I also bought up some of the HT swords when they were selling stupid cheap before the increase. The Hanwei Cawood is not a bad sword and I like mine. Of that type, I also have the Del Tin version. On the Hanwei, I redid the grip leather in a black leather with cord imprint to break up the brightness of the overall sword. The blade on mine is pretty stiff.

Thank you all for the great responses, fellas! I believe my mind is made up. The brown leather on the scabbard and grip were a big seller for me also. My previous kits(Scottish Highlander)all used black leather goods, ...now I'm goin' brown. For no more cutting than I do, I believe this lil Viking will do fine. I guess all that's left to do now is send Ryan at KOA another chunk of my paycheck! :lol: Thanks again, guys. Maybe, if I can figure out my wifes camera, I'll make a little 'unboxing review' video. I know, kinda like watching someone else open a Christmas present......... :lol: Gotta have it!........McM

Ian said:

Quote:

Because I rarely get to compare them side by side, I often wonder how much variation there is between two examples of a production sword model. My Albion and H/Ts are all pretty solid but with my Cawood, just shaking my fist vigorously can cause it to flex. Then again, I also got a really early one, maybe changes were made? That said, I still really like the sword. Quality is very good for the price, even better versus the H/T line since the almost $100 price rise in that series (a real pity, they used to be superb value for money, now they are less attractive).

Hello Ian:
Indeed, my copy of this piece does not flex like what you have described. Of course, with swords at this price point I think we can assume that consistency will be lacking from time to time. Windlass has always bothered me in that regard.
Nonetheless, it appears we both enjoy our Cawoods and that is what matters.

Best to you, Jon

Well...The deed is done. My Cawood should be in my hand Tuesday evening....Thanks to the good folk at KOA. I can't wait !Pics of the customization to follow..........mcm :p

Alright, after reading all this again I'm thinking I need one of these..... the price is right after all

One last little curio before I resign myself to being a Cawood owner...........While looking at the Therion Arms site at pictures of the sword (great photos ,Hal !) I noticed a curious marking on the blade. It looks like a small, etched "SE" on the blade a few inches below the guard. The KOA pics do not show this, nor have I seen it on any other Hanwei blade. Thoughts? Answers? Not that it matters.......Just curious.............. :D McM

The mark is not an SE but a trademark horse head that is on some of their models.

Really?.........Thanks for the info, Will. It totally looks like "SE" to my eyes. I've never seen it before or since. A horse head, eh? Cool. Thanks again for the clarification!..... :D ........McM

Before the CAS Hanwei order of the garter badge, Hanwei used a horse logo as their overall trademark.

http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/4687/img5472gr.jpg

Cheers

GC

Okay........... :lol: ............I see the horsehead now! But, you gotta admit.....It does look a lot like "SE". Thanks fellas!.....McM

Well....Whatever it is...I hope my Cawood has it. I think it looks cool as can be....almost like a 'running wolf' motif on many early blades. If I can figure out exactly what I want it to say, I may do some etched Norse runes along the fuller. I can only hope that Hanwei may, one day, offer a 'souped-up' version of this most famous sword. Pattern-welded blade, bronze fittings, inlays on the blade,......How freakin' cool would THAT be? Oh, .....And turn the scabbard over to to CF for a touch-up. That would probably put this sword in Albion/Arms&Armour price range. No.....I haven't been drinkin' or smokin' anything.....Just a cool day dream. Come on Tuesday! My baby will arrive!..............McM

Well....About damn time ! Finally, my Cawood has arrived! Talk about blow your expectations out of the water...............This sword is a dream come true. I have a hand-made Bowie knife that is heavier than this sword. Cuts and handles like a Jedi lightsaber. The fit and finish is perfect, and the leatherwork on the scabbard is flawless. Good job, CAS/PC/Hanwei......Good job!.......If the rest of you guys(and gals) don't have one yet, ....get to orderin".......You will NOT be disappointed. S'cuse me......I hear some Orcs and Goblins at the door. Got some trick-r-treat for them now. ;) :lol: .....McM

Well.....I've had the Cawood for most of a day now, and to tell you honestly, this is the star of my collection. I LOVE this sword. The more I look at it and handle it, the more it grows on me. Any Viking warrior of the Dark Ages would think this sword to be made of magic. It is an extention of my hand and arm. (And.....YES! It has the horse-head mark on the blade! ) The leatherwork on the scabbard is above and beyond for a semi-production/hand-made sword. The peen on the pommel shows just enough hammer marks to let one know that this sword was assembled by a craftsman who cares about his trade. This sword is a true joy in every way. My only gripe is that the color of the leather on the grip and scabbard is a bit 'orange-ish' for my taste. I can fix that easily, though. ;) In parting, I'd just like to say that this is a totally great sword. If you know a 'newb' to the community, steer them towards this one! Excellent value for the price, and a beautiful piece of weaponry. Cheers!...........McM :blush:

Well this thread got this newb to buy one tonight as well. I had been flirting with buying this for awhile and this thread was the last straw. Can't wait.

You will not be disappointed, Greg!..........McM