ESTELLHANG
Aug 29, 2012 11:56:08 GMT
Post by SwordFan on Aug 29, 2012 11:56:08 GMT
ESTELLHANG:
Sword of Hope, Protector of Light
Well iv got some time off after my Shoulder Operation ,so iv decided its time to catch up on some reviews iv been meaning to do for a while now . This will be No. 2 of 14 reviews to follow over the next month or so .
Introduction:
This was a lovely gift from my wife ,in fact my last 2 Fable Blades have been gifts from my lovely wife
This all came about after Brendan came out with his drawing for his version of “needle” ,we e mailed back and forth as I thought that the sword would just look awesome with a curved blade and a more elven feel to it . It was a project I was looking to continue with in the new year with Brendan ,but my wife beat me to it . After hearing me talk about it she thought it would make the perfect Christmas gift and then she chatted to Brendan and things went from there .
My wife had the idea of making Estellhang a sister sword to my Calamacil with Calamacil being the Sword of Light and Estellhang the Sword of Hope , Protector of Light . Thus Estellhang was born in the fire of the Fable Blades Forge under that master elvish sword smith Brendan :lol: .There is a third sword to still be added to this set apparently that my wife has discussed with Brendan already ,but I'm not sure when it is to be made as it is to be a surprise ,all iv been told is that it will be an evil sword and be called the sword of darkness . So in essence this will become a set of 3 swords , 2 being Good and 1 evil counter part .
Now for the review and pics
Historical overview:
This is a fantasy based functional piece and as such has no historical background as such
Specs:
Blade: 9260 high carbon steel. Oil Quenched then tempered twice for hardness ~52Rc
Grip: European Beech core wrapped with Sheep Skin
Initial Impressions:
This was a really nice surprise , we were actually on holiday when it arrived ,so a nice sharp and pointy to play with while on holiday .
I did get a few very strange looks from my in-laws neighbors when I started cutting in the back yard though ,needless to say I merely smiled back and continued cutting .
My initial thoughts when opening this package and seeing her for the first time was that this is how I would have made an elvish saber to look ,the way the blade flows into the curves of the guard and pommel reminds me of vines and the way the grip has been done just continues this flow .
I was really excited to see how she handled some cutting as she flowed so easily in hand ,very quick and nimble .
Statistics:
Weight: 945g (2lb 1oz)
Length Overall: 908mm (35.75")
Blade Length: 711mm (28")
Grip Length: 100mm (4")
Components:
The Blade:
Blade: 9260 high carbon steel. Oil Quenched then tempered twice for hardness ~52Rc
Blade Thickness: At Guard: 6mm (0.236") > At 2" behind Tip 4.4mm (0.173")
Blade Width: 40mm ( 1.57") at flare
Inscription on the Blade :
Quenya: Im Estellhang Cálëverio - I am Sword of Hope, Protector of Light
It has a lovely curved blade that as I mentioned flows very well into the curves of the Hilt .
The Tip swells slightly to create a reinforced tip which is great as it allows for greater thrusting properties .
She performed very well with the light cutting I did (as all I had available at the time were pool noodles) ,very clean cuts .She makes a great slasher and thruster .
The blade is also seriously tough , whilst cutting along side the pool I was stung by a couple of wasps right on my hand ,I dropped the sword not thinking ,the swords tip went straight into the paving next to the pool . I feared the worse as I thought for sure the tip would be damaged . Surprisingly the tip was fine ! there was a couple of light surface scratches but some polishing paste and even those were made to disappear . Whilst I don’t ever abuse my swords ,its always good to know that you have gotten a really good sword that can take some punishment as most swords with a profile like this would have shown a lot more damage .
The Handle:
Grip: European Beech core wrapped with Sheep Skin
The grip has a lovely contoured shape that follows the lines of the guard and pommel ,if I could have wished for one thing it would have been for the grip to have been just slightly longer .In fact iv often wondered just what this piece would have been like with a two handed grip ?
The Risers provide a nice grip and of course how can I not mention that It’s in Green
The Guard:
Guard Width: 174mm ( 6.85")
The guard is a flowing curved piece of beauty and in close combat could become a lethal weapon in its own rite , it is well finished as usual with Brendan’s work ,everything nice and smooth .
The guard and pommel have both been darkened slightly and provide a very nice contrast to the satin finish of the blade .
The Pommel:
The Pommel follows the lines and flow of the Guard and has also been darkened slightly to match the guard .
The tang has been peened ,I did try to get a pic of it but because the fittings are darkened its difficult to pick it up in pics .
It took a little bit of getting used to in the beginning as the pommel can bite into ones wrist ,but I adjusted my grip and found a better position which solved this problem in no time .
Handling Characteristics:
Point of Balance: 115mm ( 4.53")
Hilt Node of Percussion: 45mm (1.8") behind guard
This sword is really quick and nimble in hand with great handling and balance . In comparison to the Calamacil this is the fast slasher and thruster you want when facing the likes of the Mines of Moria Orcs where as the Calamacil packs more of a punch for bigger foes .
Cutting:
As mentioned I have done very little cutting with her to date (just some pool noodles and Orc filled water bottles :lol: ) , but she handled very well making very clean cuts with very little effort . She relies a lot more on form when cutting than what Calamacil does . It’s the kind of sword you can swing around for most of the day because of the handling and very little effort required to put her through her paces .
Conclusions:
This was something different to add to my collection and really provides a nice contrast with its sister sword Calamacil .She is fast ,nimble and handles really well .
Brendan did a bang up job on her and to me the design (even with a straight blade) just shouted elvish rather than "needle” from Game of Thrones .
A proud addition to my Fable Blades stable .
Pros:
A fast ,nimble sword with really good positive handling
Stunning hilt design that flows very well into the blade
Swollen tip allowing for better thrusting
Oh and of course “ITS GREEN” :lol:
Cons:
Once again its difficult to fault or find fault in such a beautiful piece ,if I had to though I would say the grip could have been just slightly longer making for a more comfortable grip in prolonged use .
The Bottom Line:
For anyone ever considering a Fable Blade Commission , do not hesitate . Brendan is a true professional and a true artist , he is one of my favorite sword smiths and I hope to get many a Fable Blade piece in the future from him . His work is really top class with attention paid to all the small details one often over looks . He is great to work with and his customer service is second to none . This together with my Calamacil are displayed together and iv had numerous people comment on just how great they look and how they could have come straight out of Middle Earth ,a true testiment to Brendans great work .
Sword of Hope, Protector of Light
Well iv got some time off after my Shoulder Operation ,so iv decided its time to catch up on some reviews iv been meaning to do for a while now . This will be No. 2 of 14 reviews to follow over the next month or so .
Introduction:
This was a lovely gift from my wife ,in fact my last 2 Fable Blades have been gifts from my lovely wife
This all came about after Brendan came out with his drawing for his version of “needle” ,we e mailed back and forth as I thought that the sword would just look awesome with a curved blade and a more elven feel to it . It was a project I was looking to continue with in the new year with Brendan ,but my wife beat me to it . After hearing me talk about it she thought it would make the perfect Christmas gift and then she chatted to Brendan and things went from there .
My wife had the idea of making Estellhang a sister sword to my Calamacil with Calamacil being the Sword of Light and Estellhang the Sword of Hope , Protector of Light . Thus Estellhang was born in the fire of the Fable Blades Forge under that master elvish sword smith Brendan :lol: .There is a third sword to still be added to this set apparently that my wife has discussed with Brendan already ,but I'm not sure when it is to be made as it is to be a surprise ,all iv been told is that it will be an evil sword and be called the sword of darkness . So in essence this will become a set of 3 swords , 2 being Good and 1 evil counter part .
Now for the review and pics
Historical overview:
This is a fantasy based functional piece and as such has no historical background as such
Specs:
Blade: 9260 high carbon steel. Oil Quenched then tempered twice for hardness ~52Rc
Grip: European Beech core wrapped with Sheep Skin
Initial Impressions:
This was a really nice surprise , we were actually on holiday when it arrived ,so a nice sharp and pointy to play with while on holiday .
I did get a few very strange looks from my in-laws neighbors when I started cutting in the back yard though ,needless to say I merely smiled back and continued cutting .
My initial thoughts when opening this package and seeing her for the first time was that this is how I would have made an elvish saber to look ,the way the blade flows into the curves of the guard and pommel reminds me of vines and the way the grip has been done just continues this flow .
I was really excited to see how she handled some cutting as she flowed so easily in hand ,very quick and nimble .
Statistics:
Weight: 945g (2lb 1oz)
Length Overall: 908mm (35.75")
Blade Length: 711mm (28")
Grip Length: 100mm (4")
Components:
The Blade:
Blade: 9260 high carbon steel. Oil Quenched then tempered twice for hardness ~52Rc
Blade Thickness: At Guard: 6mm (0.236") > At 2" behind Tip 4.4mm (0.173")
Blade Width: 40mm ( 1.57") at flare
Inscription on the Blade :
Quenya: Im Estellhang Cálëverio - I am Sword of Hope, Protector of Light
It has a lovely curved blade that as I mentioned flows very well into the curves of the Hilt .
The Tip swells slightly to create a reinforced tip which is great as it allows for greater thrusting properties .
She performed very well with the light cutting I did (as all I had available at the time were pool noodles) ,very clean cuts .She makes a great slasher and thruster .
The blade is also seriously tough , whilst cutting along side the pool I was stung by a couple of wasps right on my hand ,I dropped the sword not thinking ,the swords tip went straight into the paving next to the pool . I feared the worse as I thought for sure the tip would be damaged . Surprisingly the tip was fine ! there was a couple of light surface scratches but some polishing paste and even those were made to disappear . Whilst I don’t ever abuse my swords ,its always good to know that you have gotten a really good sword that can take some punishment as most swords with a profile like this would have shown a lot more damage .
The Handle:
Grip: European Beech core wrapped with Sheep Skin
The grip has a lovely contoured shape that follows the lines of the guard and pommel ,if I could have wished for one thing it would have been for the grip to have been just slightly longer .In fact iv often wondered just what this piece would have been like with a two handed grip ?
The Risers provide a nice grip and of course how can I not mention that It’s in Green
The Guard:
Guard Width: 174mm ( 6.85")
The guard is a flowing curved piece of beauty and in close combat could become a lethal weapon in its own rite , it is well finished as usual with Brendan’s work ,everything nice and smooth .
The guard and pommel have both been darkened slightly and provide a very nice contrast to the satin finish of the blade .
The Pommel:
The Pommel follows the lines and flow of the Guard and has also been darkened slightly to match the guard .
The tang has been peened ,I did try to get a pic of it but because the fittings are darkened its difficult to pick it up in pics .
It took a little bit of getting used to in the beginning as the pommel can bite into ones wrist ,but I adjusted my grip and found a better position which solved this problem in no time .
Handling Characteristics:
Point of Balance: 115mm ( 4.53")
Hilt Node of Percussion: 45mm (1.8") behind guard
This sword is really quick and nimble in hand with great handling and balance . In comparison to the Calamacil this is the fast slasher and thruster you want when facing the likes of the Mines of Moria Orcs where as the Calamacil packs more of a punch for bigger foes .
Cutting:
As mentioned I have done very little cutting with her to date (just some pool noodles and Orc filled water bottles :lol: ) , but she handled very well making very clean cuts with very little effort . She relies a lot more on form when cutting than what Calamacil does . It’s the kind of sword you can swing around for most of the day because of the handling and very little effort required to put her through her paces .
Conclusions:
This was something different to add to my collection and really provides a nice contrast with its sister sword Calamacil .She is fast ,nimble and handles really well .
Brendan did a bang up job on her and to me the design (even with a straight blade) just shouted elvish rather than "needle” from Game of Thrones .
A proud addition to my Fable Blades stable .
Pros:
A fast ,nimble sword with really good positive handling
Stunning hilt design that flows very well into the blade
Swollen tip allowing for better thrusting
Oh and of course “ITS GREEN” :lol:
Cons:
Once again its difficult to fault or find fault in such a beautiful piece ,if I had to though I would say the grip could have been just slightly longer making for a more comfortable grip in prolonged use .
The Bottom Line:
For anyone ever considering a Fable Blade Commission , do not hesitate . Brendan is a true professional and a true artist , he is one of my favorite sword smiths and I hope to get many a Fable Blade piece in the future from him . His work is really top class with attention paid to all the small details one often over looks . He is great to work with and his customer service is second to none . This together with my Calamacil are displayed together and iv had numerous people comment on just how great they look and how they could have come straight out of Middle Earth ,a true testiment to Brendans great work .