Need help picking a sword

gsonnen

gsonnen

Joined
Oct 8, 2004
Messages
113
I'd like to add a sword to my collection. I'm interested in a modern interpretation of a classic sword design. I've narrowed my choice to three:

1) Busse AK47
2) Mineral Mountain Wakezashi
3) Angus Trim tactical sword

The only one I've handled is the Busse.

If anybody owns or has handled one of these, please let me know your thoughts.

Thanks in advance
 
I have several of Angus Trim's swords. They are very well made and balanced. I have on order one of his Tac-Line swords. That one is meant to be used. Something you should check out.
 
I like my Busse AK too. A truly "modern interpretation" of the Wakazashi design. Made to withstand hard use.
 
I like my Criswell. The Wally Hayes swords I've seen are beautiful.

Enjoy whatever you go with
 
I have handled Angus Trim's swords. They are beautifully balanced.

If you are looking for something specific, also talk to Michael "Tinker" Pearce. http://www.tinkerswords.com He and Angus are great friends and share a lot of information. Tinker is one of the top sword makers in the country. Tinker's prices are quite reasonable for the quality. I own an archers sword that is incredible!:D

Another person to check is Dr. Jim Hrisoulas. http://www.atar.com Jim's prices are amazing considering the quality and his reputation.:eek:

Good luck,

Pam
 
Untill your post I was not aware that Angus started to offer tactical swords that's :cool:.

I'm not sure if Tinker uses the same pommel design as Angus but From what I have seen and handled his swords seem to be well made. The one's I've handled were a bit edge light for my taste but he will make them to order. He's a nice guy to talk to and knows his stuff.

Angus Trim's swords are very good swords. I have owned two and they were great cutters and are very forgiving. When it comes to removeable pommel designs Angus Trims are the best. Natural wood handles expand and contract do to temperature and humidity and so pommel have to sometime's be tightened. His use a seperate tapped nut and are counter bored to fit over the tang and will not twist.
Most makers simply drill and tap the pommel this is OK however, when the wood handle shrinks you have to tighten the pommel a 1/4 turn and the pommel no longer lines up and well, looks funny and affects the grip of the sword.

Which brings me to Atar while he may be well respected and even worshipped by some I'm personally not a big fan of his swords. He uses the above mentionted drilling and tapping method for pommel attachment. I have handled and seen dozens upon dozens of his swords over the decades and every one had a cocked pommel. My friends who owned them had to shim the pommels to make them rite. All in all for the price you can do better.

Can't say much about the rest except while I have not handled one the Busse AK-47 looks very nice. I have one big issue with the AK-47 and that is one just doesen't look right I think you really need one for each hand.



Bors
 
Bors said:
Untill your post I was not aware that Angus started to offer tactical swords that's :cool:.

I'm not sure if Tinker uses the same pommel design as Angus but From what I have seen and handled his swords seem to be well made. The one's I've handled were a bit edge light for my taste but he will make them to order. He's a nice guy to talk to and knows his stuff.

Angus Trim's swords are very good swords. I have owned two and they were great cutters and are very forgiving. When it comes to removeable pommel designs Angus Trims are the best. Natural wood handles expand and contract do to temperature and humidity and so pommel have to sometime's be tightened. His use a seperate tapped nut and are counter bored to fit over the tang and will not twist.
Most makers simply drill and tap the pommel this is OK however, when the wood handle shrinks you have to tighten the pommel a 1/4 turn and the pommel no longer lines up and well, looks funny and affects the grip of the sword.
Which brings me to Atar while he may be well respected and even worshipped by some I'm personally not a big fan of his swords. He uses the above mentionted drilling and tapping method for pommel attachment. I have handled and seen dozens upon dozens of his swords over the decades and every one had a cocked pommel. My friends who owned them had to shim the pommels to make them rite. All in all for the price you can do better.

Can't say much about the rest except while I have not handled one the Busse AK-47 looks very nice. I have one big issue with the AK-47 and that is one just doesen't look right I think you really need one for each hand.



Bors
Click to expand...

That's interesting, the one Hrisoulas sword that I briefly owned was peened I thought but perhaps not. In any event most items from high end production folks i.e. Arms and Armor or Albion are actually peened in place rather then having a threaded pommel. I agree with your points about Mr. Trim's method being superior to a merely threaded pommel.

It would appear that our original poster is more wanting one of those "tactical" type swords and as such will likely have no pommel at all. :)
 
Triton said:
That's interesting, the one Hrisoulas sword that I briefly owned was peened I thought but perhaps not. In any event most items from high end production folks i.e. Arms and Armor or Albion are actually peened in place rather then having a threaded pommel. I agree with your points about Mr. Trim's method being superior to a merely threaded pommel.



It would appear that our original poster is more wanting one of those "tactical" type swords and as such will likely have no pommel at all. :)
Click to expand...


Atar has made a lot of different types of swords and pole arms so your's may have been peened. His most most commen one has a flaried pommel and wire wrapped handle and it uses a drilled and tapped pommel.

As far as historical swords go Albions are I feel the best and A&A a very close second. You are correct Albion peens the pommels on which is the best way to do it.

Many of the people who buy Atrims use them for Tameshigiri. They are very forgiving and I highly recommend them to beginners.



Bors
 
Vorpal Blade said:
As someone who has had hands-on experience with Atrims; can you expand on exactly what you mean by "forgiving"? Thanks.
Click to expand...

Swords like to resonate and this is easy to see by holding the sword in one hand and smacking the pommel with the other. This is what is referred to when you here talk of harmonic balancing.

During the cut a lot of force is applied to and generated in the sword. If the sword passes through the Tameshigiri mats (target) in a straight line no harmonics are produced and you get a clean cut. If during the cut the rist twists off line or your grip changes or you swing in an arc rather than a straight line the sword starts to resonate and this is bad.

The force starts to take a perpendicular direction to the edge rather than parallel one.

In soft targets the target will give a little and help spread the force over more of the blade however, in hard targets the force remains concentrated in a very small area of the blade which can break the blade. Use axes to cut down trees not swords.

This is where the "forgiving" part comes in when you start out cutting untill you learn to guide the sword you can expext to "blow" a lot of cuts. Angus uses 5160 and it can flex alot before bending (taking a set).

Some swords are not very forgiving that is they will take a set if you blow a cut. This does not necessarily mean that the sword is bad or of poor quality it's just that they require a bit more control. And then there are some sowrds that will break just with light handling (see the HSC guy stabbing himself with a broken sword clip).


Here are some pics of Angus Trim swords in use. I don't know what particular sword models they are. These were posted a number of years back on SFI. I saved then not to be critical of the cutter but rather as an example of what can happen as a sword cuts.




Atrimcut.jpg



Atrim2.jpg



Atrim3.jpg



This video is of James Williams of Bugei cutting with an Albion sword. It was (and may still be) posted on Albions web site.Notice the "Ting" sound and the lack of any reverberation in the blade. The blade is guided in a straight line through the target. Of coarse Mr. Williams has only done this a time or two LOL.




Bors
 
Or if you want one you can use on pretty much anything without worrying too much, get the Busse. I have chopped down trees, cut metal cans, and removed a tree stump with mine with no ill effects. Just sharpen it up again (after the metal cuts, anyway) and chop some more. Great warranty, too.
 
Bors said:
This video is of James Williams of Bugei cutting with an Albion sword. It was (and may still be) posted on Albions web site.Notice the "Ting" sound and the lack of any reverberation in the blade. The blade is guided in a straight line through the target. Of coarse Mr. Williams has only done this a time or two LOL.

*snip*

Bors
Click to expand...
Yes, James Williams has only cut a few times, obviously ;) (yeah, yeah, with a "western" sword - though that still isn't true).
I think it's not there any more, but IIRC James Williams has designed a single-hand sword and was selling it on his alternate website (that also sold Paul Chen and CRKT Hissatsu).

The principles are still the same, cut straight, with the edge hitting the target and shearing through in a straight path. The techniques, of course, are somewhat different.

I do like Angus Trim's swords, but am a bit reluctant about his Tactical line... just doesn't appeal to me.
The DN LPM 1508 looks like an awesome choice though, or perhaps one of the longsabers.
 
Thanks to all for the information.

I think I'm going with an ATrim tactical sword. I've heard nothing but good things about Gus' work (on several different boards.)

I'll post some pics once I get the steel in hand.
 
I know, Bors. And I have been doing just what I advised. I have saved up enough to buy Patrick's number 118 sword with trimmings; an engraved scabbard as on sword number 123 and the hilt done with the silver applied in the original manner, not electroplated. Patrick will attempt to reproduce the pattern-weld of the original in the museum in Abingdon, Berkshire, U.K. The gestation period is similar to that of a whale or an elephant, over two years, and the price is high, especially with the dollar not doing well against the EURO, but it will be worth it.

Oh, the anticipation. And Patrick doesn't even ask for a downpayment.
 
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