HANWEI Rhinelander Bastard sword
May 13, 2014 7:05:25 GMT
Post by Orochimaru6 on May 13, 2014 7:05:25 GMT
HANWEI RHINELANDER BASTARD SWORD
DISCLAIMER
I have purchased this sword with my own hard earned money, it was not given to me by anyone for the sake of beneficial opinion and I plan to make this review as objective as I can.
OVERVIEW
Hanwei's Rhinelander Bastard sword, typical of late 15th century central European cut-and-thrust swords, is a handsome piece that will be appreciated by both collectors and cutting enthusiasts.
The ring-guard hilt and scent-stopper pommel balance a riveted-tang fullered blade, forged in 5160 high-carbon steel and hardened to 54HRc for an optimal combination of edge-holding and resilience. A leather-wrapped scabbard is included.
INITIAL IMPRESSION
My very first impression was that it feel’s different. So far I’ve owned only Asian style swords and knives like for instance katanas and kukris so you get the point. However when I held it in my hands it felt good, really good. It felt at home. I think that maybe by holding an European sword something has awakened in my Polish blood. After all this is the weapon of my own culture, that was used by my predecessors. Just by looking at it you could tell it is very useful and efficient weapon.
STATISTICS
Blade length: exactly 90cm and 2mm
Grip length: 17,5cm (+ pommel = 23cm)
Cross-guard (from end to end): 22cm
Width at base: 4,7cm
Width at tip: 3cm just before it curves into a point
Width of fuller: 2cm
Thickness at base: 6mm
Thickness at tip: 3mm more or so
THE BLADE
The blade is 90cm of pure destruction, straight as an arrow and surprisingly sharp. Forged from 5160 high-carbon steel and hardened to 554HRc for an optimal combination of edge-holding and resilience. Or so says the description on most websites. I’ve read that usually most Hanwei euro swords are almost dull out of the box, but this sucker has some nice sharp edge and that was a pleasant surprise. It has a satin polish, meaning it is nowhere near mirror one. When you touch the surface and slide your fingers you can feel how rough and actually unpleasant it is. The fuller however has a better polish than the rest of the blade making it almost mirror. I have noticed that the length of fuller is slightly longer on one side than the other. The first 15cm of the blade from the guard is completely blunt, after that distance it gets sharper and sharper closer to the tip. It cuts hand held paper quite well but with a little tearing every now and again. Upon closer examination I found multiple tiny chips and dents on the edge but only on one side (the cause of tearing). They were discovered actually by accident thanks to sunlight shining on the blade at the right time and angle, otherwise I don’t think I would find them anytime soon.
The mark on the blade
A couple pictures of the mentioned chips and dents
I will probably hit the blade with some fine sandpaper to level up the polish. I’ll start with 400 grit then move through 600, 800 and probably stop at 1000 grit.
THE HILT
23cm from cross-guard to the end of pommel. It’s full tang construction, covered with wood and black leather glued on top, it is not stitched and has oval shape. I don’t think there is any kind of string wrapped around the wooden handle. It also has a ring in the middle. The leather itself is very grippy and a bit spongy which is actually really nice. Once you grab it there is no slipping out of your hands. Add some leather gloves and you are good to go. The pommel resembles a light bulb and is peened. The cross-guard has a nice curved shape and features a ring on one side. It’s cross-section is round, no edges, feels nice. I personally think the sword would benefit from having rings on both sides.
Where the blade meets the guard
Close-up’s
The grip
The pommel is peened as you can see
THE SCABBARD
Simple in design, made from wood, covered with black leather and stitched, It also features metal Locket and Chape. There is a piece of leather glued inside the scabbard’s mouth to hold the blade and prevent it from sliding out. It holds the blade very well actually, it wouldn’t fall out upon holding the sword upside down. It took some waggling to force the sword to slide out. There is really not much more to say about the scabbard – it simply does what it is supposed to do. One thing I don’t like about it, is that it is very rough on the inside. Together with coarse finish of the blade it makes a scraping *shiiiing* sound upon drawing and resheating that makes my teeth hurt when I hear it. I think giving the blade a finer polish and then oiling it heavily could eliminate this almost film like sound.
The stitching close-up
The sword fits very well, no gaps
HANDLING
I must say I am truly impressed by how the sword handles. I had no previous experience with European swords so I’m still a little green when it comes to them. However I can tell you that the sword is well balanced, feels light in hand, can be controlled with ease and it’s just a pleasure to swing with. Some may ask for cutting videos. Sorry guys, the current place I inhabit is a block of flats with not much place outside to swing a sword without neighbors calling the police
.
CONCLUSION
Overall I like this sword. It seems to be a capable cut and thrust sword. The 2 things I would like to see upgraded on this sword are: finer blade polish and stitched handle. Otherwise I find this sword very nice, especially for the price. It feels great both in one and two hands, it is a true Bastard sword.
PROS
-Really nice sharp blade
-Attractive ring-guard
-Can be used single or two-handed
-Well balanced
CONS
-Minor chips and dents (could probably easily polish them away with sandpaper)
-Like I mentioned the polish could be better
-The handle could be stitched
And there you have it. Hope you liked my review.
DISCLAIMER
I have purchased this sword with my own hard earned money, it was not given to me by anyone for the sake of beneficial opinion and I plan to make this review as objective as I can.
OVERVIEW
Hanwei's Rhinelander Bastard sword, typical of late 15th century central European cut-and-thrust swords, is a handsome piece that will be appreciated by both collectors and cutting enthusiasts.
The ring-guard hilt and scent-stopper pommel balance a riveted-tang fullered blade, forged in 5160 high-carbon steel and hardened to 54HRc for an optimal combination of edge-holding and resilience. A leather-wrapped scabbard is included.
INITIAL IMPRESSION
My very first impression was that it feel’s different. So far I’ve owned only Asian style swords and knives like for instance katanas and kukris so you get the point. However when I held it in my hands it felt good, really good. It felt at home. I think that maybe by holding an European sword something has awakened in my Polish blood. After all this is the weapon of my own culture, that was used by my predecessors. Just by looking at it you could tell it is very useful and efficient weapon.
STATISTICS
Blade length: exactly 90cm and 2mm
Grip length: 17,5cm (+ pommel = 23cm)
Cross-guard (from end to end): 22cm
Width at base: 4,7cm
Width at tip: 3cm just before it curves into a point
Width of fuller: 2cm
Thickness at base: 6mm
Thickness at tip: 3mm more or so
THE BLADE
The blade is 90cm of pure destruction, straight as an arrow and surprisingly sharp. Forged from 5160 high-carbon steel and hardened to 554HRc for an optimal combination of edge-holding and resilience. Or so says the description on most websites. I’ve read that usually most Hanwei euro swords are almost dull out of the box, but this sucker has some nice sharp edge and that was a pleasant surprise. It has a satin polish, meaning it is nowhere near mirror one. When you touch the surface and slide your fingers you can feel how rough and actually unpleasant it is. The fuller however has a better polish than the rest of the blade making it almost mirror. I have noticed that the length of fuller is slightly longer on one side than the other. The first 15cm of the blade from the guard is completely blunt, after that distance it gets sharper and sharper closer to the tip. It cuts hand held paper quite well but with a little tearing every now and again. Upon closer examination I found multiple tiny chips and dents on the edge but only on one side (the cause of tearing). They were discovered actually by accident thanks to sunlight shining on the blade at the right time and angle, otherwise I don’t think I would find them anytime soon.
The mark on the blade
A couple pictures of the mentioned chips and dents
I will probably hit the blade with some fine sandpaper to level up the polish. I’ll start with 400 grit then move through 600, 800 and probably stop at 1000 grit.
THE HILT
23cm from cross-guard to the end of pommel. It’s full tang construction, covered with wood and black leather glued on top, it is not stitched and has oval shape. I don’t think there is any kind of string wrapped around the wooden handle. It also has a ring in the middle. The leather itself is very grippy and a bit spongy which is actually really nice. Once you grab it there is no slipping out of your hands. Add some leather gloves and you are good to go. The pommel resembles a light bulb and is peened. The cross-guard has a nice curved shape and features a ring on one side. It’s cross-section is round, no edges, feels nice. I personally think the sword would benefit from having rings on both sides.
Where the blade meets the guard
Close-up’s
The grip
The pommel is peened as you can see
THE SCABBARD
Simple in design, made from wood, covered with black leather and stitched, It also features metal Locket and Chape. There is a piece of leather glued inside the scabbard’s mouth to hold the blade and prevent it from sliding out. It holds the blade very well actually, it wouldn’t fall out upon holding the sword upside down. It took some waggling to force the sword to slide out. There is really not much more to say about the scabbard – it simply does what it is supposed to do. One thing I don’t like about it, is that it is very rough on the inside. Together with coarse finish of the blade it makes a scraping *shiiiing* sound upon drawing and resheating that makes my teeth hurt when I hear it. I think giving the blade a finer polish and then oiling it heavily could eliminate this almost film like sound.
The stitching close-up
The sword fits very well, no gaps
HANDLING
I must say I am truly impressed by how the sword handles. I had no previous experience with European swords so I’m still a little green when it comes to them. However I can tell you that the sword is well balanced, feels light in hand, can be controlled with ease and it’s just a pleasure to swing with. Some may ask for cutting videos. Sorry guys, the current place I inhabit is a block of flats with not much place outside to swing a sword without neighbors calling the police
.CONCLUSION
Overall I like this sword. It seems to be a capable cut and thrust sword. The 2 things I would like to see upgraded on this sword are: finer blade polish and stitched handle. Otherwise I find this sword very nice, especially for the price. It feels great both in one and two hands, it is a true Bastard sword.
PROS
-Really nice sharp blade
-Attractive ring-guard
-Can be used single or two-handed
-Well balanced
CONS
-Minor chips and dents (could probably easily polish them away with sandpaper)
-Like I mentioned the polish could be better
-The handle could be stitched
And there you have it. Hope you liked my review.
after I'm done with polishing I mght even use Mother's Mag to finish it up.
