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.
David H. –
Great Sword for the Price Being used to larger, heavier Viking-style swords, the Henry V sword was a pleasant surprise. The blade is fairly short, and the diamond cross section makes it reasonably stiff. The rather large wheel pommel provides enough balance to make the sword fast and responsive.
It seems Hanwei swords are shipped as “sharp,” however, all of the ones I have purchased still require some further sharpening. And the Henry V is no exception. It is a minor problem–mostly just a cleaning up the edge. Once that is done, it is a very nice sword. It looks great hanging on the wall, and is easy to handle in cutting and thrusting. The scabbard is well made and complements the look of the sword. The Hanwei Henry V is certainly worth the retail price–and it is a real bargain here.
John M. –
Very good, should be great. The original is said to be one of the greatest swords ever made. The hollow ground blade makes it very light and maneuverable. Hanwei started a hollow grind, but then seemed to realize that it was difficult. They went ahead and beveled the edge. This defeats the purpose of a hollow grind and makes the blade weigh more than it should. If I had known this before buying it, I might have gone with a different manufacturer.
Having said all of that, of the seventeen European swords that I own, this is my favorite. Truly a beautiful sword.
laurent –
good very godd Laurent France good
Dan –
Great sword. I’m so happy I bought this sword, for it’s price it’s amazing. Extremely solid construction, it’s simple yet draws the eye to it and handles very comfortably and balanced.
Matt –
I love this sword! This is my first sword, so I don’t have much to compare it to, but this truly feels like a solid, functional weapon. Nothing rattles or moves and the blade is wicked sharp! First thing I did is slice a plastic gallon of water into ribbons :) It also has a wicked tip on it. I can drop it blade down from an inch up and it sinks through cardboard boxes just from its own weight. I opted not to go with the sharpening service and was expecting a fairly blunt edge, but I actually think I could shave with this thing! But enough about how sharp it is. As I said, the blade feels very solid and 1066 is supposed to be a great steel for blades. The leather is nice but is a solid piece (I would have preferred the grip was wrapped in leather cord). There are some imperfections (a few scratches, hammer marks, etc.) but I think that just adds to the handmade authentic feel of the blade. The sword is apparently less than 3 lbs, but spread out over a long blade it feels much heavier than that in my hand (time to start working out I guess). The only other thing is the peened pommel seems a little flimsy. I would have preferred threading with a nut to be sure the blade isn’t going to go flying, but hopefully it holds together for years to come. Overall I love this blade! I probably would have paid double for it and it’s definitely worth the money. If you’re on the fence about it do yourself a favor and buy it already! For this price, you won’t be disappointed.
Ryland k. –
Great first sword I love this sword it is great and works beautifully, this sword was the first one I ever got and I still cannot sing its praise enough. Even though there are better swords out there this one is one of the best I would highly recommend
Newarcher (verified owner) –
Just received my Henry V, not a blemish on it I could find. Very nice. First though I feel i need to tell about two swords i have, my hanwei cawood sword is very nice but some con’s to it, a little too flexible and thinned too much 3/4 of blade length near top, then the rest to tip thicker, I’m glad its flexible as it is. Also I have the Hanwei tinker norman sword, the grip is small and short, but some how still comfortable and usable, but still a very nice sword. Now back to the Henry V I recieved, I decided I wanted a diamond patterned sword so I searched quite a bit taking looks , price, specifications, reviews and blade steel into account. Also the history behind the sword and I came upon the Henry V, very good looks, stout appearance, nice scabbard, quality build, very good price and the recasso even looks good with this sword, and the result is I have a blemished sword from KOA, for less price, with no blemishes I find, thank you KOA. The scabbard holds the blade tight ,no rattles, and the sword is just what you want, good looks, quality build. Being over 6mm thick was a positive factor for me. Overall this sword is everything I expected it to be, which is beyond expectations, since there’s a problem with expectations in just about every sword you buy. I have no negatives to say about this sword . Thank you KOA and Hanwei.