[Harry J. Fletcher]

I have a discontinued Windlass Spanish Sword which appears to me to be a replica of a mid 14th century cut and thrust sword. It has an Oakshotte type XVIII blade 2.75 inches at the widest part of the blade shoulders and narrows down to about 1.25 inch about a little over an inch from the point . The blade is diamond shaped in cross section. The pommel is a large round flat disk and has the tang pinned. the guard is long and sloped downward at each end. The total weight for the sword is 3 lbs 13 oz. The only pictures I have seen which are dead ringers for this sword are French swords with points slightly sharper but nearly identical in all other respects.

The blade of the Windlass is stiff although slightly flexible and its point would be excellent in the thrust to penetrate plate especially if the other hand were used on the pommel to give added force. The sword's weight is such that it would be excellent in the cut on plate possibly causing severe indentation even if it failed to penetrate. The only detrimental aspect is its weight which would be tiring to use in action although both hands could be used with one on the pommel to weild it. If I were to come up against an adversary wearing a harness of plate this is the type of sword I would want.

I am interested in hearing opinions about the historicity of the sword, the accruacy of Windlass' replica of this type of sword and the use for which I believe it was designed.