Hello,
I am a long time reader and this is my first post. I have read many reviews on this site and others and have not been able to find any comments on the MRL long sword or 15th century long sword. I am attracted to both swords but the wire grip on the 15th is a bit sparkly for my taste, although aging it might work. I understand that MRL is not a premier brand, and I as a beginner would not probably be able to feel the nuances in handling between many of the high end swords and those offered by MRL ( although some of the reviews on myArmoury would show that some products by MRL are quite equal to those that cost much more ). I am interested in the swords mentioned above but am worried about . . . .seeking a word here. . . flopishness? The weight of the two swords seems acceptable at 3 and 3.6 pds, but has anyone had a chance to handle them. Kult of Athena has them listed at I think around 170 and 160. In any case anyone with some experience with these swords out there?

I admit that I am unexperienced and I have not had the chance to handle the higher end swords (e.g. Albion) but I have the 15th C longsword and I really like it. The fit and finish are both good and it feels good moving through cuts and drills. For the money, I'd say the balance and handling characteristics are good and the appearance is also quite good.

For someone looking to spend ~$200 on a sword, I'd definitely recommend it.

I have a Windlass "Long Sword"--the one with the wide, cusped cross, and the triple-fullered ricasso. The blade seems very similar to the Windlass 15th C. Longwsord, with the possible exception of the length of the ricasso.

I'm not particularly skilled, so my impressions shoud be weighed accordingly... The blade is flexible, but not "whippy" like I was told it might be. It is not, however, as stiff as it should be for thrusting at hard targets--maybe not even softer targets. I believe the sword would perfom well in cutting--it seems to track well, and it acclerates quiclky and easily. The balance point is rougly at the end of the ricasso (6"); given that and the light weight (3#), it's very manuverable.

I was completely underwhelmed by the grip when I received the sword. The leather cover was sub-standard and the stitch-work was rather coarse. I've since replaced the cheap leather and cord with a double wire wrap. It's considerably more attractive and secure.

Hope this helps.

--Jim

Thank you for your replies,
The rigidity of the Long sword as well as the grip are something I will keep in mind, that was the one I was leaning towards. If you were to hold the blade out at 90 degrees it doesn't sag does it? I once examined a low quality Claymore that was so saggy you could actually see it hanging down towards the tip. I really love the blade on the Long sword but am drawn to the beauty of the cross guard of the 15th Century. For a 38 inch blade I feel that 3 pounds is quite good for any manufacturer.

From what I see (or seem to see...) the long Sword blade does hang. It's not especially noticable at arm's length--but I'd estimate a .75" dip starting the in last third.

Other swords--including a couple of shorter Albions--also seem to have the slightest dip. One in particular does not: the Kingmaker.

I have the 15th cent. longsword, and it is by far my favorite Windlass. Balance point is about 5.5". And at the low weight, does feel very lively. The sag is limited, ~.25, if that. And I was surprised to see how well the stitching and wire wrap were executed. The cross is eye candy for this sword, but I drool over cross guards of this style, so I guess I'm biased! (The Del Tin 2161 is a pretty dish) Similar to the other Windlass longsword, this is more cut, than thrust.

Take care,
Mike

Mainly being an internet scholar on this stuff I didn't realise that many swords it seems when held at 90 degrees begin to bend/flex under thier own wieght. I knew that they would when pressure was exerted upon them and then return to true, I just didn't imagine them flexing under thier own wieght. I am sure it is appropriate but was just not my "vision" of how a sword behaves. Time to change my way of thinking again. Thanks for all the input everyone.

Their seems to be a bit of interest in these two swords, can any one let me know it the tang is screw or peened. I have been searching for awhile for a review on either of these swords, and have not found one. There are also no pictures of the sword in hand which I would also be interested in seeing. Any body willing to post some pictures or if there is another thread around on handling and such.

I wish MRL and other sites would make the balance point and some other details more readily available. I know it's a mistake to put too much emphasis on individual numbers, but since you have to make a purchasing decision without an opportunity to handle the sword first, I think it's important to include as much information as possible.

I have a Cold Steel "hand and a half" sword (http://www.coldsteel.com/88hnh.html) that I had started another thread to discuss recently. In comparison, it's balance point is closer in (about 4.75"), and weighs nearly the same (3 lbs 1 ounce according to the website). For my tastes, I feel it's a little blade heavy, and not as lively as I'd like, even with a slightly shorter blade. Not bad, but not ideal either. It's possible these MRL swords feel better, but I'm guessing they're very similar... though your tastes may be quite different than mine. I tend to go for a very light feel.

Anyway, just food for thought to complicate things for you. Heh :)