Review: Darksword Armory 15th C. "Odingaard" Messer
Nov 8, 2011 21:45:07 GMT
Post by Odingaard on Nov 8, 2011 21:45:07 GMT
Darksword Armory 15th C. "Odingaard" Messer
Introduction
The Messer came about as a result of the Darksword Armory’s SBG Sword Design Contest in the spring of 2010. It was the winner in the Single-Handed Historical Category. The winners of the contest were to have their swords rendered in steel by Darksword Armory and sent to them free of charge.
When I designed this sword, I did so out of what I seen as a necessity in the sub-$300 sword market. There were absolutely no messers available from below the $1000 price point. My messer is not a typical historical one, but a combination of a messer, a clip-point falchion, a German hunting sword, and a dussack. By creating my design as thus, I hoped to get the design to appeal to a broad spectrum of buyers interested in a single-edge design which could fit into any of the influence categories.
I whipped up the sketch on paper, then touched it up with Photoshop for the submission. Here is the original design:
About 14 months later, Darksword premiered the winning designs on their website and began sending out the prize swords. Mine arrived at my home while I was in the Middle East a few months before I came back stateside. However, when I did get back, the Darksword Messer was there waiting on me.
Historical overview
Messers (German for “knife”) were a later development in antiquity originating in Germany in the 14th century. The messer was derived from the falchion and later evolved into the sabre. Messers came in all shapes and sizes, and though some historians have tried to delineate between gross messer, kriegsmesser, and other messers – the term messer is accurate in describing them all.
The messer enjoyed a longevity of around 200 years. In that time, it was carried by soldiers and civilians alike. The hearty single-edge blades proved both durable and easy to maintain – which probably attributed to their popularity.
Full Disclosure
I received this sword free of charge for winning a sword design contest. Naturally, I am biased toward my original design, but if anything, this will make me scrutinize the realization in steel more than I would any other blade without such a personal connection.
Initial Impressions
The sword was well packaged, wrapped in newspaper and shrink-wrap, and well-oiled. I noted that the sword was not damaged in any way upon opening it and cleaning it up. My first impression was that it was a bit larger than I had envisioned – granted the weight and balance seemed to be correct. It was pleasantly surprising, more so knowing that I was holding something which I had designed.
Over the next couple days, I sat to making some minor modifications to the sword and scabbard, as well as laying an edge on the blade itself.
Statistics
Blade Length: 21.50”
Handle Length: 6.50”
Overall Length: 29.75”
Guard Width: 7.25” (modified from 8.25”)
POB (Point of Balance): 3.50” (modified from 3.35”)
COP (Center of Percussion): ~15.25”
Weight: 3lbs, 0oz (modified from 3lbs, 2oz)
The Blade
The blade on this messer is a monster to behold. At it’s widest (the flair before the false edge), it’s a whopping 2.75” wide. At the shoulders, the blade is 2.40” wide, making for an impressive blade aesthetic. The false edge is tapered properly to allow for sharpening. The main edge is a mere 1.0mm wide, making for quick sharpening in my shop – something that always took me forever on the older DSA sword models.
The temper on the blade is solid, yielding a rigid blade without alot of flex. The tip of the blade on my sword was ground a tad too thin in the last 2-3mm or so, making it too thin to give a thrust to a stiff target and not damage it, so I reprofiled the tip with a file and gave it a slightly rounded shape. Even a well-tempered tip can be damaged if it is too thin/pointed, so I wanted to address this before I sat to using the blade.
The blade originally had a semi-mirror polish, but I have since refinished the blade to a 400 grit satin finish. The blade is very solidly mounted and the blade rings like a gong when stuck. You won’t find something much more solid than this made today.
Overall, the width and other physical attributes of the blade give it a large bowie knife look. This makes absolutely no difference to me, as a messer is a big knife. All in all, though the blade is not quite on par with my original drawing, it’s still quite pleasing to see this interpretation in steel - and most of the overall dimensions are just about spot on. It’s a nice beastly blade, and I’d hate to be on the receiving end of a blow from it; even if I were wearing padding and armor.
The Handle
The handle on the DSA Messer is unique to all of their product line. It consists of two dark hardwood scales riveted though a beefy full-tang. The three rivets are not tubular, as they would be on a historical messer, but they do the job well.
The grip scales are finished to a hexagonal profile, as was the case on messers from antiquity. The allows for great edge alignment in the hand and a very positive grip. The handle gently curves over its 6.5” length, a design feature I took from antique hunting swords. This curve allows for superior leverage and the ability to slide the grip in the hand while engaging a target. Plus, it looks cool.
The Guard
The guard is a simulacrum of an Oakeshott Style 10, with a bowtie profile and hexagonal arms which flair as they terminate. On the original DSA messer, these are adorned with grooves at the finials, but I opted to do away with the last ½” of each of my cross arms to shorten the guard by 1”. I simply hacksawed off the finials, then reprofiled the terminals with a slightly angled, but still definitively hexagonal geometry.
One attribute of the messer is the nagel, or ‘nail’ which protrudes from the guard to offer protection to the hand. On this design, I opted for a small clamshell-like guard instead of a nagel – such as is seen on hunting swords in later years. In my WMA studies, I found that if the nagel on a messer were a little larger, my knuckles might not bleed so frequently. DSA got the height just right for my knuckles.
One thing that was mildly bothersome was the brass solder visible from the securing of the guard into the guard slot. It's plenty durable, but I'd have opted to use something like tin which matched the color better. Overtime, this will darken and not be as noticable, so this is not really a big issue. I just don't care for the visible brass coloration.
The Pommel
The hexagonal pommel of the sword matches the profile of the grip and is hot-peened into place, and that peen is so well-finished, it’s nearly invisible. The pommel is large and does a good job in bringing back the PoB and balancing the blade as a whole.
The design of the pommel has a good aesthetic, with geometric designs which add character as well as enhance the overall appearance of the grip. It has a distinct handmade look which I find rather charming on this piece.
The Scabbard
Eyal from DSA wrote me and said he had a hell of a time getting the scabbard to fit properly, and I can see why. The tip of the sword is wider than the base. However, he did manage to pull it off acceptably for an included scabbard. As a result, the scabbard is not tight on the blade, for it physically cannot be and still be drawn from the scabbard easily. The scabbard is covered with black leather and tipped with a plain steel chape.
Included is also a intergrated suspension. Now, as many of you know, this suspension type was used in the 10th – 13th centuries, but certainly not the 15th and 16th centuries. It’s a small matter of discontent, but in the end, its unimportant. I simply split the end of the belt and added two 3/4" roller buckles, which gives a slightly later appearance. Then, by punching the strap ends, I can now wear it as a double-strapped belt, which looks more modern.
All in all, the scabbard was free and it fits. One day, I will do something more appropriate and fancy, but for now, this scabbard works just fine – it holds the blade and protects the sword.
Handling Characteristics
The overall weight of the messer is a bit daunting for someone not well-practiced with heavier single-edged blades. But, if you are handling this messer after handling most production falchions, you would find that it feels good in the hand by comparison.
With a PoB of only 3.5”, this messer seems faster than my Ollin Last Falchion C or my old Windlass/MRL German Falchion. Additionally, it’s a bit more agile than the Del Tin falchions I have owned before. Given this, the blade is fairly nimble once you get it moving and get used to it. Not to mention, it gives a little bit of a forearm workout as you work with it – which is not always a bad thing for a practice tool. But, if you are used to using a lighter blade, such as an Albion Marxbruder or Soldat – the DSA will seem sluggish by comparison.
So, faster and more nimble than many production falchions, but not as fast or nimble as a historically-accurate messer. Got the point? (And yes, that pun was intended.)
One slight issue I noticed is that occasionally, the edge of the guard would catch my knuckle just right and scrape it a good one when my wrist is upward bent position. This minor annoyance can be avoided by wearing gloves.
Test Cutting
First off, sorry no video yet. I did not have time to do one. Perhaps I will work on up in the near future when I am not busy.
After I got the DSA Messer sharpened to a serviceable edge, I drug out ye old cutting stand, dusted it off, and proceeded to do a little cutting.
Everything I put in front of this sword was cut quickly and easily. I did not have any tatami, but I did have plenty of milk jugs and water bottles. This blade seems to be exceptionally forgiving in the cut, despite its wide blade girth. The blade rings pleasantly when it cuts well, something I have always found charming in a B-movie kind of sense.
Now, being that this is a Darksword, I decided to cut something a little more demanding. Say a 3” treated lumber fencepost. Hacking away like I was wielding an axe, the Messer rendered consistently deep cuts, knocking huge chucks out each and every time. There was no damage to the blade whatsoever, sans a little bit of marring which I took off with steel wool. The blade still rings true without any loosening of the fittings, scales, or pommel.
Conclusions
Pros
- Very sturdy DSA construction.
- Price point far below any other messer on the market.
- Cuts extremely well when sharpened properly.
- Sharpens quickly and easily.
- Unique aesthetics in it's price range.
Cons
The cons listed below are really non-issues for me, but they should be listed for prospective buyer looking at this messer.
- The design is not indicative of any specific messer form, contains elements from a variety of historical blades, including non-messers.
- Weight is heavier than the traditional messer, as the piece is scaled larger.
- Scabbard suspension is inaccurate for the blade’s time frame.
The Bottom Line
I am greatly impressed with the fact that DSA reached out to the community for sword designs and followed-through on creating these designs for the winners of the contest. No other sword designer in recent memory has held such a contest and/or followed through on their word with such speed and dedication. Though there are a number of differences in my design and the finished product, I am still quite pleased with this messer turning out as well as it did. Darksword Armory did a number of things which they have never done in their production swords before, and it shows they are willing to both learn and try new things to reach out to their customers.
Now, a couple of caveats about this messer: If you are looking for a messer for WMA activities, this one would not suffice without significant customization, not limited to significantly rebating the edge and shortening/reshaping the guard. If you are looking for a historically-accurate messer, additionally mark this one off your list, it’s not a good example of an actual messer which would have existed in antiquity.
Granted, the DSA Messer is what it is, in that it’s a great budget offering that is well-built and ready to take a beating. I would recommend this messer for someone looking for a durable and unique single-edged blade for practical cutting and use or for your own customization project. It's also a good short blade to have in the arsenal, if this was something which was desired. Additionally, I’d recommend this blade for someone who has a pricier messer they do not want to beat up cutting, working a pell, etc...
Odingaard out...
Introduction
The Messer came about as a result of the Darksword Armory’s SBG Sword Design Contest in the spring of 2010. It was the winner in the Single-Handed Historical Category. The winners of the contest were to have their swords rendered in steel by Darksword Armory and sent to them free of charge.
When I designed this sword, I did so out of what I seen as a necessity in the sub-$300 sword market. There were absolutely no messers available from below the $1000 price point. My messer is not a typical historical one, but a combination of a messer, a clip-point falchion, a German hunting sword, and a dussack. By creating my design as thus, I hoped to get the design to appeal to a broad spectrum of buyers interested in a single-edge design which could fit into any of the influence categories.
I whipped up the sketch on paper, then touched it up with Photoshop for the submission. Here is the original design:
About 14 months later, Darksword premiered the winning designs on their website and began sending out the prize swords. Mine arrived at my home while I was in the Middle East a few months before I came back stateside. However, when I did get back, the Darksword Messer was there waiting on me.
Historical overview
Messers (German for “knife”) were a later development in antiquity originating in Germany in the 14th century. The messer was derived from the falchion and later evolved into the sabre. Messers came in all shapes and sizes, and though some historians have tried to delineate between gross messer, kriegsmesser, and other messers – the term messer is accurate in describing them all.
The messer enjoyed a longevity of around 200 years. In that time, it was carried by soldiers and civilians alike. The hearty single-edge blades proved both durable and easy to maintain – which probably attributed to their popularity.
Full Disclosure
I received this sword free of charge for winning a sword design contest. Naturally, I am biased toward my original design, but if anything, this will make me scrutinize the realization in steel more than I would any other blade without such a personal connection.
Initial Impressions
The sword was well packaged, wrapped in newspaper and shrink-wrap, and well-oiled. I noted that the sword was not damaged in any way upon opening it and cleaning it up. My first impression was that it was a bit larger than I had envisioned – granted the weight and balance seemed to be correct. It was pleasantly surprising, more so knowing that I was holding something which I had designed.
Over the next couple days, I sat to making some minor modifications to the sword and scabbard, as well as laying an edge on the blade itself.
Statistics
Blade Length: 21.50”
Handle Length: 6.50”
Overall Length: 29.75”
Guard Width: 7.25” (modified from 8.25”)
POB (Point of Balance): 3.50” (modified from 3.35”)
COP (Center of Percussion): ~15.25”
Weight: 3lbs, 0oz (modified from 3lbs, 2oz)
The Blade
The blade on this messer is a monster to behold. At it’s widest (the flair before the false edge), it’s a whopping 2.75” wide. At the shoulders, the blade is 2.40” wide, making for an impressive blade aesthetic. The false edge is tapered properly to allow for sharpening. The main edge is a mere 1.0mm wide, making for quick sharpening in my shop – something that always took me forever on the older DSA sword models.
The temper on the blade is solid, yielding a rigid blade without alot of flex. The tip of the blade on my sword was ground a tad too thin in the last 2-3mm or so, making it too thin to give a thrust to a stiff target and not damage it, so I reprofiled the tip with a file and gave it a slightly rounded shape. Even a well-tempered tip can be damaged if it is too thin/pointed, so I wanted to address this before I sat to using the blade.
The blade originally had a semi-mirror polish, but I have since refinished the blade to a 400 grit satin finish. The blade is very solidly mounted and the blade rings like a gong when stuck. You won’t find something much more solid than this made today.
Overall, the width and other physical attributes of the blade give it a large bowie knife look. This makes absolutely no difference to me, as a messer is a big knife. All in all, though the blade is not quite on par with my original drawing, it’s still quite pleasing to see this interpretation in steel - and most of the overall dimensions are just about spot on. It’s a nice beastly blade, and I’d hate to be on the receiving end of a blow from it; even if I were wearing padding and armor.
The Handle
The handle on the DSA Messer is unique to all of their product line. It consists of two dark hardwood scales riveted though a beefy full-tang. The three rivets are not tubular, as they would be on a historical messer, but they do the job well.
The grip scales are finished to a hexagonal profile, as was the case on messers from antiquity. The allows for great edge alignment in the hand and a very positive grip. The handle gently curves over its 6.5” length, a design feature I took from antique hunting swords. This curve allows for superior leverage and the ability to slide the grip in the hand while engaging a target. Plus, it looks cool.
The Guard
The guard is a simulacrum of an Oakeshott Style 10, with a bowtie profile and hexagonal arms which flair as they terminate. On the original DSA messer, these are adorned with grooves at the finials, but I opted to do away with the last ½” of each of my cross arms to shorten the guard by 1”. I simply hacksawed off the finials, then reprofiled the terminals with a slightly angled, but still definitively hexagonal geometry.
One attribute of the messer is the nagel, or ‘nail’ which protrudes from the guard to offer protection to the hand. On this design, I opted for a small clamshell-like guard instead of a nagel – such as is seen on hunting swords in later years. In my WMA studies, I found that if the nagel on a messer were a little larger, my knuckles might not bleed so frequently. DSA got the height just right for my knuckles.
One thing that was mildly bothersome was the brass solder visible from the securing of the guard into the guard slot. It's plenty durable, but I'd have opted to use something like tin which matched the color better. Overtime, this will darken and not be as noticable, so this is not really a big issue. I just don't care for the visible brass coloration.
The Pommel
The hexagonal pommel of the sword matches the profile of the grip and is hot-peened into place, and that peen is so well-finished, it’s nearly invisible. The pommel is large and does a good job in bringing back the PoB and balancing the blade as a whole.
The design of the pommel has a good aesthetic, with geometric designs which add character as well as enhance the overall appearance of the grip. It has a distinct handmade look which I find rather charming on this piece.
The Scabbard
Eyal from DSA wrote me and said he had a hell of a time getting the scabbard to fit properly, and I can see why. The tip of the sword is wider than the base. However, he did manage to pull it off acceptably for an included scabbard. As a result, the scabbard is not tight on the blade, for it physically cannot be and still be drawn from the scabbard easily. The scabbard is covered with black leather and tipped with a plain steel chape.
Included is also a intergrated suspension. Now, as many of you know, this suspension type was used in the 10th – 13th centuries, but certainly not the 15th and 16th centuries. It’s a small matter of discontent, but in the end, its unimportant. I simply split the end of the belt and added two 3/4" roller buckles, which gives a slightly later appearance. Then, by punching the strap ends, I can now wear it as a double-strapped belt, which looks more modern.
All in all, the scabbard was free and it fits. One day, I will do something more appropriate and fancy, but for now, this scabbard works just fine – it holds the blade and protects the sword.
Handling Characteristics
The overall weight of the messer is a bit daunting for someone not well-practiced with heavier single-edged blades. But, if you are handling this messer after handling most production falchions, you would find that it feels good in the hand by comparison.
With a PoB of only 3.5”, this messer seems faster than my Ollin Last Falchion C or my old Windlass/MRL German Falchion. Additionally, it’s a bit more agile than the Del Tin falchions I have owned before. Given this, the blade is fairly nimble once you get it moving and get used to it. Not to mention, it gives a little bit of a forearm workout as you work with it – which is not always a bad thing for a practice tool. But, if you are used to using a lighter blade, such as an Albion Marxbruder or Soldat – the DSA will seem sluggish by comparison.
So, faster and more nimble than many production falchions, but not as fast or nimble as a historically-accurate messer. Got the point? (And yes, that pun was intended.)
One slight issue I noticed is that occasionally, the edge of the guard would catch my knuckle just right and scrape it a good one when my wrist is upward bent position. This minor annoyance can be avoided by wearing gloves.
Test Cutting
First off, sorry no video yet. I did not have time to do one. Perhaps I will work on up in the near future when I am not busy.
After I got the DSA Messer sharpened to a serviceable edge, I drug out ye old cutting stand, dusted it off, and proceeded to do a little cutting.
Everything I put in front of this sword was cut quickly and easily. I did not have any tatami, but I did have plenty of milk jugs and water bottles. This blade seems to be exceptionally forgiving in the cut, despite its wide blade girth. The blade rings pleasantly when it cuts well, something I have always found charming in a B-movie kind of sense.
Now, being that this is a Darksword, I decided to cut something a little more demanding. Say a 3” treated lumber fencepost. Hacking away like I was wielding an axe, the Messer rendered consistently deep cuts, knocking huge chucks out each and every time. There was no damage to the blade whatsoever, sans a little bit of marring which I took off with steel wool. The blade still rings true without any loosening of the fittings, scales, or pommel.
Conclusions
Pros
- Very sturdy DSA construction.
- Price point far below any other messer on the market.
- Cuts extremely well when sharpened properly.
- Sharpens quickly and easily.
- Unique aesthetics in it's price range.
Cons
The cons listed below are really non-issues for me, but they should be listed for prospective buyer looking at this messer.
- The design is not indicative of any specific messer form, contains elements from a variety of historical blades, including non-messers.
- Weight is heavier than the traditional messer, as the piece is scaled larger.
- Scabbard suspension is inaccurate for the blade’s time frame.
The Bottom Line
I am greatly impressed with the fact that DSA reached out to the community for sword designs and followed-through on creating these designs for the winners of the contest. No other sword designer in recent memory has held such a contest and/or followed through on their word with such speed and dedication. Though there are a number of differences in my design and the finished product, I am still quite pleased with this messer turning out as well as it did. Darksword Armory did a number of things which they have never done in their production swords before, and it shows they are willing to both learn and try new things to reach out to their customers.
Now, a couple of caveats about this messer: If you are looking for a messer for WMA activities, this one would not suffice without significant customization, not limited to significantly rebating the edge and shortening/reshaping the guard. If you are looking for a historically-accurate messer, additionally mark this one off your list, it’s not a good example of an actual messer which would have existed in antiquity.
Granted, the DSA Messer is what it is, in that it’s a great budget offering that is well-built and ready to take a beating. I would recommend this messer for someone looking for a durable and unique single-edged blade for practical cutting and use or for your own customization project. It's also a good short blade to have in the arsenal, if this was something which was desired. Additionally, I’d recommend this blade for someone who has a pricier messer they do not want to beat up cutting, working a pell, etc...
Odingaard out...