After a week of putting this new sword through it's paces I thought I'd write a short review on Hanwei's Practical Basket-hilted Broadsword.... http://www.medieval-weaponry.co.uk/acatalog/HW2059Close.jpg The sword itself looks fantastic, it carries a typical Glasgow-style hilt from the mid-eighteenth century period, which certainly looks a lot sturdier than the practical mortuary version. At 3lb the sword weighs about a pound to half a pound more than many of the surviving original weapons, probably due to the practical blade being made to withstand "rugged use" and is certainly less flexible than the originals. Advertised as "fully tempered un-edged and un-pointed" I found the tapered point slightly too tapered and would recommend using a heavy file to round it off a bit before sparring. The 'basket' is roomy enough for the average hand but could be a bit tight for anyone bigger, and I'd also recommend wearing a padded glove as this sword doesn't come with a leather inner liner (unlike the sharp version), instead you just get a red felt liner which won't stop a thrust should it come through the bars of the hilt. The blade itself is fullered for balance and I found it fairly easy to swing around and perform all of the cuts although the sword does get "heavy" over time which may not suit the slight built beginner - Maintaining some of the broadsword guards over a long period would also take a bit of extra training with your own broadsword at home... The overall length of the broadsword is 97cm, If your looking for a longer weapon, the backsword is 101cm but 1oz heavier. If your looking for a shorter, lighter weapon then at 2lb & 95cm long, it has to be the Mortuary although I don't think the screws on it's hilt will stay in long under the constant bashing of a heavier broadsword/backsword. http://www.medieval-weaponry.co.uk/acatalog/basket-hilt-broad-sword-by-ancient-warrior.html Louie
A useful review, Louie, I've been thinking about getting one of the Hanwei basket hilts for a while now though I'll probably go for the backsword.
do i sense a study group lurking for gcod since I have my schiavona? may have to finally get the george silver books out!
Great review Louie, you kept that purchase quiet. Bring it Sunday will you so I can have a mooch. back/broad sword is definitely the GCoD second weapon if and when we get round to one. yeah and we'll even let you use your dodgy italian sword, Hamster. The Bear.
its dalmatian slav not italian! .... a beast of a very different colour .... well technically its spotted for a start!
Hi Bear... I mentioned I was getting either a back or broadsword the other week on the way to the DDS event... Marco suggested getting a hold of the various swords at the event to try em out - unfortunately I only managed a couple of MacD longswords and Neil's Mortuary which I thought was too light and fairly slender. Hi Steel Bonnet... Was mulling over which of the two to go for, opting for the broadsword as I'm doing a bit of research on Thomas Page's 1746 Broadsword treatise, (with it's medieval style footwork) - although a sword with an few extra cm's was tempting. (doubt if that extra oz will make a lot of difference to handling although it is creeping up towards 3lb 3oz longsword weight) Louie.
Had a few comments that might be of interest regarding the Hanwei broad/backsword including the suggestion that those weights might not be accurate, "I have seen and handled several of each and the backsword is definately a substantial bit lighter than the broadsword" (It's probably the same as the Hanwei longswords we've handled - depends on your luck whether you get one from a batch that has a lighter, flexible blade or a sturdier, heavier one). Another comment reports that back in around 2002/3 the blade on a broadsword snapped off about 4" from the tip during freeplay. "I know of one other at least that did the same". (I imagine the quality control process has changed since then and presume that the same problem could occur with the backsword blade). Louie
Okay! put the Hanwei Broadsword through the "slightly-built beginner" test tonight :star: A young woman -very thin - joined her husband in training tonight which ended in both of them padding up and doing a bit of singlestick together. :evil: Afterwards I asked her to try some of the singlestick cuts/guards with the Hanwei broadsword which gave her great difficulty.... (thought her wrist might snap!) I imagine slightly built young men may have the same problem. A possible alternative could be the Armour Class Dragoon Sword at £200 (no weight details) http://www.armourclass.com/Data/Pages/Scottish Collection2.htm Louie
I thought the proto-mortuary sword of A/C was a pretty useful looking weapon. Bear had a poke at it a while back and rather liked it. 17th Century Tower Hanger - Order Code 17C6. £120 just get a 76 or 84cm blade on it. http://www.armourclass.com/Data/Pages/17Century_Main2.htm there may be reviews of AC swords at http://www.myarmoury.com/home.php
Just had a look over some of the original Broadsword weights in the collection of Phread Cichowsky, he has two mid-1700 swords of a similiar design to the Hanwei, both probably from the same manufacturer.... One is 2lb 11oz and the other is a much heavier 3lb 6oz (with 3 fullers). In comparison to these designs the Hanwei is fairly average at 3lbs and (if your doing techniques connected with Highland broadsword/backsword), IMHO is probably more suited to the Thomas Page 1746 "Highland method" rather than the Sinclair's 1790 Highland Broadsword/singlestick method which relies on wrist-turning and most likely a lighter sword. Louie
the one I like best from AC that was affordable was the Dragoon sword. http://www.armourclass.com/Data/Pages/Scottish_14.htm The Bear.