Dark Sword Armory Guardlan Sword: Is this Viking sword worth $700?
I have to give it to them, even now. The Dark Sword Armory (yyychhh) Guardlan is one of the most visually-impressive fantasy Viking swords out there (it may be the only one in mass production, as they didn't historically exist).
Though I don't love the forge, and bought this one a decade ago, I must say it offers excellent fantasy aesthetics and undeniable shelf presence.
But, as is mostly the case with DSA (at least in my checkered history), its cutting performance and construction quality may not fully justify its $600-$700 price tag.
Pros
- Outstanding fantasy Viking design
- Excellent display piece
- Comfortable two-handed grip
- Unique appearance compared to traditional Viking swords
Cons
- Expensive
- Performance doesn't always match the price
- History of construction concerns
- Needed heavy revamp
- Better heavy-duty cutters exist in the same price range
Let's take a look under the hood...
Now, I have to say, I love fantasy swords.
Not "historically inspired" swords. Not museum replicas. Fantasy swords.
The bigger, weirder, and more impractical, the better. If a sword looks like it belongs in a dark fantasy video game, has enough steel to trigger airport security from three zip codes away, and would make a medieval historian audibly groan, chances are I want it.
So when I first came across the Dark Sword Armory Guardlan Sword, I was intrigued immediately.
At first glance, it checks all the right boxes.
Long blade? Check.
Massive two-handed grip? Check.
Aggressive Viking styling? Check.
The kind of sword that makes you instinctively stand a little straighter when you pick it up? Double check.
The Dark Sword Armory Guardlan occupies a strange space in the sword world. It's often marketed as a Viking sword, but let's be honest here—it's about as historically Viking as horns on helmets.
Real Viking-era swords were one-handed weapons or more commonly spears. This thing has enough grip for both hands and then some.
That's perfectly fine by me.
Because fantasy swords, especially fuck off functional ones, are awesome.
Is the Dark Sword Armory Guardlan Historically Accurate?
To satisfy all my salivating historical sword fanatics, not at all really.
While the Guardlan Sword borrows heavily from Viking-era aesthetics - distinctive 5-lobe pommel, lots of leather, blood of your enemies - it is fundamentally a fantasy design. The extended grip alone places it well outside the realm of historical Viking-era weapons.
If historical accuracy is the goal, look elsewhere.
If you're looking for something that feels like it was carried by a six-foot-eight Norse king who spent his weekends fighting dragons and trolls and shit, you're in the right place.
Design and Appearance
Dark Sword Armory has built a reputation for producing visually striking, if not total ticking time bomb, swords. Like most of their fantasy swords, The Guardlan may be one of their best-looking designs.
Now true to form, the sword I own has actually had some work done by Wes Beem of Lone Wolf Forge. The original peen was reworked and shaped, ALLLLL the excess epoxy/JB weld was removed, and the edge was significantly improved.
That's important.
Because what you're seeing here isn't a completely factory-fresh example. It's actually a better version of what originally arrived.
See KOA's video here for that:
And yet...
I still have some reservations.
The Guardlan has presence.
You don't pull this thing off the rack and think, "What a practical tool."
You pull it out and immediately start wondering whether you should conquer an English coastline with nothing but a ship, a horn, 40 hairy friends, and this thing on your back.
The proportions are fine (for a two-handed Viking-era replica). The blade geometry is...attractive? The overall design absolutely nails that fantasy Viking aesthetic:
- Overall Length: 40 7/8"
- Blade Length: 29 15/16"
- Weight: 2 lbs 10 oz
- Edge: Moderately Sharp
- Width: 50 mm
- Thickness: 6.2 mm - 3 mm
- Pommel: Peened (suspect, purchase with care)
- P.O.B.: 4 1/4"
- Grip Length: 9"
- Blade: [5160 High Carbon Steel]
Sitting on a display rack? Fantastic.
Hanging on a wall? Outstanding.
Making visitors ask questions, possibly shit their pants? Absolutely.
The Guardlan enters the room like it pays rent.
Unfortunately, looks only get you so far.
At least around here.
Is the DSA Guardlan Good for Cutting?
This is where things get complicated.
Now before the keyboard warriors start sharpening their comments, let me make something clear.
I am not a master swordsman. I know enough about edge alignment and cutting mechanics to be dangerous to water bottles. I'm not claiming to be Aragorn.
That said, performance is performance.
And from the very first cuts, something felt off.
Smaller water bottles were hit and miss. Some cuts were acceptable. Others produced more tearing and breakage than clean slices.
Part of that may have been my edge alignment. Part of it may have been the target.
But after enough swings, a pattern started to emerge.
The Dark Sword Armory Guardlan simply didn't feel eager to cut.
It felt reluctant.
Like some angsty asshole teenager who hates their dad, it simply didnt move like I wanted to when I wanted it to.
It would eventually get the job done, but not before making the entire process more difficult than it needed to be.
As I moved into heavier targets, the results improved somewhat. Thicker bottles produced cleaner cuts and more convincing performance.
But even then, the Guardlan never delivered the confidence I expected from a sword in this price range.
And that's really the problem.
This isn't a $200 budget sword. This is a sword that can easily push into the $600-$700 range. At that price, expectations rise dramatically.
You don't expect a Toyota. You expect a Corvette. At the very least a Chevy that will plow through and get it done.
Unfortunately, the Guardlan often feels more like a very attractive mini-van than anything I want to drive.
Comfortable.
Capable.
Decent looking.
But not exactly setting any speed or performance records.
Dark Sword Armory Guardlan vs Zombie Tools Big Bad Wolf
To really illustrate my point, I brought out another favorite from my collection: the Zombie Tools Big Bad Wolf.
Now comparing Zombie Tools to Dark Sword Armory isn't entirely fair. They're different companies with different philosophies, WAYYYY different builds, and cutting goals.
But the contrast was impossible to ignore.
The Big Bad Wolf absolutely demolished the same heavy targets that gave the Guardlan trouble.
The Wolf was...
No drama.
No hesitation.
No negotiation.
Just pure violence.
And for the same price (actually less when I bought the Wolf - The Zombie Tools Maximus is its modern iteration).
Where the Guardlan felt like it was asking permission, the Big Bad Wolf was kicking the door off the hinges.
The difference in authority was immediately noticeable.
TL;DR
Is the Dark Sword Armory Guardlan Worth the Price?
"Not getting into Valhalla..."
If your primary goal is aesthetics, fantasy styling, and collector appeal, the Guardlan Sword has a lot going for it.
If your primary goal is cutting performance and durability, the value proposition becomes harder to justify.
A sword costing $600-$700 should inspire confidence.
It shouldn't require excuses.
It shouldn't require caveats.
And it definitely shouldn't require a second trip to a better forge before it starts living up to its potential.
Final Verdict
The Dark Sword Armory Guardlan remains an attractive fantasy Viking sword on the mass production market (and that's saying a lot based on my past dealings with these people).
The design is outstanding. The presence is undeniable. And as a display piece, it's hard not to love.
But if you're looking for a sword that cuts as aggressively as it looks, you may come away wanting more.
The Guardlan looks like a Viking king.
Unfortunately, it sometimes cuts like a thrall at best even with a wicked Wes Beem edge on it.
And that's a shame.
Because buried underneath all that steel is a sword that really wants to be great.
