Darksword Armoury Black Knight Sword Review
Aug 8, 2008 20:06:01 GMT
Post by septofclansinclair on Aug 8, 2008 20:06:01 GMT
Darksword Armoury Black Knight Sword Review
By Daniel Sinclair Dacombe, Canada
<I've been pretty absent from the reviews section for a while, so here is the first of several reviews to come in the next month or two. Unfortunately, some camera issues caused me to lose a bit less than half of the pictures I took - more will be taken and shown in an update next week.>
The phrase “pictures don’t do it justice” or varieties thereof get tossed around alot. I’m hesitant to say it only because it sounds cliché, and I don’t want this review to just sound like a bunch of cheese. This is an honest review, and I want to make sure I don’t come across as shamelessly plugging a product without looking at the pros and cons. There are cons, or things I would like to see done differently in this sword, but I’ll get to that later.
That being said, pictures really don’t do this one justice. Seriously, you need to see it for yourself.
Part of DSA’s latest lineup, I was initially attracted to the Black Knight simply because it looks so different. Most swords on the market – especially knightly swords – follow the same pattern. Namely, all the blades look pretty standard mirror polish steel. The Black Knight, though, has been blued through a special process to be rust resistant and also very unique looking. So this was a definite step in a totally different and new direction, and I figured it deserved at least a closer look. The design is based on a drawing by E. A. Christensen, which I understand was first based on a historical artefact of some kind. The major difference is, obviously, the switch from a double to a single fuller.
Arrival
The sword arrived while I was away on vacation, leaving it with the lovely ladies at the postal office for a few days before I got back. It made for a nice “welcome back now get back to work” experience. It was in a carboard box, pretty standard, with plenty of rolled up newspaper and other stuffings to keep it safe. After the unwrapping , I took it out into the light to get a good look at it.
It’s black. I mean, that should be obvious from the name, right? But I had been expecting a sword that was a bit more “blue” – that’s why they call it “blueing”, isn’t it? I’ll admit that The Blue Knight doesn’t have the same ring to it, but I was still surprised at how black it was. At first I actually thought that it was painted, until I touched the blade for myself and confirmed that it was the colour of the metal. That’s a weird feeling; touching something that your eyes are telling you must be plastic or something and getting the tactile “metal” signal from your fingers. Weird. However, the blueing process leads to some issues which, while expected, are still a bit of a pain. I’ll talk more about that later.
Before I get to the numbers, let me also say this – the sword looks kinda evil. Which is amusing – I feel like I should be working for an evil sorcerer or something when I’m holding it. Not a complaint, just an observation.
Here’s the numbers.
Blade Length: 28”
Guard Width: 8”
Handle Length: 4.5”
Pommel: 2.25”
Weight: 3lbs
POB: 4.5”
COP: 19.25”, as near as I can tell
The Blade
The blade is usually what attracts people to most swords, and that is also the case here. The matt black finish really absorbs the light unless you get it at the right angle, which can make getting pictures difficult (especially if your camera sucks, like mine does). It is well formed with some hammer swells but surprisingly not many, a good fuller and a very attractive shape overall. And the black finish gives a sinister appearance to the blade – I’m sure it would be a big hit on display.
The blade tapers to a fine point, and it is there that I started to find some issues. While there appears to be no problem with the temper, in examining the tip I found that the blueing had “rubbed off” somewhat.
In the pictures (which are as good quality as I could make them) it’s tough to see, but it appears that scratches to the blade can allow the untreated metal underneath to peek through. The tip was the first place I found this, there were also a couple of scratches about halfway down the blade. Those are the white marks you see in the following picture.
I’m not sure what to say about this except that it must be an issue that this type of blade blueing experiences. Considering that the rest of the blade was pretty scuff-free, I’d say it has a better finish than most other swords in this price range – certainly better than any other windlass or DSA I have. But the fact that the scratches that are there are more visible because of the colour change is unfortunate. I’m pretty sure that sharpening this sword would leave a silver lining around the edge, which would really detract from the overall appearance. And cutting exercises would potentially run the risk of marring the finish, which unlike conventional blades could not be sanded out without further damaging the finish. Re-bluing the blade isn’t something I know alot about; it’d be great to hear if there is a way for an owner to work around this, or if DSA has future plans to change up their process to possibly avoid these issues.
Like I said - unlike the original design that it is based on, the DSA Black Knight has a single fuller instead of a double fuller. I can understand why DSA chose to go this route, and it certainly wouldn’t affect this swords performance. Still, in future versions of this sword I would really like to see the double fuller, just to add to this model’s unique look.
The Guard
Also in the black finish. It looks alot like the DSA Knightly sword’s guard, and seems to match the original drawing well. Like the blade, the guard experiences some rubbing off of the colouring at the edges. It is tight to the blade and doesn’t move around, which is what I’ve come to expect from DSA’s construction. The powdery look on the guard is actually some packing grease that I neglected to wipe off – it shows up as whitish in the photo, for some insane reason.
The Handle
Standard stuff here – black leather with risers, very similar to the Norman handle but with a more matt (less shiny) finish. This tends to rub off a bit when my hand got sweaty, which was annoying but I understand happens so its no big deal. It’s the right size for my hand but folks with large hands may find it a bit short.
The Pommel
Really a unique design! I liked this pommel a great deal. It matches the drawing pretty closely, and for someone of my size it is possible to grip the pommel without too much trouble and have a two handed grip for extra torque. Unfortunately, the edges also have a bit of scuffing where the blueing has worn away.
The Scabbard
Standard DSA fare, this one actually doesn’t fit too well to the sword – but, as DSA scabbards are still in R&D for future changes there’s not much we can do but wait for the new designs to hit production. At least the metal at the throat and tip match the black finish – I’d consider shipping this to Brian at AoV to use those parts in remaking a custom scabbard, if I had the cash for it. The scabbard pictures didn’t turn out, but if you’ve seen one DSA scabbard than you’ll know what to expect.
Handling
I’m not going to test cut because, as I said, I don’t want to mar the finish. But for those of you who haven’t had a chance to read Jason from AoV’s handling review or watch his video, here’s my take on the sword.
The tip of this thing positively floats. I really enjoyed playing around with it, moving from cut to thrust to guard with very little effort. It is a real cut and thrust sword, and feels pretty comfortable doing both. A balance point at 4.5 inches is exactly what I prefer, and I felt at ease moving it around in various ways without losing control.
I am aware, though, that some people prefer a balance point farther out in order to give more authority to a cut. I found that it handled well, and believe it would make a good cut if used properly, but people used to swords with balance points around 6 inches will probably prefer to stick to swords that are a bit more tip heavy. It comes down to preference either way, but that’s how I see it.
Conclusion
I am a little conflicted about this sword. I can’t deny its attractiveness, and it catches my eye as it sits in the middle of my collection just because it’s so different. For someone looking for a sword to feel “evil” with, hey, look no further. It was executed well start to finish, and I have lots of good things to say about it. So do I recommend it?
Honestly, it depends. If you’re the kind of collector who has to have all of their swords sharpened and used on a regular basis and scuffing up the finish would bother you, this probably isn’t the sword for you. If you want to use it and you don’t mind a few scratches, or learning to re-finish it somehow (some of the gun collectors at SBG forum could probably tell you a few things about blueing steel), then hey, go for it – I have no doubts about its ability to cut or stay solid. If you want to buy it to put on display in order to keep the finish pristine, that would also be a good choice. Some people might consider it too expensive to be a dedicated wallhanger – but it is a battle-ready sword, and the price is more than acceptable. Basically, like always it comes down to intended use and preference. For myself, I’d leave it on the wall knowing that it is capable of performing alongside my other swords, but preferring to keep the finish in the condition that it is.
Overall, I do recommend this sword, but I also recommend making sure you know what you want to do with it when you buy it.
The DSA Black Knight - Recommended
Historical Accuracy – 3.5
Fit and Finish – 3.5
Handling – 4
Structural Integrity – 4
Value for money – 3
Overall – 3.6 – Very Good
By Daniel Sinclair Dacombe, Canada
<I've been pretty absent from the reviews section for a while, so here is the first of several reviews to come in the next month or two. Unfortunately, some camera issues caused me to lose a bit less than half of the pictures I took - more will be taken and shown in an update next week.>
The phrase “pictures don’t do it justice” or varieties thereof get tossed around alot. I’m hesitant to say it only because it sounds cliché, and I don’t want this review to just sound like a bunch of cheese. This is an honest review, and I want to make sure I don’t come across as shamelessly plugging a product without looking at the pros and cons. There are cons, or things I would like to see done differently in this sword, but I’ll get to that later.
That being said, pictures really don’t do this one justice. Seriously, you need to see it for yourself.
Part of DSA’s latest lineup, I was initially attracted to the Black Knight simply because it looks so different. Most swords on the market – especially knightly swords – follow the same pattern. Namely, all the blades look pretty standard mirror polish steel. The Black Knight, though, has been blued through a special process to be rust resistant and also very unique looking. So this was a definite step in a totally different and new direction, and I figured it deserved at least a closer look. The design is based on a drawing by E. A. Christensen, which I understand was first based on a historical artefact of some kind. The major difference is, obviously, the switch from a double to a single fuller.
Arrival
The sword arrived while I was away on vacation, leaving it with the lovely ladies at the postal office for a few days before I got back. It made for a nice “welcome back now get back to work” experience. It was in a carboard box, pretty standard, with plenty of rolled up newspaper and other stuffings to keep it safe. After the unwrapping , I took it out into the light to get a good look at it.
It’s black. I mean, that should be obvious from the name, right? But I had been expecting a sword that was a bit more “blue” – that’s why they call it “blueing”, isn’t it? I’ll admit that The Blue Knight doesn’t have the same ring to it, but I was still surprised at how black it was. At first I actually thought that it was painted, until I touched the blade for myself and confirmed that it was the colour of the metal. That’s a weird feeling; touching something that your eyes are telling you must be plastic or something and getting the tactile “metal” signal from your fingers. Weird. However, the blueing process leads to some issues which, while expected, are still a bit of a pain. I’ll talk more about that later.
Before I get to the numbers, let me also say this – the sword looks kinda evil. Which is amusing – I feel like I should be working for an evil sorcerer or something when I’m holding it. Not a complaint, just an observation.
Here’s the numbers.
Blade Length: 28”
Guard Width: 8”
Handle Length: 4.5”
Pommel: 2.25”
Weight: 3lbs
POB: 4.5”
COP: 19.25”, as near as I can tell
The Blade
The blade is usually what attracts people to most swords, and that is also the case here. The matt black finish really absorbs the light unless you get it at the right angle, which can make getting pictures difficult (especially if your camera sucks, like mine does). It is well formed with some hammer swells but surprisingly not many, a good fuller and a very attractive shape overall. And the black finish gives a sinister appearance to the blade – I’m sure it would be a big hit on display.
The blade tapers to a fine point, and it is there that I started to find some issues. While there appears to be no problem with the temper, in examining the tip I found that the blueing had “rubbed off” somewhat.
In the pictures (which are as good quality as I could make them) it’s tough to see, but it appears that scratches to the blade can allow the untreated metal underneath to peek through. The tip was the first place I found this, there were also a couple of scratches about halfway down the blade. Those are the white marks you see in the following picture.
I’m not sure what to say about this except that it must be an issue that this type of blade blueing experiences. Considering that the rest of the blade was pretty scuff-free, I’d say it has a better finish than most other swords in this price range – certainly better than any other windlass or DSA I have. But the fact that the scratches that are there are more visible because of the colour change is unfortunate. I’m pretty sure that sharpening this sword would leave a silver lining around the edge, which would really detract from the overall appearance. And cutting exercises would potentially run the risk of marring the finish, which unlike conventional blades could not be sanded out without further damaging the finish. Re-bluing the blade isn’t something I know alot about; it’d be great to hear if there is a way for an owner to work around this, or if DSA has future plans to change up their process to possibly avoid these issues.
Like I said - unlike the original design that it is based on, the DSA Black Knight has a single fuller instead of a double fuller. I can understand why DSA chose to go this route, and it certainly wouldn’t affect this swords performance. Still, in future versions of this sword I would really like to see the double fuller, just to add to this model’s unique look.
The Guard
Also in the black finish. It looks alot like the DSA Knightly sword’s guard, and seems to match the original drawing well. Like the blade, the guard experiences some rubbing off of the colouring at the edges. It is tight to the blade and doesn’t move around, which is what I’ve come to expect from DSA’s construction. The powdery look on the guard is actually some packing grease that I neglected to wipe off – it shows up as whitish in the photo, for some insane reason.
The Handle
Standard stuff here – black leather with risers, very similar to the Norman handle but with a more matt (less shiny) finish. This tends to rub off a bit when my hand got sweaty, which was annoying but I understand happens so its no big deal. It’s the right size for my hand but folks with large hands may find it a bit short.
The Pommel
Really a unique design! I liked this pommel a great deal. It matches the drawing pretty closely, and for someone of my size it is possible to grip the pommel without too much trouble and have a two handed grip for extra torque. Unfortunately, the edges also have a bit of scuffing where the blueing has worn away.
The Scabbard
Standard DSA fare, this one actually doesn’t fit too well to the sword – but, as DSA scabbards are still in R&D for future changes there’s not much we can do but wait for the new designs to hit production. At least the metal at the throat and tip match the black finish – I’d consider shipping this to Brian at AoV to use those parts in remaking a custom scabbard, if I had the cash for it. The scabbard pictures didn’t turn out, but if you’ve seen one DSA scabbard than you’ll know what to expect.
Handling
I’m not going to test cut because, as I said, I don’t want to mar the finish. But for those of you who haven’t had a chance to read Jason from AoV’s handling review or watch his video, here’s my take on the sword.
The tip of this thing positively floats. I really enjoyed playing around with it, moving from cut to thrust to guard with very little effort. It is a real cut and thrust sword, and feels pretty comfortable doing both. A balance point at 4.5 inches is exactly what I prefer, and I felt at ease moving it around in various ways without losing control.
I am aware, though, that some people prefer a balance point farther out in order to give more authority to a cut. I found that it handled well, and believe it would make a good cut if used properly, but people used to swords with balance points around 6 inches will probably prefer to stick to swords that are a bit more tip heavy. It comes down to preference either way, but that’s how I see it.
Conclusion
I am a little conflicted about this sword. I can’t deny its attractiveness, and it catches my eye as it sits in the middle of my collection just because it’s so different. For someone looking for a sword to feel “evil” with, hey, look no further. It was executed well start to finish, and I have lots of good things to say about it. So do I recommend it?
Honestly, it depends. If you’re the kind of collector who has to have all of their swords sharpened and used on a regular basis and scuffing up the finish would bother you, this probably isn’t the sword for you. If you want to use it and you don’t mind a few scratches, or learning to re-finish it somehow (some of the gun collectors at SBG forum could probably tell you a few things about blueing steel), then hey, go for it – I have no doubts about its ability to cut or stay solid. If you want to buy it to put on display in order to keep the finish pristine, that would also be a good choice. Some people might consider it too expensive to be a dedicated wallhanger – but it is a battle-ready sword, and the price is more than acceptable. Basically, like always it comes down to intended use and preference. For myself, I’d leave it on the wall knowing that it is capable of performing alongside my other swords, but preferring to keep the finish in the condition that it is.
Overall, I do recommend this sword, but I also recommend making sure you know what you want to do with it when you buy it.
The DSA Black Knight - Recommended
Historical Accuracy – 3.5
Fit and Finish – 3.5
Handling – 4
Structural Integrity – 4
Value for money – 3
Overall – 3.6 – Very Good