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.
Terricus –
Danish Two Handed Sword I didn’t buy this blade from Kult of Athena, but from DSA directly (big mistake for my wallet, and the 3 month wait didn’t help either), but when I got it I was very impressed. I did the unboxing outside so the first time I saw it would be in full glory of the sun. The fittings are very secure, the leather grip is even, with solid stitching. I did order it sharp and as far as I’m concerned it’s sharp enough; sharp enough to cut but not so sharp it chips. What impressed me for the price though is the scabbard and belt. It’s very sleek, and the belt is thick and durable. The sword doesn’t fit very tightly in the scabbard, but I prefer little resistance when drawing the sword, so to me it’s a positive thing.
Testing-
When handling, it’s very light, making it easy to maneuver. It’s also well balanced.
Now, when I bought this, I was so hyped about it being a long two handed sword that I failed to realize it’s made for quick, calculated, penetrating thrusts, not powerful strikes. So no wonder it came as a surprise to me when I attempted to slice a gallon jug of water in half, it bounced off like I tried to hack through a steel beam. Over the course of the next minute, my heart had pretty much stopped beating as I quickly inspected the blade and tried not to hyperventilate. The result of my stupidity? A pretty nasty dent in the jug, and the blade was perfectly fine, not even any edge damage. I realize now that it’s not good for my preferred fighting style of striking. I proceeded to thrust into the jug in rapid succession, and the first time I thought I missed because I didn’t feel it go in. Then I saw the water gushing out.
I’ll flat out say in complete honesty that I love this sword. It’s a thruster, not a slasher, but my personal preference doesn’t effect it’s quality. It’s sturdy, and has pretty much no resistance when piercing. The scabbard and belt are great. I’d be happy to run into battle with this sword any day.
Thor –
This is the Best Sword I got from DarkSword Armory This sword is well balanced and light weight. It is also constructed well. I have two other DSA swords and cross guards are starting to loosen up.
This one is still sturdy. A good long sword for the price.
The only thing that bugs me about the sword is that it rattles a lot in the scabbard, not tight at all.
overall a good sword and one of my favourites.
Hasan –
First ever sword I bought, after some research. I could write essays about how it changed my life, but not today.
The sword looks very handsome (not just my own opinion) and it’s beautifully easy to handle. Fit and finish was perfect- no loose parts, nothing sticking out. The only problem I can find is that the grip seems to be sensitive to friction. After swinging it around for a few days while wearing a pair of gloves with good traction, the color has started to peel off a bit. Other than that, everything is flawless. Delivery was pretty quick too, and came with a very nice gift. Huge thanks to DSA!
Objectively, it seems to be more of a hybrid between a “traditional European longsword” and typical Oakeshotte Type XVIIIe swords and thus it doesn’t perform perfectly as either of those. Rather, the weapon is something entirely different. Elegant and light, this is more of a specialist’s blade rather than an all-rounder. As already mentioned from previous comments, this is a dedicated thruster. It can easily cut soft targets if sharp enough, but I wouldn’t count on the sword being as good at slashing or weapon binds. However, this can be a truly dangerous weapon fit for highly aggressive, extremely quick maneuvers with heavy focus on thrusting. For practitioners who prefer this kind of approach, this sword can be an excellent purchase, and is probably one of the best in the market.