What is HEMA without a sword? They are one part symbol, one part tool. As such, people get very particular about their swords. Tiny details take on huge significance, subtle nuances make or break the product and when you add the high level of investment, buying a sword (especially your first) can become a fraught and neurotic process.

Before Sigmund purchased his first sword he exhaustively researched the market, finding every single option available, then creating a spreadsheet with every relevant detail: length, weight, point of balance, pommel type, tip type, country of production, price, on and on. He read everything he could find, and ultimately chose what he thought would be the perfect sword for him.

It turns out he chose wrong.

That’s a different story, about a different sword. But it shaped how we are going to write this review. Every practitioner has idiosyncratic needs. We all have our preferences (and those preferences are different) so no one is necessarily right or wrong. Because of this, no sword is perfect for everyone.

While we are going to talk about the handling of the sword and the way it fights, that will not be the emphasis. Instead, we will be focusing on the quality of construction, the experience and customer service in getting it, and the kind of sword that it is. It’s up to you to figure out whether this is the sword that will best serve the way you fight.

Review Methodology

Sigmund: I purchased the Dark Horse ‘Arbeitspferd’ Work Horse Feder from Logan Black in the spring of 2016. Logan was unaware of any review when I purchased it. I have used it in two separate tournaments as well as six months of intensive training and sparring. I have been in touch with Logan since purchasing it. I informed him of the review before it went live about any differences between my sword model and what is available for purchase today.

Rebecca: I ordered mine in April, after getting to play with a prototype at Shortpoint. I had no commitment to writing a review until asked by Jayson in December. I have used my feder at Longpoint, PNW, Blood on the River and SERFO, not to mention normal training sessions as well. Logan was quick to respond to all my inquiries and was honest when met with delays. He hand-delivered my feder to me at Longpoint to keep within the four-month window I was originally quoted.

Joseph: I ordered mine on the basis of the review that Jake Norwood gave the sword. I've used it at Longpoint, as well as for several months of intensive training, drilling, and sparring since. Logan was communicative throughout the process, and hand delivering the sword to me at Longpoint. He was extremely professional and personable throughout.

Construction

Stats

Length: 50” (127cm) Total; 12.25” (31.1cm) grip; 37.75” (95.9cm) blade

Point of Balance: ~2.75 (7cm) from the guard, varies depending on schilt choice.

Tip: Lobe tip

Weight: ~ 3lb 4oz (1.47kg), varies depending on schilt choice

Base Price: $580+S&H

The Black Horse feder comes with a variety of options. The base model gives you a choice between ten different schilt types, thirty different grip options (sixteen different color options in cord wrap and fourteen in a leather wrap), and three different pommels. All are at the base price.

For an up-charge you can change the handle geometry, the cross guard geometry, add cross guard rings or a full cross guard ‘shield’ (like rings but with the gaps filled in). He can customize weight and point of balance as well as cool grip options beyond the staggering array already available at the base model.

There is only one thing he can’t do: Make it longer. Neither the overall length or the blade length is customizable. If you beg and beg he may be able to do it for twice the price. We all decided to make due.

Sigmund: Logan takes a lot of pride in the quality of his blades and it shows. After a six months of heavy use the blade and cross guard have a barely perceptible patina of scuffs and dimples. There are no significant dents, no burrs, nor scratches. The finish is still relatively clean and despite my negligence it has not begun to rust. You can see why they call it the workhorse: it does its job, takes its burden, and doesn’t need a lot of special care afterward. It is made to last.

The only part of my sword that has shown signs of use is my cord wrapped grip. After taking several strikes during sparring it has started to get a little chewed up. Luckily, the Black Horse feder has a hex nut screw in the pommel rather than a peened tang. This allows the grip and cross guard to be replaced (a service Logan provides).

The usual downside to the hex nut arrangement is that over time the nut loosens. There has been no hint of that over the course of my time with the sword. Everything about this sword feels rock solid.

Rebecca: I went with an hour-glass schilt and red and black cord. Like Sigmund says, the cord is the only part of the feder showing noticeable wear at this point.

My one criticism here is that I wish I had gone with a wasted grip. The standard grip is very round, and while fine for solo drills, it makes it hard to maneuver when wearing sparring gloves. This is not Logan’s fault, as the gloves also take part of the blame, but it has taken some getting used to. Keep this in mind when figuring out which grip you prefer.

Joseph: I went with the swept-schilt rather than the standard, and my grip is slightly shorter, as I didn’t want it longer than ten inches. Even in the Koenig gloves I wear, this isn’t much of a hinderance for blade manipulation or maneuverability. The schilt I have doesn’t change the balance much, though it does set the weight a tiny bit further forward. I also went with the leather-wrapped grip, which in addition to being gorgeous, has improved the weapon’s handling capabilities. It’s taken some damage (mostly scuffing) , but shows no signs of failure.

Performance

This section will be brief for two reasons. First, everyone has different standards for what they want in a sword, so we cannot tell you whether this sword handles in a way that you will like. The second is that some of our swords are not the standard model. More on that below.

Sigmund: There are three features that dominate the handling of the Black Horse Feder. First, it is one of the shorter feders on the market. Second, it has a double fuller which provides a wide blade edge with a low weight. Finally, it has a unique distal taper that allows for significant flex on the last third section of the blade close to the tip, but stiffness in the first two thirds.

Compared to a standard Regenyei it has a more powerful presence in the bind. It does not hit as hard as a Chlebowski but it has a similar bold presence against your opponent’s sword. Its petite size makes it feel more maneuverable than the larger European swords like Pavel Moc, Victor Berbekucz, or Einsifer Heavy but this comes at the cost of anywhere from two to four inches in reach. In quality it feels much like an Albion but with a very different aesthetic.