Results and comments from the Aug/Sep 2003 survey.

	Ýves’ big SCA rapier survey #1 ~ Hanwei blades
	Updated: May 24, 2005

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Policy blurb

By default, authors of comments sent in response to this survey are named only by their permission. Usually, other people mentioned in a comment are named only with their permission as well. Each comment represents only what the author typed in for the survey at the time.

» This survey was conducted during August-September 2003. Things change over time. «

Some comments were edited for content. Certain harsh words have been changed for your amusement. Opinions expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect those of the surveyor.

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# of Responses
by Kingdom
 
AEth.  = 34/235
Anst.  = 36/240
An Tir = 56/347
Art.   = 12/124
Aten.  = 27/460
Atl.   = 60/425
Caid   = 49/400
Drach. = 21/76
Eald.  = 12/77
East   = 46/480
Loch.  = 22/120
Mer.   = 27/140
Mid.   = 52/640
Nor.   = 25/164
Out.   = 26/214
Tri.   = 46/237
West   = 14/70
Unk.   = 2

The gist

These comments were sent in response to Question 11.

Why people like Hanwei rapier blades — feel, flexibility, price.

Why people don't — too whippy, too flimsy, too light.

The comments

Note: Any remarks in the comments below from Yves look like this.

Jump to: Neutral/Mixed comments, Unfavorable comments

For more comments and stats, see the links at the bottom of this page.

FAVORABLE

Æthelmearc

Φ I just bought from a friend a Hanwei with an extended tang. The balance is nice. It's flexibility hasn't been an issue for me yet. As it is longer, it seems to fit my height better, but it also has helped me gain better control of my Zamorano.  ``Miguel

An Tir

Φ Hanwei (36") - good strength, parries well, nice weight.
Φ Hanwei is the best for weight, flex and balance, as well as look.
Φ Hanwei, light and approximates what a real rapier would act like.  ``Caiaphas

Φ I used a Hanwei about two months ago [so, June 2003] and can't wait to order one of my own--very nicely balanced, good movement, good price (37").  ``Luaithrenn

Atenveldt

Φ Love it, it has a good feel in my hand.
Φ The Hanwei's are surprisingly nice as well.  ``Lann-Valdis

Φ Our fencing master has a new Hanwei blade, which I think I actually like better than the Schlagers that are on the practice blades, but I haven't fenced with it extensively.  ``Reina

Φ I like Hanwei blades the most because they are flexible, which in new fencers like myself encourages proper parrying technique. The Hanwei also looks a bit more period than most schlager type rapiers.  ``Isabella

Caid

Φ The Hanwei's are affordable, and easily controlled.
Φ The Hanwei is cheap and actually does feel like a sword.  ``David

Drachenwald

Φ Like my Hanwei - balance is good.

Φ Like Hanwei, they're sturdy and light which allows me to keep my speed.

Φ I *really* like my Hanwei. The appearance is a good approximation of a late period rapier, the blade has a nice flex to it, and the balance is very good.  ``Guntram

Ealdormere

Φ Hanwei - Good solid blade for a cheap price.

Φ I quite like my Han Wei, and am hoping to get a Triplette T03 rapier in the near future.  ``Albrecht

Φ Hanwei's are good, but I don't use one personally, I recommend them to new fencers though (good cost: quality/periodness ratio).  ``Wilhelm

Φ Hanwei: My favourite. Tapered like a real sword. The 37" is a bit floppy, but markedly less so than the 43". Handles very well, and cheap to come by.  ``Sebastian

Lochac

Φ Hanwei - Steel is Good(tm).

Φ Hanwei, more realistic to renaissance fencing than fiberglass or foil/epee.

Meridies

Φ Hanwei - more flexible.

Midrealm

Φ Hanwei blades are nice, but a little too whippy. I think they're a better starter blade for their flexibility. It's harder to just pezz someone unintentionally.  ``Molly

A PEZ® candy dispenser is a long rectangular plastic container about the size of one's hand, that often has a small plastic head. The head flips back to release the candy. In SCA fencing, to "pez" (or "pezz") someone is to make a hard shot on someone that flips their head back in a similar fashion. Official site. An encyclopedia entry.

Northshield

Φ Like the Hanwei. Flexible.  ``Cy
Φ I really like the Hanwei for feel and price.  ``Fiskr

West

Φ Hanwei, it just feel right in my hand.  ``Tallon

Plus generic favorable mentions from: An Tir 3, Drachenwald 2, and the East 1.

NEUTRAL/MIXED

Æthelmearc

Φ AEth. ~ The Hanweis I seen seem too whippy, but I haven't used one myself.  ``Jean

An Tir

Φ The Hanwei is just ugly, but usable.

Φ I have tried Hanwei and found it whippier than my fiberglass blade.  ``Duncan

Φ Hanweis (42") are too whippy and inclined to break. The 36" are okay.  ``Laurin

Artemisia

Φ Hanwei's seem ok but I am still out on that one for now.  ``Sionainn

Atenveldt

Φ hanwei.....some are better than others but seem to be getting more consistant.  ``Egan

Caid

Φ Hanwei blades are wavy, I like it a bit more rigid (accuracy).  ``Dalen

Φ I've borrowed a Hanwei, and like it, although they can be a bit whippy.  ``Felinah

Φ Hanwei--not a big fan. Nice as a less expensive way to get new fighters started, but vibrates a lot.

Φ Hanwei's are too light ... but are really good for tourneys 'cause they're so fast; its really a tourney or starter blade.  ``Alexander K

East

Φ The Hanwei is nice, but too floppy (43"). I have a 37" on order to see if I like it better.  ``Brokk

Lochac

Φ The Hanwei I tried one training session was rather slow.

Northshield

Φ Hanwei a bit too whippy better than the schlager.

Φ I like the Hanwei because it has a more period look and feel but I only have a 43" so I don't use it much.

West

Φ Hanweis flex a lot, so they are slow to target, but you can do so much with their flexibility.

UNFAVORABLE

Æthelmearc

Φ I have not used a Hanwei practice blade, but I have fought against them. My preference is that I find them to be defeating the purpose of fighting heavy rapier. If I wanted to fight a blade that could tip flick over my defense, I would fight against a foil. I chose to fight heavy rapier to get a closer sense of sword play away from the tricks of modern strip fencing. Hanwei blades defeat this purpose.  ``Corwin

An Tir

Φ Hanwei - dislike - too whippy.
Φ Hanwei hate them total garbge.
Φ Cheap, you get what you pay for.

Φ Hanwei is STOOPID light and too flexible.
Φ Do not like the 43 inch Hanwei it is too whippy.

Φ I don't like the Hanweis because they bend and break too easily.  ``Gabrielle

Φ Hanwei is unsafe - seen too many breakages over the past year. Fairly consistently.  ``Ramon

Φ Losing faith in the reliability of the Hanwei's. I've personally seen 4 broken and one folded 45°, both lengths.  ``Mughain

Φ I hate, and I can't stress enough, Hanwei blades. I have seen 5 to 8 of them fail, in person. They are terrible.  ``Samuale

Φ I don't like the Hanwei as they are whippy. I met a mark 1 Hanwei recently and *really* didn't like it as it was far too wiggly to act anywhere close to a real period blade.  ``Alicia

Artemisia

Φ Of those weapon simulators I might be caught dead using, I dislike Hanwei the most, far too whippy and flexy to be an accurate simulator.  ``Justin

Atenveldt

Φ The Hanwei blades have had far too many failures in their first year. Hopefully the quality will improve, and then I may add one to my own collection. The edges seem to wear well, but the blades themselves seem to have a tendency to break, often in the forte or 8" from the tip.

Caid

Φ The 42" Hanweis don't stand up as well as the other blades to continious use.  ``Eogan

East

Φ I dislike the Hanwei, I find them overly heavy and ill balanced.

Lochac

Φ I don't have a Hanwei but a few here do and they suck.  ``Aldwin
Φ Hanwei -- their blades are cheap and nasty and they break.

Φ Hanwei - Hate the damn things. They break, they don't work right. They are floppy so are prone to S bends and still hit like a freight train. You can't do a proper cavitione with then because the floppiness dampens out the movement. Their pommels are a load of bollocks. Put a new 250gram pommel on and they are a wholly new beast that works really well. They are still heavier and less precise than a darkwood del tin though.  ``Gregory

Midrealm

Φ Dislike Hanwei, Too whippy.
Φ The Hanweis are a bit floppy.  ``Purple
Φ Hanweis are too thin and whippy.  ``Zygmunt

Φ Personally hate the Hanweis due to WAY too whippy.

Φ 40" Hanweis are like wet noodles. Tried once, hate them. May try shorter length.  ``Kriemhilt

Φ I don't care for the Hanwei blade, because they tend to be rediculously flexible, making it harder to utilize some principals of historical combat, vis a vis blade engagement.  ``Christian

Φ The Hanwei looks more like a rapier blade, but I have yet to see one that isn't whippy as a car antenna. My own Hanwei was pretty bad, and took a permanent kink toward the tip after about four months of use.

Northshield

Φ Don't like the Hanwei -- too whippy & unreliable in terms of consistent temper from blade to blade.  ``Simon

Φ The Hanwei is to flexable, I miss my mark because the tip of my blade is flopping back and forth and it seems I end up with what I consider poor tip control and have to work to avoid slapping.  ``Gabrielle

Outlands

Φ Hanwei are horrible cheap and flimsy.
Φ Not erribly fond of the Hanwei; too whippy.  ``Charles

West

Φ The only one I really do not like is the Hanwei. I have found it to be excessivly whippy.  ``Staffan

More pages of blade comments

Del Tin . Epée and Foil . Fiberglass . Schläger . Zamorano

Heavy blades . Miscellaneous comments

Your feedback is most welcome!

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