L Guard Szabla by Paladin Forge
Feb 18, 2018 1:21:22 GMT
Post by elbrittania39 on Feb 18, 2018 1:21:22 GMT
L Guard Szabla by Paladin Forge
Introduction
The Polish saber (or Szabla) had long been a weapon I'd fawned over. I saw it as the bridge between the swords of the renaissance and the modern age, playing an essential role in developing what we consider to be a cavalry saber. However, much of the sword market did not seem to agree with me, as Polish sabers are few and far between. That's why I ended up exploring the custom market instead and wound up on www.paladinforge.com/ Alan's work appeared to be competent and sturdy, and most important to a college student like me: affordable. After some discussion with Alan on designs and pricing, we settled on $150 plus shipping for the grip, guard, and pommel, while I would supply a blade for mounting. Alan explained he does not currently have the tools to make blades longer than 15 inches. I had a spare Universal Swords American Revolutionary War Sword blade and sheath that I shipped to Alan in mid December. I received the finish product one week ago giving a total turn around time including shipping of almost exactly 2 months.
Full Disclosure
I am not affiliated with Alan or Paladin Forge in any way shape or form. My first time interacting with him was asking him about pricing and designs for commission. As far as my history with collecting swords has gone, I started just about 7 months ago, and since then, I have cycled through 8 different sabers (6 reproductions and 2 antiques) including this one. I've also always been a history enthusiast, but far from an expert or authority on the subject. So when I talk about swords and their history throughout this piece, please bear in mind that I am still a relative novice to this community.
Historical Overview
The Szabla originated from the sabers of Hungary which gained popularity from the 16th century onward. These swords went through several drastically different iterations of the next two centuries, including cross guards without knuckle bows, chain guards, L guards, curved unconnected knuckle bows, and finally the curved connected knuckle bows that persisted well into the modern age of saber.
By far the most distinct historical event associated with the use of the Szabla was the Battle of Vienna, September 12th 1683. Up until this date, the Ottoman Empire had been laying siege to the Habsburg city of Vienna, and its defenders were rapidly dwindling in strength and numbers. However, the fall of the city was averted by the arrival of a large relief army, led by the John III Sobieski, King of Poland. Led by the King himself and the famed Polish Winged Hussars, the relief army staged the largest cavalry charge in all of history, with 18,000 mounted cavalry smashing the Ottoman army. The Siege was lifted in a matter of hours, and the Ottoman Empire would never again recover the strength to threaten Western Christendom.
Statistics
Weight: I don't have a scale, but I would estimate at 2.4 Pounds
Overall Length: 38.5 Inches
Blade Length: 34 Inches
P.o.B.: 7 Inches
Blade Width: 1 1/4 Inches
Blade Thickness: 5.2 mm - 2.5 mm
Components
I'll be speaking very little about the blade since all Alan did was mount and sharpen it. Suffice it to say, its about what you hope for when you buy a sword under $200. Its well formed and finished with a slight distal taper. Unfortunately, the fullers are shallow to the point of being cosmetic more than functional and has disappointing edge retention, being made of 1055 steel. It seems sturdy enough however, I hacked into a tree stump with a poorly aimed cut and could find no damage or edge rolling to speak of.
For the pommel, I chose a "hawks beak shape" since I wanted a shape to compliment wrist cuts. The pommel turned out perfect, more or less a photo copy of what I asked for. The assembly was done with a recessed hex nut, since I dont trust a Universal blade to last forever and I want to change it out if a failure does occur.
The guard was my biggest reason for pursuing a custom commission. L guards are my favorite style of Szabla and there are none to speak of on the market. This came out very nice, with a good satin polish and some nice decorations on the knucklebow and rear guard. The thumbring is also very well formed, and wide enough to accommodate a digit comfortably without restricting movement or causing discomfort. The langets were symmetrical, and slots were cut into the blades original sheath so the sword could still be accommodated.
The grip is not up to the same quality as the guard and pommel. The shape and length are very nice. I definitely appreciate Alan taking my request for a short grip seriously since I have small hands and most saber guards I've tried have way too much room. The grip length is perfect for me with gloves if you look above, allowing me to use the thumbring and pommel simultaneously for leverage without being cramped. However, the leather wrapping is poorly finished. It juts out a bit at the corners an has an obvious seam. At the very least the seam is at the front, behind the knucklebow so it isnt terribly conspicuous. What is more conspicuous is the space between the grip and langet on one side of the blade. This does not appear to be a structural problem as the guard stayed on rock solid even after test cutting, but its still an eyesore on an otherwise attractive piece.
The sword handles quite well given the specs of the blade. While you're never gonna be able to move a 7 inch pob, moderately tapered reproduction saber like you would an Albion or an antique, this is far from a grievous example. The sword likes to rotate close to my hand and keeps moving once I get it going without noticeable slop or clumsiness. I think the tumbring and pommel help with this a lot since I can more easily exert pressure on different angles of the grip than I could on a simpler saber hilt. Thrusting is a different story however and I didnt have too much luck neatly placing my point.
Closing Thoughts
For the amount of money I payed, I'm happy with the product I received. There's something really special about having a sword design in your head that no manufacturer really fulfills, and then still getting your hands on it. Its a sturdy, simple looking piece, without any flashy decorations, but I find the overall shape quite attractive personally.
Pros
-great price
-accurately captured what I wanted
-well fitted
Cons
-leather wrap is poorly finished
-slight gap under one langet
-a couple minor grinds and flaws in guards finish
Would I recommend commissioning Paladin Forge? Well that depends what you're looking for. If you want a super crisp and polished custom that someone could mistake for an Albion or A&A piece, then this is not for you. However, if you're on a budget and have a design in mind that the modern sword market can't fulfill for you than I would give Paladin Forge a solid thumbs up.
Thanks for reading!
Introduction
The Polish saber (or Szabla) had long been a weapon I'd fawned over. I saw it as the bridge between the swords of the renaissance and the modern age, playing an essential role in developing what we consider to be a cavalry saber. However, much of the sword market did not seem to agree with me, as Polish sabers are few and far between. That's why I ended up exploring the custom market instead and wound up on www.paladinforge.com/ Alan's work appeared to be competent and sturdy, and most important to a college student like me: affordable. After some discussion with Alan on designs and pricing, we settled on $150 plus shipping for the grip, guard, and pommel, while I would supply a blade for mounting. Alan explained he does not currently have the tools to make blades longer than 15 inches. I had a spare Universal Swords American Revolutionary War Sword blade and sheath that I shipped to Alan in mid December. I received the finish product one week ago giving a total turn around time including shipping of almost exactly 2 months.
Full Disclosure
I am not affiliated with Alan or Paladin Forge in any way shape or form. My first time interacting with him was asking him about pricing and designs for commission. As far as my history with collecting swords has gone, I started just about 7 months ago, and since then, I have cycled through 8 different sabers (6 reproductions and 2 antiques) including this one. I've also always been a history enthusiast, but far from an expert or authority on the subject. So when I talk about swords and their history throughout this piece, please bear in mind that I am still a relative novice to this community.
Historical Overview
The Szabla originated from the sabers of Hungary which gained popularity from the 16th century onward. These swords went through several drastically different iterations of the next two centuries, including cross guards without knuckle bows, chain guards, L guards, curved unconnected knuckle bows, and finally the curved connected knuckle bows that persisted well into the modern age of saber.
By far the most distinct historical event associated with the use of the Szabla was the Battle of Vienna, September 12th 1683. Up until this date, the Ottoman Empire had been laying siege to the Habsburg city of Vienna, and its defenders were rapidly dwindling in strength and numbers. However, the fall of the city was averted by the arrival of a large relief army, led by the John III Sobieski, King of Poland. Led by the King himself and the famed Polish Winged Hussars, the relief army staged the largest cavalry charge in all of history, with 18,000 mounted cavalry smashing the Ottoman army. The Siege was lifted in a matter of hours, and the Ottoman Empire would never again recover the strength to threaten Western Christendom.
Statistics
Weight: I don't have a scale, but I would estimate at 2.4 Pounds
Overall Length: 38.5 Inches
Blade Length: 34 Inches
P.o.B.: 7 Inches
Blade Width: 1 1/4 Inches
Blade Thickness: 5.2 mm - 2.5 mm
Components
I'll be speaking very little about the blade since all Alan did was mount and sharpen it. Suffice it to say, its about what you hope for when you buy a sword under $200. Its well formed and finished with a slight distal taper. Unfortunately, the fullers are shallow to the point of being cosmetic more than functional and has disappointing edge retention, being made of 1055 steel. It seems sturdy enough however, I hacked into a tree stump with a poorly aimed cut and could find no damage or edge rolling to speak of.
For the pommel, I chose a "hawks beak shape" since I wanted a shape to compliment wrist cuts. The pommel turned out perfect, more or less a photo copy of what I asked for. The assembly was done with a recessed hex nut, since I dont trust a Universal blade to last forever and I want to change it out if a failure does occur.
The guard was my biggest reason for pursuing a custom commission. L guards are my favorite style of Szabla and there are none to speak of on the market. This came out very nice, with a good satin polish and some nice decorations on the knucklebow and rear guard. The thumbring is also very well formed, and wide enough to accommodate a digit comfortably without restricting movement or causing discomfort. The langets were symmetrical, and slots were cut into the blades original sheath so the sword could still be accommodated.
The grip is not up to the same quality as the guard and pommel. The shape and length are very nice. I definitely appreciate Alan taking my request for a short grip seriously since I have small hands and most saber guards I've tried have way too much room. The grip length is perfect for me with gloves if you look above, allowing me to use the thumbring and pommel simultaneously for leverage without being cramped. However, the leather wrapping is poorly finished. It juts out a bit at the corners an has an obvious seam. At the very least the seam is at the front, behind the knucklebow so it isnt terribly conspicuous. What is more conspicuous is the space between the grip and langet on one side of the blade. This does not appear to be a structural problem as the guard stayed on rock solid even after test cutting, but its still an eyesore on an otherwise attractive piece.
The sword handles quite well given the specs of the blade. While you're never gonna be able to move a 7 inch pob, moderately tapered reproduction saber like you would an Albion or an antique, this is far from a grievous example. The sword likes to rotate close to my hand and keeps moving once I get it going without noticeable slop or clumsiness. I think the tumbring and pommel help with this a lot since I can more easily exert pressure on different angles of the grip than I could on a simpler saber hilt. Thrusting is a different story however and I didnt have too much luck neatly placing my point.
Closing Thoughts
For the amount of money I payed, I'm happy with the product I received. There's something really special about having a sword design in your head that no manufacturer really fulfills, and then still getting your hands on it. Its a sturdy, simple looking piece, without any flashy decorations, but I find the overall shape quite attractive personally.
Pros
-great price
-accurately captured what I wanted
-well fitted
Cons
-leather wrap is poorly finished
-slight gap under one langet
-a couple minor grinds and flaws in guards finish
Would I recommend commissioning Paladin Forge? Well that depends what you're looking for. If you want a super crisp and polished custom that someone could mistake for an Albion or A&A piece, then this is not for you. However, if you're on a budget and have a design in mind that the modern sword market can't fulfill for you than I would give Paladin Forge a solid thumbs up.
Thanks for reading!