Review of Deepeeka Charlemange Sword
Jul 13, 2007 20:38:45 GMT
Post by septofclansinclair on Jul 13, 2007 20:38:45 GMT
Manufacturer: Deepeeka
Model: Charlemange Sword
Length: 40"
Blade length: 32 3/4"
Weight: 5lbs
Price: $79.99 USD at Kult of Athena
Official Image:
Remember your first sword? The one that when you got it, it was the coolest thing ever - but now what? What do you feel when you look back on it? If you reviewed the first sword you ever got, how would it face your more informed standards? I found no reviews of Deepeeka's swords on this site, and being new here I thought I'd try my hand at contributing to the conversation. So here goes. I apologize for the poor lighting of the pictures, my camera leaves much to be desired.
This was my very first. I had a hundred bucks, I had time on my hands, and I had a hankering for some pointy things in my life. Having spent little to no time researching, I sent away for the first sword that caught my eye. All I knew was that it was “Battle Ready”, which apparently meant that it was “real.” I waited for it anxiously, dropping by the post office every day. I didn’t know much, and when I received it I was ecstatic. Now... well, let’s just say I’ve learned alot. I hope you enjoy this trip down memory lane with me.
First Impressions
The moment I got it out of the box, I was struck by how heavy it was. Having never handled a “real” sword before, I assumed that I was a wimp and continued to examine it. Like everything from Kult of Athena it came promptly and wrapped in brown paper. To this day the smell of brown paper gives me a bit of a thrill, because I associate it with the arrival of something I’ve waited for eagerly.
I held the sword in my hands, turning it over a few times, trying to get a feel for it. Even without knowing much my first thought was that it was poorly balanced. And I was right. Weighing in at 5 pounds, approximately a pound and a half heavier than the same sword from myarmory (http://www.myarmoury.com/feature_charlemagne.html). This thing looked and felt like a beast. I remember thinking, “Geez, Charlemange must have been strong like a freak to be able to use this thing.”
Historical Accuracy: Not that I was expecting anything else, but the original Charlemange Sword – Joyeuse – had a golden handle, as opposed to mine which has cast brass. Just thought I’d point that out. The original was probably a bit lighter, with a thinner blade – this one has a thick, meaty blade that is closer to a Falchion than a longsword. The research I’ve done would suggest that the original (currently residing in Louvre Museum in Paris, France) would have had the same length but less weight and durability – appropriate for a sword that belonged to an Emperor. All that plus the level of detail on the hilt and handle gets this sword a 3/5 in this category.
Fit and Finish: The blade had nice polish, and the fuller was pronounced and even. Unfortunately, not only did it come unsharpened but the edges of the blade were rounded enough that regular use of a whetstone would probably not make a noticeable difference. I contemplated using some metalworking tools to grind it down, but not knowing what I’m doing is giving me pause. I may someday take it in to have it sharpened, but I’m not honestly sure if it’s worth it. The blade and handle were quite well put together, with no loosening issues after some test whacks against 2x4’s, and the tang appears to be peened onto the pommel – rare in this price range, unless I miss my guess! One problem was that sword didn’t fit in the scabbard – 4 inches of blade were visible above the top of the scabbard when the sword could go no farther in. This issue has been remedied with some wiggling and working at it, but the brass fitting at the throat of the sheath was improperly affixed and fell off when the sword was taken out, dropping this score to a 2/5.
Handling: The balance of the sword made it feel like the handle should be another 6 inches long. And that wasn’t the only problem - after one practice swing I nearly dropped the sword as the hard edge of the pommel dug into my wrist. Serious pain! Adjusting my grip on the sword did little to alleviate this problem – there was nowhere else for my hand to go. I was able to take a 2-handed grip by squeezing the pommel in my off hand, which helped with the horrid balance and pommel problems – but the pommel was so large that this was an equally uncomfortable arrangement. Add that to the fact that it was very overweight, and this thing gets a 1/5 for Handling.
Structural Integrity: In case I haven’t made myself clear, let me say it again; this is a hefty sword. When swung against a target you feel like you’re swinging something that means business. If it was sharp, I’d bet it’d make a great pumpkin smasher. The truth is, it’s an axe with a sword handle. No looseness in the handle after swinging, and the peened tang adds considerable strength. I felt no loosening of anything after impacts against hard targets. The only complaint I have is that it rusts very quickly – I had it polished with WD40 and left in a cool, dry place and little rust spots were starting everywhere quite quickly. I’m not sure what that’s a sign of, but I’m guessing the quality of steel is lower – I checked around but couldn’t find the numbers on this. The description says “carbon steel”, and that’s it. So I’ll give it a 4/5, because it still feels sturdy to me.
Value for Money: This is a tough one. As it was my first sword I have warm fuzzies for it. There isn’t much to redeem it to me now that I’ve held and owned swords from Gen2 (my new preferred supplier). The handling issues reduce its value tremendously, as even for backyard cutting it is unwieldy and awkward. If this is an accurate depiction of Deepeeka’s quality of work, I would probably not buy from them again. That being said, it is beautiful to look at and, with a good coat of wax, will draw the eye as a wall-hanger. I have nicer SLO’s for much cheaper, however, so I’m pretty torn. 2/5, but it still has a warm place in my heart.
Totals:
Historical Accuracy: 3/5
Fit and Finish: 2/5
Handling: 1/5
Structural Integrity: 4/5
Value for Money: 2/5
OVERALL: 2.5/5
Hope you all enjoyed that - anyone else have experience with Deepeeka's stuff? Let me know if I've made any glaring errors, after all this is my first review.
Cheers,
Sept of the Clan Sinclair
Model: Charlemange Sword
Length: 40"
Blade length: 32 3/4"
Weight: 5lbs
Price: $79.99 USD at Kult of Athena
Official Image:
Remember your first sword? The one that when you got it, it was the coolest thing ever - but now what? What do you feel when you look back on it? If you reviewed the first sword you ever got, how would it face your more informed standards? I found no reviews of Deepeeka's swords on this site, and being new here I thought I'd try my hand at contributing to the conversation. So here goes. I apologize for the poor lighting of the pictures, my camera leaves much to be desired.
This was my very first. I had a hundred bucks, I had time on my hands, and I had a hankering for some pointy things in my life. Having spent little to no time researching, I sent away for the first sword that caught my eye. All I knew was that it was “Battle Ready”, which apparently meant that it was “real.” I waited for it anxiously, dropping by the post office every day. I didn’t know much, and when I received it I was ecstatic. Now... well, let’s just say I’ve learned alot. I hope you enjoy this trip down memory lane with me.
First Impressions
The moment I got it out of the box, I was struck by how heavy it was. Having never handled a “real” sword before, I assumed that I was a wimp and continued to examine it. Like everything from Kult of Athena it came promptly and wrapped in brown paper. To this day the smell of brown paper gives me a bit of a thrill, because I associate it with the arrival of something I’ve waited for eagerly.
I held the sword in my hands, turning it over a few times, trying to get a feel for it. Even without knowing much my first thought was that it was poorly balanced. And I was right. Weighing in at 5 pounds, approximately a pound and a half heavier than the same sword from myarmory (http://www.myarmoury.com/feature_charlemagne.html). This thing looked and felt like a beast. I remember thinking, “Geez, Charlemange must have been strong like a freak to be able to use this thing.”
Historical Accuracy: Not that I was expecting anything else, but the original Charlemange Sword – Joyeuse – had a golden handle, as opposed to mine which has cast brass. Just thought I’d point that out. The original was probably a bit lighter, with a thinner blade – this one has a thick, meaty blade that is closer to a Falchion than a longsword. The research I’ve done would suggest that the original (currently residing in Louvre Museum in Paris, France) would have had the same length but less weight and durability – appropriate for a sword that belonged to an Emperor. All that plus the level of detail on the hilt and handle gets this sword a 3/5 in this category.
Fit and Finish: The blade had nice polish, and the fuller was pronounced and even. Unfortunately, not only did it come unsharpened but the edges of the blade were rounded enough that regular use of a whetstone would probably not make a noticeable difference. I contemplated using some metalworking tools to grind it down, but not knowing what I’m doing is giving me pause. I may someday take it in to have it sharpened, but I’m not honestly sure if it’s worth it. The blade and handle were quite well put together, with no loosening issues after some test whacks against 2x4’s, and the tang appears to be peened onto the pommel – rare in this price range, unless I miss my guess! One problem was that sword didn’t fit in the scabbard – 4 inches of blade were visible above the top of the scabbard when the sword could go no farther in. This issue has been remedied with some wiggling and working at it, but the brass fitting at the throat of the sheath was improperly affixed and fell off when the sword was taken out, dropping this score to a 2/5.
Handling: The balance of the sword made it feel like the handle should be another 6 inches long. And that wasn’t the only problem - after one practice swing I nearly dropped the sword as the hard edge of the pommel dug into my wrist. Serious pain! Adjusting my grip on the sword did little to alleviate this problem – there was nowhere else for my hand to go. I was able to take a 2-handed grip by squeezing the pommel in my off hand, which helped with the horrid balance and pommel problems – but the pommel was so large that this was an equally uncomfortable arrangement. Add that to the fact that it was very overweight, and this thing gets a 1/5 for Handling.
Structural Integrity: In case I haven’t made myself clear, let me say it again; this is a hefty sword. When swung against a target you feel like you’re swinging something that means business. If it was sharp, I’d bet it’d make a great pumpkin smasher. The truth is, it’s an axe with a sword handle. No looseness in the handle after swinging, and the peened tang adds considerable strength. I felt no loosening of anything after impacts against hard targets. The only complaint I have is that it rusts very quickly – I had it polished with WD40 and left in a cool, dry place and little rust spots were starting everywhere quite quickly. I’m not sure what that’s a sign of, but I’m guessing the quality of steel is lower – I checked around but couldn’t find the numbers on this. The description says “carbon steel”, and that’s it. So I’ll give it a 4/5, because it still feels sturdy to me.
Value for Money: This is a tough one. As it was my first sword I have warm fuzzies for it. There isn’t much to redeem it to me now that I’ve held and owned swords from Gen2 (my new preferred supplier). The handling issues reduce its value tremendously, as even for backyard cutting it is unwieldy and awkward. If this is an accurate depiction of Deepeeka’s quality of work, I would probably not buy from them again. That being said, it is beautiful to look at and, with a good coat of wax, will draw the eye as a wall-hanger. I have nicer SLO’s for much cheaper, however, so I’m pretty torn. 2/5, but it still has a warm place in my heart.
Totals:
Historical Accuracy: 3/5
Fit and Finish: 2/5
Handling: 1/5
Structural Integrity: 4/5
Value for Money: 2/5
OVERALL: 2.5/5
Hope you all enjoyed that - anyone else have experience with Deepeeka's stuff? Let me know if I've made any glaring errors, after all this is my first review.
Cheers,
Sept of the Clan Sinclair