Beyond this site's feature article on the subject, reviews and related threads, I'm pretty ignorant about Oakeshott Type XIV. It's far out of my main area of interest (1450-1650) but I have an interesting project opportunity on the horizon (I can't help it--it's a sickness). So...

Educate me. What should they feel like? What are your favorite examples (photos, medieval artwork, effigies, etc.)?

I'm especially interested in ideas for grip and cross.

I'm game to do something other than the ubiquitous Albion-style grip with cord-bound leather and multiple risers. That grip type is beautiful and my personal favorite, but emulation is crowding out other historic types. Simpler styles? More elaborate? Different materials? What would you want to see? I might fall back on Old Faithful, but I'm wiling to experiment.

As for the cross--faceted? tapered? both?

I'll post interesting finds from Northern European artwork.

A quick review of Austrian artwork from 1250-1450 nets little in the way of Type XIV swords. Lots of Type XIII, then lots of Type XVIII.

Sean,
That's not surprising. Type XIVs seem to have been more popular in England and France than in Germany. There are examples from France and Italy, and a German examples or two, but this type appears more frequently in artwork in England and France than in Germany or Austria from what I've read.

Thanks! I thought I might be running into a geographic/cultural dead zone for XIV. So...maybe the Musée de l'Armée, Wallace and RA.

Hi, I have a few pictures of the Paris swords hilt.
Maybe those help a little.

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Thanks, Felix! That side view is especially helpful. It reveals that the grip had very thin leather over wood (no cord) and shows the rock crystal pommel inset. Is this the sword Oakeshott describes as having a fabric cross under the crystal? I'll check ROTMS tonight. A beautiful sword....

Sean,
I am at work right now and do not have access to any of the pics on my home computer. A Type XIV that has caught my eye is the one on the seal of Edward I. It has an atypical non-wheel pommel and guard. I wish I had pictures available now to show you. I am unsure if I have any at home on my computer either for that matter. I have seen an example in one or two books including Osprey's Warrior series book English Knight 1200-1300.

Scott

I found a drawing of the seal but the sword isn't very clear. I can tell that it's not a wheel pommel, but that's about all.

Also, is that Musee de l'armee sword's grip of rectangular section?

I am currently doing a bit of research into Type XIVs myself for an article.

You have probably already seen what appear to be Type XIVs in the Maciejowski Bible, because the feature article points to them. This is pretty early for a Type XIV to be around and could probably be argued against, but I'll drop an image in anyway:



The below effigy of Sir Robert de Compton which was identified by Mr. Oakeshott to have Type XIV pommel, grip, and cross - though the blade is missing. This is circa 1320AD and in Hawton All Saints, Notinghamshire, England:

Sean,
I was able to scan the picture from my recently purchased copy of "The World Encyclopedia of Swords and Sabres." Some nice pictures and I could not beat the price, $5.99 on closeout at Borders. :cool:



Scott

The cross and pommel on that are very unusual. I like them a lot. IMO, they kind of give a Viking-esque look to it. Good find, Scott. I may use that as influence for some future projects I have in mind.

I really like the look of it as well Josh. Definitely an out of the ordinary look. It is one of many ideas I would like to see in steel and in my possession at some point in time. I never really payed attention to it having a Viking look to it before though. Good catch there yourself Josh.

Scott

If you wanted a XIV to play with MRL had their in the discontinue bin yesterday for $122 (half off).Not sure if its still being run at that kind of discount but I figure at that price, with your ability tweak, it would be had to go wrong.

Here are some interesting images from Austrian artwork of 1300-1330:

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Jon, apologies -- don't know how I missed your last email, or why my one to you earlier didn't take. Just wanted to let
you know that your sword below arrived as scheduled, though I only actually retrieved it this past Saturday. You did a great job with it, and I'm sure I'll see it through some good service. :cool:

JE Sarge wrote:

This is awesome. I'd like to see a replica of it made some day... On the other hand, on my Windlass Type (X)IV, I regripped with a leather over cord oxblood wrap, adding risers. I also inset the pommel with a pair of Arabic coins, added a greyish antique patina, and cut some finials into the cross. You are planning some more extensive modifications, so it will be interesting to see how you work though these! I like the idea of adding a peen block. I've considered just MIG welding one onto a sword in my father's shop and finishing it to look like a real peen block, without the hassle of taking down the blade at the shoulders and actually doing a real one. I would be very interested in seeing how you do this if you do decide for certian on it. :D

I was handling the Windlass XIV this weekend and couldn't help myself--I had to see what was under the surprisingly well-don grip. Normally, a Windlass grip comes off without any trouble--usually just sliding off over the tang after removal of the pommel. In this case the tang was peened and I bet that the pommel would slide down, exposing the peen, if I simply broke off the grip. Easier said than done. I laid the grip on my anvil, pressed chisel against it and popped it with a mallet. The chisel sunk halfway through the grip but remained firmly in place. Same treatment on the other side of the grip, with similar effect. In fact, it took multiple blows and serious prying to break off the grip. It was attached with a few large spots of a brittle dark epoxy. Not only that, the grip was of relatively complex and historically plausible section, and well-fitted to the tang.

The cross and pommel also were epoxied, but a couple of hard blows with a rubber mallet had them rattling as per usual. The pommel dropped down the tang roughly .25", where it actually fit tighter and was less prone to turn. This exposed a very robust non-threaded tang end and very thin peen. In this state, the grip is within length spec as described by Oakeshott (a bit over 3.5") and still comfortable in my hand. So, most likely I'll just use a slighly smaller grip as opposed to moving down all the furniture.