Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 13, 2012 3:39:15 GMT
I've always been a cold steel guy, but after searching through hundreds of sellers and brands to find a new piece for my collection, I bought a windless kindjal. It's very nice, for being so simple. I've found that a lot of Windless/Museum Replicas realy appeal to me. So, when I go to buy a two hundred+ dollar sword for my collection, what should it be, COld Steel or Windless (I only collect battle ready).
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Lunaman
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Post by Lunaman on Jul 13, 2012 3:47:08 GMT
Cold steel and Windlass blades are actually made by the same manufacturer. Windlass's often have more solid hilt construction, but Cold steel provides a nice sharp edge on their models (windlass swords are default unsharpened when ordered).
At that pricepoint, I would strongly consider looking at a Hanwei/Tinker Line sword, Valiant Armoury practical series, or Kris Cutlery sword before windlass and cold steel, other than a few specific models out of their line ups.
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Sean (Shadowhowler)
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Post by Sean (Shadowhowler) on Jul 13, 2012 4:03:18 GMT
^^^ What Luna said.
Given the choice between Cold Steel and Windlass... I tend to go Windlass because Cold Steel's marketing hype annoys me, so I'd rather spend my money elsewhere.
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Post by jcbarnett on Jul 13, 2012 5:24:44 GMT
in the $200 to$400 price range - I have 3 Cold Steels swords, 3 Windlass Steelcrafts, 2 Valiant Armory, and 2 Darksword Armory swords. I tend to prefer the Valiants and Darkswords for balance and sharpness and both companies have great scabbards - but Valiants are about the best sword/scabbard deal going. Cold Steel swords don't have that good of balance but are quite sharp with decent scabbards while the Windlass have pretty basic scabbards and do not have sharpened blades but are reasonably priced for sure - I use my Windlass swords strictly as wallhangers - while the others are all pretty decent cutters.
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Post by William Swiger on Jul 13, 2012 9:51:44 GMT
I have only 1 CS sword, the Grosse Messer. I have had numerous Windlass swords over the years and still have quite a few in the collection.
I ordered a replacement Oakeshott Type XIV from MRL (Had a 20% off coupon). It had some issues and was not quality checked before shipping. MRL offered to replace the sword but I went ahead and fixed the issues myself.
The other was the new Sword of St. Maurice. MRL had the stats listed wrong on the sword and I was not pleased with the sword when I got it. Contacted MRL and they updated the stats.
MRL does have very good customer service but sometimes some swords do not get the QC they should before shipping.
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Post by Beowulf on Jul 13, 2012 10:20:23 GMT
Ahh, so that was you in the feedback on MRL.
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Post by William Swiger on Jul 13, 2012 11:13:29 GMT
Pretty sure I am the one. :lol:
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Tomius
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Back in business my dear brothers in arms :)
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Post by Tomius on Jul 13, 2012 13:01:29 GMT
I have got four Windlass swords and I've been satisfied with all of them, i still have their Sticklestad viking sword and its one hell of a cutter wiht very harmonic balance, and i have their CMS too and thats its the beast of one handet swords, little bit front-heavy but with good reason, I have also owned their Ulfberth sword and Pompei Gladius and would have them still if some junkeys not stolen them for our department... Anyways Windlass is good when you really know what you are looking for.. Hope this help a bit.... Vires et Honor
-Tomius
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Post by Suvurov on Jul 13, 2012 13:47:32 GMT
Don't post much anymore, but this is a topic I can post on with a tiny bit of authority- Any way, I just counted and I have 76 Windlass and 27 Cold Steel pieces. Windlass- I cherry pick my pieces from the "castle" as I live fairly close-I don't buy via mail order from MRL as their swords vary all over the place in quality control. Frankly, it has been a problem since Windlass bought MRL. If you must buy mail order, I'd use Kult of Athena as they seem to do a much better job inspecting before shipping. As to CS, they are great user pieces. I dearly love my Grosse Messer, as its my "go to" piece for brush clearing and sapling removal. That sword is made to be used! The only bad CS I've had (and it was really bad) was the 2 hander.
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Tomius
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Back in business my dear brothers in arms :)
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Post by Tomius on Jul 13, 2012 16:09:08 GMT
Sorry i have forgotten that i have had their Spatha too and i was happy with that too... Anyways this five sword that i mentioned earlier i can personally higly recommed, i also thinking to my next sword to be their Cruciform sword that i dont have experiense but i still wanna let try it.
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Sean (Shadowhowler)
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Post by Sean (Shadowhowler) on Jul 13, 2012 17:04:24 GMT
I'm about 1 & 1/2 hours away from the Castle.. I drop by now and then... where are you?
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Post by chuckinohio on Jul 13, 2012 20:07:46 GMT
The most valuable tool in your arsenal when contemplating the purchase of a Windlass piece, is this forum.
The membership here has probably owned, or does own, every incarnation, variation, and version that Windlass has ever produced.
Do you have questions about any specific models?
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Post by Beowulf on Jul 16, 2012 8:24:14 GMT
I totally agree with Suvurov. They can be good if you cherry pick them. I use KoA to do that. I like Windlass because of the variety, despite being irritated with them constantly. A good way to view them is to think of them as designing swords based off of photographs. They don't tweak their prototypes enough before producing them. They don't understand distal taper, harmonics, proper hilt construction or what is good handle wood. They are really wonderful sword *kits* though, provided you get a piece that the lack of distal taper won't matter on.
I worry they'll go belly up. But they seem to be focusing more on costume oriented stuff these days. Too bad they just don't take weapon design just a little bit further, they'd make a lot more money and it would be nice to see a Windlass made sword that approaches a H/T or another low-to-mid-range "good enough" manufacturer. Still though, I find them consistently tough blades as long as I do a lot of homework, handwork and scrutiny.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 17, 2012 3:07:28 GMT
I did fail to add that Im looking for a double edge longsword, basically european.
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Post by Dave Kelly on Jul 17, 2012 3:29:55 GMT
Windlass has all of a sudden limited their blades to 34 inches in most of their production Medis. Disconcerting. The only longsword of merit currently on the list is the 15th Century Longsword handles wuite nicely one or two handed. Good balance even though the distal taper of the blade is so so .
( Or you could get a Patton Saber; fits your discription :mrgreen: )
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Post by William Swiger on Jul 17, 2012 5:52:35 GMT
EBay has some listed right now for longswords. Do a search for MRL and Windlass.
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Sean (Shadowhowler)
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Post by Sean (Shadowhowler) on Jul 17, 2012 13:39:51 GMT
Keeping their blades shorter is not a bad thing... I typicly only buy Windlass swords that are shorter then 30 inches... only longer sword I've ever been impressed by is the Sword of Roven.
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