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Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2021 18:54:28 GMT
I have seen a few reviews of the vendor, but not many reviews of their offerings. It's Czech made, and a few forumites have purchased items from this particular smith, Rudolf Krutský, but I cannot find any reviews on his rapiers.
Any thoughts or ideas? Am I the first among us to order one of these?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2021 22:50:32 GMT
The blade is a bit short for the hilt type but probably figured for shipping costs. It looks fine otherwise.
Cheers GC
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Post by Deleted on Feb 16, 2021 23:00:44 GMT
The blade is a bit short for the hilt type but probably figured for shipping costs. It looks fine otherwise. Cheers GC I thought it was a bit short too, but I wonder if it's A) Incorrect, or B) the measurement for the HEMA version of the blade with the rounded tip. Either way, given the threaded pommel I could probably replace the blade if I don't like it. The hilt appealed to me. It looks substantial and thick.
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Feb 17, 2021 0:36:22 GMT
I thought the balde a bit short to my thinking. What also caught my eye was a 47 HRC. I would certainly not turn it down for that. My favourite knife for combat is 40-42 est. And after several cutting session will still take hair off. I do use a chakmak on it after each session. Please give us a report after giving it a fair trial.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 17, 2021 0:48:21 GMT
I that the bald a bit short to my thinking. What also caught my eye was a 47 HRC. I would certainly not turn it down for that. My favourite knife for combat is 40-42 est. And after several cutting session will still take hair off. I do use a chakmak on it after each session. Please give us a report after giving it a fair trial. I will need to do some research before I can even contemplate reviewing it. I'm a bit out of my depth here. Are there transitional smallswords that look like this, or is this unequivocally a rapier with a blade that's too short? That's a stupid question I'm asking myself.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 17, 2021 3:52:52 GMT
It is a pappenheimer rapier hilt type. Not a transitional rapier/smallsword.
For blade comparison, look to the MRL Christus Imperat
Lengths varied but typically half a foot longer.
There are plenty of rapier resources.
Cheers GC
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Post by Deleted on Mar 13, 2021 13:36:23 GMT
I received this sword today. Outfit4Events fudged the order a little bit. First, their inventory showed there was one sword available with a natural leather grip. Shortly after I placed my order, I sent three consecutive messages to them over a two week period, which went unanswered until I received a reply that my sword was out of stock due to error and they expected I would receive one by mid-March. They also advised that they cannot manufacture a longer blade and the sword cannot be disassembled (uh huh). I received the sword yesterday, and it seems they fudged things a second time: I received the sword with the wire wrapped grip instead of the natural leather. Argh! It's very nice, and I may even prefer it, but good grief! I have brought it to their attention, so hopefully they reply in a timely manner this time. The shipping from the Czech Republic was faster than their email reply to me! The sword itself is actually rather nice. The hilt and grip are pretty solid, but not perfect. It definitely looks hand made and has all the little quirks one expects from a hand made object. The apperture, or hole for the tang to go through the hilt is a little wide, but the construction seems so solid that it isn't an issue right now. I cannot find a peen mark or demarcation line anywhere. I have no idea if the sword even IS peened or if it's a threaded tang and they braised or epoxied the parts. Their promise that I could not take this apart seems legit. The sword did not come with a scabbard, which blows. Still, it will make a fun DIY project in the future. The blade, oh, the blade, it's short. We all knew it would be. I have no idea why they think they should sell rapiers with 33.5 inch blades. If they bumped this up to 37 or 38 they'd have a real winner on their hands here. The blade is narrow, but it's thick enough, about 5mm at the base and 4mm throughout, around 3mm at the tip. The blade flexes quite a bit, but it flexes where you want it to. If I grip the blade at the tip and flex it, it flexes to the middle of the blade, not towards the hilt. That's apparently good news. The POB is at the hilt, so it feels very lively. Overall, this sword has many good qualities. If it was sent back in time to the Renaissance, I would no doubt be laughed at for having a short blade. If I featured this sword in a Zorro film, it would be a big hit. I don't think I wasted my money here because I like the sword, but it's a bummer that they won't even consider adding an extra six inches to these blades.
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Mar 13, 2021 13:50:29 GMT
Thank you for the update. I’m glad it’s to your liking even with a short blade. Are you measuring the blade from the hilt or guard? The vendor's photo shows a wire wrapped grip. Your photos make it appear to be nice.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 13, 2021 14:05:56 GMT
Thank you for the update. I’m glad it’s to your liking even with a short blade. Are you measuring the blade from the hilt or guard? The vendor's photo shows a wire wrapped grip. Your photos make it appear to be nice. The blade measures 33.5 inches from the tip to the shell guard. If I measure from the tip to the hilt, where it meeting the grip, it's 36.5 inches long.
The photos show a wire-wrapped grip, but they also have leather wrapped options, which is what I selected.
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Post by pellius on Mar 13, 2021 14:26:58 GMT
That hilt is very nice. Bummer they didn’t send what you ordered, though. Thanks for sharing your experience and impressions.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 13, 2021 15:13:07 GMT
That hilt is very nice. Bummer they didn’t send what you ordered, though. Thanks for sharing your experience and impressions. I may order another one, and if they are generous, perhaps they will knock off a couple bucks for the mistake.
They have a couple models that have longer blades. This is leading me to question how we measure rapier blades.
Does one measure the length of a rapier blade from the perspective of its total length that can PENETRATE, or does one measure from its total length in terms of REACH?
In terms of reach, from the tip to my hand, it gives me 36.5 inches. In terms of penetration, it gives me 33.5 inches.
P.S. I am trying not to be juvenile about this, but it's so freaking difficult.
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Mar 13, 2021 16:06:42 GMT
That hilt is very nice. Bummer they didn’t send what you ordered, though. Thanks for sharing your experience and impressions.
Does one measure the length of a rapier blade from the perspective of its total length that can PENETRATE, or does one measure from its total length in terms of REACH?
KoA measures from the hilt, I do the same. It might be best to avoid a misunderstanding to ask the vendor how they measure.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2021 14:48:13 GMT
It would seem my sword is based on some late period rapiers from Germany where shorter blades became more fashionable for self-defense in urban environments. I guess the thinking is, it's easier and faster to draw a sword of this length in a tavern or alleyway, and although it's lacking in length, against some ruffians it will still get the job done and look sexy hanging at your side.
I'm going to make a scabbard for this one. Does anyone know if suede was ever used to cover scabbards? I have some lovely merlot colored suede hanging around.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2021 17:07:24 GMT
References?
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2021 17:14:00 GMT
Google's a helluva thing.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2021 17:19:21 GMT
Ok, I found it in the book Deutsches Klingenmuseum Solingen: Führer durch die Sammlungen, published 01/1991. Paperback.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2021 17:29:19 GMT
So is AVB Norman's rapier, smallsword and dagger book. Should I date that hilt for you?
You made a statement; 'It would seem my sword is based on some late period rapiers from Germany where shorter blades became more fashionable for self-defense in urban environments.'
That's fine, you could supply one or more references. You should be able to easily.
I did point out that length and shipping offer constraints and your explanation makes no sense, in the context of the hilt.
Cheers GC
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2021 18:00:33 GMT
I am actually having trouble with the hilt. I assume it's from the 30 Years War period, but I am having difficulty sourcing any examples that are unpierced, unless we count the rose motif as a form of piercing.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2021 18:23:35 GMT
Consider the plates as hubcaps. What does the rest of the hilt tell you? Pappenheimer is a modern term relating to "cavalry led by Gottfried Heinrich, Graf Pappenheim" (29 May 1594 – 17 November 1632). For the sake of brevity, a link. myarmoury.com/review_pmc_papp.htmlMy weirdo hilt is later, with a cut down blade at that and closer to being regarded as a transitional rapier type. nothing swept hilt about it. Imho, there is no need to try to excuse the blade length, or find an exacting similar hilt. The form speaks for itself. Cheers GC
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Post by AndiTheBarvarian on Mar 14, 2021 18:34:41 GMT
The classic German "Degen" is what the English call a transitional rapier, a bit shorter and lighter than a classic rapier. It's a general term for many subtypes of swords (Stoßdegen, Haudegen, Militärdegen etc.) but if you just say Degen it means a transitional rapier.
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