Overview
Our sharpening service will provide a good serviceable edge on the blade. The result is typically “very sharp” with a small secondary bevel and a bit of an “apple seed” profile. The resulting edge is somewhat dependent on the particular blade. Some blades will take and hold sharper edges than others and the thickness of the blade will determine how wide the bevel will need to be. We adjust the angle of the edge to suit the specific blade and attempt to get as close to a bevel-less edge as possible without marring the surface of the blade.
The Sharpening Process
The sharpening service is done with a belt sander. The process involves many passes with sanding belts of various grits. The blades are rested between passes to prevent them from becoming hot and damaging their temper. By default we will sharpen as much of the blade as possible including any false edges if appropriate. If you have a different preference, feel free to make that request in the special instructions at check out. We can sharpen only the last half or third of an edge, for example. Our sword sharpening expert has personally sharpened several thousand swords at this point, so will provide you with a professional service.
What the Service is Not
The resulting edge will be “sword sharp” not razor sharp. Our goal is to provide you with a usable edge for cutting practice that will hold up to some use and not require constant re-sharpening. In other words, we intend to provide you with a serviceable weapon, not a personal grooming implement. The service will not provide a completely bevel-less edge. To create that type of edge will necessarily scratch up the blade surface and we lack the machinery and time to provide a full re-polishing of a blade’s surface. A service of that nature would be significantly more expensive as a great deal more time would be required. We do not offer this type of service at this time.
Disclaimer
We make no guarantee that the resulting edge will meet with your expectations. Every blade is different and some will take and hold a sharper edge than others, due to the blade material, heat treatment or geometry. Some customers can also have incorrect assumptions about sword sharpness and improper expectations as a result. All we can say for sure is that the resulting edge will be sharper than the default edge, in most cases, significantly so. We can not provide any refunds for the service once it has been completed, so consider it to be provided “as is”. That being said, if you are unhappy with the product for any reason, we do still allow you to return the item for a full refund, including the sharpening costs under our normal return policy. This does not apply to special sharpening requests, for example if we sharpen something specially for you that does not normally list that option on our site. The vast majority of our customers are happy with the results of the service, so as long as you keep the above mentioned in mind, we are confident you will be pleased with the results as well.
Guy Sheldon –
Hanwei Claymore – Amazing Looks great, feels right, tougher than nails!
I have been doing Scottish historic reenactment for a long time, and this is the best claymore I have come across. We were doing a cutting demo, and had a pumpkin up on a wooden stand. A member of my group took a swing with this claymore, and went a bit low. The blade went through the pumpkin and part of the stand, including a nail head. It sheared off part of the nail head without leaving a mark on the blade! And he was afraid he’d wrecked my good sword and I would kill him. Nope – no harm, no foul. I was afraid the hit might have torqued the blade, but it is still straight and true.
You can’t go wrong with this sword!
P.S. You can’t go wrong with KOA either – always great service, and if they say it’s in stock, it’s in stock…
Jeremy H. –
Not so tough. The sword blade broke just above the shoulder in test cutting. I ground the blade into a new tang and re-handled it in cocobolo wood and its now a bastard sword but cuts fantastically!
Medieval Review –
Good sword for the price, and one of the few affordable claymores out there. See my full review here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-OYWGambyc
Archimedes One –
This blade is good in lots of ways, but it’s not great. pros:
-affordable
-decent leather for the grip
-feels okay in the hand
-peened construction
-tight assembly between the blade and crossguard
-acceptable finish (not to my taste honestly)
-cuts well
cons:
-in some places, the detailing is a bit messy
-the two protrusions at the bottom of the guard dig into your hand if you place your forehand as high up on the grip as you can.
-could have come sharper [nitpick]
other things worth consideration:
-there are hammer marks on the peen (may be a negative for some people, but I felt it was appropriate for a rough and rugged Scottish claymore)
I’m happy I was able to add a claymore to my collection for such a low cost, but I just can’t love this sword. It’s perfectly adequate in so many ways, and it was definitely worth the price, but it doesn’t jive with me personally. The reason for that is because it just doesn’t do anything exceptionally well. The only part of this blade that I would be tempted to say is done particularly well is the crossguard. It has a nice finish, the clovers are neat, and the angles make for a striking appearance. It was the one thing that pushed me to give this sword 4 stars.
Shank –
Good blade…well, mostly The tang on mine snapped on the first cut. I’ve since taken it apart to make a dagger and short sword out of it, but the deconstruction was surprising. The pommel is hallow. The tang tapers sharply after the guard, hence why mine broke.
It’s a beautifully looking sword and handled well–albeit briefly. The steel of the blade is good, and the weapons I’ve made from it are fantastic.
The assembly is poor, however. I would consider this a high quality display sword, or a whatever the western equivalent to an iaito would be.
McM –
Best Highland Claymore for the buck… I have owned this sword for several years now…and JUST NOW getting around to a review. (WTF?) This was my first ‘Greatsword’, as it were, and I was NOT disappointed! Sharp enough to cut even heavy targets–right out of the box. It’s a heavy sword, and takes some getting used to–if you are used to single-handers or bastard swords. The fit and finish is first rate, though I would have preferred a few risers under the leather grip wrap. The blade is strong and decently flexible, even as thick as it is. Your next KOA purchase ought to be a back-scabbard…’cause you ain’t gonna tote this around on yer hip! So…if you just want a claymore replica to take to the Ren-fests…a cheapo stainless steel Pakistan/China made one will do. If you want a REAL CLAYMORE…this is as close as you will get without going full custom and paying thousands of $$$. Now, Laddies n’ Lasses…Git yer kilt on and be Brave of Heart!!….McM
Kirk –
Great for the price Great! Sharpening service is awesome, cuts thick rolls of soaked newspaper like butter, as well as bottles and jugs of water and pool noodles. Construction and fit and finish are great for the price. Affordable and worth it
Vic –
Amazing for the price. I’ve had mine for over a year now and it cuts pretty well out of the box, however it could be sharper. its held together really nicely and shouldn’t break on you unless you abuse it. Looks badass too. overall very nice and durable blade. I would buy from Hanwei again
Meng Lee –
Trash. Trash. Trash. Breaks below guard hilt. Like a twig. Save your face and money. They nearly stabbed my face. When they broke like twigs.
Kasey Malec –
By far the best sword I’ve bought. I’ve purchased 7 swords and 2 axes from this website and this is by far the jewel of my collection. It cuts like no other, its strong, durable. I’ve cut hard targets and haven’t even got a chip in the blade. If I could give this sword 10 stars I honestly would. This isn’t someone trying to blow smoke and make it better than it is. I promise that you will not regret purchasing this fine weapon. As I said it performs perfectly and it is absolutely gorgeous to look at.