All Hanwei rapiers have stainless steel hilts,
for reduced maintenance, and high-carbon steel flex-tempered blades.
The three swept-hilt styles (Solingen, Torino, Gustav) are available
with hilts in both polished and antiqued finishes. The latter finish,
developed by Hanwei, has allowed a museum-quality patina to be
applied to stainless steel while the non-corroding properties of
the steel are retained. This finish is extremely attractive and
gives a very authentic appearance to the piece.
The swept-hilt rapiers and their attendant main gauches have now
been redesigned to provide lighter, better balanced pieces than
earlier models. The hilts are now of the same size as the museum
pieces on which they are based, providing an authentic “feel” in
the user’s hand.
Blades are interchangeable with the "Practical" blades
shown here
King Gustav II Adolf
(1594-1632) was monarch of Sweden from 1611-1632. In 1630 as a
defensive maneuver, King Gustav II entered the Thirty Years' War
to secure the Swedish state and church from danger. An excellent
military tactician, Gustav led an army of unusual quality, and
his position was strengthened by alliances with France, Brandenburg,
and Saxony. At Lützen in 1632, the Swedes defeated
Albrecht W.E. von Wallenstein's army, but King Gustav was fatally
wounded in battle. The Gustav Rapier and main gauche are reproductions
of his originals and are truly fit for a king. The guard of the
rapier is quit impressive in design and has two shells to protect
the hand. The rapier and main gauche come equipped with forged
high-carbon spring steel blades and leather scabbards.
