Medieval Triple Fuller Dagger
Jan 4, 2014 20:53:39 GMT
Post by LG Martial Arts on Jan 4, 2014 20:53:39 GMT
Introduction
For those who may not know, I’m traditionally trained in JSA/JMA. Although I have no official training in HEMA/WMA, I have a special place in my heart for medieval inspired weapons since they symbolize what I studied when I was in college: medieval literature and history. My senior year in college, I wrote a thesis entitled Medieval Concepts Of Friendship Typified By Amis and Amiloun, which is a part of the collection at the W.E. Dubois library at UMass Amherst. I believe my knowledge of medieval literature and history gives me a good perspective on what knightly behavior and combat was like. But enough about me… on with the review!
I bought a MONSTER of a blade from Lonely Wolf Forge here on SBG a few months ago but never got around to doing a full review… until now, that is! This blade feels more like a small sword in hand than a dagger! Short and wide… good so far.
Full Disclosure
I bought this dagger at a sale price from Saito. I have NO affiliation with Lonely Wolf Forge other than the occasional communication/posts through SBG. Lonely Wolf Forge has not financially or otherwise compensated me for this or any other reviews.
Overview
Daggers represented a basic side arm during the medieval period, making it a great choice when other larger weapons are unavailable or too unwieldy according to circumstances. While not made as a copy from a historical piece, this dagger does represent a weapon a noble might have used as opposed to the crude knives carried by commoners.
Medieval Triple Fuller Dagger Specifications:
Steel: 1095 High Carbon Steel
Thickness: 3/16 in.
Blade width: 2 inches at shoulder
Blade Length: 11 inches
Grip length: 4.5 inches
Grip material: Rust colored leather wrapped over a wood core
Hilt is ground from mild steel and has been permanently hot peened to the tang for durability and historical accuracy. This blade came fully sharpened from Lonely Wolf Forge. The geometry is hexagonal cross section terminating into diamond cross section at the end of the fullers.
Original selling price: $250 from the Lonely Wolf Forge website
Initial Impression:
The dagger arrived in a non-descript FedEx box, wrapped in a good amount of bubble wrap. It came nicely oiled to prevent any rust from forming. At first glance, I thought “my god! This thing is huge!”… and it is indeed.
Fit and finish:
While some people like their weapons to be as flawless as possible, this dagger definitely has some “old world” characteristics in it. You can definitely see some minor flaws in the fullers and the pommel peen, but like a friend of mine said after seeing it, “that’s what gives it its characteristics”. I usually go for flawless weapons myself, but like the handmade qualities in this dagger. Are there other daggers/swords with better fit and finish for sale? Of course! Swords and knives/daggers can and are CNC milled all the time to satisfy that particular niche. But, if you’re in the market for something truly one of a kind and made by an American bladesmith, Lonely Wolf Forge is a viable source.
Handling:
The dagger is a bit grip heavy, making it a little sluggish compared to other daggers that are lighter and more slender, but what do you expect from a small yet wide blade? It performed very well against plastic water bottles. Just like Saito mentioned on his website and his SBG posts, it is wickedly sharp and capable of doing static cuts on water bottles. I have not done any heavy cutting (bamboo, etc) with the dagger, but might do so at a future date. I will update the review if/when that happens. I'll also update the review soon to include more pictures.
Final Thoughts:
One question I ask myself whenever buying something for myself is, “would I buy this again”? The answer to this question is “yes”. I would buy this dagger and other offerings from Lonely Wolf Forge if I had a chance to again.
Below are some pictures directly from LWF:
Saito holding the dagger
Pommel and peen
view of the dagger and fullers
another full view of the dagger
Thanks for viewing, I hope the review was informative.
For those who may not know, I’m traditionally trained in JSA/JMA. Although I have no official training in HEMA/WMA, I have a special place in my heart for medieval inspired weapons since they symbolize what I studied when I was in college: medieval literature and history. My senior year in college, I wrote a thesis entitled Medieval Concepts Of Friendship Typified By Amis and Amiloun, which is a part of the collection at the W.E. Dubois library at UMass Amherst. I believe my knowledge of medieval literature and history gives me a good perspective on what knightly behavior and combat was like. But enough about me… on with the review!
I bought a MONSTER of a blade from Lonely Wolf Forge here on SBG a few months ago but never got around to doing a full review… until now, that is! This blade feels more like a small sword in hand than a dagger! Short and wide… good so far.
Full Disclosure
I bought this dagger at a sale price from Saito. I have NO affiliation with Lonely Wolf Forge other than the occasional communication/posts through SBG. Lonely Wolf Forge has not financially or otherwise compensated me for this or any other reviews.
Overview
Daggers represented a basic side arm during the medieval period, making it a great choice when other larger weapons are unavailable or too unwieldy according to circumstances. While not made as a copy from a historical piece, this dagger does represent a weapon a noble might have used as opposed to the crude knives carried by commoners.
Medieval Triple Fuller Dagger Specifications:
Steel: 1095 High Carbon Steel
Thickness: 3/16 in.
Blade width: 2 inches at shoulder
Blade Length: 11 inches
Grip length: 4.5 inches
Grip material: Rust colored leather wrapped over a wood core
Hilt is ground from mild steel and has been permanently hot peened to the tang for durability and historical accuracy. This blade came fully sharpened from Lonely Wolf Forge. The geometry is hexagonal cross section terminating into diamond cross section at the end of the fullers.
Original selling price: $250 from the Lonely Wolf Forge website
Initial Impression:
The dagger arrived in a non-descript FedEx box, wrapped in a good amount of bubble wrap. It came nicely oiled to prevent any rust from forming. At first glance, I thought “my god! This thing is huge!”… and it is indeed.
Fit and finish:
While some people like their weapons to be as flawless as possible, this dagger definitely has some “old world” characteristics in it. You can definitely see some minor flaws in the fullers and the pommel peen, but like a friend of mine said after seeing it, “that’s what gives it its characteristics”. I usually go for flawless weapons myself, but like the handmade qualities in this dagger. Are there other daggers/swords with better fit and finish for sale? Of course! Swords and knives/daggers can and are CNC milled all the time to satisfy that particular niche. But, if you’re in the market for something truly one of a kind and made by an American bladesmith, Lonely Wolf Forge is a viable source.
Handling:
The dagger is a bit grip heavy, making it a little sluggish compared to other daggers that are lighter and more slender, but what do you expect from a small yet wide blade? It performed very well against plastic water bottles. Just like Saito mentioned on his website and his SBG posts, it is wickedly sharp and capable of doing static cuts on water bottles. I have not done any heavy cutting (bamboo, etc) with the dagger, but might do so at a future date. I will update the review if/when that happens. I'll also update the review soon to include more pictures.
Final Thoughts:
One question I ask myself whenever buying something for myself is, “would I buy this again”? The answer to this question is “yes”. I would buy this dagger and other offerings from Lonely Wolf Forge if I had a chance to again.
Below are some pictures directly from LWF:
Saito holding the dagger
Pommel and peen
view of the dagger and fullers
another full view of the dagger
Thanks for viewing, I hope the review was informative.