottles two and three, I tightened it up. After bottle three, it remains tight and solid, and I actually quite like the ability to tighten it up when it should prove necessary. Having hex keys to hand, once more, proves to be handy. At this stage in my education, I rather like the ability to tighten and/or change hilts, guards, pommels and suchlike seems rather to be a bonus, not a drawback. As the hepsters in the IT field like to say, "It's not a bug, it's a feature!"
My sword seems to have a slight secondary bevel. Lurvs it we does, anyway---and no sleeps we be losing over it, in any way.
The scabbard does not in any way hold the blade when it is tilted upside-down, but is of nice leather over wood (?) and presents a very creditable look. (We are talking about a sword which cost me, delivered to my door, US$215. SBG Store, all I'm saying, a wink is as good as a nudge, after all.)
I am new, yet, to this sword, but my initial impressions are good, and I quite look forward to developing a proper rapport with it.
I have speculated, and later concluded, in the past, that I approve entirely of what Mr. Suttles of Valiant Armoury is doing in driving the market forward, by offering "specced by Gus Trim" and "specced by Christian Fletcher" swords for the value-conscious buyer. A quote by Winston Churchill, referencing the Grand Canyon, comes to mind. "My expectations were very great, and they were exceeded." (Or something, at least, along those lines.)
I can think of FAR WORSE WAYS to spend US$215. (Indeed, I have spent US$215 on far worse things.)
If this sword be an indication of the direction that Mr. Sonny Suttles is taking Valiant Armoury, then I'll be buying more swords from Valiant. From my earlier list of swords owned, you may notice a fondness for Windlass Steelcraft products. Based on this sword, let me say this: if it comes down to a question of Windlass or (new) Valiant, and the difference in price is within a hundred or so (US) dollars, I'll spend the extra money for a Valiant.
It's a cutter.
It's a looker.
Once tightened up, it's a solid feeling blade.
My congratulations go out, in no particular order, to Sonny Suttles of Valiant Armoury, to Angus Trim, to the Chinese craftsmen who forged the blade, and to Paul Southren. I am a happy camper, and look forward to being happier still.
As the fellow once said, "I've got mine."