The Sword Zorro
The Sword of Alejandro Murieta from "The Mask of Zorro"

by Karolus

"... a symbol of justice, the epitome of courage and honor..."

The hit movie, "The Mask of Zorro", which was released last year, was a rousing return to the swashbuckling tradition of Hollywood's golden age, days when names such as Flynn and Fairbanks epitomized the suave gentleman who stood against tyranny and evil, taking his fight to the silver screen, using his wit, charm, and a finely tempered blade to champion the cause of justice.

It was only natural that some company would come out with an "Officially Authorized" replica of the sword used by Antonio Banderas in that movie. United Cutlery has copied famed movie prop-maker Tony Swatton's original design quite accurately, including the pierced "clamshell" guard. The design itself seems to be an eclectic combo of smallsword and "espada ancha" (a type of sword made in the Spanish colonies in America). I feel that it is an attractive piece, good for display or costume use - providing you find the appropriate black cape and mask!

The sword handles quite well. It is light and fast, and well-balanced. One would be tempted to use it for combat re-enactment, "live steel" or stage combat, or even fencing. Tempting, but not a good idea. As has previously been mentioned, this is a display or costume piece only. And before you get the urge to carve a "Z" in my chest, let me explain why.

The sword is "forged" from 420J2 stainless steel. This type of stainless is very inexpensive, and very easy to work. But it does not respond to heat treatment, and cannot be hardened to a level appropriate for a "using" sword. I don't know the exact Rockwell rating, but it is due to be quite soft, metallurgically. It also does not hold an edge well, if that is a concern. And further, the hilt is assembled on a "Rat-Tail Tang", a potentially very weak method of hilt assembly - hit something the wrong way, and the rat could crack, leaving you a weakened hilt assembly, and a potentially unsafe situation.

This is unfortunate, for as stated before, the sword has some very positive handling qualities. The grip looks to be wire-wrapped leather, but it's not. It's actually "simulated leather" with small metal studs. I find the grip to be comfortable. The scabbard is also made of this "simulated leather". The scabbard fittings, guard, and pommel are cast and plated. Our evaluation sword's scabbard's fit was extremely tight. This had the effect of scratching the blade each time we drew or resheathed the sword.

The price varies from vendor to vendor, but most seem to sell it in the $115-$125 range. Some mall vendors may sell it for upwards of $200 or more.

In summary, the "Mask of Zorro" sword looks neat and handles neat, and is quite affordable. Unfortunately, it suffers from a poor-quality steel and a questionable "rat-tail tang" hilt assembly. With the judicious use of a better, "sword-quality" carbon steel, and a stronger tang, it could have been much more than a "wall hanger", while not raising the cost appreciably.

Blade: 30 inches
OA length: 36 1/8 inches
POB: Not measured
Weight: not measured

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