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Post by Kane Shen on Jul 8, 2021 18:22:59 GMT
A review long overdue, this takes a detailed look at a new 2020 offering by Cold Steel, the Competition Cutting Sword--a modified version of the Arbedo sword fulfilled by Windlass Steelcraft. Being a relatively popular model back in the day, the Arbedo sword tried to reproduce an original piece on exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum in New York. After its discontinuation, Cold Steel has taken over the design and made some revisions to create a crossover sword between the Oakeshott type XVIIIa and XVIIIc as an offering for sword cutting enthusiast.
After doing some extensive cutting, with 6 basic cuts and 5 "master cuts" or meisterhau in the Germanic longsword tradition, I evaluated whether this can hold its candle against other true competition level cutting swords such as the Albion Principe and Angus Trim Type XIIa, by looking at the modifications Cold Steel has made, such as the widening of the blade, the lengthening of the blade, the grip and the new scentstopper/fishtail hybrid pommel. Per Cold Steel's request, a modest amount of distal tapering has also been introduced to the blade, against Windlass' usual MO. I measured the distal taper and profile taper to see whether they serve as an improvement to the handling of this sword and the rigidity of the blade, in the context of cutting performance.
Detailed stats
blade length: 31"
grip length: 8"
overall length: 43"
Distal Taper:
4mm at the base
3.1mm at 1/3 of the blade
3.1mm at 2/3 of the blade
2.6mm at 2" from the tip
profile taper:
68.4mm at the base
48.7mm at the midpoint
23.5mm at 2" from the tip
weight: 1333g
point of balance: 2.5" (6.35cm) from the guard
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Post by notthesharpest on Jul 8, 2021 19:49:11 GMT
Thanks for posting this, Kane Shen.
Medieval-type swords are not my thing, but I viewed your video because of the thought I knew you would put into your content. Your reviews are definitely worth watching.
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Post by Kane Shen on Jul 8, 2021 21:19:13 GMT
Thanks for posting this, Kane Shen. Medieval-type swords are not my thing, but I viewed your video because of the thought I knew you would put into your content. Your reviews are definitely worth watching. Thanks a lot! I appreciate that! |
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LeMal
Member
Posts: 1,050
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Post by LeMal on Jul 8, 2021 21:24:06 GMT
I like it quite a bit more than you. Haven't bought yet, given I'm trying to reduce a bloated collection, but I found it very tempting in fact.
Give it another run if you're going to do longsword cuts with it, but with your lead hand a couple inches back from the guard, rear hand on or just in front of the pommel, and hand spacing closer, see if you don't like that more.
Only way I've swung it with lead hand up against the guard is when using it one handed. In which case, even more than the Arbedo (and I loved my long lost Arbedo) it's where I appreciate the redesign; for both they are/were truly good "hand and a halfs" equally nice cutters in one hand or two.
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Post by karasunoir on Jul 8, 2021 21:25:25 GMT
Nice review! Congrats on the 1 year anniversary  |
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Post by Kane Shen on Jul 8, 2021 22:51:50 GMT
Nice review! Congrats on the 1 year anniversary Thank you! Been quite a year! |
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Post by Arthur Dayne on Jul 9, 2021 18:34:34 GMT
I saw this sword in a promotion video on Youtube a while ago but didn't think much of it. Thanks for doing this fun review, this sword doesn't look bad at all for a $300ish cutter.
I enjoyed your commentary, especially the bit about the odd screw on end of pommel.
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Post by Kane Shen on Jul 10, 2021 16:27:01 GMT
I saw this sword in a promotion video on Youtube a while ago but didn't think much of it. Thanks for doing this fun review, this sword doesn't look bad at all for a $300ish cutter. I enjoyed your commentary, especially the bit about the odd screw on end of pommel. Thanks, Arthur Dayne! Yeah I wasn’t sold after seeing their promotional video, either. It came better than expected though. I wasn’t blown away or anything, especially by that somewhat floppy blade, but in the end it performed well enough and for around 300 bucks it’s not a rip-off for sure, when you consider the unique profile and overall look of the sword. Yeah, it was indeed funny how the pommel turned out. I thought it was a bit peculiar, but it was only after my wife’s commentary things started to look truly awkward🤣 |
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Post by squalembrato on Jul 10, 2021 19:24:43 GMT
I am not impressed in any way by this Cold Steel sword. My Hanwei Early Medieval Single Hand Sword (EMSHS) has much better cutting ability on much thicker and harder plastic laundry detergent bottles, and mayonnaise jars than those used in the posted video. It weighs much less and is quicker and probably less tiring to use. It costs about the same. Why would anyone want to use this huge and heavy Cold Steel monstrosity in competition let alone for practice?
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Post by Kane Shen on Jul 11, 2021 2:05:14 GMT
I am not impressed in any way by this Cold Steel sword. My Hanwei Early Medieval Single Hand Sword (EMSHS) has much better cutting ability on much thicker and harder plastic laundry detergent bottles, and mayonnaise jars than those used in the posted video. It weighs much less and is quicker and probably less tiring to use. It costs about the same. Why would anyone want to use this huge and heavy Cold Steel monstrosity in competition let alone for practice? Because the Hanwei Tinker Early Medieval Single Handed Sword is a type XII arming sword, while this sword is a late medieval type XVIIIa/XVIIIc two-handed sword? Because one needs more than one sword? I don't know, a Angus Trim type XIX arming sword weighs 1.9lbs and cuts like a laser. How could there ever be another sword on this world being made? |
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Post by ihutch1 on Jul 12, 2021 2:21:22 GMT
Thanks for the review. Haven't heard that music in years, are you a former UO player?
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Post by Kane Shen on Jul 12, 2021 3:17:20 GMT
Thanks for the review. Haven't heard that music in years, are you a former UO player? Yeah, back in college days =D |
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Post by wildyracing on Jul 15, 2022 14:03:13 GMT
I am not impressed in any way by this Cold Steel sword. My Hanwei Early Medieval Single Hand Sword (EMSHS) has much better cutting ability on much thicker and harder plastic laundry detergent bottles, and mayonnaise jars than those used in the posted video. It weighs much less and is quicker and probably less tiring to use. It costs about the same. Why would anyone want to use this huge and heavy Cold Steel monstrosity in competition let alone for practice? Considering your reasons in a similar rationale, I could say that my $120 Longquan katana will cut better than most Eurostyle swords several times above its price, and I'll probably be correct. How do you measure the cutting ability of a sword by only looking of someone else handle his example? In fact, Cold Steel built a reputation for very tough products and I'm impressed by this durability AND cutting. I can not speak about the Hanwei sword you mention, but knowing Hanwei and owning quite a lot of their stuff over the years I'm certain most of their swords could not withstand the abuse Lynn and the others put on their blades. To achieve such durability and to be able to cut well and to actually look and handle like an European sword for around $300 is very impressive feat IMO. |
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Zen_Hydra
Moderator
Born with a heart full of neutrality
Posts: 2,599 
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Post by Zen_Hydra on Jul 15, 2022 16:52:02 GMT
I am not impressed in any way by this Cold Steel sword. My Hanwei Early Medieval Single Hand Sword (EMSHS) has much better cutting ability on much thicker and harder plastic laundry detergent bottles, and mayonnaise jars than those used in the posted video. It weighs much less and is quicker and probably less tiring to use. It costs about the same. Why would anyone want to use this huge and heavy Cold Steel monstrosity in competition let alone for practice? Considering your reasons in a similar rationale, I could say that my $120 Longquan katana will cut better than most Eurostyle swords several times above its price, and I'll probably be correct. How do you measure the cutting ability of a sword by only looking of someone else handle his example? In fact, Cold Steel built a reputation for very tough products and I'm impressed by this durability AND cutting. I can not speak about the Hanwei sword you mention, but knowing Hanwei and owning quite a lot of their stuff over the years I'm certain most of their swords could not withstand the abuse Lynn and the others put on their blades. To achieve such durability and to be able to cut well and to actually look and handle like an European sword for around $300 is very impressive feat IMO. Cold Steel is a retailer, and not a manufacturer. Their many products have historically been crafted by a variety of makers (depending on the time of manufacturing, and specific product line). You really can't make a generalization about the robustness and quality of Cold Steel as a brand, because those characteristics differed wildly at any given moment, for any given item. |
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Post by Kane Shen on Jul 15, 2022 18:42:46 GMT
Yeah, this one is made by Windlass, as a modified version of their discontinued Arbedo model. It basically carries all the shortcomings and advantage of Windlass swords. I'd say they did a decent job for the price although it could be improved if they pay more attention to the thickness and distal tapering of the blade.
The H/T EMSHS is an incredibly solid product with good design by Tinker Pearce and well implemented by Hanwei on a budget, I'd even venture to say the attention to detail on the distal taper and cross section is probably a step above most Windlass models, but it's just a different kind of sword. It's a High Medieval single-handed arming sword of Oakeshott type XII, while the Arbedo is an early 15th century type XVIIIa sword of southern Italian style. It's just so far apart. Why would anyone need more than one sword of one type? Different purposes, different contexts? Not to mention that collectors and aficionados here enjoy variety.
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Post by wildyracing on Jul 15, 2022 19:07:22 GMT
I agree with everything you both wrote, Zen_Hydra and Kane.
By the way Kane, you create very thorough, detailed and easy to comprehend sword reviews! I want to thank you for these and to wish you all the good stuff one enthusiast might want. :)
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Post by Kane Shen on Jul 15, 2022 19:16:53 GMT
I agree with everything you both wrote, Zen_Hydra and Kane. By the way Kane, you create very thorough, detailed and easy to comprehend sword reviews! I want to thank you for these and to wish you all the good stuff one enthusiast might want. Thank you so much for the kind words, I’m glad that my reviews have provided some value or entertainment. |
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Post by armizare9 on Aug 21, 2022 10:44:03 GMT
Really enjoyed your review well done and that sword looks very sharp and fun!  |
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Post by AndiTheBarvarian on Aug 21, 2022 12:05:29 GMT
Hah, I got one two weeks ago but didn't notice the screw nut until I saw the review.
I just removed it, the tang exceeds the grip a bit, then follows the threaded rod.
The pommel is keyed on the real tang, so it's a good construction.
The grip is not removable, probably epoxied.
Cold Steel is not a forge but a retailer, but my experience is that their specs made the swords one class better than typical Windlass swords.
I also have a new generation Erbach which has all the typical Windlass problems that the Cold Steel has not, heavy, blade heavy, no distal taper and less hollow grind.
Also my CS 1860 saber, which is in principle a Windlass 1840, has a better blade than my Windlass 1860 Officers.
Unfortunately I don't have a Windlass 1840 for a direct comparison.
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Post by armizare9 on Aug 22, 2022 0:08:38 GMT
Hah, I got one two weeks ago but didn't notice the screw nut until I saw the review. I just removed it, the tang exceeds the grip a bit, then follows the threaded rod. The pommel is keyed on the real tang, so it's a good construction. The grip is not removable, probably epoxied. Cold Steel is not a forge but a retailer, but my experience is that their specs made the swords one class better than typical Windlass swords. I also have a new generation Erbach which has all the typical Windlass problems that the Cold Steel has not, heavy, blade heavy, no distal taper and less hollow grind. Also my CS 1860 saber, which is in principle a Windlass 1840, has a better blade than my Windlass 1860 Officers. Unfortunately I don't have a Windlass 1840 for a direct comparison. Oh i never knew that about Cold Steel..so the knife i own from CS isn't actually a CS knife, just sold by them?
Now I'm wondering who really made it, just did some searching and i couldn't find anything about it being made from another manufacturer.
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