Cold Steel Hutton Training Saber - HEMA Review

HEMA Review Criteria

Before we dive in I wanted to make it clear that Kult of Athena provided this sword for the purpose of reviewing and if you like what you see there will be an affiliate link above.

Now let's go over the key factors I'll be considering in this review:

Fit and Finish: What materials are used, and how well is it put together?

Handling: Balance, weight, and overall feel in the hand.

Durability: How well will this sword hold up to regular HEMA training?

Safety: Does the sword have proper blunt edges and a safe tip for sparring?

Value: Is the price point reasonable for the quality and features offered?

Fit and Finish - 8

The Cold Steel Hutton training saber; It features a cheese grater cup guard with rolled edging, a checkered back strap and a leather or faux leather grip with wire wrapping. It is held together with a large nut, though I do have to tighten it a little more often that I like. 

The steel seems good enough quality and there does not seem to be any major gapping or construction issues. I will say the blade is a little lighter and more flexible than I would prefer which really comes through with its handling but I will talk about that in a second. First I would say the fit and finish of the sword is like an 8 out of 10. It looks nice, no construction issues, and it says what it is right on the tin.

Handling and Performance - 5

Now, about that light blade. While the point of balance is about 4 inches from the guard, and it feels as though it wants to be a choppy boy, it just does not have the mass to withstand a beat parry or to provide a decent wall when blocking. 

It has a kind of uncanny valley feeling to it, with this curve to the blade and the high point of balance you would think it would be top heavy but it behaves more like some spadroons that I have used in the HEMA space rather than a traditional sparring saber. It is trying to sit between an Olympic saber and a HEMA one and you can probably get over it with time. In a vacuum it is a DREAM to swing around and it is VERY forgiving in an overswing.  

Moving down the sword we get to the grip. It is quite thin for anything except for a bare hand or a plane leather glove. The second you get a padded or protective glove, you lose all sense of indexing and really struggle to keep a firm grip on the blade.

I give it like a 5 out of 10 on handling and performance. It just does not have the mass needed and it does not seem like it was designed for sparring in mind. That being said, it is great for doing solo drills and very beginner friendly.

Durability - 3

This sword is NOT meant for sparring. Or at least that is my feeling after using it in a couple rounds tournament and sparring during class. The blade is pretty chewed up, as you can see, there are a couple gnarly digs on the blade. I struggle to keep the assembly tight and it tends to rattle a bit. I went to block a hit from someone, I failed to block with the edge and the blade took a set from the strike.

I give it a 3 for durability. It really is not meant to go blade to blade.

Safety - 9

Now for safety. The blade is light and the edge is thick enough. It flexes incredibly well. There is no rolled or spatulated tip but it is blunt and a rubber cap should suffice

On a scale of 1 to 10, would I trust a newbie to hit me? Like a 9 out of 10

Value - 6

The Cold Steel Hutton training saber. Considering the quality of materials, construction, and handling. At $119 on Kult of Athena, I believe this falls under great price territory that is a killer price for a light sparring or beginner practice saber.

Overall Impression - 6.2

With an overall score of 6.2 out of 10 and a great value price, I would not recommend it for myself. That being said, it is a great beginner’s blade and as long as you know that you will need to upgrade for competitions, and you like the look, I could certainly recommend it. 

If you do want to pick one up for yourself check out my affiliate link above.