Cold Steel Grosse Messer with Leather Scabbard

by Cold Steel

Product Features

• Overall Length: 42.25"
• Blade Length: 32.00"
• Handle Material: Rosewood
• Carry System: Wood Scabbard Covered in Leather, Black
• This item is not for sale in some specific zip codes

Product Description

Our version of this elegantly simple yet remarkably effective weapon sports a hand forged blade of 1055 Carbon steel that’s so sharp we have used it to split a telephone book in half, with a single blow! The guard and heavy pommel are made from blued steel and feature rosewood handle scales riveted to the sword’s full tang.or convenience and safety, the Grosse Messer comes with a strong, handsome scabbard crafted from wood and covered in black leather. It is reinforced with a steel chape and throat that has been blued to match the guard and pommel.

Product Details

• Item Weight: 4 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 6 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000BTEOAW
• Item model number: 88GMS
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #161,426 in Sports & Outdoors (See Top 100 in Sports & Outdoors)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The double-barreled 12-gauge of blades, July 10, 2006

By 

Scott Burright (Laramie, WY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This thing is absurdly powerful. Can it cut a rolled tatami mat? How about a pile of them, all at once? That's what they show it doing on Cold Steel's free promo DVD, "Sword Proof." In the catalog, they boast that the Grosse Messer can cut through a phone book. That is an understatement. On its way to the chopping block, the Grosse Messer just passes through the phone book as if it's hardly there.

The specs say it weighs about 4 pounds, but it's really about 3 1/2. I find it's best gripped and swung like a bokken or katana, and it handles much like a katana-- a very nose-heavy katana on steroids.

The leather sheathe has no rings or other hardware by which it could be attached to a belt or harness. I think that's because the grosse messer is not meant to be carried. It's meant to be hung over the hearth and used for home defense, much like a 12-gauge shotgun, except the grosse messer might do more damage.

Cold Steel touts it as a historical piece, but I don't know of any existing grosse messer that's like this one. Nor is it the most luxuriously-appointed blade. It is, however, an utterly ridiculous quantity of brute cutting power, and surprisingly agile, even in my small hands. It is not a subtle, refined, or noble weapon. The Chinese equipped its peasant armies with a similar blade, the dadao, and with a minimum of training, ordinary farmers were able to chop through armor like so much cardboard. That's the sort of weapon the grosse messer is. "Big knife," indeed.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Beauty!!, November 11, 2010

By 

Christopher G. Rose "thyrsus" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Cold Steel Grosse Messer with Leather Scabbard (Sports)

I am a knife collector. This is the first sword I have bought. I am 100% satisfied by it. It is an absolutely terrifying hunk of beautiful sharp metal. The blade came nicely oiled and in lovely condition. The hilt is simple, but sturdy and attractive. The grip is made of handsome pieces of wood well attached to the full tang. The guard is large and effective.

But beware: a sword like this is no toy. It is clearly a battle ready weapon. It can take an arm off with barely a touch. It is also quite long and unwieldy to handle indoors. I bought the Cold Steel Hand and a Half Training Sword -- made of plastic -- for safe practice in swordsmanship. The Grosse Messer is for display and appreciation, or for full battle. It should not be handled carelessly.