Cold Steel Steven Seagal Kabutowari (Helmet Breaker)
Jul 4, 2020 21:55:37 GMT
Post by Tiers1 on Jul 4, 2020 21:55:37 GMT
I have not purchased a production sword for around 5 years, not out of snobbery, but out of the realization that there are so many reasonably priced custom makers out there these days (if you look) that it seems silly to buy something made to a profit-point in a factory where the individual workers don't give too many BMs what the finished product turns out to be.
but...
I have been very bored, and looking at swords, and decided to pick up a few factory made pieces that caught my eye. The Steven Seagal weapons by Cold Steel, much like Seagal himself for the last 15 years, have been either ignored or maligned. Despite that, this indestructible-looking ice-pick-dagger-club thing has always appealed to me. I finally picked one up. They are generally not available anymore. There are a few shady/inactive looking sites that have them 'in-stock' but I didn't want to take a risk, so I got the sole one remaining at KoA, which was a factory blemished model.
On to the review:
The scabbard- The somewhat phallic looking scabbard is well done. It shares the same unique paint scheme as the weapon itself, with thick red and black speckled paint/lacquer. It fits the blade well and the sageo is silk. The little eyelet pieces are incredibly cheap and the kind you see on $100 Ebay katana.
The handle- The handle is comfortable and well fit to the blade. There is about a 1/2 mm gap between the handle and the guard, and the guard and the blade which leads to the slightest guard wobble. I am not sure if this is why this model was 'blemished' but I doubt it (that is probably owed to a small chip on the paint of the handle). It seems the fit between blade/guard/handle is something factories have the greatest trouble with. The blade is secured with the handle by two bamboo pegs. The guard is thick iron (well, I think it's iron) with four Vajra symbols; it is simple but fits well with the overall design of the weapon.
The blade- The blade is a beast. It starts at 1/2 an inch thick and does not lose much of that thickness for the majority of its length. The unique shape, however, gives up enough material to keep the weight manageable. The grinds are very clean and the black finish found on the spine and parts of the blade is smooth and lustrous. This is not an 'edged weapon' per se, so the first few inches of blade edge are not sharpened and there is a gradual uptick in sharpness. The last six inches or so are moderately sharp. The blade is 1060 steel given a hard spring temper, with a thick tang and more of a percussive and thrusting use which does not require a thin edge. It 'should' be indestructible.
Evaluation- This weapon has always been listed around $299 and I would say that is probably a little bit much for what it is. $250 sounds a bit more appropriate. The weapon actually handles well (think a well-balanced chopping knife) and is certainly a unique addition to any collection. The weight and decent balance, combined with the way the cross-section is set up, would seem to deliver a very large amount of force over a small area to whatever would be struck. I can see why some used this as a sidearm in ancient Japan.
but...
I have been very bored, and looking at swords, and decided to pick up a few factory made pieces that caught my eye. The Steven Seagal weapons by Cold Steel, much like Seagal himself for the last 15 years, have been either ignored or maligned. Despite that, this indestructible-looking ice-pick-dagger-club thing has always appealed to me. I finally picked one up. They are generally not available anymore. There are a few shady/inactive looking sites that have them 'in-stock' but I didn't want to take a risk, so I got the sole one remaining at KoA, which was a factory blemished model.
On to the review:
The scabbard- The somewhat phallic looking scabbard is well done. It shares the same unique paint scheme as the weapon itself, with thick red and black speckled paint/lacquer. It fits the blade well and the sageo is silk. The little eyelet pieces are incredibly cheap and the kind you see on $100 Ebay katana.
The handle- The handle is comfortable and well fit to the blade. There is about a 1/2 mm gap between the handle and the guard, and the guard and the blade which leads to the slightest guard wobble. I am not sure if this is why this model was 'blemished' but I doubt it (that is probably owed to a small chip on the paint of the handle). It seems the fit between blade/guard/handle is something factories have the greatest trouble with. The blade is secured with the handle by two bamboo pegs. The guard is thick iron (well, I think it's iron) with four Vajra symbols; it is simple but fits well with the overall design of the weapon.
The blade- The blade is a beast. It starts at 1/2 an inch thick and does not lose much of that thickness for the majority of its length. The unique shape, however, gives up enough material to keep the weight manageable. The grinds are very clean and the black finish found on the spine and parts of the blade is smooth and lustrous. This is not an 'edged weapon' per se, so the first few inches of blade edge are not sharpened and there is a gradual uptick in sharpness. The last six inches or so are moderately sharp. The blade is 1060 steel given a hard spring temper, with a thick tang and more of a percussive and thrusting use which does not require a thin edge. It 'should' be indestructible.
Evaluation- This weapon has always been listed around $299 and I would say that is probably a little bit much for what it is. $250 sounds a bit more appropriate. The weapon actually handles well (think a well-balanced chopping knife) and is certainly a unique addition to any collection. The weight and decent balance, combined with the way the cross-section is set up, would seem to deliver a very large amount of force over a small area to whatever would be struck. I can see why some used this as a sidearm in ancient Japan.