Destructive Testing on a 55 Gallon Drum

[666skelter]

your drum is a 44 gal. But bignoting your drum didnt take anything away from the swords performance. I like

[nubpwnage69]

Not extremely sharp but still very sharp I do believe

[extondude]

im more of a longsword person x3

[scorpiovang911]

no need to buy swords unless u want to good outside and play grand theft auto

[5tristanvm]

a samurai can do beter than tht lol :P

[AkiraSieghart]

I feel bad for your hand...the recoil of the blade hitting the barrel must've hurt a bit...

[bobomajojo2]

how do you know if a katana blade is strong when its onlinne? and what is the best way to forge a strong katana?

[neoconker]

European swords are a mess, barely able to cut the edge of a gallon of iron.

[lockbreak12]

@neoconker  i would be more worried about your comment if you were better at trolling

[madax132]

@neoconker Depends on the sword, a falchion or a grosse messer is a very scary cutter, Personally I've never seen a piercing weapon from asia to match a European one, besides that katanas are ultra brittle, edges roll incredibly easy against a hard target by nature of the design.

[tarrded]

ouch!... glad were not living in the dark ages of old!

[tarrded]

ouch!!... so glad were not in the dark ages anymore!

[OenghusLok]

Pretty much conclusively prove a SCA "flat snap" or neck "wrap" are not a killing blow, and never have been.

[Fargbollen]

@OenghusLok, lethal or incapacitating head trauma is only stopped by the weight of a very heavy helmet or crumpling impact absorbing foam. SCA rules are based on battle of Hastings armour, a helmet like that is just the top of the head with thin padding and weighs 1 kg or less, where typical SCA legal helmets are fully enclosing 3.5-5 kg and heavy padding. With a 1 kg helmet in SCA combat you'd get a closed head trauma, that can be fatal.

[Fargbollen]

@OenghusLok, let's just say that steel drums are not people and this test only shows how tough the sword is, no more or less. Not effect on a human body wearing a historic hastings armour and being hit by a good blow.

[OenghusLok]

@Fargbollen Yes Sir. I was SCA 16 years, and am coming back in soon. I've done a multitude of SCA blows style tests, on 16, 14, and 12 ga. helms. The average "flat snap" makes a loud noise, (rattan) but has never generated enough force to kill a man through helm, maille, coif, and gambason. Might knock a guy out, and might get killed while in the "browned out" stage, but I don't believe the wraps that are taken as "kills" in SCA are accurate to historical or physiological grounds?

[Fargbollen]

@OenghusLok Some hits I agree would be way too light, but some aren't. This one time I was training I got a wrap that accidentally folded in my barrel helm. I was stunned, fell down and he was really upset because he thought he'd killed me because the helmet was dramatically caved in at the back. I got back up and then it was some hard work to pry off the helm. This wasn't the norman period wrought iron top with maille at the base of the head or I'd have really been dead.

[Fargbollen]

@OenghusLok You have to understand the difference between the overdimensioned safety equipment we use so it's safe to fight and the real historical originals which aren't.

Fighting with a loose iron top and soft maille for the rest of the head, you'd get some serious head trauma even from rattan and that's a lot nicer to get hit with than a real sword.

[OenghusLok]

@Fargbollen I see what you are getting to here. Thanks.

[slimbullet96]

I heard cylinders have stronger defense than a sheet of steel.

[WurledPeas]

@slimbullet96 They do to a degree. Has something to do with arch loading. I think that's a fairly minor consideration here.

[zaqwsx28]

Katanas are for anime geeks.

[Zeroshenmegaman]

O.o

[jayhoop82]

Appreciate your videos mate ;) I was wondering if you could give me a little advice on the accusharp tool. I have a cheap "ish" Bastard sword, it was designed for battle re-enactment, with a flat 3mm (roughly) edge. Do you think the accusharp could sharpen this? Im not too worried about finish or a secondary bevel, just want to make it sharp :) Any ideas would be great, cheers, James.

[gunster831]

thats peice of shit the katana does better

[juggalo128]

the o katana did better

[aransingh]

i love the sound your slow motion makes

[Epotheros]

Impressive sword. This one looked like it did more damage to the drum than the O Katana drum test.

[xuzik]

this guy pisses me off

[helwalker]

excellent proformance. sharpened just enough to chop into human body. and edge angle is bigger enough to not clip after hitting the hard target.

[kpadmirer]

Looks better for thrusting than slicing.

[Spiritrunner6]

That is generally how the longsword was designed, yes.

[Alundra321]

that kind of sucked, i expected it to go through..

[aries772]

thats because what you see in the movies (swords cutting through entire armoured enemies is totally fake that barrel isnt even as thick as late period plate armour or the quality. only warhammers, high poundage bows, and crossbows do that kind of stuff

[Azkiboy]

my kitchen knife can do the same ass this useless sword!!

[LIQUIDAVIATION]

Wow! Truly amazing dude, very nice sword and amaziningly powerful!

[yugiohfreak93]

i seen better

[Reapersknight]

can you please link it to me. That would be awesome. ^^

[haralfhalgrada]

es una buena espada,good sword

but the blade is steel,and this drum is make in oiron,the blade is more strong that the drum

I like this blade,is more stronger that my blade XDXD

[Squall01mv]

that's a pretty tough sword for one that is machine crafted

[SwordBuyersGuide]

Actually they are hand made in Canada, though still production swords - and under US$300! :-) Definitely good bang for the buck.

[Squall01mv]

I just got through watching a vid from jpfranco99 "How it's made-Albion Sword" and in the vid they have a machine cutting out the sword from a block of carbon steel...hmmm maybe some of Albion swords are hand forged...i dunno..

[SwordBuyersGuide]

Ah - different brand. These are Darksword Armoury, much cheaper and less historical in their blade geometries and appearance than Albion.

[SwordBuyersGuide]

Ah - different brand. These are Darksword Armoury, much cheaper and less historical in their blade geometries and appearance than Albion.

[gunitgaurilla50]

hahahahahaahaha

[gunitgaurilla50]

haha erik, you're kool. Though Paul isnt a freak

[Master293]

witch sword do you like better, this sword or the tenchi?

[SwordBuyersGuide]

Oh, I can't decide between them really. Two very different swords, I like them for very different reasons. ;-)

[LemonPeppered]

How long does Albion take to fill an order for the Sempach?

[SwordBuyersGuide]

I really don't know. Some things from Albion can take a very long time to be made, so I prefer to buy them from the secondary market. Cheaper too. ;-)

[LemonPeppered]

So where would I inquire about getting the Albion Sempach?

[SwordBuyersGuide]

I don't understand the question - Albion-Swords DOT com I would assume...? (Sorry, not trying to be funny, just thought that contacting them direct would be the way to go)

[LemonPeppered]

Your first e-mail made it sound like ordering direct from Albion (manufacturer) would take a long time and be more expensive then buying from the secondary market. By secondary market did you mean dealers or private owners with their swords up for sale? If a dealer: do the have a website? If private owners: where do they advertise?

[SwordBuyersGuide]

Ok, got you. I mean on the various sword forums, google 'myArmoury' - these guys have the best deals on second hand Albions sold by the various members. Just buy from someone with quite a few posts and a good rep and there are no problems - and significant savings. :-) Hope this helps.

[LemonPeppered]

Thanks.

[honeybean33]

To get an Albion Sempach, why not call up the company? They can tell you how long it takes as well as any other information you may need about the sword. Secondary market is alright, but most times the sword comes damaged or not at all. Many times than not it is a scam or you pay for a piece of crap that someone says is an Albion. Talk to Mike at Albion first, and see what he has to say, I know him personally, and he does not lie to make profit for the company.

[LemonPeppered]

I will do that, thanks. I was hearing a rumor that it takes over a year in some cases, but a call will determine the truth. I wanted to go see Albion in October when they were at the Chicago knife show, but I missed them. There are so many swords to choose from, I want to be sure I get the one that I like best (funds allowing).

[honeybean33]

Well, for the price Albion is, I can definitely say they are worth it. I even own one of the Albion first generation, which is not nearly as historically accurate, but I still love the level of craftsmanship. The Sempach is a beautiful sword, and if that is the one you decide on, I certainly hope you enjoy it.

[honeybean33]

Alright, I have a HUGE issue with this 'review'. It is stated that this sword holds up better than an Albion in both damage to the barrel and damage to the sword. Where is your comparison of the two? All I see is a crappy grind job and a guy who has no idea what he's talking about. Hardness in a sword EDGE is great, however, you need the blade to be flexible as well, other wise it will snap after too much use.

[honeybean33]

As for the whole it cuts a 55 gallon drum better and takes less damage I have yet to see the proof. I have seen an Albion sword cut a 55 gallon drum personally, and it cut from the top of the barrel a good inch to inch-and-a-half down into the barrel. I have also seen the blade used in thrusting, and a good 6 inches of the blade was INSIDE the barrel, easily. Plus, the only damage that is ever done on the blade are minimal scratches that can be buffed back out.

[honeybean33]

The test I want to see performed with this blade is a slap test. Take that blade and hit the flat of the blade as hard as you can on the hardest thing you can find, a large stump or an anvil. That will prove where the real quality is.

[SwordBuyersGuide]

Like the British Proof Test? Fair enough, I didn't think to do so for this. Albion don't do it on their site either though... When I have time, maybe I will do this. I very much doubt that this sword would break from that.

[SwordBuyersGuide]

The videos on their own website don't show that... Why not post the video of this documentation yourself. I have never actually said that these swords are BETTER than albion (at 1/3 of the price, if they were truly BETTER, Albion would be out of business). But if you compare this vid and the Albion vid of their site, this one is a tougher sword. Not BETTER.

[SwordBuyersGuide]

There is a flexibilty test vid in this series, it is nicely tempered. As to the comparison video, it is on the Albion website...

[honeybean33]

I said you stated the your sword had held up better than an Albion. If you would read the description of your video you would see where I am getting that impression. "The damage dealt to the drum was more than what Albion swords had done, and the blade was less damaged too." You do not specifically state the word better but it is exactly what you are implying.

[SwordBuyersGuide]

Well, if you look at their vid and the damage, and compare it to the damage here - it is a statement of fact. Durability is only part of the story, but in sub US$300 swords, its an important part as many at this point will fall apart on pretty average targets. Albion is king, but not everyone who checks my reviews can afford one...

[honeybean33]

Their video of what? Test cutting with what sword? When was the video done?

[SwordBuyersGuide]

Hard to post a link in YT, but it is all on their site:

albion-swords DOT com/sword-testing DOT htm

[honeybean33]

I have taken a look at the destructive testing at that specific webpage. The one thing you really need to look at is the damage that is done to the barrel. If you compare the damage that is done to barrel in your review and the damage to the barrel in their video, theirs in far above. They don't BEND the lip of the barrel, as you can clearly see in yours with the rolled edges. They cleanly cut through theirs.

[SwordBuyersGuide]

It is a thinner lip on the barrel however..

[honeybean33]

The other thing that needs to be taken into account is that that particular video is about 3 years old, steel has changed since then, and so has their particular level of quality assurance. The question I pose about the price is this: why pay $300 for a mediocre sword when you can save $800 and get one of the best swords in the world, designed by the world's top sword smith?

[SwordBuyersGuide]

Some people need to save up for a $250 sword... Others simply want a large collection of varying types. There are many other reasons too, all explored on my site. My aim to is find the best ones in that price range, so what is wrong with that?

[MrPotatoesLatkie]

It's only pointless from the p.o.v. of someone that doesn't find them interesting. Come out of you own little world. Why would you read books on war, or science fiction if you'll never go to war, or fly in a space craft?

[MrPotatoesLatkie]

Strange comment. Night clubs are boring and, IHOP has lame food. I'm also not interesting in dating chicks, but women are fine. Why does dating a women preclude one from enjoying swords? Perhaps what you don't understand is that people like different things.

[MrPotatoesLatkie]

What kind of question is that? You seem like a typical troll. If it's a serious question, it says more about you. In fact, you seem pretty close minded and, unimaginative.

[MrPotatoesLatkie]

We own swords because we like them. We also like history and, often, after seeing them in a book, or museum, often wondered what they would feel like to handle and, use.

[ryurage]

Dude, well done. It's great to see swords in action. Thanks a lot for the demonstration.

[DesertTrapper]

im nt sure if anyones played assassins creed but the sword u start wiv and get later as ur 3rd one again, anyone kno wer i cn buy it plz?

[1uckycharms]

i am soooo amazed at the durability of that sword!!!!! still its a stabbing sword not a hacking sowrd

[DeathJr2006]

Ok, well the problem here is your slicing with a stabbing sword, but im very very very surprized on how much it had an effect on the barrel while slicing

[TempleOfSin]

Does that constitute a proper response with your peers? That's not going to cut it here, boy-o.

I'm a collector as well... It's a hobby. Everybody should have a hobby. This one's pricey but fun. Perhaps you're a little jealous.

[gunitgaurilla50]

Erik is probly young and ignorant. Typical with young American behaviour

[zerowildfire]

I hope your not refering to the guy in the video. He's not american, he's an aussie.

[gunitgaurilla50]

no no no, Paul, in the video is hella tight. I was replying to someone else

[2771]

hay, watch it with the american talk, not all of us are closed minded fools. btw i like the sword you were testing but do they(darksword) make a good basterd sword?

[lmenop]

i love my swords, i mean ever since i was little i have wanted swords ad now i have them. the fun is in having them, and messing around with them. Besides they are fun to cut bamboo with.

[SwordBuyersGuide]

Hmm, from a purely practical reason maybe. But there are many people who love swords - and cutting with them is fun, pure and simple. There are also re-enactors, people who enjoy training in martial arts, etc. And if you've ever owned one as a decoration, the first question people ask is 'is it real?'... The fascination is there - for some.

[SwordBuyersGuide]

Heheh. Actually, my wife wouldn't approve of that. Been there, done all that (your fairly young aren't you?). :-)

[SwordBuyersGuide]

Why, you volunteering? ;-)

[SwordBuyersGuide]

Check my site and you'll find out why - this is torture testing/destructive testing: Albion does it, Angus Trim does it - I do it independendly for the benefit of the sword community.

[TempleOfSin]

And we appreciate it a lot! I love your reviews, and thank you for setting up the discount. I see you've handled some Windlass swords as well, and you've been fairly happy with the results of your tests. I'm considering the Arbedo, or the Auray. I'll have to decide quick though because I understand the Arbedo is being discontinued! I think it's a sword they should stick with.

[SwordBuyersGuide]

Thanks!

Yeah, the Windlass one handers are - on the whole - pretty good swords. Interestingly, the Auray is also being discontinued... They really don't seem to keep any one design around for long, which is kind of crazy. If they kept the good ones, I would love Windlass even more!

[SwordBuyersGuide]

Thanks guys.

Mellowmaromi: will do...!

[JesusFuckingChrist84]

So, what was the exact damage on the blade? And, when will the review be complete, would love to view it on your site, and tell me when it is! :D

[SwordBuyersGuide]

It's up now! I'll be putting the link to it in the description bit of the thing (top right hand corner). Easily the biggest, baddest test and review yet!

[JesusFuckingChrist84]

awesome! Thanks man :D

[mysticdx]

cheers to you paul. good test.

[mellowmaromi1]

Do that with a katana.

[Seven47]

wow