Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2009 16:08:49 GMT
Weird.
I guess to keep prices down they want to produce a controlled amount.
M.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2009 18:50:47 GMT
...well forum-mates...it was a very hard decision, but the blade has been packed into the box for return shipment to KoA.
Despite any of the flaws that I found (nit-picky though they may have been); the sword and sheath truly are quite beautiful!
In fact so much so that that simple fact was key in my decision to return the sword. When I looked at the sword, I thought to myself,
"...that thing is too nice for my lack of skill...I can't learn to cut with that! I'll ruin it!". I know some of you might get a laugh from that admission,
but I've begun to think that maybe function will be more important to me than form. (of the sword that is)
Months ago when I first discovered this forum, although it was searching for a nice katana for my daughter that brought me here,
it was actually the Viking swords that first caught my eye!
I couldn't help it...I remember seeing the movies "The Vikings" and "The 13th Warrior"...and thinking "ahhh, these swords are what I really want!"
But my ADHD kicked-in... I saw a video of Shootermike wielding a Gen 2 Gladius....gotta have it, gotta have it!....it was doable (money-wise) so that was my first sword.....
But now, it seems that I want to return to what first caught my eye, a Viking sword!
I'm thinking of the CAS/Tinker Viking to be specific.
I truly hope that my comments make sense to you all and maybe give you a laugh!
Cheers!!
Kevin
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2009 20:00:27 GMT
I hope this is the right thread to ask this question. As some of you may know I'm currently working on a custom grip for my Tinker Hanwei Longsword. And I've run into a problem. I want the guard (and pommel) to fit as tightly as possible since I can't weld or braze it in place like originally planned. So I made the slot in the guard as small as I possibly could (you now what I mean). Then I hammered the guard over the tang onto the blade, a bit like Albion does (watch the how it's made video). Thing is, the gap really was to small I bend the guard hammering it down and I also destroyed the slot doing that. So I made a new guard (man, I was PISSED). Now I'm filing the new slot. And I don't know what to do. How tight does the slot have to be to make for a though handle construction? Pommel and guard are fitted BEFORE the grip core so they have to sit by themselfs. I can't cast the guard like Albion does so I have to file it until I THINK it's right. I did so on my tsuba and I got lucky; it has a perfect fit. But maybe I won't get lucky this time. What can I do?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2009 20:04:22 GMT
Forgot to add: The shoulders are not inserted into the guard. They just sit on the guard. So not like Albions, VA, Tinkers and stuff. Look at Brenno's swords I think they are fitted that way, too. I think he has never done a sword with the cutting edge running all the way up to the guard. His blades always have a ricasso. I could the wrong though, it's just the impression I got when looking at his wonderful swords.
|
|
|
|
Post by skystone on Sept 22, 2009 21:22:58 GMT
I think I can dig what you are trying to explain. See if you can dig this ask questions if not. You are going to have to make it an exact fit and hammer it on if you are doing it that way. Here is what I do when I make knives;...should probably make a good sword but in that scrap iron craze about half a year ago some crooked suckers stole my leaf springs and my damned rail road anvil. Still have the 400lb steel forge though. It's the belled end of a 32" iron pipe..... I make a quite a few Bowies with the blades terminating on top of the guard. I get a good flat fit with the top off the guard and bottom of the blade. With the blade pointing down and the guard in place I then I flux the pieces and use easy flow silver solder. I place the little pallions of solder in between the guard and blade or on the backside of the guard and let it flow down and in. Use a propane torch if you have one it does not need any higher heat than a propane torch can put out. As soon as even heat is applied and I see the guard move or the little pieces of solder liquifie I know the solder melted and its welded..... Now the guard is welded on there good. The space that I inevitably have that is in between the tang and guard I fill with "silver bearing solder" the kind you use with a soldering iron. It will fill in spaces where "silver soldering" only welds contacts.(The silver soldering I spoke of earlier is not really soldering but more like brazing with little pieces of silver that melt and weld the two pieces together)So you just melt good quality solder against the soldering iron right into the space. Then file away any excess solder to make a flush fit for the handle. Info on making knives and swords is super hard to find. I checked a few books out from the library and inserted some jewelry making skills where I thought it would be better. Like the silver soldering. Again if you do not understand I can try my best to explain my technique again.
|
|
|
|
Post by Tom K. (ianflaer) on Sept 22, 2009 22:18:55 GMT
if you aren't careful with that torch you can soften your blade. you can do it without softening but it takes a gentle touch. honestly my suggestion would be to get a dremel with a cutting wheel and make a slot for the blade. make the hole for the tang like you have been doing and then get that nice flat fit ad trace the blade shoulders with a real sharp pencil then dremel inside the lines. you don't need to make it bang with a hammer tight, you just have to make sure it fits with no latteral play. a good way to do that is to make the slot get narrower as it gets deeper and then also bevel down your blade shoulder a little bit. that way when you compress them together the V shaped shoulders get rammed down into the V shaped slot and the fit gets tighter with compression. I did this with my EMSHS when I mounted it because the slot in the Valiant Armory guard was too small for the H/T blade. instead of making the slot a lot bigger I made the blade shoulders a little tapered and it fits pretty well. I could have got it better if I had reshaped the slot a little more, but for some reason I didn't think of using my dremel that was still packed in a box from the move. next time I'll use it.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2009 23:29:40 GMT
Thumper, have you seen the new VA Signature Viking? I believe it's called the Hedemark. From what I've seen of it, it's a pretty sexy viking sword. I know they aren't due until the end of the year or so, but it might be worth the wait for you, especially if you're looking for something that can take a beating and still look beautiful on your hip.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2009 23:48:42 GMT
Or if you want a bit more basic but good sword for single handed cutting training the Hanwei Tinker EMSHS might do the trick ...........
|
|
|
|
Post by shadowhowler on Sept 23, 2009 0:13:08 GMT
Well... he said he thought the Bristol might be too pretty for him, and he is going for function over form at this point... and that he realkly digs Viking swords. So, the Hanwei/Tinker Viking sword might be the pefect fit for him.
|
|
|
|
Post by Eaglehawk on Sept 23, 2009 0:31:08 GMT
Or the Castile. It is well built, solid, and sharp. One of my favorites. And it doesn't look like all the rest. That would sure get my vote.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 23, 2009 1:20:29 GMT
...the problem with waiting for the Signature Viking (Hedemark) is twofold: 1. its so damn pretty! (same drawback {for me}as the Bristol) and
2. (Like many) I'm currently unemployed (and going through a divorce to boot) so who knows what my financial state will be next month or next year!
My girlfriend is the reason behind why I ordered the Bristol in the first place, she wanted me to be happy without compromise. No more "fix 'em uppers"!
...some day........oh well, this has been a learning experience to be sure!
Ahhh....the Castile.....I'd spent many hours reading about that sword and that would have been my second choice, but watching Tom's cutting vids and reading
the various hands on reviews made me think, that for me, it wasn't not the right sword...maybe too heavy for that blade type. Maybe once I'm a lot more
experianced ( and stronger)...but not now...
Which brings me to my next choice: the Tinker Viking!
From what I've found in my reasearch, for its blade type, its light and nimble...understated yet still very attractive...and, it is Tinker designed!
Yes, yes I know, only words to me now...but just wait!
|
|
|
|
Post by Eaglehawk on Sept 23, 2009 1:33:07 GMT
Then you might want to check this thread: /index.cgi?board=ancientswords&action=display&thread=11798
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 23, 2009 2:40:07 GMT
i love the tinker blades but the fittings bother me
their just so plain and unattractive
sepcially the handles
but for just using and not caring about the
appearance i would go for it in a second
|
|
|
|
Post by Tom K. (ianflaer) on Sept 23, 2009 4:31:25 GMT
there's always the option of having the VA custom sword shoppe fix it up a bit. the polish on the Hanwei Tinker swords is REALLY rough and Sonny has been touching that up. plus with the Custom shop you can have it as pretty or not pretty as you want but a new grip is probably the most important thing to come from the custom shoppe. I just don't like what I see for the grips on the H/T like except MAYBE the bastard. it's such a skinny sword having that tiny little handle works for it.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 23, 2009 6:38:08 GMT
My Tinker Viking is really a lovely weapon, and very much typical of the Type X's while light and nimble for its classification it still takes a good arm to give it speed and alignment, the edge is so so ........ and touch ups are'nt easy by hand ....... But I wouldnt trade it and I dearly want to get some supplies to improve it and make a new scabbard for it ......... Its a really nice sword all around  Although VA are doing remarkable things now, giving these blades a real makeover  |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 23, 2009 12:31:18 GMT
yeah when I get my tinker Im gunna cut with it a bunch do a review then learn how to redo a handle (unless Im satisfied with what I get)
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 23, 2009 14:37:05 GMT
Thanks, you two. The problem is I can't insert the blades shoulders like you suggested, Tom. The hole in the tang is rectangular on both sides.
Brazing, well, the 5160 steel Hanwei uses for their blades reactes VERY poorly to critical heating so I can't risk that. It might be possible with a lot of experience which I don't have. So I better stay away from heating stuff. I guess I will just try to make the slot as tight as I can without making it impossible to hammer it down. Any other thoughts are well appreciated.
Another thing, I thought about fitting the guard like a japanese tsuba (without habaki of course). They put a kind of copper sheet under the habaki and then mount the tsuba. Such a sheet with a slot big enough for the rounded shoulders would make it possible to avoid inserting these round shoulders into the guard. I don't know if you get what I mean, it's kinda difficult to explain.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 23, 2009 15:15:07 GMT
(brissybeater) I was just looking at that very sword the other day! I do find it interesting that Valiant Armoury is customizing CAS/Hanwei blades... ...am I missing something?  ...and in regards to the "plain" Tinker fittings, I tend to agree they appear to be very utilitarian...except for the Viking's fittings, which I feel are quite nice!  |
|
|
|
Post by Brendan Olszowy on Sept 24, 2009 0:32:18 GMT
...well forum-mates...it was a very hard decision, but the blade has been packed into the box for return shipment to KoA. Despite any of the flaws that I found (nit-picky though they may have been); the sword and sheath truly are quite beautiful! In fact so much so that that simple fact was key in my decision to return the sword. When I looked at the sword, I thought to myself, "...that thing is too nice for my lack of skill...I can't learn to cut with that! I'll ruin it!". I know some of you might get a laugh from that admission, but I've begun to think that maybe function will be more important to me than form. (of the sword that is) Hmm, it sounds to me like you've simply changed your mind; the true reason for which I am still wondering. Though this speak volumes to me: All this boulderdash about a gap in the guard was just to justify your to and fro, and give you an excuse to return it. Now all this codswallop about 'its too nice'. pfft - It's a perfectly acceptable sword from all accounts, and surely up to whatever you would do with it. This is just 'buyers' remorse' speaking. You should man up and just offer it for sale in the classifieds in stead of taking advantage of Sonny's customer service ethic. He's not Kmart. He's a valued member of our community and he's trying to earn a crust while advancing this industry in leaps. With people like you sucking out his profitability the whole community are the victims. If you want to just check out different types of swords before you make up your mind take a drive to Reliks' showroom. |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 24, 2009 2:03:25 GMT
Yep well said Brendan, Sonny has done EXTREMELY well by many people in an extremely micro industry who he's becoming a new pioneer in .......... "swords arent fords and blades arent shades" as I like to put it ....... their not major brands to everyone but they are bigger then Microsoft to us ..........
Sonny puts himself out there with brilliance and even goes beyond (am I currently grovelling to his mercy and I will 100% make good on it). The blade snaps ...... return ........ threading breaks ....... return ........ whole thing shakes like a marracca ....... return unless its an easy fix ............ anything less ......... well TOUGH ........ my first post on this was I thought it looked fine ......... your call ..........
Wheres Cold Napalm I want him to have a go ..........
I bought 3 Cold Steel Swords and frankly dont love either of them like my DSA Gothic, did I return them ......... no .......... just not to be done ........
|
|
