Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2020 1:13:47 GMT
The Del Tin will help out your pocket and end up in the classified sooner, so I vote for the Del Tin as best suited to your quest. It will be a bit nose heavy (something I actually appreciate more than others) and honestly something you would need to grow into. Do you have any time with long bladed single hand swords?
There are a couple of A&A rapier reviews on the myArmoury page, albeit old news. You would immediately be whining about whatever you bought from them. The Gustav Vasa is shorter than the DT, as is the Writhen.
What are you going to do with it?
My list wouldn't necessarily appeal to you but there are other Del Tin and A&A swords of the ilk that better float my boat. I find all three you list a bit too "busy" or "frilly" to me. The Del Yin I really liked the look of was the Spanish rapier that sold over the past few weeks. A simpler backsword is the next on that DT list. At A&A new prices, I'd rather look at pretty old stuff to adopt.
Cheers GC
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Post by Jordan Williams on Jan 5, 2020 2:43:45 GMT
Wire wrap will nearly always be less grippy than leather or shagreen. Have not handled the DT or A&A but did get the chance to handle and form with an antique cup hilt a while back. I echo Glen, if you're just getting into this sword type, and the windlass doesn't count, go cheaper first. I vote the Del Tin, but honestly don't be taken aback too much by a somewhat more flexy blade. The antique I handled had resistance, but not the same as some of the more stiff sabres in my collection do. Remember, it doesn't take much force to put a sharp, acute tip into someone's gut or throat when they just have a doublet or shirt on. What matters also is proper distribution of flex, windlasses often flex in the center due to a lack of distal taper, swords with proper distal taper, or blade dynamics, like antiques, Albions, et al, usually flex in the last third. Stiffer, thicker forte, midsection, thinner foible. Helps the blade keep structure in the flex and makes it more durable.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2020 2:53:31 GMT
Just get a Deepeeka basket of your choice and put it on the 5155 blade.
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Post by Jordan Williams on Jan 5, 2020 3:19:20 GMT
I didn't mean the wire wrap being loose in terms of it's grippyness to my hand but as in actually being loose. My DT5515 had that slightly loose/moving half wire wrap. With the antique that you handled, what would you say was the base thickness on it or maybe an estimated,rough distal taper? Just curious. i.imgur.com/x9rzJTR.jpgHard to estimate based on photos and memories. Maybe somewhere about 8mm? A good thickness. I would think about 2 mm at the foible. Very nimble tip but encouraged a feeling of sniping cuts.
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Post by Jordan Williams on Jan 5, 2020 3:24:18 GMT
Honestly, the hanwei practicals are craaaaap compared to current offerings. Cheap though so you don't have to make a hard to return investment. If you dislike the del tin or A&A offerings there is also Castille who can make sharps on request.
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Post by Jordan Williams on Jan 5, 2020 23:09:47 GMT
Let us know how it goes.
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harrybeck
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Post by harrybeck on Jan 5, 2020 23:09:47 GMT
I have a number of sharps and fencing blunts from darkwoodand they have always been just the ticket for me.
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Post by leviathansteak on Jan 6, 2020 2:26:27 GMT
I have an a&a serenissima rapier. Love everything about it except the edge, which has a fat secondary bevel at too wide an angle for good cutting performance.
Id be sure to request for this to be addressed if i were to order anything else from a&a in future
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2020 21:54:47 GMT
It really depends.
Most reproductions are a compromise. If you were to approach Craig Johnson (A&A) with the numbers you want, he would quote you a price.
Good luck if you go with Darkwood but don't sweat the petty stuff too much. Scott probably knows more about what you want than you do.
A radical concave distal is fairly standard for _some_ types of blades going back centuries before renaissance rapiers but it is not always the case (even with rapiers).
Cheers GC
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Post by twin-rabbit on May 5, 2020 11:14:47 GMT
I have a number of sharps and fencing blunts from darkwoodand they have always been just the ticket for me. I would love to hear about them even if just a tiny mini review of sorts. I would love to hear about them as well.
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Post by twin-rabbit on May 5, 2020 11:21:26 GMT
It really depends. Most reproductions are a compromise. I can understand this to a degree, and I would assume modern metallurgy plays a part. But I still don't understand why there really aren't any production rapiers with a thicker ricasso, when it seems to be fairly common among historical examples.
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harrybeck
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Post by harrybeck on May 5, 2020 15:54:59 GMT
I'll work on that. I wanted a matching rapier and dagger set that I could fence with and also have the same live set to carry. His work was exemplary !
Both on the field and off these were great. Balance, speed, range and time are just like they grew there. These are serious tools for serious work, and serious fun.
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Post by twin-rabbit on May 6, 2020 1:28:22 GMT
That's interesting that A&A didn't want your business, especially since they charge such a premium. I wonder how much the Darkwood was, but I imagine it was significantly less. I'm sure it weighs more as well. Is it well balanced?
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Post by twin-rabbit on May 6, 2020 2:14:33 GMT
Ha, I just replied in the other thread too. You answered some of my questions. Well, I'm also looking for a historically proportioned sharp rapier. I don't want a fencing foil. But I do still expect something well balanced enough that it doesn't feel very tip heavy. Although, that might be harder yet for mine. I am more interested in a longer 42" or 43" blade. I imaging that will up the price too
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