Samson Doom

Jody Samson

Doom

Performance Review:
Although of course I did not do any cutting with this particular sword I can say that this sword is obviously weighted towards the cut.  This is probably obvious merely from the blade shape alone. What is not as obvious is that unlike some other Samson choppers of similar configuration this sword is actually fairly agile. The long handle gives the user plenty of leverage and the weight is reasonable for
a sword of this size, so rather then being the brutal chopper that the sword first appears to be it is actually a brutal and quick chopper.

Appearance:
I have to say that every time I see one of Mr. Samson’s pieces the more impressed I become with his technical and aesthetic abilities. This sword is absolutely clean in terms of the blade grinds and flow. The blade starts at the deeply notched cross, runs a ridge line down its length and swoops cleanly to the wicked needle point. Somehow along the way it manages to incorporate a fuller and some hollow grinding and do it in such a manner that aesthetically it all works together. In short the blade is a real tour de force in stock removal. The cross and pommel on this piece are simpler then some of the Samson work that I’ve seen but this just enhances the cleaness of what really should be (but somehow is not) a brutish chopper. The grip is Samson’s standard leather wrap and works well with the darkened fittings.

Conclusion:
By all rights this sword should be a brutish boat anchor or a piece, yet somehow Mr. Samson has managed to create a sword that is a powerful chopper and yet retains a magnificent and clean aesthetic. I keep telling myself that I’m only interested in historical pieces but Mr. Samson’s work continues to exhibit a strong attraction.