Generation 2 10th Century Viking Sword
Feb 28, 2007 18:21:16 GMT
Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2007 18:21:16 GMT
I recently purchased my first sword, the 10th Century Viking sword from Generation 2, and while I am a new collector equipped only with the information I have found online (thanks to this site and others like myarmoury.com) I’d like to share my thoughts and hope this review will be at least somewhat informative.
I've also got a bunch of pictures i'd like to post, which I've tried to copy and paste into this message from a word document, but it doesn't seem to be working. Any idea what I should be doing to get them up?
10th Century Viking Sword
Basic stats:
Blade Length: 31"
Overall Length: 38.75"
Grip Length: 4.5"
Weight: 3 lbs. 7 oz.
Balance Point: 3.75" Below Hilt
The Blade
Upon close inspection the blade showed a number minor of markings from production and there were a couple small patches of rust both on the blade and the cross-guard, but from what I gathered during my research this was to be expected, and I had already made a trip to Ace Hardware to stock up on everything I would need to clean it up. Sure enough, a little metal polish and some hard scrubbing took care of the rust in short order, and some sandpaper (grits ranging from 150 to 1500) helped cover the unsightly markings on the blade.
While the blade’s edge is sharp to the touch it does not cut paper nor did it cut a 2 liter bottle of coke after numerous attempts. To be fair, it is quite likely that the reason for it’s lack of success in this area could be my lack of proper form (any advice on how to perform successful cutting exercises would be appreciated).
So far I haven’t done any tests on the strength of the blade or overall structural integrity testing simply because this is the only sword that I own and I don’t want to damage it!
The Hilt
The hilt design and hardwood handle are two of the main reasons that I was attracted to this sword in the first place. Unfortunately, the hilt also happens to have the only real flaw present on this sword. There is a decent sized crack running down about half the length of the hardwood handle. I have applied some lemon oil with the hopes of preventing future cracking, and so far the existing crack has not been getting any bigger. Even so, it is still an unsightly blemish on an otherwise beautiful sword and I can’t help worrying that, should the crack end up extending all the way down the handle, the grip could loosen, making the sword effectively un-wieldable.
Putting that defect aside, the handle is actually very comfortable to hold, although it doesn’t provide much grip when swinging the sword. The peened pommel is made of solid steel, as is the cross-guard, which is curved slightly forward and is about 4" long from tip to tip.
Handling
I won’t say much about the handling of this sword since I have no basis for comparison and therefore can’t provide much useful information. I can only say what is probably apparent to anyone who has seen the sword’s stats; it’s heavy. Even so, I still feel like it can be wielded effectively. Anyone looking for a ‘lively’ sword should probably look somewhere else, but if you’re looking for a good beater that emphasizes power rather finesse, than this might be a good fit.
Scabbard
The Viking comes with a wooden scabbard wrapped in leather with steel on either end. The scabbard isn’t a perfect fit for the sword, but its pretty good, so no complaints.
Conclusion
If it wasn’t for the crack in the handle I would say that I am completely satisfied with this sword. Even with the crack, however, I am still pretty happy with it. When I am able to add to my budding collection I would definitely like to find a sword that is a bit lighter than this one, but as it is I have no complaints about the sword’s weight since it’s three and a half pounds actually help to give it a powerful feel. Overall I think the 10th Century Viking, at a little over $200, is a pretty good buy and for me it has made for a good first experience purchasing swords online.
I've also got a bunch of pictures i'd like to post, which I've tried to copy and paste into this message from a word document, but it doesn't seem to be working. Any idea what I should be doing to get them up?
10th Century Viking Sword
Basic stats:
Blade Length: 31"
Overall Length: 38.75"
Grip Length: 4.5"
Weight: 3 lbs. 7 oz.
Balance Point: 3.75" Below Hilt
The Blade
Upon close inspection the blade showed a number minor of markings from production and there were a couple small patches of rust both on the blade and the cross-guard, but from what I gathered during my research this was to be expected, and I had already made a trip to Ace Hardware to stock up on everything I would need to clean it up. Sure enough, a little metal polish and some hard scrubbing took care of the rust in short order, and some sandpaper (grits ranging from 150 to 1500) helped cover the unsightly markings on the blade.
While the blade’s edge is sharp to the touch it does not cut paper nor did it cut a 2 liter bottle of coke after numerous attempts. To be fair, it is quite likely that the reason for it’s lack of success in this area could be my lack of proper form (any advice on how to perform successful cutting exercises would be appreciated).
So far I haven’t done any tests on the strength of the blade or overall structural integrity testing simply because this is the only sword that I own and I don’t want to damage it!
The Hilt
The hilt design and hardwood handle are two of the main reasons that I was attracted to this sword in the first place. Unfortunately, the hilt also happens to have the only real flaw present on this sword. There is a decent sized crack running down about half the length of the hardwood handle. I have applied some lemon oil with the hopes of preventing future cracking, and so far the existing crack has not been getting any bigger. Even so, it is still an unsightly blemish on an otherwise beautiful sword and I can’t help worrying that, should the crack end up extending all the way down the handle, the grip could loosen, making the sword effectively un-wieldable.
Putting that defect aside, the handle is actually very comfortable to hold, although it doesn’t provide much grip when swinging the sword. The peened pommel is made of solid steel, as is the cross-guard, which is curved slightly forward and is about 4" long from tip to tip.
Handling
I won’t say much about the handling of this sword since I have no basis for comparison and therefore can’t provide much useful information. I can only say what is probably apparent to anyone who has seen the sword’s stats; it’s heavy. Even so, I still feel like it can be wielded effectively. Anyone looking for a ‘lively’ sword should probably look somewhere else, but if you’re looking for a good beater that emphasizes power rather finesse, than this might be a good fit.
Scabbard
The Viking comes with a wooden scabbard wrapped in leather with steel on either end. The scabbard isn’t a perfect fit for the sword, but its pretty good, so no complaints.
Conclusion
If it wasn’t for the crack in the handle I would say that I am completely satisfied with this sword. Even with the crack, however, I am still pretty happy with it. When I am able to add to my budding collection I would definitely like to find a sword that is a bit lighter than this one, but as it is I have no complaints about the sword’s weight since it’s three and a half pounds actually help to give it a powerful feel. Overall I think the 10th Century Viking, at a little over $200, is a pretty good buy and for me it has made for a good first experience purchasing swords online.