If you are looking for a great messer for solo drills and light sparring, I don’t think you can go wrong with the Kvetun Messer. The blade is wide and balanced well with enough heft to flow through techniques smoothly. This sword feels like it wants to cut from the moment you pick it up. Although there is a hollow grind on the blade to reduce weight and add flex, the messer still has significantly more mass than the VB Messer that purpleheart armory sells so be aware of this while sparring. That same mass gives the sword incredible blade presence when binding and almost feels unfair when sparring against the VB messer. I am a big fan of the ring nagel to make the messer safer if it gets dropped to the ground while grappling. The handle is comfortable and long enough to hold in two hands (without HEMA gloves) and perform handle wrap techniques. At about $270, it competes well with offerings from Landsknecht emporium, Sigi Forge, and Krieger.
Of final note, I wanted to mention that the customer service at Kvetun is outstanding. I now have several of their weapons and they all have exceeded my expectations.
Point of Balance
Historical European Martial Arts Enthusiast 