DSA Ring Hilt Swiss Saber
Feb 6, 2012 2:51:08 GMT
Post by JohnE on Feb 6, 2012 2:51:08 GMT
Full disclosure: I won this sword in a contest and it's based on a design of my own, but I'll try to be impartial.
* * *
Part 1: Fit, Finish & Faithfulness to Design
Blade
The blade is slightly beefier and more falchion-ish than what I had envisioned, which would have more sleek and saber-ish, but the more I look at it, the more I prefer it this way. The shape of the blade is elegant and powerful, and the shallow fuller is well executed.
There is a very slight bend near the tip of the blade. I don't know if this happened in production or in shipping.
Guard
The guard is spot on with my design and generally well executed, although the welds are visible on the insides of the main side rings and there are a few small dents and scratches on some of the corners.
The main side rings are just the right size to encircle my first knuckle when I grip it right up against the cross. This make my hand feel very well guarded without hindering my grip. It might get in the way if you have very large hands, but mine aren't exactly dainty.
Grip
The grip is a different shape than in my design and lacks the risers, but frankly, I think it's a significant improvement, both aesthetically and ergonomically. The leather work is, as far as I can tell, flawless. The grip has a subtle texture from a cord wrap underneath the main piece of leather, as it is on a lot of DSA swords.
The brass accents from my design are absent, but I figured those would be the first things to go in order to keep the price point down.
Pommel
The pommel is where this sword shines. My design was ambitious and I thought that if anything were to get lost in translation from page to steel, it would be the pommel. So I am very pleased to report that it is both very true to my design and beautifully executed.
(All my pommel close-ups came out blurry, but trust me, it's pretty!)
Conclusion
Overall, this is a faithful reproduction of my design and an all around beautiful sword with a few very minor flaws in the finish.
* * *
Part two hopefully in the next few days.
* * *
Part 1: Fit, Finish & Faithfulness to Design
Blade
The blade is slightly beefier and more falchion-ish than what I had envisioned, which would have more sleek and saber-ish, but the more I look at it, the more I prefer it this way. The shape of the blade is elegant and powerful, and the shallow fuller is well executed.
There is a very slight bend near the tip of the blade. I don't know if this happened in production or in shipping.
Guard
The guard is spot on with my design and generally well executed, although the welds are visible on the insides of the main side rings and there are a few small dents and scratches on some of the corners.
The main side rings are just the right size to encircle my first knuckle when I grip it right up against the cross. This make my hand feel very well guarded without hindering my grip. It might get in the way if you have very large hands, but mine aren't exactly dainty.
Grip
The grip is a different shape than in my design and lacks the risers, but frankly, I think it's a significant improvement, both aesthetically and ergonomically. The leather work is, as far as I can tell, flawless. The grip has a subtle texture from a cord wrap underneath the main piece of leather, as it is on a lot of DSA swords.
The brass accents from my design are absent, but I figured those would be the first things to go in order to keep the price point down.
Pommel
The pommel is where this sword shines. My design was ambitious and I thought that if anything were to get lost in translation from page to steel, it would be the pommel. So I am very pleased to report that it is both very true to my design and beautifully executed.
(All my pommel close-ups came out blurry, but trust me, it's pretty!)
Conclusion
Overall, this is a faithful reproduction of my design and an all around beautiful sword with a few very minor flaws in the finish.
* * *
Part two hopefully in the next few days.
Nice review... I'll look forward to seeing the pommel in better detail; from the very first pic I can tell that it's quite attractive. 
Here's a karma now, with the promise of another +1 when you get the second segment posted. 
