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 –
A trusty beater Bought mine in (I think) 2012. Definitely a sturdy sword, but it’s never been very good at cutting. The blade geometry doesn’t allow for a very fine edge, and the balance makes the sword want to thrust anyway. It’s a pretty good thruster though, and I’ve never been worried about the tip bending or breaking in any way (probably meant to be an armor-piercing type blade). This is a tough blade that’s great to hit things with. Just be prepared to absorb the shock of any cuts you attempt, because the sword probably won’t go through the target too often.
David H. –
Strong and good for its price I purchased this sword a few years back and am overall completely happy with it.
It’s not exactly historically accurate but it’s historically plausible. It’s a very heavy, sturdy blade that takes strength to use for long periods.
I do have a few issues with it but they in no way detract from the sword or what it delivers.
The grip is a bit uncomfortable for my average sized handa but someone with larger hands than mine is likely to find it comfortable to use.
Also, after a bit of test cutting, the guard became just loose enough to rattle. Despite that, the overall construction and solid peening have kept this from becoming an actual problem, more a minor inconvenience.
Despite these minor issues, this is a strong man’s sword and intended to be used heavily. I would definitely recommend it to beginners looking for something strong to get them started.
Kevin R. –
Impressive I love the look and feel of this blade. Solid construction, rugged 1566 steel blade, and a beautiful weapon besides with accents like the ‘S’ curved guard and large scent-stopper pommel. You will not be disappointed!
David B. –
Good sword for a Good price Great blade, beautiful design, and excellent construction (minus some small blemishes on the handle wrap. The blade is on the heavier side but defiantly still manageable and the grip fits my hand very well (i have pretty big hands). Out of the box the sword doesn’t come paper cutting sharp but still has a serviceable edge on it, still watch out for the tip its still wicked sharp, all in all i would recommend this blade if you think you can handle its might.
side note: the tip of the scabbard isn’t secured on very well and any real tension on it will pop it off i had to glue mine back on, structurally the scabbard is golden though, even holds the blade in upside-down
Brandon Leon (verified owner) –
Purchased this as my first sword over 300 dollars. After watching so much Skallagrim and becoming interested in historical arms and armor, this particular one stood out to me.
After a bit of easy research I found the Hanwei mercenary, a two handed sword of war which is classified as a Type XX Oakshott in the book Record of the Medieval Sword.
This thing is definitely well built. Everything about it feels sturdy in the hand. The pommel, crossguard, and even the leather handle which I had heard mixed things about fits comfortably into my hands. Nothing of the blade or furnishings rattled after some cutting tests, although I didnt put it through any abuse tests because I’m only going to be cutting bottles, pool noodles and tatami mats.
In my opinion besides the blade, the main attraction is the scent stopper pommel and curved S guard. Its basic with nothing fancy however this isnt a fancy sword, it’s a sturdy built beater that is a simplified take on historical type XX swords.
I had heard that it doesnt come very sharp stock so I added the sharpening service offered on this website and they did a superb job. The blade edges are incredibly sharp, and they didn’t leave any damage on the blade in the process. This thing cuts beautifully, and the point is deadly and pierces like a knife on butter.
At a bit over 4 pounds, the sword isn’t super light or maneuverable, but it has a good center of balance and is definitely usable. It does put a bit of a strain after extended use but I do believe that will be remedied with a little bit of strength gain.
All in all I’m very happy with this product as my first good quality sword. It’s big, sharp, pointy, and fun to swing around. I definitely recommend this to a beginner collector who wants to spend less than 500 on a fun heavy beater that still has some style to it.