Samurai Edge Barry Burton Model Ver.II Secret Origin Story

Quint Cetcham; Acting Assistant Director, Technical Development Department, BSAA European Headquarters.

There is a reason for that lengthy title.

Quint Cetcham is one of the oldest agents and technical officers dating back to the original BSAA. His skills, imagination, and above all, his passion for research and development were unrivalled by other members of the Technical Development Department. But on the other hand, in the unanimous opinion of those around him, his eccentric personality, interests and behaviour made him unsuitable to lead and supervise others. He was therefore treated to the honoury title of Acting Assistant Director, a title that did not seem to bother him, and he was only remined of it when he had to make unreasonable demands of the accounting department, which was responsible for financing research and development.

QUINT CETCHAM:

He is one of the B.S.A.A.’s foremost tech geeks, and the distinctive headset he wears on duty was devised and developed by himself.

This man, who moves about the organisation aloofly, immersed in his research and unconcerned about the opinions of others, now finds himself in a predicament. He is overwhelmed by the silent pressure emitted through the monitor, and he hangs his head in a sweat, occasionally glancing up to see the expression of the person at the other end of the monitor.

 “Wha… What’s the problem, Mr Burton?”

His voice, strained from the back of his throat, is so faint he is not even sure if it reached the other end of the monitor.

It all started about a month ago with an e-mail from an old friend, Jill Valentine.

An old acquaintance was looking for an excellent gunsmith, and having seen it, asked to be introduced to the creator of Jill’s Samurai Edge, the Samurai Edge A1, a refined version of the original Samurai Edge that Quint himself had created several years ago.

At first, he intended to decline.

He had several research and development projects running concurrently, and new ideas were constantly flowing in. He had thought he had no time to customise a gun, but when he heard the client’s name, he changed his mind.

The client’s name was Barry Burton.

The BSAA has several legendary figures known as the ‘Original Eleven.’ The aforementioned Jill is one of them, and her partner Chris Redfield is also a living legend. Chris was a former member of the U.S. Air Force, Barry’s colleague at the time, and later a member of S.T.A.R.S., the Raccoon City Police Department’s Special Forces unit that became embroiled in the heart of the ‘Mansion Incident’, which is now firmly etched in the history of bioterrorism.

Barry Burton was also a member of the BSAA for a time, and now continues to fight bioterrorism in his capacity as an advisor to the BSAA. And above all, he was also the man who, together with gunsmith Joe Kendo, created the original, famous gun, the Samurai Edge.

Barry Burton had come to him for help with a gun.

This was something to be very proud of.

Barry’s request was simple.

SAMURAI EDGE A1 JILL VALENTINE MODEL:

When the B.S.A.A. was first established, Quint, who had been advocating the need for specialised equipment that could deal with the unique circumstances of bioterrorism, which was not a conventional combat scenario, focused on the ‘Samurai Edge’, a unique customisation of the M92F adopted by the former Raccoon City Police Department’s Special Forces unit S.T.A.R.S. He then studied and verified the ‘Samurai Edge’, borrowed from former S.T.A.R.S. and current B.S.A.A. member Jill Valentine, and created the new ‘Samurai Edge A1’ based on the M9A1.

The gun was then provided to Jill, who was active on the front lines of anti-bioterrorism, with the S.T.A.R.S. medallion on the grip and the S.T.A.R.S. and Custom Shop Kendo engraving added to the slide.

BARRY BURTON:

A former member of the Raccoon City Police Special Forces unit S.T.A.R.S., who once survived the ‘Mansion Incident’ with Chris and Jill. He is currently a member of the North American branch of the B.S.A.A. Before joining S.T.A.R.S. he was a veteran of both the U.S. Air Force and S.W.A.T. He is an expert with firearms, but also a devoted husband and father who cares deeply about his family.

A bitter experience during his S.W.A.T. days made Barry a ‘power fanatic’ when it came to firearms. To further enhance the ‘Samurai Edge’ that he was issued by S.T.A.R.S., he asked his good friend, gunsmith Joe Kendo, to customise the gun to his personal specifications.

SAMURAI EDGE:

An M92F-based custom handgun issued to the Raccoon City Police Special Forces “S.T.A.R.S.”. It was designed by gunsmith Joe Kendo. It has a Brigadier-style design with an increased thickness in the slide lock to use a special reinforced 9×19mm bullet that fires at a .357 magnum-class initial velocity. Its sharply angled silhouette and silver barrel are reminiscent of a samurai’s blade, hence the name ‘Samurai Edge’.

“MAKE A NEW SAMURAI EDGE FOR ME”

He said that his original Samurai Edge, which he had used for many years, had been damaged in the fight against bioterrorism. The pictures of the Samurai Edge he sent were not pretty. The distinctive Brigadier slide was cracked, the compensator was melted and bubbling, the hybrid custom grip was damaged, and the magazine was exposed. It was unimaginable for Quint, as an engineer, to comprehend how even the original Samurai Edge could end up like this.

SAMURAI EDGE BARRY BURTON MODEL:

The Samurai Edge was customised for Barry by gunsmith Joe Kendo when Barry was a S.T.A.R.S. member, prior to the Mansion Incident. Barry felt that the 9mm calibre of the Samurai Edge supplied to S.T.A.R.S. personnel was underpowered, so he asked his good friend Joe Kendo to customise it for him. The resulting Samurai Edge was based on the M96F, which uses .40 SW ammunition, and was a bold design unique to Barry, who boasted extraordinary strength.

But he was confident. He had studied the Samurai Edge itself thoroughly and had produced the Samurai Edge A1. His own skills had improved dramatically since then.

Barry’s Samurai Edge has the same basic design as Jill’s, although the base gun is an M96F, the ammunition has been changed to .40 SW, a large compensator is fitted to reduce the recoil, and a long magazine is used to compensate for the reduced number of rounds.

It was supposed to be an easy job.

He set to work on it with immense enthusiasm and completed it a month after receiving the initial request. It was two days before he was due to send it to Barry in America, when he received a communication and as soon as the line connected was subject to a thunderous hammering rage from Barry for 10 minutes.

Barry fell silent after that first tirade, his expression giving away nothing. He then responded to Quint’s muffled voice and spoke back.

“Cetcham. What do your eyes see right now?”

“What do you mean…”

Quint did not know what the question referred to, but he concentrated on his vision.

 (I don’t look. I observe.)

He could not remember what film that line was from. It may have been a line from a Japanese animation he saw a long time ago, but it was certainly one of the cornerstones of his engineering career. He analyses what he sees, categorizes it, formulates a hypothesis, and draws conclusions. In this way, Quint has solved many difficult problems.

 And even now, one conclusion was drawn.

“Ah.”

His inarticulate voice eeked out.

The man on the monitor now was Barry Burton. His hair and beard were streaked with white, and his face etched with deep wrinkles. This was the face of a warrior who had faced many battles. But it was also the face of a man who had already passed his prime as a warrior and was approaching old age.

Initially, Barry has said “Make a new Samurai Edge for me.”

He had meant ‘for me’ as in ‘how I am now.’

Barry wasn’t looking for the high power of a .40 SW bullet, he was looking for a Samurai Edge that would allow him to perform at his best in his present condition. He had taken his words in a literal sense and indulged in easy work and imitation of the previous Samurai Edge.

Quint was ashamed of his own ignorance.

“Mr. Burton. I know this may sound brazen but let me try again. This time, I will create a Samurai Edge that is suitable for how you are now.”

There was no longer any fear or hesitation in Quint’s voice.

Barry, suddenly struck by his straightforward determination, nodded his head in agreement.

BARRY BURTON IN HIS S.T.A.R.S. ERA:

In 1996, the Special Task Force S.T.A.R.S. was created in the Raccoon City Police Department to respond immediately to the increasing incidents of urban terrorism, diversified criminal organisations, and numerous emergencies that were occurring every year. Its members were recruited from both the military and private sectors, and Barry Burton, then 38 years old, was a member of the “Alpha Team,” led by Captain Albert Wesker. In operational activities, he was often paired as a BUM (backup man) to support Chris Redfield, the PM (point man), who operated on the very front line of engagement. The individual with the highest combat capability serves as the PM, but his partner, the BUM, must also be as competent as the PM. It can be assumed that Barry, who was the biggest man on the team and strong enough to handle heavy weapons, was just as combat proficient as Chris.

TWO WEEKS LATER, BARRY WAS UNDER THE SKIES OF LONDON

Although his nominal assignment was an instructor to young members at the B.S.A.A. European HQ, he was actually here at Quint’s request.

“I’m making Samurai Edge for you right now. If I don’t know you now, I can’t make it. Oh, don’t worry. I’ve made a few arrangements and requested that you be sent to the European headquarters as an instructor. What? Can you do that? Please don’t underestimate me. I may not look like much, but I am the Acting Assistant Director of the Technical Development Department. If you flash this title at people, they will listen to you.”

He decided to go along with Quint’s gleeful explanation.

Barry showed up briefly during the day to supervise the younger members but spent most of the rest of his time in Quint’s laboratory. He began by taking height, weight, and body measurements of various parts of the body, as well as recording physical strength, muscle strength, and eyesight, and after the basic data was collected, the days were spent in heated debate.

At first there was a big gap between Barry’s firm ideas about guns, Quint’s knowledge and technology, and the optimal solution supported by the collected data. From the outside looking in, it would have seemed like a big fight. In fact, many Technical Development Department employees shrugged their heads at the angry voices leaking out of the laboratory.

BIOTERRORISM SECURITY ASSESSMENT ALLIANCE – BSAA

An anti-bioterrorism unit funded and established by the Federation of Pharmaceutical Companies after the collapse of Umbrella Corporation. It was reorganised as an operational special forces’ unit under the jurisdiction of the United Nations due to the growing threat of bioterrorism. In addition to the European headquarters, there are seven other branches around the world.

In the midst of all this, there was one thing that Quint was open to, and that was to make the M9, which Barry had brought in with him, the base gun.

“This was given to me by Joe Kendo as a birthday present. It hasn’t been customised in any special way. But it’s the best M9 I’ve ever had, and he’s tweaked it to the last detail. This is perfect for what the new Samurai Edge deserves.”

Quint did not disagree with these words.

The days of heated debate passed quickly. After much discussion, repeated trial firings, and buried in a mountain of prototypes, the gulf between the two men was gradually bridged.

M9 9MM SERVICE PISTOL:

The M92 series, developed by the Italian-based firearms manufacturer Pietro Beretta, was adopted by the U.S. military in 1985 under the name “M9 9mm Service Pistol.’ The M9 (M92FS) became a major player in the civilian market because of this decision and has been modified to enhance safety in the event of slide breakage. The difference between the M92F, the base of the Samurai Edge issued to S.T.A.R.S. personnel, and the M9, the base of the Samurai Edge newly produced by QuInt for Barry, is mainly the difference in engraving depending on whether it is for the European or American market. In terms of specifications and performance they are both equal. The Samurai Edge A1 sent to Jill from Quint is based on the M9A1, a more modernised version of the M9.

NOW STANDING ON THE FIRING RANGE, THE GUN IN BARRY’S HAND IS CLEARLY DISTINCT FROM THE SAMURAI EDGE OF OLD.

SAMURAI EDGE BARRY BURTON MODEL VER.II:

The compensator, which is larger than the old one, is particularly eye-catching, even though the sides of the gun are heavily carved out. The previous compensator was designed to vent the gas upward at the time of firing, which was highly effective in suppressing muzzle jump, but it was also pointed out that the muzzle blast blocked the view of the front sight. In his younger days, Barry would have chosen power over accuracy, but this drawback has now been reassessed. The compensator, which produces a two-stage muzzle brake, has a first stage (at the front of the muzzle) that discharges the projectile gases to the left, right and front, and a second stage that further discharges the missed gases. The inside of the ring has a calculated shape that allows the gas to escape as efficiently as possible, while at the same time eliminating impurities and metal shavings in the gunpowder that are generated during firing and facilitating the muzzle brake. This made it possible to further stabilise the ballistic trajectory. This structure was the area where Quint and Barry spent the most time.

In addition, the top surface of the compensator is anti-reflective. This was introduced by Quint for Barry, a revolver enthusiast, in reference to his custom revolver. The large stabilizer is still in place, but the Picatinny rail has a finely detailed groove to accommodate the latest devices, and the sides are also grooved to reduce the weight for balance. The change in the ammunition used has also resulted in less recoil, and the gas is now discharged horizontally when fired. While taking advantage of the gun’s power, the balance of the gun itself was reviewed, and the weight was reduced in areas where it could be lightened, making this a model that emphasizes stability and portability, and finished to the highest quality whilst taking into account Barry’s present-day physicality.

The grips have also been modified to improve the gun’s hold. The conventional hybrid custom grip was further developed by fusing a rubber section with a finger channel and a wooden component, shaped to fit Barry’s hand perfectly, and the asymmetrical shape, which matches the frame of the gun, was a major eye-catcher. The daring adoption of the wood section this time around was also the result of following the image of the revolver. Needless to say, the ‘gold and red’ medallion in the center of the grip, Barry’s signature colours, has been retained.

The combat sights have also been enlarged and reshaped to match the compensator.

The gun was packed with details and asymmetry to avoid the AFPB (Automatic Firing Pin Block), and every single detail was crammed with the endless thoughts of these two men.  

When the trigger is pulled, the bullet released from the barrel is quickly sucked into the target. The gun in his hand does not jolt unnecessarily and obediently settles into position for the next shot. Enjoying the sensation that the gun, which should have been a lump of steel, had become part of his arm, Barry fired off all his rounds.

After pulling the magazine, Barry turned to Quint outside the shooting booth and said:

“This is the Samurai Edge I’ve been looking for.”

Barry nodded in satisfaction, but not Quint.

‘Mr. Burton, we’re not done! I’m not done!”

With that, Quint stepped onto the firing range, snatched the gun from Barry’s hand, and walked straight back into the lab. Barry, taken aback, followed him into the lab, where Quint was removing the slide from the Samurai Edge and fastening it to a clamp on the machine tool. Quint’s fingers danced on the keyboard, and the machine tool began to move. The blade glided on the slide and the letters were engraved. Barry looked at it, narrowed his eyes and muttered…

‘You’re doing a classy thing, Quint!”

‘Just showing respect to my predecessors, Barry.”

When the machine tool stopped, Quent removed the slide, reassembled it with seasoned hands, and handed it to Barry. Barry slowly held up the new Samurai Edge he had received. In an elegant typeface, the name “CUSTOM Kendo SHOP” was inscribed on it. This was the moment the Samurai Edge Barry Burton Model Ver.II was born!

THE SAMURAI EDGE AND THE KENDO BROTHERS:

Two ‘Kendos’ were involved in the creation of the famous ‘Samurai Edge’, which was supplied to the Raccoon City Police Department’s special forces unit, S.T.A.R.S. They are the elder brother, Joe Kendo, who runs the ‘KENDO’ custom gun shop in San Francisco, and his younger brother, Robert Kendo, who runs the ‘Kendo Gun Shop’ in Raccoon City.

In December 1997, three handguns were entered in a trial to determine the official handgun of S.T.A.R.S. The first was a handgun from Umbrella, a pharmaceutical company that had influence over Raccoon City’s city government; the second was a handgun that Joe created at the request of the Raccoon City Police Department; and the third was a handgun that Robert created based on Barry’s request after hearing about the trial from his friend. The trial had to meet the requirements for an official handgun, but the handgun that Robert submitted completely deviated from those requirements, so this meant it was essentially a showdown between the Umbrella Corporation and Joe.

The trials included accuracy tests using various types of ammunition, live-fire tests of over 40,000 rounds, corrosion resistance tests in seawater, and drop tests. Joe’s handgun, which achieved the best results in all these tests, was partially modified in March 1998, and after being tested by four members of S.T.A.R.S., it was officially adopted in June 1998.

The Samurai Edge, which was issued to S.T.A.R.S. members after it was officially adopted, had its potential raised to the level of an F1 racing machine through the skilful work of Joe. However, Chris, Jill, Barry, and Wesker asked Joe to further improve the Samurai Edge. Therefore, four custom Samurai Edges were born, each reflecting the individuality of its user.

← KENDO GUN SHOP IN RACCOON CITY:

Robert Kendo, the owner and Joe Kendo’s brother, had a deep friendship with Barry through a common hobby (gun collection). However, in September 1998, a biohazard broke out throughout Raccoon City. Robert was considering evacuating to a neighbouring town butt was attacked by zombies and regrettably lost his life.

Copyright 2019-2023 | The Resident Evil Podcast  •  Privacy Policy & Website T&Cs •  Website by Web Cherub