Cold Steel French ANXI - Updated
Feb 1, 2015 4:50:33 GMT
Post by Afoo on Feb 1, 2015 4:50:33 GMT
Hello folks.
Recently, I found myself craving a Napoleonic ANXI sabre – something about the wickedly curved blade and the elegant brass guard got under my skin. Since I don’t have the funds to actually buy a real ANXI, I decided to look for a repro. The two main players in this field are Universal Swords with their ANXI, and Cold Steel with their “1830” sabre, which happens to look suspiciously like the ANXI.
Comparing both of them on KoA, I decided to opt for the CS offering. I am aware that CS often feature the same blades as Universal Swords, but the stats on KoA along with the pictures convinced me that this was not the case for the ANXI – the length for the CS is a bit shorter and the stated PoB is a bit more manageable. Also, the pictures show that the Universal Swords version has a longer ricasso, and has a slightly different shape. Additionally, the CS came with a nut pommel. I know some people are not a fan of this, but I do like the ability to take apart the sword for maintenance and to keep any looseness or rattling in check.
Disclaimer
I purchased this sword from KoA paying significantly more than full price due to the fact I live in Canada and our dollar is dropping faster than an overlaiden swallow, but that’s beside the point. I have no affiliation with KoA, though it would be nice if I did.
I also have no experience with French swords – both in their history and their handling. As such, my ability to judge historical accuracy will be limited. However, I believe I have enough experience with other swords to give a rough estimate as to whether the CS repro handles similarly to the original (spoiler: it doesn’t).
On a more serious note, I did have this sword blunted by the folks at KoA (an extra $7) for customs and personal safety reasons. I don’t cut with them, so having them sharp is just another way to accidentally hurt yourself.
Sword data:
EDIT: As you can see, my example differs a bit from the stats posted on Kult, being a bit heavier and with a slightly further PoB. At least there is some good distal taper to the blade. It is also significantly better balanced and weighted than the Universal Swords version, which is encouraging - at least the additional $80 I paid for the CS version wasn't for nothing!
The back end:
Elegant looking guard with the nut-pommel construction
The guard is what first drew me to this sword, so I figure that’s where I should start. It looks quite nice in the pictures, and it looks even more so in person. It also manages to give good hand protection, without being too cumbersome. The furniture is well put together with no gaps, glue or other issues in the fit and finish. One of the langets had a noticeable weld mark, but nothing minor. Curiously, the one on the opposite side is blemish free. Odd.
Weld marks on the langet
The leather wraping of the grip gives good traction, and there is a nice little tab-thing at the top for your thumb if you chose to adopt an open-handed grip...or rather, if you *can* adopt an open-handed grip
Thumb tab at the top of the backstrap. Also note the etching on the top of the blade
The grip itself is a little short, but acceptable. However, the guard intersects the pommel too high up and at too high an angle, restricting the amount of space available for your hands on the underside of the grip. This may very well be a compromise to accommodate the nut construction method, but it is still very annoying. Without gloves, I can adopt an open grip, but barely. Once I put on gloves however, its totally hopeless. I mean, you can get it to fit, but there is not much room to maneuver. Moulinettes are next to impossible, as the glove keeps getting caught by the back of the guard. Also bear in mind that I have relatively small hands compared to most people, so I cannot begin to imagine the ordeal you would face when presented with this piece. The fact that the guard meets the pommel so far up the grip also gives it a bit of a “squished” look compared to the originals.
Side view, showing the short grip and “squished” profile of the guard compared to the original. Also note the incorrect shape of the grip in general .
Open-handed grips are possible without gloves. Barely
Back of gloves (pinky) getting caught in the guard when attempting a moulette
If you adopt the hammer-grip, its workable. However, the langets start to get in the way. It also feels wrong to use a hammer grip on this sort of sword
The business end:
The blade itself is very nicely done. It is nicely curved with some waviness, though not as much as you might see on other Indian swords from Universal Swords or Windlass. The fullers have good definition, and the tip is well formed. The etching on the top of the blade looks typical of repro quality. Judging from the numbers above, it would appear that the blade has a decent amount of taper all along its length, which again lends evidence to the fact that this may not be a Universal Swords re-hash.
Look down the blade
Definition of the tip and the top of the fullers.
Handling:
Again, I have no knowledge with continental swords, and have no idea how an original ANXI should handle. However, I am sure that this is not it. It feels heavy and solid in the hand. It’s not dreadful, but it’s certainly not playful and lively. It puts me in mind of a larger cavalry sword like the US 1840/1860, or the British 1885. I would definitely say that it’s better than most repro swords, aided no doubt by the fact that it has actual distal taper, but it is not as lively as one would expect from a sword of this type.
Despite the taper, I am certain that the blade remains slightly over-built. However, I believe that the majority of the blame for the bad handling lies with that grip. Its small size robs you of confidence, and you often find yourself spending more time trying to keep your hand on the thing rather than wielding it. The smaller contact area also limits the amount of tactile feedback you get from the sword.
While the sword was blunt, I did get in some practice hits against a styrofoam target. As you would expect, the sword is vicious in the cut, no doubt aided by the extra weight. Its a bit hard to get moving, but once you get it going it tracks surprisingly well - perhaps due to the vicious curve. This puts the center of gravity is forwards of the hand, and has the effect of "pulling" your hand forwards when you cut. The blade is quite stiff, but the small grips mean that it can be easy to lose alignment after entering the target unless you really pay attention to what you are doing. In the thrust, the blade also displays good stiffness, with only a minor tendency to role around. In short, this sword is like a unicycle - it can do what you want it to, but you have really got to stay ontop of it at all times (literally and figuratively in the case of the unicycle)
Scabbard:
The solid steel scabbard is well built, though with some flaws. At the front, we have a nice throat piece with a pair of screws. However, they are completely un-necessary, since there are a a pair of white telfon-coated plastic liners which hold the sword in place. I actually like this feature, as it prevents scratches to the blade, but some people may disagree. As usual for Indian production repros, the langets have no functional use whatsoever, and do not even attempt to make contact with the scabbard at all
Base of scabbard
Opening of the scabbard, showing the Teflon washers
Pointless langets
I also found the drag at the end of the scabbard to be comically large. The entire scabbard itself seems a bit wide and over-built for the sword. It’s not by a huge margin though, so it might just be me. However, I noticed that the ANXI scabbard is suspiciously similar in size to that of the M1852 Prussian Sword Scabbard, even though the two swords are entirely different in size and design. This leads me to suspect that CS has one common “scabbard” blank which they then bend and finish to fit each of their different swords. There is nothing wrong with this practice as it makes perfect economic sense, but it may result in scabbards which are not perfectly matched to the swords with which they are shipped. While it’s not a huge deal here, we will see a more severe example of this in the M1852 sword.
Comically over-built drag
Side-by-side with the M1852 scabbard
Overall, this sword is a bit of a mixed bag. It does a nice job capturing the looks and aesthetics of an otherwise expensive and rare sword, but at the fraction of the price. The handling and bade geometry is acceptable – not quite as agile as one would expect, but not horrendous – definitely better than most repros out there. The handle is well done, but much too short and almost ruins it (unless you have small hands like me)
It should be noted that the pictures of this same sword on the Cold Steel website show a much longer grip than the one shown in KoA. As such, it is possible that the newer versions of this sword may not suffer from the same grip problems. If this is the case, I would recommend it to anyone looking for a French sabre on a budget. It’s a good mix of aesthetics and decent handling, but without the absurdly small grip. Judging from the taper, the shape, and the weight figures, this is very likely NOT a re-hash of the Universal Swords offering, so that has to be worth something
While my experience with the CS ANXI has been overall positive, I cannot actually recommend it to sabre collectors in general. The reason for this is that the ANXI, while decent, is completely over-shadowed in my mind by the M1852 Prussian Sabre (also from Cold Steel). The M1852 is altogether much livelier and much more comfortable to hold, while retaining its own unique sense of style and aesthetics. If you are going to get a repro sabre, I would recommend the 1852 instead
Pros:
- Retains aethetic character of original sword
- Reasonable price
- NOT a re-issue of the Universal Swords product
Cons:
- Small grips
- Sluggish handling (though better than the Universal Swords replica)
Bottom line: Its a a good replica for the price. Better than the Universal Swords, cheaper than the original.
Recently, I found myself craving a Napoleonic ANXI sabre – something about the wickedly curved blade and the elegant brass guard got under my skin. Since I don’t have the funds to actually buy a real ANXI, I decided to look for a repro. The two main players in this field are Universal Swords with their ANXI, and Cold Steel with their “1830” sabre, which happens to look suspiciously like the ANXI.
Comparing both of them on KoA, I decided to opt for the CS offering. I am aware that CS often feature the same blades as Universal Swords, but the stats on KoA along with the pictures convinced me that this was not the case for the ANXI – the length for the CS is a bit shorter and the stated PoB is a bit more manageable. Also, the pictures show that the Universal Swords version has a longer ricasso, and has a slightly different shape. Additionally, the CS came with a nut pommel. I know some people are not a fan of this, but I do like the ability to take apart the sword for maintenance and to keep any looseness or rattling in check.
Disclaimer
I purchased this sword from KoA paying significantly more than full price due to the fact I live in Canada and our dollar is dropping faster than an overlaiden swallow, but that’s beside the point. I have no affiliation with KoA, though it would be nice if I did.
I also have no experience with French swords – both in their history and their handling. As such, my ability to judge historical accuracy will be limited. However, I believe I have enough experience with other swords to give a rough estimate as to whether the CS repro handles similarly to the original (spoiler: it doesn’t).
On a more serious note, I did have this sword blunted by the folks at KoA (an extra $7) for customs and personal safety reasons. I don’t cut with them, so having them sharp is just another way to accidentally hurt yourself.
Sword data:
EDIT: As you can see, my example differs a bit from the stats posted on Kult, being a bit heavier and with a slightly further PoB. At least there is some good distal taper to the blade. It is also significantly better balanced and weighted than the Universal Swords version, which is encouraging - at least the additional $80 I paid for the CS version wasn't for nothing!
The back end:
Elegant looking guard with the nut-pommel construction
The guard is what first drew me to this sword, so I figure that’s where I should start. It looks quite nice in the pictures, and it looks even more so in person. It also manages to give good hand protection, without being too cumbersome. The furniture is well put together with no gaps, glue or other issues in the fit and finish. One of the langets had a noticeable weld mark, but nothing minor. Curiously, the one on the opposite side is blemish free. Odd.
Weld marks on the langet
The leather wraping of the grip gives good traction, and there is a nice little tab-thing at the top for your thumb if you chose to adopt an open-handed grip...or rather, if you *can* adopt an open-handed grip
Thumb tab at the top of the backstrap. Also note the etching on the top of the blade
The grip itself is a little short, but acceptable. However, the guard intersects the pommel too high up and at too high an angle, restricting the amount of space available for your hands on the underside of the grip. This may very well be a compromise to accommodate the nut construction method, but it is still very annoying. Without gloves, I can adopt an open grip, but barely. Once I put on gloves however, its totally hopeless. I mean, you can get it to fit, but there is not much room to maneuver. Moulinettes are next to impossible, as the glove keeps getting caught by the back of the guard. Also bear in mind that I have relatively small hands compared to most people, so I cannot begin to imagine the ordeal you would face when presented with this piece. The fact that the guard meets the pommel so far up the grip also gives it a bit of a “squished” look compared to the originals.
Side view, showing the short grip and “squished” profile of the guard compared to the original. Also note the incorrect shape of the grip in general .
Open-handed grips are possible without gloves. Barely
Back of gloves (pinky) getting caught in the guard when attempting a moulette
If you adopt the hammer-grip, its workable. However, the langets start to get in the way. It also feels wrong to use a hammer grip on this sort of sword
The business end:
The blade itself is very nicely done. It is nicely curved with some waviness, though not as much as you might see on other Indian swords from Universal Swords or Windlass. The fullers have good definition, and the tip is well formed. The etching on the top of the blade looks typical of repro quality. Judging from the numbers above, it would appear that the blade has a decent amount of taper all along its length, which again lends evidence to the fact that this may not be a Universal Swords re-hash.
Look down the blade
Definition of the tip and the top of the fullers.
Handling:
Again, I have no knowledge with continental swords, and have no idea how an original ANXI should handle. However, I am sure that this is not it. It feels heavy and solid in the hand. It’s not dreadful, but it’s certainly not playful and lively. It puts me in mind of a larger cavalry sword like the US 1840/1860, or the British 1885. I would definitely say that it’s better than most repro swords, aided no doubt by the fact that it has actual distal taper, but it is not as lively as one would expect from a sword of this type.
Despite the taper, I am certain that the blade remains slightly over-built. However, I believe that the majority of the blame for the bad handling lies with that grip. Its small size robs you of confidence, and you often find yourself spending more time trying to keep your hand on the thing rather than wielding it. The smaller contact area also limits the amount of tactile feedback you get from the sword.
While the sword was blunt, I did get in some practice hits against a styrofoam target. As you would expect, the sword is vicious in the cut, no doubt aided by the extra weight. Its a bit hard to get moving, but once you get it going it tracks surprisingly well - perhaps due to the vicious curve. This puts the center of gravity is forwards of the hand, and has the effect of "pulling" your hand forwards when you cut. The blade is quite stiff, but the small grips mean that it can be easy to lose alignment after entering the target unless you really pay attention to what you are doing. In the thrust, the blade also displays good stiffness, with only a minor tendency to role around. In short, this sword is like a unicycle - it can do what you want it to, but you have really got to stay ontop of it at all times (literally and figuratively in the case of the unicycle)
Scabbard:
The solid steel scabbard is well built, though with some flaws. At the front, we have a nice throat piece with a pair of screws. However, they are completely un-necessary, since there are a a pair of white telfon-coated plastic liners which hold the sword in place. I actually like this feature, as it prevents scratches to the blade, but some people may disagree. As usual for Indian production repros, the langets have no functional use whatsoever, and do not even attempt to make contact with the scabbard at all
Base of scabbard
Opening of the scabbard, showing the Teflon washers
Pointless langets
I also found the drag at the end of the scabbard to be comically large. The entire scabbard itself seems a bit wide and over-built for the sword. It’s not by a huge margin though, so it might just be me. However, I noticed that the ANXI scabbard is suspiciously similar in size to that of the M1852 Prussian Sword Scabbard, even though the two swords are entirely different in size and design. This leads me to suspect that CS has one common “scabbard” blank which they then bend and finish to fit each of their different swords. There is nothing wrong with this practice as it makes perfect economic sense, but it may result in scabbards which are not perfectly matched to the swords with which they are shipped. While it’s not a huge deal here, we will see a more severe example of this in the M1852 sword.
Comically over-built drag
Side-by-side with the M1852 scabbard
Overall, this sword is a bit of a mixed bag. It does a nice job capturing the looks and aesthetics of an otherwise expensive and rare sword, but at the fraction of the price. The handling and bade geometry is acceptable – not quite as agile as one would expect, but not horrendous – definitely better than most repros out there. The handle is well done, but much too short and almost ruins it (unless you have small hands like me)
It should be noted that the pictures of this same sword on the Cold Steel website show a much longer grip than the one shown in KoA. As such, it is possible that the newer versions of this sword may not suffer from the same grip problems. If this is the case, I would recommend it to anyone looking for a French sabre on a budget. It’s a good mix of aesthetics and decent handling, but without the absurdly small grip. Judging from the taper, the shape, and the weight figures, this is very likely NOT a re-hash of the Universal Swords offering, so that has to be worth something
While my experience with the CS ANXI has been overall positive, I cannot actually recommend it to sabre collectors in general. The reason for this is that the ANXI, while decent, is completely over-shadowed in my mind by the M1852 Prussian Sabre (also from Cold Steel). The M1852 is altogether much livelier and much more comfortable to hold, while retaining its own unique sense of style and aesthetics. If you are going to get a repro sabre, I would recommend the 1852 instead
Pros:
- Retains aethetic character of original sword
- Reasonable price
- NOT a re-issue of the Universal Swords product
Cons:
- Small grips
- Sluggish handling (though better than the Universal Swords replica)
Bottom line: Its a a good replica for the price. Better than the Universal Swords, cheaper than the original.