dispelling Myths about medieval Combat

[Timelord]

I have just been perusing the Cold Steel site and there is some nice looking stuff on there. I particularly liked the "Spike Hawk". While reading this and then looking at the European sword published specs, I suddenly remembered that I have one of those "Viking Swords" from Cold Steel. While it is a beautiful superb looking and to handle blade and is just right for the correct balance and weight, there is one major MAJOR flaw with the sword and that is why it is consigned to a "wall hanger" only. The tang terminates through the pommel with a welded on piece of screw thread bar and a closed polished cylindrical cap nut affair to secure it all together. Now this is a most serious manufacturing error. It is good for mass production when your primary concern is the money, but it is bad bad bad for the real deal. No sword should ever be constructed this way. It is liable to break off with any real world use. ( and has done on numerous occasions) I guess they do not expect customers to actually seriously give their swords some stick to find out. Maybe that is where the utube vids arise from? This screw thread tang construction has been done elsewhere by mass producing companies, farming out the production in the East. It is a legacy of the American more recent knife making tradition and for knives, it is probably ok. It does call into question the validity of the companies claims about authenticity and real battle ready weapons in the modern age! Also the wood for the handle was some type of cheap soft wood and the fit was very poor, with large voids within the construction. basically it is just loose fitted, mass produced and drop slotted together. Then the handle sandwiched between the not very sharply finished & plated curved guards by screwing up tight the polished cylindrical nut on the end of the tang.
I have considered re-cutting the handle further down the blade and so by shortening the overall blade length. This is feasible but is starting to become a bit of a compromise and what originally appeared to be an awesome sword. Also after finding this quality of construction hidden beneath the surface, I now can not trust the advertising blurb about the spec of steel or tempering process. Therefore I am not altering the sword, as any weapon I own has to be the real thing and not to let me down when it is in use. For that reason it was deemed a wall hanger - a very expensive one at that! Thank goodness I did not pay for it as it was a gift or I would have been hammering on the front door of Cold Steel to resolve the complaint. I would say that this manufacturing construction method results in this NOT being a real battle ready sword. That would be an advertising issue for Cold Steel if it ever came to court & a credibility issue in to the bargain.
I have supplied this info in good faith and so to make aware any other preppers from potentially being undermined. Regards, TL.

(This type of issue is not restricted to only one company or type of product.. Think hard & do your research..)