First time "beater" buyer with a problem

Well as a proud owner of a VA Kriegschwert and practical arming sword I can safely say that the new VA line can definately 'do the business'. I can assure you that even though the POB is quite far, the kriegschwert's POB is 6 inches and she still handles well (I was doing some German longsword drills this afternoon). Seeing as the blade type and the construction of the two swords are similar I think I can say that you shouldn't worry about that aspect

_{edit to add:}


Here's a review by crocket of the Practical Longsword. Note the 'Pro's bit of the review at the end ;D

Thank you both for the replies.

I think I'm gonna go with the Practical Longsword... unless I change my mind =D

I'm not really sure what my suspicions about cord wrapped handles are. I just think that they might fall apart on me.

I had my suspicions about the BP and Gothic being thrusting swords. Usually you don't see a distal taper that pronounced on a cut-n-thrust. I'll go look at the Tinker longsword now to see what I think.

What it basically boils down to is that I need something that will get me thru a zombie apocalypse.

Send that Black Prince to Tom... when you get it back, it will split hairs. ;D

No, sadly he is not doing any sharpening right now... but with his instructional vids I'm thinking very hard about picking up one of those belt sanders he uses and putting some serious edge to my duller swords.

You might want to read the review of the Tinker/Hanwei Great Sword of War (GSOW). It is a type XIIIa, very durable, and a good sword all around. I don't have one personally, which is why you should not take my word for it. Read the review and you will see for yourself.

I just got my 304S and opened it up about 30 minutes ago. I haven't been able to swing it around yet, but it looks great.

Try here

www.armsofvalour.com/miva/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=AOVL&Product_Code=IP-076-2&Category_Code=ICIB

What are you going to cut with your sword, Veldruk?

You know... I just now realized that I had started this thread in the wrong forum, as this wasn't in any way related to Fantasy Swords at all... unless, of course, you count my childhood fantasy... There, we will call it that. =D

Edit: (after reading my rambling, just thought I'd let ya know that I don't actually get around to saying what I'm gonna cut until the end)

Well, the plan is to first go down to the local crafts supply shop and pick up some black leather strips to make a temporary stystem to be able to hang the sword by a hook on the wall.

Then I plan on adding a secondary strap system that would allow me to put a "safety" on the blade. It would be nothing more then some straps that I'll either tie to the guard or work a loop around the handle. Just some way to allow me to swing the thing around a few times to feel out the geometry of the thing first. (well, I'll do a couple half powered swings when I first take it out, but nothing that would cost me a limb of course)

Back when I had ordered my first wall hanger I was also into sparring with some friends. We'd get some 1/2" or 3/4" PVC pipe and wrap that in the foam pipe insulation, then wrap all that with duct tape. For about 20 bucks we were able to buy enough material to last us for a few months of hard core sparring. Inevidably they'd break, but as cheap as we were able to buy the stuff, we didn't care. Besides, making them was half the fun =D

But I digress.

After high school I had come across a bokken and a pair of shinai, which I know are for katana training, but they have about the same dimensions as a hand'n-a-half sword, so I've been swinging that around for a few hours each weekend. So I have the muscle memory to successfully not whack myself with tho's, but I don't want to have the mindset that I know what I'm doing with a battle ready sword where with one mistake could leave me 6 feet under.

What I will cut!

As odd as it sounds, I'm gonna give the sword a good rub down and cut some zucchini from my garden. I think it will be an easier cut then plastic bottles and I'll be doing it out in the grass. so as long as I give them a good rinse and boil, they'll still be edible =D

I'll move to plastic bottles for a time after that. I have a friend who drinks way to much soda and I've already made a deal with him for him to save his bottles so we can chop them.

And once pumpkin season is upon us...!!!

I can't wait till everyone starts selling pumpkins around here for a few bucks or so. I think it would be great to do a pumpkin "chip and ring" contest where instead of milk jugs, we use pumpkins. Although, I'm not sure where I would need to bring that idea up. Heck, even trying to carve a jack'o'lantern would be a fun little contest (which I'm probably gonna do anyway, contest or not. Don't worry, my digital camera takes great videos, so I'll be posting a lot.

So to sum it all up, here's my cutting order:
-at least 1 zucchini from the garden
-an unknown quantity of various sized liquid containing bottles
-PUMPKINS
-more bottles
-And last (read the following paragraph)

I kinda wanna go down to the butcher and see if he can give me a pigs neck or something. Of course, I won't be attempting this until probably next spring, but I'd be curious to see how this sword (and the swords of the future) will handles flesh and bone.

Me, my brother and a few of our friends have started a zombie preparation contest. It's more or less an excuse to buy a bunch of fun things like guns and swords under the pretense that we are doing it to prepare for the upcoming zombie apocalypse. My brother bought a semi automatic shotgun to start us off. So I went out and bought a mossberg 500 12ga, and a HI-Point .45. He hasn't outdone me yet, but I want to secure my lead with at least one sword and a few machetes from trueswords.com

Soooo, the pigs neck would serve as a great test for a "fresh" zombie, and depending on how I have it set up, we'll either have bbq afterwords or shoot the hell outta it with the shotguns. *cheesy grin*

And as a final recap of things I will cut:
-Vegtables (Might even find some discounted watermelon this time of year)
-Plastic bottles
-Pumpkins when they are in season
-Maybe some rolled mats, dunno about how serious I'll get with thos
-A pig's neck from the butcher