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Harold R.





Joined: 02 Feb 2006

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PostPosted: Wed 29 Mar, 2006 12:02 am    Post subject: MRL swords - would you consider them combat worthy?         Reply with quote

My first sword will be an Angus Trim 1321. It will be arriving in a couple days. I went with AT for my first because rediculous as this may sound, I don't want something that will just be a decoration. If I am going to have swords, I want functional weapons.

Some of MRL's swords interest me but I am hesitant to buy from them. I have read that they are very open about returns and exchanges but that their stuff can be kind of spotty.
How are they assembled? Are they peened? I have read some accounts that imply that handles and pommels are just glued on and that kind of worries me. I am not looking for something that will just be a wallhanger.
The models in particular that I have been eyeing up are the Falchion and German Falchion and their hoplite swords.
I don't really know how to ask this question other than to just ask this: Would you trust one of their weapons in a real fight? If not them, does anyone know where I can look to find something similar to their offerings that would stand up to actual combat?
Thanks in advance.
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Tom Carr




Location: Dallas TX
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PostPosted: Wed 29 Mar, 2006 12:11 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

MRL makes a tough serviceable field grade sword. Far from pefect, but a lot better than some you will find. The pommels are generally peened these days, though a few years ago they would have been screwed on to the tang. Ive never had a problem with them and they are a good starter sword for anyone, though some models are better than others. Indeed they have had a few real sleepers than turned out to be quite desireable. I dont know about the Hoplite, but I hear good things about their German falcion. There is a review of that one on this site along with several other MRL models.
http://www.myArmoury.com/review_mrl_falc.html
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Chuck Russell




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PostPosted: Wed 29 Mar, 2006 3:58 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

as in combat ready like go fight on the field now with them? no there sharpes and have no place on the reenactor field. BUT if something say were to happen WW3 etc... no. i would not want my life left up to a mrl blade. sorry. i just cant.
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Bill Grandy
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PostPosted: Wed 29 Mar, 2006 5:31 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I consider MRL's swords to be on the low end of functional, but still functional. They aren't just wallhangers. The blades tend to be surprisingly well made for the price, but my major problem (function-wise, anyway) is that the hilts have a tendency to start getting a bit loose after only swinging it around in the air. Not all of them do, but I've experienced it more commonly with MRL than with other makers.
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Chris Olsen




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PostPosted: Wed 29 Mar, 2006 5:39 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I would generally agree with both accounts, I have have had mixed results with MRL's items, I own the German Falchion and the best I can say is that it is a sword that has not broken on me on stage. Over all if I am looking for a durable belt hanger that I might on the rare occassion use for a back up when my first string stage weapon is unavalable I would use one of their swords (bare in mind this is a generalized statement and not to be taken as I would never use an item from them if I found one that fit my needs) it also must stand up to well over sixty hours of rehersal prior to the actual production.

if I may a few other good places to look:
www.roguesteel.com
www.arms-n-armor.com
www.amfence.com

the above three are places that I have had dealings with in the past and all make good quality weapons that fit my needs to a T,
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Kel Rekuta




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PostPosted: Wed 29 Mar, 2006 9:53 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

We're talking about MRL swords made by Windlass?

Against pool noodles and water bottles, they might serve well enough. For waving around at demos and perhaps solo drills, some of them (ie. the Towton) are not badly balanced.

Actually defending yourself against another weapon? No way. It'll fall apart after a few blows. The edge will look like a rip saw in no time. What would you expect from something that costs $150-200 USD???? WTF?!

Good tools are expensive. You get what you pay for.
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Sean Flynt




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PostPosted: Wed 29 Mar, 2006 10:51 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Kel Rekuta wrote:
We're talking about MRL swords made by Windlass?

Against pool noodles and water bottles, they might serve well enough. For waving around at demos and perhaps solo drills, some of them (ie. the Towton) are not badly balanced.

Actually defending yourself against another weapon? No way. It'll fall apart after a few blows. The edge will look like a rip saw in no time. What would you expect from something that costs $150-200 USD???? WTF?!

Good tools are expensive. You get what you pay for.


I feel confident pointing out that nobody here has defended himself with any sword in earnest combat, so I'm skeptical of this kind of blanket condemnation of a product line. The ARMA folks have used MRL swords for blunt steel training and found some models to be fine for that, although these arms typically do need some kind of stabilization of the hilt (JB Weld, etc) to prevent loosening. As for ripsaws--such an edge suggests to me that the weapon has been badly misused, no matter how much it costs. Having said that, it is true that a fine sword is more likely to have proper edge geometry. But it's a bad idea to assume that historical accuracy increases with the price tag. There are many expensive swords out there that I'd be embarrassed to own, much less display alongside my two MRL swords (Scottish Backsword and German Rapier--for which I paid a total of approx. $200).

As for the original question--again, I'll point out that no matter what any of us might like to believe about how a given reproduction would theoretically function in combat, none of us will ever (legally) answer that question. So, perhaps a better question is, "how much am I willing to pay for an untestable belief that a reproduction would serve well in 'combat'?". What practical difference is there between a $1,000 sword that will never be used for its intended purpose and a $150 sword that will never be used for its intended purpose? Personally, I spend for historical design and execution rather than for some ill-defined notion of performance. If I can get what I require from a $150 sword, why would I pay more?

I have never encountered any glued-on MRL hilts. Most or all MRL sword pommels are threaded. Some are peened, some aren't. Some have pommel nuts. Some pommels are not pierced through. I've never seen a rat-tail tang on a MRL piece.

-Sean

Author of the Little Hammer novel

https://www.amazon.com/Little-Hammer-Sean-Flynt/dp/B08XN7HZ82/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=little+hammer+book&qid=1627482034&sr=8-1
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Ken Rankin




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PostPosted: Wed 29 Mar, 2006 11:51 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Sean Flynt wrote:

As for the original question--again, I'll point out that no matter what any of us might like to believe about how a given reproduction would theoretically function in combat, none of us will ever (legally) answer that question. So, perhaps a better question is, "how much am I willing to pay for an untestable belief that a reproduction would serve well in 'combat'?". What practical difference is there between a $1,000 sword that will never be used for its intended purpose and a $150 sword that will never be used for its intended purpose? Personally, I spend for historical design and execution rather than for some ill-defined notion of performance. If I can get what I require from a $150 sword, why would I pay more?


Sean, I have to say that is one of the best answers to a question I think I have ever read on a forum or group. Ever since my wife and I have started collecting swords (pretty sharp pieces of metal and otherwise) we have wrestled with the question of "battle ready" and etc. It has become such a catch-phrase and sales gimmick that folks are buying swords that they really have no idea what they will do in the supposed situation of actual combat. I have never been in medieval combat, have no idea what it feels like to strike a blade against another blade or armor, and certainly have no idea what it feels like to have a blade slice into my flesh, splinter my bones, and spill my blood. I can only imagine that combat of that sort must have been terrifying. Even the wall hangers we have would, theoretically, kill another human being. We had a situation at a Ren Faire a couple of years back where we were talking to a guy and suddenly he yanks my wife's razor sharp curved SS elvish short sword from it's scabbard so he could see if it was "battle-ready". If anyone had walked by at that moment, he would have sliced them deep. It scared the crap out of us, and then he proceeded to drone on about breaking blades with a sword breaker dagger and etc. I wouldn't even want to carry a sharp blade in public at this point. I can certainly appreciate the huge differences in swords from say United Cutlery to Museum Replicas to Albion Swords. The more I learn from this site shows me that there are indeed huge differences in what defines a sword and what doesn't, but I don't think that price is always the deciding factor. I own a couple of MRL swords, and the rest of the collection is low grade by group standards. But, to get the job done, all of them would fill their intended purpose, if only in one use.

Ken
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Sean Flynt




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PostPosted: Wed 29 Mar, 2006 12:24 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

You raise another good point, Ken--There are many different sub-communities that fall under the general heading of "arms enthusiasts". We really can co-exist although our specific requirements and interests don't overlap and may even conflict. In many cases, we just have to agree to disagree. I think we all have to keep in mind that, for example, every answer in this thread may be exactly the right answer for a given sub-community. The nice thing about this forum is that we can all chime in and let the questioner decide which answer seems to best represent his particular interests.
-Sean

Author of the Little Hammer novel

https://www.amazon.com/Little-Hammer-Sean-Flynt/dp/B08XN7HZ82/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=little+hammer+book&qid=1627482034&sr=8-1
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Steve Grisetti




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PostPosted: Wed 29 Mar, 2006 5:31 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Sean Flynt wrote:
Kel Rekuta wrote:
...Actually defending yourself against another weapon? No way. It'll fall apart after a few blows. The edge will look like a rip saw in no time....

...As for ripsaws--such an edge suggests to me that the weapon has been badly misused, no matter how much it costs....
I would like to echo Sean's remark, though maybe I would say "heavily used" rather than "badly misused".

I recently saw a sword (by a production maker who is commonly acknowledged on this site as having top notch products) that had been heavily used in German Longsword sparring. Its edges might be described as looking like a rip saw, though this is a very subjective description. Nevertheless, I would be very happy to own one of those same swords (I would prefer a new one! Laughing Out Loud ). I attribute the damage to the heavy use and not the sword or its maker.

What might a heavily used battle sword have looked like, "back in the day"? Maybe the same? or worse?

"...dismount thy tuck, be yare in thy preparation, for thy assailant is quick, skilful, and deadly."
- Sir Toby Belch
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Bryce Felperin




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PostPosted: Wed 29 Mar, 2006 7:12 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Well as a person who takes regular long sword classes, has cut himself deeply with a sharp sword (something I'm not proud of) and fought steel versus steel with someone (though of course not with sharp blades) I can say that the quality of a sword does matter.

At my salle we rarely if ever fight with steel, and you do you need to be fighting with someone you totally trust, with predefined rules and have good safety equipment on to do it. I generally don't do it much since I don't trust myself to keep it slow and safe enough with most people. Also it is easier to pick up the speed and force with steel when fighting than with wood wasters since they move so nice and fast when used properly. Getting carried away with them is easy.

I have however fought in quite a few drills with steel though and I find that ALL swords get beaten and develop nicks and burrs quickly when hitting each other. I can just imagine that sharp swords in battle would get nicks and burrs even more so than rebated (dulled) swords would. As a precaution we often hammer the edges of our beaters on an anvil to toughen the edges up beforehand but they still get burrs and nicks on occasion. I don't use really expensive swords for this since it would be dumb to do so, but I have used a CAS Iberia, a Del Tin and a Lutel for these kinds of drills in the past. I don't currently own or plan to own a MRL, but that's because I don't need to at this point own one at all.

The Del Tin 2160 performed very well with hardly a burr in drills. It's a beast though and needs both hands and good technique to use right, something I'm still developing. I would definitely use this sword in combat though since it really packs a wholop and stands up to abuse pretty well in my opinion. Solidly constructed in all parts, it still is overly heavy and unbalanced to some degree for really practical fighting. We shaved off a bit of the blade and balanced it back more, but in the end it still is heavy. A good sword for building up your strength and stamina though. :-)

The CAS Iberia I had (forgot the model) was a non-sharp model that really didn't aspire to being anything other than a cheap beater. However, it was a bit of disappointment in that after six months the guard started loosening and the blade nicks easily and frequently more than any others I have used. I would not use this one for anything more than a cheap beater and don't recommend it beyond that purpose. It does good for a cheap beater though because at $160 it is, well, cheap. :-) Not a war sword though in even my wildest imagination. I sold it to a poor comrade at my salle and he still uses it often for drills with no complaints. I guess I'm just a sword snob. :-)

My Lutel (model 15003) though is a really gem and at $600 wasn't cheap either. However I'm using that as my primary non-sharp drill/practice/fight sword now and it holds up excellently! I have yet to put a serious nick on the blade despite almost a year of use. It's balanced superbly and has a good feel to it that makes one want to do renowned deeds and great feats with it when gripped in the hand. If you can afford it I recommend it for this role since it shoes signs of doing well as a beater for decades with no problem. My instructor, Steaphen Fisk, has a similar model he's had for years and though beat up a lot is quite serviceable. He beats up others in armor with though whereas mine is mostly a drill weapon, though I did beat on an armored foe during an exhibition during a Renaissance faire once with mine. All in all sharpened it would be a good war weapon.

So the point of this post is that quality tells, even for beaters, and that you can definitely tell what is good and what isn't for fighting with a sword. I won't ever be striking in combat with a sharpy, but I am sure that a good quality blade over a bad quality/cheap one wouldn't do as good based upon my experiences.

Regards,

Bryce Felperin

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Harold R.





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PostPosted: Wed 29 Mar, 2006 7:51 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

First, thank you all for your insight.

Please let me clarify my point of view.
Although I don't plan to go around settling my disputes with a sword, having a sword that is a weapon is important to me. The only reason I would want one that wasn't is if I needed a blunt sword for training. Even then, it would have to probably be more durable because I have the ability to accidentally break just about anything.
I look at from the standpoint of owning firearms (although I don't want to discuss that interest here. Just need an analogy.)
I don't see the point of a nonfunctional replica of anything. If I buy a replica brown bess, bearded axe, or sword, I want to know that it would work like an original. If it doesn't do that, it isn't much of a replica.
The fact that I will not be waging war against the British or a horde of vikings doesn't have anything to do with it.
If I own it, it needs to be functional.

Having a display weapon is like having a zipper on your jeans that doesn't unzip. I just don't see the point.
To me, price isn't really the issue. If I have to always go with Angus Trim or some other maker instead of ever buying a MRL to get what I require from a sword then I will. If it can be done for a couple hundred dollars less, great!

One of their offerings that I think I probably will eventually get is a rondel dagger. As long as the blade is good and the handle is firmly attached it would be hard to screw that up.

Hopefully that makes sense.
Again, thanks for the advice.
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Pamela Muir




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PostPosted: Thu 30 Mar, 2006 4:19 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Steve Grisetti wrote:
I would like to echo Sean's remark, though maybe I would say "heavily used" rather than "badly misused".

I recently saw a sword (by a production maker who is commonly acknowledged on this site as having top notch products) that had been heavily used in German Longsword sparring. Its edges might be described as looking like a rip saw, though this is a very subjective description. Nevertheless, I would be very happy to own one of those same swords (I would prefer a new one! Laughing Out Loud ). I attribute the damage to the heavy use and not the sword or its maker.

What might a heavily used battle sword have looked like, "back in the day"? Maybe the same? or worse?

Hi, Steve. If by "recently", you mean around Christmas time, I know just the sword you are talking about. Wink I will freely admit that heavy use could be considered abusing the sword. Ripsaw? Nah, more like a bread knife. Laughing Out Loud

After much work, and wearing out 3 files, it has a nice usable edge again. Someone could run his bare hand down the blade and not get hurt. (Yes, it is a blunt.) Happy

edited to fix spelling error

Pamela Muir

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Academy of Chivalric Martial Arts


"I need a hero. I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night. He's gotta be strong, And he's gotta be fast, And he's gotta be fresh from the fight." ~Steinman/Pitchford
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Brad Harada




PostPosted: Thu 30 Mar, 2006 6:16 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

IMHO "battle worthiness" is more of a marketing term for, in truth, even a crowbar could be used in combat if one needed an impromptu weapon. In the context of functionality it all depends on your intention. MLR is on the lower end of the repro (production) sword market. Windlass, to their credit, does produce interesting types not often offered by other manufacturers. Their swords are affordable, priced for an entry level collector. They are not horrible, although MLR/Windlass may occasionally have a quality control issue with some of the products they ship out, but MLR does have a good return policy should you be unsatisfied so long as you don't sharpen/modify your purchase. (Be aware that swords from MLR do not come with a sharpened edge, so if you want "functional" you'll need to spend some time honing it.) That being said they are definitely of a lesser quality than swords from such makers as Atrim or Arms & Armor or Albion; then again, for the price no one should expect them to be. If you have the means you could even go the custom route where sky's the limit. Ask yourself, though, what are you looking for in a sword? Historical accuracy? Performance? Both? The answer to those questions along with just how much you're willing to spend will help determine your purchase.
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Kel Rekuta




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PostPosted: Thu 30 Mar, 2006 8:27 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Sean Flynt wrote:


I feel confident pointing out that nobody here has defended himself with any sword in earnest combat, so I'm skeptical of this kind of blanket condemnation of a product line. The ARMA folks have used MRL swords for blunt steel training and found some models to be fine for that, although these arms typically do need some kind of stabilization of the hilt (JB Weld, etc) to prevent loosening. As for ripsaws--such an edge suggests to me that the weapon has been badly misused, no matter how much it costs. Having said that, it is true that a fine sword is more likely to have proper edge geometry. But it's a bad idea to assume that historical accuracy increases with the price tag. There are many expensive swords out there that I'd be embarrassed to own, much less display alongside my two MRL swords (Scottish Backsword and German Rapier--for which I paid a total of approx. $200).

As for the original question--again, I'll point out that no matter what any of us might like to believe about how a given reproduction would theoretically function in combat, none of us will ever (legally) answer that question. So, perhaps a better question is, "how much am I willing to pay for an untestable belief that a reproduction would serve well in 'combat'?". What practical difference is there between a $1,000 sword that will never be used for its intended purpose and a $150 sword that will never be used for its intended purpose? Personally, I spend for historical design and execution rather than for some ill-defined notion of performance. If I can get what I require from a $150 sword, why would I pay more?




Sean,

I don't know what form of swordsmanship, if any, you practice. I have no idea what you consider "abuse" of a sword. I am not a collector, but an enthusiast user of steel reproduction swords. I consider "stage" fighting i.e. egde on edge battering to be abuse. I also consider cutting wood, cement blocks and animal bones to be abuse of a sword. I do not consider blade on blade contact in the rough and tumble of armoured combat to be abuse. A sword is a tool. The job requires some contact, preferably in oblique motion, but contact nevertheless. A sword cannot perform counters and thrusts at halfsword without being in contact with the companion blade. After several years and literally hundreds of hours practicing these skills I am quite confident I can recognize a blade falling apart in my hands. Razz

You commented that some practitioners found it necessary to tighten up grips and hilts on some makers' products. I see no issue with this. I do have an issue with an unsharpened blade that literally peels notches the first time it contacts another. I've witnessed this with two Towton blades. Other models I handled without any blade contact rattled and flopped as they were exercised. I wouldn't dream of placing that sort of decorative metal work between myself and three hundred pounds of armoured onslaught from my playmates. My standard of performance is admittedly higher than many practitioners, especially those that study unarmoured combat only. Still, that level of slop in a tool should be disquieting to any craftsman.

Your confidence that no one here has defended themselves in earnest combat may be well founded if you meant deadly earnest. I can assure you that many people engage in unco-operative, forceful and earnest exploration of period techniques relying for safety upon the control of their companions and the bluntness of their steel. If you have not witnessed this level of study then you are poorly equipped to condemn it or its demands. By the same token, you are mistaken to assume
Quote:
again, I'll point out that no matter what any of us might like to believe about how a given reproduction would theoretically function in combat, none of us will ever (legally) answer that question.
We can never legally or morally determine how well a given reproduction would cut, thrust, maim or decapitate another human being. We can determine how well that sword design, unsharpened, can perform any of the many functions a sword must be capable of in self defense. Can it deflect another blade, can it bind and not shatter, can it flex without taking a set? Does it vibrate in the hand due to poor harmonics? In the case of a medieval longsword reproduction, can it oppose another blade and complete a levering action against an uncooperative body?

There are a lot more criteria to rating a given blade than price, finish and historical accuracy. Something that looks kind of like it might be similar to a surviving artifact might be considered accurate for display purposes. "Battle ready" could be a statement that someone, somewhere was willing to swing the thing at something else. Both are meaningless criteria for a sword being a useful tool to defend a person. Can it do the job or will it be destroyed in the process?

Kel Rekuta
AEMMA Free Scholler
Armoured Combat Instructor, Toronto Salle
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Sean Flynt




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PostPosted: Thu 30 Mar, 2006 11:12 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I don't think you and I disagree on any significant point, Kel. I'm a former ARMA student, so I, too, can recognize both the benefits and limitations of modern WMA training as it relates to the study of antique weapons. I know that MRLs are hit-and-miss, make sometimes inexplicable compromises in design and construction and usually need some after-purchase work. But the question was not whether blunted MRLs would stand up to modern WMA training (it seems that some can) but whether or not they are theoretically suitable for some undefined concept of "actual combat".

Pretty much any MRL sword is a lethal weapon generally representing a particular historical period. It may not be ideal or efficient for a given historical combat environment, and certainly can't match, say, an Albion weapon in any category, but it is a weapon and can be used as such (and not just in the way that a pencil or flower pot can be used as a weapon). I wouldn't choose an MRL if my life depended on it, either. But neither would I choose a Lutel, Del Tin, or ATrim, for varying reasons. But, again, the central question wasn't "does MRL offer the best weapons?". The answer to that question is, as you suggest, an emphatic "no". But MRL swords are weapons.

There's been plenty of debate about how much more expensive blades perform against "combat' style targets (plate, mail, "fresh" meat, etc) and I'm not going to beat that horse. Suffice it to say, again, that paying more for a blade doesn't necessarily mean that it's any more "combat ready" than cheaper blades. I agree with Kel. If you want the best, you're going to pay for it (although paying more doesn't necessarily get you the best). If your life depends on your choice, you won't mind the expense. But our lives don't depend on the choice, so we have to decide, based on our intended use, which of a variety of weapons suits our needs. That brings me back to the question I posed--How much are you willing to invest in an educated guess about the combat worthiness of weapon that will never be used in combat? We're all going to answer that question differently and correctly.

-Sean

Author of the Little Hammer novel

https://www.amazon.com/Little-Hammer-Sean-Flynt/dp/B08XN7HZ82/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=little+hammer+book&qid=1627482034&sr=8-1
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Chad Arnow
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PostPosted: Thu 30 Mar, 2006 11:53 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

This post has seen some responses that are beyond respectful disagreement. These need to stop. We encourage the discussion of differing viewpoints, but this discussion needs to be done calmly and without rancor or grandstanding. You don't have to agree with each other, but you do have keep things civil.
Happy

ChadA

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Steve Grisetti




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PostPosted: Thu 30 Mar, 2006 3:08 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Pamela Muir wrote:
...If by "recently", you mean around Christmas time, I know just the sword you are talking about. Wink....

Perhaps it was around that time Laughing Out Loud . I redacted names to protect the innocent, the guilty, and all others. Glad to hear that your sword is healthy again!

"...dismount thy tuck, be yare in thy preparation, for thy assailant is quick, skilful, and deadly."
- Sir Toby Belch
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Bill Grandy
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PostPosted: Thu 30 Mar, 2006 6:11 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I think one of the things that's not being entirely taken into account is the difference between a practice sword and a real sword. A practice sword, but it's very nature, will see far more use than a real sword ever will. It will be put up against more stress than a real sword will, because it will be used over and over and over again.

How much combat training does a modern soldier see in his entire career? A lot. Nearly constant training. But how much combat does the person actually do? Some more than others, but no one actually fights as much as they train.

Point being that I would not use a MRL for serious bouting, but that's because they aren't designed for it. I also these days wouldn't use an unsharpened sword built to the specs of a high quality antique weapon for constant bouting, either. Not if I expect it to last, anyway... and I've dinged up quite a few swords that were much higher quality than MRL in doing so.

I'd still consider MRL swords more than wallhangers, and I really do think they'd be adequate weapons if somehow transported back in time. Not necessarily ideal weapons, but assuming the weilder knew what he was doing, they'd last at least a fight or two. That's as much as many historical swords lasted.

Pamela Muir wrote:
After much work, and wearing out 3 files, it has a nice usable edge again. Someone could run his bare hand down the blade and not get hurt. (Yes, it is a blunt.) Happy


It's about time! Some of us were starting to complain! Razz (I kid, of course!)

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Harold R.





Joined: 02 Feb 2006

Posts: 76

PostPosted: Thu 30 Mar, 2006 7:40 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

That does make sense.
I guess I could have worded my question better but I never have been real good with words.

Although my chances of ever using a sword or really any other weapon to defend myself are pretty slim, I want to know that the swords I own COULD be used that way and that they would hold up. I will agree that there are probably people who have defended themselves with dollar general store butcher knives but that isn't really what I am asking.
What I am trying to ask is if a MRL sword is at least as functional as an original would have been. By functional, I do mean standing up to being swung around a lot and possibly contacting something once in awhile.
As was stated above, I guess it is subjective.
I wouldn't be afraid to bet that a whole lot of originals broke when they were used and that a sword used by a common person was probably of lower quality than the one that the king used.

In retrospect, I guess I should have asked a different question. Big Grin
Thanks.
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