Zen Warrior Armory #R1. Fencing Rapier (Smallsword Trainer)
Dec 19, 2014 5:41:04 GMT
Post by MEversbergII on Dec 19, 2014 5:41:04 GMT
Introduction
A few months ago, I purchased Zen Warrior Armory's #R1 "Fencing Rapier". Starting early in 2014 I had become increasingly interested in the smallsword, which is interesting because at the beginning of my sword-liking "Career" it was the ultimate anathema of what I liked in swords - diminutive, thrust only, late period and frilly.
However, as my small WMA group became less active, I began to look beyond dagger work and back into swords, because that's where I began with WMA (sword and buckler specifically). Unfortunately the only potentially reliable partner I'd have to train with is my (current) fiance, and in spite of expressing interest in WMA has always become very timid when actually involved in anything.
I'd read the Militiaman's Manual some years back and recall liking the military simplicity of it, and began to think it might be a better way to involve her, since the weapons were smaller and the actions less vicious. So, I began asking around at Schola Gladiatoria how to get started in smallswordsmanship, and gotten several suggestions. Sometime in February I'd gotten a copy of Milo Thurston A Newer, Shorter and Easier Method of Fencing from a recommendation given by the author himself and a few others.
I began to look around at what was available to train in smallsword. You can use an appropriately sized French style foil, but I wanted something more authentic. So, in August I ordered myself and my fiance a pair of these R1's. In lieu of the typical square foil blade, I opted for the 32" "Musketeer" blade, which is a double-wide epee. It looks more "smallsword" this way, and at the time I thought it would look more authentic. Blade length in period fluxuated between 28" and 38", with 32" appearing to be a very common choice.
Speaking of looks, Zen Warrior Armory has many options for pommels, two guard types, and two different grips for this weapon, on top of the choice of blades. I opted for the "knight's head" pommel with a closed visor, and my fiance decided on the "royal crown" pommel. I chose a plain black grip and she elected for the brass wire wrap. We both liked the lunette guard option - which depicts two serpents in a figure 8, eating each other's tails. So metal.
These "smallsword trainers" are also known as a foil and "fleuret".
Cost of these units at the time was 102USD.
Historical overview
According to Zen, these blades are based on an original they found "in an old sword shop in the Loire River Valley in France". Inquiry into the original didn't get any response, however, and I haven't found anything on Google Images that matches mine. Here's a 19th century foil for basic comparison, though:
I'm no expert on the history of the smallsword, but here goes.
The smallsword has it's roots in 17th century France, having evolved from the rapier. Because of it's size and weight, it was a popular daily wear sword within the gentry, and was very frequently decorated. The weapon is thrust only, basically never weighted correctly to cut even in the examples that retain an actual edge. While it began with a technique very similar to that of the rapier, in time it became distinct in its application. Sometime in the early 18th century, a standardized school of smallsword was established in France, which became the de-facto method of deployment. The theory was this weapon and its school could be used in a salle (where the master enforces certain etiquette) private duel (where witnesses enforce a different, more deadly etiquette), on the street (where there is no etiquette), and on the battlefield (where there is less than no etiquette). Sir William Hope has different opinions.
Throughout the smallsword's history, it had changed form from something looking like this to something much simpler, like the image above.
Through the 18th and into the 19th century, smallswordsmanship fell out of favor for dueling, being overtaken by the pistol. On the battlefield it was overtaken in favor by the spadroon and the sabre, both of which performed better in combat conditions than the light and less immediately deadly smallsword. Smallsword was still taught to the gentry and in the military where it survived like the broadsword in a basic, stripped out system meant only to impart the essential points of delivering and defending against a thrust. Towards the middle of the 19th, it became increasingly pigeonholed, where it was taught primarily as a gymnastic exercise - the sabre had won out.
This gymnastic approach to the smallsword laid the groundwork for the dueling sword, classical fencing and eventually modern Olympic fencing that we all know of so well.
At least, that's the abridged and kludge-written version of it that I know.
Full Disclosure
I have no connection to anyone involved in the manufacture and distribution of this sword. As I may have mentioned at some point in the past, I cannot have bias because I am a sentient Venus flytrap. This represents my first "real" fleuret, and my only prior experience with "fencing weapons", as the term has gone, was with a #5 French-style Olympic Practice Foil.
Initial Impressions
As is usually my luck, I placed my order right when the company's team was away at a long event (something that has plagued my last two orders from Woodenswords), so it took me a few weeks to get these. Otherwise, customer service was fine. They came well packaged in cardboard and bubble wrap, and fully assembled - though the assembly was a bit hasty and the pieces weren't well aligned. It only took a short while to disassemble them and get them fixed up, however, which gave me an opportunity to inspect the tang. I think it would have shaved a bit off shipping (which, if memory serves, is calculated after your order is placed) if they used a flatter box and shipped these disassembled.
Naturally, I didn't take any photos of the unboxing process, and I appear to have no good photos of the overall swords themselves, save this one of them hanging on my wall:
I will try to get a better overall picture this weekend, since by the time I get home in the evening the light is basically shot.
The masks, by the way, are Absolute Fencing's basic HEMA / Foil and Epee Coach mask. I got these around the same time as the swords, as they were recommended due to their better performance than other masks in crush resistance.
Statistics
Give some hard data on the sword's specifications:
Blade Length: According to the site, the blade is 32" (81.28cm) long. According to my seamstress measure, it is just shy of that.
Handle Length: According to my seamstress measure, the grip is just shy of 6" (15.24cm).
Overall Length: The overall length of this training weapon is 40.25" (102.24cm).
Guard Width: The guard is not symmetrical. It measures 2.5" (6.35cm) at the widest part in the plane of the blade, and 3.25" (8.26cm) at the widest part perpendicular to the blade.
POB (Point of Balance): The point of balance for this training weapon is just about 3" (7.62cm) from the guard, according to my (much more handy) wooden ruler.
COP (Center of Percussion): The smallsword is a pointing weapon, but the theoretical POB, as determined by a pommel slap test, is 20"(50.8cm) from the guard.
Weight: According to my kitchen scale, mine weighs 1.03 pound (466g, actually, as I use grams on said scale).
Components
Well, I don't have a very good camera, and college has been robbing me blind so I can't really afford a new one. Also I'm pretty rotten at photography, due to lack of practice. Subsequently, I am sorry if the following photos are not particularly clear.
The Blade
I was given several blade options at Zen Warrior Armory. I was warned ahead of time that these ZWA Musketeer blades are quite stiff, as they are designed for SCA style events more than WMA. Subsequently they are overbuilt a bit. This shows in the slight blade bias the weapon has overall, with a 3" (7.62cm) POB. The light overall weight makes this manageable, however. While I was offered alternatives such as the Leon Paul "Steam" Epee blade, the fiance decided that the ZWA one looked better in the pictures. Additionally, we were expecting to pick up some padded jackets, plastrons and chest protectors (the same week we got these I found out college was now out of pocket for me so that's still pending).
Additionally, I wanted to introduce my failing WMA group to the smallsword to see if it generated any interest, and if it did I intended to do mixed weapon combat (smallsword vs broadsword, smallsword vs staff, smallsword vs bayonet, smallsword vs longsword, etc). That may yet happen, however, so I guess that's still a possible upside.
As I mentioned, I opted for a double wide epee blade because I wanted something that looked more like a smallsword. In period, early trainers were actual blunted smallswords (with various blades like diamond, lenticular or trifoil) as often as they were dedicated trainers with quatrifoil blades like modern foils (and often without any guard, as I'll detail later). This blade was indeed quite stiff. The very tip was simply a hammered flat, without an additional button. I think this would mount a point d'arret quite nicely.
Unfortunately, both blades came with some slight slivers shaved off. According to ZWA it isn't anything to worry about, and they certainly aren't any deeper than what I've seen on feders and other metal trainers. Otherwise, the finish was fine.
Here are some pictures of the blade:
This last image is me just bending it against a tree. That's as far as I was comfortable taking it, as at this point it felt like it wanted to spring itself out through my fingers and fly off into the woods somewhere.
The Handle
The grip is wood over leather(?). Mine is plain, while the fiance got a brass wire wrapping. The geometry of the grips is different - hers is more like an arc while mine looks very much like the one on my Olympic foil. Visually they're nice, and they have these small aluminum(?) bands that hold the wrapping in place. The wrapping isn't very tight, but I think it will do alright. I actually kind of like the arc of her grip a little better than mine, but both are alright.
I haven't done any real use with the training weapons, and unfortunately my grip has developed a bit of a looseness to it - the "tick". I'm unsure if this is caused by the pommel being too loose or if the wood around the tang has eroded a bit. When I originally disassembled them, there were some wood flakes that came out. I will try and use some washers to shim the grip tighter against the pommel and guard. An unfortunate effect of not having a symmetrical pommel is that my OCD demands it can only go one of two ways - and it's already there.
The wrapping job on mine is nice - a spiral wound strip of leather, which adds a bit of grip. Hers is straight wrapped, with kind of a noticeable seam.
Here is a pictures of her grip (you can see the seam here) - I don't have any of mine:
The Guard
We both only liked one guard - the twin snakes forming a lunette (figure 8). It's so metal. It's cast brass, and the detail is fairly low. No idea how this compares to an original. Several pictures above show the guards good enough, so I will not repeat them here. Hand protection is fairly minimal. In period, a lot of trainers (especially early on) were evidently completely without a guard, and this lunette was a compromise between the "have a guard" and "don't have a guard" camps. The theory was that having no guard means you will not learn to rely on it in combat. Smallsword style guards are functional, but in the metagame most youths seem to have them done up out of silver or other thin, soft metal so they were less reliable than in the salle.
The Pommel
I've seen these styles of pommels on period pieces before (spadroons as well as smallswords). Sometimes they're an ornate head (sometimes an old style knight's helmet), sometimes they're something a little more symmetrical, like an urn or a ball. The knight looks good, as does the crown. Casting marks, even filed down, are evident, however. Additionally, the lack of symmetry all around means my OCD demands they only go in two different directions, which limits how far they tighten down (see above). It seems that they do get nice and tight when facing a "proper" direction, though.
These are threaded pommels, of course.
Here are some pictures:
Zen has several pommel options, which you can view in this section of their website.
The Scabbard
This did not come with a scabbard. Really, I don't need one, as these are training weapons and wearing swords is illegal now in my county/state. However, for kicks I think I'll pick up one or both of these from Leon Paul USA and see if they can't work to be a functional scabbard, even if only mostly for show (such authentic, much costume, very wow). I'd have to get one of those frogs off KoA, however.
Handling Characteristics
From what I can gather, this sword has a blade bias that is unusual in smallswords. Typically they are weighted back further than these are. Though they aren't "blade heavy", they don't track as well as they could. This is because the blades are overbuilt in comparison to the hilt components. The same blade would probably have done better on their court sword or short rapier due to the increased complexity of the hilt. I actually would have gone with one of those (geometrically closer to an earlier smallsword), but I did not like the grip and shell very much. If I had opted for the traditional foil blade, a Leon Paul blade or even a basic epee blade it may have handled better. I'm planning on trying these out when I can.
Test Cutting Test Fencing
Steel on steel these fleurets do pretty well, and in action I can track reasonably well enough that I feel it could be lethal hits with a point. Play has been limited, however, as school and work keep me too busy to commit to a training schedule.
The stiffness of the blade may be a problem for some, however. Certainly get a jacket. These blades kind of reduce one of the advantages the smallsword has over other WMA forms - low protection requirement. One or two hits may not be a big deal, but after a couple dozen you're sure to lose morale.
Conclusions
On the whole these are pretty good units. This is probably the best "entry level" vendor, though there are alternatives in and around the same price bracket (see below). I'd probably consider buying these again as the hilt options are pretty neat, but I wouldn't go for these blades. I probably paid $40 more for them each than I would have if I opted for a basic foil blade or gotten a basic epee blade from Absolute. These will probably hold up well and they'll perform like smallsword blades for the most part, and thus I'd imagine they'd be suitable for mixed weapon combat. At no point do I think my #5 practice foil would stand a parry without letting the opponent crash through it easier than you otherwise would be able to. These blades will definitely do the job.
Pros
Cons
The Bottom Line
If you are looking to get into the smallsword, I would recommend this trainer, but with a more basic blade to start with. It fills a price niche and offers more character than a basic ambi-grip, foil-guard setup. The basic weapon is a bit over 60USD (62.75USD as of this moment), and features a 35" foil blade branded Zen Warrior (there is no 32" foil blade option there). This is likely not as flexible or light as a basic practice foil, however. You could save a few dollars by getting just the hilt components (30-35USD) and purchasing a #2 practice blade for foil (15USD at Absolute) or epee (20USD at Absolute), maybe shaving a couple bucks off and giving you a "softer" blade for more vigorous practice. But, if you are looking for something a bit more rigid, my configuration is good enough that I would recommend it if you liked the overall look. There are other, and in the opinion of more practiced folk, better options however!
Hope you liked the review!
Appendix: A Note on the Current Smallsword Trainer Market
There isn't a whole lot of choice for period-looking smallsword trainers on the market right now. The absolute cheapest one can do is about $50 for an ambidextrous grip, basic pommel, child's foil guard and a non-electric epee. A little less if you let go of the guard.
Above this model you have Benjamin Arms, starting at about 170USD for a basic French "classical" foil - late period very similar though more plain than this one. Benjamin seems to do good work and is well regarded in the Classical fencing circuit. He's got a fair number of options that could be quite "period", though nothing with pas d'anes or knucklebows I think.
There is also Darkwood Armoury, which gives you a more period look starting at 415USD. Their Spadroon model looks pretty neat, though presently out of my price range. Maybe in the future, if I and others take to the weapon (I like spadroons). I haven't heard anything about these pieces, however, so I don't know if they're worth the money. On closer inspection, the "smallsword" type appears to be off the site. It looked similar to the Spadroon if memory serves, but had a slimmer blade and cost a bit more - about 450USD. I could be overlooking it. Either way, you get a few options, and they look more like earlier real smallswords and less like later smallswords or trainers.
Smiling Fox Forge in the US also makes some attractive pieces. Their #8 looks best in my opinion, but they all have merits. Unfortunately, they appear to be perpetually out of stock. You may be able to contact them for details, however.
Najecki, which is also in the US, seems to have some hilt parts available. They actually look pretty good.
The only other source I know of in the US is Arms and Armor, who produce a single smallsword model. It looks period, and actually uses a modified double-wide from the same source as Zen Warrior Armory. Evidently they deepen the hollows of the blade to lighten it up, then attach it to their hilt - or so the legend goes. They are presently 580USD. You could probably get it customized but I imagine that would have a geometric effect on the price.
Another option is Jacob's Armoury in the UK. Jacob's a nice guy; I've chatted with him in the American Smallsword Symposium group on Facebook. He does splendid work, and recently began selling just hilt components (huzzah!) in all of his styles. His work is good and the prices reflect that - the cheapest whole weapon is a basic foil which is rather reasonably priced at about 150USD. Shipping such a thing to the US would probably be pretty monstrous, however. You could save about 50USD by opting for just the hilt, but you'd spend about 80USD here in the US getting the same blade - so unless shipping is more than $30, it's probably a wash. His other pieces are more smallsword like than that, but even the more basic ones are around 250USD without shipping, and go up over 500USD. That puts him in a competitive price bracket with the American manufacturers (for a better looking product [imo] and more options), if it weren't for shipping.
If you know more vendors, however, don't hesitate to mention!
Again, hope you enjoyed the review.
M.
EDIT 24 December 2014 to add some new makers.
A few months ago, I purchased Zen Warrior Armory's #R1 "Fencing Rapier". Starting early in 2014 I had become increasingly interested in the smallsword, which is interesting because at the beginning of my sword-liking "Career" it was the ultimate anathema of what I liked in swords - diminutive, thrust only, late period and frilly.
However, as my small WMA group became less active, I began to look beyond dagger work and back into swords, because that's where I began with WMA (sword and buckler specifically). Unfortunately the only potentially reliable partner I'd have to train with is my (current) fiance, and in spite of expressing interest in WMA has always become very timid when actually involved in anything.
I'd read the Militiaman's Manual some years back and recall liking the military simplicity of it, and began to think it might be a better way to involve her, since the weapons were smaller and the actions less vicious. So, I began asking around at Schola Gladiatoria how to get started in smallswordsmanship, and gotten several suggestions. Sometime in February I'd gotten a copy of Milo Thurston A Newer, Shorter and Easier Method of Fencing from a recommendation given by the author himself and a few others.
I began to look around at what was available to train in smallsword. You can use an appropriately sized French style foil, but I wanted something more authentic. So, in August I ordered myself and my fiance a pair of these R1's. In lieu of the typical square foil blade, I opted for the 32" "Musketeer" blade, which is a double-wide epee. It looks more "smallsword" this way, and at the time I thought it would look more authentic. Blade length in period fluxuated between 28" and 38", with 32" appearing to be a very common choice.
Speaking of looks, Zen Warrior Armory has many options for pommels, two guard types, and two different grips for this weapon, on top of the choice of blades. I opted for the "knight's head" pommel with a closed visor, and my fiance decided on the "royal crown" pommel. I chose a plain black grip and she elected for the brass wire wrap. We both liked the lunette guard option - which depicts two serpents in a figure 8, eating each other's tails. So metal.
These "smallsword trainers" are also known as a foil and "fleuret".
Cost of these units at the time was 102USD.
Historical overview
According to Zen, these blades are based on an original they found "in an old sword shop in the Loire River Valley in France". Inquiry into the original didn't get any response, however, and I haven't found anything on Google Images that matches mine. Here's a 19th century foil for basic comparison, though:
I'm no expert on the history of the smallsword, but here goes.
The smallsword has it's roots in 17th century France, having evolved from the rapier. Because of it's size and weight, it was a popular daily wear sword within the gentry, and was very frequently decorated. The weapon is thrust only, basically never weighted correctly to cut even in the examples that retain an actual edge. While it began with a technique very similar to that of the rapier, in time it became distinct in its application. Sometime in the early 18th century, a standardized school of smallsword was established in France, which became the de-facto method of deployment. The theory was this weapon and its school could be used in a salle (where the master enforces certain etiquette) private duel (where witnesses enforce a different, more deadly etiquette), on the street (where there is no etiquette), and on the battlefield (where there is less than no etiquette). Sir William Hope has different opinions.
Throughout the smallsword's history, it had changed form from something looking like this to something much simpler, like the image above.
Through the 18th and into the 19th century, smallswordsmanship fell out of favor for dueling, being overtaken by the pistol. On the battlefield it was overtaken in favor by the spadroon and the sabre, both of which performed better in combat conditions than the light and less immediately deadly smallsword. Smallsword was still taught to the gentry and in the military where it survived like the broadsword in a basic, stripped out system meant only to impart the essential points of delivering and defending against a thrust. Towards the middle of the 19th, it became increasingly pigeonholed, where it was taught primarily as a gymnastic exercise - the sabre had won out.
This gymnastic approach to the smallsword laid the groundwork for the dueling sword, classical fencing and eventually modern Olympic fencing that we all know of so well.
At least, that's the abridged and kludge-written version of it that I know.
Full Disclosure
I have no connection to anyone involved in the manufacture and distribution of this sword. As I may have mentioned at some point in the past, I cannot have bias because I am a sentient Venus flytrap. This represents my first "real" fleuret, and my only prior experience with "fencing weapons", as the term has gone, was with a #5 French-style Olympic Practice Foil.
Initial Impressions
As is usually my luck, I placed my order right when the company's team was away at a long event (something that has plagued my last two orders from Woodenswords), so it took me a few weeks to get these. Otherwise, customer service was fine. They came well packaged in cardboard and bubble wrap, and fully assembled - though the assembly was a bit hasty and the pieces weren't well aligned. It only took a short while to disassemble them and get them fixed up, however, which gave me an opportunity to inspect the tang. I think it would have shaved a bit off shipping (which, if memory serves, is calculated after your order is placed) if they used a flatter box and shipped these disassembled.
Naturally, I didn't take any photos of the unboxing process, and I appear to have no good photos of the overall swords themselves, save this one of them hanging on my wall:
I will try to get a better overall picture this weekend, since by the time I get home in the evening the light is basically shot.
The masks, by the way, are Absolute Fencing's basic HEMA / Foil and Epee Coach mask. I got these around the same time as the swords, as they were recommended due to their better performance than other masks in crush resistance.
Statistics
Give some hard data on the sword's specifications:
Blade Length: According to the site, the blade is 32" (81.28cm) long. According to my seamstress measure, it is just shy of that.
Handle Length: According to my seamstress measure, the grip is just shy of 6" (15.24cm).
Overall Length: The overall length of this training weapon is 40.25" (102.24cm).
Guard Width: The guard is not symmetrical. It measures 2.5" (6.35cm) at the widest part in the plane of the blade, and 3.25" (8.26cm) at the widest part perpendicular to the blade.
POB (Point of Balance): The point of balance for this training weapon is just about 3" (7.62cm) from the guard, according to my (much more handy) wooden ruler.
COP (Center of Percussion): The smallsword is a pointing weapon, but the theoretical POB, as determined by a pommel slap test, is 20"(50.8cm) from the guard.
Weight: According to my kitchen scale, mine weighs 1.03 pound (466g, actually, as I use grams on said scale).
Components
Well, I don't have a very good camera, and college has been robbing me blind so I can't really afford a new one. Also I'm pretty rotten at photography, due to lack of practice. Subsequently, I am sorry if the following photos are not particularly clear.
The Blade
I was given several blade options at Zen Warrior Armory. I was warned ahead of time that these ZWA Musketeer blades are quite stiff, as they are designed for SCA style events more than WMA. Subsequently they are overbuilt a bit. This shows in the slight blade bias the weapon has overall, with a 3" (7.62cm) POB. The light overall weight makes this manageable, however. While I was offered alternatives such as the Leon Paul "Steam" Epee blade, the fiance decided that the ZWA one looked better in the pictures. Additionally, we were expecting to pick up some padded jackets, plastrons and chest protectors (the same week we got these I found out college was now out of pocket for me so that's still pending).
Additionally, I wanted to introduce my failing WMA group to the smallsword to see if it generated any interest, and if it did I intended to do mixed weapon combat (smallsword vs broadsword, smallsword vs staff, smallsword vs bayonet, smallsword vs longsword, etc). That may yet happen, however, so I guess that's still a possible upside.
As I mentioned, I opted for a double wide epee blade because I wanted something that looked more like a smallsword. In period, early trainers were actual blunted smallswords (with various blades like diamond, lenticular or trifoil) as often as they were dedicated trainers with quatrifoil blades like modern foils (and often without any guard, as I'll detail later). This blade was indeed quite stiff. The very tip was simply a hammered flat, without an additional button. I think this would mount a point d'arret quite nicely.
Unfortunately, both blades came with some slight slivers shaved off. According to ZWA it isn't anything to worry about, and they certainly aren't any deeper than what I've seen on feders and other metal trainers. Otherwise, the finish was fine.
Here are some pictures of the blade:
This last image is me just bending it against a tree. That's as far as I was comfortable taking it, as at this point it felt like it wanted to spring itself out through my fingers and fly off into the woods somewhere.
The Handle
The grip is wood over leather(?). Mine is plain, while the fiance got a brass wire wrapping. The geometry of the grips is different - hers is more like an arc while mine looks very much like the one on my Olympic foil. Visually they're nice, and they have these small aluminum(?) bands that hold the wrapping in place. The wrapping isn't very tight, but I think it will do alright. I actually kind of like the arc of her grip a little better than mine, but both are alright.
I haven't done any real use with the training weapons, and unfortunately my grip has developed a bit of a looseness to it - the "tick". I'm unsure if this is caused by the pommel being too loose or if the wood around the tang has eroded a bit. When I originally disassembled them, there were some wood flakes that came out. I will try and use some washers to shim the grip tighter against the pommel and guard. An unfortunate effect of not having a symmetrical pommel is that my OCD demands it can only go one of two ways - and it's already there.
The wrapping job on mine is nice - a spiral wound strip of leather, which adds a bit of grip. Hers is straight wrapped, with kind of a noticeable seam.
Here is a pictures of her grip (you can see the seam here) - I don't have any of mine:
The Guard
We both only liked one guard - the twin snakes forming a lunette (figure 8). It's so metal. It's cast brass, and the detail is fairly low. No idea how this compares to an original. Several pictures above show the guards good enough, so I will not repeat them here. Hand protection is fairly minimal. In period, a lot of trainers (especially early on) were evidently completely without a guard, and this lunette was a compromise between the "have a guard" and "don't have a guard" camps. The theory was that having no guard means you will not learn to rely on it in combat. Smallsword style guards are functional, but in the metagame most youths seem to have them done up out of silver or other thin, soft metal so they were less reliable than in the salle.
The Pommel
I've seen these styles of pommels on period pieces before (spadroons as well as smallswords). Sometimes they're an ornate head (sometimes an old style knight's helmet), sometimes they're something a little more symmetrical, like an urn or a ball. The knight looks good, as does the crown. Casting marks, even filed down, are evident, however. Additionally, the lack of symmetry all around means my OCD demands they only go in two different directions, which limits how far they tighten down (see above). It seems that they do get nice and tight when facing a "proper" direction, though.
These are threaded pommels, of course.
Here are some pictures:
Zen has several pommel options, which you can view in this section of their website.
The Scabbard
This did not come with a scabbard. Really, I don't need one, as these are training weapons and wearing swords is illegal now in my county/state. However, for kicks I think I'll pick up one or both of these from Leon Paul USA and see if they can't work to be a functional scabbard, even if only mostly for show (such authentic, much costume, very wow). I'd have to get one of those frogs off KoA, however.
Handling Characteristics
From what I can gather, this sword has a blade bias that is unusual in smallswords. Typically they are weighted back further than these are. Though they aren't "blade heavy", they don't track as well as they could. This is because the blades are overbuilt in comparison to the hilt components. The same blade would probably have done better on their court sword or short rapier due to the increased complexity of the hilt. I actually would have gone with one of those (geometrically closer to an earlier smallsword), but I did not like the grip and shell very much. If I had opted for the traditional foil blade, a Leon Paul blade or even a basic epee blade it may have handled better. I'm planning on trying these out when I can.
Steel on steel these fleurets do pretty well, and in action I can track reasonably well enough that I feel it could be lethal hits with a point. Play has been limited, however, as school and work keep me too busy to commit to a training schedule.
The stiffness of the blade may be a problem for some, however. Certainly get a jacket. These blades kind of reduce one of the advantages the smallsword has over other WMA forms - low protection requirement. One or two hits may not be a big deal, but after a couple dozen you're sure to lose morale.
Conclusions
On the whole these are pretty good units. This is probably the best "entry level" vendor, though there are alternatives in and around the same price bracket (see below). I'd probably consider buying these again as the hilt options are pretty neat, but I wouldn't go for these blades. I probably paid $40 more for them each than I would have if I opted for a basic foil blade or gotten a basic epee blade from Absolute. These will probably hold up well and they'll perform like smallsword blades for the most part, and thus I'd imagine they'd be suitable for mixed weapon combat. At no point do I think my #5 practice foil would stand a parry without letting the opponent crash through it easier than you otherwise would be able to. These blades will definitely do the job.
Pros
- The weight seems about right.
- The blade appears to be quite resilient.
- The guard is pretty metal.
- There's room for customization.
- They disassemble without tools.
- They are period looking.
- They handle well, though not perfect.
- The price isn't bad.
Cons
- The blade is quite stiff
- The blade has a slight bias
- The fit and finish isn't as good as I'd like
- Lacks a 32" foil blade option
The Bottom Line
If you are looking to get into the smallsword, I would recommend this trainer, but with a more basic blade to start with. It fills a price niche and offers more character than a basic ambi-grip, foil-guard setup. The basic weapon is a bit over 60USD (62.75USD as of this moment), and features a 35" foil blade branded Zen Warrior (there is no 32" foil blade option there). This is likely not as flexible or light as a basic practice foil, however. You could save a few dollars by getting just the hilt components (30-35USD) and purchasing a #2 practice blade for foil (15USD at Absolute) or epee (20USD at Absolute), maybe shaving a couple bucks off and giving you a "softer" blade for more vigorous practice. But, if you are looking for something a bit more rigid, my configuration is good enough that I would recommend it if you liked the overall look. There are other, and in the opinion of more practiced folk, better options however!
Hope you liked the review!
Appendix: A Note on the Current Smallsword Trainer Market
There isn't a whole lot of choice for period-looking smallsword trainers on the market right now. The absolute cheapest one can do is about $50 for an ambidextrous grip, basic pommel, child's foil guard and a non-electric epee. A little less if you let go of the guard.
Above this model you have Benjamin Arms, starting at about 170USD for a basic French "classical" foil - late period very similar though more plain than this one. Benjamin seems to do good work and is well regarded in the Classical fencing circuit. He's got a fair number of options that could be quite "period", though nothing with pas d'anes or knucklebows I think.
There is also Darkwood Armoury, which gives you a more period look starting at 415USD. Their Spadroon model looks pretty neat, though presently out of my price range. Maybe in the future, if I and others take to the weapon (I like spadroons). I haven't heard anything about these pieces, however, so I don't know if they're worth the money. On closer inspection, the "smallsword" type appears to be off the site. It looked similar to the Spadroon if memory serves, but had a slimmer blade and cost a bit more - about 450USD. I could be overlooking it. Either way, you get a few options, and they look more like earlier real smallswords and less like later smallswords or trainers.
Smiling Fox Forge in the US also makes some attractive pieces. Their #8 looks best in my opinion, but they all have merits. Unfortunately, they appear to be perpetually out of stock. You may be able to contact them for details, however.
Najecki, which is also in the US, seems to have some hilt parts available. They actually look pretty good.
The only other source I know of in the US is Arms and Armor, who produce a single smallsword model. It looks period, and actually uses a modified double-wide from the same source as Zen Warrior Armory. Evidently they deepen the hollows of the blade to lighten it up, then attach it to their hilt - or so the legend goes. They are presently 580USD. You could probably get it customized but I imagine that would have a geometric effect on the price.
Another option is Jacob's Armoury in the UK. Jacob's a nice guy; I've chatted with him in the American Smallsword Symposium group on Facebook. He does splendid work, and recently began selling just hilt components (huzzah!) in all of his styles. His work is good and the prices reflect that - the cheapest whole weapon is a basic foil which is rather reasonably priced at about 150USD. Shipping such a thing to the US would probably be pretty monstrous, however. You could save about 50USD by opting for just the hilt, but you'd spend about 80USD here in the US getting the same blade - so unless shipping is more than $30, it's probably a wash. His other pieces are more smallsword like than that, but even the more basic ones are around 250USD without shipping, and go up over 500USD. That puts him in a competitive price bracket with the American manufacturers (for a better looking product [imo] and more options), if it weren't for shipping.
If you know more vendors, however, don't hesitate to mention!
Again, hope you enjoyed the review.
M.
EDIT 24 December 2014 to add some new makers.
