1st gen Valiant Armory Castile Base Model
Oct 1, 2010 14:09:58 GMT
Post by TomK on Oct 1, 2010 14:09:58 GMT
Valiant Armory Castile Base Model
Review by Tom Kinder of Goose Creek, SC USA.
NOTE: this sword is no longer available it has been replaced by the type XII Castile
I recommended this sword to my friend Tim (seen above) based on my very positive experience with the V. A. Custom Tuned and the very positive previews and info seen here on the SBG forums. He ordered it from the SBG store and it arrived very quickly and in excellent shape with good packaging.
Vital Stats:
Weight: 3 lbs 4 ounces
Overall Length: 39 inches
Blade Length: 32 inches
Grip Length: 4 ½ inches
Cross Guard: 6 ½ inches across
Blade Width: 2 inches at cross -- 1 ½ inched just before point
Distal Taper: maybe 1/16th (about 3/16 thick at cross to 2/16 or 1/8 near point)
Point of Balance: 6 inches from the cross
Center of Percussion: from 19 to 22 ½ inches
First Impressions:
The moment I first held the Castile I was impressed by its weight. It is a hefty sword but still manages to handle smoothly and lively if not fast. yeah, it’s heavy but it certainly is not clumsy. The very first swing I made with it produced a beautiful high-pitched sword-whistle (tachi-kaze just seems like the wrong term for a western sword but that’s what it is). My second swing was slightly off edge alignment and it did not whistle at all. The grip is solid, slightly thick as befits this serious sword and very comfortable to hold. People with small hands might find the grip a tad too thick, but I like it. There is a noticeable secondary bevel but it is small and the blade is fairly thin so I think it should be easy to sharpen up properly. The furniture is pleasing and simple but nicely done. I liked it immediately despite the fact that it has my pet peeve of a secondary bevel
The Hilt:
Overall, the hilt is very nice. I understand it is the same as the signature model other than the color of the grip leather. I really like the cross-guard but the channel for the blade was cut a bit wider than it needs to be. The cross guard is, in my opinion perfectly sized and shaped for a single handed sword. No matter how I bend my wrist over I can’t get the cross to bind on my wrist but just barely. The pommel is very thick and obviously a product of modern machine work but still not ugly. The grip leather over cord with what looks like slight risers or washers at each end. The leather is wrapped around the handle without a wrinkle or bubble. It does overlap the cross guard and pommel but I think it is attractive. Lastly the leather wrap is glued down with an over-lapping seam. This has raised some concerns but it feels solid to me; only time will tell.
THE BLADE:
Well, it’s broad and thin like a type X should be. the blade has a very nice even finish a bit less than mirror a bit more than satin. As thin as the blade is I cannot say it is whippy. It is springy and it does flex but it is nice and solid. The fuller is very well executed with no wobbles, perfectly on-center and identical on each side. The tip is well shaped and even and fittingly wide for the type of blade but still very, well, pointy. I have one, and only one complaint about the blade: the dull secondary bevel. Fortunately, it is small and should be easy to correct. It annoys me that I need to correct it, but considering the great deal this sword seems to be on every other level, what am I complaining about?
THE SCABBARD:
The Signature series has an absolutely beautiful scabbard. The base model is a lot more simple and plain but still nice. The leather belt is good quality and even thickness the entire length. I like it. It’s not as pretty as the signature model but for the price break I think this scabbard is very nice.
TESTING!
I wasn’t sure about cutting with it since it came pretty dull but Tim wanted to and I figure what the heck.
Ok so it can cut but it takes a lot more speed than I would prefer.
Since I was on a roll I decided to try tatami.
well not quite but it shows promise. just imagine if that was razor sharp. . .
I hope to make a new video better showing the Castile's improved cutting ability after sharpening. I have one but it isn't very good. I'll try to get better here soon.
CONCLUSION:
Well, it needs some work to bring the edge up to snuff but the rest of the sword is top notch. It is heavy and well balanced, simple, yet beautiful. I like it, I like it a lot.
Ratings:
UPDATE
Pros:
Attractive - nice even polish, well fitted parts, there's a simple beauty to it.
EXCELLENT HEAT TREATMENT! I killed a brand new stone sharpening this sword but the stone was the only thing that would scratch it. all me files just slid right off.
Excellent edge retention (once you get it sharp) - I sharpened this sword a LONG time ago and it is still sharp enough to shave hairs. no sword I have ever seen has held an edge this well, now that I think about it.
TOUGH - I've seen Tim chop some pretty serious targets with this sword and never did it blink or show any sign of weakness. Tim cut with this sword regularly for almost a year and other than a little rust (get polishing Tim!) this sword doesn't even look different and it certainly does not show any signs of loosening or aging. rugged is a great word for this sword.
Value - it's like a Castile in black and white. Tim said he liked it better than the signature version because he liked it black better. seriously though you get the whole package here except fo the fancy tooling on the scabbard and some dye for a LOT less money than the Signature. it is a real shame VA isn't doing base models of the rest of the signature series.
Cons:
Secondary Bevel - even the extra sharp version Shadowhowler brought to the mini-moyoushi I had was not what I would call properly sharp and would still need work.
Hard to sharpen - that great heat treatment bites you in the back here. Files slide right off having not left a scratch (that's no exaggeration) even coarse stones make only slow progress. I would think a belt grinder with a good low grit belt (I'm thinking the blue 110) would be able to handle this but I haven't tried it yet. hand sharpening methods are straight up scared of this sword.
Heavy - some people like them heavy, Tim certainly does. I don't, not this heavy. Like it or not after having done research and being schooled by more informed persons (thanks Mike) I have learned that the weight of this sword is NOT in keeping with the type.
Not historically accurate - the blade appears to be a good type X shape at first glance but the lack of distal tapering and the extreme heaviness does it in. still if it were just that I would not ding the sword in this category, but wait; there's more. the sword is designed after an historical artifact sword from the tomb of King Sancho V (I think that's right) in Castile Spain. when you look at the VA hilt next to a picture of King Sancho's hilt you can see that the shape of the outline is very close to the same. so what's the problem? Sancho's sword was a Type XII. so while pretty much all of this sword's parts are historically accurate by them selves, they are put together in a non-accurate combination.
In fact VA intends to release a Castile II model in the future that will use the same hilt furniture (or the same design) but with an appropriate typ XII blade.
really that's it, if you can find a way to get it sharp the way it should be and if you like the heft it's a wonderful sword.
If you like your swords big and powerful this sword may be a great fit for you.
I'm leaving my old ratings here even though I would change them quite a bit if I were doing the review today.
Historical Accuracy: 4/5 ok I’m going completely from the little I’ve read about the type X and what has been written here about this sword. But it seems like the Castile is a pretty good representation of what a type X sword should be.
Fit and Finish: 4/5 I think it is great but I hesitate to give it a 5 simply because I don’t know what a 5 should be
Handling: 4/5 I may like a sword to be slightly lighter and faster but this heaviness is appropriate for the type.
Structural Integrity: 4/5 seems very tough to me though I didn’t do anything to push it.
Value for Money: 4/5 I’m inpressed
OVERALL: 4/5 this is a great lower cost version of what promises to be a market re-defining sword.
Review by Tom Kinder of Goose Creek, SC USA.
NOTE: this sword is no longer available it has been replaced by the type XII Castile
I recommended this sword to my friend Tim (seen above) based on my very positive experience with the V. A. Custom Tuned and the very positive previews and info seen here on the SBG forums. He ordered it from the SBG store and it arrived very quickly and in excellent shape with good packaging.
Vital Stats:
Weight: 3 lbs 4 ounces
Overall Length: 39 inches
Blade Length: 32 inches
Grip Length: 4 ½ inches
Cross Guard: 6 ½ inches across
Blade Width: 2 inches at cross -- 1 ½ inched just before point
Distal Taper: maybe 1/16th (about 3/16 thick at cross to 2/16 or 1/8 near point)
Point of Balance: 6 inches from the cross
Center of Percussion: from 19 to 22 ½ inches
First Impressions:
The moment I first held the Castile I was impressed by its weight. It is a hefty sword but still manages to handle smoothly and lively if not fast. yeah, it’s heavy but it certainly is not clumsy. The very first swing I made with it produced a beautiful high-pitched sword-whistle (tachi-kaze just seems like the wrong term for a western sword but that’s what it is). My second swing was slightly off edge alignment and it did not whistle at all. The grip is solid, slightly thick as befits this serious sword and very comfortable to hold. People with small hands might find the grip a tad too thick, but I like it. There is a noticeable secondary bevel but it is small and the blade is fairly thin so I think it should be easy to sharpen up properly. The furniture is pleasing and simple but nicely done. I liked it immediately despite the fact that it has my pet peeve of a secondary bevel
The Hilt:
Overall, the hilt is very nice. I understand it is the same as the signature model other than the color of the grip leather. I really like the cross-guard but the channel for the blade was cut a bit wider than it needs to be. The cross guard is, in my opinion perfectly sized and shaped for a single handed sword. No matter how I bend my wrist over I can’t get the cross to bind on my wrist but just barely. The pommel is very thick and obviously a product of modern machine work but still not ugly. The grip leather over cord with what looks like slight risers or washers at each end. The leather is wrapped around the handle without a wrinkle or bubble. It does overlap the cross guard and pommel but I think it is attractive. Lastly the leather wrap is glued down with an over-lapping seam. This has raised some concerns but it feels solid to me; only time will tell.
THE BLADE:
Well, it’s broad and thin like a type X should be. the blade has a very nice even finish a bit less than mirror a bit more than satin. As thin as the blade is I cannot say it is whippy. It is springy and it does flex but it is nice and solid. The fuller is very well executed with no wobbles, perfectly on-center and identical on each side. The tip is well shaped and even and fittingly wide for the type of blade but still very, well, pointy. I have one, and only one complaint about the blade: the dull secondary bevel. Fortunately, it is small and should be easy to correct. It annoys me that I need to correct it, but considering the great deal this sword seems to be on every other level, what am I complaining about?
THE SCABBARD:
The Signature series has an absolutely beautiful scabbard. The base model is a lot more simple and plain but still nice. The leather belt is good quality and even thickness the entire length. I like it. It’s not as pretty as the signature model but for the price break I think this scabbard is very nice.
TESTING!
I wasn’t sure about cutting with it since it came pretty dull but Tim wanted to and I figure what the heck.
Ok so it can cut but it takes a lot more speed than I would prefer.
Since I was on a roll I decided to try tatami.
well not quite but it shows promise. just imagine if that was razor sharp. . .
I hope to make a new video better showing the Castile's improved cutting ability after sharpening. I have one but it isn't very good. I'll try to get better here soon.
CONCLUSION:
Well, it needs some work to bring the edge up to snuff but the rest of the sword is top notch. It is heavy and well balanced, simple, yet beautiful. I like it, I like it a lot.
Ratings:
UPDATE
Pros:
Attractive - nice even polish, well fitted parts, there's a simple beauty to it.
EXCELLENT HEAT TREATMENT! I killed a brand new stone sharpening this sword but the stone was the only thing that would scratch it. all me files just slid right off.
Excellent edge retention (once you get it sharp) - I sharpened this sword a LONG time ago and it is still sharp enough to shave hairs. no sword I have ever seen has held an edge this well, now that I think about it.
TOUGH - I've seen Tim chop some pretty serious targets with this sword and never did it blink or show any sign of weakness. Tim cut with this sword regularly for almost a year and other than a little rust (get polishing Tim!) this sword doesn't even look different and it certainly does not show any signs of loosening or aging. rugged is a great word for this sword.
Value - it's like a Castile in black and white. Tim said he liked it better than the signature version because he liked it black better. seriously though you get the whole package here except fo the fancy tooling on the scabbard and some dye for a LOT less money than the Signature. it is a real shame VA isn't doing base models of the rest of the signature series.
Cons:
Secondary Bevel - even the extra sharp version Shadowhowler brought to the mini-moyoushi I had was not what I would call properly sharp and would still need work.
Hard to sharpen - that great heat treatment bites you in the back here. Files slide right off having not left a scratch (that's no exaggeration) even coarse stones make only slow progress. I would think a belt grinder with a good low grit belt (I'm thinking the blue 110) would be able to handle this but I haven't tried it yet. hand sharpening methods are straight up scared of this sword.
Heavy - some people like them heavy, Tim certainly does. I don't, not this heavy. Like it or not after having done research and being schooled by more informed persons (thanks Mike) I have learned that the weight of this sword is NOT in keeping with the type.
Not historically accurate - the blade appears to be a good type X shape at first glance but the lack of distal tapering and the extreme heaviness does it in. still if it were just that I would not ding the sword in this category, but wait; there's more. the sword is designed after an historical artifact sword from the tomb of King Sancho V (I think that's right) in Castile Spain. when you look at the VA hilt next to a picture of King Sancho's hilt you can see that the shape of the outline is very close to the same. so what's the problem? Sancho's sword was a Type XII. so while pretty much all of this sword's parts are historically accurate by them selves, they are put together in a non-accurate combination.
In fact VA intends to release a Castile II model in the future that will use the same hilt furniture (or the same design) but with an appropriate typ XII blade.
really that's it, if you can find a way to get it sharp the way it should be and if you like the heft it's a wonderful sword.
If you like your swords big and powerful this sword may be a great fit for you.
I'm leaving my old ratings here even though I would change them quite a bit if I were doing the review today.
Historical Accuracy: 4/5 ok I’m going completely from the little I’ve read about the type X and what has been written here about this sword. But it seems like the Castile is a pretty good representation of what a type X sword should be.
Fit and Finish: 4/5 I think it is great but I hesitate to give it a 5 simply because I don’t know what a 5 should be
Handling: 4/5 I may like a sword to be slightly lighter and faster but this heaviness is appropriate for the type.
Structural Integrity: 4/5 seems very tough to me though I didn’t do anything to push it.
Value for Money: 4/5 I’m inpressed
OVERALL: 4/5 this is a great lower cost version of what promises to be a market re-defining sword.