DSA 5 Lobed Viking
May 13, 2015 3:04:08 GMT
Post by medievalgeke on May 13, 2015 3:04:08 GMT
Introduction
Hello all, first time reviewer here.
I am not much of a collector, this was the third sword I have purchased in nearly twenty years. I decided I wanted a stout capable cutter with reasonable historic lines for demonstration use with a Viking Living History group that I have recently joined. My old Del Tin 2100 is a a beast of a blade and feels overly long even for my height. I decided on the DSA 5 Lobe viking and ordered it directly from DSA's web site.
Historical overview
The sword is described as being from "The British Museum in London.
800-950 AD." and then later in the description "The type 4 blade, found from the mid-tenth century through the mid-eleventh century, features a slight taper and a fuller which extends the blade’s full length. We carefully crafted this Viking medieval sword to reflect the Norse cultural and artistic heritage."
It is definitely evocative of many of the lobed blades seen in Ian Pierce's 'Swords of the Viking Age'.
I found the proportions and visual balance of the sword to be appealing.
Full Disclosure
I have no affiliation with DSA, this board or any of its under writers, supporters or sponsors.
Initial Impressions
I ordered the sword at the end of January and was immediately billed for it. It was unclear from the website that the sword was not an in stock item so I sent a request for information about two weeks after I was billed for it. Several days later I received a response from Eyal stating that the sword was being completed would be shipped by the end of the week and a tracking number would be sent as soon as it was picked up by the shipping company. I was very excited. The end of the week came and went and then I got busy and several more weeks went by with no delivery.
I sent another email asking for an update.
Several days went by and a response came back that the sword would be sent the next Monday or Tuesday. And a tracking number sent.
Three more weeks went by without any delivery. Kult of Athena listed the sword I had purchased as in stock. I was perturbed. I sent another email asking for my sword or my money back. Four days later I received a reply that the sword would be sent the following day and I did in fact receive a tracking number and shortly there after the sword.
It was I thought well packaged, being shrink wrapped to its scabbard and well suspended in its box.
Unwrapping it and dry handling it I was very impressed by its overall presence. I felt the pommel was a bit small, it could be thicker and balance the blade more. As it is the POB is about 7.5" out and the sword definitely felt blade heavy. It was however not overly unwieldy and handled reasonably well. It was certainly far livelier than my Del Tin 2100. I was fairly pleased.
Then I looked down the edge.
And had one of those 'You have got to be kidding me' moments.
At first glance one edge appeared to be ground with a pronounced sway back. But on further examination it appeared that there was a cork screw twist in the blade causing the pommel to not line up with the guard and the tang to be significantly out of line with the blade and one bevel to twist from the ricasso out to the tip.
Additionally the guard was significantly asymmetrical.
On the plus side the sword was nicely polished.
I contacted Darksword and expressed my disappointment with the piece I received.
Eyal invited me to send the sword back to them which I did on April 18th.
So now there is more waiting.
Statistics
Courtesy of KoA
Overall Length: 36 1/4'' Blade: 30 1/4''
Weight: 2.9 lbs?
Edge: Moderately Sharp
P.O.B.: 7 5/8''
Thickness: 5.6 mm - 4.2 mm
Width: 55 mm
Grip Length: 4''
Pommel: Peened
The sword arrived moderately sharp, an hour with an Arkansas stone and it would shave.
Conclusions
I cannot make any definitive conclusions at this time.
I will follow up with further observations when I get my sword back.
Hello all, first time reviewer here.
I am not much of a collector, this was the third sword I have purchased in nearly twenty years. I decided I wanted a stout capable cutter with reasonable historic lines for demonstration use with a Viking Living History group that I have recently joined. My old Del Tin 2100 is a a beast of a blade and feels overly long even for my height. I decided on the DSA 5 Lobe viking and ordered it directly from DSA's web site.
Historical overview
The sword is described as being from "The British Museum in London.
800-950 AD." and then later in the description "The type 4 blade, found from the mid-tenth century through the mid-eleventh century, features a slight taper and a fuller which extends the blade’s full length. We carefully crafted this Viking medieval sword to reflect the Norse cultural and artistic heritage."
It is definitely evocative of many of the lobed blades seen in Ian Pierce's 'Swords of the Viking Age'.
I found the proportions and visual balance of the sword to be appealing.
Full Disclosure
I have no affiliation with DSA, this board or any of its under writers, supporters or sponsors.
Initial Impressions
I ordered the sword at the end of January and was immediately billed for it. It was unclear from the website that the sword was not an in stock item so I sent a request for information about two weeks after I was billed for it. Several days later I received a response from Eyal stating that the sword was being completed would be shipped by the end of the week and a tracking number would be sent as soon as it was picked up by the shipping company. I was very excited. The end of the week came and went and then I got busy and several more weeks went by with no delivery.
I sent another email asking for an update.
Several days went by and a response came back that the sword would be sent the next Monday or Tuesday. And a tracking number sent.
Three more weeks went by without any delivery. Kult of Athena listed the sword I had purchased as in stock. I was perturbed. I sent another email asking for my sword or my money back. Four days later I received a reply that the sword would be sent the following day and I did in fact receive a tracking number and shortly there after the sword.
It was I thought well packaged, being shrink wrapped to its scabbard and well suspended in its box.
Unwrapping it and dry handling it I was very impressed by its overall presence. I felt the pommel was a bit small, it could be thicker and balance the blade more. As it is the POB is about 7.5" out and the sword definitely felt blade heavy. It was however not overly unwieldy and handled reasonably well. It was certainly far livelier than my Del Tin 2100. I was fairly pleased.
Then I looked down the edge.
And had one of those 'You have got to be kidding me' moments.
At first glance one edge appeared to be ground with a pronounced sway back. But on further examination it appeared that there was a cork screw twist in the blade causing the pommel to not line up with the guard and the tang to be significantly out of line with the blade and one bevel to twist from the ricasso out to the tip.
Additionally the guard was significantly asymmetrical.
On the plus side the sword was nicely polished.
I contacted Darksword and expressed my disappointment with the piece I received.
Eyal invited me to send the sword back to them which I did on April 18th.
So now there is more waiting.
Statistics
Courtesy of KoA
Overall Length: 36 1/4'' Blade: 30 1/4''
Weight: 2.9 lbs?
Edge: Moderately Sharp
P.O.B.: 7 5/8''
Thickness: 5.6 mm - 4.2 mm
Width: 55 mm
Grip Length: 4''
Pommel: Peened
The sword arrived moderately sharp, an hour with an Arkansas stone and it would shave.
Conclusions
I cannot make any definitive conclusions at this time.
I will follow up with further observations when I get my sword back.