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T Franks
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Simon G.
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 Posted: Thu 17 Feb, 2011 6:56 pm Post subject: |
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These have to be among the ugliest, dumbest blade designs I've ever seen. I suspect it's an attempt at giving them a "pitted/battle-worn" look, but it just makes them look like SLOs. I hope nobody buys those and Windlass moves on to less... Hollywoodian designs.
To think there are many Windlass models that are discontinued and that I would gladly buy... And they come out with this. A shame!
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T Franks
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| Posted: Thu 17 Feb, 2011 7:07 pm Post subject: |
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I have to agree about the blades. The hilts actually look somewhat close to some surviving examples, but the blades are a big turn off for me.
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Joe Fults
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| Posted: Thu 17 Feb, 2011 7:16 pm Post subject: |
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I actually wonder if those blades are cast from a mold instead of forged or stock removed.
"The goal shouldn’t be to avoid being evil; it should be to actively do good." - Danah Boyd
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Glen A Cleeton
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| Posted: Thu 17 Feb, 2011 8:15 pm Post subject: |
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| Joe Fults wrote: | | I actually wonder if those blades are cast from a mold instead of forged or stock removed. |
Listed as forged, in the ad copy and with the option to be sharpened.
I'll wait for the Headless Horseman sword, if it ever appears.
Cheers
GC
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T Franks
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| Posted: Thu 17 Feb, 2011 9:01 pm Post subject: |
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Why are the Celtic swords in the eagle collection "battle worn", but the Roman ones are not? 
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Glen A Cleeton
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| Posted: Thu 17 Feb, 2011 9:45 pm Post subject: |
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The La Tene period only overlaps Roman incursion by a century or so. The anthromorphic hilts were not indigenous to the islands, so maybe old worn arms retained over the centuries of migration makes sense to portray them that way in film. Keep in mind also that it is just a film and the more I read about it, the less I would enjoy it as being very historically correct. Why then expect much (or less) of a movie prop?
Cheers
GC
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A. Gallo
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| Posted: Thu 17 Feb, 2011 9:56 pm Post subject: |
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The short sword's blade is really bad.I can't even tell what they were attempting to depict. At least the battle sword looks like its pitted/badly restored, the short sword just looks like it's made out of cheese.
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Colt Reeves
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| Posted: Thu 17 Feb, 2011 10:49 pm Post subject: |
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At a glance I would've said they were some of those foam Larp weapons MRL produces...
"Tears are for the craven, prayers are for the clown.
Halters for the silly neck that cannot keep a crown.
As my loss is grievous, so my hope is small.
For Iron, Cold Iron, must be master of men all..."
-Cold Iron, Rudyard Kipling
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Roger Hooper
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| Posted: Thu 17 Feb, 2011 10:52 pm Post subject: |
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| Simon G. wrote: | These have to be among the ugliest, dumbest blade designs I've ever seen. I suspect it's an attempt at giving them a "pitted/battle-worn" look, but it just makes them look like SLOs. I hope nobody buys those and Windlass moves on to less... Hollywoodian designs.
To think there are many Windlass models that are discontinued and that I would gladly buy... And they come out with this. A shame! |
I just got an MRL catalogue in the mail - no. 114. -- the first I have seen in a long time. There were media tie-ins before, but now the catalogue is inundated with them - movie, televison, book, video. In this issue there were products (mostly costumes) for Harry Potter, Robin Hood (two separate sets), The Tudors, Braveheart, Steampunk, 300, Conan, Assassin's Creed, and Wheel of Time. I guess the stuff for The Eagle will show up in no. 115.
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A. Gallo
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| Posted: Fri 18 Feb, 2011 12:56 am Post subject: |
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I was about to say that it may be a good thing for the beater & wallhanger companies to focus on franchise licensing while smaller, more educated makers saturate the historical market... Especially since it seems to me like the price gap has shrunken so much.
But then I remembered how I have to forcefully forget hideous "440 Damascus" interpretations of R.E. Howard and G.R.R. Martin weapons to avoid ruining the books too...
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Simon G.
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| Posted: Fri 18 Feb, 2011 2:45 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | Why then expect much (or less) of a movie prop?
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| Quote: | I was about to say that it may be a good thing for the beater & wallhanger companies to focus on franchise licensing while smaller, more educated makers saturate the historical market... Especially since it seems to me like the price gap has shrunken so much.
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Well, the thing I find frustrating with Windlass - and apparently it's getting worse - is that they can actually make OK to very good products (for the price) and are also capable of erring towards something like historical accuracy... But they seem hell-bent on actually not producing weapons that are (somewhat) historically accurate or even in good taste (as these "celtic swords" would show). I mean it's as if they try to be bad. It's as infuriating as a writer who has some talent but who insists on writing cheap, cheesy "airport novels".
I suppose we're seeing the unfortunate consequences of the death of Mr. Hank Reinhardt... Back then Windlass had one educated person on board, but I guess marketing types have taken his place now.
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Chad Arnow
myArmoury Team
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| Posted: Fri 18 Feb, 2011 5:56 am Post subject: |
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| Simon G. wrote: | | I mean it's as if they try to be bad. It's as infuriating as a writer who has some talent but who insists on writing cheap, cheesy "airport novels". |
Unfortunately, it's quite possible the author turns out "airport novels" because they sell well.  I believe that's the case here as well. What we often forget (or refuse to acknowledge) is that historical accuracy nuts are a minority of consumers. Catering just to us is bad business. Ask A&A, Albion, the Mercenary's Tailor, and other companies how lucrative catering to accuracy nuts is. (The answer: it's not) Plus, many people enter this hobby through attractions to weapons seen on screen or read about in books. MRL is simply trying to be a business that makes money and is making sure they appeal to the widest audience possible. The best thing we (who cherish accuracy) can do is remember that we simply aren't the primary target audience for companies like MRL.
| Quote: | | I suppose we're seeing the unfortunate consequences of the death of Mr. Hank Reinhardt... Back then Windlass had one educated person on board, but I guess marketing types have taken his place now. |
The reality is that Hank's close affiliation with MRL ended many years ago. His consultant role was a largely ceremonial/PR one. You can search for some of his posts here that outline that. He was frustrated with how little they asked for and heeded his advice as well as they direction they chose to go. Essentially, they made the business decision to go with profitability over accuracy.
ChadA
http://chadarnow.com/
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Christopher Gregg
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| Posted: Fri 18 Feb, 2011 9:18 am Post subject: |
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Hey!!! They've just copied two of Jake Powning's Celtic sword reproductions, one of which is MY sword! I bought his "Little Crouching Lugh" sword back in 2003, and I can tell you, it feels like the real thing. These rip-offs do nothing to honor the Celts or Jake's work.
At least they're cheap... 
Christopher Gregg
'S Rioghal Mo Dhream!
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T Franks
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| Posted: Fri 18 Feb, 2011 10:11 am Post subject: |
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| Christopher Gregg wrote: | Hey!!! They've just copied two of Jake Powning's Celtic sword reproductions, one of which is MY sword! I bought his "Little Crouching Lugh" sword back in 2003, and I can tell you, it feels like the real thing. These rip-offs do nothing to honor the Celts or Jake's work.
At least they're cheap... |
Well, to be fair, credit should be given to the original unknown smiths who first made these hilts. Even some of Jake's swords are reproductions of certain surviving specimens, with some personal flair added. Jake's swords & scabbards look very nice though. It must be nice to have one  If you look in the collections here, you can see Nate also has a nice repro of one of these very same anthro hilts that MRL offers, that is based off of a specific example. I guess what i'm trying to say is; aren't all "reproductions" copies, technically? Not just these MRL examples.
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David Wilson
Location: In a van down by the river Joined: 23 Aug 2003
Posts: 803
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| Posted: Fri 18 Feb, 2011 6:18 pm Post subject: |
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As usual with MRL, disappointing. So close, and yet so far. The hilts look like fairly decent reproductions of originals, the blades look like... well, you know. The gladii are reversed; decent blades, nice scabbards, cheezy inaccurate hilts. Maybe these would make good project swords, if you wanted to put the time and effort into them...?
And leather lorica segmentata. Wow.
David K. Wilson, Jr.
Laird of Glencoe
Now available on Amazon: Franklin Posner's "Suburban Vampire: A Tale of the Human Condition -- With Vampires" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072N7Y591
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P. Cha
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| Posted: Sat 19 Feb, 2011 12:44 pm Post subject: |
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You know, when those celtic swords become deal of the days and sell for 80 bucks, I think I may pick them up just for the hilts.
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Mikko Kuusirati
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| Posted: Sun 20 Feb, 2011 6:07 am Post subject: |
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You know, without actually knowing, I'd guess these are simply the exact same designs they used as common props in the movie - which have to be cheap, easy and quick to make, and only need to look good or "right" at a distance. You'd be surprised how plain crappy most perfectly nice movie props actually look in person, especially the non-"heroic" (ie. made for close-ups) models.
"And sin, young man, is when you treat people like things. Including yourself. That's what sin is."
— Terry Pratchett, Carpe Jugulum
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Glen A Cleeton
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| Posted: Fri 03 Feb, 2012 2:29 pm Post subject: |
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| P. Cha wrote: | | You know, when those celtic swords become deal of the days and sell for 80 bucks, I think I may pick them up just for the hilts. |
The anthromorphic is the deal of the weekend. In other news, Sleepy Hollow has made it to their chart with one offering so far. http://www.museumreplicas.com/g-37-sleepy-hollow.aspx
Cheers
GC
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Robert Muse
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| Posted: Fri 03 Feb, 2012 4:14 pm Post subject: Celtic |
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If you want one of these, just buy the Del Tin for a few dollars more, or a used one for about the same.
Much better blade and will take a good edge with a little work. I have one, there are a few issues, but minor.
Regards
Robert
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This is a standard topic
