Hanwei/Tinker Longsword Project
Sept 5, 2009 17:11:41 GMT
Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2009 17:11:41 GMT
Lately, I've been thinking about buying a Hanwei-Tinker longsword blade (www.kultofathena.com/product~item~OH2396~name~Hanwei+Tinker+Longsword+Blade.htm) and have some fittings custom made for it. I would make the grip and assemble the whole hilt myself (the screw-on assembly makes it easy, providing I can have a fitting pommel made). This project stems from many different desires: to have a unique sword that I have semi-designed and as historically plausible as possible (without having to be an exact reproduction of an existing historical sword), the fun of doing the grip and assembling the whole thing (a semi-d-i-y thing), and keep it at a reasonable price tag...
I would appreciate opinions, advices and informations on many points of this project...
For the pommel: I was thinking about a faceted scent-stopper pommel (Oakeshott's Type "T"), a type "T5" or "pear-shaped", or a so-called "fishtail" Type "V" or "V1"...opinions?
For the guard: it could be a simple yet wide style "1" (for example, the sword would then look like the Del Tin 5140, of which I like the looks), an "S-shaped" style 5/style 12 (?) (www.albion-swords.com/swords/albion/nextgen/sword-medieval-earl-xviiia.htm for example), but I was thinking also about a more complex styled katzbalger guard, being very fond of the few examples of longswords with such guards (see here for examples: images.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://histvarld.historiska.se/histvarld/draekter/1520lknekt/i/5_balte_svard/IMG_2948.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php%3Ft%3D8630&usg=__zJ1Yz45sh4Ffxs6JVTLQEsqb4Bk=&h=2994&w=504&sz=262&hl=fr&start=1&um=1&tbnid=cnVY2rKvpVE8UM:&tbnh=150&tbnw=25&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dkatzbalger%2Bguard%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Dfr%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1 ;
www.myarmoury.com/albums/displayimage.php?pos=-4133 ; www.lutel.eu/?p=productsMore&iProduct=118&sName=Hand-and-a-half-sword-15012 ; www.lutel.eu/?p=productsMore&iProduct=119&sName=Hand-and-a-half-sword-15013 ; www.lutel.eu/?p=productsMore&iProduct=121&sName=Hand-and-a-half-sword-15015 ; www.armor.com/custom934.html ; www.armor.com/custom914.html )...(althought I will be getting one of the Lutels at some point (probably the 15012), when I can justify the expense, so I should probably wait and go for another guard design for diversity?)
But then, about the "katzbalger" style guard, a few problems might appear: most historical examples I've seen of bastard/long/zweihander swords with such guards (if not all) are fitted with relatively broad "cutting" blades as Type XIII, Type XX, zweihanders...when the Hanwei/Tinker longsword is a Type XVIII(a?) (if I'm not mistaken) which is more tapered, more of a thrusting sword so to speak...Also, most -if not all- historical examples I've seen have the Type T5 pear-shaped pommel...
As to the grip: I would like to make a tapered grip of group II, similar to the one on such reproductions as the Albion's Fiore, Ringeck, Regent (www.albion-swords.com/swords/albion/swords-albion-mark-nextgen.htm#Hand-and-a-half )...I would go with the sandwich method even thought the bored throught method was more used historically...Any opinions and advices are welcomed about the grip also...
And, finally, any advices and references about which smith (smiths interested, you are more than welcome to chime in) I should adress to for the making of the hilt components at a reasonable price-point? They don't have to be perfect, just to fit on the blade and the threaded end, I can do some finishing myself...
I'm looking forward reading your opinions, advices, informations on this project.
Thanks,
Reflingar
p.s.: and I probably forgot to speak of many aspects so will surely get back with additional questions and details...
edit.: spelling
I would appreciate opinions, advices and informations on many points of this project...
For the pommel: I was thinking about a faceted scent-stopper pommel (Oakeshott's Type "T"), a type "T5" or "pear-shaped", or a so-called "fishtail" Type "V" or "V1"...opinions?
For the guard: it could be a simple yet wide style "1" (for example, the sword would then look like the Del Tin 5140, of which I like the looks), an "S-shaped" style 5/style 12 (?) (www.albion-swords.com/swords/albion/nextgen/sword-medieval-earl-xviiia.htm for example), but I was thinking also about a more complex styled katzbalger guard, being very fond of the few examples of longswords with such guards (see here for examples: images.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://histvarld.historiska.se/histvarld/draekter/1520lknekt/i/5_balte_svard/IMG_2948.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php%3Ft%3D8630&usg=__zJ1Yz45sh4Ffxs6JVTLQEsqb4Bk=&h=2994&w=504&sz=262&hl=fr&start=1&um=1&tbnid=cnVY2rKvpVE8UM:&tbnh=150&tbnw=25&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dkatzbalger%2Bguard%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Dfr%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1 ;
www.myarmoury.com/albums/displayimage.php?pos=-4133 ; www.lutel.eu/?p=productsMore&iProduct=118&sName=Hand-and-a-half-sword-15012 ; www.lutel.eu/?p=productsMore&iProduct=119&sName=Hand-and-a-half-sword-15013 ; www.lutel.eu/?p=productsMore&iProduct=121&sName=Hand-and-a-half-sword-15015 ; www.armor.com/custom934.html ; www.armor.com/custom914.html )...(althought I will be getting one of the Lutels at some point (probably the 15012), when I can justify the expense, so I should probably wait and go for another guard design for diversity?)
But then, about the "katzbalger" style guard, a few problems might appear: most historical examples I've seen of bastard/long/zweihander swords with such guards (if not all) are fitted with relatively broad "cutting" blades as Type XIII, Type XX, zweihanders...when the Hanwei/Tinker longsword is a Type XVIII(a?) (if I'm not mistaken) which is more tapered, more of a thrusting sword so to speak...Also, most -if not all- historical examples I've seen have the Type T5 pear-shaped pommel...
As to the grip: I would like to make a tapered grip of group II, similar to the one on such reproductions as the Albion's Fiore, Ringeck, Regent (www.albion-swords.com/swords/albion/swords-albion-mark-nextgen.htm#Hand-and-a-half )...I would go with the sandwich method even thought the bored throught method was more used historically...Any opinions and advices are welcomed about the grip also...
And, finally, any advices and references about which smith (smiths interested, you are more than welcome to chime in) I should adress to for the making of the hilt components at a reasonable price-point? They don't have to be perfect, just to fit on the blade and the threaded end, I can do some finishing myself...
I'm looking forward reading your opinions, advices, informations on this project.
Thanks,
Reflingar
p.s.: and I probably forgot to speak of many aspects so will surely get back with additional questions and details...
edit.: spelling