Del Tin 1st Century BC Celtic Anthropomorphic Review
Feb 1, 2011 3:09:34 GMT
Post by Deleted on Feb 1, 2011 3:09:34 GMT
Del Tin 1st Century BC Celtic Anthropomorphic Review
This is the "companion review" to the one on the Hanwei Gladius I posted yesterday. I bought these swords as a pair to demonstrate the type of weaponry that faced off against each other in Britannia in the 1st Century BC. I bought this sword on sale about two months ago for $314. I had one of those Kult of Athena $20 coupons, so technically this sword was $294, bringing it into the sub-$300 category. Another somewhat strange motivation for buying this sword was the challenge in making a scabbard to fit the unusual hilt. If you're thinking of acquiring this sword, you need to know IT DOES NOT COME WITH A SCABBARD. Making one for it, however, is incredibly easy.
Historical Overview:
This sword is Del Tin's replica of the Grimston Sword that resides in the Hull Museum in England. It's a bit more crude than the original and the centre node on the grip is too small, but otherwise, this sword is a VERY good historical representation of a 1st Century Celtic Anthro Hilt.
Initial Impressions:
The sword arrived from KoA well packaged and in tip top shape. The initial impression was very positive. This little sword makes a statement. The blade is quite wide and finished in a dull pseudo-polish. I think Del Tin was doing their best to approximate the look of archaic iron, even though the blade is fabricated from high carbon steel using a stock-removal process. The bronze has a skillfully applied patina, giving it a rich antique appearance. Like most Del Tin products, the blade and hilt was covered in a thin lacquer clearcoat.
Statistics:
Length: 28"
Blade: 21.5"
Weight: 2 lb. 4 oz.
POB: 4 1/2"
Distal Taper: 4.5mm to 4 mm
Width: 55mm
Pommel: Peened
Components:
The Blade: This little sword has a truly elegant blade. It's believed that the Romans transitioned from the longer Hispaniensis to the shorter Mainz because of their encounters with the Celtic Short Sword. The blade is unfullered and really quite thin. It boasts a beautiful parabolic curve converging at the tip. It's obvious that this blade was meant for business, but aesthetics also played a role in forging. I ordered the sword sharpened from KoA, and while it arrived admirably keen of edge, it sported a nasty secondary bevel that will take some work to remove.
The Hilt: Obviously the outstanding feature of this sword is the Anthropomorphic hilt (from the Greek: anthro - man and morphos - shape). The really big historical flaw in this hilt is the presence of a face on both sides. I've not come across this in any of the historical examples I've researched. In addition, the detailing is a bit crude. Some existing examples are comparable, but only because of corrosion. Certainly the Grimston prototype is much more detailed.
The Peen: Because this sword has a homogenous pommel, grip and hilt, not much can be said about the individual components, but the peen is a nice square button on top of the figure's head. It's a bit rough, but not unlike some of the originals.
Again it needs to be noted that this sword does not come with a scabbard, nor is one available.
Handling Characteristics/Cutting:
I've cut quite a few bottles with this sword and two things strike me whenever I do. First, this sword has an annoyingly uncomfortable grip. I just can't seem to find a way of holding it that feels right. It always feels like it's going to go flying out of my hand. It's quite blade heavy, even though it's such a small sword. The Celts sacrificed a lot of functionality for their artistic hilts. The second thing that strikes me is that this sword is an awesome cutter. The blade is so thin that "silent" cuts come with considerably regularity. And it thrusts through thick cardboard like a hot knife through butter. It's easy to see why the Romans lived in such fear of this blade. An annoying little flaw with this blade is caused by the dynamics of mating bronze with steel. The blade has a slight "buzz" where the metals meet. I thought I had it fixed by putting the bronze in a press, but as soon as the weather changed, the buzz returned. So I ran a bit of glue into the joint where the two metals mate, again with only temporary success. A swordsmith friend in England tells me that this is the nature of the beast. The metals expand and contract at different rates and all the originals would have had this problem.
Conclusions:
This is hands down one of my favorite swords. The quality of craftsmanship is excellent. The aesthetics are immensely appealing. The cutting ability is remarkable. As much as it's an awkward little beauty to wield, any attempt to change this would alter the sword's superb historicity. It was a bit tough to come up with scabbard bosses to match the unique color of the bronze, but I still just love the way this hilt lends itself to a mated scabbard. It was a really fun project. This is my first Del Tin and I'm impressed. It won't be my last.
Pros:
Historical accuracy
Excellent craftsmanship
Great cutter
Cons:
Clumsy handling
Annoying "buzz"
Two-faced head
The Bottom Line:
For the historical collectors out there, this is a great addition. I would highly recommend this to any collector wanting a Celtic sword from this period. The regular price point at KoA is a bit stiff, but sooner or later, everything goes on sale. And again, this sword really lends itself to a custom scabbard project. Because the blade is so thin and the distal taper so slight, this thing is a cinch to make a scabbard for. I wanted a very simple one constructed of leather over wood and I was surprised how easy it was. It only took about five hours total compared to the week it took to do my Norse Sword in a Wolf fur scabbard. But to sum this review up? I highly recommend this sword.
This is the "companion review" to the one on the Hanwei Gladius I posted yesterday. I bought these swords as a pair to demonstrate the type of weaponry that faced off against each other in Britannia in the 1st Century BC. I bought this sword on sale about two months ago for $314. I had one of those Kult of Athena $20 coupons, so technically this sword was $294, bringing it into the sub-$300 category. Another somewhat strange motivation for buying this sword was the challenge in making a scabbard to fit the unusual hilt. If you're thinking of acquiring this sword, you need to know IT DOES NOT COME WITH A SCABBARD. Making one for it, however, is incredibly easy.
Historical Overview:
This sword is Del Tin's replica of the Grimston Sword that resides in the Hull Museum in England. It's a bit more crude than the original and the centre node on the grip is too small, but otherwise, this sword is a VERY good historical representation of a 1st Century Celtic Anthro Hilt.
Initial Impressions:
The sword arrived from KoA well packaged and in tip top shape. The initial impression was very positive. This little sword makes a statement. The blade is quite wide and finished in a dull pseudo-polish. I think Del Tin was doing their best to approximate the look of archaic iron, even though the blade is fabricated from high carbon steel using a stock-removal process. The bronze has a skillfully applied patina, giving it a rich antique appearance. Like most Del Tin products, the blade and hilt was covered in a thin lacquer clearcoat.
Statistics:
Length: 28"
Blade: 21.5"
Weight: 2 lb. 4 oz.
POB: 4 1/2"
Distal Taper: 4.5mm to 4 mm
Width: 55mm
Pommel: Peened
Components:
The Blade: This little sword has a truly elegant blade. It's believed that the Romans transitioned from the longer Hispaniensis to the shorter Mainz because of their encounters with the Celtic Short Sword. The blade is unfullered and really quite thin. It boasts a beautiful parabolic curve converging at the tip. It's obvious that this blade was meant for business, but aesthetics also played a role in forging. I ordered the sword sharpened from KoA, and while it arrived admirably keen of edge, it sported a nasty secondary bevel that will take some work to remove.
The Hilt: Obviously the outstanding feature of this sword is the Anthropomorphic hilt (from the Greek: anthro - man and morphos - shape). The really big historical flaw in this hilt is the presence of a face on both sides. I've not come across this in any of the historical examples I've researched. In addition, the detailing is a bit crude. Some existing examples are comparable, but only because of corrosion. Certainly the Grimston prototype is much more detailed.
The Peen: Because this sword has a homogenous pommel, grip and hilt, not much can be said about the individual components, but the peen is a nice square button on top of the figure's head. It's a bit rough, but not unlike some of the originals.
Again it needs to be noted that this sword does not come with a scabbard, nor is one available.
Handling Characteristics/Cutting:
I've cut quite a few bottles with this sword and two things strike me whenever I do. First, this sword has an annoyingly uncomfortable grip. I just can't seem to find a way of holding it that feels right. It always feels like it's going to go flying out of my hand. It's quite blade heavy, even though it's such a small sword. The Celts sacrificed a lot of functionality for their artistic hilts. The second thing that strikes me is that this sword is an awesome cutter. The blade is so thin that "silent" cuts come with considerably regularity. And it thrusts through thick cardboard like a hot knife through butter. It's easy to see why the Romans lived in such fear of this blade. An annoying little flaw with this blade is caused by the dynamics of mating bronze with steel. The blade has a slight "buzz" where the metals meet. I thought I had it fixed by putting the bronze in a press, but as soon as the weather changed, the buzz returned. So I ran a bit of glue into the joint where the two metals mate, again with only temporary success. A swordsmith friend in England tells me that this is the nature of the beast. The metals expand and contract at different rates and all the originals would have had this problem.
Conclusions:
This is hands down one of my favorite swords. The quality of craftsmanship is excellent. The aesthetics are immensely appealing. The cutting ability is remarkable. As much as it's an awkward little beauty to wield, any attempt to change this would alter the sword's superb historicity. It was a bit tough to come up with scabbard bosses to match the unique color of the bronze, but I still just love the way this hilt lends itself to a mated scabbard. It was a really fun project. This is my first Del Tin and I'm impressed. It won't be my last.
Pros:
Historical accuracy
Excellent craftsmanship
Great cutter
Cons:
Clumsy handling
Annoying "buzz"
Two-faced head
The Bottom Line:
For the historical collectors out there, this is a great addition. I would highly recommend this to any collector wanting a Celtic sword from this period. The regular price point at KoA is a bit stiff, but sooner or later, everything goes on sale. And again, this sword really lends itself to a custom scabbard project. Because the blade is so thin and the distal taper so slight, this thing is a cinch to make a scabbard for. I wanted a very simple one constructed of leather over wood and I was surprised how easy it was. It only took about five hours total compared to the week it took to do my Norse Sword in a Wolf fur scabbard. But to sum this review up? I highly recommend this sword.