Cheap XIV review
Jul 27, 2018 17:09:17 GMT
Post by RickDastardly on Jul 27, 2018 17:09:17 GMT
This will only be a brief review, mostly because my wife has just confiscated the sword (I get it back in two weeks - it's my wedding anniversary present on 8th August). I'll update later when I've had more time with it. For now...
Please note that all images are clickable for a huge version.
Intro and Advertisement Notes
I spotted this on Celtic WebMerchant (=CWM from now on, more on them at the end) at only £56.98 with shipping (about $78), with 10% off. Given that it's EN45 steel and hardened, if only to 48 HRC, and it it looked quite nice, it seemed a steel at the price and I thought it worth a shot. Also, at the price I don't feel bad about modifying it (like perhaps regrinding the blade) even if I ruin it. I actually wanted to get the Kingston Arms ATrim XIV, but no one in the UK or EU sells the corrected ATrim version.
CWM says that the sword is supplied semi sharp and designed for decorative purposes, but also that the tang is full (and extra wide). So I'm not sure if it's really suitable for cutting with, but I will sharpen it when I get it back and try.
The pommel is stated as 'screwed' and I expected a recessed nut. There isn't, so I guess the pommel itself is threaded and screws onto the tang. Hopefully the blade won't fly away when I try cutting. That said, if I wait until the darn wood pigeons are flying over...
The sword is supplied without a sheath.
The pommel is stated as 'screwed' and I expected a recessed nut. There isn't, so I guess the pommel itself is threaded and screws onto the tang. Hopefully the blade won't fly away when I try cutting. That said, if I wait until the darn wood pigeons are flying over...
The sword is supplied without a sheath.
This is the advert: www.celticwebmerchant.co.uk/single-handed-sword-oakeshott-xiv.html
And a glamour shot:
First Impressions and Specifications
I'm surprised and pleased how nice the sword is, given the price. The blade is straight and symmetrical and the fullers are even and neat. The point is pointy and centered. The blade came protected with a thick coating of oil and has some fine tool marks and light scrapes on it; nothing serious to worry about especially at the price. I expected it to be far rougher.
The edge is about 0.5mm to 1mm thick, so easy to put a bevel on. I'll convex it when I do and blend the edge up onto the blade. Should sharpen up nicely I think.
Blade length measured from where the edge emerges: 72cm (28.33")
Blade width at widest point: 53mm (2.1")
Grip length: 12cm (4.72")
Overall length: 90cm (35.4")
Blade thickness at the ridge at the end of the fuller: 5mm (+/- 0.5mm is as close as I can measure it)
Blade thickness at the edge of the fuller near guard: 4mm (maybe 4.5mm)
Balance point: 10cm (4")
Weight: 1150g (2.5lbs)
So, the measured specs are almost identical to the advert except it's lighter. I thought the advert's weight was high though so that was expected.
My eyes cannot detect any distal taper until very near the tip. At a guess I would say the blade could be made from 1/4 inch stock.
The guard is polished and again has just a few light marks on it. I don't know what metal it is, but it looks better in person than on the advert with a roughly hexagonal shape at the ends. It's a little offset, maybe a couple of degrees, and the slot for the blade is quite gappy. Acceptable though at the price and nothing that prevents the sword being perfectly functional.
Moving on to the hilt, there are four ridges underneath the basic stitched leather. It feels comfortable and about the right width, for me. I sort of feel like the grip could be shorter, to lock my hand between the guard and pommel, but that might just be my inexperience. My hands are only medium though; a larger hand would probably fit perfectly.
The screwed-on disc pommel is straight and polished although not as fully finished as the guard. It looks like the coin slots were left less polished and there's a bit of muck in the corners. It is fitted on straight though, and feels solidly attached, which I imagine is a feat given that it screws on. The outer edges are slightly rounded so it doesn't cut into my hand. There is of course no peen or nut in the end; it's just a solid piece.
Hilt and Tang (edited to add)
The pictures below show the hilt construction and tang. While I wouldn't call this 'extra wide' as the advert states, it's actually not bad. The pommel unscrewed quite easily, as did the nut with washer. The grip was a very tight fit and took some effort and pulling to get it off. It seems to be made from a solid piece of wood, shaped and with a hole to fit over the tang.
Summary
The sword is far better than I expected for the price. It feels very good in my hand and makes me want to poke and swing with it! It also makes me wonder what a better XIV sword would be like, with thicker stock and distal taper. This sword (length/style) feels just right for me, at my 5'8 height.
Provided the tang/hilt/pommel construction is sound, I see no reason why it can't make a fun cutter. We'll see, once my wife lets me have it back. It certainly looks the part and will make a fine display piece regardless of that.
Celtic WebMerchant
Now, the only negative is about CWM. It's nothing to do with the sword so I left it until the end.
So far, CWM have only ever answered one of my four emails to them. That one was asking them about another sword that I was about to buy from them; it seems they are the only emails they answer.
Long story short... the sword was quite late arriving and seemed to get stuck twice in the tracking, for five days each time. It was only going from NL to UK. After watching it not move for a week at their end, I tried emailing and raising a support ticket with CWM, just asking if this was normal or if something had gone wrong. No answer. Nothing, even after another nearly full week and another email. The sword arrived today having passed straight through our customs without delay, fortunately. Basically, once it arrive in the country I had it within 24 hours.
Poor service not to even reply to their own support system. The delays are not CWM's fault but there's no excuse for the total lack of support.
Worse though is the way the sword was packed; or rather, wasn't really. It came in a box with no useful protection whatsoever. I'm frankly amazed that it got here undamaged, in fact I'm amazed it stayed in the box. It's pure luck and verging on miracle territory.
The sword was wrapped only in some cling-film (I had already cut the top open when I took the picture below) with a bit of extra card at the tip. There were a few extra pieces of card loose in the box (not as neat as in the picture, I moved them), and that was it. The sword was simply loose inside and free to bang about from end to end and side to side and poke out if given enough of a bump.
Absolutely terrible! I really would think carefully about buying from them again, because if something got damaged I would have to pay to send it back to them.
Edit to add: Due to me thinking the sword did not have a full tang, and speaking to CWM about this, they agreed to allow me to return it at their cost. So, a positive mark for CWM for that.