We're always excited here at the ZT shop when we launch a new blade. The latest child glows with its aura of newborn freshness and enjoys its day in the sun...at least until the next blade comes along and usurps it.
But this one, the Diphos, where we've doubled-down on a hand we've played before and aw shit, it's got us in a lather.
What is it about the Diphos that's making our britches a little too tight? First, the balance. The Diphos is a fullered* blade, meaning it has a concave channel running along its center, reducing weight from the quarter-inch steel all along the way, giving the blade balance and maneuverability. The center of balance—the point where the blade would sit perched on your finger—is about 3 inches from the top of the handle, which is well nigh perfect for this design. As a consequence, this full sized, 36-inch sword can be easily wielded in a one-handed slashing attack by a person with a modicum of combat strength.
Next, the blade geometry. Tthe Diphos features the leaf blade profile of ancient Greek design, skinny at the waist and broad at the cutting sweet spot. Now, all swords require a certain technique to cut well with a slashing strike. A leaf blade is more forgiving of poor technique because the arch is built into the blade itself, so that even if you swing the blade flat like a baseball bat, the leaf cutting belly will help get the cutting work done. So, it's a great blade for those new to swordplay.
Finally, the tip. The tip on the Diphos is just plain nasty. We hope to never see the wounds that would result from a full two-handed thrust to the torso, for they would be deep, and they would be wide.
Which all boils down to this: the Diphos could fuck some shit up, if shit were in need of fucking. For the majority of us here in the shop, it's the new golden child and the new go-to.
* Nope, it's not a "blood groove". And it's not about increasing blood loss or reducing suction when pulling the blade out of a body or any of that hooey. The term for the groove is "fuller" and it's all about engineering. A fuller removes weight from a blade without sacrificing structural integrity, using the same engineering principle as the I-beam in high-rise construction. More info here.
Made with 5160 steel and aluminum slab handles wrapped in black leather. Comes standard with a black Kydex sheath.
• Total Length: 35.5 in (.90m)
• Blade Length: 25 in (.64m)
• Handle Length: 10.5 in (.27m)
• Grip Size: 8 in (.20m)
• Steel Thickness: .25 in (6.4mm)
• Weight: 2lb 14oz (1.3kg)
• Release Date: March 2014