Synthetic Zweihander

The sword is very big and well made. Have swung it around a lot and it feels good. An amazing first sword if you are crazy enough.

The flamberge is amazing! Very little flex but I am A ok with it. It's been an absolute beast in sparring drills and I have such a fun time swinging this thing around.

Firstly, let me state that this sword was a fantastic purchase that I still look back at with glee. The sword arrived ahead of schedule and in good condition. The sword flexes remarkably similar to how a steel sword would, making it well-suited for training. Do keep in mind that this sword should NOT be used for striking another person (even with armor), and should only be used for solo-practice or defensive training. The center of mass is just below the lugs/parrying hooks, allowing for deceptively quick movements when half-swording. The sword came with a slight bend at the middle of the blade that proved rather stubborn to correct; I was eventually able to correct it by placing the sword up to the guard between a mattress and a flat bed-frame. The handle is a bit narrow, but it maintains a firm grip while still allowing for quick positioning changes. The guard has some rough edges, making it mildly uncomfortable to wield without gloves, and will occasionally catch on the glove itself. If I could make one change to the Zweihander, it would be to change the guard; smoothing out some of the rough edges, keeping the rings, and making the crossguard curve upwards to prevent the ends digging into the forearm. I would gladly pay an additional $10-$20 for a guard like the Flamberge guard on Blackfencer's main shop. The pricing on the sword is somewhat deceptive, as the cost of shipping was over half as expensive as the sword itself: the total price for me was $225, and I live halfway across the country, so who knows what someone in Floria or Maine would have to pay. Still, for the price, SoCal Swords'/Black Fencer's Zweihander is an exceptionally crafted sword that is well-deserving of praise.

After learning to use this for the past week, I am happy to say that I am satisfied with my purchase. The balance, handling, and flexibility is great and the specifications are as noted on the website. The smallest issue is that the synthetic blade is literally a little rough on the edges, but nothing a little sanding can't fix. Definitely would recommend this for anyone interesting in learning montante/spadone

The construction and balance are perfect. The grip is almost perfect. The black 'glue' under the wire wrap handle leaked through some. It doesn't leave marks on anything, or stick to my hands. But it does look ugly if you look close, and you can see it for yourself in my attached photo. The blade is floppy when really hot, making summer practice inconsistent to winter practice... but that's just what you get for a synthetic trainer. And for those of you interested, yes, it is as hard to store as a 66inch sword could be.