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.
Obsolescence –
Elegance and Danger This is my second sharp purchase, and my most expensive sword purchase to date. I say that to convey that I am not an expert.
However, this sword is by far the most elegant weapon I have ever seen or held. Every bit as formidable as a standard HEMA Longsword (at 51.5″ inches long), but with a lighter weight that allows it more agility at the cost of power. It feels absolutely dangerous, fatal even, in the swing, but the real danger seems to lie in its ability to quickly shift to a thrusting position. I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about the 7″ ricasso, but it looks grisly in-hand and I hate to think of what it would do to anything that made it all the way up the blade to the hilt.
The blade is well-crafted, straight as a line, and appropriately sharp – nearly as sharp as a quality kitchen knife. It would absolutely take an arm clean below the elbow with a full swing. The tip is so sharp you could just walk into something. I doubt you’d even need to thrust. All of the fittings feel solid as the blade. The only minor issue I have with mine is that one tiny thread from below the wrapped-cord grip popped through about halfway up the grip. It’s a minor issue. I wouldn’t even discount a star for it. This weapon is a beauty and feels solid as a hammer.
If I practice with it enough to wear out the cord grip, the only regret I’ll have is that I didn’t buy a second.
If you’re a fan of long two-handed swords but you prefer elegance over brute force, this is a fantastic choice worth every penny.