Angus Trim 1432
Nov 28, 2010 10:47:34 GMT
Post by Lukas MG (chenessfan) on Nov 28, 2010 10:47:34 GMT
Review of the Custom Angus Trim 1432
A couple months ago there was a thread here on SBG about several new ATrim Legacy swords being in stock at www.Christianfletcher.com. Drooling over that website I instantly fell in love with the AT1432. The Oakshott type XVIII has always been my favorite, I just love light and pointy longswords that still cut very well. So, as soon as I persuaded my parents that I needed that sword and made sure I had the money I ordered it. While I have already handled a couple ATrim swords this is the first one I own and cut with. This is my first review; so if I miss anything or so, please feel free to correct me. English also isn’t my native language so please forgive linguistic mistakes.
Historical overview
The type XVIII saw use on the medieval battlefield from about 1410 to 1510. It was born out of the need to fight knights dressed in full plate armor but also lightly armored soldiers. Therefore XVIIIs had a very acute and deadly point to pierce mail and poke through various gaps in the knight’s armor but were still capable of devastating cuts against less armored opponents. XVIIIs existed in various sizes, some were pretty small, meant as a back up weapon and used only one-handed with a shield while other XVIIIs of imposing size (XVIIIa/b/c/e) were used two handed. Because of it’s versatility, the XVIII remained the most popular sword type until the end of the Middle Ages.
Initial Impressions
When this sword arrived, I wasn’t at home but away on a school trip for one week. I tell you, it wasn’t easy to wait that long!! As soon as I got home I tore the package apart, impatient to see the sword I dreamed of for such a long time (4 weeks after ordering and a few months before). I was surprised to find it disassembled, didn’t know that ATrims come that way but it makes sense if you think about it. It certainly was well packed, took me quite some time to get all the paper off the blade. After assembling my new baby I picked it up, gave it a first swing and instantly fell in love. It’s hard to describe but holding such a good sword is a very special feel and I was overwhelmed. You guys know what I mean, at least all of you who have already handled an ATrim ;D
I did a little bit of dry handling and cutting but since I messed up my shoulder some weeks ago I’m off for a 4-week sword break. ☹ Nevertheless I was VERY impressed by how easily the secondary bevel on this blade cut.
Stats
Overall length: 43”
Blade: 34”
Blade with at cross: 2.5”
With of cross guard: 10”
Grip length: 7”
CoP: 17”-22”
PoB: 5”
Weight: 2lb 13oz
The blade
The blade had Gus’ normal finish with consistent grinding marks and a distinct but very sharp secondary bevel. The central ridge was perfectly straight for most of its length, only at the tip it was a bit off center. I corrected this and removed the bevel with a disk sander and sandpaper. Afterwards I gave the blade a new polish going from 80 to 600 grits. I like the current finish, looks good and makes it easy to polish scratches out.
The blade is an XVIIIc Oakshott type and features a flattened diamond cross section for its whole length. The profile taper is a long, consistent curve. The blade is relatively broad, starting out with 2.5” at the cross. 23” down it’s still 1.5”. The distal taper is about 58%, going linearly from 0.235” at the cross to 0.100 one inch behind the tip. Basically it’s the 1557’s blade a bit longer. Tom K. took the time to measure the distal taper on his 1557 every 3” so just imagine these measurements to be stretched over 34” and not 27”. Overall I absolutely love this blade, I can’t find any fault with it. The acute tip excels at thrusting but the blade remains broad enough to make cutting very easy. The blade is pretty stiff, not as stiff as my H/T longsword but plenty stiff for thrusting. When performing the “hit the pommel – test”, the tip moves less than an inch. I had no problems piercing tire sidewalls, the blade just sunk into the tire with the slightest effort.
My only minor problem with the sword is the comparably soft heat treat. Now 52-53Rc normally aren’t seen as soft but I have had incredible results with 60Rc blades so I am kind of spoiled by that. Still a good heat treat, the blade returns to true and also holds a decent edge. Certainly enough for targets like tatami, bottles, etc.
Hilt
The thing about the legacy line swords is that they perform admirably but are extremely plain. When I chose this sword, I looked at the blade, not the hilt. While the guard was alright, the pommel simple looked awful. As soon as I managed to stop swinging my new baby around, I went to my workshop and started grinding. I removed the ridges on the pommel, trued up the lines on the guard (they were a bit wavy and the slot where the blade sits looked horrible) and sanded both smooth. After polishing I put them in the oven and heated them for a couple hours at 240°C to give them a nice, bronze color. Looks MUCH better now, doesn’t it!! The ridges on the pommel were a bit uncomfortable so removing them doesn’t only add to the beauty of the sword. Now the smooth pommel makes for a very nice gripping surface. The grip it came with was pretty nice, a simple wooden core wrapped in cord and black leather. It had the typical ATrim look. While it was comfortable enough, I wanted something different. At first I planned to use the old poplar core and wrap it again but then I decided to make a core myself. I really love the look of the VA Malatesta’s grip so I modeled this one after it. This is my first attempt at a grip core so it took quite a long time and it also didn’t turn out perfectly but I’m still very happy with it.
Handling and cutting
I’m absolutely amazed by the handling and performing of this XVIII. It is one of the best performing sword I have ever owned. It’s no lightweight at almost 3lb but it’s still very fast and moves absolutely effortlessly. When holding it steadily, you feel the weight but when you start moving, it really gets easy. Turning from guard to guard is very easy, the sword flows through all the movements. Because the sword moves so well, snap cuts and the like can be performed with surprising speed. Stopping the sword a couple inches before the target is doable without any strain on arms or wrists. The tip tracks extremely well, it goes exactly where I want it to go. Because the blade is broad and rather thin in cross section it just flies through water bottles and the like. The blade has a single bevel now and is paper cutting sharp but even with a distinct secondary bevel it cut superbly. There’s short cutting vid up on SBG that shows some out of the box cutting.
Concerning harmonic balance and the like, Gus really hit the nail on that one. The CoP is several inches long and absolutely solid. While the sword cuts best there, it still cuts very well with the tip or other parts of the blade. When hitting a target the sword feels very stiff and no undo flexing or vibration is noticeable. It also rings beautifully when the cut is done properly. Here are two short vids to demonstrate the excellent performance of the 1432. I’m sorry that I can’t post any cutting of tatami or newspaper rolls, I just need to be careful with my shoulder. As soon as it has healed I’ll post a lot more cutting. This has to do it for now. Enjoy:
Conclusion
I don’t have a whole lot to say, I think my review is pretty glowing. Anyway:
Pros:
- Handles and performs incredibly
- Awesome blade harmonics (it’s an ATrim, you know!)
- Easy to customize due to the hex nut assembly
- With some work you can turn it into a very beautiful sword
- Very nice price for such an awesome sword
- Fast shipping
Cons
- Limited availability
- Pretty plain and mediocre finish (I do have some very high standards though)
- Grip a tad squarish, but still pretty comfortable
- Not peened (I’m glad of it but some might not like that)
- Comparably soft heat treat
- Damn German Customs, I ended up paying 570$ for a sword that costs only 450$
Bottom Line
Are you kidding?? It cuts and thrusts better than any other sword I’ve ever handled (ok, that might not say a whole lot). Gus Trim combined awesome harmonic balance with a great design and a good heat treat to an absolute magic sword. I had some very high expectations since this is the 1557’s bigger brother (the so-called Phat Bastard) and I read Tom’s review but the 1432 surpassed my expectations. Go get it!!
Seriously, it’s one of the best XVIIIs on the market and I can heartily recommend to anybody who wants a high performance, fast thruster with impressive cutting power.
Thanks for reading!!
A couple months ago there was a thread here on SBG about several new ATrim Legacy swords being in stock at www.Christianfletcher.com. Drooling over that website I instantly fell in love with the AT1432. The Oakshott type XVIII has always been my favorite, I just love light and pointy longswords that still cut very well. So, as soon as I persuaded my parents that I needed that sword and made sure I had the money I ordered it. While I have already handled a couple ATrim swords this is the first one I own and cut with. This is my first review; so if I miss anything or so, please feel free to correct me. English also isn’t my native language so please forgive linguistic mistakes.
Historical overview
The type XVIII saw use on the medieval battlefield from about 1410 to 1510. It was born out of the need to fight knights dressed in full plate armor but also lightly armored soldiers. Therefore XVIIIs had a very acute and deadly point to pierce mail and poke through various gaps in the knight’s armor but were still capable of devastating cuts against less armored opponents. XVIIIs existed in various sizes, some were pretty small, meant as a back up weapon and used only one-handed with a shield while other XVIIIs of imposing size (XVIIIa/b/c/e) were used two handed. Because of it’s versatility, the XVIII remained the most popular sword type until the end of the Middle Ages.
Initial Impressions
When this sword arrived, I wasn’t at home but away on a school trip for one week. I tell you, it wasn’t easy to wait that long!! As soon as I got home I tore the package apart, impatient to see the sword I dreamed of for such a long time (4 weeks after ordering and a few months before). I was surprised to find it disassembled, didn’t know that ATrims come that way but it makes sense if you think about it. It certainly was well packed, took me quite some time to get all the paper off the blade. After assembling my new baby I picked it up, gave it a first swing and instantly fell in love. It’s hard to describe but holding such a good sword is a very special feel and I was overwhelmed. You guys know what I mean, at least all of you who have already handled an ATrim ;D
I did a little bit of dry handling and cutting but since I messed up my shoulder some weeks ago I’m off for a 4-week sword break. ☹ Nevertheless I was VERY impressed by how easily the secondary bevel on this blade cut.
Stats
Overall length: 43”
Blade: 34”
Blade with at cross: 2.5”
With of cross guard: 10”
Grip length: 7”
CoP: 17”-22”
PoB: 5”
Weight: 2lb 13oz
The blade
The blade had Gus’ normal finish with consistent grinding marks and a distinct but very sharp secondary bevel. The central ridge was perfectly straight for most of its length, only at the tip it was a bit off center. I corrected this and removed the bevel with a disk sander and sandpaper. Afterwards I gave the blade a new polish going from 80 to 600 grits. I like the current finish, looks good and makes it easy to polish scratches out.
The blade is an XVIIIc Oakshott type and features a flattened diamond cross section for its whole length. The profile taper is a long, consistent curve. The blade is relatively broad, starting out with 2.5” at the cross. 23” down it’s still 1.5”. The distal taper is about 58%, going linearly from 0.235” at the cross to 0.100 one inch behind the tip. Basically it’s the 1557’s blade a bit longer. Tom K. took the time to measure the distal taper on his 1557 every 3” so just imagine these measurements to be stretched over 34” and not 27”. Overall I absolutely love this blade, I can’t find any fault with it. The acute tip excels at thrusting but the blade remains broad enough to make cutting very easy. The blade is pretty stiff, not as stiff as my H/T longsword but plenty stiff for thrusting. When performing the “hit the pommel – test”, the tip moves less than an inch. I had no problems piercing tire sidewalls, the blade just sunk into the tire with the slightest effort.
My only minor problem with the sword is the comparably soft heat treat. Now 52-53Rc normally aren’t seen as soft but I have had incredible results with 60Rc blades so I am kind of spoiled by that. Still a good heat treat, the blade returns to true and also holds a decent edge. Certainly enough for targets like tatami, bottles, etc.
Hilt
The thing about the legacy line swords is that they perform admirably but are extremely plain. When I chose this sword, I looked at the blade, not the hilt. While the guard was alright, the pommel simple looked awful. As soon as I managed to stop swinging my new baby around, I went to my workshop and started grinding. I removed the ridges on the pommel, trued up the lines on the guard (they were a bit wavy and the slot where the blade sits looked horrible) and sanded both smooth. After polishing I put them in the oven and heated them for a couple hours at 240°C to give them a nice, bronze color. Looks MUCH better now, doesn’t it!! The ridges on the pommel were a bit uncomfortable so removing them doesn’t only add to the beauty of the sword. Now the smooth pommel makes for a very nice gripping surface. The grip it came with was pretty nice, a simple wooden core wrapped in cord and black leather. It had the typical ATrim look. While it was comfortable enough, I wanted something different. At first I planned to use the old poplar core and wrap it again but then I decided to make a core myself. I really love the look of the VA Malatesta’s grip so I modeled this one after it. This is my first attempt at a grip core so it took quite a long time and it also didn’t turn out perfectly but I’m still very happy with it.
Handling and cutting
I’m absolutely amazed by the handling and performing of this XVIII. It is one of the best performing sword I have ever owned. It’s no lightweight at almost 3lb but it’s still very fast and moves absolutely effortlessly. When holding it steadily, you feel the weight but when you start moving, it really gets easy. Turning from guard to guard is very easy, the sword flows through all the movements. Because the sword moves so well, snap cuts and the like can be performed with surprising speed. Stopping the sword a couple inches before the target is doable without any strain on arms or wrists. The tip tracks extremely well, it goes exactly where I want it to go. Because the blade is broad and rather thin in cross section it just flies through water bottles and the like. The blade has a single bevel now and is paper cutting sharp but even with a distinct secondary bevel it cut superbly. There’s short cutting vid up on SBG that shows some out of the box cutting.
Concerning harmonic balance and the like, Gus really hit the nail on that one. The CoP is several inches long and absolutely solid. While the sword cuts best there, it still cuts very well with the tip or other parts of the blade. When hitting a target the sword feels very stiff and no undo flexing or vibration is noticeable. It also rings beautifully when the cut is done properly. Here are two short vids to demonstrate the excellent performance of the 1432. I’m sorry that I can’t post any cutting of tatami or newspaper rolls, I just need to be careful with my shoulder. As soon as it has healed I’ll post a lot more cutting. This has to do it for now. Enjoy:
Conclusion
I don’t have a whole lot to say, I think my review is pretty glowing. Anyway:
Pros:
- Handles and performs incredibly
- Awesome blade harmonics (it’s an ATrim, you know!)
- Easy to customize due to the hex nut assembly
- With some work you can turn it into a very beautiful sword
- Very nice price for such an awesome sword
- Fast shipping
Cons
- Limited availability
- Pretty plain and mediocre finish (I do have some very high standards though)
- Grip a tad squarish, but still pretty comfortable
- Not peened (I’m glad of it but some might not like that)
- Comparably soft heat treat
- Damn German Customs, I ended up paying 570$ for a sword that costs only 450$
Bottom Line
Are you kidding?? It cuts and thrusts better than any other sword I’ve ever handled (ok, that might not say a whole lot). Gus Trim combined awesome harmonic balance with a great design and a good heat treat to an absolute magic sword. I had some very high expectations since this is the 1557’s bigger brother (the so-called Phat Bastard) and I read Tom’s review but the 1432 surpassed my expectations. Go get it!!
Seriously, it’s one of the best XVIIIs on the market and I can heartily recommend to anybody who wants a high performance, fast thruster with impressive cutting power.
Thanks for reading!!