A Modern Experience with Ancient Forge

The Draw:

Have you ever seen something you simply had to have? Like there was a time for you when something could have cost $10k and you were already Googling “how to second mortgage?”

Back in June 2015, it happened to me.

As a member of many of the sword communities on Facebook, I happened upon a newcomer; peddling his wares from somewhere in sunny Soria, Spain. Javier Sole from Ancient Forge seemed enthusiastic, friendly (a must for a lot of sword groups out there), and his work, at first glance, was BEAUTIFUL.

But the one piece that caught my eye almost immediately was the William Wallace Greatsword from 1995’s “Braveheart.” And, while the movie version itself IS NOT true to the actual sword in the museum at Sterling, Scotland, there have been countless reproductions – Ritter Steel, Del Tin, even Albion – that have done collectors true justice.

This one simply captivated me in a way that no other sword really ever had (except maybe for the DSA Guardian. Ok, the DSA 10^TH Century Viking, too).

The point is I made enquires.

Shipping to the US? Yep. Sharp? Yep (enough). Price? Less than $500?! Sign me up.

Then came the offer, from Javier, for complete customization:

“You can customize?,” said I. Like how? Can you do a bear’s head pommel?

“Sure thing!”

“Wait, what? You mean I can have a roaring bear head at the resting end of my sword, so I can name it Mathghamhain (Mahon, “Bear” in Gaelic, representing the famous warrior brother of High King Brian Boru)?”

The price was now hovering somewhere around $600.

Shut up and take my money this instant!

The Wife:

I set to writing. “These are all the reasons and justifications why I need this blade, hun.” Sound familiar? I haven’t purchased a sword in 2 years…It’s not that expensive if you compare it to others…I deserve this because it’s my birthday…You know I love Braveheart.

The list went on.

And so, on a quite night in August, I put PayPal to work. My money was gone. My heart was elated. My anticipation was peaked.

The Wait:

7-12 weeks. Not bad. I accepted that. Maybe even a few more for the customization? For this piece? No problem. I knew hand forged, hand cast materials take time. This isn’t Forged in Fire. I’m a patient man.  So I waited…

And waited…

And waited…

Come November 2015, I sent a few quick messages to Javier to confirm that we were still on schedule.

We weren’t.

The caster had destroyed the mold for the pommel, but Javier neglected to inform me. More time passed. The caster needed to be spoken to, AGAIN.

More time…

February came. Half way through, dejectedly, I told him: “Scrap the pommel project. Return to the original and send me the weapon.” The dream was dead.

Or so I thought…

The Follow Through:

True to the spirit of great customer service, Javier pushed through and DEMANDED the caster fulfill his promise. He saved the sword! More than that, he offered his sincerest apologies, AND made me a gift of a custom Scottish Dirk for my trouble! Wow, was I impressed. 

After much fanfare, and exchange of “in-progress” photos, the weapon was finished and on its way! I received shipping numbers, dates to expect her, everything you need to really get excited about a sword.

She arrived. I wasn’t home.

Fuck.

She was delivered the next day, and my mother in law snagged her up and settled her neatly against the wall of the foyer inside the door.

She was safe (the sword) and she waited for my hand.   

The Look:

I can’t do this weapon justice in words. It’s simply magnificent. I’ll let the photos speak for themselves:

• The Process:

·   

•     The Pommel:

·

•     The Blade:

The Feel:

Handling this sword, I can honestly say it lives up to its BEASTLY name. At a little over 3 pounds, and approximately 49 inches, it feels like a great sword should. It sings through the air with immense power behind it, and generally just jumps when you half sword.

There is no fuller on the blade, but I’m not sure I would want one. Form is tough with this blade b/c it is so long, but I am sure a more experienced swordsman than myself, better trained in Fiore or Talhoffer, could pull it off.   

Now, being made of mild 1045 carbon steel, I’m not sure how it would react steel on steel, but I know that Javier knows his craft and knows what his clients expect. He explained to me, in great detail, how his heat treat went, and it seemed (again, I am no expert) to be up to the standards of the industry.  

As for the balance, it is exceptional for so much blade. It’s about half way up the quarter-length wrap, and is not too heavy like some other weapons I could name (again looking at you DSA Guardian)

The Video:
Ok, enough talk. Let’s see this thing in action, hmm?

The Experience:

The experience with Ancient Forge has to be taken in context. I was excited about the fabulous Celt-inspired design and the custom fabrication of the sword and bear’s head pommel (maybe too much so). I put Javier through the ringer in terms of design of said pommel as well, and because I was paying a high price for my first custom, I made sure that it was turning out my way.

In prefacing all of this, I am going to give you the pros and cons, and let you decide for yourself based on the look of his work from his site, ANCIENT FORGE, and his Facebook Page. 

Pros:

Aside from the stunning works of art that his swords actually are, Javier offered incredible customer service and live updates (when asked for). He was in contact with me constantly via Facebook Messenger for responses, made payment easy and efficient through PayPal, and converted everything for me from Euros to Dollars, to give me a clear indication of what the upfront costs would be.

More than that, he pushed his caster to get the bear’s head done even at a cost to himself. I am sure when he told me his conversations with his caster were “difficult” and “angry,” he wasn’t lying. He made a promise, I paid him, and he delivered. That is not lost on me.

Even MORE than that, as recompense for my waiting so long, he MADE ME a knife! Who does that? No one gets anything for free in this life, but, for this one instance, I did:

Javier guided me through the process, let me know when things were amiss, and made amends. That’s all you can really ask of a blacksmith/business. Right?

The peen is solid, the sword looks great, and the blade, even semi-sharpened (as international law allows) cuts through water bottles/jugs/my brother in law’s hand with the right swing. I dig it.

Cons:

Even with so much high praise, things were rocky throughout the entire, almost year-long process with Ancient Forge. 

Starting in November 2015, as I mentioned, I needed to initiate contact with Javier about the progress of the sword. It seemed, at times, that no progress was even being made on the sword, like my project was being ignored in favor of other ones. Of course, this could be due to him making up to 20 different weapons at one time, mine included. I never thought I was special (and that’s ok).

The bear’s head pommel was a disaster. It was on again. It was off again. The caster was not working out. It was cancelled. It wasn’t cancelled. No updates at all as he outsourced it to someone else. Things happen, but that was rough. If you say you can do custom work, by God, make sure you have someone who can deliver in a timely fashion.

The wait was torturous. Almost a full year to make one sword? That is too long. I was never worried that he would run off with my money, but when 2015 turned into 2016, I started to get a little nervous.

Finally, from a construction and durability standpoint, the sword is "journeyman" at best. Recently, the crossguard began to rattle and move. I had to make minor repairs to it myself and, to remedy the situation with Javier (which he offered to do), I would have to send it back to Spain. I also learned that Javier is “still perfecting his craft” (which, again, I can understand), so he was more than a little aware things might come loose. 

Bottom line is if I pay $600 for something, especially something that is designed to withstand impact, it better hold up for the longer than half a year (with only sparse use for backyard cutting).

Overall:

While my sword is amazing, and I love the look of it, I would not, personally, do business with Javier’s forge in the future. I am very aware of the capabilities of his forge, his customer service, and the final product. For that price, and that type of headache (worth it, I guess), I will keep my money and my commissions Stateside. 

Perhaps when he has more experience, better materials (5160 steel+), and a solid process to ensure nothing moves, rattles, or falls apart, I may revisit.

Would I recommend him to others? Not before they read this post, and understand what they may be getting into.

Does that make me smart? A bad person? Too particular? A total asshole?

I’ve been called worse…but it's all the truth.

You can decide for yourself.  

DARTH MAUL STAR WARS FILM!!!

Samurai Weapons You’ve Never Heard Of

The Katana, the Wakizashi, the Tanto – these were the agreed-upon mainstays of the Samurai arsenal. During their time, every Japanese warrior worthy of the noble rank would wear all three at all times; removing them only indoors, and then only the long sword, or Katana.

Now, augmenting the Samurai’s armaments were an assortment of deadly implements that we all have maybe heard of, but not necessarily seen except for modern cinema and a handful of armorers in the modern day:  

The Yumi Bow for battles from horseback:

The Naginata, a spear-like weapon with a long curved blade at the end of a long handle:

The Yari – a pike like weapon similar to the boar spear, but (most times) without the crossguard

But for all of Japan’s homogenous tendencies – their people, at least in the 16^th century, adopting similar dress and mannerisms in service to their Shoguns and Emperors – they did have very unique flashes of incredible individuality when it came to the brutal breaking of bones, and the cleaving of one’s enemies.

Come along while we explore some of the more unique options for taking the light from a man's eyes, hmm?

The Tinbe Rochin:

The Spartan, the Viking, the Templar Knight…the Okinawan Warrior? Each one of the aforementioned death machines in human form relied on a sword/spear/shield combination in battle to skewer and slice their enemies and claim victory. Some even developed some of the greatest formations in history because of it – the shield wall (maybe), the Spartan phalanx, and others.

But the Tinbe Rochin is unique because it is a Japanese weapon system that seems to be influenced by Chinese or even Western martial arts. But how can that be, you ask? Japan wasn’t discovered until the 1700’s by the Portuguese, and by that time, Japan had already been a military superpower in its own right for something like 500 years!

The origin story is a bit hazy, but one of the main schools that still practices this weapon - indeed cherishes its capabilities - is the Matayoshi Kobudo School, run by the Matayoshi family of Okinawa. Used in traditional forms of the Ryukyuan martial arts (not on the main island of Japan), the Tinbe Rochin has a long and deadly legacy that has been passed down through the generations.

Legend says that, as a young boy, Sensei Matayoshi Shinko traveled to Manchuria, Shanghai, and other foreign destinations throughout China and beyond. Here, he supposedly learned exotic forms of main-hand/off-hand fighting techniques; eventually bringing various sword/spear & shield styles with him when he returned home.

By combining the abundance of turtle shells (apparently there is a tradition of armor made from such material on the island) with the sword/spear/dagger weapon, the Tinbe Rochin came to be in Okinawan Kubudo such as it is today.

Whatever the etymology, you can be sure that it is something to watch!

This short sword/spear and shield combination relies on the blade (or stick with sharp point) being hidden in the shield (the tinbe). When the warrior holding the tinbe is attacked, they can use the shield to deflect, while the stick/blade (the Rochin) shoots out at an upward angle to do the offensive damage.

I’ll let the video do the talking and walking: 

The Oni Axe:

Though many cultures in Asia transformed their farming implements into devices of death, the Oni Axe stands out among them as particularly eccentric. Massive, broad-bladed, and more akin to a European halberd, the Oni War Axe was over 6 feet long and the favorite of Japanese warrior monks, as well as Samurai.

The Kanabo:

A favorite weapon of Oni demons, the Kanabo was an ideal delivery system for blunt…force…trauma. More than 4.5 feet long and studded with flat metal disks, the Kanabo bypassed the intricate plate and lacquer armor of Samurai warriors and delivered crushing strikes against its target with a satisfying “thunk!” that could be heard across the battlefield.

Whew, nasty!

Whatever method Samurai (and other warriors from Japan) used when dealing death, they perfected their use of the weapon to become one of deadliest fighting forces in the history of combat itself. 

Are there any others what I missed on the list? Let me know through the comments below! 

The Top 6 TV Shows About Swords You Should be Watching

Black Sails:

Captain Flint. Captain Charles Vane. Captain Edward “Blackbeard” Teach.

All of these men know how to wield a blade, steer a ship, win a battle, and inspire absolute terror in their enemies. And it is just so fun to watch! Taking place during the battle for Nassau in the Bahamas around 1715, this show grabs you by your puffy pirate shirt and absolutely never lets go.

In the early stages, you are hoping that Captain Flint will just kill Charles (or the other way around), take Elenor Guthrie to bed, then go and grab some treasure. And sometimes they do just that! But it is the amazing sets, characters, plots, and intrigue that truly set this show apart. You are keel-hauled into intricate stories of the politics of the street, and the secret lives of some of the most notorious men and women of history. 

It’s on the Starz network, so dig up that booty and pay yer way to the good life of blood and fire, sex and cannons, and everything that goes with it! 

Beowulf:

Beowulf is an absolute sleeper on this list, but essential to anyone who loves the epic. On the Esquire Network, it is a diverse and modern take on the original epic poem. Hrothgar is dead. His queen, Rheeda, has taken over as Thane of Herot Hall, and his conniving (yet likeable) son, Slean, was passed over quicker than Fredo from the Godfather. It definitely makes for an entertaining story and a terrific appetizer for more established shows like Vikings and Game of Thrones.

While this Beowulf is kind of a dandy:

there are other amazing characters to help him and the plot move right along:

Like this man: RATE 

Actor must be of the method variety because he is more warrior then any man I have seen in a long time on any show. He has a battle cry. He has stunning warrior raiment, and he wields a Viking-era sword without fear or mercy. I want to know more about him, don’t you!?

Also, please forgive Beowulf’s ridiculously large sword. I think he’s overcompensating because his…legend…has gotten smaller.

(Still better than Gerard Butler)

Vikings:

When Vikings exploded onto the scene in 2013, I had my doubts. Gabrielle Byrne was about as Viking as my Italian grandfather, and Ragnar Lothbrok was a simple farmer. But now? Oof, ferocious! 

The rage of the Berserker (turned traitor, again!?) Rollo. The cunning mind of the shipwright and Norse priest, Floki. The gorgeous and deadly grace of the shieldmaiden queen, Lagertha. And of course, the man who embodies all, King Ragnar Lothbrok. Every other scene is a battle. Every other scene is blood and death, gods and thunder. It is so simple, yet so amazing. The language is easy. The swords and axes, sharp. The ships, busy. Give a watch on History Channel.

The Last Kingdom:

Now, take Vikings and turn it around. Change perspective and see things from the Saxon side. Defend against the raids of the Northmen, but still as a Northman yourself! 

This is EXACTLY what BBC America does! 

The warrior Utred, Son of Utred was banished from his home and robbed of his inheritance. Forced to fight for a foreign (sort of) king who only needs him b/c his kingdom is almost lost, he's threatened with death daily while trying to make his way by the edge of a sword. Add a grizzled Saxon warrior, Leofric, who will try and kill you in the morning, and drink with you at night, and you’ve got the makings of an amazing show! 

Oh, and did I mention it is based on the books of legendary epic author, Bernard Cornwall? Well it is, and it is spectacular! 

Outlander:

Like rugged, red-haired Scottish Gaels in kilts bringing down evil one basket hilt sword fight at a time? What about lots of drinking? Songs? Boning at free random in like every other scene? Yeah, me neither (I love it!). 

But what about an incredible story of love, time travel, wild hunts, Celtic tradition and celebration, history, nobility, muskets, and breaking the bonds of oppression? Dig that right?! 

Outlander, coming up on its second season in 2016 on Starz is just a straight up boiled haggis of all that and more, and a show absolutely not to be missed if you can swing the premium package from your cable provider. 

Check it out:

Game of Thrones:

Of course, HBO’s Game of Thrones. Of course! 

The Night’s Watch. House Lannister. House Stark. Queen Daenerys. The Ironborn. The international phenomenon that has brought us so much blood and fire is simply incredible. 

But, it should be watched for other reasons this season as well! For Season 6, the producers of the show have OUTPACED the author (George R.R. Martine) who provided the source material! That means that both the show and the books (whenever Martin chooses to finish it) may/will go in completely different directions! 

It’s like a two-for-one sale on Kult of Athena! You know I am in.

Forged In Fire:

This show holds a special place in my heart because it is bringing an ancient and sacred art back to the forefront of modern society. 

Bladesmiths are chosen from forges across the country, and have the opportunity to test their metal (ha! See what I did there?!) against some of the toughest challenges devised by man. It’s Chopped, the real game. 

Along with the entertainment value that History Channel provides, it also gives valuable lessons to amateur smiths, and gives us, the salivating public, some truly incredible works of steel art that we can drool over:

Set your DVRs boys and girls, because this show cuts the friggin’ mustard (and everything else). 

****BONUS****

Outsiders:

Not truly sword related – though they do have some very competent knife work going on during the action sequences – WGN’s (a network?) story about a mountain clan defending their home in Kentucky is so much fun. From the moonshine to the “couldn’t give a shit less” attitude, to the defiant natural spirit - complete with old druids - this show is definitely worth a watch (but don’t take it too seriously).

So there you have it! Free up some space, grab your favorite weapon and an ice cold beer and enjoy the fast-paced sword-swinging action that will make your life complete. 

   

  

   

New Sword Cutting Videos

Evening my brothers and sisters of the sword! As of tonight, my blog is officially going MULTIMEDIA! 

"By Crom, what a magnificent idea!"

Just a little bit of background before we begin: I found someone right down the street from where I live in Plymouth, MA - Peter Hamlin of Precision Sharpening- who put an absolutely SURGICAL edge on one of my blades. 

The result so far have been incredible, and I plan on bringing more swords to him as they come in. If you own knives or swords, live on the South Shore of Massachusetts, and are in need of a perfectly-honed, single, or double-beveled edge, this guy is your man. 

Ok, down to business. 

DISCLAIMER: Some of these are great, others, well, I'll let you be the judge... 

Enjoy!

"DSA Claymore"

"DSA 11th Century Viking Sword"

"DSA Guardian"

"Gen2 Templar Sword"

"Ritter Steel Lioncrest Sword"

So, what did you think? And please be brutally honest, or I'll never get any better.

Thanks for tuning in! Let me know what sword you would like to see featured next, and I'll see what I can do.

Keep cutting!

The Generation 2/Legacy Arms Templar Sword

It must have been my birthday last year, 2014. As a father, husband, and proud owner of a shiny new mortgage (2 years in), I don’t know when else I would even THINK of purchasing a new sword for myself. 

But, I had ordered it, and it had finally came:

I remember coming home from work, and seeing it. It was an unadorned brown long box that could have been anything to someone else. However, to an active sword collector, practitioner, and school-boy fan, it was like Christmas in August. That day, there would be a holy unveiling ceremony somewhere outside/around my house, with lots of room, and plenty of time to strip her slow.

The moment came.

After tearing, cutting, gnashing, and pulling my way through ungodly amounts of packing tape, cardboard, and newspaper wrapping….she need to be cleaned.

“Ha!” I thought, “at least they're thorough.

Cleaning the clinging oil from the blade, her shiny metallic appeal began to shine through at last. Then, she was clean. Gleaming there for me, for all the world, inspiring fear in every 12oz, 2 liter, and milk bottle in my recycling, I saw it in it's full glory:

The Generation 2/Legacy Arms Templar Sword

It was everything I had waited so long for. My credit card debt? Forgotten. My wife’s complaints and objections? A mere memory. It was thick and sturdy in my hand. Light and fast. (Factory) sharp and taking me back to the desert sands of Damascus.

Great choice…or so I thought.

Let's go back...

General Stats:

Overall Length:43''

Blade: 34 1/2''

Blade: 5160 High Carbon Steel

Weight: 3 lb 6.8 oz

Edge: Sharp

P.O.B.: 6 1/4''

Thickness: 5.1 mm - 4.1 mm

Width: 49.1 mm

Grip Length: 5 1/2''

Pommel: Peened

Fit:

The fit was excellent. Nothing rattled. Noting wobbled. Everything was tight. The length was good. The handle, rounded and covered with black leather. The cross guard, long enough but not flared or ridiculous. I had no complaints. A solid sword.

Finish:

The finish, same thing. The blade was polished to a fine silver sheen. The cross guard rounded and polished and to the same high quality. It’s length, adequate.

The leather of the handle was purposely, and minutely, cratered (I assume to give a better grip), and the red Templar cross in the peened pommel was that fiery deep red that just screamed “Knight of Christ.”

Handling:

Deadly. The hilt was long enough to go two-handed but still hit like a hammer, one handed. Slicing, no problem. Cutting? Right through...as long as you went parallel to the ground. 

Wait, what?!

Nothing, keep reading... 

It felt light and fast, and yet had some good heft so you know it could take a beating if crashed up against it. It fit snugly in my fist and promised both offense and defense, attack and parry, reach and reaction. A great combination.    

Construction & Durability:

AND THEN EVERYTHING IMPLODED.

While cutting on the pell post, I used a 2-liter Coca Cola bottle as my target. I sliced across, no problem. Water and neatly-shorn plastic everywhere. I set up another.

But on this go around, I decided to use the Posta di Coda Longa by Fiore, and come up from the ground at a diagonal angle:

Big mistake.

I hit the bottle wrong, missed the bevel of the blade's edge, and struck with part of the flat. 

THE SWORD BENT LIKE A PIPE CLEANER!

I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT! 

After my initial shock and disgust, I unbent my sword-like object in the vice in my garage back to normal, but was now less sure about the blade I had only just pulled from the box! I felt I couldn’t trust it in battle. I couldn’t count on her to counterstrike. The best she could do was offense, and even then…(sigh)..

I researched. The temper is too SOFT. With a hard steel edge outside, but a tempered core of steel that was softer on the inside, one wrong hit and the blade would predictably warp and bend; giving you an almost wall hanger-like quality to your once mighty Templar brand. No.

See HRC Scale and heat tempering for more.  

Scabbard:

To add insult to injury, the sword did not fit in the cheap scabbard it came with! The scabbard was plain black, unadorned, and ill-fitted to the sword. I even had to send the sword BACK TO KOA to see what the issue was. They claimed it was nothing and the sword fit fine. Wrong. 

Worse still, even drawing out the sword was a challenge! The scabbard squeezed so hard, it wouldn’t let go of the blade. This could lead to serious injury to the “less than patient.” No thanks.

What did I just pay for??

Overall Rating:

What do I think now of The Generation 2/Legacy Arms Templar Sword? I cut with it. I practice with it. I sharpen it. I like it.

Do I trust it now? To a point, but less than I should.

I trust it to cut with the edge I put on it with the Accusharp. I don’t trust it to parry. I don’t trust it to respond to my moves, poste, and cutting angles. That can't be right.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely not. For $300 and above, I could name any number of long swords that bladers could buy and get much more for their money.

The Albion Crecy comes to mind.

The Valiant Armory Special Edition Sword of War, as well.

My Advice: Pass over this blade, save your hard-earned cash (as sword collectors are some of the poorest people in the world), and buy a sword that is DUAL TEMPERED with an HRC in the 50’s and 60’s, inside and out. You want to be sure you're getting everything you want for your money, and this blade simply comes up short. 

So ends my tale of steely woe….

Collector's Rec.

One lesson every sword collector learns is that not all "battle-ready" (groan) swords are meant to be champions. Before investing hundreds or even thousands of dollars in your next blade, I highly recommend reading The Sword in the Age of Chivalry by Ewart Oakeshott. No single book has done more to help collectors understand medieval sword design, handling, and what separates a true weapon from wallhanger trash.

The Sword in the Age of Chivalry by Ewart Oakeshott

BATTLE READY HIGH ELVEN WARRIOR SWORD

Once again, Scorpion Swords has come through in the Elvish clutch. Their newest creation, the Middle Earth Warrior Sword, is a unique take on the swords used by the elves of the First Age from the Lord of the Rings series.

While less artistic than their United Cutlery counterparts (now unavailable almost everywhere), for the FULL TANG, BATTLE READY, peened-hilt functionality, I will forgive them the less-than-Sindarin aesthetics.

Oh, and did I mention the price? $269 for one of these bad boys! $318 with the sheath to carry it!! And, best of all, they are hand-forged for heavy cutting!!!

Yeah, ring me up. Thanks.

Important Note: the boys at Scorpion Swords will customize your weapon (make it a bit longer, possibly paint vines around the handle, etc) in most cases, if you email and ask them. I know from experience. I have asked them to do just that with their take on Hadhafang.

So check out the photos of this amazing weapon:

Give Scorpion Swords a call, 417-773-0304, and get your FUNCTIONAL ELVEN WARRIOR SWORD before they take off into the West.