Sanmarc Forge maintz gladius(cutting video added!)
Feb 9, 2016 3:17:14 GMT
Post by Novice_Surgery on Feb 9, 2016 3:17:14 GMT
Historical overview:
The gladius was the mainstay weapon of the roman army and had many different blade shapes. They are primarily thrusting swords for use in formation although they also have good cutting ability. The romans were known for their brilliant battle strategy and legendary gladiators. This blade is of the "leaf" variety of gladius.
Disclaimer:
I received this sword through an exchange with Marc Sanford of swords as he had lost his favorite katana and i gave him a new one just to help a guy out; expecting nothing in return, but he saw fit to give me this labor of love in return. Im grateful for his kindness and will try and give the most honest and unbiased review that I can.
Specifications:
Blade length: 18"
Grip length: 4.5"
Overall length: 26"
Blade weight: 1.5lbs
Point of balance: 4.25"
Steel: 5160 leaf spring from old Ford pickup
Grip: black walnut guard and pommel with bone grip and copper top plate and peen block
The Blade:
The blade is hand forged and it shows, there are the remnants of hammer blows on the blade and it has a lenticular geometry with a subtle center ridge. The shape is very pleasing and the geometry displays a nicely done convex edge. Marcs makers mark is on both sides of the blade and is nicely done and blackened. The blade is not bottle cutting sharp but is definately geometrically sharp and would not need much work to be brought to a hair shaving edge. Theres some slight pitting here and there from the forging process but I find them to be pleasing to my eye and they feel historical, as the blade is made entirely in the old way of smithing, by hammering on that steel till it turns into a sword. The profile of the blade pinches in and widens again smoothly to form a nice sharp tip.
The Guard and Pommel:
The guard and pommel are both made of black walnut and are beautiful to look at, both guard and pommel are flat with a central pronounced ridge. They are stained brown and the grain of the wood is quite prominent. The copper top plate is thin with four handmade copper nails driven into the guard to affix it. The pommel is sort of apple shaped with a copper peen block and i find the copper parts to be well shaped and nicely executed, along with the natural color of the copper really accentuating the look of the sword. The peen is also well executed and the feel is solid with zero play.
The Grip:
The grip is made of bone and is circular with subtle ridges for gripping. The look of the bone is very nice. The grip is a little bit crooked when viewing the blade edge on. I find the grip to be slightly too long and slightly too circular because when your hand sweats it has a tendency to slide around on the grip a bit. The interface between the grip and the pommel does not cause discomfort when swung, but i do prefer a glove when using this sword because when ure hand sweats the grip becomes a bit slippery. Overall though, its pretty comfortable to hold.
Handling and feel:
The blade feels pretty comfortable in hand although the slight crookedness takes away from it a little bit, but Its affect on performance is negligable. The sword has a slightly forward balance and feels light but powerful in the swing, and produces a quiet sword wind when swung. Thrusts feel powerful and accurate. Although the blade is not bottle cutting sharp it is sharp enough to cut living plants pretty easily and i feel the sword is well balanced.
Closing thoughts and pros and cons:
Overall im very pleased with this sword and it feels 100 percent historically accurate and looks the part too. Being hand forged really lends itself to this swords character and makes it look and feel like its straight out of ancient times. Im really enjoying it so far, and later i will have the edge refined and test it on bottles. Im really impressed with Marcs craftsmanship and i would recommend his work to anyone looking for a sword that really looks and feels historical. I would gladly purchase another piece from Marc and Im grateful for the opportunity to own one of his swords. There was a lot of love put into this one.
Test cutting:
Wes Beem, owner of Lonelywolf forge refined the edge for me and we got to do some cutting with the sword. We had a blast and Wes was able to pull off a nice zero distance as well as a couple nice silents. I got some good cuts in as well. The sword performed well although the crooked handle did make things a bit harder. Heres the video for your enjoyment.
Pros:
- Well shaped blade with nice appleseed geometry
- Beautiful guard and pommel, nice copper accents with historically accurate bone grip
- Good balance and handling characteristics
- Nice peen and solid construction
Cons:
- Blade is not "bottle cutting" sharp
- Grip is slightly crooked
- Grip is round and makes alignment a little more difficult
- Grip is slightly too long for my tastes and becomes slippery when you sweat
Overall Id give this sword 4 out of 5 stars. Im pleased with the sword and if your looking for an old world feeling blade, look no further. Hope you enjoyed reading my review and happy swording!
The gladius was the mainstay weapon of the roman army and had many different blade shapes. They are primarily thrusting swords for use in formation although they also have good cutting ability. The romans were known for their brilliant battle strategy and legendary gladiators. This blade is of the "leaf" variety of gladius.
Disclaimer:
I received this sword through an exchange with Marc Sanford of swords as he had lost his favorite katana and i gave him a new one just to help a guy out; expecting nothing in return, but he saw fit to give me this labor of love in return. Im grateful for his kindness and will try and give the most honest and unbiased review that I can.
Specifications:
Blade length: 18"
Grip length: 4.5"
Overall length: 26"
Blade weight: 1.5lbs
Point of balance: 4.25"
Steel: 5160 leaf spring from old Ford pickup
Grip: black walnut guard and pommel with bone grip and copper top plate and peen block
The Blade:
The blade is hand forged and it shows, there are the remnants of hammer blows on the blade and it has a lenticular geometry with a subtle center ridge. The shape is very pleasing and the geometry displays a nicely done convex edge. Marcs makers mark is on both sides of the blade and is nicely done and blackened. The blade is not bottle cutting sharp but is definately geometrically sharp and would not need much work to be brought to a hair shaving edge. Theres some slight pitting here and there from the forging process but I find them to be pleasing to my eye and they feel historical, as the blade is made entirely in the old way of smithing, by hammering on that steel till it turns into a sword. The profile of the blade pinches in and widens again smoothly to form a nice sharp tip.
The Guard and Pommel:
The guard and pommel are both made of black walnut and are beautiful to look at, both guard and pommel are flat with a central pronounced ridge. They are stained brown and the grain of the wood is quite prominent. The copper top plate is thin with four handmade copper nails driven into the guard to affix it. The pommel is sort of apple shaped with a copper peen block and i find the copper parts to be well shaped and nicely executed, along with the natural color of the copper really accentuating the look of the sword. The peen is also well executed and the feel is solid with zero play.
The Grip:
The grip is made of bone and is circular with subtle ridges for gripping. The look of the bone is very nice. The grip is a little bit crooked when viewing the blade edge on. I find the grip to be slightly too long and slightly too circular because when your hand sweats it has a tendency to slide around on the grip a bit. The interface between the grip and the pommel does not cause discomfort when swung, but i do prefer a glove when using this sword because when ure hand sweats the grip becomes a bit slippery. Overall though, its pretty comfortable to hold.
Handling and feel:
The blade feels pretty comfortable in hand although the slight crookedness takes away from it a little bit, but Its affect on performance is negligable. The sword has a slightly forward balance and feels light but powerful in the swing, and produces a quiet sword wind when swung. Thrusts feel powerful and accurate. Although the blade is not bottle cutting sharp it is sharp enough to cut living plants pretty easily and i feel the sword is well balanced.
Closing thoughts and pros and cons:
Overall im very pleased with this sword and it feels 100 percent historically accurate and looks the part too. Being hand forged really lends itself to this swords character and makes it look and feel like its straight out of ancient times. Im really enjoying it so far, and later i will have the edge refined and test it on bottles. Im really impressed with Marcs craftsmanship and i would recommend his work to anyone looking for a sword that really looks and feels historical. I would gladly purchase another piece from Marc and Im grateful for the opportunity to own one of his swords. There was a lot of love put into this one.
Test cutting:
Wes Beem, owner of Lonelywolf forge refined the edge for me and we got to do some cutting with the sword. We had a blast and Wes was able to pull off a nice zero distance as well as a couple nice silents. I got some good cuts in as well. The sword performed well although the crooked handle did make things a bit harder. Heres the video for your enjoyment.
Pros:
- Well shaped blade with nice appleseed geometry
- Beautiful guard and pommel, nice copper accents with historically accurate bone grip
- Good balance and handling characteristics
- Nice peen and solid construction
Cons:
- Blade is not "bottle cutting" sharp
- Grip is slightly crooked
- Grip is round and makes alignment a little more difficult
- Grip is slightly too long for my tastes and becomes slippery when you sweat
Overall Id give this sword 4 out of 5 stars. Im pleased with the sword and if your looking for an old world feeling blade, look no further. Hope you enjoyed reading my review and happy swording!