Hanwei Henry V sword - first review
Jan 11, 2015 20:35:10 GMT
Post by Afoo on Jan 11, 2015 20:35:10 GMT
Hello folks.
I am a bit of a newcomer to the forum, having only been here a few months. During that time, I have benefited immensely from the wealth of knowledge available, and would like to contribute something back in the form of this humble review. As some of you know, I mostly live in the world of sabres and early modern swords. However, I decided that I would like to have a token medieval sword in my collection. Space limitations had me looking for a short arming sword, and price limitations had me debating between the Hanwei Henry V or the Windlas Oakeshott XIV. Literally the same week I started shopping around, another forum member posted an ad for a second hand Hanwei Henry V, which I was lucky enough to snag for a reasonable price.
Affiliations:
I am in no way affiliated with Hanwei. As mentioned above, the sword was purchased second hand from another sbg member. As mentioned above, I have only a moderate amount of experience with Western military sabres, and even less with medieval swords, so please bear with me :P
Sword data:
The blade:
The blade is what really makes the sword stand out in my eyes. The shape itself is quite basic – with a diamond profile narrowing into a nice stiff point perfect for thrusting into gaps in armour. However, the hollow-ground edges subtle curvature give it a sense of elegance. When put next to the Windlass Oakeshott XIV or the Hanwei Agincourt sword, the Henry V looks slim and stylish.
The manufacturing quality on the blade is better than expected for this price range – no signs of waviness or hammer marks, unlike some WEI or Windlass examples. Furthermore, the detail on the edges as well as the central ridge is sharp and well defined.
Blade is straight and true, with no noticeable waviness or undulations
Crisp detail on the central ridge as well as the edge. Hollow ground profile is smooth and consistent. Secondary bevel is present, but acceptable
As mentioned in a previous review, the blade features a noticeable ricasso at its base. While ahistorical, I actually like this feature as it allows me to finger the ricasso easier. I know it’s not the correct way to handle this type of sword, but as a rapier and sabre person, it just feels wrong not to, especially when presented with such an amble guard.
Rectangular ricasso at the base of the blade
For this price range, I was expecting a decently sized gap between the blade and the guard. This is not the case here – perhaps Hanwei has better manufacturing tolerances than its Indian competition, or perhaps the large ricasso actually forms an overhang which hides any gap which may be present. Upon closer inspection, the blade is not quite aligned with the center of the guard, resulting in a small gap to one side. This is not something which would bother me, but worth mentioning in a review.
Small gap between blade and guard. This gap is not present on the other side of the blade
However, the fit between the blade and the guard is generally very good - especially compared with the Windlass equivalent (Windlass Oakeshott XIV shown for comparison). Also note the huge stitches on the Windlass
The back end:
The guard has a gentle upturned curve to it. I have heard its not accurate, but it does look nice. Its large and solidly built, but does not get in the way.
Crossguard is smooth with rounded edges.
The handle is well done for the price range. There is a visible seem with some glue exposed, but it is flat and unobtrusive, and is really quite good for the price range. The lack of stitching helps keep this region looking nice and neat, though possibly at the cost of reducing the longevity of the leather wrap. The round pommel came with quite a few scratch marks left over from the machining process (may be difficult to see, but it’s clear as day when viewing in person). The peen is also a bit messy, with hammer marks to the surrounding pommel. Again, these are small things which do not detract from the overall sword, but are worth mentioning in a review.
Seem on the fake leather wrapping. Flat and unobtrusive. Also note the good fit between the various steel and fake leather components.
Pommel showing marks left over from the manufacturing process
Peen, showing hammer marks
When held in the hand, the grip is comfortable, with ample space both above and below. The round pommel doesn’t get in the way at all, while the fake leather wrapping provides good grip.
Handle is comfortable for open and closed handed grips. Ample room left over for people with large hands.
Handling:
I am not a test cutter, so I cannot make any comments about the cutting performance of this sword. I will say that the sword did come sharp with the usual secondary bevel. The sharpening looks good – very smooth and consistent. I do plan on dulling it down for safety reasons though.
Dry handling the sword, I found it extremely fun to play around with – it’s like a small dog – very excitable and eager to play! The previous review indicated that the sword is heavier than historically accurate, and the numbers from KoA seem to support this. However, the close PoB and stout blade mitigates that to a large degree, making it feel lighter than its 2.8 pounds. Its also possible that my example was just particularly light; a conclusion also supported by the stats table. Whatever the reason, the Henry V is definitely more lively than some of my sabres, and those are lighter by a good 0.25-0.5 lb! As a caveat, it is entirely possible that, while the Hanwei is a good handler, the equivalent blades from A&A or Albion are even better - a possibility which I cannot attest to personally.
While I have not cut with this blade, edge alignment does not appear to be an issue while dry-cutting. Overall, I found the blade to be very communicative – easy to determine where blade is pointing and what it’s doing during a cut. This is true regardless of whether I finger the ricasso or grip it properly behind the guard.
Scabbard: This is paradoxically the best and worst part of the sword. The scabbard itself is very well built – a solid wood core with a fake leather wrapping. The metal furniture is also well done, crisp with sharp detail. Everything lines up and is solidly attached. There is a small seem in the fake leather with some glue showing, but very minimal, especially given the price. It even comes with two support rings held on by synthetic rubber straps. These straps are easy to remove, facilitating customization if desired. Again, everything is solidly built and generally well made.
Opening of scabbard, showing the wood liner. A bit crude, but at least its wood!
Steel fittings and suspension rings. Everything fits nice and neat with no gaps or misalignment
Steel drag on bottom of the scabbard. Everything fits nice and neat without even the slightest gap or misalignment
When we examine the inside of the scabbard, we can determine the true reason behind the ricasso on the blade. The inside of the scabbard is perfectly rectangular. This allows it to grip the ricasso and hold the sword in place. This system work well enough. However, the scabbard cavity retains this rectangular profile for its entire length. This means that it fails to even make contact with the blade beyond the ricasso. This means that the sword is completely unsupported for most of its length, and rattles around inside the scabbard. I am not sure if this is common for medieval swords, but I suspect not.
Scabbard grips sword by ricasso, leaving the rest of the blade unsupported
Lastly, the steep transition angle between the sword blade and the ricasso keeps catching on the opening of the scabbard, causing bits of wood to come off every now and then. This causes debris to appear on the sword every time you draw it out. It also probably doesn’t do wonders for the longevity of the scabbard.
Sharp angles on the ricasso catch on the throat of the scabbard, eroding the wood liner and causing black stuff to appear on the blade.
Overall, the sword is extremely well made for the price point. I was particularly impressed by the build quality and sharp details. What few issues I can find are relatively minor, and do not detract too much from the sword, especially given its price point. At $180 new from Kult, its a pretty good buy. Even at $240 I would not be disappointed.
At the end of the day, it’s a perfect sword for someone who is just dabbling in the field – someone who is looking for something that is elegant, nice to look at and with basic functionality which they can swing around occasionally, and who is not concerned with historical accuracy.
The Hanwei would also make a good starter sword in terms of price and quality. However, being the sentimental fellow I am, my general belief is that that you will always remember your first sword. It may not be perfect, but you definitely want it to be able to hold a candle to your subsequent acquisitions. Can the Hanwei manage that? Will you be able to take it out 10 years down the line and still enjoy it? Will that even matter or am I just being over-sentimental? That will have to be something you determine for yourself.
Pros:
- Good value for money
- Extremely good build quality - similar to what you may find on swords in the $250-300 range
- Actually wood core scabbard!
- Great handling, comfortable grips
Cons:
- Historical inaccuracy, particularly with regards to the ricasso
- Sword rattles a bit in scabbard
- Minor finish issues
- Design perhaps a bit too simple and straightforwards for some.
I am a bit of a newcomer to the forum, having only been here a few months. During that time, I have benefited immensely from the wealth of knowledge available, and would like to contribute something back in the form of this humble review. As some of you know, I mostly live in the world of sabres and early modern swords. However, I decided that I would like to have a token medieval sword in my collection. Space limitations had me looking for a short arming sword, and price limitations had me debating between the Hanwei Henry V or the Windlas Oakeshott XIV. Literally the same week I started shopping around, another forum member posted an ad for a second hand Hanwei Henry V, which I was lucky enough to snag for a reasonable price.
Affiliations:
I am in no way affiliated with Hanwei. As mentioned above, the sword was purchased second hand from another sbg member. As mentioned above, I have only a moderate amount of experience with Western military sabres, and even less with medieval swords, so please bear with me :P
Sword data:
The blade:
The blade is what really makes the sword stand out in my eyes. The shape itself is quite basic – with a diamond profile narrowing into a nice stiff point perfect for thrusting into gaps in armour. However, the hollow-ground edges subtle curvature give it a sense of elegance. When put next to the Windlass Oakeshott XIV or the Hanwei Agincourt sword, the Henry V looks slim and stylish.
The manufacturing quality on the blade is better than expected for this price range – no signs of waviness or hammer marks, unlike some WEI or Windlass examples. Furthermore, the detail on the edges as well as the central ridge is sharp and well defined.
Blade is straight and true, with no noticeable waviness or undulations
Crisp detail on the central ridge as well as the edge. Hollow ground profile is smooth and consistent. Secondary bevel is present, but acceptable
As mentioned in a previous review, the blade features a noticeable ricasso at its base. While ahistorical, I actually like this feature as it allows me to finger the ricasso easier. I know it’s not the correct way to handle this type of sword, but as a rapier and sabre person, it just feels wrong not to, especially when presented with such an amble guard.
Rectangular ricasso at the base of the blade
For this price range, I was expecting a decently sized gap between the blade and the guard. This is not the case here – perhaps Hanwei has better manufacturing tolerances than its Indian competition, or perhaps the large ricasso actually forms an overhang which hides any gap which may be present. Upon closer inspection, the blade is not quite aligned with the center of the guard, resulting in a small gap to one side. This is not something which would bother me, but worth mentioning in a review.
Small gap between blade and guard. This gap is not present on the other side of the blade
However, the fit between the blade and the guard is generally very good - especially compared with the Windlass equivalent (Windlass Oakeshott XIV shown for comparison). Also note the huge stitches on the Windlass
The back end:
The guard has a gentle upturned curve to it. I have heard its not accurate, but it does look nice. Its large and solidly built, but does not get in the way.
Crossguard is smooth with rounded edges.
The handle is well done for the price range. There is a visible seem with some glue exposed, but it is flat and unobtrusive, and is really quite good for the price range. The lack of stitching helps keep this region looking nice and neat, though possibly at the cost of reducing the longevity of the leather wrap. The round pommel came with quite a few scratch marks left over from the machining process (may be difficult to see, but it’s clear as day when viewing in person). The peen is also a bit messy, with hammer marks to the surrounding pommel. Again, these are small things which do not detract from the overall sword, but are worth mentioning in a review.
Seem on the fake leather wrapping. Flat and unobtrusive. Also note the good fit between the various steel and fake leather components.
Pommel showing marks left over from the manufacturing process
Peen, showing hammer marks
When held in the hand, the grip is comfortable, with ample space both above and below. The round pommel doesn’t get in the way at all, while the fake leather wrapping provides good grip.
Handle is comfortable for open and closed handed grips. Ample room left over for people with large hands.
Handling:
I am not a test cutter, so I cannot make any comments about the cutting performance of this sword. I will say that the sword did come sharp with the usual secondary bevel. The sharpening looks good – very smooth and consistent. I do plan on dulling it down for safety reasons though.
Dry handling the sword, I found it extremely fun to play around with – it’s like a small dog – very excitable and eager to play! The previous review indicated that the sword is heavier than historically accurate, and the numbers from KoA seem to support this. However, the close PoB and stout blade mitigates that to a large degree, making it feel lighter than its 2.8 pounds. Its also possible that my example was just particularly light; a conclusion also supported by the stats table. Whatever the reason, the Henry V is definitely more lively than some of my sabres, and those are lighter by a good 0.25-0.5 lb! As a caveat, it is entirely possible that, while the Hanwei is a good handler, the equivalent blades from A&A or Albion are even better - a possibility which I cannot attest to personally.
While I have not cut with this blade, edge alignment does not appear to be an issue while dry-cutting. Overall, I found the blade to be very communicative – easy to determine where blade is pointing and what it’s doing during a cut. This is true regardless of whether I finger the ricasso or grip it properly behind the guard.
Scabbard: This is paradoxically the best and worst part of the sword. The scabbard itself is very well built – a solid wood core with a fake leather wrapping. The metal furniture is also well done, crisp with sharp detail. Everything lines up and is solidly attached. There is a small seem in the fake leather with some glue showing, but very minimal, especially given the price. It even comes with two support rings held on by synthetic rubber straps. These straps are easy to remove, facilitating customization if desired. Again, everything is solidly built and generally well made.
Opening of scabbard, showing the wood liner. A bit crude, but at least its wood!
Steel fittings and suspension rings. Everything fits nice and neat with no gaps or misalignment
Steel drag on bottom of the scabbard. Everything fits nice and neat without even the slightest gap or misalignment
When we examine the inside of the scabbard, we can determine the true reason behind the ricasso on the blade. The inside of the scabbard is perfectly rectangular. This allows it to grip the ricasso and hold the sword in place. This system work well enough. However, the scabbard cavity retains this rectangular profile for its entire length. This means that it fails to even make contact with the blade beyond the ricasso. This means that the sword is completely unsupported for most of its length, and rattles around inside the scabbard. I am not sure if this is common for medieval swords, but I suspect not.
Scabbard grips sword by ricasso, leaving the rest of the blade unsupported
Lastly, the steep transition angle between the sword blade and the ricasso keeps catching on the opening of the scabbard, causing bits of wood to come off every now and then. This causes debris to appear on the sword every time you draw it out. It also probably doesn’t do wonders for the longevity of the scabbard.
Sharp angles on the ricasso catch on the throat of the scabbard, eroding the wood liner and causing black stuff to appear on the blade.
Overall, the sword is extremely well made for the price point. I was particularly impressed by the build quality and sharp details. What few issues I can find are relatively minor, and do not detract too much from the sword, especially given its price point. At $180 new from Kult, its a pretty good buy. Even at $240 I would not be disappointed.
At the end of the day, it’s a perfect sword for someone who is just dabbling in the field – someone who is looking for something that is elegant, nice to look at and with basic functionality which they can swing around occasionally, and who is not concerned with historical accuracy.
The Hanwei would also make a good starter sword in terms of price and quality. However, being the sentimental fellow I am, my general belief is that that you will always remember your first sword. It may not be perfect, but you definitely want it to be able to hold a candle to your subsequent acquisitions. Can the Hanwei manage that? Will you be able to take it out 10 years down the line and still enjoy it? Will that even matter or am I just being over-sentimental? That will have to be something you determine for yourself.
Pros:
- Good value for money
- Extremely good build quality - similar to what you may find on swords in the $250-300 range
- Actually wood core scabbard!
- Great handling, comfortable grips
Cons:
- Historical inaccuracy, particularly with regards to the ricasso
- Sword rattles a bit in scabbard
- Minor finish issues
- Design perhaps a bit too simple and straightforwards for some.
