Post by Jordan Williams on Jan 23, 2018 3:48:58 GMT
Aka the destroyer of bottles.
I got this sword last week from L Driggers (fallen) after he placed a massive discount on it, and since I had always liked the styling and aesthetics of his work I picked it up.
I won't be talking about the historicity of this sword, as I know next to nothing about Celtic swords or culture, and will instead be focusing on the handling and cutting ability of the blade, as well as it's general fit and finish.
Handling
In handling the sword has a very strong blade presence, and has a very clear cutting bias. Not in a bad way though, as it can move very easily from guards to strikes and isn't a tiring sword to use.
The pommel piece acts like the disc on a tulwar, (though not as severely, it puts the arm and blade at a 45° angle) and when gripped in the hammer position butts up against the heel of your hand when swung, forcing a draw cut that uses as much of the blade as possible. In cutting it's able to cut cleanly and nearly effortlessly through bottles of frozen water, including some much heavier plastics that make a much tougher target. I imagine it'd take on tatami easily.
The grip.
The grip is rectangular with tapered ends, which makes it very easy to feel where the edge is, when performing both front edge and back edge cuts. The grip is held on by epoxy and two brass pins.
Furniture.
The two brass bolsters acting as the guard and pommel have a nice shape and are nicely polished, however the sharp edges on the top and bottom can be intrusive without gloves. I've since rounded the edges and this is no longer the case. Easy fix for what may not be a problem for everyone. Overall I like them, and they complement the blade nicely.
Blade.
The blade had a nice satin finish, with no real scratches or blemishes to note. It arrived quite sharp, even at the tip which is a rounded style.
Tip cuts with this are no joke. Striking various targets the last few inches can cut competitively with the rest of the blade. The edge wavers slightly, however in my opinion this doesn't take away from the look or feel of the blade. There are nicely formed choils near the base, and there is a prominent center ridge throughout.
Overall.
Overall it was worth much more than I payed for it, and if this is any kind
of standard for Driggers' workhorse pieces I'd love to get my hands on another one of his pieces.
Also, My apologies if this review seems somewhat scattered. Have had a busy few weeks and have a busy few months ahead
Pros - Affordable, fun, very good cutter, and a very unique piece. Handles very nicely and is light enough to not stop swinging it.
Cons - The brass parts were intrusive and could be uncomfortable when swung hard. Since corrected.
Bottom line - I'd absolutely recommend
Pics.
hilt after rounding the corners.
Rest of the images.
I got this sword last week from L Driggers (fallen) after he placed a massive discount on it, and since I had always liked the styling and aesthetics of his work I picked it up.
I won't be talking about the historicity of this sword, as I know next to nothing about Celtic swords or culture, and will instead be focusing on the handling and cutting ability of the blade, as well as it's general fit and finish.
Handling
In handling the sword has a very strong blade presence, and has a very clear cutting bias. Not in a bad way though, as it can move very easily from guards to strikes and isn't a tiring sword to use.
The pommel piece acts like the disc on a tulwar, (though not as severely, it puts the arm and blade at a 45° angle) and when gripped in the hammer position butts up against the heel of your hand when swung, forcing a draw cut that uses as much of the blade as possible. In cutting it's able to cut cleanly and nearly effortlessly through bottles of frozen water, including some much heavier plastics that make a much tougher target. I imagine it'd take on tatami easily.
The grip.
The grip is rectangular with tapered ends, which makes it very easy to feel where the edge is, when performing both front edge and back edge cuts. The grip is held on by epoxy and two brass pins.
Furniture.
The two brass bolsters acting as the guard and pommel have a nice shape and are nicely polished, however the sharp edges on the top and bottom can be intrusive without gloves. I've since rounded the edges and this is no longer the case. Easy fix for what may not be a problem for everyone. Overall I like them, and they complement the blade nicely.
Blade.
The blade had a nice satin finish, with no real scratches or blemishes to note. It arrived quite sharp, even at the tip which is a rounded style.
Tip cuts with this are no joke. Striking various targets the last few inches can cut competitively with the rest of the blade. The edge wavers slightly, however in my opinion this doesn't take away from the look or feel of the blade. There are nicely formed choils near the base, and there is a prominent center ridge throughout.
Overall.
Overall it was worth much more than I payed for it, and if this is any kind
of standard for Driggers' workhorse pieces I'd love to get my hands on another one of his pieces.
Also, My apologies if this review seems somewhat scattered. Have had a busy few weeks and have a busy few months ahead
Pros - Affordable, fun, very good cutter, and a very unique piece. Handles very nicely and is light enough to not stop swinging it.
Cons - The brass parts were intrusive and could be uncomfortable when swung hard. Since corrected.
Bottom line - I'd absolutely recommend
Pics.
hilt after rounding the corners.
Rest of the images.