"Men are not prisoners of fate, but only prisoners of their own minds."
                -- Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882 - 1945)

Author Topic: Ok, now I need with what sword to go with My Harness! :'(  (Read 40949 times)

Sir Edward

  • Forum Admin
  • Commander of the Order
  • Forum Veteran
  • *****
  • Posts: 9,340
  • Verum et Honorem.
    • ed.toton.org
Re: Ok, now I need with what sword to go with My Harness! :'(
« Reply #30 on: 2011-05-17, 18:12:57 »
Why can't I see any of those swords you've posted?  Odd.

They're being hot-linked from KOA. Are they blocked from where you are?
Sir Ed T. Toton III
Knight Commander, Order of the Marshal

( Personal Site | My Facebook )

Sir Wolf

  • He Who is Not to be Named
  • Knight of the Order
  • Forum Veteran
  • ****
  • Posts: 5,389
  • i have too many hats
    • man e faces
Re: Ok, now I need with what sword to go with My Harness! :'(
« Reply #31 on: 2011-05-17, 18:46:08 »
i am betting they are. which is weird. if he can see the archive but can't see myarmoury. but be something in the labeling of the websites that is being blocked by his work filters.

Sir William

  • Cogito ergo sum
  • Knight of the Order
  • Forum Veteran
  • ****
  • Posts: 7,154
Re: Ok, now I need with what sword to go with My Harness! :'(
« Reply #32 on: 2011-05-17, 18:56:29 »
I think that's it, fellows- KoA's blocked.  The algorithms they use for blocking sites don't always make sense...I mean, they're still doing it based on certain words for goodness' sake!  Ah well, I'll just have to take a look from home...

Never enough time to do everything.
The Black Knight, Order of the Marshal
'Per Pale Azure and Sable, a Chevron counterchanged fimbriated argent.' 
“Pride makes a man, it drives him, it is the shield wall around his reputation.  Men die, but reputation does not.”

Joshua Santana

  • Yeoman of the Order
  • Forum Acolyte
  • **
  • Posts: 1,002
  • Honorare scutum meum, veritas mea gladio
Re: Ok, now I need with what sword to go with My Harness! :'(
« Reply #33 on: 2011-05-19, 00:00:13 »
Darn it!  KoA images are sure a pain in the central nervous system in terms of finicky filters!

Oh well, I might have to restart and come up with a new set of swords that won't be blocked by filters soon.

Cheers!
Knight of The Lion Blade

Honora gladium meum, veritas mea, et SpirĂ­tui Sancto.  כדי לכבד המגן שלי, האמת שלי חרבי

Honor My Sword, Truth My Shield.

Joshua Santana

  • Yeoman of the Order
  • Forum Acolyte
  • **
  • Posts: 1,002
  • Honorare scutum meum, veritas mea gladio
Re: Ok, now I need with what sword to go with My Harness! :'(
« Reply #34 on: 2011-05-20, 20:00:54 »
Ok, let's try this again shall we?


Italian Harness Sword Set


























German Harness Sword Set (If I ever change to German Gothic)




























This should do it.
Knight of The Lion Blade

Honora gladium meum, veritas mea, et SpirĂ­tui Sancto.  כדי לכבד המגן שלי, האמת שלי חרבי

Honor My Sword, Truth My Shield.

Sir Edward

  • Forum Admin
  • Commander of the Order
  • Forum Veteran
  • *****
  • Posts: 9,340
  • Verum et Honorem.
    • ed.toton.org
Re: Ok, now I need with what sword to go with My Harness! :'(
« Reply #35 on: 2011-05-20, 20:57:30 »

That's a lot of swords. Are you going to get them all? :) Looks like a great selection, for sure.
Sir Ed T. Toton III
Knight Commander, Order of the Marshal

( Personal Site | My Facebook )

Joshua Santana

  • Yeoman of the Order
  • Forum Acolyte
  • **
  • Posts: 1,002
  • Honorare scutum meum, veritas mea gladio
Re: Ok, now I need with what sword to go with My Harness! :'(
« Reply #36 on: 2011-05-20, 22:40:05 »
No Sir Edward I do not have the monies to make this a reality.  But I am seeking to purchase about six to four swords at least.

The purpose of this collection is for you and the brethren to critique which swords would be perfect for a gothic harness or an italian harness. 

And please don't mention only one sword, please.
Knight of The Lion Blade

Honora gladium meum, veritas mea, et SpirĂ­tui Sancto.  כדי לכבד המגן שלי, האמת שלי חרבי

Honor My Sword, Truth My Shield.

Sir Wolf

  • He Who is Not to be Named
  • Knight of the Order
  • Forum Veteran
  • ****
  • Posts: 5,389
  • i have too many hats
    • man e faces
Re: Ok, now I need with what sword to go with My Harness! :'(
« Reply #37 on: 2011-05-21, 05:28:30 »
http://www.armor.com/sword075.html this has always been one of my favorite swords ever. and this is a nice runner up to it form A&A http://www.armor.com/sword194.html

http://www.arts-swords.com/item/DT-DT2153.asp and http://www.arts-swords.com/item/DT-DT5157.asp from Del Tin. you may have to hit enter after you link these pages. i had to "reload" them as well

Das Bill

  • Global Moderator
  • Forum Acolyte
  • ******
  • Posts: 624
Re: Ok, now I need with what sword to go with My Harness! :'(
« Reply #38 on: 2011-05-22, 17:10:29 »
I've just come back from Germany, the Czech Republic and Austria studying period orginals (including getting to handle dozens of pieces at the Veste Coburg that are currently not on display), so I'm still on a bit of a sword high. :) Many of the examples you've picked out are excellent, but some are very much better than others. I'll give you some brief feedback, though you may want to look at the reviews on myArmoury. I and others have written reviews on some of these particular swords, including with better photos than the ones provided by the manufacturers.

Very good choice. Fits the bill, is a bit more affordable than some of the other option, and handles and functions quite well. Can work for a German harness as well.


Fantastic sword. One of my favorites in terms of handling, and an incredible representative sword for its type. Can work for a German harness as well.


One of my favorites in terms of aesthetics. It handles incredible well, but note that it is somewhat of a beast (in a good way). If you want a light lively sword, this isn't it. That said, I love the handling characteristics of it. Personally, I think this fits a gothic harness more than a Milanese one, but you could still get away with it either way.


A *wonderful* example of the types of swords seen so often in the 15th century fencing treatises. You can't go wrong with this. Usable in a German harness as well.


Another winner. It's more of a single hander that can be gripped with two hands than te other way around.


And here I'm just starting to repeat more of what I've said above. :)


One of the nicest examples out there, particularly because it is so close to the original sword, down to the milimeter. Despite the name, the original may actually be German (it's named after where it is located now)


This one is a very nice example of a no-frills sword that could have been used by an Italian mercenary or a prince. The pics don't do this sword justice, as it has a lot of subtlety to it's character, and really captures the handling of a lot of antiques.


Not bad for a less expensive sword. The grip is a bit bulky, and the fittings, when seen up close, lack an organic feel. It clearly looks modern made compared to the previous ones you've linked to, but is still a good sword. However, it is also a little bit earlier period for some of the harnesses you've been looking at.



See above.



Functional, but doesn't look like a historical sword at all. Very, very modern looking.



Slightly better aesthetically than the one above, but not by much. Also slightly earlier than what you're going after.

To be continued in next post...
"A despondent heart will always be defeated, regardless of skill." -Master Sigmund Ringeck

Das Bill

  • Global Moderator
  • Forum Acolyte
  • ******
  • Posts: 624
Re: Ok, now I need with what sword to go with My Harness! :'(
« Reply #39 on: 2011-05-22, 17:35:14 »
...and now moving onto your German choices...


Beautiful, beautiful choice. Be aware that it has a lot more blade presence than what a lot of people like, though I personally love it. A lot of originals have that same kind of blade presence.


Fantastic sword, and a wonderful counterpart to the Sempach you linked to above (they both use the exact same blade). I personally like the looks of this one more than the Sempach, but slightly prefer the handling of the Sempach.


A sweet, sweet sword, and one of my favorites in terms of handling. If you're a fan of holding the sword by the pommel, this one in particular is quite comfortable.


One of the pinnacles of modern swords based on the Gothic design. This sword, to me, really represents power and grace wrapped up into one: The swords is a heavier one (in a good way), and hits will serious authority, but balances so well that it is easy to move.


One of my favorites. This is surprisingly one of the heaviest swords on the market, and despite it's weight it flows beautifully. It goes to show you that there is so much more to making a good sword than simply the weight. Most people don't believe it's over four pounds, because it handles like a weapon half of it's weight. It's a little later in period than what you're after, but I say buy it anyway. :) You'll be happy with it!


This is a beautiful one hander that happens to be long enough for two hands. Despite the fact that they say "English" in the title, it is a German sword. (Like the Brescia, it is named after where it currently rests)


The classic 15th c. German design, and a sword that is really representative of so many antique longswords. It is neither a heavy nor light weapon, and it works well one handed or two.
It's one of those all-around-good types of swords.


NO! Run far away. Darksword armoury not only has very spotty quality control, but some of the most unscrupulous practices in the sword world. They steal designs constantly, they make outrageous claims, and they've even been very rude to people publically.  Plus, I hear that particular sword is a boat anchor.



See above. And this particular one looks like it is hob-cobbled together out of spare parts from other swords that don't belong together.


You probably won't like this one. It has a very far forward point of balance that doesn't appeal to most modern people, though to be honest it isn't totally out of the question for historical examples. Aesthetically it is only okay, historically speaking.



This one isn't too shabby for the price. It's a reasonable likeness of the original on which it is based (with some obvious corner-cutting to keep the price within range), and it handles pretty well. Most people really hate the large pommel, but that's actually historical.



I've never handled this one, but aesthetically it definitely doesn't work. It is another case of a sword designed by people who haven't really studied period originals, so it looks like they took a bunch of elements that don't go together and smacked them into one sword.



I haven't handled this one. Aesthetically it's okay. It's quite attractive, but the elements aren't really quite right together. It's another case of elements being put together that don't quite go together, though it is probably close enough not to matter to most people. The scabbard is a little bulky, but it's actually pretty wonderful for the price range.
« Last Edit: 2011-05-22, 17:40:23 by Das Bill »
"A despondent heart will always be defeated, regardless of skill." -Master Sigmund Ringeck

Sir Edward

  • Forum Admin
  • Commander of the Order
  • Forum Veteran
  • *****
  • Posts: 9,340
  • Verum et Honorem.
    • ed.toton.org
Re: Ok, now I need with what sword to go with My Harness! :'(
« Reply #40 on: 2011-05-22, 18:12:19 »

You probably won't like this one. It has a very far forward point of balance that doesn't appeal to most modern people, though to be honest it isn't totally out of the question for historical examples. Aesthetically it is only okay, historically speaking.

I'll add a few comments on this one. I agree with what Bill is saying about it with regards to the current model. But I'll also add that it's really not bad for the price, since it's a relatively inexpensive sword (especially if you can get it at a significant discount like I did). The blade, while a little thick and not very sharp, has a really good combination of flex and stiffness. I've bent mine over by 90 degrees and had it spring true. I'm not brave enough to try that with my more expensive swords. And despite that flexibility, it's not whippy.

I have the older model (I'm going to sell it or something soon). In the older model, the balance point is about 9" from the guard. It's closer to 5" on the newer models. Also the older model had a hollow pommel, which not only contributed to the poor balance, but also was a weak point, and the peen would often break. This was also fixed in the newer model.

However if you just want it for looks, I'd be happy to sell you mine. :)
Sir Ed T. Toton III
Knight Commander, Order of the Marshal

( Personal Site | My Facebook )

Das Bill

  • Global Moderator
  • Forum Acolyte
  • ******
  • Posts: 624
Re: Ok, now I need with what sword to go with My Harness! :'(
« Reply #41 on: 2011-05-22, 21:40:51 »
It's closer to 5" on the newer models. Also the older model had a hollow pommel, which not only contributed to the poor balance, but also was a weak point, and the peen would often break. This was also fixed in the newer model.

Ah, I wasn't aware they'd updated it. That's good to hear.
"A despondent heart will always be defeated, regardless of skill." -Master Sigmund Ringeck

Joshua Santana

  • Yeoman of the Order
  • Forum Acolyte
  • **
  • Posts: 1,002
  • Honorare scutum meum, veritas mea gladio
Re: Ok, now I need with what sword to go with My Harness! :'(
« Reply #42 on: 2011-05-23, 00:17:07 »
Das Bill & Sir Edward:  I thank you for your input into these blades.

I have agreed to a Full Late 15th Century Italian Harness and hence (with the monies) order the following:

















How would this do for an awesome set!
Knight of The Lion Blade

Honora gladium meum, veritas mea, et SpirĂ­tui Sancto.  כדי לכבד המגן שלי, האמת שלי חרבי

Honor My Sword, Truth My Shield.

Sir William

  • Cogito ergo sum
  • Knight of the Order
  • Forum Veteran
  • ****
  • Posts: 7,154
Re: Ok, now I need with what sword to go with My Harness! :'(
« Reply #43 on: 2011-05-23, 15:58:52 »
I'll echo Bill's commentary regarding DSA swords...they look nice from a distance.  I had one of their earlier Ranger swords...at over 5lbs it looked and handled like you'd expect- maybe not necessarily a boat anchor, but a clunky piece of overbuilt steel designed for repeated bashing.  It was tough and ugly...considering what you're spending on the harness, pretty much any DSA you could choose would not be a welcome addition.
The Black Knight, Order of the Marshal
'Per Pale Azure and Sable, a Chevron counterchanged fimbriated argent.' 
“Pride makes a man, it drives him, it is the shield wall around his reputation.  Men die, but reputation does not.”

Joshua Santana

  • Yeoman of the Order
  • Forum Acolyte
  • **
  • Posts: 1,002
  • Honorare scutum meum, veritas mea gladio
Re: Ok, now I need with what sword to go with My Harness! :'(
« Reply #44 on: 2011-05-24, 13:42:41 »
Sir William: I thank you for your input into the DSA warning, most helpful.

The new sword set is the one I previously posted in order to make myself a list of what swords to order as well to show that I have listened to the counsel of my elder brethren and the invaluable advice from Das Bill.

I have chosen what Sword to be first "The Lion Blade," it is Albion's Landgraf!

Now for those who don't know about this nomination, Since I have penned the title "Knight of The Lion Blade" from my Coat of Arms which will be posted in the heraldry thread, I have thought as to which sword would best symbolize my title.  After looking hard at many different models, I deem the Landgraf to be the better choice for my service as a Knight For Hire (all thanks to Das Bill!).  For the Renaissance Fair version of "The Lion Blade": Albion's Fiore, for HEMA Studies: Albion's Sempach.  For the Quest (personal): Albion's Squire Line Late 15th Century Bastard Sword.

This may seem either crazy/insane or weird but along the way, I have come to realize that "The Lion Blade" would end up being a couple of swords that would best symbolize my penned title.
Knight of The Lion Blade

Honora gladium meum, veritas mea, et SpirĂ­tui Sancto.  כדי לכבד המגן שלי, האמת שלי חרבי

Honor My Sword, Truth My Shield.