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.
Thomas W. –
A very “salty” sword. I purchased this sword to compliment a uniform for a naval officer of the Napoleonic era and could not be more pleased. It is extremely well made, could not be more attractive and screams “nautical.” It feels good in the hand and will certainly be the crowning touch for my uniform.
Michael Z (verified owner) –
I received this spadroon today. I wasn’t sure what to expect, having never purchased a blade from Universal Swords via Kult of Athena. I am very pleased to state that the spadroon is beautiful. The weight is slightly forward but not unreasonable. The fit is crisp, with no rattling or loose fittings. The brass is cleanly stamped, and the blade was highly polished. I will add that the sharpening service sharpened the blade such that I cut my finger while removing it from the shipping wrapping. It is definitely sharp.
This spadroon is excellent!
ben-ray-tom (verified owner) –
This is my first sword, so please take my review with a few grains of saltpeter, but here are my thoughts.
Firstly, I was really impressed with how quickly KoA sent it. I ordered it on a Wed with sharpening and it was on my doorstep Saturday despite the FAQ saying that it might take much longer. Hats off.
As to the sword itself, it feels very sturdy in my hand and has no flex in the blade. The materials all present well and the design elements look great. There was a bit of pocking on the pommel, but nothing crazy. The blade came sharp, and it feels great to swing and thrust (I am untrained/not a fencer, so again please take this as coming from a pure amateur). The scabbard is much nicer than I expected. I think I’d prefer something metal (or at least with a wood core) in the future, but this one is more rigid than I thought it would be.
A few MINOR (verging on nitpicking) notes… I think I would’ve preferred a softer material than faux ivory for the grip, and the beaded portion of the guard rests a bit uncomfortably on the knuckle. The mouth of the scabbard is *really* tight, and I’m concerned the blade’s edge is in contact with it and will dull sheathing and unsheathing it over time (although it does retain the sword very securely).
All in all, I’m happy with this purchase and would recommend it.