Tinker Great Sword of War

Cut-oriented swords had been dominant up until the Crusades, as they were very effective against unarmored opponents, but eventually the arms race of the middle ages began. At first the use of mail became more widespread, and then more reinforcements, like hardened leather and steel plates, were used to protect vulnerable parts of the body. Cutting swords began to lose their effectiveness, and they had to adapt, and so were the Great Swords, or War swords born when size and cutting ability were optimized. These Great Swords of War were used in battle on foot and from horseback, where their reach and fierce slashing power was most brutal and efficient. The long grip allowed the sword to be used as a two handed weapon when its user eventually dismounted.

Great Swords of War are generally considered to be of German origin, but there are Spanish and English examples as well. According to the Oakeshott sword typology, they are classified as a type XIIIa, and they first appear during the 12th century and remained popular through the 14thC. Because a large and heavy slashing sword was not the most effective weapon against full plate armor, the popularity and longevity of this sword type proves that not nearly everyone on the battlefield was clad thus. Of course the effects of blunt force from a wide and heavy blade can never be underestimated, but neither can its effectiveness in cutting through gambeson and other textile armor.

The Tinker Great Sword of War is designed and crafted purely as a cutting sword and it is built to excel on heavy targets. The 28cm grip with a 3-tiered riser provides excellent leverage, and the swords static and dynamic balance meet Tinker’s demanding standards. The blade is forged from 5160 carbon steel and marquenched to HRC 50-52 and has a good distal taper.

The handle has a wood core covered with leather. The end of the tang is threaded. The pommel has a recess to fit the hexagonal nut to secure and tighten the hilt. This allows the hilt to be easily re-tightened or dismantled for inspection, customization and to exchange blades if needed. The wooden leather covered scabbard is included, and has steel chape and throat.
Made by Hanwei. Specs will vary slightly from piece to piece.

• Overall length: 120,4 cm
• Blade length: 90.6 cm
• Handle length: 28 cm
• Weight: 1.62 kg
• Point of Balance: 11.8 cm
• Width at Guard: 5.5 cm
• Width at Tip: 3.3 cm
• Thickness at Guard: 5.2 mm
• Thickness at Tip: 4.2 mm
• Blade material: 5160 carbon steel
• Sharpness: Sharp

About Tinker Peace Line:

Hanwei commissioned Michael ‘Tinker’ Pearce to design a line of swords that will satisfy both the sparring and cutting needs of Historical European Martial Arts practitioners. In this collection you get authentic and genuine pieces that are based on historical designs, but made with modern techniques and materials to make them as strong as possible. Every Tinker Pearce sword is a fully functional, battle-ready blade.

These swords are offered either blunt or sharpened, so you can choose whether you need one for cutting practice and authenticity or one for training, HEMA-combat and reenactment. Either way you get one of the finest modern medieval swords on the market with impressive handling.

The creator of these fine weapons is Michael Tinker Pearce, a noted maker of custom medieval swords, whose pieces have a long-standing reputation for durability and overall performance. He has studied swords for over thirty years and has been instrumental in making features such as authentic weight and balance as industry standards. His research and broad-based training has enabled him to understand both how swords were used by those who depended their lives on them, as well as the needs of modern re-enactors and martial artists.

These swords meet Tinkers quality requirements. Each blade is forged from 5160 Spring Steel, and is tempered to a hardness of 50-53 Hrc and the tang to the low 30s Hrc. For the Medieval models the very end of the tang is threaded. The pommel has a recess to fit the hexagonal nut to secure and tighten the hilt. This allows the hilt to be easily dismantled for inspection, customization, and to exchange blades if needed. The sharp and blunt blades are interchangeable on all the medieval models. The blades are intended for full on sparring, but may be replaced if needed, further reducing the long-term cost of these swords. The Viking Sword sharps and blunts are peened for historical authenticity and to meet the needs of collector and reenactment groups.