The Armour Archive

I will be going to a blunt steel event soon, and acquired a "practical viking" sword for that purpose (one like this: http://www.therionarms.com/reenact/ther ... _c369.html ). Sadly, its balance is fairly horrid, the balance point being about a foot in front of the guard. I am thinking about adding a wire wrap to the handle in order to move it back at least somewhat. Do you guys think that will work? Any advice on how to do it? Other ideas? Can't weld on a new pommel....

Thanks

-D

Try putting a heavier pommel on it. Albion has some nice ones on there moat sale. They have realy good people and I'm sure that if you asked them, they would check to see if they are the right weight for your needs.

That would be ideal, but as I said, I lack the equipment for installing one. Plus the tang is only long enough to be peined over the tiny pommel that came with the sword.

Try using lead and wrap it around the handle as close to the pommel as possible. Or make some lead pieces that match the base of the pommel but circle the handle. Lead should give you a better weight to volume ratio than steel and it is easier to work.

Eric Bjornsson

I know the harmonics are just as bad as the ballance. It makes me wonder if grinding a distal taper to the blade wouldn't help it out greatly.

Brian

sell it and buy a better one. like a paul binns

Remember that the POB (point of balance) is SUPPOSED to be farther down the blade on Viking swords. Thats part of their mechanincs and power in the cut. I've used the prac. viking many times and find it to be quite acceptable for the price. Granted a Paul Binns WOULD be better but the weight displacement will roughly be the same. There isnt a hard and fast rule on where the POB should be. It will be different depending on the type of the blade and the manner in which it would be used.

I agree with Allen on the POB. I have one of these swords and like it very much. I sometimes use it for sword & buckler (I.33) with very good results. Just make sure that you grip the sword so that the pommel rest on the lower part of your palm. Also, forget the harmonics stuff, since the blade is not a tuning fork you don't worry about how the blade is going to vibrate. The only "vibs" you have to deal with is how it feels to kick butt. Be sure to check the edges, my blade orginially had very square edges so I rounded them off with a few minutes of file work.

Unlike my sword, the one in the pictures appears to have a rat tail tang. The version with a full tang is much better.

Ran Pleasant

Allen, I played with a Binns sword at the same time I got the one I am modifying (the Binns wasn't for sale...) and it's a world of difference in the handling and balance. The Binns sword pommel is about 3 times bigger.

Wolf -- you are totally right!!!! Would buy one in a heart beat, if I could find it.

Guess I'll try lead weights near the bottom of the grip, all wrapped in twisted wire, see how far that takes me.

Wolf wrote:sell it and buy a better one. like a paul binns

+1 on that. I wouldn't use a Chen Practical for anything other than a door stop, and then only if the lights were out and I didn't have to look at the thing.

If you have to use that 'sword' you're best off just making due with it for now and buying a better one later on. Any work you try to do to improve it is a waste of time and effort. You can cover a pile of feces with flowers but it will still smell.

Do what I do, cut them into three pieces and make 2 saxes and a dagger.
Sedric

To get a appreciable amount of lead to affect the balance, it will probably require full length wrapping of the grip with lead sheet, or pieces cut to fully cover the grip. Then wire wrap. Adjust the thickness/shape of the grip core to compensate for the additional wrappings to avoid a "pick handle" grip.