Fantasy Panabas Sword by J&L Cutlery (Lyndle Driggers)

Gobsmacked. That's how I felt when I saw Lyn's finished piece. It was more elegant than I ever could have hoped for. It is proudly displayed on the wall of my bedroom and it has quickly become my favorite piece.

Here are some vital stats:

Steel type: 5160 carbon steel, full tang construction

Overall length: 48 inches

Total weight: 4 pounds, 1 ounce

Grip length: 24 inches

Blade length: 24 inches

Blade width (widest point): 2.25 inches

Blade thickness: 5.3mm tapering to 2.5mm

Grip materials: curly maple, mahogany, brass pins

Point of Balance: Zero (yes, you read that correctly)

I initially favored a hidden tang construction, but Lyn preferred a full tang. There are pros and cons to both, but I am pleased with the outcome. A hidden tang would have given the blade a more forward balance and would have resulted in a lighter sword. These weapons are typically meant to be slightly blade heavy, and the blades themselves are actually rather thin. Comparatively, Lyn's blade is rather meaty compared to your typical Panabas, but the construction is solid as a rock! Your typical Panabas would go through more than one handle, much like a good wood cutting axe, but Lyn's construction is clearly meant to last a lifetime. The handle scales are perfectly executed and provide a good grip. I would have preferred an ovoid shape to the grip, but its square profile is definitely acceptable. The brass pins are perfectly placed (there are seven of them) and provide excellent support. I would have preferred no varnish applied to the grip scales, but on second thought, a varnish is a good call in this case. Overall, the construction of this blade is just about flawless and exceeds the quality of other swords at this price point.

The blade itself is nearly flawless in its construction. It is 24 inches long, rather uniform in thickness (about 5mm), but does have a slight distal taper. The tip is 2.5mm thick, which is a good call because this sword CAN and SHOULD thrust. Having a thicker tip does help prevent against breakage. 5160 is an excellent steel to use, it's arguably my favorite, and the quality of the steel here is stellar. The grinding and polishing is top notch. It could take a higher polish, but what Lyn has accomplished here is of a quality far greater than other swords at this price point. As for the sharpness, it is paper cutting sharp throughout, no dull points of any kind. Furthermore, I cannot detect much of a secondary edge bevel. Lyn should be commended for his talent of grinding and polishing. The curves in this blade did not make his job easy, but he prevailed.

Simply put: this sword is a thing of beauty. If she was a human female she would be Elizabeth Taylor. If I laid out every sword I own, I am rather confident most people would gravitate towards this one before all others. It would be like sending the aforementioned Elizabeth Taylor into a crowded bar on Ladies Night. There would be lots of lovely ladies in attendance, but most of us single out Liz. I wish I had a better camera to capture its true beauty, but sadly, I do not.

At just over four pounds, this is a rather heavy sword. The point of balance, however, is naught, or zero. Yes, zero. There is some debate over how to properly determine a sword's point of balance, but I made my determination based on where I would grip this sword. I think this is especially important given the absence of a guard. The mahogany scales adjacent to the blade itself are, to my mind, not part of the grip; it's something like a bolster, but it is certainly not a guard in a true sense. Although this "bolster" is integrated into the grip and can be handled, it does not feel natural to grip this portion of the handle. When gripping the handle just below the mahogany scales, the "bolster," which I would argue is the true grip, then the point of balance is zero. I can balance the entire sword from that point of origin. Therefore, I would argue that although the sword is heavy at four pounds, because it is so perfectly balanced, this sword is still capable of fast strikes and does not cause undue fatigue. When it comes to thrusts, the ergonomic design of this sword makes thrusts feel effortless. One can draw a straight line from the tip to the termination of the grip. For the record, I have not cut with this sword yet. I have only put it through some paces in the form of dry handling. Make no mistake, it wants to cut. Overall, this sword is highly functional and has great martial potential in the right hands.

This is where I address Lyn personally. Lyn, buddy, you're gonna have to make another one. I'm sorry to tell you this, but you have made a sword that everyone needs to experience for themselves. It really is that special. In fact, when you get back on your feet and decide to take commissions again, I would like to commission another. What I would like to see changed is very minor and it mostly has to do with grinding. For starters, I would like an oval or more ovoid shaped grip. An oval grip would be more comfortable. I like the full tang construction very much, but I think the tang could stand to lose some weight. Similarly, the blade could have a more dramatic distal taper. Being familiar with Filipino blades of this sort, they often taper dramatically near the center of percussion. In this case, that would be the portion of the blade that transitions from a curve to a recurve, and that section could be as thin as 2mm. This would create a more flat profile and might be yield better cuts. We must not forget about the tip though. Blades of this type often get thicker at the tip in order to reinforce it. That is called a proximal taper if I not mistaken. These slight changes would build on the success of this sword, and I would be happy to pay extra for the additional grinding work.

This concludes my review. I am happy to answer questions.

So, I have arrived at a name for this sword, GALACRIST. Galas is the Sindarin word for plant growth, rather like weeds and grass (though it can also be used as an abstract term), and Crist is the Sindarin for cleaver/sword. That's basically what the Panabas does: it cuts back growth. Looks like I need to design some runes.

Although... I ought to name this sword in the Quenya instead. In Quenya it would be called Laimahyando. It just rolls off the tongue so beautifully. I could even go with a italicized script for the runes.