Good useable chopping sword...

C

Crazyotter

Joined
Jun 26, 2010
Messages
334
So I'm a total idiot when it comes to swords, but I know I want to get one...

That said, I was looking at a few that could actually be used, the Hanwei Banshee, the Hanwei Tactical Wakizashi, the Rodent Waki (which I could afford, but I'm not sure I want to put down 400), and still haven't come to any conclusions. I was also looking at really random but cool swords too, from the Condor Bush Machette to the Darksword Roman Spatha. Can anyone guide me in the right direction with some helpful advic or something? I just want a good solid sword that I can clear land with, chop stuff in half, hang on my wall, and in general have fun. :rolleyes:

Thanks.
 
So one vote for darksword. Hmmm. Would a historic sword such as Darksword Spatha or Dark Age Sword work well for actually use? Because I love them, but thought them unpractical?
 
I'm wondering what the specs your looking for are, specifically, are you looking for a sword, short sword, or a large knife? The line for your use will be blurred in some categories. You may want to extend your search to Himalayan Imports here on the forums, they have some very large knives designed for the very purposes you described, as well as dedicated swords. Good luck!
 
I've got a Hanwei banshee I like using for path clearing and moderate swordplay. It's a pretty solid blade and I'm a fan of the Thai/Burmese design. The blade is too thin for splitting logs (gets stuck), but I suppose one could break down quarters of logs into kindling with it.

You can always look into getting a dadao, I love them and would personally love to acquire one of these: Hanwei Military model Dadao
 
I have the DaDao that was offered from Kris Cutlery last year. It is heavy duty and quite a chopper. The only issue I have with it is that the tsuba (guard) is loose. It is not going to go anywhere but it is still loose and from the reviews I heard from other owners this was a common issue. But......for the money it has some durability.
 
Mdole, 20 plus inch blade. So short sword to sword. And I'll google himalayan imports, ty.

ElSitherino, awesome info to hear, since the banshee is one of the main models I'm looking at. And I was looking at the dado earlier, but didn't really look into it. Guess I should do that.

Bimmer1, kool, ty. By was offered, I take it Kris Cutlery discountinued the model?

Thanks.
 
I have a Banshee, and out of the 18 (or so) swords in my collection, it's my favorite beater. Quite tough and a damn fine hack'n'slash sword.

You might want to take a look into the Cold Steel Two handed Katana Machete too. I've been beating one up here lately and it is incredibly TOUGH. Botched cuts don't bend or break this thing. It sheds off those crappy blows and asks "is that all you got?!"
The bloody thing is nearly indestructible and I'm impressed with it in the month I've had it.
 
check out the Condor Bush Cutlass?
I saw a review on it shortly after blade and it looked like a lot of fun to swing for not a lot of $$.
OTOH, if you're more interested in Asian designs, the Hanwei tactical wakazashi looks pretty good to me as well.
 
Egyptian Khopesh by Chris Palmer of Scorpion Bows & Knives:

MyKhopesh2.jpg


For more info see:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=736007

I've been hacking up all sorts of things with it for months and this thing is TOUGH.








http://www.traditionalarcherybows.com
 
Crazyotter said:
Mdole, 20 plus inch blade. So short sword to sword. And I'll google himalayan imports, ty.

ElSitherino, awesome info to hear, since the banshee is one of the main models I'm looking at. And I was looking at the dado earlier, but didn't really look into it. Guess I should do that.

Bimmer1, kool, ty. By was offered, I take it Kris Cutlery discountinued the model?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Looks like the Kris Cutlery DaDao is still available. It is heavy but it cuts through small trees with little effort. You will get tired of swinging it. It is very ugly and like I said above......the tsubas are loose.....but I have chopped small trees with mine with no damage to the edge. I'm also waiting on my Cold Steel Two Handed Katana Machete and the Hanwei Banshee has received many good reviews. http://kriscutlery.com/documents/chinese.html
 
A practical choice would be a nice axe or hatchet if you plan to chop trees.

For Katanas(does okay for light to medium cutting) I have a few recommendations:
-Any Cheness monotempered 9260 Katanas.
-Hanwei Wind and Thunder(I think) Katana.
-Dynasty Forge 1060 monotempered Katana.

And Cold Steel makes some pretty beefy swords as well, but I feel they're pretty overpriced.
 
Misque, awesome to hear. Im leaning towards a banshee right now, but I just may end up getting several different swords and saying screw it. Can't have to many, right? :rolleyes:
And huh. I missed seeing that one. Huh.

1066vik, I was looking at the Condor Bush Cutlass, but I was understanding that its a really light blade? And k, ty.

Wolf_1989, thats awesome! So looking that up! Edit: Your evil. I so foresee me getting that, if not now then sometime in the next two months.

Bimmer1, more good info! Ty.

Noctis3880, agreed. I have a Snow and Neally Kindling Axe (Absolutely beautiful axe) for that. But I mean those inch thick saplings that bend when I hit them. No matter how I try, I can't get the axe to cut them! And my axe is sharp. But I was thinking a long heavy blade would do well if I hit at a downward angle?
And awesome to hear, I was looking at Katanas but the sheer amount on the market scared me into another section of swords. :rolleyes:
And ok on Cold Steel. I agree with you too, for the price I believe there are better ones out there.

Ty guys for the info. Any opinions on windlass by the way?
 
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Hmm, a sapling that bends huh? That sounds a tad similar to bamboo, which I believe are sometimes demonstrated in katana cutting videos.

However, I think the most practical solution would be an old fashioned saw.
 
Crazyotter said:
Wolf_1989, thats awesome! So looking that up! Edit: Your evil. I so foresee me getting that, if not now then sometime in the next two months.
Click to expand...

I doubt you'll regret it. I'm going to have a second one eventually. It's really that good.

Ty guys for the info. Any opinions on windlass by the way?
Click to expand...

Their blades are alright. They seem to be adequately tempered if a bit on the whippy side. Their handles suck though.
 
Noctis3880 said:
However, I think the most practical solution would be an old fashioned saw.
Click to expand...

First, I think there pine saplings, but my Grandmothers place is infested with bamboo for when I get my paws on a Katana. :thumbup:

And whats the fun in using a saw??? :rolleyes:

And ok Wolf_1989, Thank you for the info. Was looking at some of there knives and whatnot, couldn't help but think cool.

So I think I'll be getting a Khopesh or a Banshee shortly, maybe both. Ty guys for the info.
 
R.H.Clark, that is awesome! :thumbup: Looks like a real work horse!


To the OP, I love chopping on stuff witrh swords too, it's great fun! I would warn you to be careful with using a full sized sword to chop trees with though. I found out the hard way how easy it is to warp the blade on even a decent/good quality sword do to the increadible amount of torqe that occurs with a long blade. :( I'd say that 20" or less is better for chopping wood. Also be warry of stick tang blades, they tend to snap.

-My favorite chopper sword right now is the Swamp Rat Waki. It is pretty much indestructable, has a true full visible tang construction with no right angles to weaken it, differentially heat treated so the edge is hard and REALLY holds its sharpness without giving up any overall strength. It's of a size that is easy to carry, easy to swing, and if you did manage to somehow ruin it Swamp Rats warranty will replace it no questions asked! Been using mine and it out chops my full sized CS Katana no problem.

[youtube]zRnVY9qLCEE[/youtube]

Here's a pic of mine. I convexed the edge by hand, and bought a nice custom sheath that can be worn on the hip or over the shoulder balderic style. :)
various2008-2009207.jpg

various2008-2009177.jpg
 
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R.H Clark: Your right, but at the same time I kinda want to play with a sword. But that is a awesome golok!

Bryfry, gotcha and gotcha. Good info to know, didn't know that, and I can eliminate 5 possibilities right off due to the rat tail tang. I was wondering whether I should ask about that, but you beat me too it. :tup:

But DONT POST YOUR RODENT WAKI!!!! NO!!!!!!

Seriously, I'm trying not to spend 400... but whats the deal with the warranty? How many years does it last? And can you really chop vegetation (undergrowth, 1 inch soft wood saplings, bushes, etique) with it? No damage or increased wear? Ty.
 
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