"Vimose Seax 200AD" by L Driggers (Fallen)
Mar 16, 2018 21:26:51 GMT
Post by pellius on Mar 16, 2018 21:26:51 GMT
Introduction
[First things first. This “seax” is almost two feet long and weighs over one and-a-half pounds. I’m not sure if that makes this a sword review or a knife review. Since the blade length is between one and two shaku, I went with sword. I’m willing to be corrected.]
So…
I have always been fascinated by swords, but up until only a few years ago, I had never so much as touched a “real” one. My relatively short and poorly funded exploration of “real” swords took a fairly typical path. I began with my long-held vague childhood notions of the capabilities of a sword (mythical) and the cost of one (exorbitant).
I received my first functional sword, a liuyedao, as a gift. That led me to seek out information about it as well as its genuine historical place. I wanted to be able to discuss what it was and the context from which it came.
I was hooked.
One sword became several. One genre became many. Dao led to katana, which led to Filipino’s and Euro’s, which led to 19th century antiques. Complete ignorance led to better informed ignorance, which led me to places such as SBG, where knowledgable folks shared experience and expertise just to be nice (!)
From Ebay to YouTube, then KoA, and the SBG Store. Then the Forums - you guys!
And the Classifieds. Life would never be the same.
So, as I was cruising the Classifieds, I encountered an ad for a “Vimose Denmark 200AD” by L Driggers (Fallen). Hopefully he won’t find it irksome if I refer to him as “Lyn” in this review.
I’m not really into knives, and the ad photos led my mind to think of it as a large chef knife. Nonetheless, it was an interesting piece at a discounted price, so I bought it.
***Spoiler/TLDR***
I’m really glad I got this. It’s an expertly crafted sword that is subtle and sophisticated - a fearsome weapon. Additional high praise to be found below.
One other thing to get out of the way.
Every time I type “seax,” this computer changes it to “seas” or “seat” or “sex.” Every time I type “seaxes,” it changes it to “sexes.” My apologies if you get caught off guard by an uncorrected random reference to “broken back sex” or something.
If you Googled “broken back sex” and were hoping for naughty photos in this article, well, shame on you; I don’t feel sorry for you at all. :-P
Historical overview
I’m not an expert in ancient European weapons, and I only have access to various free internet sources to learn about them. If you have such expertise, I warmly welcome input here. Just remember, if you can’t be nice about it, at least be funny.
So, here’s what I was able to find on the internet.
The Vimose, Denmark, peat bog find was a significant archaeological site that yielded a substantial volume of ancient European sacrificial weapons and other items dating from about the First Century AD to about the Fifth Century AD. A large portion of the recovered items were not collected, preserved or documented in a modern scholarly archaeological manner. While a number of the items remain in public hands, much of the contextual history has been lost for these items.
en.natmus.dk/museums-and-palaces/the-national-museum-of-denmark/exhibitions/the-danish-prehistory/
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1600-0390.2005.00035.x
Modern scholarly investigations of Vimose and other ancient northern European sacrificial peat bogs is ongoing. Vimose is a prominent and important site because it contains some of the oldest and some of the most recent items, all generally falling into several defined periods with distinctive contents. The Vimose objects and time periods can be divided into four distinct time frames: 1) c. 70AD - 150AD with no swords; 2) c. 150AD with some unusual Roman weapons; 3) c. 230AD containing a large number of items, including 17 seaxes (frequently bent) and numerous other weapons, mail, shields, spurs and personal items; and 4) Around the Third to the Fifth Century AD. The Vimose Seax is from the 3rd Period.
www.tf.uni-kiel.de/matwis/amat/iss/kap_b/advanced/tb_3_3.html
I spent a reasonable time searching for an historical example of the type of seax crafted by Lyn. I found a few photos of museum exhibits that had a blade with a similar profile, but the photos were always stripped of their context, so I could not track them back to a source to give credit and to find more information. (Pinterest items - apparently loved by Google - were particularly bad for this. My guess is that I’m doing something wrong.) A number of Google book previews discuss Vimose and Danish peat bogs in good detail, but I did not find a creditable image of a Vimose Seax.
I found one diagram of the "evolutionary tree" of Germanic and other European fighting knives. It identified a "Vimose Seax" matching the profile of Lyn’s creation, and identified it as dating to about 200AD. I traced the diagram back to MyArmoury.com, but could not find the diagram on the site.
*Edit*
I finally came across a link to the diagrams. I’m at the image limit for this post, so I’ll add them as comments.
myarmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=18459#180455
I have downloaded a few of these images, but I haven’t posted them because I cannot determine ownership or license. Like so much on the internet nowadays, you’ll just have to kinda take my word for it.
Interestingly, it also appears that seaxes generally came into existence as a class of weapons a couple of centuries after the Vimose seax. Further, seaxes generally have a number of attributes that the Vimose seax does not share, including a different spine and tang design. There seems to be an orderly evolution of seax design that is well established, and which does not contain designs that resemble the Vimose Seax. Moreover, to my untrained eye, seax seem to generally evolve toward, rather than away from, the much earlier Vimose Seax profile.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seax
Some refer to the Vimose seax as a “proto-seax.” However, as far as I could find (for free on the internet, given about thirty minutes), no source seems to try to bridge it to later seax designs. A couple of MyArmoury discussion threads refer to the type simply as “large Germanic war knives.”
In conclusion: 1) this design seems to commonly be called a “Vimose Seax;” 2) it’s dated to around 200AD; and 3) seaxes come into existence somewhere around 400-450 AD. Weird.
Incidentally, it did occur to me that I could probably have asked Lyn about the history of the piece, but that would’ve made the Full Disclosure a bit longer. Also, the cosmos is much better off if he spends his time crafting sweet stabby-slicee goodness rather than trying to educate the likes of me.
Full Disclosure
Lessee…
Well, I don’t actually know what I’m talking about. I should probably go ahead and get that out of the way, first.
I’ve owned a couple dozen functional swords from various cultures and time periods; mostly functional repro’s, with a few nice 19th Century antiques thrown in for flavor. So my personal experience is pretty limited. I enjoy learning about swords, but my source is predominantly the faceless unaccountable internet. Nonetheless, I’ll try to get my info right.
I do not have any connection to Lyn other than buying this and a few other of his excellent creations. That’s why it probably vexes him that I refer to him by a nick name. I do feel a small pang of guilt, but brevity and focus are pretty important for internet articles. ;-)
I bought this item at a discounted price. However, Lyn didn’t discount it especially for me or anything.
I think that about covers the notwithstandings…
Initial Impressions
This was no kitchen knife. It was a straight-up sword.
Upon opening the well-packaged shipment from Lyn, it was immediately obvious that this seax was a dedicated fighting weapon. Its size honestly surprised me a little, despite the very clear measurements Lyn provided in his ad.
Only a few moments in the hand demonstrated that this seax was a nimble but vicious cut and thrust short sword; responsive, good balance, confident recovery, and telepathically fast.
I was thrilled to discover that the apparent sophomoric simplicity of the design as shown by photos was quite deceptive. This piece was well thought out and masterfully executed.
The edge easily cut paper, and approached shaving sharpness.
Statistics
Specifications:
Blade/Nagasa Length: 16 3/8 inches
Handle/Tsuka Length: 6 1/8 inches
Overall Length: 22 1/2 inches
Guard/Tsuba Width: No guard
POB (Point of Balance): [pending]
COP (Center of Percussion): [pending]
Profile Width at Base: 2 1/4 inches
Blade Thickness: 1/4 inches
Blade Material: 5160 alloy, spring tempered
Weight: 1 pound 9 ounces
Components
The Blade/Nagasa
The blade of this seax is very cleanly executed. It is symmetrical about the vertical proximal/distal axis and straight.
The cross-sectional geometry transitions from rectangular for the tang to triangular for the blade. This transition is executed seamlessly and with subtlety, and is uniform on each side of the blade.
Please forgive me as I struggle with my lack of sword vocabulary…
The geometry of the blade is generally a full flat grind/hira zukuri (no niku), with a small secondary appleseed/convex relief/cutting edge. There’s probably a name for this particular geometry, but I don’t know what it is.
I managed to dig up photos Lyn posted some time ago that show him forging the blade. It looks like he forged it the old fashioned way - with heat, an anvil and a hammer. Very impressive, especially considering how silky smooth the transitions are and how regular and even the flats turned out. My guess is that stock-removal construction with a plunge line transition would’ve been a lot easier.
When I saw Lyn’s ad for this seax, I wrongly concluded this was a simple piece of stock that was cut to profile and sharpened. My apologies to Lyn. This is a skillfully crafted work demonstrating subtlety and sophistication.
Considering that well respected smiths send Lyn their work to be heat treated, I trust the temper. I have not tested it, though.
I probably mentioned this earlier, but this thing is ferociously sharp.
The Handle/Tsuka
At its most basic, this hilt is a classical full tang construction. Wood grips/scales are secured to a fully exposed tang, like a messer. This seems to be appropriate when comparing this piece to photos of genuine Vimose seax finds. Again, sorry for not posting other people’s photos of such items, but I respect intellectual property rights.
The grips are poplar, and secured with epoxy and four brass pins.
The wood itself in not particularly attractive. I’m sure Lyn would be pleased to use fancy wood on a custom commission. If he had done that on this piece, I would not have been able to afford to buy it. Also, it seems like an historically appropriate choice for a reproduction of an ancient weapon.
The shaping of the wood is comfortable and ergonomic. Lyn chose to use unstabilized wood, with open pores and grain. That makes for a comfortable, grippy texture, and conveys an organic feel that invites the imagination to an ancient time more in harmony with nature. The hilt shape gives excellent control while effectively communicating blade alignment.
My intent is to oil the wood with mineral oil every time I oil the blade. That should nicely preserve the hilt indefinitely. Of course, doing so does not make the hilt any less grippy.
The Guard/Tsuba
There is no guard.
The Pommel/Fuchi-Kashira
None of these, either.
The Scabbard/Saya
This piece was sold without a sheath. I will probably make a functional leather sheath at some point, but this beauty really deserves a custom commissioned scabbard.
Handling Characteristics
I have no HEMA training or experience, so I have no reliable way to put this sword’s handling into an historical context.
That said, this is an agile maneuverable weapon. It is long and substantial enough to use for parrying, but I imagine its purpose is close quarters combat and in-fighting. In its measure, it would be fearsome indeed.
It has enough presence to chop armor and split shields, but is fine and precise enough for draw and push cuts, stabbing, and manipulating an opponent’s weapon.
At my humble skill level, it is really too large to use effectively in trapping. It is also really too short to use as a niuweidao. Using this weapon as a knife rather than as a sword would give up a substantial reach asset.
This sword moves with authority but demands little effort. It communicates its place and orientation in space effectively. It is fast, and recovers confidently.
I haven’t really pushed its handling beyond a very conservative envelope. This thing is incredibly sharp, and its balance is such that the tip can be moved like a laser pointer.
I have no training or experience with this type of weapon, and this thing hungers to cut deep. In deft hands, this seax would be ferocious. It seems to demand skill and respect, though, and might inflict near-instantaneous destruction upon an unwary handler.
Test Cutting (if applicable)
I haven’t cut anything with this.
It obviously has a wide thin profile adapted to cutting soft to medium targets. It is sharp. It has a nice forward balance. It probably cuts like a lazer sword.
Conclusions
I would say that Lyn created a fantastic piece. He seems to have put his time and effort where I would most want them to be - in the blade. It is subtle and sophisticated where it really counts. Unfortunately for Lyn, those details are hard to convey in photos.
The fittings are not particularly photogenic, but are skillfully shaped and fitted. Like the rest of the sword, they’ve got it where it counts.
Pros
- hand forged by a skilled craftsman
- beautifully finished
- excellent steel with a reliable temper
- super sharp right out of the box
- a faithful reproduction of an actual historical weapon
- tight fit and finish
- solid durable construction
- comfortable ergonomic hilt
Cons
- If you look close, you can find hints that this sword is not laser-line perfect. But it’s close. It is hand made, and I do not consider this a con. Others might, though.
- It was sold without a scabbard. Again, I feel it is deserving of a custom commissioned scabbard, and do not consider this a con. Others might, though.
- The overall shape is a little awkward. This is a reproduction of an historical seax, so I consider the faithfulness of the profile, cross-sectional and proximal/distal geometry to be a pro rather than a con. Nonetheless, some might feel it lacks visual appeal.
- The wood used for the grips is a little plain and does not photograph well. I think anything other than wood would be out of place on this piece. Lyn could have chosen much prettier wood. However, that would have put this sword out of my reach, which certainly would’ve been a con to me!
The Bottom Line
I would very strongly recommend L Driggers (Fallen) as a craftsman and as a seller. He does outstanding work, and undercharges for it.
If you can convince him to forge you a blade like this one, I would strongly encourage you to do so. He will probably even customize it, if you like.
*Edit*
I added some historical information and a few links to more information. I cleaned up some typos and bad grammar.
Thanks for taking the time to read this.
[First things first. This “seax” is almost two feet long and weighs over one and-a-half pounds. I’m not sure if that makes this a sword review or a knife review. Since the blade length is between one and two shaku, I went with sword. I’m willing to be corrected.]
So…
I have always been fascinated by swords, but up until only a few years ago, I had never so much as touched a “real” one. My relatively short and poorly funded exploration of “real” swords took a fairly typical path. I began with my long-held vague childhood notions of the capabilities of a sword (mythical) and the cost of one (exorbitant).
I received my first functional sword, a liuyedao, as a gift. That led me to seek out information about it as well as its genuine historical place. I wanted to be able to discuss what it was and the context from which it came.
I was hooked.
One sword became several. One genre became many. Dao led to katana, which led to Filipino’s and Euro’s, which led to 19th century antiques. Complete ignorance led to better informed ignorance, which led me to places such as SBG, where knowledgable folks shared experience and expertise just to be nice (!)
From Ebay to YouTube, then KoA, and the SBG Store. Then the Forums - you guys!
And the Classifieds. Life would never be the same.
So, as I was cruising the Classifieds, I encountered an ad for a “Vimose Denmark 200AD” by L Driggers (Fallen). Hopefully he won’t find it irksome if I refer to him as “Lyn” in this review.
I’m not really into knives, and the ad photos led my mind to think of it as a large chef knife. Nonetheless, it was an interesting piece at a discounted price, so I bought it.
***Spoiler/TLDR***
I’m really glad I got this. It’s an expertly crafted sword that is subtle and sophisticated - a fearsome weapon. Additional high praise to be found below.
One other thing to get out of the way.
Every time I type “seax,” this computer changes it to “seas” or “seat” or “sex.” Every time I type “seaxes,” it changes it to “sexes.” My apologies if you get caught off guard by an uncorrected random reference to “broken back sex” or something.
If you Googled “broken back sex” and were hoping for naughty photos in this article, well, shame on you; I don’t feel sorry for you at all. :-P
Historical overview
I’m not an expert in ancient European weapons, and I only have access to various free internet sources to learn about them. If you have such expertise, I warmly welcome input here. Just remember, if you can’t be nice about it, at least be funny.
So, here’s what I was able to find on the internet.
The Vimose, Denmark, peat bog find was a significant archaeological site that yielded a substantial volume of ancient European sacrificial weapons and other items dating from about the First Century AD to about the Fifth Century AD. A large portion of the recovered items were not collected, preserved or documented in a modern scholarly archaeological manner. While a number of the items remain in public hands, much of the contextual history has been lost for these items.
en.natmus.dk/museums-and-palaces/the-national-museum-of-denmark/exhibitions/the-danish-prehistory/
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1600-0390.2005.00035.x
Modern scholarly investigations of Vimose and other ancient northern European sacrificial peat bogs is ongoing. Vimose is a prominent and important site because it contains some of the oldest and some of the most recent items, all generally falling into several defined periods with distinctive contents. The Vimose objects and time periods can be divided into four distinct time frames: 1) c. 70AD - 150AD with no swords; 2) c. 150AD with some unusual Roman weapons; 3) c. 230AD containing a large number of items, including 17 seaxes (frequently bent) and numerous other weapons, mail, shields, spurs and personal items; and 4) Around the Third to the Fifth Century AD. The Vimose Seax is from the 3rd Period.
www.tf.uni-kiel.de/matwis/amat/iss/kap_b/advanced/tb_3_3.html
I spent a reasonable time searching for an historical example of the type of seax crafted by Lyn. I found a few photos of museum exhibits that had a blade with a similar profile, but the photos were always stripped of their context, so I could not track them back to a source to give credit and to find more information. (Pinterest items - apparently loved by Google - were particularly bad for this. My guess is that I’m doing something wrong.) A number of Google book previews discuss Vimose and Danish peat bogs in good detail, but I did not find a creditable image of a Vimose Seax.
I found one diagram of the "evolutionary tree" of Germanic and other European fighting knives. It identified a "Vimose Seax" matching the profile of Lyn’s creation, and identified it as dating to about 200AD. I traced the diagram back to MyArmoury.com, but could not find the diagram on the site.
*Edit*
I finally came across a link to the diagrams. I’m at the image limit for this post, so I’ll add them as comments.
myarmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=18459#180455
I have downloaded a few of these images, but I haven’t posted them because I cannot determine ownership or license. Like so much on the internet nowadays, you’ll just have to kinda take my word for it.
Interestingly, it also appears that seaxes generally came into existence as a class of weapons a couple of centuries after the Vimose seax. Further, seaxes generally have a number of attributes that the Vimose seax does not share, including a different spine and tang design. There seems to be an orderly evolution of seax design that is well established, and which does not contain designs that resemble the Vimose Seax. Moreover, to my untrained eye, seax seem to generally evolve toward, rather than away from, the much earlier Vimose Seax profile.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seax
Some refer to the Vimose seax as a “proto-seax.” However, as far as I could find (for free on the internet, given about thirty minutes), no source seems to try to bridge it to later seax designs. A couple of MyArmoury discussion threads refer to the type simply as “large Germanic war knives.”
In conclusion: 1) this design seems to commonly be called a “Vimose Seax;” 2) it’s dated to around 200AD; and 3) seaxes come into existence somewhere around 400-450 AD. Weird.
Incidentally, it did occur to me that I could probably have asked Lyn about the history of the piece, but that would’ve made the Full Disclosure a bit longer. Also, the cosmos is much better off if he spends his time crafting sweet stabby-slicee goodness rather than trying to educate the likes of me.
Full Disclosure
Lessee…
Well, I don’t actually know what I’m talking about. I should probably go ahead and get that out of the way, first.
I’ve owned a couple dozen functional swords from various cultures and time periods; mostly functional repro’s, with a few nice 19th Century antiques thrown in for flavor. So my personal experience is pretty limited. I enjoy learning about swords, but my source is predominantly the faceless unaccountable internet. Nonetheless, I’ll try to get my info right.
I do not have any connection to Lyn other than buying this and a few other of his excellent creations. That’s why it probably vexes him that I refer to him by a nick name. I do feel a small pang of guilt, but brevity and focus are pretty important for internet articles. ;-)
I bought this item at a discounted price. However, Lyn didn’t discount it especially for me or anything.
I think that about covers the notwithstandings…
Initial Impressions
This was no kitchen knife. It was a straight-up sword.
Upon opening the well-packaged shipment from Lyn, it was immediately obvious that this seax was a dedicated fighting weapon. Its size honestly surprised me a little, despite the very clear measurements Lyn provided in his ad.
Only a few moments in the hand demonstrated that this seax was a nimble but vicious cut and thrust short sword; responsive, good balance, confident recovery, and telepathically fast.
I was thrilled to discover that the apparent sophomoric simplicity of the design as shown by photos was quite deceptive. This piece was well thought out and masterfully executed.
The edge easily cut paper, and approached shaving sharpness.
Statistics
Specifications:
Blade/Nagasa Length: 16 3/8 inches
Handle/Tsuka Length: 6 1/8 inches
Overall Length: 22 1/2 inches
Guard/Tsuba Width: No guard
POB (Point of Balance): [pending]
COP (Center of Percussion): [pending]
Profile Width at Base: 2 1/4 inches
Blade Thickness: 1/4 inches
Blade Material: 5160 alloy, spring tempered
Weight: 1 pound 9 ounces
Components
The Blade/Nagasa
The blade of this seax is very cleanly executed. It is symmetrical about the vertical proximal/distal axis and straight.
The cross-sectional geometry transitions from rectangular for the tang to triangular for the blade. This transition is executed seamlessly and with subtlety, and is uniform on each side of the blade.
Please forgive me as I struggle with my lack of sword vocabulary…
The geometry of the blade is generally a full flat grind/hira zukuri (no niku), with a small secondary appleseed/convex relief/cutting edge. There’s probably a name for this particular geometry, but I don’t know what it is.
I managed to dig up photos Lyn posted some time ago that show him forging the blade. It looks like he forged it the old fashioned way - with heat, an anvil and a hammer. Very impressive, especially considering how silky smooth the transitions are and how regular and even the flats turned out. My guess is that stock-removal construction with a plunge line transition would’ve been a lot easier.
When I saw Lyn’s ad for this seax, I wrongly concluded this was a simple piece of stock that was cut to profile and sharpened. My apologies to Lyn. This is a skillfully crafted work demonstrating subtlety and sophistication.
Considering that well respected smiths send Lyn their work to be heat treated, I trust the temper. I have not tested it, though.
I probably mentioned this earlier, but this thing is ferociously sharp.
The Handle/Tsuka
At its most basic, this hilt is a classical full tang construction. Wood grips/scales are secured to a fully exposed tang, like a messer. This seems to be appropriate when comparing this piece to photos of genuine Vimose seax finds. Again, sorry for not posting other people’s photos of such items, but I respect intellectual property rights.
The grips are poplar, and secured with epoxy and four brass pins.
The wood itself in not particularly attractive. I’m sure Lyn would be pleased to use fancy wood on a custom commission. If he had done that on this piece, I would not have been able to afford to buy it. Also, it seems like an historically appropriate choice for a reproduction of an ancient weapon.
The shaping of the wood is comfortable and ergonomic. Lyn chose to use unstabilized wood, with open pores and grain. That makes for a comfortable, grippy texture, and conveys an organic feel that invites the imagination to an ancient time more in harmony with nature. The hilt shape gives excellent control while effectively communicating blade alignment.
My intent is to oil the wood with mineral oil every time I oil the blade. That should nicely preserve the hilt indefinitely. Of course, doing so does not make the hilt any less grippy.
The Guard/Tsuba
There is no guard.
The Pommel/Fuchi-Kashira
None of these, either.
The Scabbard/Saya
This piece was sold without a sheath. I will probably make a functional leather sheath at some point, but this beauty really deserves a custom commissioned scabbard.
Handling Characteristics
I have no HEMA training or experience, so I have no reliable way to put this sword’s handling into an historical context.
That said, this is an agile maneuverable weapon. It is long and substantial enough to use for parrying, but I imagine its purpose is close quarters combat and in-fighting. In its measure, it would be fearsome indeed.
It has enough presence to chop armor and split shields, but is fine and precise enough for draw and push cuts, stabbing, and manipulating an opponent’s weapon.
At my humble skill level, it is really too large to use effectively in trapping. It is also really too short to use as a niuweidao. Using this weapon as a knife rather than as a sword would give up a substantial reach asset.
This sword moves with authority but demands little effort. It communicates its place and orientation in space effectively. It is fast, and recovers confidently.
I haven’t really pushed its handling beyond a very conservative envelope. This thing is incredibly sharp, and its balance is such that the tip can be moved like a laser pointer.
I have no training or experience with this type of weapon, and this thing hungers to cut deep. In deft hands, this seax would be ferocious. It seems to demand skill and respect, though, and might inflict near-instantaneous destruction upon an unwary handler.
Test Cutting (if applicable)
I haven’t cut anything with this.
It obviously has a wide thin profile adapted to cutting soft to medium targets. It is sharp. It has a nice forward balance. It probably cuts like a lazer sword.
Conclusions
I would say that Lyn created a fantastic piece. He seems to have put his time and effort where I would most want them to be - in the blade. It is subtle and sophisticated where it really counts. Unfortunately for Lyn, those details are hard to convey in photos.
The fittings are not particularly photogenic, but are skillfully shaped and fitted. Like the rest of the sword, they’ve got it where it counts.
Pros
- hand forged by a skilled craftsman
- beautifully finished
- excellent steel with a reliable temper
- super sharp right out of the box
- a faithful reproduction of an actual historical weapon
- tight fit and finish
- solid durable construction
- comfortable ergonomic hilt
Cons
- If you look close, you can find hints that this sword is not laser-line perfect. But it’s close. It is hand made, and I do not consider this a con. Others might, though.
- It was sold without a scabbard. Again, I feel it is deserving of a custom commissioned scabbard, and do not consider this a con. Others might, though.
- The overall shape is a little awkward. This is a reproduction of an historical seax, so I consider the faithfulness of the profile, cross-sectional and proximal/distal geometry to be a pro rather than a con. Nonetheless, some might feel it lacks visual appeal.
- The wood used for the grips is a little plain and does not photograph well. I think anything other than wood would be out of place on this piece. Lyn could have chosen much prettier wood. However, that would have put this sword out of my reach, which certainly would’ve been a con to me!
The Bottom Line
I would very strongly recommend L Driggers (Fallen) as a craftsman and as a seller. He does outstanding work, and undercharges for it.
If you can convince him to forge you a blade like this one, I would strongly encourage you to do so. He will probably even customize it, if you like.
*Edit*
I added some historical information and a few links to more information. I cleaned up some typos and bad grammar.
Thanks for taking the time to read this.