Razor
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Post by Razor on Jun 30, 2008 8:11:47 GMT
Windlass D - Guard BowieBy Ray Harrington The add said. Popular in the Confederacy during the Civil War it was seen chopping branches,splitting logs,slicing saplings and even had its way with a Yankee or two.The D-Guard Bowie is more like a small hanger/cutlass to me then a bowie. To me this is a perfect sword for modern times because it's not to big but not to small to be used as a sword plus it also has a simple guard to protect the hand. And it is only $84.95. First impression is this sword is fun! When doing some dry handling, I was easily able to do Meyer's dusack, military saber, Chinese dao,and knife/dagger drills. It is hard to put this sword down, it is so much fun and fast. This sword is good for close combat and in tight places. My hallway is 37" wide and I had no problem going down the hall doing saber drills. Blade length: 18" Hilt length: 4 7/8" Overall: 22 5/8" POB: 2 5/8" COB: 12 1/2" Weight: 1.5 lbs. The fit and finish is really good everything is tight and put together nicely but I let the pictures show you. Blade The blade is 18" long, 1 9/16" wide, and 3/8" thick. The tip is clip point with a 8 1/2" false edge. The grip a guard are all connected and there is no pommel. As you can see the guard wraps around the handle and is peened to the bottom, making it a strong and a secure handle. Scabbard This has got to be the best fitting scabbard I have seen made by Windlass. The blade fits so tight and snug that I can hold it upside down and shake it a bit and the sword doesn't fall out. Now for the fun part CUTTING!Like I said I practice doing dusack, saber and dao with this sword...so when cutting in this video I use all three styles. The first two were dusack and the next four were saber and the last two were dao. Like I said before this sword is fast, lite,and a good cutter. The size makes it great for running, jumping, falling and all the other stuff you would need to do in battle. It would just as good as a second hand weapon as it would be the main weapon and for only under $100. Historical accuracy: 3 / 5 Fit and finish: 4 / 5 Handling: 5 / 5 Structural integrity: 5 / 5 Value for money: 5 / 5 Overall:4.75 / 5 Where to buy: Atlanta Cutlery for $84.95
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 30, 2008 13:06:23 GMT
That does look like fun! Could be your great technique . Uh oh, I am only interested in katanas, right ,OK, I'll keep repeating that for a while. Thanks for sharing +1
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Post by ShooterMike on Jun 30, 2008 14:30:16 GMT
Great review Ray. I can't count the times I've gone looking at this one in both the MRL catalog and on their website. I just never convinced myself to buy one. This review clearly shows they are worth the $85.
Since I'm a true "son fo the Confederacy" (ancestors who served in the Confederacy as "Missouri Raiders") this might just be a nice addition to my collection. ;D
+1 to you and thanks for putting in the work it takes to do such a thorough review.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 30, 2008 14:50:21 GMT
Hey Razor, that was fantastic to watch and a really good review, that little sword is very very cute.
Just one piece of advice, the cut you made at the 24 second mark looks like you were doing a tiger tail cut (a cut that passes from the opposite side of the body to the hand you are using, around behind the opposite shoulder, around behind the head and back around the parallel shoulder and snapping outwards to make the cut) being a fellow practitioner of the dao you need to make the "wrap" more pronounced. Your technique is good and forgive me if I am seeing something that you weren't attempting but I thought I should comment.
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Post by 293master293 on Jun 30, 2008 14:57:42 GMT
I used to own the D-Guard bowie, I loved it. It cuts just as good as any katana that I ever owned. Hey Razor, you ought to sharpen up the false edge, makes this thing a lot more fun.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 30, 2008 22:09:57 GMT
I can't count the times I've gone looking at this one in both the MRL catalog and on their website. I just never convinced myself to buy one. This review clearly shows they are worth the $85. Me too! This "knife" (more like a short sword if you ask me) and several others in the ACC catalog have had my eye for a long time.
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Razor
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Post by Razor on Jul 1, 2008 0:06:09 GMT
Thank you guys.
Good eye BW, I'm used to cutting with a dao which is bigger and heavier then the D-Guard but I know what you are talking about and normally do it like that. I think subconsciously I didn't want to poke myself and I'm not used to being filmed yet made me hasty and my form was off on all my cuts.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 1, 2008 1:47:32 GMT
Razor: I assumed that the slightly sloppy way you made the cut was more to do with the blade and the weight than your actual technique. You don't by chance happen to study Silver's system of sabre combat do you? Some of those cuts look very much like his work. I am tempted to pick up a D-blade short sabre blade myself, I have been trying to decide if I can spare the $75 it would cost or if I save up and go for something slightly longer.
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Razor
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Today is tomorrow but not yet yesterday
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Post by Razor on Jul 1, 2008 3:44:31 GMT
Razor: I assumed that the slightly sloppy way you made the cut was more to do with the blade and the weight than your actual technique. You don't by chance happen to study Silver's system of sabre combat do you? Some of those cuts look very much like his work. I am tempted to pick up a D-blade short sabre blade myself, I have been trying to decide if I can spare the $75 it would cost or if I save up and go for something slightly longer. Yeah I study Silver and some other British masters, there also was a hint of Meyer's rapier. The saber stance comes from 1800 military saber from Britain, it is simply called "Engaging guard B ". Silver used the basket hilt but you could use it with a saber.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 1, 2008 4:46:01 GMT
Well some basket hilts like the schiav are technically sabres anyway and Silver is brillant I have been studying one of his books to add to the weapons stuff I do. Technically I am following my own style of combat combining all the interesting things from other systems but I love sabre combat and might have to learn it in its pure form.
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admin
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Post by admin on Jul 1, 2008 5:34:54 GMT
Excellent Review Razor! Looks like a bundle of fun to use. +30 review points!
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Razor
Member
Review Points: 55
Today is tomorrow but not yet yesterday
Posts: 501
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Post by Razor on Jul 1, 2008 7:00:24 GMT
Thanks Paul...and yes it is a bundle of fun to use.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 1, 2008 15:05:43 GMT
This I like!! I never really paid much attention to this blade in the magazines... always passed by it. At about $85, doesn't look like you could ever go wrong! Very nice review brother! +1 to you!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2008 10:20:58 GMT
Razor
This is impressive review and I already sold on this bowie when I saw first picture with the bowie on your shoulder ,that thing is huge !. I have a question about this one. Did you order your sharp ? I checked both Atlanta Cutlery catalog and thier web site and I could not find the option for sharpening service for this one(they can shapen other bowies but not this one ?)
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Razor
Member
Review Points: 55
Today is tomorrow but not yet yesterday
Posts: 501
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Post by Razor on Jul 4, 2008 17:36:01 GMT
Razor This is impressive review and I already sold on this bowie when I saw first picture with the bowie on your shoulder ,that thing is huge !. I have a question about this one. Did you order your sharp ? I checked both Atlanta Cutlery catalog and thier web site and I could not find the option for sharpening service for this one(they can shapen other bowies but not this one ?) I sharpened it myself.
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Post by 293master293 on Jul 4, 2008 19:38:30 GMT
Razor This is impressive review and I already sold on this bowie when I saw first picture with the bowie on your shoulder ,that thing is huge !. I have a question about this one. Did you order your sharp ? I checked both Atlanta Cutlery catalog and thier web site and I could not find the option for sharpening service for this one(they can shapen other bowies but not this one ?) I sharpened it myself. Its odd, when I ordered mine from ACC, they sent me a razor sharp one. My guess is that they made a mistake and sent someone who paid for a sharpening opinion a dull one by accident, and sent me a sharp one.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2008 5:23:32 GMT
What did you use, and was it easy to sharpen? I've long wondered about Windlass's knives. Are they tempered down to the level of their swords (mid to upper 40s HRC) or left harder? I know you can't specifically answer the hardness question, but knowing how easily it sharpened would give some idea. Thanks.
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Razor
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Review Points: 55
Today is tomorrow but not yet yesterday
Posts: 501
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Post by Razor on Jul 5, 2008 6:52:15 GMT
What did you use, and was it easy to sharpen? I've long wondered about Windlass's knives. Are they tempered down to the level of their swords (mid to upper 40s HRC) or left harder? I know you can't specifically answer the hardness question, but knowing how easily it sharpened would give some idea. Thanks. Has I can tell its about the same hardness as their swords. I tried to do something deferent when I sharpened this, I used this belt grinder to start it up instead of a file. Then I finished it with sanding block and DMT sharpeners.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2008 8:12:39 GMT
That looks like a fun sword.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 12, 2008 2:17:03 GMT
Nice review. Ive had a chance to do some cutting with a friends and I has very happy with it! It handles effortlessly. I really have to pick one of those up.
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