Del Tin 2130 St. Maurice
Apr 20, 2013 14:09:20 GMT
Post by Nilfgaardian on Apr 20, 2013 14:09:20 GMT
Del Tin St. Maurice review by Nilfgaardian
Introduction
The Del Tin 2130 is based on the sword said to have belonged to St. Maurice of Turin, who lived during the 3rd century AD. The original sword is kept in the Royal Armoury at Turin, Italy. The sword dates back to the mid 13th century, making it impossible for it to have belonged to St. Maurice, who lived several centuries earlier. The 2130 is slighly simplified compared to the original, lacking etching on the blade.
Specifications
Specifications taken from Kult of Athena, but I also measured the sword myself. The measurements from KoA seemed to be correct.
Overall length: 38 5/8 inches
Blade length: 33 inches
Blade width: 2.1 inches
Blade thickness (base): 5mm
Blade thickness (middle): 4.9mm
Blade thickness (5 inches from point): 3.8mm
Grip length: 3 3/4 inches
Weight: 3lb 2 oz
P.O.B: 6 5/8 inches :shock:
C.O.P: Don't know, but the sweet spot is probably huge.
The Sword
I bought this sword second hand for 1800 swedish crowns, which is roughly 260 dollars. I think it was a good price and about half of what these swords typically sell for. The previous owner had used it for display, so the blade was in good condition when I got it. The only issue were some minor spots of rust on the fittings. Initially I was afraid that the sword would arrive with a rattling guard and a compressed handle. This is a common issue with Del Tins, though it can be easily fixed. I was relieved when I got the sword and found out that this was not the case here. Everything seems solid so far, we'll see how long it stays that way. This model of sword has been around for a long time and I would not be surprised if this sword is almost as old as me. As I like to cut with my swords, I sharpened it as soon as I got my hands on it. Sharpening the sword was not very hard, not at all like the nightmares I had with trying to remove secondary bevels from Hanwei Tinkers. As of now the sword is pretty sharp, though still not quite paper cutting sharp. I didn't polish the blade alot after sharpening it, so it still has some highly visible scratches on the blade.
Let me tell you, this sword is a beast! I am a big guy and I like to think I'm pretty strong, but this sword really puts a strain on my arms. The sword has very forward oriented balance, and although this is common for the type, it is further increased by the swords lack of distal taper (the blade doesn't thin out enough towards the tip). I can still use the sword though, and cut reasonably fast with it, but smaller people might want to consider another sword.
The blade is OK and seems to be straight as far as I can see. It has got what appears to be slight grinding marks in the fuller, but otherwise it's good. The blade isn't quite perfect, but then again neither were the originals. The sword has a big brazil nut pommel and it is peened. The peen isn't the best looking, but it seems to be sturdy enough and the ugliness is only a minor issue. The guard (I believe) is a type 6.
Cutting
So far I have only cut milk cartons (Swedish Tetra pak) and a couple of very tough plastic juice bottles. This sword is a powerful cutter, it's like a 13th century equivalent of the 1796 light cavalry saber, a long bladed, front heavy cavary sword. My technique is not the best but this sword sliced the cartons easily. Once I even managed to cut one of them into about 8 pieces. The sword proved itself against bottles too, cutting them apart, although the cuts were not very clean. This was probably my fault. I have no doubt that this sword could handle tatami, should I get my hands on some.
Verdict
I must say that I like this sword alot, despite the various cosmetical errors and the lack of distal taper. It has sort of a period look to it and it is a fun cutter too. If you can find one cheap and you like big, brutal cutters, I say go for it. If you prefer speed and elegance, you might want to look elsewhere. For the price I paid I would give it 4/5 points. I have uploaded attachments below.
Introduction
The Del Tin 2130 is based on the sword said to have belonged to St. Maurice of Turin, who lived during the 3rd century AD. The original sword is kept in the Royal Armoury at Turin, Italy. The sword dates back to the mid 13th century, making it impossible for it to have belonged to St. Maurice, who lived several centuries earlier. The 2130 is slighly simplified compared to the original, lacking etching on the blade.
Specifications
Specifications taken from Kult of Athena, but I also measured the sword myself. The measurements from KoA seemed to be correct.
Overall length: 38 5/8 inches
Blade length: 33 inches
Blade width: 2.1 inches
Blade thickness (base): 5mm
Blade thickness (middle): 4.9mm
Blade thickness (5 inches from point): 3.8mm
Grip length: 3 3/4 inches
Weight: 3lb 2 oz
P.O.B: 6 5/8 inches :shock:
C.O.P: Don't know, but the sweet spot is probably huge.
The Sword
I bought this sword second hand for 1800 swedish crowns, which is roughly 260 dollars. I think it was a good price and about half of what these swords typically sell for. The previous owner had used it for display, so the blade was in good condition when I got it. The only issue were some minor spots of rust on the fittings. Initially I was afraid that the sword would arrive with a rattling guard and a compressed handle. This is a common issue with Del Tins, though it can be easily fixed. I was relieved when I got the sword and found out that this was not the case here. Everything seems solid so far, we'll see how long it stays that way. This model of sword has been around for a long time and I would not be surprised if this sword is almost as old as me. As I like to cut with my swords, I sharpened it as soon as I got my hands on it. Sharpening the sword was not very hard, not at all like the nightmares I had with trying to remove secondary bevels from Hanwei Tinkers. As of now the sword is pretty sharp, though still not quite paper cutting sharp. I didn't polish the blade alot after sharpening it, so it still has some highly visible scratches on the blade.
Let me tell you, this sword is a beast! I am a big guy and I like to think I'm pretty strong, but this sword really puts a strain on my arms. The sword has very forward oriented balance, and although this is common for the type, it is further increased by the swords lack of distal taper (the blade doesn't thin out enough towards the tip). I can still use the sword though, and cut reasonably fast with it, but smaller people might want to consider another sword.
The blade is OK and seems to be straight as far as I can see. It has got what appears to be slight grinding marks in the fuller, but otherwise it's good. The blade isn't quite perfect, but then again neither were the originals. The sword has a big brazil nut pommel and it is peened. The peen isn't the best looking, but it seems to be sturdy enough and the ugliness is only a minor issue. The guard (I believe) is a type 6.
Cutting
So far I have only cut milk cartons (Swedish Tetra pak) and a couple of very tough plastic juice bottles. This sword is a powerful cutter, it's like a 13th century equivalent of the 1796 light cavalry saber, a long bladed, front heavy cavary sword. My technique is not the best but this sword sliced the cartons easily. Once I even managed to cut one of them into about 8 pieces. The sword proved itself against bottles too, cutting them apart, although the cuts were not very clean. This was probably my fault. I have no doubt that this sword could handle tatami, should I get my hands on some.
Verdict
I must say that I like this sword alot, despite the various cosmetical errors and the lack of distal taper. It has sort of a period look to it and it is a fun cutter too. If you can find one cheap and you like big, brutal cutters, I say go for it. If you prefer speed and elegance, you might want to look elsewhere. For the price I paid I would give it 4/5 points. I have uploaded attachments below.