Jake's new toy

[Jake_Norwood]

Hey Jake,

how about a few details on your new sword? Maker? Dimensions? Pics? Opinions? (so as not to derail this thread further, how about a new thread on your new toy?)

please.

Brian Hunt
GFS.

Hi Brian. My new toy is a replica "Federschwert" (Feathersword) I'm not sure if the name is accurate, but I think it is). It's "Greatsword" sized and very closely resembles the training swords from Mair and Meyer, as I said before. I don't have any accurate measurements, really, except that the blade is very narrow--so narrow that the tip is flared and flattened to make it safer. Most of the weight is in the hilt, with a center of balance about 1 or 2 inches from the hilt (towards the point..."down" as they say).

It was made in a short series of custome pieces I ordered from a maker in Poland. It took 8 months to get them (much of which is my fault, due to me joining the Army and all), and the quality is...what you'd expect for an inexpensive tool. I'm not happy with the temper (too much wobble in the starck), but it *is* fantastic for winding, binding, and all forms of practice (until it breaks, that is). With a little bit of pro-gear I'd feel fine about sparring with it at the same intensity as one does with wasters. In "feel" it reminds me of a new stirling arms waster--heavy on the scale, light in the hands.

I'm not sure what other details you'd like. I'll try to wrangle up a picture.

Jake

[david welch]

I'll try to wrangle up a picture.

GREAT! I have waited for what seems like forever, and would love to get to see my new sword! <img src="/forum/images/icons/grin.gif" alt="" />

[Jake_Norwood]

Um... <img src="/forum/images/icons/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/icons/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/icons/crazy.gif" alt="" />

It's coming...

Jake

[david welch]

Um... It's coming...

Brother, we never though for a minute they weren't. <img src="/forum/images/icons/wink.gif" alt="" />

[david welch]

ARMA Knoxville just got our box of 4 of these things yesterday... and they were worth the wait.

They are a little on the heavy side, just a little more than one of our wasters. When I first picked one up I noticed it right away, but they are so ballanced and agile I don't notice it at all when I swing the thing around!

Something else I noticed that I liked, and that must be an artifact of their ballance, is that if I point it at someones head and move around and change guards it fights to stay pointed at their head! If I move from left to right ox, I can watch the point just sit in one spot effortlessly. <img src="/forum/images/icons/laugh.gif" alt="" />


If nothing else they are perfect for practiceing winding and binding... it's like they are magnets to each other.

Fit and finish... a little rough in spots, but you can tell this is a user, not a looker so I don't care a bit.

When I get home tonight I'll try to get some pics up.

Thanks, Jake. We owe you (another) one

[david welch]

Sorry, these are not great but I wanted to get these up tonight.

The sword:


The hilt:




The weird spatulated tip:




I'll try to get some better ones up soon.

[Jamie Fellrath]

David and Jake,

It looks sort of rapier-like from a blade-only standpoint, not as flattened as a regular longsword blade. Does it feel correct when you use it for the cuts? I can see how it would be good for winden/binden, but does the roundness of it (at least, as I'm perceiving it from the photos) make that unrealistic?

Jamie

[Bill Welch]

Hey Jamie, the balance is a little to the pommel say 1 1/2" to 2" from the guard. The blades not round, but flat diamond shape, and yes they feel pretty good doing the cuts. I dont know about Dave's I have not weighed his, but mine is 3lbs, 4 oz so their not heavy, in the sense of too big for a longsword, they are not as heavy as my albion crecy(3 lbs 10 oz).

[Jamie Fellrath]

I guess I'm just wondering what this has over a regular blunt - is it a safety factor? Obviously, as we saw with John's cutting demo videos from the International Event with the blunt against tatami mats, a blunt is quite dangerous when used right.

Jamie

[david welch]

I guess I'm just wondering what this has over a regular blunt - is it a safety factor?

Why is a good question. <img src="/forum/images/icons/smile.gif" alt="" />

I didn't check the others... but with mine the point of percussion seems to share almost the same point as the ballance point. Factored with the light mass of the blade, in experiments on myself even though the edge of the blade is thinner, it actually hurts a lot less to get hit with one of these than with a wooden waster.

It's almost like getting hit by well ballanced car antenna with a 3 lb handle.

[Casper Bradak]

It looks like a longsword hilted schlager, is that a remotely acceptable comparison? (I hope not <img src="/forum/images/icons/wink.gif" alt="" />

[david welch]

No. It is a greatsword hilted Flexi-rapier. <img src="/forum/images/icons/laugh.gif" alt="" />
(Of course, what I understand of rapiers can fit in this period >.< )

But... it is ballanced like a NSA waster, and feels exactly the same if not a little better when swung. It just doesn't hit hard.

Maybe that is why the called them "feather swords". Assuming they knew what they were doing. <img src="/forum/images/icons/wink.gif" alt="" />

[Mike Cartier]

Nice looking, but that blade looks a little bit too thin to me though Jake, the reast of it seems fine though.

Hope i can get a chance to handle them one day.

[David Kite]

I've heard of rat-tail tangs, but a rat-tail blade?! (jk)

Seriously, though, that blade does look awefully thin for a cutting weapon. Could it really survive being struck with intent? Isn't that part of ARMA's criticism of cutting with a rapier?

Just a thought

David Kite
GFS, ARMA in IN

[Jake_Norwood]

It's not a cutting weapon. It's a Practice weapon. It's based after an original in Zurich of the same dimensions. The blade is narrow, but thick. That keeps the balance right without comprimising the edge. It handles very well and, with the exception of thrusts, seems considerabley safer to spar with than a waster.

Also, that spatulated tip is there to make the potential of thrusts safer than if the whole blade was that thin. I wonder if "back in the day" they didn't cover that part in leather, too, for added saftey. I've thought about it, and I bet that it would not only work, but that it would move the balance out to where we'd expect it in a steel sharp of that length.

You may not like the design asthetically, but you can't knock it for authenticty or function. It's definitely a practice sword for cutting people.


Does that sound about right, David?
Jake