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Post by branhammer on Jul 19, 2022 4:59:00 GMT
Anyone have any experience with TFW or their "Bastard Sword" in particular? Are they worth buying from? Is this particular model worth buying? Thanks! KOA TFW Bastard Sword
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Post by randomnobody on Jul 19, 2022 13:58:09 GMT
I have no direct experience with TFW, but their reputation has been solid and consistent for as long as I've known of the brand.
I'm concerned they may suffer a problem that, at least used to be common with swords made in the Philippines, in that they tend to be a little overbuilt. Looking at the specs on TFW's own website and comparing them to, for example, Hanwei's Tinker line bastard sword, they're comparably sized (less than an inch difference) but the TFW is a whole pound heavier. That seems excessive.
Otherwise, I'm sure it's a good-enough sword. I'm in no hurry to pay $600 for it, though...
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Jul 19, 2022 14:18:24 GMT
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Post by pellius on Jul 19, 2022 15:38:11 GMT
I have always been a fan of TFW’s short swords.
Their steel is awesome (despite the iffy marketing claims). Very very tough, yet keeps a keen edge through days of hard work. The construction, fit and finish have always been good. I got most of mine second hand a long time ago. They have held up very well.
I have two examples of a longer model, the Dan Dao. The earlier one I got long ago (before the big price hike) as a discounted scratch and dent from KoA. It was and is a very nice saber. However, as randomnobody alluded to, it is a little thick all along the blade, making it a just bit overweight for a one-hander.
Later, I bought a used Dan Dao from a more recent run. The steel was still nice. However, the overall quality was significantly lower. The fittings were kinda chintzy and under-built. The whole sword was a couple inches shorter than my older model.
This is, of course, just anecdotal. The differences I noted might not be common. So I share my experience for what it’s worth. Measurements taken a while back might not be accurate for new products.
I think TFW short swords are the best in their league - better quality, looks, and performance than similarly priced competitors such as Zombie Tools.
TFW’s longer swords have edged up in price past the likes of Del Tin while offering comparable-to-lower performance (although TFW does come with a scabbard).
Their long bladed swords now compete with the likes of Albion’s far superior Squire Line. They are also shouting distance from a used hyper-performance ATrim.
I don’t personally know about TFWs bastard sword, and likely never will. For the money, I would choose something else. jmtc.
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Post by branhammer on Jul 25, 2022 6:22:44 GMT
Thanks for the input, quite helpful. Cheers!
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Post by branhammer on Jul 25, 2022 20:30:50 GMT
UPDATE: I noticed that on KoA the TFW "Bastard" Sword was listed at 3 lbs. 1.4 oz, while on the TFW website it was listed at 3 lbs. 9 oz (!!!). I reached out to Koa About this discrepancy, and they told me that they make all measurements in house, and their measurements showed 3 lbs. 1.4 oz, not the additional 8 oz. Much better weight!
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Jul 25, 2022 20:47:51 GMT
UPDATE: I noticed that on KoA the TFW "Bastard" Sword was listed at 3 lbs. 1.4 oz, while on the TFW website it was listed at 3 lbs. 9 oz (!!!). I reached out to Koa About this discrepancy, and they told me that they make all measurements in house, and their measurements showed 3 lbs. 1.4 oz, not the additional 8 oz. Much better weight! That does not mean all of TFW Bastard swords handled by KoA will equal that weight. In fact I don’t believe that I’ve ever received a sword from KoA that equalled their stated weight. I found other measurements often off also. I don’t believe that is entirely due to sloppy measuring but variations in the swords.
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Post by randomnobody on Jul 25, 2022 22:11:04 GMT
All hand-made goods will vary in size/weight. Just how it is. 8oz difference is pretty significant, but this isn't a small sword, so maybe it's less significant?
I remember, several years ago, thinking a pocketknife I had recently gotten struck me as very heavy for its size (3.5" blade, 4" handle) so I weighed it and it was a measly 3.2oz. Conversely, I've just got in two antique swords that are about 2oz different from each other and I can't really tell a difference. They're both under 2lbs, one of them only just, so maybe once you hit 3lbs 8oz isn't that bad... (Still seems pretty bad on paper, though)
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Post by randomnobody on Jul 26, 2022 0:26:50 GMT
So I looked around at some other "bastard swords" on KoA, and it looks like the Tinker is the outlier of the bunch. Most range 3-4lbs versus the Tinker's 2.5, but a further consideration is TFW's PoB is around 2.5" and the others are all 4-6".
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