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Shawn Duncanson
Location: Spokane Wa Joined: 05 Dec 2003
Posts: 49
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 Posted: Fri 07 Mar, 2014 10:38 am Post subject: Recommendations on a few sword types |
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I have been out of the sword world for about 10 years, sold most of my nice ones I used to own (a couple of atrims) long ago but lately I have been getting the itch for a sword or two. I was wondering if I could get some recommendations on production swords for use in backyard cutting applications.
Types I am interested in:
XIV one handers, never had any of these
Viking swords, I have not owned a good one so far.
Wide bladed sabres, hungarian sabres, 1796, some dragoon swords and so on. Used to own the cs 1796 liked it but it was over weight.
Messers and falchions, used to have the cs grosse messer but it was a little lacking.
Price range is about $350.00 which I know is quite limiting. Main considerations are handling and durability, not so much on cosmetics.
Not all who wander are lost.
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Phil D.
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Shawn Duncanson
Location: Spokane Wa Joined: 05 Dec 2003
Posts: 49
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| Posted: Fri 07 Mar, 2014 11:10 am Post subject: |
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I have been looking at that one a bit, very similar to the factory x Dracula sword people raved about. Thanks for the link
Not all who wander are lost.
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Ben Coomer
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| Posted: Fri 07 Mar, 2014 12:42 pm Post subject: |
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Just got the Windlass Type XIV. It is really good for its price.
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Luka Borscak
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Timo Nieminen
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| Posted: Fri 07 Mar, 2014 2:20 pm Post subject: Re: Recommendations on a few sword types |
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| Shawn Duncanson wrote: | Wide bladed sabres, hungarian sabres, 1796, some dragoon swords and so on. Used to own the cs 1796 liked it but it was over weight.
Messers and falchions, used to have the cs grosse messer but it was a little lacking.
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For LC1796 sabres, the CS is the best (as in the least overweight). The other cheap repros are even more overweight. The CS is, IIRC, only about 100g too heavy.
Most of the cheap falchions and messers are very overweight. The CS more so than most. The Windlass Medieval Falchion looks OK, but IMO still a little overweight.
For something that works like a falchion or messer (i.e., a light, thin-bladed slicer), there are swords like the Kris Cutlery Oxtail Dao. Good weight (as opposed to most modern oxtail dao which are either overweight or flimsy non-function wushu things).
"In addition to being efficient, all pole arms were quite nice to look at." - Cherney Berg, A hideous history of weapons, Collier 1963.
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Shawn Duncanson
Location: Spokane Wa Joined: 05 Dec 2003
Posts: 49
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| Posted: Fri 07 Mar, 2014 4:26 pm Post subject: |
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the tinker looks really nice, I like it. The Leuterit looks like a nice blade, but the furniture does look cheesy
Not all who wander are lost.
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Luka Borscak
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| Posted: Fri 07 Mar, 2014 5:14 pm Post subject: |
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| Shawn Duncanson wrote: |
the tinker looks really nice, I like it. The Leuterit looks like a nice blade, but the furniture does look cheesy |
It looks better with plating removed and copper underneath aged a bit, J.D. Crawford from this forum did it and it looked very good...
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Greg Ballantyne
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| Posted: Fri 07 Mar, 2014 8:08 pm Post subject: |
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Luka I'm not so sure I would go along with the assessment that the only good viking offering in that price range is the HT Viking or the Leuterit....... I believe there are others to consider, - Legacy Arms (Gen 2) Witham might be one, especially considering the OP stated main considerations.
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Shawn Duncanson
Location: Spokane Wa Joined: 05 Dec 2003
Posts: 49
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| Posted: Sat 08 Mar, 2014 1:30 am Post subject: |
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good offerings so far, thanks. I think I will focus on either 1796 again or the hanwei viking sword. But has anyone handled the windlass american revolutionary saber?
Not all who wander are lost.
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Bryan Heff
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| Posted: Sat 08 Mar, 2014 3:24 am Post subject: |
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Windlass Ulfberht is a good handling sword. It suffers a bit in some of the details. The fake inlay, the chunky cross and the incorrect diamond cross section at the tip could be turn off. I have one and like it. For the price it's tough to beat. I removed the diamond tip on mind because that really bugged me.
Before
After
The church is near but the roads are icy. The tavern is far but I will walk carefully. - Russian Proverb
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Mark Moore
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| Posted: Sat 08 Mar, 2014 6:30 am Post subject: |
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As far as Viking models go, I also recommend the H/T Viking....if you can find one. Other than that, I own the Hanwei Cawood Viking.....I love it. It handles great, and it's a cutter right out of the box. Light, fast, and very sharp.....or, at least, mine was. A bit of vegetable oil on the grip and scabbard goes a long way to cutting down the 'orange' leather to a more brownish hue. Fantastic sword...Get one...You'll like it!..........  ............McM
''Life is like a box of chocolates...'' --- F. Gump
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Mark Griffin
Location: The Welsh Marches, in the hills above Newtown, Powys. Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 802
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| Posted: Sat 08 Mar, 2014 8:48 am Post subject: |
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That's a nice modification Brian, like it. I've been trying to find something like that as well, the distinctive tips they just seem to pass makers by. Looking forward to modding the Del Tin and Hanwei ones I've bought.
Currently working on projects ranging from Elizabethan pageants to a WW1 Tank, Victorian fairgrounds 1066 events and more. Oh and we joust loads!.. We run over 250 events for English Heritage each year plus many others for Historic Royal Palaces, Historic Scotland, the National Trust and more. If you live in the UK and are interested in working for us just drop us a line with a cv.
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Luka Borscak
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| Posted: Sat 08 Mar, 2014 1:14 pm Post subject: |
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| Greg Ballantyne wrote: | | Luka I'm not so sure I would go along with the assessment that the only good viking offering in that price range is the HT Viking or the Leuterit....... I believe there are others to consider, - Legacy Arms (Gen 2) Witham might be one, especially considering the OP stated main considerations. |
Well, according to KoA, LA Witham is 4lb and has no distal taper. I can't recommend it to someone with that in mind as a good Viking sword unless I handle it and like it, and I haven't handled it.
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Greg Ballantyne
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| Posted: Sun 09 Mar, 2014 10:13 am Post subject: |
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KOA is a great place to find and buy, but the data they post about items isn't always accurate. Or perhaps the swords themselves aren't consistent. I have a Legacy Arms Witham (from KOA incidently) that varies from the posted stats fairly significantly. The grip is 4 1/4" rather than 3 3/4", the weight is 3.25 lbs rather than 4 lbs, and while I have not measured the distal taper it appears to the eye to be perhaps 2mm. That of course is a guess sighting down the edge.
Its a great backyard cutter that cannot be hurt, to the best of my knowledge. It is not an historically accurate representation, but it does have a form that is pleasing to my eye. Some of the other models others have mentioned are also appealing to me, but rather than increase the number of examples I have at lower price points I've decided to look more toward the other end of the market, targeting a smaller number of more historically accurate reproductions.
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Jeffrey Faulk
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| Posted: Mon 10 Mar, 2014 8:39 am Post subject: |
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Legacy Arms and Windlass swords can vary quite considerably even within the same model. As such any given specs should be taken as only a general guideline; individual reviews should be sought if possible.
It's quite possible to take the CS 1796 LCS and grind it down to a more historically accurate weight, however the balance will never be quite right because the blade just doesn't have enough meat in the tang and lower part of the blade. This means that it'll always be a little more blade-heavy than an original. I've handled a re-ground CS and an original; the CS was Indian standard 3/16" thickness steel, the original was 1/4" or a hair thicker.
You could perhaps offset this by adding weight to the grip area in some way (lead plugs in the wood grip core?), but ultimately it's still an adequate chopper/slicer and re-grinding the blade to give it a better distal taper can only help it.
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Shawn Duncanson
Location: Spokane Wa Joined: 05 Dec 2003
Posts: 49
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This is a standard topic
