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.
James Y. –
Well worth the money. I got this sword in order to safely spar with some buddies of mine so we didn’t have to use blunt steel swords and risk cutting each other to pieces. I have been studying traditional longsword techniques for years but haven’t had anything that would stand up to the punishment that we put our gear through, or closely resembled an actual, until I finally managed to get my hands on this one. Far better balanced than the one handed version, I have finally gotten the edge I needed to hold my ground during our sparring sessions. Extremely tough, well balanced, perfect for anyone looking to master the art of longsword fencing.
Gregory Archer –
A great training sword Got this because I became interested in HEMA and wanted something that I could use to spar with. My friends and I LOVE these swords. They can handle the sparring and can even be used to practice forms. The weight is good and the length is perfect for me and my buddies.
Mini –
Good Deal Good deal, but the pommel isn’t very comfortable when held without gloves.
Sam –
Training sword I picked up this sword along with the bokken and I gotta say… These things are great! Well worth the price. The weight is about right though the balance is lacking… But they’re sparring swords. That was to be expected. They’re tough, have a pretty good feel and just are awesome for the price.
Andrew –
Not a safe trainer. I purchased two of these swords, along with the arming sword and bokken trainers. Whilst better balanced than the arming sword trainers, the balance is still pretty bad. As stated in one of the other reviews, the pommel is supremely uncomfortable, due to the edges, although one can choose to grip higher up. My main issues with this sword is the question of safety. Due to the weight and poor balance, this trainer hits like a big club. Also, the pommel shape makes pommel strikes in sparring impossible. If plate is not used in protection, you’re likely to hurt someone. One can note the destructive capabilities of the trainers with Cold Steel’s demos. The only uses I would give would be 1) for strength training with solo drills, and 2) home defense in place of a bat. It is about near indestructible, I will give Cold Steel that!
Ted Wang –
Good but has some obvious flaws This item is a good introduction to HEMA for the cheap price. Some flaws are unavoidable at this price like it isn’t springy enough (you probably don’t want to stab with this unless your opponent has sufficient protection), and the grip being uncomfortably short. I know it is supposed to be hand and a half, but wearing gauntlets, it is difficult to fit on both hands.
Other flaws are inexcusable: the pommel is really uncomfortable as the sword twists in your hands. Also, the blade is rather straight. They should taper it a bit more. The result is it feels really heavy because the POB is really far up the blade.
Garrett Hunt –
Tough, durable, feasible price. Awkward handle, and the guard came loose, but very durable, all in all, a great buy.
Christo Shriver –
Could seriously benefit from a longer handle I just got this, took about 5 days. I unbox it and right away I could tell it was awkwardly balanced. If the handle went up further, one could properly leverage the weapon in advanced practice forms. But for what it is, the thing can perform your basic exercise routine in addition to looking nice. The plastic feels extremely durable, as is demonstrated with the video of the sword smashing through a cinder block. So all in all, if you’re looking for a first sword, this one might suit your body type. But the length of handle is definitely the biggest flaw.
I should also note I constantly find myself in a broken wrist position, and in the long-term this will cause tendinitis, so I’ll need to find myself a replacement soon.
Sean Macleod –
NOT for sparring. Well it’s durable, and good for training your swinging muscles. I will admit I get a lot of satisfaction by smashing things with it. But unfortunately, the sheer weight and design of this thing do not make it safe to use for sparring. Putting aside the fact that it’s considerably heavier than a real longsword would be, it acts as a plastic club, and thanks to the strength of the material you’ll likely end up seriously hurting someone even with proper padding. Seriously, this thing dented the grill on a Kendo helmet. But hey, you can still use it for weighted swing practice and non-lethal self defense!
Roahn scifinutter –
NOT recommended for sparring I bought a couple of these off Amazon a few years back for the hell of it. Normally I avoid Cold Steel like the plague but I decided to take a chance on it. After receiving and using them for a bit two of my friends, Will and Leo, wanted to try sparring with them.
The edges are “safe” enough in that they won’t cut you to pieces but they will break/dislocate fingers easily, even in good gloves. The point is far too sharp for thrusting; Will has a nasty scar on his forhead when that point pierced through the HEMA helmet. The mesh didn’t just dent – the point actually broke through it.
They are just too heavy for safe sparring use. They were on the right track with the larger surface area but didn’t quite follow through. They’re great for beating up a BOB/bag/pole but not much else.
Cyka Blyat –
Durable and Well Designed, but… The length and overall shape are excellent for learning techniques or exercising swinging muscles, but it has a few issues. As said in other reviews, the weapon is overall well made and of strong material. One thing I dislike is how the guard is situated on the hilt. The guard is a loose cut out that is held on by a rubber ring, and because of the poor balancing, my wrist tends to push it up, forcing me to push it back down way to often. Another thing, it is way to heavy and balanced like a club. I have a few other nitpicks like how the hilt is kinda uncomfortable and the pomal is a bit rough but all in all it’s a good starter for a beginner.
D –
Poor balance Forward pivot point is maybe an inch or two from the center of the blade; makes ending a hew going into long point difficult without losing the center, and winds are awkward since the blade pivots from the center.
That said: throwing a good hew with it is physically difficult, and for this reason, it would be a good tool in the same sense as a suburito, especially if you want to go full he-man and use it single handed for sword and buckler training.
Nathan L. –
Extreme Durability, Dangerous as Steel If this is used without any protection, it may well be lethal when sparring. Please, don’t use one of these to spar with, as I have heard enough nightmarish stories. You may use these on pells, hard targets, sandbags, etc., just not living things. The guard becomes loose with a little jarring and the pommel is downright an atrocity. The balance creates a club-like weapon, rather than a longsword trainer. I do not condone the use of this in sparring, as I have stated before. To state how dangerous this is, I have used it to bust cinderblocks. Yes, cinderblocks.
Kingwes458 (verified owner) –
Wow! I love this thing! it is very comfortable to hold, and is very durable. I would recommend anyone with large hands to wear gloves because the pommel is a bit pointy in you grasp.
Not impressed –
In the interest of being upfront. I don’t recall if I purchased this item from Kult of Athena or directly from Cold Steel. Nothing in this should be considered as a comment on Kult of Athena, whom I have only had good experiences with. I’ve noticed in the past that they have been open to reviews of products from people that did not purchase from them. My hope is that my review helps others to make an informed decision.
(1) The handle is too short and compared to the blade it is rather wimpy.
(2) The weight distribution is atrocious. It is far too blade heavy. Being heavy by itself can be useful in a training tool. Being an inherently clumsy tool cannot be forgiven.
(3) The quillon has far too little mass.
In my opinion the only advantage to practicing with this item rather than a stick is that a stick is round and has no quillons. An axe hand is not round and would be better balanced, if short.
I ordered one of these. Because of a backlog the company (whichever one) generously sent me three of them. I am thinking about using them for a Halloween display. I would offer them to a former sparring partner who founded a HEMA club were they not in my opinion entirely unsuitable.
There is one practical use I can think of: attaching it to a pell. Then again, I’m trying to figure out what to do with three of these monstrosities.