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.
Jeremy H. –
New and improved! I’ve had a lot of fencing experience with the earlier version of this sword and didn’t like it at all. This new one is wonderful. Point control is great the balance is back closer to the hilt and the overall weight keeps it strong in the bind. The new rolled tip is much safer as well!
Steve C. –
Great Sword, Flawed Cord Binding I’ve really enjoyed this sword for my HEMA class, the weight and rigid blade make for good bind work and resisting beat attacks. The only downside I’ve run into is that one month into using this sword, the wrapped cord that encircles the handle came loose and subsequently fell off. This issue does not affect the sword itself in any way, and I can easily replace it with a more permanent solution.
Overall, a minor flaw on an otherwise great sword.
JanikP –
Not as expected Compared to most fencing sideswords for HEMA, this feels pretty heavy and sluggish. The blade itself is very sturdy and stiff, but the complex hilt started rattling after 3 uses. Overall, for the price it’s not a bad sword.
One improvement could be slightly larger fingerrings. Anything thicker than leather gloves won’t fit.
Victor Wooddell –
Very good value for the price. A bit on the heavy side, pommel is screwed on rather than peened (but it hasn’t come loose), and the round grip is rather too thick for my hands. Still, good blade to hilt fit, point of balance is about 2 inches in front of the outer most portion of the hiltwork (which I think is good for this type of sword). Looks good aesthetically too: no rough edges, no imperfections to the eye, nothing even slightly bent. Overall and excellent value.
Rob (verified owner) –
Good price, but have had some issues with it. Rings near the cross guard took a light hit that bent them in and separated a portion of the ring. On top of this it’s really hard to tell from the picture, but the rolled tip is massive and unlike any rolled tip I’ve ever seen. This is the biggest skin scoop I’ve ever laid eyes on. I can probably fit my thumb through it and I’m a large 6’2 240lb person.