Valiant Armoury Craftsman Series – Castillon Falchion with Scabbard

The Castillon Falchion from Valiant Armoury is part of Valiants Craftsman Series of swords which is made entirely in the USA. This falchion is based on an 15th century original which was part of a trove of about 80 swords dredged up from the Dordogne river in France in 1973. It was the closing years of the Hundred Years War when these swords were lost en-masse into the river, probably due to the foundering of an English supply barge from Bordeaux bound to resupply English-held castles along the river valley. The swords of the Castillon find have a surprising degree of uniformity in hilts with most being variations of only a handful of designs. It seems likely that these swords were re-hilted blades which were part of a lot commission given to a English cutler.

The blade for this Castillon Falchion is made from 5160 high carbon steel from steel that was normalized twice to give it a more homogenous carbon distribution in the blade to ensure that it would be tempered more uniformly when heat treated. The blade has a 52 HRc tempered hardness. The sword is responsive in the hand, yet has a sure and authoritative heft to it. Its spine gives it durability and rigidity and the main cutting portion of the blade tapers into a thinned form ideal for slicing into and through a target with minimum drag. The edges of the blade are in the appleseed edge geometry form to give them a sharp, durable and damage-resistant edge. The false edge is not sharpened, but the edge is thin in this area.

The guard and pommel are steel and the blade is anchored into the hilt with a hot peen over the pommel to give it a robust construction. The hardwood grip is bound in tight leather to complete the sword.

Included with the sword is a wooden scabbard which is bound in tight and high quality leather and fitted with a stainless steel chape. Integrated into the scabbard is an interlaced quality leather sword belt with metal buckle reinforced with a steel tongue.