Scottish Practical Broadsword Review

Discussion in 'Western Martial Arts' started by Louie, Oct 13, 2008.

  1. Louie

    Louie STUNT DAD Supporter

    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
     

    Attached Files:

  2. Steel Bonnet

    Steel Bonnet New Member

    A useful review, Louie,:cool: I've been thinking about getting one of the Hanwei
    basket hilts for a while now though I'll probably go for the backsword.
     
  3. RAbid Hamster

    RAbid Hamster Herr Trubelmacher

    do i sense a study group lurking for gcod since I have my schiavona?
    may have to finally get the george silver books out!
     
  4. Polar Bear

    Polar Bear Moved on

    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.
     
  5. RAbid Hamster

    RAbid Hamster Herr Trubelmacher

    its dalmatian slav not italian! .... a beast of a very different colour .... well technically its spotted for a start!
     
  6. Polar Bear

    Polar Bear Moved on

    yeah yeah well see when you face some scottish backsword steel.

    The Bear.
     
  7. Louie

    Louie STUNT DAD Supporter

    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.
     
  8. Louie

    Louie STUNT DAD Supporter

    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
     
  9. Polar Bear

    Polar Bear Moved on

    Ah sorry that's what I get for stupidly concentrating on the road I miss important info.

    The Bear.
     
  10. RAbid Hamster

    RAbid Hamster Herr Trubelmacher

    given your driving, the concentration on the road thing is good. :whistle:
     
  11. Polar Bear

    Polar Bear Moved on

    Yes miss daisy.

    The Bear.
     
  12. Louie

    Louie STUNT DAD Supporter

    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
     
  13. RAbid Hamster

    RAbid Hamster Herr Trubelmacher

  14. Louie

    Louie STUNT DAD Supporter

    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
     
  15. Polar Bear

    Polar Bear Moved on

  16. RAbid Hamster

    RAbid Hamster Herr Trubelmacher

    pardons begged oh great and wonderful mod for misquoting your opinions :hail:
     
  17. Polar Bear

    Polar Bear Moved on

    granted peasant.

    The Bear.
     

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