Windlass Sword of Oran Review
Mar 20, 2007 4:17:15 GMT
Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2007 4:17:15 GMT
Windlass Steelcrafts Sword of Oran Review
Introduction
So much have been discussed and dwelled upon on double-edged European swords that in my humble opinion, their single-edged cousins seem neglected. I shall therefore attempt to review a Windlass backsword which I purchased recently - the Sword of Oran.
The Sword of Oran is one of the few Windlass replicas that are copies of specific swords; Windlass describes this replica as a sword to commemorate the Spanish victory over the Moslems in Oran in year 1450, and attributed this sword as the form favored by the Spanish sword-and-buckler infantry troops during the era of Ferdinand V of castile and Aragon.
A photo of the original relic can be found on page 42 of "Swords And Hilt Weapons"...
..but the brief caption relates its origin to a Venetian broadsword made in about 1400 and currently preserved in the armory of the Council of Ten in the Doges' Palace in Venice!
A further search on the Internet yielded another similar replica from the Albion site, which also associated it with the Venetian Doge. The Doge (Duke) was an elected head of the Venetian state, and held office for life, much like the Holy Roman Emperor. He was often regarded as an ecclesiastical, civil and military leader. The person selected as Doge was usually the shrewdest elder in the city, politically, at least.
So it's Two against One and I should think it's a misnomer to call the replica Sword of Oran, but since it's the Windlass version I purchased, it's only appropriate to refer it according to Windlass' catalog name to avoid confusion.
Overview
The Sword of Oran (or 'Oran' for ease) was my first European sword from Windlass Steelcrafts (though not my first swords by them), and they did an incredible job in replicating the original at a relatively affordable price range! I purchased the Oran from the Closeouts section in Reliks.com because Windlass has reportedly discontinued this item from their inventory.
Measurements and Specifications:
Weight: 3 lbs
Overall Length: 43 inches
Blade Length: 36 inches
Blade Width: 1.5 inches (measured at guard)
Guard Width: 7 inches
Hilt Length: 7 inches (from Guard to pommel)
Point of Balance: approx. 5.75 inches from guard
What caught my eyes and set this replica apart were its somewhat peculiar-looking hilt assembly and the ricasso; the Oran hilt consists of a unique guard, a wooden grip that's partially decorated with brass fittings and a relatively small but solid pommel.
The solid L-shaped guard is straight on one end but bend and form into a knuckle-bow on the oppposite end with a finger ring branching out at the same end but towards the ricasso. The grip is roundish with a slight bulge towards the middle and decorated with brass fittings that not only help provide a firm grip on the weapon, but also enhance its aesthetic appeal due to the contrast in textures and colors between the two material used.
The pommel vaguely resembles a teardrop shape but with faceted sides and a flattened point, which I believe was where the tang was preened and flushed.
The flat, single-edged blade is constructed of 1065/1095 high carbon steel (according to Windlass specifications) with a single narrow well-defined fuller running parallel and along each sides of the false edge, stopping at just about 10 inches from the tip. And from there on, the blade becomes double-edged with a flattened diamond cross-section. This produces a point stiff enough for lethal thrusts yet strong enough to deliver effective cuts! The Oran is therefore a fine example of a cut-and-thrust sword. A 'signature' spur can be found at the its ricasso, opposite the finger ring, just like the original relic. The purpose of this spur is (regrettably) unknown to me.
Handling Characteristics
With a weight of 3 lbs and an overall length of 43 inches, the Oran is truly an imposing one-hander, yet surprisingly easy to maneuver! This because the sword possesses a seemingly oversized hilt as well as suitable blade profile tapers resulting in a point of balance that is very near to the guard.
As with all other Windlass replica swords, the blade of the Oran comes blunt; this, I am not allowed to have it sharpened due to import guidelines and requirements from our local law enforcement agency. As such, I am unable to perform any cutting test or determine how well it could hold an edge. I am only able to perform some swing maneuvers and the sword handles rather well despite its length. When swung with a correct speed and angle, the blade produces a soft 'whoosh' sound - thanks to the pair of fullers.
Fit and Finish
The fittings on the Oran are very well-done. There is not a slight rattling and everything seems tightly fitted. Both the sword and scabbard's metal fittings are well polished apart from some scratches on one side of the ricasso, which I believe was sustained during packing or shipping.
When I first unwrapped the Oran from its packaging, the blade and all its steel fittings are coated with grease for protections. Upon cleaning up, everything seems clean and spotless, though I find the blade a tag too shiny for my preference.
An observation I made from out of the different online catalogs is the gap between the finger ring (hook) and the ricasso:
There seems a slight (but critical) difference between Oran sold by Reliks and the rest! Most other Orans, I noticed, possess a finger ring that ends very near, though not touching the ricasso so that the index finger that's hooked underneath it can get sufficient protection against the opponent's blade sliding up the guard, which is a rather common moves; however, the piece I got from Reliks posseses a gap as wide as 0.75 inch, which is more than enough to put the index fingers at risk of being sliced off!! I have queried the apparent differences with Howard from Reliks but he assured me there is Only One design of the Oran in production and that the differences might be due to the other sites using some pre-production prototypes for their online catalog pics. Guess the only way to confirm would be to purchase another Oran from a different retailer, or double-check with fellow sword enthusiast who happened to an Oran from a different source.
The leather scabbard is neatly sewn on its hind side, and has a slit cut out on one side of the metal chape to 'house' the spur on the ricasso when the sword is sheathed. The V-shaped groove on the metal chape matches that of the quillion block thereby allowing the sword to sit snugly inside the scabbard.
In all, the scabbard is well-constructed although I would very much love to have one that comes with wooden core. As it is, I cannot store the blade inside the scabbard permanently as the chemicals and/or moistures inside the leather scabbard wll cause rust spots to form on the blade.
Conclusion
Overall, I am satisfied with the Sword of Oran made by Windlass Steelcrafts considering its affordable price tag. And I must commend Windlass for doing a good job to replicate the originals so faithfully.
Verdict
Historical Accuracy: 4/5
Fit and Finish: 4/5
Handling: 4/5
Structural Integrity: 5/5
Value for Money: 5/5
Overall: 4/5
Introduction
So much have been discussed and dwelled upon on double-edged European swords that in my humble opinion, their single-edged cousins seem neglected. I shall therefore attempt to review a Windlass backsword which I purchased recently - the Sword of Oran.
The Sword of Oran is one of the few Windlass replicas that are copies of specific swords; Windlass describes this replica as a sword to commemorate the Spanish victory over the Moslems in Oran in year 1450, and attributed this sword as the form favored by the Spanish sword-and-buckler infantry troops during the era of Ferdinand V of castile and Aragon.
A photo of the original relic can be found on page 42 of "Swords And Hilt Weapons"...
..but the brief caption relates its origin to a Venetian broadsword made in about 1400 and currently preserved in the armory of the Council of Ten in the Doges' Palace in Venice!
A further search on the Internet yielded another similar replica from the Albion site, which also associated it with the Venetian Doge. The Doge (Duke) was an elected head of the Venetian state, and held office for life, much like the Holy Roman Emperor. He was often regarded as an ecclesiastical, civil and military leader. The person selected as Doge was usually the shrewdest elder in the city, politically, at least.
So it's Two against One and I should think it's a misnomer to call the replica Sword of Oran, but since it's the Windlass version I purchased, it's only appropriate to refer it according to Windlass' catalog name to avoid confusion.
Overview
The Sword of Oran (or 'Oran' for ease) was my first European sword from Windlass Steelcrafts (though not my first swords by them), and they did an incredible job in replicating the original at a relatively affordable price range! I purchased the Oran from the Closeouts section in Reliks.com because Windlass has reportedly discontinued this item from their inventory.
Measurements and Specifications:
Weight: 3 lbs
Overall Length: 43 inches
Blade Length: 36 inches
Blade Width: 1.5 inches (measured at guard)
Guard Width: 7 inches
Hilt Length: 7 inches (from Guard to pommel)
Point of Balance: approx. 5.75 inches from guard
What caught my eyes and set this replica apart were its somewhat peculiar-looking hilt assembly and the ricasso; the Oran hilt consists of a unique guard, a wooden grip that's partially decorated with brass fittings and a relatively small but solid pommel.
The solid L-shaped guard is straight on one end but bend and form into a knuckle-bow on the oppposite end with a finger ring branching out at the same end but towards the ricasso. The grip is roundish with a slight bulge towards the middle and decorated with brass fittings that not only help provide a firm grip on the weapon, but also enhance its aesthetic appeal due to the contrast in textures and colors between the two material used.
The pommel vaguely resembles a teardrop shape but with faceted sides and a flattened point, which I believe was where the tang was preened and flushed.
The flat, single-edged blade is constructed of 1065/1095 high carbon steel (according to Windlass specifications) with a single narrow well-defined fuller running parallel and along each sides of the false edge, stopping at just about 10 inches from the tip. And from there on, the blade becomes double-edged with a flattened diamond cross-section. This produces a point stiff enough for lethal thrusts yet strong enough to deliver effective cuts! The Oran is therefore a fine example of a cut-and-thrust sword. A 'signature' spur can be found at the its ricasso, opposite the finger ring, just like the original relic. The purpose of this spur is (regrettably) unknown to me.
Handling Characteristics
With a weight of 3 lbs and an overall length of 43 inches, the Oran is truly an imposing one-hander, yet surprisingly easy to maneuver! This because the sword possesses a seemingly oversized hilt as well as suitable blade profile tapers resulting in a point of balance that is very near to the guard.
As with all other Windlass replica swords, the blade of the Oran comes blunt; this, I am not allowed to have it sharpened due to import guidelines and requirements from our local law enforcement agency. As such, I am unable to perform any cutting test or determine how well it could hold an edge. I am only able to perform some swing maneuvers and the sword handles rather well despite its length. When swung with a correct speed and angle, the blade produces a soft 'whoosh' sound - thanks to the pair of fullers.
Fit and Finish
The fittings on the Oran are very well-done. There is not a slight rattling and everything seems tightly fitted. Both the sword and scabbard's metal fittings are well polished apart from some scratches on one side of the ricasso, which I believe was sustained during packing or shipping.
When I first unwrapped the Oran from its packaging, the blade and all its steel fittings are coated with grease for protections. Upon cleaning up, everything seems clean and spotless, though I find the blade a tag too shiny for my preference.
An observation I made from out of the different online catalogs is the gap between the finger ring (hook) and the ricasso:
There seems a slight (but critical) difference between Oran sold by Reliks and the rest! Most other Orans, I noticed, possess a finger ring that ends very near, though not touching the ricasso so that the index finger that's hooked underneath it can get sufficient protection against the opponent's blade sliding up the guard, which is a rather common moves; however, the piece I got from Reliks posseses a gap as wide as 0.75 inch, which is more than enough to put the index fingers at risk of being sliced off!! I have queried the apparent differences with Howard from Reliks but he assured me there is Only One design of the Oran in production and that the differences might be due to the other sites using some pre-production prototypes for their online catalog pics. Guess the only way to confirm would be to purchase another Oran from a different retailer, or double-check with fellow sword enthusiast who happened to an Oran from a different source.
The leather scabbard is neatly sewn on its hind side, and has a slit cut out on one side of the metal chape to 'house' the spur on the ricasso when the sword is sheathed. The V-shaped groove on the metal chape matches that of the quillion block thereby allowing the sword to sit snugly inside the scabbard.
In all, the scabbard is well-constructed although I would very much love to have one that comes with wooden core. As it is, I cannot store the blade inside the scabbard permanently as the chemicals and/or moistures inside the leather scabbard wll cause rust spots to form on the blade.
Conclusion
Overall, I am satisfied with the Sword of Oran made by Windlass Steelcrafts considering its affordable price tag. And I must commend Windlass for doing a good job to replicate the originals so faithfully.
Verdict
Historical Accuracy: 4/5
Fit and Finish: 4/5
Handling: 4/5
Structural Integrity: 5/5
Value for Money: 5/5
Overall: 4/5