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| Sword Reviews & Test Results If you have done performance testing and measurement of your production swords, feel free to post the details here. Posts will be pre-screened and if approved posted and incorporated into SFI's production sword knowledgebase. |
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Forum Family
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Posts: 3,573
Join Date: Feb 2002
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Cold Steel Grosse Messer II -
10-10-2002, 10:00 PM
Well I went and ordered the thing and it showed up today. First a few pics, then a few stats, then my impressions...
Overall length: 42 inches
Blade length: 31.75 inches
Point of Balance: 4.75 inches from cross
Center of Percussion 21.75 inches from cross
Weight: 3.5 lbs
Pommel type: N/A
Cross type: N/A
Blade type: N/A
I have to say that I am very pleased with this piece. For only 240 dollars I honestly wasn't expecting all that much. I've wanted a Grosse Messer though and thought I would take a chance. When I took this thing out of the box and started playing with it I was pleasantly surprised by how it handled. According to the catalog it weighs in at 4 lbs so I couldn't help thinking to myself (it handles so well one or two handed) it must be balanced well. The balance is decent but when I got it on my scale I discovered it only weighs 3.5 lbs so that mystery is solved. The Gross Messer is balanced as you would expect for a chopping blade towards the blade but not excessively so. I've handled several swords that say "chopper" the Del Tin Falchion or Atrim Flemish come to mind. This one isn't weighted like them. It is a chopper but nimble and hints that you might be able to thrust with it to some degree.
Aesthetically it is decent. The blade is well executed and shows some distal taper towards the point. The slab handle construction is crude by many makers standards but in character for this piece I think. The fittings are also somewhat crude in design, although they are sturdy and functional.
The scabbard that comes with the sword is a wood core, wrapped with leather and has a metal chape and locket. It is nice to look at but mine at least is extremely ill fitting. It is only with difficulty that the blade can be taken in or out. That's okay I know someone who can make me one. 
Last edited by Russ Ellis; 10-10-2002 at 10:02 PM..
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Forum Family
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Posts: 967
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: southwest kansas
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Re: Cold Steel Grosse Messer II -
10-10-2002, 10:16 PM
Interesting looking sword Russ, thanks for posting (and purchasing) it. It looks like a fair buy for the money, however, I really don't like the way that side ring is done. It really makes the piece look like something from shop class. Some kind of simple clamshell type gaurd would have been better or no ring at all. Looks like a decent buy though.
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Forum Family
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Posts: 178
Join Date: May 2002
Location: South Florida
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10-11-2002, 06:51 AM
yes the gaurd looks not quite right
I have the MRL Grosse messer and the little hand gaurd is quite nice oin it, although i think the cold steel is better for cutting, and looks nicer over all.
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Forum Family
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Posts: 1,356
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Little Rock, Arkansas
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10-11-2002, 08:06 AM
When did you order yours? I ordered my Thursday evening of last week (so I would have maybe expected it to ship on Friday), and I'm still waiting. I'm really, really hoping to get it today.
John
"Never underestimate the power of human stupidity."
-- Robert A. Heinlein (via Lazarus Long in Time Enough for Love)
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Forum Family
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Posts: 6,258
Join Date: Feb 2002
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10-11-2002, 08:19 AM
it looks like the handle is actually oval shaped, i like that,
the MRL versions handle is practically square in cross section ver uncomfortable to hold, kinda like a big steak knife
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Forum Family
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Posts: 223
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Connecticut
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Nice Sword!! -
10-11-2002, 11:11 AM
Hi, I think you've got a real beaut of a sword!! I personally am one of those folks who finds less is more when it comes to swords. I rather like the plain fittings. Blade looks very nicely executed, can you share the thickness at the guard and what it tapers to? Also, did you order it from Cold Steel directly?
In the words of Socrates, "...I drank what...?!"
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Forum Family
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Posts: 404
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Seattle, WA
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Does the two pin mounting come off? -
10-11-2002, 01:22 PM
Russ,
It looks like the handle has two pins in it. Thats good but can it be broken down? Are the screws or some thing that can undone with a tool?
Also, how are the grooves done on the blade? Are they pretty crude or well formed?
Thanks!
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Posts: 3,573
Join Date: Feb 2002
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Re: Re: Cold Steel Grosse Messer II -
10-11-2002, 10:10 PM
Originally posted by Patrick Kelly
Interesting looking sword Russ, thanks for posting (and purchasing) it. It looks like a fair buy for the money, however, I really don't like the way that side ring is done. It really makes the piece look like something from shop class. Some kind of simple clamshell type gaurd would have been better or no ring at all. Looks like a decent buy though.
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Hey Patrick,
Yeah, as I mentioned the fittings are somewhat crude. However I kind of like it (I know I know this coming from one of A&A's greatest admirers). For me it fits with what a sort of high end peasant weapon should be if that makes any sense. As you say it could of course be improved, personally I wish the fittings weren't blued... |
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10-11-2002, 10:12 PM
Originally posted by John McKay
When did you order yours? I ordered my Thursday evening of last week (so I would have maybe expected it to ship on Friday), and I'm still waiting. I'm really, really hoping to get it today.
John
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Hey John,
Who did you order from? Did you order directly from special projects? I ordered on Monday and they sent it three day UPS. |
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Forum Family
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Posts: 3,573
Join Date: Feb 2002
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10-11-2002, 10:13 PM
Originally posted by David Stokes
it looks like the handle is actually oval shaped, i like that,
the MRL versions handle is practically square in cross section ver uncomfortable to hold, kinda like a big steak knife
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Hey David,
You are correct the handle is oval in section and very comfortable. |
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Forum Family
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Posts: 3,573
Join Date: Feb 2002
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Re: Nice Sword!! -
10-11-2002, 10:15 PM
Originally posted by William Kim
Hi, I think you've got a real beaut of a sword!! I personally am one of those folks who finds less is more when it comes to swords. I rather like the plain fittings. Blade looks very nicely executed, can you share the thickness at the guard and what it tapers to? Also, did you order it from Cold Steel directly?
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Hey William,
I'll get out my calipers tomorrow... |
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Forum Family
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Posts: 3,573
Join Date: Feb 2002
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Re: Does the two pin mounting come off? -
10-11-2002, 10:19 PM
Originally posted by William MacLaren
Russ,
It looks like the handle has two pins in it. Thats good but can it be broken down? Are the screws or some thing that can undone with a tool?
Also, how are the grooves done on the blade? Are they pretty crude or well formed?
Thanks!
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Hi other William,
The handle does have two pins but I don't believe that it is dismountable. I'm not sure why you would want to?
The fullers are well executed, no ripples, symetric that sort of thing. I suspect that they are machined. |
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Forum Family
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Posts: 1,356
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Little Rock, Arkansas
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10-11-2002, 10:31 PM
Originally posted by Russ Ellis
Hey John,
Who did you order from? Did you order directly from special projects? I ordered on Monday and they sent it three day UPS.
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This is not heartening. Yes, I ordered directly from Special Projects. Hmm....
John
"Never underestimate the power of human stupidity."
-- Robert A. Heinlein (via Lazarus Long in Time Enough for Love)
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Forum Family
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Posts: 3,573
Join Date: Feb 2002
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10-11-2002, 10:35 PM
Originally posted by John McKay
This is not heartening. Yes, I ordered directly from Special Projects. Hmm....
John
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I'd call them, somethings up. The only thing they messed up on my order was they didn't send the "spike" that I was supposed to get as a free gift. |
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Forum Family
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Posts: 1,356
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Little Rock, Arkansas
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10-11-2002, 10:57 PM
Originally posted by Russ Ellis
I'd call them, somethings up. The only thing they messed up on my order was they didn't send the "spike" that I was supposed to get as a free gift.
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I will call them tomorrow. I know... they say customer support isn't open on weekends, but if they'll take orders on weekends (which it looks like they do) I can get a warm body on the phone and maybe find out something. If not... I'll be calling first thing Monday.
I've got to say... I was impressed with them... they called me Friday morning to confirm my shipping address. Thought of them, I suppose. Given that, I really (I mean REALLY) would have expected it to arrive by now. You're in Alabama, right? In a global scale, that's not so far from Arkansas, so I wouldn't expect large difference in delivery times.
John
"Never underestimate the power of human stupidity."
-- Robert A. Heinlein (via Lazarus Long in Time Enough for Love)
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10-11-2002, 11:04 PM
Yep Alabama, It's kind of odd that they called you back to confirm the address, they didn't mine...
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Friendly Forumite
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Posts: 62
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Germany
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10-24-2002, 12:17 PM
Nice Sword. I like the simple look.
But to a german it's name sounds rather weird ;-).
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Forum Family
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Posts: 3,573
Join Date: Feb 2002
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10-24-2002, 09:05 PM
Yeah, I imagine it does, of course to us here in the States it sounds exotic and cool. I imagine the same thing could be said for our Japanese friends. All those technical Japanese sword terms are just old Japanese to them...
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