Traditional Filipino Weapons (TFW) Celtic Dress Sword Review
Feb 5, 2015 7:23:38 GMT
Post by Croccifixio on Feb 5, 2015 7:23:38 GMT
This is my first review, and so I'm very much open to criticism and suggestions (especially on the historical opinions, as I am a lawyer and not a historian by profession, and claim no expertise on the subject).
Introduction
Deep down, everyone loves swords. They just don’t know it yet. However, there are as many reasons for liking swords as there are people in the world.
Personally, I subscribe to David DelaGardelle’s philosophy, in that the sword represents some heroic aspect of the soul that seeks an absolute, that thirsts for what is good, that seeks to triumph in the fight against evil. That need is embodied by a self-contradictory object. As a weapon and tool of war, a sword’s purpose is to shed blood and ensure the threat and lethal ability of the warrior wielding it. Despite this principal function, the sword evolved into a symbol. It symbolized power over life and death, but also the grace of the technique behind its use. The science of the sword is found in death, but the art of its craftsmanship seems almost life-giving.
It also represents the epitome of what a real hobby should be: artistic, functional, fun, and pretty useless. And so began my quest.
As an initial disclosure, this is my FIRST sword, so there may be some bias. While I’ve been a sword fan all my life (from the time I was 3 and watched Sleeping Beauty), I’m 27 years old and only recently (September 2014) discovered that actual swords were still being made for a reasonable price. Thus I scrambled to find out all I could about swords, through Youtube videos of Skallagrim and Schola Gladiatora, through MyArmoury and SBG articles, through articles and blog posts from HEMA/ARMA aficionados, and ultimately, through some scholarly research with books and history journals.
Additionally, I’m a bit nationalistic, if only in the sense that I prefer buying/supporting my countrymen’s products given the chance. This led me to find traditionalfilipinoweapons.com and talk to Ron about his swords. Unfortunately I didn’t like the idea of having to pay shipping costs for swords made in my own country – there was something very silly in the thought that the sword would be sent all the way to the States, costing Ron shipping and handling, only for it to be shipped back to the Philippines where it was wholly made, and cost me shipping and handling as well.
Fortunately, lady luck smiled down on me in the form of a local sword collector-turned-gun-collector who, one Sunday, opened a stall in our subdivision’s clubhouse to sell off his massive collection of blades. Excitedly, I surveyed his collection, picked two that fell within my budget, and never looked back.
Historical overview
My first sword is loosely based on typical iron age (500 BCE) finds. My reading seems to indicate that the stylistic aspects of the blade and hilts are native to Celtic culture (possibly druidic/anthromorpic?). Some sources also state that these Celtic leaf bladed short swords inspired the Roman Gladius. In any case, they were a fierce warrior race. Allow me to quote Wikipedia’s sourced descriptions:
“The Celts were described by classical writers such as Strabo, Livy, Pausanias, and Florus as fighting like "wild beasts", and as hordes. Dionysius said that their "manner of fighting, being in large measure that of wild beasts and frenzied, was an erratic procedure, quite lacking in military science. Thus, at one moment they would raise their swords aloft and smite after the manner of wild boars, throwing the whole weight of their bodies into the blow like hewers of wood or men digging with mattocks, and again they would deliver crosswise blows aimed at no target, as if they intended to cut to pieces the entire bodies of their adversaries, protective armour and all". Such descriptions have been challenged by contemporary historians.
Polybius (2.33) indicates that the principal Celtic weapon was a long bladed sword which was used for hacking edgewise rather than stabbing. Celtic warriors are described by Polybius and Plutarch as frequently having to cease fighting in order to straighten their sword blades. This claim has been questioned by some archaeologists, who note that Noric steel, steel produced in Celtic Noricum, was famous in the Roman Empire period and was used to equip the Roman military. However, RadomirPleiner, in The Celtic Sword (1993) argues that "the metallographic evidence shows that Polybius was right up to a point", as around one third of surviving swords from the period might well have behaved as he describes.
Polybius also asserts that certain of the Celts fought naked, "The appearance of these naked warriors was a terrifying spectacle, for they were all men of splendid physique and in the prime of life." According to Livy this was also true of the Celts of Asia Minor.”
Here are some pictures I could gather online from the British Museum. The blade shape seems to be accurate, though not entirely so. Material is, of course, inaccurate as this sword is made of 5160/W2 steel instead of iron. The wood is highly inaccurate as they consist of tropical Philippine woods such as Kamagong (native Ironwood), Guijo (native Timbertree hardwood), and Molave (Tropical hardwood).
Then again, TFW is more famous in the sword and FMA community as making very good, tough, and sharp swords, without much care for historical authenticity (i.e., their old Kampilans’ grip was placed backwards, which is somewhat understandable as I’ve seen national statues get that wrong too, and their Claymore is basically an Anduril). This specific model is actually one that seems to be fully inspired by historic finds, and is therefore one of their better models. You’ll see why later.
Full Disclosure
As I’ve already said, this is my FIRST sword. Ron, while no business associate of mine, has been nothing short of great in terms of replying to my messages, and encouraging me to purchase his products. I like most of his products, and he produces great content on his website and Facebook page.
I also bought this second hand, and therefore I am not the sword’s first owner. While this will not excuse a poor blade, this fact explains some of the sword’s blemishes and my appreciation of it (since I got it cheap). This also places a new blade a bit above the price range in my head (new on KOA and TFW, it’s around $344).
Initial Impressions
No unpacking was involved as I purchased it as is in the previous owner’s stall. It was very dirty. The scabbard was dusty and had masking tape on it (with the price written on the tape). This sucked because removing the tape ruined part of the leather on the scabbard. The brass fittings on the scabbard were badly maintained. The brass guard itself had lost its lustre and looked pretty old and full of scratches. The blade itself was badly maintained, with obvious fingerprint marks, pitting, and even some specks of what I believe to be rust on both sides.
The owner said he only displayed it, and he was probably telling the truth. The blade itself had no scratches throughout its length. He had allegedly purchased it on 2012.
I paid 8000 ($177.77 @ 45 per USD) PHP for it, which is 51% of its original price. Since I didn’t spend on shipping, I felt this was a worthwhile buy.
My initial impression on handling it was mixed. On one hand, it was a beautiful sword, even if badly maintained. The blade shape was beautiful, the wood grooves on the handle was very well ground, and felt very solid. However, it seemed quite heavy to me. Since it was the first sword I had ever truly carried, I thought it was a little unwieldy in one hand. I would abandon this impression once I got used to the weapon.
Statistics
Specs in Inches:
27.875 full length
22.25 blade length
2.5 at thickest part
3.375 guard at longest part
4.25 grip
4.5 balance point (3.125 from highest point of the guard)
Weight: 1.026 kg (2.26194 lbs)
COP could not be discerned clearly due to the solidity and short length of the piece.
Components
I will let the pictures do the talking, with the caveat that this was, again, a badly maintained sword. I already sanded out the blade and parts of the guard and pommel so it isn’t as bad as when I originally purchased it.
The blade is far and away the best feature of this sword. The leaf shape is beautiful when well-done. The grinding marks were barely visible. The polish on the blade was a satin finish. Tapering, both profile and distal, shows clearly (though I could not measure it without a set of calipers). The tip is very sharp – I tested it right away on a water bottle and got it through with minimal effort. It’s also a reinforced tip, meaning the metal bulges a bit before the tip (has some niku, for the katana linguists). The edges have no noticeable secondary bevel. In fact, the blade looks to be a very well done appleseed, which is why I’ve refrained from trying to sharpen it.
Two years of neglect has done nothing to lessen the function of the edge. While it is not, strictly speaking, paper-cutting sharp (it can cut paper, but needs very good alignment to do so), water bottles as small as 150 ml and as large as 2L get clean, even cuts. One thing to note is that the rounded handle makes edge alignment extremely difficult. As with most things, practice improves performance, but the blade itself is as good as they come.
10 points for me on function, 9 on aesthetics, and 8 on historical accuracy (without considering the difference in steel composition).
The Handle
I don’t like the handle. I think the roundedness of it detracts from the blade’s ability to perform. It’s pretty enough to look at I suppose. But I’d have preferred a slight oblong shape so that alignment need not be so difficult. The finger grooves are even on all sides, and bulge at the middle. Again, while aesthetically pleasing, this does not help the grip. The hardwood also adds to the weight of the sword unnecessarily.
5 points on function, 9 on aesthetics, 5 on historical accuracy.
The Guard
The guard is hard and heavy, which is a plus for me. I’m not too sure what metal it is. From the TFW website, it appears to be brass. When I first saw it, I thought it was bronze (it was darker than the pictures), and after cleaning it up, I think it might be steel. The brass is the prettiest, but I actually prefer steel for the toughness and ruggedness. Again, 2 years of neglect seems to have led to minor imperfections, but it actually makes the sword look more authentic to me.
8 points on function, 7 points on aesthetics, 8 points on historical accuracy.
The pommel is nothing to write home about. When I bought the sword, the pommel was the ugliest part. It had pitting, some rust, and was a bit chipped. Cleaning it with sandpaper and polish has improved the pommel significantly, but I still don’t like it all that much. It serves the purpose of preventing your hand from sliding off the sword, and is heavy enough for pommel strikes. Again, not much to say about it, except that it’s the same metal as the guard, which on pictures looks like brass but might not be.
7 points on function, 5 points on aesthetics, 7 points on historical accuracy.
The Scabbard
The scabbard is very nice. Brand new, it looks very good. The black leather and brass fittings are well-matched. The chape is underrated – the design looks very good overall. The leather near the mouth of the guard has a nice design. The only problem with it is maintenance – you’d need 3 different oils to take care of the leather, the metal, and the wood, and on this sword, the neglectful maintenance was quite evident. The brass buttons on the mouth of the guard simply crumbled off when I tried to clean them. The brass was stained badly. The masking tape took off the top layer of leather and left some ugly spots (visible when up close). Otherwise, I love the scabbard. If I got it brand new, it would be one of the highlights of the entire piece. One real issue I have with the scabbard is that the sword is a bit too heavy for it, and eventually slides off when turned upside down for some time.
7 points on function, 9 points on aesthetics, 7 points on historical accuracy.
Overall average is 7.4 (111/150).
Handling Characteristics
At the beginning, I described the sword as seemingly too heavy for me. After the first week of dry handling it with one hand, I think the weight is more an initial problem than a chronic one. The combined counterweight of the guard, handle, and pommel, allows me to thrust very accurately. Since the blade is sharp and well designed, the cutting power is still there. I would have preferred it to be more blade-forward, simply to assist the cutting power of the sword, but the well-made tip would be wasted if thrusts were harder to do. Overall, I like the handling, and I think it provides a nice balance between cut and thrust. The issue with the round handle that I mentioned is resolved by practice. Since historical accounts lean towards the cut more than the thrust, I think the technique this sword prefers isn’t very historical. It lends itself more to one-on-one fighting than battle, since recovery time is sacrificed for overall versatility.
Since I’m 5’10 and a bit big, the sword looks to be a perfect short sword for me. It might be heavy for those built smaller, but perfect for those around my height and build.
Test Cutting
As I previously said, the blade cuts very well through light-heavy targets. It is barely paper-cutting sharp, and I prefer it that way to allay fears of edge rolling or chipping. Bottles are no problem, even multiple ones. The more you use it, the easier it is to get good alignment. This would have been easier with a better-shaped grip of course.
Conclusions
So, 7.4/10 on objective points. Subjectively, I give it an 8 (give or taken a half-point for first sword bias). In sum, I like the blade (most important part), don’t like the rest except the scabbard. I was disappointed, not so much in TFW, but in the care it was given. But hey, I got a huge discount! If Ron and his forge can change some things, I’d recommend making the grip more oblong, and maybe scrapping the disk pommel in favor of an anthromorphic-looking pommel. The weight could also be reduced a bit by thinning out the guard, since it serves no real defensive purpose.
Pros (Bad-Poor-Decent-Good-Great)
Great blade.
Great handling.
Good craftsmanship/detail.
Cons
Poor user-friendliness.
Poor historical accuracy.
Overall, a decent package.
The Bottom Line
This is a bit tricky. The sword sells USD $344 new. Would I recommend this sword? For its rarity, yes. Compared to other offerings of Celtic short swords? Yes. For history aficionados? No. For value-for-money? It depends. If you’re comfortable with spending USD 344 for a really good sword that looks and smells like a Celtic sword (but isn’t one), then I’d recommend it 100%. If not, then I’d still recommend it. But I’d probably tell you that there are other amazing swords at this price range.
TL DR? Buy this if you like short swords or Celtic swords. If you’re a longsword guy who wants to get into the single hand category, there are other offerings I could recommend at this price point.
“Of those who go to excess he who exceeds in fearlessness has no name (we have said previously that many states of character have no names), but he would be a sort of madman or insensible person if he feared nothing, neither earthquakes nor the waves, as they say the Celts do not; while the man who exceeds in confidence about what really is terrible is rash.” – Aristotle, Nichomachean Ethics
Addendum:
I asked Ron for permission to post his thoughts on my review for a full appreciation of the sword. Here it is:
Addendum:
I asked Ron for permission to post his thoughts on my review for a full appreciation of the sword. Here it is:
"Many people try to copy our blades. If you look closely they are different and with some obvious flaws. And, no way will they be able to blend 5160 and D2 steels and add a sodium nitrate heat treatment. That method is a TFW secret and its unique to TFW. The word is out. people want lesser they can go there and get it. ????
I read the review and there is a big flaw in what you and a few others said in there...its not historically accurate and many TFW weapons are not Traditional. Number one, many of our designs were specs taken from museums, especially the European designs. Many of the Filipino weapons were also. If the designs were not from a museum, we have many grandmasters who got involved where we got their old blades and reproduced them, gave them some Pesos for letting us take it for a while to copy it. The people who said the Celtic Dress sword is not historically accurate does not know their sword history. Many base their opinions on a picture or a sword they have. Blade makers in the past have their own subtle signature design to make sure people recognize it while still holding true to the design that is in at the time. This design was made to ring when you slash and it does if you noticed. While the review is good, the information is not on historical accuracy. that would have to be taken up with museums. Our team there in the Philippines and here in the US do a lot of research to put these together. The only modern additive on Filipino blades is the blade clip being people wear regular cloths ad not the more ancient cloths."
I read the review and there is a big flaw in what you and a few others said in there...its not historically accurate and many TFW weapons are not Traditional. Number one, many of our designs were specs taken from museums, especially the European designs. Many of the Filipino weapons were also. If the designs were not from a museum, we have many grandmasters who got involved where we got their old blades and reproduced them, gave them some Pesos for letting us take it for a while to copy it. The people who said the Celtic Dress sword is not historically accurate does not know their sword history. Many base their opinions on a picture or a sword they have. Blade makers in the past have their own subtle signature design to make sure people recognize it while still holding true to the design that is in at the time. This design was made to ring when you slash and it does if you noticed. While the review is good, the information is not on historical accuracy. that would have to be taken up with museums. Our team there in the Philippines and here in the US do a lot of research to put these together. The only modern additive on Filipino blades is the blade clip being people wear regular cloths ad not the more ancient cloths."