Uhlan
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Post by Uhlan on Aug 8, 2014 17:38:03 GMT
Got this little sword this afternoon. Took it apart for the Sword Construction DB and was not pleased with what I saw. I have several problems with this bastard, to note: 1. The grip sits cold on the guard without any side support. Bad. 2. The tang is grinded off to a fraction over 4mm, while the nut end is 8mm. That 4mm does not cut it with me. This is a broad bladed sword, so there will be lots of torque. 3. The whole is kept together with this tiny nut, 12 x 6.5 mm. Wall thickness would be around 2mm. Not the best. I could not see it clearly, but I think there are no more than 5 threads. Definitly not good. The pommel has no supporting features of any kind. It just sits straight onto the leather of the grip. The blade shoulders are good but barely so. I know this model was and is a favourite of a lot of people and it sold like pancakes. That makes me wonder how it it possible there were no accidents reported. No way I would cut with this sword straight out of the box. For my standards this sword is not safe to work with. Cold Steel always has another nut on top of the grip. Here there is only this little one. Others may jump up and down and declare otherwise, but these are my thoughts. I will add the images and numbers to the Sword Construction DB. Do with them as you like. For those that do not like to fiddle around to much with epoxy, I would advise to pin the grip to the tang the Katana way and use plenty of locktight on that nut. Personaly I would do all three solutions. Cheers.
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Post by Bryan Heff on Aug 8, 2014 20:32:10 GMT
The sad thing is many a "battle ready sword" seems to be held together in this fashion....with really the only thing keeping everything compressed together is a small nut or a threaded pommel. The tang is surely looking pretty wimpy on this one as well. Thanks for the info.
So they had no epoxy in there to at least maybe help lock the grip to the tang? I am not a huge fan of grips that slide down on to the tang. I prefer a 2 piece grip epoxied to the tang and the pommel peened.
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Uhlan
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Post by Uhlan on Aug 8, 2014 21:42:55 GMT
Like I said, Cold Steel uses two nuts, so whatever happens the grip will not come off. I like peened better, but the two nut system I prefer over this one nut system with 4 - 5 threads and skimpy walls. What I do not understand is that in all the time this model is around nobody ever questioned the way this sword is put together. Windlass must call itself lucky that nobody got killed or maimed. I think any lawyer would have taken them to the cleaners. A threaded pommel gives lots of grip on the threads and lots of mass to expell forces, so is better than this nut. Infact anything is preferable to this little nut. Posted the numbers and images in the Sword Construction DB, with a link to this thread. Hope it makes people think about what they buy, a little. And Brian, no epoxy, no glue, nothing. Took the nut off with minimal force and the whole assemblage came right off. It took half a turn with a BACO, the rest I could do with my fingers. Yes, the sword looked allright and rung like a bell.
Cheers.
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Sean (Shadowhowler)
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Post by Sean (Shadowhowler) on Aug 8, 2014 23:21:05 GMT
This might be a change in construction... the Windlass German Bastard Sword I had about 5 years ago had a threaded pommel. Normally I don't like threaded pommels... but I tolerated it on that sword because it was solid and because the pommel being a symmetrical shape all around meant it never looked 'out of alignment'. Often with disc or fishtail or other non-symmetrical shaped threaded pommels, the pommel can easily come out of alignment and then look stupid on the sword.
Mine had a much more beefy tang as well.
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Uhlan
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Post by Uhlan on Aug 9, 2014 4:44:36 GMT
To Sean: That would explain a lot. The old series had better construction then. I hope this is not a trend at Windlass, re introducing an old model in this inferior way. Will have to keep our eyes open. Isn't the European also re introduced?
Cheers.
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Sean (Shadowhowler)
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Post by Sean (Shadowhowler) on Aug 9, 2014 12:14:11 GMT
Yes... and the type XIV sword. Also, I think, the Ulfberht. They reintroduced a lot of the popular models from years back... which I thought was very cool, showed they listened to their customers... but if they brought them back very poorly constructed that would be unfortunate... turning those gem is the rough into crap that could hurt someone would be a real bummer. Also, *I* would feel like a total $emprini for recommending swords based on how they were 5-8 years ago only to have them be a total POS now.
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Uhlan
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Post by Uhlan on Aug 9, 2014 21:13:58 GMT
Absolutely. Do we know of anyone owning the swords you mentioned? Would be nice to be able to compaire some old models and the new versions there of.
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