Custom H/T Longsword by The Printed Armoury
May 8, 2016 17:15:12 GMT
Post by Aikidoka on May 8, 2016 17:15:12 GMT
Custom Hanwei/Tinker Longsword by The Printed Armoury
Introduction
As many of you know, Mike Jia from The Printed Armoury has been working on designs for custom hilts for Hanwei Tinker bare blades for a couple of years. In October of last year, the Viscount hilt set was announced. I was very impressed by the design. So, when prototypes of this sword were offered for sale earlier this year, I placed an order. These prototypes would have their leather grips done by Steve Huerta, and then would be assembled and sharpened by Wes Beem of Lonely Wolf Forge. I actually chose a prototype with the Viscount guard paired with the Zurich pommel, thinking they would look good together. I chose a dark red color for the leather.
Full Disclosure
I have no affiliation with The Printed Armoury, Steven Huerta Custom Leather Works or Lonely Wolf Forge. I purchased this sword with my own money.
Initial Impressions
My first thought after unboxing this sword was that it is very impressive. The hilt components are striking. The leather grip is beautifully done and feels great in the hand. But perhaps the biggest thing that I noticed when first handling the sword is how light and agile it feels. This longsword is very easily wielded in one hand.
Statistics
Blade Length: 35"
Grip Length: 8.5"
Overall Length: 47"
Guard Width: 8.5"
POB (Point of Balance): 4.25"
COP (Center of Percussion):
Weight: 2 lbs 9 oz
Components
The Blade
The H/T Longsword blade looks well executed (straight lines, centered fuller). I ordered the sword unsharpened, since I like to put my own edge on my swords.
The Hilt
The grip is a good shape and size for my large hands. It is wide and thin. The grip on my Christian Fletcher Borderwatch has a similar overall shape, but is considerably smaller. The pommel is attached with a hex nut and the entire hilt feels very solid.
The stainless steel hilt components have what I think Mike Jia referred to as an "orange peel" texture. As I understand it, these guards and pommels are now available with a shiny finish. But as I mentioned above, I find these pieces very appealing as they are. The fit of the guard and pommel are about the same as the Hanwei hilt pieces, which is to say they aren't tightly fitted to the tang. I made a simple modification for the pommel that I had used on previous H/T swords. I cut a length of nylon zip tie that filled in the gap on either side of the tang. The fit was so tight that I had to tap the pommel into place. I then put blue Loctite on the threads and cranked down on the hex nut. The blade now rings pretty loudly.
The grip core is made of printed ABS plastic, which should be very durable. The leather is very comfortable. The grip shape feels comfortable with a one or two handed grip.
Handling Characteristics
This sword feels very lively in the hand. As stated above, it weighs only 2 lbs 9 oz, which is a half pound less than my Borderwatch.
Test Cutting
I spent some time sharpening the blade this week and finally got around to doing some cutting this afternoon. It cuts well. The light weight will take some getting used to, but it has no trouble cutting a tatami mat.
Conclusions
Pros:
- Beautiful guard, pommel and leather grip
- Light and nimble longsword
- Hex nut assembly for easy maintenance
Cons:
- Non-traditional hilt assembly may not appeal to some people
- Hilt components aren't tightly fitted to the tang
Bottom Line:
I'm happy with this sword. For $275 plus shipping, I think it is a lot of sword for the money. I look forward to future offerings from this company. I know at least one other member of our sword club (Phoenix Society) who has ordered a blade (H/T Bastard) with a hilt set and grip from Printed Armoury, so the word is getting out
Introduction
As many of you know, Mike Jia from The Printed Armoury has been working on designs for custom hilts for Hanwei Tinker bare blades for a couple of years. In October of last year, the Viscount hilt set was announced. I was very impressed by the design. So, when prototypes of this sword were offered for sale earlier this year, I placed an order. These prototypes would have their leather grips done by Steve Huerta, and then would be assembled and sharpened by Wes Beem of Lonely Wolf Forge. I actually chose a prototype with the Viscount guard paired with the Zurich pommel, thinking they would look good together. I chose a dark red color for the leather.
Full Disclosure
I have no affiliation with The Printed Armoury, Steven Huerta Custom Leather Works or Lonely Wolf Forge. I purchased this sword with my own money.
Initial Impressions
My first thought after unboxing this sword was that it is very impressive. The hilt components are striking. The leather grip is beautifully done and feels great in the hand. But perhaps the biggest thing that I noticed when first handling the sword is how light and agile it feels. This longsword is very easily wielded in one hand.
Statistics
Blade Length: 35"
Grip Length: 8.5"
Overall Length: 47"
Guard Width: 8.5"
POB (Point of Balance): 4.25"
COP (Center of Percussion):
Weight: 2 lbs 9 oz
Components
The Blade
The H/T Longsword blade looks well executed (straight lines, centered fuller). I ordered the sword unsharpened, since I like to put my own edge on my swords.
The Hilt
The grip is a good shape and size for my large hands. It is wide and thin. The grip on my Christian Fletcher Borderwatch has a similar overall shape, but is considerably smaller. The pommel is attached with a hex nut and the entire hilt feels very solid.
The stainless steel hilt components have what I think Mike Jia referred to as an "orange peel" texture. As I understand it, these guards and pommels are now available with a shiny finish. But as I mentioned above, I find these pieces very appealing as they are. The fit of the guard and pommel are about the same as the Hanwei hilt pieces, which is to say they aren't tightly fitted to the tang. I made a simple modification for the pommel that I had used on previous H/T swords. I cut a length of nylon zip tie that filled in the gap on either side of the tang. The fit was so tight that I had to tap the pommel into place. I then put blue Loctite on the threads and cranked down on the hex nut. The blade now rings pretty loudly.
The grip core is made of printed ABS plastic, which should be very durable. The leather is very comfortable. The grip shape feels comfortable with a one or two handed grip.
Handling Characteristics
This sword feels very lively in the hand. As stated above, it weighs only 2 lbs 9 oz, which is a half pound less than my Borderwatch.
Test Cutting
I spent some time sharpening the blade this week and finally got around to doing some cutting this afternoon. It cuts well. The light weight will take some getting used to, but it has no trouble cutting a tatami mat.
Conclusions
Pros:
- Beautiful guard, pommel and leather grip
- Light and nimble longsword
- Hex nut assembly for easy maintenance
Cons:
- Non-traditional hilt assembly may not appeal to some people
- Hilt components aren't tightly fitted to the tang
Bottom Line:
I'm happy with this sword. For $275 plus shipping, I think it is a lot of sword for the money. I look forward to future offerings from this company. I know at least one other member of our sword club (Phoenix Society) who has ordered a blade (H/T Bastard) with a hilt set and grip from Printed Armoury, so the word is getting out