Del Tin French Small Sword
Nov 18, 2020 23:41:52 GMT
Post by tommyh on Nov 18, 2020 23:41:52 GMT
Introduction
During my undergrad, I took a few fencing classes. I didn't stick with it long enough to get good, but they taught me the basics of the movements. I've always appreciated the aesthetics of a fancy court sword, and decided to start looking for one. My dad also has a family crest, so I decided that whatever I got, I would do some slight modification to add the crest to the sword. So I was going to need a sword with a good area for some basic engraving. That's when I found the Del Tin French Small Sword.
Disclaimer
I purchased this sword with my own money from Kult of Athena. I have no relationship with either Del Tin or KoA; this was my first Del Tin product. The sword is currently listed at $406.95, and though I bought it about a year and a half ago, I believe that's exactly what I paid then. Kult of Athena's product code on this sword is DT5180.
Historical Overview/Accuracy
I do not claim to be an expert in either historical swordsmanship or design, but from what I've gathered from the internet, this sword is fairly accurate. It features a diamond cross-sectional blade, which might be a little on the long side of historical small swords, but falls within the 24-33 inch range that Wikipedia claims. As small swords were often dress weapons, this one is a little on the unadorned side, with minimal design on the hilt. It's easy to see why these swords would have been ideal for duelists and self-defense minded civilians: it's light, not overly long yet long enough to keep an attacker away, and thrusts quite easily. You don't have to be strong, and it thrusts so well an amateur would have no problem penetrating the body, assuming they got the point in the right spot.
Stats
OAL: 39 3/4 in
Blade length: 32 1/2 in
Hilt length: 7 1/4 in
Grip length: 3 1/4 in
POB: 1 3/4 in
Weight: 1 lb 8 oz
Construction and First Impressions
This sword is LIGHT. Kult of Athena says 1 pound, 7.1 ounces (I found that mine was slightly heavier than that), but it feels almost weightless. Combine that with a point of balance that's not even 2 inches from the guard, and quick, accurate point control becomes a breeze, even in my relatively inexperienced hands. Wrap your index feeling over the cross under the shell and it's even easier and faster.
The hilt components are brass. They're pretty nice, though the knuckle bow can bend if you're not careful. It only connects to the hilt at the cross, and doesn't connect to the pommel. Not a big deal to bend back, but I'm sure too much stress could snap it off. Just something to be aware of. The cross itself and little finger rest area are well-contoured and don't create any hotspots, even when gripping it without a glove. It is worth noting that the little circular cuts on the shell are not symmetrical. It's not easily noticeable when the guard is blank, but after I engraved mine, it became obvious. It doesn't bug me much, but I would like to see a symmetrically cast part at this price range.
Speaking of which, that's why I bought this particular model. Del Tin makes another product, also called the French Small Sword, product number DT5181 at Kult of Athena, which has a much more ornately carved guard, as well as more ornate hilt components in general. Truthfully, I think DT5181 is the better looking sword. I've never handled one, but the stats are the same, so I would assume it feels more or less the same, and it has much more of the "dress sword" feeling than DT5180 has. But DT5180 has a blank guard, and since I intended on engraving it, that's the way I had do go.
The grip is wrapped in wire. Here I had a slight issue with mine. The wire wrap was loose enough that if I tried, I could get the wrap to shift with certain swings. I ended up giving it several coats of clear lacquer to fill the voids and make sure it wouldn't move; it's been perfect ever since.
The blade is peened to the hilt. KoA advertises it as 50HRC, and I have no reason to question that hardness, though I did not test it. The sword is quite flexible. That could be a problem depending on the target, but did not present itself as an issue during my use. The blade has an interesting look to it: whether it's an antiquing process, or some coating they put on the blade, or just a byproduct of the type of steel they use, I'm not sure. There is no texture to speak of when you run your finger over it, though. The sword usually comes blunt, as I believe all Del Tin models do, but I had it sharpened by KoA.
Handling/Test Cutting
Like I said earlier, this sword is incredibly light. Handling does not make me fatigue quickly. Thrusts are done with very little effort, and the blade has no problem penetrating standard water bottles. Cutting was a different experience. While this is obviously a predominantly thrust-oriented sword, I'm aware that rapiers and small swords can cut, and some can cut quite well. There are a few videos on YouTube of people cutting tatami with rapiers. However, my experience with cutting with this sword was abysmal. On the same standard water bottles, I was generally unable to cut through the plastic at all. If I used the very tip, I could break the skin of the bottle, but trying to cut at the point of percussion was impossible for me. In part, that may be due to the relatively steep grind of the edge (note: I don't fault KoA for this, it's a narrow blade and probably has to be ground pretty steep), and it's certainly also due in no small part to my general amateur cutting skills. But with this blade being so light and so thin, I think that may well be part of it as well. With that being said, I'm sure if you put this sword in the hands of a more skilled cutter they would have been able to have more success, but don't expect this sword to be a good cutter if you're an amateur like me.
Closing Thoughts
This is a pretty sword, and it occupies a spot in the market that is fairly empty. There aren't many small swords out there made by production companies, and even fewer diamond cross section ones. If you want a blank canvas for engraving purposes, like I did, this may well be the only option out there. It may be a little plain, but it's well-made and performs well as a dedicated thruster. It does a good job of bridging the gap between a functional weapon and a piece of jewelry, and does not look out of place on a mantle or, as in my case, hanging over my bar. If you're thinking of buying one with no plans to modify it, I would have to recommend the DT5181 model. As it comes, I'll give this sword a 3/5. I'll dock one point for its plainness (though that's exactly why I bought it) and another point for the issues of a loose wrap and the asymmetrical shell. The wrap is fixable but the guard is not; I can excuse the wrap, but on a $400 sword, I would expect the guard to be cast symmetrically. If I were making this purchase again, with no intent on modifying the sword, I would go with the more ornate DT5181 model.
During my undergrad, I took a few fencing classes. I didn't stick with it long enough to get good, but they taught me the basics of the movements. I've always appreciated the aesthetics of a fancy court sword, and decided to start looking for one. My dad also has a family crest, so I decided that whatever I got, I would do some slight modification to add the crest to the sword. So I was going to need a sword with a good area for some basic engraving. That's when I found the Del Tin French Small Sword.
Disclaimer
I purchased this sword with my own money from Kult of Athena. I have no relationship with either Del Tin or KoA; this was my first Del Tin product. The sword is currently listed at $406.95, and though I bought it about a year and a half ago, I believe that's exactly what I paid then. Kult of Athena's product code on this sword is DT5180.
Historical Overview/Accuracy
I do not claim to be an expert in either historical swordsmanship or design, but from what I've gathered from the internet, this sword is fairly accurate. It features a diamond cross-sectional blade, which might be a little on the long side of historical small swords, but falls within the 24-33 inch range that Wikipedia claims. As small swords were often dress weapons, this one is a little on the unadorned side, with minimal design on the hilt. It's easy to see why these swords would have been ideal for duelists and self-defense minded civilians: it's light, not overly long yet long enough to keep an attacker away, and thrusts quite easily. You don't have to be strong, and it thrusts so well an amateur would have no problem penetrating the body, assuming they got the point in the right spot.
Stats
OAL: 39 3/4 in
Blade length: 32 1/2 in
Hilt length: 7 1/4 in
Grip length: 3 1/4 in
POB: 1 3/4 in
Weight: 1 lb 8 oz
Construction and First Impressions
This sword is LIGHT. Kult of Athena says 1 pound, 7.1 ounces (I found that mine was slightly heavier than that), but it feels almost weightless. Combine that with a point of balance that's not even 2 inches from the guard, and quick, accurate point control becomes a breeze, even in my relatively inexperienced hands. Wrap your index feeling over the cross under the shell and it's even easier and faster.
The hilt components are brass. They're pretty nice, though the knuckle bow can bend if you're not careful. It only connects to the hilt at the cross, and doesn't connect to the pommel. Not a big deal to bend back, but I'm sure too much stress could snap it off. Just something to be aware of. The cross itself and little finger rest area are well-contoured and don't create any hotspots, even when gripping it without a glove. It is worth noting that the little circular cuts on the shell are not symmetrical. It's not easily noticeable when the guard is blank, but after I engraved mine, it became obvious. It doesn't bug me much, but I would like to see a symmetrically cast part at this price range.
Speaking of which, that's why I bought this particular model. Del Tin makes another product, also called the French Small Sword, product number DT5181 at Kult of Athena, which has a much more ornately carved guard, as well as more ornate hilt components in general. Truthfully, I think DT5181 is the better looking sword. I've never handled one, but the stats are the same, so I would assume it feels more or less the same, and it has much more of the "dress sword" feeling than DT5180 has. But DT5180 has a blank guard, and since I intended on engraving it, that's the way I had do go.
The grip is wrapped in wire. Here I had a slight issue with mine. The wire wrap was loose enough that if I tried, I could get the wrap to shift with certain swings. I ended up giving it several coats of clear lacquer to fill the voids and make sure it wouldn't move; it's been perfect ever since.
The blade is peened to the hilt. KoA advertises it as 50HRC, and I have no reason to question that hardness, though I did not test it. The sword is quite flexible. That could be a problem depending on the target, but did not present itself as an issue during my use. The blade has an interesting look to it: whether it's an antiquing process, or some coating they put on the blade, or just a byproduct of the type of steel they use, I'm not sure. There is no texture to speak of when you run your finger over it, though. The sword usually comes blunt, as I believe all Del Tin models do, but I had it sharpened by KoA.
Handling/Test Cutting
Like I said earlier, this sword is incredibly light. Handling does not make me fatigue quickly. Thrusts are done with very little effort, and the blade has no problem penetrating standard water bottles. Cutting was a different experience. While this is obviously a predominantly thrust-oriented sword, I'm aware that rapiers and small swords can cut, and some can cut quite well. There are a few videos on YouTube of people cutting tatami with rapiers. However, my experience with cutting with this sword was abysmal. On the same standard water bottles, I was generally unable to cut through the plastic at all. If I used the very tip, I could break the skin of the bottle, but trying to cut at the point of percussion was impossible for me. In part, that may be due to the relatively steep grind of the edge (note: I don't fault KoA for this, it's a narrow blade and probably has to be ground pretty steep), and it's certainly also due in no small part to my general amateur cutting skills. But with this blade being so light and so thin, I think that may well be part of it as well. With that being said, I'm sure if you put this sword in the hands of a more skilled cutter they would have been able to have more success, but don't expect this sword to be a good cutter if you're an amateur like me.
Closing Thoughts
This is a pretty sword, and it occupies a spot in the market that is fairly empty. There aren't many small swords out there made by production companies, and even fewer diamond cross section ones. If you want a blank canvas for engraving purposes, like I did, this may well be the only option out there. It may be a little plain, but it's well-made and performs well as a dedicated thruster. It does a good job of bridging the gap between a functional weapon and a piece of jewelry, and does not look out of place on a mantle or, as in my case, hanging over my bar. If you're thinking of buying one with no plans to modify it, I would have to recommend the DT5181 model. As it comes, I'll give this sword a 3/5. I'll dock one point for its plainness (though that's exactly why I bought it) and another point for the issues of a loose wrap and the asymmetrical shell. The wrap is fixable but the guard is not; I can excuse the wrap, but on a $400 sword, I would expect the guard to be cast symmetrically. If I were making this purchase again, with no intent on modifying the sword, I would go with the more ornate DT5181 model.
