Post by Marc Kaden Ridgeway on Apr 3, 2009 18:11:49 GMT -5
Godfred: A Viking Sword
By Hanwei
Review By Marc Kaden Ridgeway, Atlanta GA : 3 April,2009
There have been a few requests for review of the Hanwei Godfred. I have decided to do a quick, dirty and ever so humble review of this sword. I'd like to apologize for the quality of teh pictures... I do not have the sword in hand at the moment, its at another house, so I had to use older , scavenged photos from my hard drive.
I am not much qualified to review this sword, I know very little about western swords, and when people start talikng about Oakeshotte or Peterson typologies my eyes just glaze over.
Also, I'm not a big single-hander guy, but among single-handers , the Viking pattern stands out to me... but I am also picky about Viking swords, and among the current sub $300 Viking offerings, the only one that appeals to me IS the Godfred.
"But wait!" you say. "The Godfred is not a sub $300 sword."
To that I say, you just aren't looking hard enough.
The Godfred is offered in prices ranging from $270 up to well over $500 , the savvy consumer can find this sword sub $300 with a bit of work. A quick ebay search turns one up for a bit over $300.
Specifications
Overall length: ------------ 34 .75 in
Blade length:-------------- 28.75 in
Handle length:------------ 5.75 in
Weight:---------------------- @ 2.5 lbs
Point of Balance:---------- 4 in from guard
Center of Percussion: ---- 20 in from guard
Width at Guard:----------- 1.9 in
Width at Tip:--------------- 1.2 in
Thickness at Guard:------- .22in
Thickness at Tip:----------- .14in
Scabbard
The scabbard is fairly decent. It has wood core covered in suede leather , with bronze chafe and rings, and belt hooks on straps. Really , in my opinion the scabbard is a bit of a weak point for this sword, though it is certainly as good or better than the majority of scabbards in this style and price range.
Construction : Fit and Finish
Hilt and Cross
Above is an image of the grip and hilt from the factory. Mine has been modified. The braided leather grip is comfortable, but not so attractive , really IMO. Fortunately its easy to customize.
The curved guard and type 2 pommel (someone correct me if I'm wrong) are folded steel, and VERY attractive. They are well proportioned and nicely fit.
The handle is a bit long for a Viking sword, which are known for small handles, but it in no way bothers me.
The pommel is a bit ... crooked... its hard to notice, and again, I'm not especially bothered by it. As a whole, the hilt constuction is solid and functional, and pretty attractive.
Blade
The blade is I believe a type 2 , however I welcome correction on that from one of you Euro types out there. Its just under 29 inches long, with a bit of profile taper, and decent distal taper.
The blade is folded steel , with a nice damascene pattern in the wide fuller.
I've heard some complain that the Godfred was not sharp, but mine came sharp enough, on the tipward 2/3s of the blade. Not scary sharp but sharp enough.
The tip is a bit odd shaped, and not what I'd say is really indicative of the viking form, and this might be a turnoff for some, but not I.
Handling Characteristics and Cutting
The handling on this sword is a bit surprising to me. At just under 2.5 lbs, with a balance point of 4 inches this is a nimble sword for the viking pattern.
With the weight, the taper and the extra long grip, the Godfred hits one out of the park on handling, simply the best handling viking type sword I've used, and one of the better handling single-handers I've seen. In fact I'd put it on par with my AT1315.
As a cutter it performs pretty well also. The wide , relatively stiff blade cuts water bottles and small diameter bamboo well. I haven't tried any other targets.
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
This section is where I like to get critical about the sword. Sometimes its a stretch. On the Godfred I have to work to find problems, because I really like the sword, but there are weak points, for instance the crooked pommel on my sword. My observations of the model as a whole based on this sword are as follows:
Pros
Cons
Conclusion: The Bottom Line
In my opinion this is the most attractive Viking pattern sword offered in our range. I know it is the best handling one I've ever used, and is a pretty decent cutter. Apparently the quality is a bit spotty as I have heard some people have bad experiences, but I'm quite happy with mine.
While I wouldn't buy it at the top end of its price range, if you shop diligently you can find the Godfred at the $300 mark. At that price it's a real winner, and I'd reccomend buying it to anyone interested in a quality Viking patterned sword.
Its not typical of the style , or historically dead on, but it is a well made, attractive, and nimble sword that a smart shopper can find at a good price.
Thanks for reading.
By Hanwei
Review By Marc Kaden Ridgeway, Atlanta GA : 3 April,2009
There have been a few requests for review of the Hanwei Godfred. I have decided to do a quick, dirty and ever so humble review of this sword. I'd like to apologize for the quality of teh pictures... I do not have the sword in hand at the moment, its at another house, so I had to use older , scavenged photos from my hard drive.
I am not much qualified to review this sword, I know very little about western swords, and when people start talikng about Oakeshotte or Peterson typologies my eyes just glaze over.
Also, I'm not a big single-hander guy, but among single-handers , the Viking pattern stands out to me... but I am also picky about Viking swords, and among the current sub $300 Viking offerings, the only one that appeals to me IS the Godfred.
"But wait!" you say. "The Godfred is not a sub $300 sword."
To that I say, you just aren't looking hard enough.
The Godfred is offered in prices ranging from $270 up to well over $500 , the savvy consumer can find this sword sub $300 with a bit of work. A quick ebay search turns one up for a bit over $300.
Specifications
Overall length: ------------ 34 .75 in
Blade length:-------------- 28.75 in
Handle length:------------ 5.75 in
Weight:---------------------- @ 2.5 lbs
Point of Balance:---------- 4 in from guard
Center of Percussion: ---- 20 in from guard
Width at Guard:----------- 1.9 in
Width at Tip:--------------- 1.2 in
Thickness at Guard:------- .22in
Thickness at Tip:----------- .14in
Scabbard
The scabbard is fairly decent. It has wood core covered in suede leather , with bronze chafe and rings, and belt hooks on straps. Really , in my opinion the scabbard is a bit of a weak point for this sword, though it is certainly as good or better than the majority of scabbards in this style and price range.
Construction : Fit and Finish
Hilt and Cross
Above is an image of the grip and hilt from the factory. Mine has been modified. The braided leather grip is comfortable, but not so attractive , really IMO. Fortunately its easy to customize.
The curved guard and type 2 pommel (someone correct me if I'm wrong) are folded steel, and VERY attractive. They are well proportioned and nicely fit.
The handle is a bit long for a Viking sword, which are known for small handles, but it in no way bothers me.
The pommel is a bit ... crooked... its hard to notice, and again, I'm not especially bothered by it. As a whole, the hilt constuction is solid and functional, and pretty attractive.
Blade
The blade is I believe a type 2 , however I welcome correction on that from one of you Euro types out there. Its just under 29 inches long, with a bit of profile taper, and decent distal taper.
The blade is folded steel , with a nice damascene pattern in the wide fuller.
I've heard some complain that the Godfred was not sharp, but mine came sharp enough, on the tipward 2/3s of the blade. Not scary sharp but sharp enough.
The tip is a bit odd shaped, and not what I'd say is really indicative of the viking form, and this might be a turnoff for some, but not I.
Handling Characteristics and Cutting
The handling on this sword is a bit surprising to me. At just under 2.5 lbs, with a balance point of 4 inches this is a nimble sword for the viking pattern.
With the weight, the taper and the extra long grip, the Godfred hits one out of the park on handling, simply the best handling viking type sword I've used, and one of the better handling single-handers I've seen. In fact I'd put it on par with my AT1315.
As a cutter it performs pretty well also. The wide , relatively stiff blade cuts water bottles and small diameter bamboo well. I haven't tried any other targets.
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
This section is where I like to get critical about the sword. Sometimes its a stretch. On the Godfred I have to work to find problems, because I really like the sword, but there are weak points, for instance the crooked pommel on my sword. My observations of the model as a whole based on this sword are as follows:
Pros
- Superb handling
- Decent Cutting
- Attractive Hardware
- Decent Scabbard
- Longer than average grip for big hands
Cons
- Handle wrap a bit unatractive
- Tip is little funky
- Fuller termination a tad rough
- Longer than average handle if you are a historicity stickler
Conclusion: The Bottom Line
In my opinion this is the most attractive Viking pattern sword offered in our range. I know it is the best handling one I've ever used, and is a pretty decent cutter. Apparently the quality is a bit spotty as I have heard some people have bad experiences, but I'm quite happy with mine.
While I wouldn't buy it at the top end of its price range, if you shop diligently you can find the Godfred at the $300 mark. At that price it's a real winner, and I'd reccomend buying it to anyone interested in a quality Viking patterned sword.
Its not typical of the style , or historically dead on, but it is a well made, attractive, and nimble sword that a smart shopper can find at a good price.
Thanks for reading.
