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Post by Elheru Aran on Aug 6, 2011 14:53:50 GMT
Okay, so I stopped by the bookstore recently and I flipped through Blade magazine. It's got a fairly decent monthly article on swords... for the life of me I can't remember the author's name, but he lives in the Atlanta area, actually. Reviews mostly Windlass swords, although he has done the Hanwei side sword and a few Cold Steels. I'm not sure that I'd label him an 'expert', but on the other hand he's a sword guy writing in a knife magazine... I think some leeway is allowable. He never mentions anything like the Oakeshott typology, however... but anyway.
So to get to the point: his article in the latest issue of Blade magazine, covers a visit to Windlass Steelcrafts in India, and apparently Windlass is manufacturing licensed Conan swords from the original films.
He covered three-- Valeria's sword, the Father's sword and the Conan sword itself. He didn't specify if it was from the first or second Conan films, but he did note that the original Jody Samson design used a stainless steel blade and to make it 'functional' Windlass used carbon steel instead. He sort of knows what he's talking about here.
I have seen *nothing* about this anywhere else on the Internet, so it obviously has not been released yet except here.
I have to wonder what is going on as Albion is the only maker, far as I know, licensed to produce Conan swords right now. Did they perhaps decide they weren't going to touch the license after the movie that's coming out and drop it?
For my part I have to say I've got misgivings. On the one hand, Conan swords for ~$500ish-- great! On the other hand... Conan swords for ~500ish, without Albion quality... uhhh... yeah. The author kept using the Conan names and what not, and I doubt he'd have tried that if it wasn't official, which the designs definitely look to be even if they aren't up to Albion quality.
So what do you think? Have any of you heard anything about these?
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Post by William Swiger on Aug 6, 2011 14:57:04 GMT
News to me.
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Post by nddave on Aug 6, 2011 21:34:27 GMT
I know mrl does the conan larp weapons under the age of conan licence. perhaps they got a deal to do steel replicas too under that licence? the larp sword does use the jody design. or perhaps the writer got his sources mixed up and he ment albion? happens a lot.
I'd welcome a windlass version actually, or any functional conan replicas under albion prices. I think if this is true and they turn out to be well made, this could be a great boost for windlass business wise.
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Post by Elheru Aran on Aug 6, 2011 21:58:50 GMT
I must print a correction: it wasn't Blade magazine. I stopped by the bookstore again and it was Knives Illustrated. The author is Jerry Ahern. Windlass is very definitely the manufacturer, and this is stated repeatedly by Ahern. The blades themselves certainly don't appear to have the level of clear, crisp detail that Albion has, as further evidence, but they don't appear to be simple wall-hangers at least; Ahern was waving them around, as he states in the article. They're definitely the Jody Samson designs from the first movie at least.
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Post by nddave on Aug 6, 2011 23:58:20 GMT
then if it is windlass I'm sure its because of the age of conan licence. you ever seen the larp sword? it looks just like the movie replica. great detail for a larp sword.
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Post by Elheru Aran on Aug 7, 2011 2:11:08 GMT
The problem with the idea that they're related to the LARP license is, a: Ahern never mentions the LARP license at any point, and b.) they're REAL swords. Obviously not functional as LARP weapons.
Also, as far as I know, the Age of Conan property is separately licensed from the film sword property. The Jody Samson knockoff they have as a LARP sword doesn't really match the film sword all *that* much-- it's detailed, yes, but as a foam sword, it's more of an approximation than a replica of the film sword.
So I'm not sure what's going on there...
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Post by nddave on Aug 7, 2011 5:46:23 GMT
either way the bonus is functional conan replicas for half or maybe even 3/4 the price of albion.
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ecovolo
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Retired Moderator
Posts: 2,074
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Post by ecovolo on Aug 7, 2011 6:17:54 GMT
Wow. Please keep us updated if you find more info?
As far as I know, the I've only seen two companies make replicas of the 1982 movie's swords: 1) Filmswords.com/Albion, and 2) Marto of Spain.
If Windlass is doing *anything*, that's news to me.
--Edward
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Talon
Member
Senior Forumite
Posts: 2,554
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Post by Talon on Aug 7, 2011 7:10:12 GMT
 news to me aswell,a functional fathers sword at a fraction of the albion price,now thats really interesting,abviously it wont have the fit and finish of the albion,but $500 hell i'll take one 
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Post by joeydac on Aug 8, 2011 15:07:33 GMT
sounds interesting if you can please post the pics
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Post by joeydac on Aug 8, 2011 15:07:54 GMT
sounds interesting if you can please post the pics
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Post by Alexander on Aug 9, 2011 13:34:20 GMT
Funny but I cant find anything else about it on the web.
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Post by joeydac on Aug 9, 2011 18:07:50 GMT
yeah me neither i even went on there facebook page and there not talking about it there id like to see some pics
they need to do something they cant be making money with the stuf there producing now
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2011 9:53:23 GMT
Scorpian Bows makes some intresting Conan pieces. Thanks for the heads up.
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Post by Elheru Aran on Aug 10, 2011 17:36:26 GMT
Let me see...
--I believe there's no information on this elsewhere because, well, I could be totally wrong on this, but I have the impression that Jerry Ahern may have direct connections to Windlass; he comments upon visiting their factory in India. As such, I think it's quite probable that he received these swords as a 'preview'.
--Unfortunately I don't have the money to purchase this magazine, and Knives Illustrated's website doesn't really have any way to pull it up.
However, if someone's willing to foot the cost, I'll be happy to pick up a copy and scan it, post the images on here. If whoever paid for the magazine wants, I'll even send the copy on to them after I'm done scanning it. Fair do's? I don't think it could be more than $8, probably...
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Post by nddave on Aug 12, 2011 1:31:31 GMT
not to sound to rougish, but you could snap a fewpics on your cell phone.
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Post by Elheru Aran on Aug 12, 2011 18:28:52 GMT
Yeah... my cell phone is cheap-ass early 2000's, no camera... sorry!
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Post by joeydac on Aug 12, 2011 21:20:45 GMT
well its official they posted it on there website there doing the swords and armor from the 1982 conan and the new 2011 conan movie and there also making replicas from the spartacus series cant wait i dont know though im still waiting for the gladiator series to be released and the sleepy hollow series there taking forever which i dont understand because there new releases seems to be flat lately
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jhart06
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Slowly coming back from the depths...
Posts: 3,292
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Post by jhart06 on Aug 12, 2011 23:08:31 GMT
The Spartacus stuff is intriguing, and a re-release of both Conan's waeapons and armor? Cool.
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Post by joeydac on Aug 13, 2011 3:40:16 GMT
yeah they have the pics on there faceboook page it looks like there reusing the greaves from the eagle movie though but the helmets are great looking so are the thracian sword the one guy looks like he has
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news to me aswell,a functional fathers sword at a fraction of the albion price,now thats really interesting,abviously it wont have the fit and finish of the albion,but $500 hell i'll take one 
