Mini Review for Backward Blade Sword

Steely_Gunz

Steely_Gunz

Got the Khukuri fevah
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A more apt title might be, Backward Blade Sword: Honest Goof or Engineered Zombie Extermination Tool.
The sword arrived yesterday from the Munk Compound safe and sound. A great big thank you to Munk for the fast shipping. I have to say, this thing is a beast and is really, really well made. Sher really did his homework when crafting the blade. It is obviously heavily based on the weapon on the valiantco website right down to the scabbard. I'm very impressed yet a little frustrated with Sher on this sword.
You see, the sword is PERFECT except that the blade is on the wrong side. Seriously, the balance is wonderful. The grip held the "right" way is a little square in the hand, but hefts the sword well. The scabbard is very well made and the carvings neat. When you draw the sword out the "right" way it feels so good. It's just that the blade is on the wrong side or the handle is on backwards...pick your poison. I got a chuckle out of the brass guard as well. it's even a 1/4" shorter on the bladed side so that it will fit into scabbard where on the original a wooden jimp juts up to aid in popping the sword free when you draw it.

Now, i'm not dogging on this poor sword. Far from it:) You see, once i turn the blade over, it does chop pretty dang well. When you hold it, you wouldn't think it, though. The sword came sharp, but not razor sharp. However, when i took a half-hearted swing at the shipping box stuffed full with news paper i was surprised to see the top half fall away with a perfect 45 degree bisected slice. I'm not a sword guy, so this feat was dumb luck or the blade is magic. I like to think both;) I plan on doing a full write up when i get some supplies from the store. It gets kinda boring at work some days, so i'll take some time to put this puppy through the paces. I did take it to a couple of pine pallets in the back. No big shock here, but the 30oz sword smashed it's way through the boards in 2 to 3 medium to heavy chops.

The handle pommle does like to tag you in the wrist if you glance a blow. However, I think any uncomforable feeling to the grip has more to do with how square it is rather than the actual shape. If grip was more oval in shape, then I highly doubt it would be as much of an issue. It kind of has a sweep to it like a very short single handed grip katana...with a funky skull crusher at the base. There is an upside for all of you that would like to try and turn the handle around. It appears that the handle is held in place only with epoxy. It has no peened ends or pins running though it. I'm guessing you could boil this handle right off and with a little reworking snug it right back on...the "right" way. Or, you might be able to just round it a bit and have it be fine just how it is. I haven't decided what to do yet.
A word on the "skull crusher"....wow;) Although I don't think it could crush bone...i wouldn't want to be hit with it anywhere on my body. Just for funzies, I brought it down on the shipping box and it poked a very neat and lethal hole. It's pretty pointy and shaped like a big cat tooth. When you have a bit of force, 30 oz of mass, and gravity working with you...ouch;)

Now, I've been a fan of Sher's for quite some time now. I find it hard to believe that he would actually "goof" something up. So, here are a few theories I have on this sword's design. (all tounge in cheek, mind you;))

Sher designed this to be the ultimate passive defense sword. It is common knowledge that a khukuri's backside is sometimes used as a blunt object to knock some sense into the intoxicated. A good swift pop and down the disgruntled go with nothing more than a headache...and they might forget their name for a few days. However, their head is not spit in half. Sher designed this sword to be used as a swift smacker of the idiotic. A good whack with blade held the "right" way, and down the dummy goes. Heads, shoulders, knees, and toes...they are all fair game;) He'll live through it, and probably won't offend again if you threaten to turn the sword over next time;)

The other (and more likely) job in mind was that of total zombie destruction. When on the run from a zombie outbreak, one must pack only what they need to survive. This sword is an effective tool and weapon in the fact that it stands up to multiple strikes with little damage. Think about it. Do you really NEED an edge to crack the skull of the undead? Wouldn't it chip and wharp after a few hundred exterminations? Sher had this in mind when he crafted this blade. Hold it "right" when attacking. The 30oz weight with cave thier heads in. Have 2 or more attacking you at once? Smoke one of them in the head then do the most monster of monster back cuts on the other one to take his jaw off. :D
By saving your edge, you basically have a Nessie sword much like a two-bit axe head. You retain your edge to harvest wood, chop through doors, or in a feeble attempt...save a bitten comrad with a swift amputation;)
So you see, this sword is NOT a goof up. It simply is a very cleverly engineered zombie extermination and survival tool.

So, if you guys are serious about zombie protection....and I know you are. Then you will take one of these very fine gems off Yangdu's hands. To pardon the pun, it's a no brainer. You either have one of the finest all in one anti-living dead tools...or you can spend 45 mins "fixing" the "problem" to have a more "practical" sword.:D

In all honesty, I'm very happy with this little backward sword. I really haven't decided what to do with it yet. Munk put it through it's paces and the handle does have some cracks in it due to the long trip from Nepal. It's begging to be used, modified, and experimented on.
I'll post some pics when I do the review hopefully this weekend. It really is a very fine sword the collectors of HI one offs and those that like to mod things.

Jake
 
I'll be sure to take some pics when I have all the materials i need to test it out. I need to go to the store and pick up a few coconuts, and bring in some boards to chop on. I hope to make it fun. Any requests? I can pretty much get anything, and I have a lot of space to work with here.

Jake
 
Thats a great review Jake. My offer stands, btw. If you want to ship it to me I'll melt off the handle, turn it and the guard around, and epoxy the thing back together. All for the cost of shipping it back to you. Free, that is. And I'd be proud to do it, too.

edited... Forgot to say that I'll sand the handle down and epoxy fill the cracks for you too if you want!
 
Great review, thank you Jake
 
Spectre said:
Hmmm...how long are these blades, again? Just the blade, not OAL?
Click to expand...

Looks like right about 17 and 3/4", John.

Thanks for the offer, Andy:) I'm thinking hard about it. This coming review should decide what route I take. I'm very torn on it:confused:

Jake
 
I know nothing about swords, but if this is an example of the virtues of a good stout short sword, I'm in. As I've said, it chopped better than my tarwar. I love my Tarwar. But this thing cries 'strike'. And for the width of the modern hallway, is a more practical weapon than a Tarwar.

munk
 
Great review, Mr. Jake.

The HI swords are an understated value.

Swords fall into two kinds: "Junk" (a la Bud K) and Real.

Real Swords cost $$$ or even $,$$$.

Junk swords cost $29.95. Yoy can get a set of 3 katanas for that amount.

HI swords are Real Swords that cost in the low $$$.

Now ship the thing to Andy so he can set it straight. :D


Mike
 
i'm finding the terminology to describe this thing awkward...

if you were to draw the outline of this piece, as a shadow on paper, it's exactly as intended compared to the martial weapon it's a replica of. the blade shape is right, the handle shape and alignment is right. if one were to duplicate a blank based on nothing more than a black and white/grayscale outline scan, we'd be good to go :)

now, if you didn't KNOW anything else, like the profile of the blade, or how thick, and other features, you'd have to guess where the edge went, and well, an educated guess with a bias towards certain designs (drop points, khukris, things typically leaf/tear-dropped), and you'd probably not guess the variant this is. so the edge got put on the wrong side. understandable.

me? i like the idea of the original, a slightly curved wharncliffe shape? su-wheet! i'd seriously thing that a pair of those would be amazing in the hands of someone trained in that style. wow. a khukried wharncliffe. eep.

now, the BWB, is a newish thing, perhaps awkward, perhaps not. good for zombies it seems. except the smashingl you can't SMASH a zombie head. gots to sever or pulp it. also, double edge sword :> one size for fine work, the other side thicker for the larger bones, and perhaps armor from the demon undead. snicker snack.

bladite
 
sweet! (never fear, the english kukri man is here!)
ive been the inspiration for 2 blade types! the very 1st ever "himalayan sword", is on my wall right now. like to pull them out, and see a good peice of steel thats you KNOW has been heat treated, and made by proper smithies!
 
I never really liked my HI Kat until I tried to break it.

It has been a sadistic affair, but we have both have had alot of fun.

Might take her out this weekend for a pounding.
 
Thanks for the great write up Jake. I love the blade shape on this, and it really does fill a nice niche in the HI line. I hope to get one someday and fire up the heat gun and see if I can tweak the handle a bit.

Norm
 
oh ho! you did buy one :) cheeky :>

what kills me is that nobody who's into some of this stuff like "we all" lives anywhere near me. at all.

i probably don't THE largest collection of ... larger weird blades and stuff, but damn, if i'm not in the top 5 for HI within many hundreds of miles ;) maybe top 3 ;>

bladite
 
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