Black Prince Sword Valiant Armoury

Bear in mind as you heft the Black Prince Sword -- named in honor of Edward of Woodstock, Prince of Wales until his death in 1376 -- that this impressive 43-inch diamond cross-section sword is only the hand-and-a-half model. Two-handed broadswords were even heavier. With a sword like the Black Prince, a swordsman could fight with sword and shield, backing up the strongest blows with a second hand on the pommel.

According to Valiant Armoury, this modern version of the ancient English longsword can pierce plate armour one-handed and slash chain mail with a two-handed blow. With four-and-a-half pounds of high carbon steel powering the edge, that does seem possible. The usual Valiant build of carbon steel blade, polished steel fittings, and macassar ebony handle creates this strong and usable weapon. Details match the fine points of antique swords from the time of the Hundred Years War. The Black Prince Sword is a business-like blade which a fighting prince like Edward of Woodstock might actually have carried. Decoration is sparse -- the 10-inch cross guard and heavy steel pommel are for catching blades and bashing heads, not for court ceremony.

Hand forged in the Philippines, the Black Prince Sword comes with a leather bound scabbard of good quality and is suitable for display or discreet use. One of the swords in Valiant's standard series, the Black Prince is considered functional but not true combat quality. Valiant's standard line is way ahead of most replica swords in both functional standards and design details. If the Black Prince isn't actually the real thing, it's a dead ringer for it.

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