Hanwei Cromwell Backsword Review and Comparison to the Cold Steel English Backsword
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ก.ย. 2024
- A quick review of the Hanwei Cromwell, comparing it to the Cold Steel English Backsword. I like 'em both, but there are some significant differences in the details...
Chicago Knife Works link for the Hanwei Cromwell:
www.chicagokni...
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more 19th century style sabers often have a very nice hand protection to encumbrance ratio. with some wideness near the top but usually slimming down into a single bar at the bottom of the handle. a lot more free to wear and weild while still offering pretty good protection for the most vulnerable parts of the hand.
I have a Windlass 1850 Foot Officer's Saber, an 1860 Light Cav, and Cold Steel's so-called "Napoleon" that I need to review. I find I can effectively cross-train saber and backsword if I compensate for the curvature or lack of, and the saber isn't too blade heavy. I really like the way these 19th century sabers handle, though I'm not a huge fan of the right-biased 3-bar guards only because I train ambi, but I don't think they feel "lopsided" like some reviewers have complained of.
Glad I found your channel!! Excellent material
I've wanted a mortuary sword for a long time! Still don't have one lol
I settled for a cold steel scottish broadsword until....
But this review helps between these 2, which are about the only 2 out there...
Also interesting is that you curled the ends. Personally I usually file sharp corners g the like, but that might not have worked here as it might have mucked with the decorative engraved lines.
But so glad you put this up!
I probably will cut them off once I figure out an artistic way to do it. They still snag.
@@michaelrizzo5523 probably the best option.
Well, sir, ..Three years out from your review, I don't know if you'll even catch this but ...
I'd been intending to see about a 'Cromwell' for some years but just never gotten to it, then your video lit a new fire under my keister. Based off your words, I checked into Chicago Knife Works (who I'd never even heard of before) & wound up buying from them. After so much time, I'd expected prices to be way up, but strangely (after a 10% discount + shipping tacked on) this went for a total of only $326, which is almost $80 less than it'd be delivered by the place I usually order from & it was here in hand before the other would have ever had it out the door. That seller (3 words - starts with a 'K', ends with an 'a') was once a fantastic company to deal with but, across the almost 17 years since I first found them, not quite so much anymore; they still carry more than anyone I know & are the site to look to first, but their service has surely gone downhill & I do check elsewhere now because of that. Anyway, maybe Hanwei has gone & made a few improvements(!?!) since yours came out or maybe I just got lucky with the draw, but this little number is as close to perfect as I believe it possible to be. The grip wire, like every other inch of the thing, is tight & solid with no shifts, rattles, or looseness anywhere, & I don't find any other little rough spots to be reworked or fixed up like I too often do on any new piece. I will say that this has always been my experience with their swords & why I have so many. The scabbard, though, is (unusual for Hanwei Europeans) good & tight with just the proper retention either way, easily the best for that in my collection from Hanwei. It is still the old fiberglass(?) tube core, but at least it's right nicely done & finished. So, I'll just say I've fallen hard for this sweet baby. Heft & balance are just dead on for me; it's really, really quick for the weight, & your comment about the hilt following the point is spot on. A far & away favorite has been my Hanwei Scottish Backsword, & these two are very similar in all the ways that matter to me. Switching them between right & left hands, there's very little to tell one from the other besides the Cromwell being a bit less roomy in the grip/guard & just a hair (barely noticeable) lighter. I did have to give it about 1 hour & a half with a file & whetstones to unblunt the edge but when that was done, I was actually somewhat gob-smacked at how sharp the thing had taken. It's like a feckin' scalpel. So, I wanted to offer my thanks. If I hadn't seen your review, which is the only thorough, relevant to my purposes, & useful one I've found on this piece, I wouldn't have been buying this now or possibly ever, & I'm certainly happy I did. One last thing - I wonder if you have any interest in Scottish Highland Dirks. If so, I found a very small maker in Scotland who does some fantastic traditional work & who'd surely be helped out by a review from you. I'm not promoting or advertising, so I'll not name him here & now, but I'll keep an eye on this spot & if I were to see that you're interested, I'll come back & give his information. Thanks again, Michael, & I'll be watching.
I have come to really like this sword after a few improvements, and will do a revisit video soon. I added a leather liner to the inside of the shell, but mostly refinished the blade and gave it a little more distal taper. Out of the box, the Hanwei Scottish Backsword is a nimbler beast, and I recently picked up their new Mortuary Sword, which is very light, but I keep coming back to the Cromwell for the right balance and authority in hand, despite it being heavier. And it's held up well.
Backswords need more love
Absolutely. Also, backswords need more backswords on the market!
My main quibble with the Cold Steel backsword is that if you search "mortuary sword" the _only_ example that looks like the CS product IS the CS product. The hilt has the look of being an Indian impressionist swordsmith's impression of an English basket hilt in sheet steel. It is definitely functional, but not a replica. If you look up Cromwell's swords in the Cromwell Museum, one of the "mortuary swords" has a single side bar on the outside of the guard, and a thumb ring on the inside, and no bar. The other has bars and both sides, and one vertical connecting the knuckle bow to the bars on either side, and a smaller bar connecting the knuckle bow to the shell. Neither the Hanwei nor the CS versions really look right in the hilt.
Hanwei really fudged it, especially by just painting on the scrollwork instead of carving it in, but I like it a lot better than the CS. The CS is a good functional training tool, but that blade finish is just bleh and that guard is definitely disappointing, especially since I know they can do better.
@@michaelrizzo5523 The blade is definitely over polished. It is surprisingly nimble, and I find it thrusts accurately, or at least as accurately as I can thrust. It cut reasonably well out of the box, slashing card board, not razor sharp, crap at cutting paper. The sweet spot for cutting is just past the end of the longest fuller.
The Hanwei is an approximation of the "Cromwell Sword" in the Royal Armory. It - the real one - has a japanned guard, gilded decoration and some nice bar work on the guard. The cup is pierced, and the grip is "fish skin" wrapped in wire. The Hanwei mostly does a good job at the hilt end. The original blade is a backsword, and doesn't appear to have much if any false edge. Both the Hanwei and CS blades are likely much superior to the original blade, and of the two, the CS is probably slightly closer, though the original has one really long, irregular fuller that almost reaches the tip. And it might have a ghost of a second on one side. The Royal Armory has a website you probably would like if you don't already know it.
Their shashka is my all time favorite hanwei product.
Definitely gonna get a backsword some day. Absolute bone breakers ! Good cutters too.
i have these swords, very happy with them.
I still enjoy and regularly practice with them, especially the Cromwell, though I did give the grip a leather wrapping.
*HINT
If the goo on cold steel was cosmoline then use either a rag or paper towel soaked in rubbing alcohol & it removes it far easier
That's what I eventually took to the grip and guard.
@@michaelrizzo5523 Í was amazed once I was told about the trick as it made things far easier.
Cosmoline is a good protectant for shipping & very long term storage, but man is it a goopy mess!
If you are interested in a practice version for these swords, Castille Armoury makes some really nice ones with a budget version of a basket hilt that is no nonsense to how much you wanna spend to make it pretty. I have handled the 34 inch budget version and it handles wonderfully.
Good quality review as ever sir
Thanks!
In regards to your complaint about lack of false edges on these, many (though certainly not all) surviving historical examples don't have false edges. Backswords were predominantly single-edged by historical standards. Totally understand wanting a false edge, though, even if it they were historically rare. Cheers!
And, of course, I put one on...
If it's heavier but you want to use it, ...grow stronger. Even a lesser Hanwei will beat Cold Steel, every time, in my own (meaningful only to me) somewhat learned opinion.
Over time, this one has become quite manageable for me, in fact it's a favorite training tool. The Hanwei Backsword is a bit more nimble and has better distal taper, but there's something appealing about the Cromwell. I just received their Mortuary Hilt Sword, which is very light. Agreed that the Hanweis are far superior to the Cold Steels, absolutely worth the extra money.
It would have been nice if they added a thumb ring to this sword. But I am very interested in obtaining one of these.
What many of us with an interest in western military swords and Katanas need is a Kyu Gunto. I've seriously considered buying one of the Universal Sword ones just to get the fittings. Pretty sure I could then do a deal with one of the forge resellers for a blank blade in 9260 spring steel.
Funny, I had the exact same idea: put a decent katana blade in the Universal Kyu Gunto.
@@michaelrizzo5523 Of course the only place that sells the Universal sword models here in Europe is sold out :(
I don't know what the prices are like on antique Kyu Gunto are like in Europe but I have 2, and I paid less than $300 for each. One I paid only $130 for at an auction, it was a "unidentified sword" found in someone's attic, that one is a little more worn looking, but amazingly the hilt is rock solid, and all of the shark skin grip / wire wrap is immaculate and tight.
So I Ordered a Dark Prince hand and a half long sword from "Dark Sword Armory". Its beautiful, but very dull. I don't have a belt sander, any tips/ techniques to sharpen it?
So how dull is dull? Bad beveling on the factory sharpening (KOA and SBG list it as "sharp") or actually blunt? You might be able to improve a mediocre edge with a decent sharpening steel or diamond stone, or make a good edge better with steel or wet stones, but if you need to reshape or remove metal... Depends on how hard the blade is. It's possible with a good fine file--I've done it myself with my old Marto swords--but it's a long, miserable job. A basic Worksharp or cheap 1X30 belt sander should be less than 100USD. It may also be possible with a Dremel and a lot of patience, but may not be very even. The upside of using hand tools is there may be fewer catastrophic "oops" moments and you won't risk overheating the blade.
I have the Hanwei William Marshall & tis guard & pommel are both non magnetic but as far as I can tell steel.
So they logically are stainless steel, the most common kind being referred to as austenitic. In austenitic steel, there is a higher percentage off chromium, and nickel. It is the addition of nickel that renders the steel non-magnetic.
I'm guessing the use stainless because it's just easier to deal with. Stainless can't be tempered well so it's not good for sword blades but guards and pumbles that don't easily rust are pretty cool idea.
I have that Ryujin Hatamoto with the non-magnetic stainless steel tsuba. I'm guessing that's what it is based on the hardness and density.
@@michaelrizzo5523 makes sense. I feel stainless for modern hilt components is a good idea as it is strong enough to the job & resists rusting/discoloration.
Thanks for the review! I have got a question: how thick is tang in both of these swords? Is it possible to check, are tangs on these swords screwed or peened?
I haven't managed to get either one apart, but I don't think they're peened. Maybe if they loosen up with use I'll try again but I didn't want to force it too much. The CS was probably made by Windlass, and their tangs usually drop down to about half the width of the blade initially and then taper evenly to the threaded part. The Hanwei replacement Tinker blades look similar.
The bend in the Hanwei actually shows an inferior taper. A blade like those thats tempered and tapered correctly should bend evenly because a concentrated bend introduces more stress to a smaller area of the blade which can lead to breakage. The longer more even bend allows the blade to flex more under stress while still springing back to straight without damage.
Hey ya know the Cromwell sword on Chicagoknifeworks says it’s made of stainless steel which I won’t buy but other places I’ve checked it’s made of carbon steel. Is that just a mistake by chicagoknifeworks?
I think they may be referring to the cast guard. The blade should be 1566.
@@michaelrizzo5523 well see they also say the sword weighs 13 pounds which is ridiculous. Then they say it’s considered too heavy for free shipping, I better call em and clear all this up
@@TheMan-je5xq Yes, I noticed they suddenly switched their $100+ purchase = free shipping to exclude all swords as "overweight/oversized". That's disappointing. Mine weighs 3lbs 4oz. Check the price over at SBG, which is usually $20 flat rate shipping. I think it's in stock.
@@michaelrizzo5523 Well just to let you know I just got off the phone with them and I informed them of this mistake with the weight and they said they are going to correct that saying that with the sheath and box included it weighs 5 pounds something which would be about right. I also wanted to know if for sure the blade is made of carbon steel and they said they would have to get back to me on that, I just want verification of this and they would probably sell a lot more of them if they put the right information on there. Since it won’t weigh so much under the description maybe then people will get free shipping on it again too
@@TheMan-je5xq I just noticed they'd changed all their sword listings to "overweight/oversized". As they've shipped to me through UPS, maybe they got hit with a rate increase. UPS delivery in my area has been pretty iffy in the last few years. I just got an overnight package two months late.
basket hilt on cold steel sword looks cool
Hi Michael, l have one question for you: among the swords you own, which of them is the best for you, the one you would take on the battlefield?
Battlefield? I'd go for ease of carry, durability, versatility and low maintenance. One of my beefier shin gunto (designed for a 1940s battlefield) or one of my "tactical" swords. I love a good basket hilt or sidesword, but they're a bit chunky to wear. An arming sword of some kind might also make it on my list.
Great video Michael...a little too much going on in the handle of that sword...nice piece of historical recreation..yes your right Cold steel has a major shortage...like on most of their most popular machetes...production is low or not keeping up, no surprise Hanwei costs more
of the two which do you prefer and which is more durable
I'll probably do an update soon, but I'm still so divided between them. The CS has a more comfortable grip, is almost a pound lighter, and has held up to cutting practice without a scratch. I'm also less nervous about using it hard since it was much cheaper. I did give it a better edge bevel and finally cut and rounded the sharp points on the basket.
The Hanwei is a lot prettier, while the CS looks more like a chrome hood ornament. I also gave the Hanwei a katana-style Ito wrap which made the grip more comfortable, but it still tires me out faster than the CS because of the weight.
I practice with them both about equally. Maybe one day I'll find a third choice to compare to?
@@michaelrizzo5523 thanks for reply, the hanwei scottish backsword might be a good third option. i was planning on cold steel but i heard eaely models were not that good. (too whippy, thin blade n tang) but i hear they fixed those.
@@fatman4792 The CS has more flex and quite a ring to it. I've been having a hard time finding swords in general available lately, but some have started to restock. A good Scottish basket hilt is probably in my future, probably a Hanwei over a CS. The Windlass Battlecry Culloden also looks promising.
@@michaelrizzo5523 i went with the battlecry culloden over the hanwei and cold steel. reason being i hear hanwei tangs are hardened and becomes a weak point (snapping where tang meats gaurd) the culloden is a beast. and has a beautiful black marbling on blade. also the scabbard is comes with a nice frog. feels solid, pretty heavy at at basket. flexes nicely. picked one up at museum replicas unfortunately they are discontinued.
@@fatman4792 That would be my usual luck.
What HEMA arts do you study? HEMA is sort of a generic term even worse than someone saying they train kenjutsu or karate.
Good review though. I also am a fan of the early backswords especially mortuary hilts.
For backsword and broadsword I started diving into McBane and Silver, but have been practicing Ferdinand and Page a lot lately. I also crosstrain these swords in "sidesword" style, since I've really gotten into Manciolino, and unpacking a bit of Meyer. Very interesting contrasts. There's also crossover potential I've found in later Saber such as Hope and Hutton. Kind of getting a sense of a lot of systems, see how they compare to the Japanese and Chinese forms I've picked up. Not sure what all's going to "stick" for me yet.
Can you fence with it? How light is it
3lbs 4oz, so on the heavier side. It is a sharp, live blade, so I use it for target thrusting, cutting and solo practice. There are blunt fencing versions.
And you are correct Japanese swords fit/finish & detailing are better on average than European swords. European swords are often very utilitarian with little to no decoration. Earlier periods, like the migration & Viking eras, seem to have more fancy swords thank later...until you get to the rise in civilian arms like the cinquedea & rapier.
But in repos tolerances & general quality is overall better in japanese repos than European. I think it's largely due to Japanese arts having been continuously practiced where most replica Euro swords, until around 2000 & the rise of HEMA, were either worn in reenactment or hung on walls.
Which is unfortunate for I much prefer European style blades
@@macbethmeyer1592 I also like European swords more. But replica sword makers for Japanese & Euro swords have had very different focuses for many many years
The older Hanwei fittings (I have two of their older Rapiers) are stainless steel, which is non magnetic. I imagine it's the same with this. If you are used to sheath retention with Katanas and such you will always be a bit disappointed with European swords, it's just not a comparison, even on many historical originals.
That's a nice looking sword BTW. I love my Hanwei Gustav Rapier and I still want to try find a Hanwei Military Dadao.
I've been considering a rapier but the ones that are most appealing to me are, of course, sold out.
@@michaelrizzo5523 Which ones were you looking at? Tell me about it everything is sold out and / or discontinued. I really wanted a Windlass 18th century Small Sword and they discontinued that right out of the blue and no old stock anywhere. May have to get their 1840 NCO sword instead. At least my Windlass Culloden is sitting at the post office for collection next week.
@@mir9302 There were a couple from Windlass and Cold Steel that caught my eye, mostly because I'm not ready to spend a lot on a sword I'm not very familiar with and may not get much use out of.
@@michaelrizzo5523 The windlass Rapiers are pretty solid and some have good prices. You really need to handle before buying. The Windlass Pilsen is very nice for people with smaller hands. Another option is the Windlass "Sword of the 30 years War". I had one of those. It is something in between a true rapier and a side sword. I personally liked it a lot. Got offered more than I paid for it and sold it though.
@@mir9302 The 30 looks very nice but, my luck, discontinued...
Neither of thes swords have distial tape and are jus useless bars of iron.
The CS suffers from being fundamentally a Windlass product ("Distal taper? What's distal taper?") but the Hanwei is pretty unforgivable as I know they can make a much better blade. Their basket hilt backswords have distal taper. And, yes, I'd love a recommendation for a better one.
Shame the blade is not better considering it has such a pretty hilt. I would probably pay in the $500 range if the blade had a better geometry with more refined fullers and finish.
I've polished a lot of that fake "antiquing" off and improved the grip and edges, added a partial leather liner. It handles and cuts pretty well now. Time for an update, I suppose.