Review: Kris Cutlery Baselard
Sept 27, 2012 21:56:54 GMT
Post by Odingaard on Sept 27, 2012 21:56:54 GMT
Review: Kris Cutlery Baselard
by Jonathan 'Odingaard' Sarge
Introduction
I have seen numerous reviews for Kris Cutlery products for many years. However, I have never quite been interested in enough to buy their products to give them a try. Their sword models have a very austere, utilitarian look to them, which has been a bit of a turn off for me. However, when Kult of Athena offered their Baselard for a mere $65 in their scratch and dent section, I could not resist giving it a try.
The sword arrived in suprisingly good shape. In the KOA listing, it was stated to have light rust. This indeed was the case, but the rust was so light, I just about wiped it all off with an oily cloth. After a quick once over with some green Scotchbrite and a good oiling, this sword was ready for a review.
Historical Overview
The name is a bit of a misnomer for this product. First of all, let's look at a historically-accurate baselard:
Historically, these were of northern European design and originated from daggers. Most were dagger length, however, some evolved to single-handed sword lengths. They evolved in the 14th century and are characterized by their thin, diamond cross-section blades and H-shaped handles. Some were cruder than others, while some evolved into highly stylized weapons such as the case in the above example.
The Kris Cutlery design really missed in the naming of this weapon. It's not remotely similar to any baselard in existence. This does not, however, mean that it is an inferior weapon - which you will see in this review.
First Impressions
Taking the KC Baselard in the hand for the first time reminded me of some of the gladii I have owned in the past. It is a quick and agile sword, with a PoB near the guard for really fast wielding. Recovery with the sword is effortless, giving a good neutral feel and a nice solid weight. Construction is nice and tight, much more so than one would find in a typical sword of the retail asking price ($149.95) - there is absolutely no play whatsoever in the piece. The general feel was that of a nice short sword for the money, even moreso at the price I got it at.
Stats:
Overall Length: 25.5"
Blade Length: 19.0"
Grip Length: 4.5"
PoB: 1.5"
CoP: About 15"
Weight: 2lbs, 6oz
The Blade
The blade is a flattened diamond profile with little in the way of distal taper, which is to be expected in a sword of this length. The edge is sharpened to a well-executed zero-ground edge with no bevel apparent. The finish on my blade is a little inconsistant due to a tad bit of surface rusting, but originally, it's nearly mirror finished. Mine is now more of a satin finish due to the removal of the rust using a Scotchbrite pad.
The blade bears a nice straight central ridge and does not have any noticable bends. Held to the light, it does bear some slight hammer marks from forging, but these are only noticable when held and an angle and perfectly normal for any hand made sword.
The edge comes moderately sharp, but could use a little finishing with a diamond hone to make it sharper. It would cut fine out of the box, doing a better job than a stock sharpening job on a Hanwei Euro. The blade profile lends itself more toward the cut than the thrust, which is nice to see in a blade of this length.
The Guard
The mild-steel guard is a shortened bar, which is tooled into a rough hexagonal shape. The guard extends slightly down toward the grip, where the corners are rounded off in profile. The guard is fit excellently to the blade shoulders, with no gap visible. The guard is comfortable to grip, as it sits perfectly against the webbing of the hand.
The guard offers slightly more protection for the hand than the typical gladius or spatha, but less than your typical Viking sword. It's not something I would want to block a blade with unless I absolutely had to.
Originally, the guard was blued, but I gave it a satin finish on the outward faces to improve the overall look for my personal tastes.
The Grip
The grip on the KC Baselard is slightly oval in profile and fairly beefy (for lack of a better word). It has a wood-core, and is bound in waxed cord. It is comfortable in the hand, and works well with the guard and pommel to give a secure feeling in the hand.
Some may find the grip too large in diameter, but it works really well for my bear paws.
The Pommel
The mild-steel, egg-shaped pommel appears to be fitted from two pieces, with a distinct line in between the two halves. I am not sure if this is just an aesthetic or if the two pieces are actually fit together when the sword is peened. The pommel is very reminescent of a gladius pommel. It has a very nice flattened oval profile, which allows effortless and secure changing from hammer to handshake grip:
The pommel offsets the weight of the blade and guard really well, resulting in a super-low PoB. It's finished to a consistant level, and the peen is solidly, yet discreetly executed.
Originally the pommel was blued, but I have given it a satin finish for a better aesthetic.
The Scabbard
The scabbard for the KC Baselard is probably the plainest scabbard I have ever seen with a production sword. It's a elongated rectangular sheath, made from stitched black tooling leather with two brass mounting rings. The fit is decent, and it does it's job for storing the sharp blade, but not much more. It's well made enough to be mounted and carried, but I'd not brag about it.
Handling
In the hand, the KC Baselard is a little bundle of joy. It's hefty weight for it's size and it's netural PoB make it a blast to swing about. Thrusts are perfectly on target, cuts are right where they are supposed to be. It's a handy little blade, which feels as if could do well on lightly armored targets - it has much more authority in the cut than one would expect. There is much about this sword which is similar to a gladius, or perhaps the short Artillery swords from the Civil War. Very fast, very agile, yet just enough umph to give it a one-up over a dagger or bayonet. The sword hits hard, but does little to transfer this energy to your hand/wrist - which is a big plus for me.
The pommel offers the added bonus of augmenting a punch with the fist. The egg-shaped hunk of steel stands out just enough from beyond your little finger to really impact the hell out of something unfortunate enough to be in the way. Also, any sort of stop-thrusting where you would need your hand over the pommel to seat the blade is very easy to do.
Conclusion
This little sword is quaint, but in a good way. It's not by any means historically-accurate, even on a passing level with it's name sake. But, it has attributes from some historical designs which work well together. This package is perfect for a grab and go blade, in situations where a longer sword would not be practical. It's longer than a dagger, shorter than a sword, and feels more durable and has a better edge than a machete. KC would be better to just name this little blade a Tactical Short Sword or CQB Gladius and be done with it. I have owned numerous short blades over the years, and I have to say this sword is both stout and effective. I am pleasantly surpised in it's quality and functionality.
Pros/Cons
At the price I paid for this sword, it's hard for me to find anything wrong with it. But, for the sake of the review, let's break it down as thus:
Pros
- Exceptionally well-constructed sword for the money; solid fit and good finish.
- Good neutral balance lends itself well for CQB use; great utility feel.
- Sharp, zero-ground edge.
- Better heft and more authority than a typical short sword this length.
Cons
- Does not look like a baselard.
- Grip might be too large in diameter for smaller hands.
- Included scabbard is a very dull affair.
The Bottom Line
I really have to recommend this little sword if you are looking for something to stick into your bug-out bag or camping kit. A historical looker, it's not - but it is one hell of a sword even at it's $150ish retail price. It's quick, it hits hard, it cuts, it thrusts, it's solid, and it works. I am greatly suprised by Kris Cutlery's efforts, and though it's nothing like a baselard, it is an excellent tactical short sword for the coin.
I am happy I came across this little gem. I'll definately be trying out some other Kris Cutlery stuff in the future...
by Jonathan 'Odingaard' Sarge
Introduction
I have seen numerous reviews for Kris Cutlery products for many years. However, I have never quite been interested in enough to buy their products to give them a try. Their sword models have a very austere, utilitarian look to them, which has been a bit of a turn off for me. However, when Kult of Athena offered their Baselard for a mere $65 in their scratch and dent section, I could not resist giving it a try.
The sword arrived in suprisingly good shape. In the KOA listing, it was stated to have light rust. This indeed was the case, but the rust was so light, I just about wiped it all off with an oily cloth. After a quick once over with some green Scotchbrite and a good oiling, this sword was ready for a review.
Historical Overview
The name is a bit of a misnomer for this product. First of all, let's look at a historically-accurate baselard:
Historically, these were of northern European design and originated from daggers. Most were dagger length, however, some evolved to single-handed sword lengths. They evolved in the 14th century and are characterized by their thin, diamond cross-section blades and H-shaped handles. Some were cruder than others, while some evolved into highly stylized weapons such as the case in the above example.
The Kris Cutlery design really missed in the naming of this weapon. It's not remotely similar to any baselard in existence. This does not, however, mean that it is an inferior weapon - which you will see in this review.
First Impressions
Taking the KC Baselard in the hand for the first time reminded me of some of the gladii I have owned in the past. It is a quick and agile sword, with a PoB near the guard for really fast wielding. Recovery with the sword is effortless, giving a good neutral feel and a nice solid weight. Construction is nice and tight, much more so than one would find in a typical sword of the retail asking price ($149.95) - there is absolutely no play whatsoever in the piece. The general feel was that of a nice short sword for the money, even moreso at the price I got it at.
Stats:
Overall Length: 25.5"
Blade Length: 19.0"
Grip Length: 4.5"
PoB: 1.5"
CoP: About 15"
Weight: 2lbs, 6oz
The Blade
The blade is a flattened diamond profile with little in the way of distal taper, which is to be expected in a sword of this length. The edge is sharpened to a well-executed zero-ground edge with no bevel apparent. The finish on my blade is a little inconsistant due to a tad bit of surface rusting, but originally, it's nearly mirror finished. Mine is now more of a satin finish due to the removal of the rust using a Scotchbrite pad.
The blade bears a nice straight central ridge and does not have any noticable bends. Held to the light, it does bear some slight hammer marks from forging, but these are only noticable when held and an angle and perfectly normal for any hand made sword.
The edge comes moderately sharp, but could use a little finishing with a diamond hone to make it sharper. It would cut fine out of the box, doing a better job than a stock sharpening job on a Hanwei Euro. The blade profile lends itself more toward the cut than the thrust, which is nice to see in a blade of this length.
The Guard
The mild-steel guard is a shortened bar, which is tooled into a rough hexagonal shape. The guard extends slightly down toward the grip, where the corners are rounded off in profile. The guard is fit excellently to the blade shoulders, with no gap visible. The guard is comfortable to grip, as it sits perfectly against the webbing of the hand.
The guard offers slightly more protection for the hand than the typical gladius or spatha, but less than your typical Viking sword. It's not something I would want to block a blade with unless I absolutely had to.
Originally, the guard was blued, but I gave it a satin finish on the outward faces to improve the overall look for my personal tastes.
The Grip
The grip on the KC Baselard is slightly oval in profile and fairly beefy (for lack of a better word). It has a wood-core, and is bound in waxed cord. It is comfortable in the hand, and works well with the guard and pommel to give a secure feeling in the hand.
Some may find the grip too large in diameter, but it works really well for my bear paws.
The Pommel
The mild-steel, egg-shaped pommel appears to be fitted from two pieces, with a distinct line in between the two halves. I am not sure if this is just an aesthetic or if the two pieces are actually fit together when the sword is peened. The pommel is very reminescent of a gladius pommel. It has a very nice flattened oval profile, which allows effortless and secure changing from hammer to handshake grip:
The pommel offsets the weight of the blade and guard really well, resulting in a super-low PoB. It's finished to a consistant level, and the peen is solidly, yet discreetly executed.
Originally the pommel was blued, but I have given it a satin finish for a better aesthetic.
The Scabbard
The scabbard for the KC Baselard is probably the plainest scabbard I have ever seen with a production sword. It's a elongated rectangular sheath, made from stitched black tooling leather with two brass mounting rings. The fit is decent, and it does it's job for storing the sharp blade, but not much more. It's well made enough to be mounted and carried, but I'd not brag about it.
Handling
In the hand, the KC Baselard is a little bundle of joy. It's hefty weight for it's size and it's netural PoB make it a blast to swing about. Thrusts are perfectly on target, cuts are right where they are supposed to be. It's a handy little blade, which feels as if could do well on lightly armored targets - it has much more authority in the cut than one would expect. There is much about this sword which is similar to a gladius, or perhaps the short Artillery swords from the Civil War. Very fast, very agile, yet just enough umph to give it a one-up over a dagger or bayonet. The sword hits hard, but does little to transfer this energy to your hand/wrist - which is a big plus for me.
The pommel offers the added bonus of augmenting a punch with the fist. The egg-shaped hunk of steel stands out just enough from beyond your little finger to really impact the hell out of something unfortunate enough to be in the way. Also, any sort of stop-thrusting where you would need your hand over the pommel to seat the blade is very easy to do.
Conclusion
This little sword is quaint, but in a good way. It's not by any means historically-accurate, even on a passing level with it's name sake. But, it has attributes from some historical designs which work well together. This package is perfect for a grab and go blade, in situations where a longer sword would not be practical. It's longer than a dagger, shorter than a sword, and feels more durable and has a better edge than a machete. KC would be better to just name this little blade a Tactical Short Sword or CQB Gladius and be done with it. I have owned numerous short blades over the years, and I have to say this sword is both stout and effective. I am pleasantly surpised in it's quality and functionality.
Pros/Cons
At the price I paid for this sword, it's hard for me to find anything wrong with it. But, for the sake of the review, let's break it down as thus:
Pros
- Exceptionally well-constructed sword for the money; solid fit and good finish.
- Good neutral balance lends itself well for CQB use; great utility feel.
- Sharp, zero-ground edge.
- Better heft and more authority than a typical short sword this length.
Cons
- Does not look like a baselard.
- Grip might be too large in diameter for smaller hands.
- Included scabbard is a very dull affair.
The Bottom Line
I really have to recommend this little sword if you are looking for something to stick into your bug-out bag or camping kit. A historical looker, it's not - but it is one hell of a sword even at it's $150ish retail price. It's quick, it hits hard, it cuts, it thrusts, it's solid, and it works. I am greatly suprised by Kris Cutlery's efforts, and though it's nothing like a baselard, it is an excellent tactical short sword for the coin.
I am happy I came across this little gem. I'll definately be trying out some other Kris Cutlery stuff in the future...
héhé,tough,i am not in to short swords,but still,a nice revieuw man 
