Windlass Oakeshott Type XIV Sword Review
Oct 24, 2015 7:12:23 GMT
Post by nddave on Oct 24, 2015 7:12:23 GMT
Windlass Oakeshott Type XIV Sword Review
Reviewed by, NDDave (David) Emmett, ID
Hi Everybody,
So I just received a new sword today and decided after plenty of research and inspection of the sword decided to write a review. The sword I received and will be reviewing is the Windlass Oakeshott Type XIV. This sword is a popular one around the sword community and has already had a few reviews of it but I would like to add my opinions as well as research into the sword and its typology. So let’s get into it and I hope you enjoy reading.
Historical overview
This sword is easily described as a Type XIV in the Oakeshott Typology. With it broad tapering blade, ¾ length fuller and acute tip the Type XIV was a unique and easily the most transitional of the blade profiles in the Typology. One other unique thing about Type XIV blades are their shorter than average blade lengths. Most blades of the XIV type are around 24”-30” at their longest, with some reaching a few inches longer. The entirety of found Type XIV blades have been categorized in Oakeshott’s Family B of hilt types. Primarily due to the standard hilt furniture these swords had, which were wide flat but bossed pommels and slightly thin arched cross guards. The Type XIV is considered by most to be the most transitional of profiles due to its placement in the Typology. In the Oakeshott Typology two classes of blade profiles can be seen. Class 1, which primarily consists of flat lenticular blades for cutting and Class 2, which primarily consists of diamond ridged and hexagonal blades for added thrusting capabilities. The Type XIV is the latest in the Class 1 and also offers the most acute tip suited for thrusting, though still keeping a broad flat upper section for cutting.
Being the first of its kind to offer a cut and thrust combination in profile it does have some less appealing features that some of its later brethren. One being it’s shorter than average blade length. Though its shorter length does have its benefits, such as offering a quicker handling arming sword in close quarters, as well as having more blade mass to offer stout thrusting. Something the warrior of the time needed against the new advancements in armor of the time, such as plate mail and armor which had begun to appear on the battlefield and was nearly impervious to lenticular cut focused blades. Another benefit of its profile was the broader than average blade width which allowed more cutting surface especially at shorter lengths. The Type XIV is very uniquely its own blade but shares similarities to its ancestor the Gladius as well as its predecessors where you can and see it was advanced and improved upon by smiths with the more efficiently designed Type XVI and XVIa cut and thrust blades.
The Type XIV seems to be a popular sword of its time, even if that time was relatively short for your average blade type proving more of its placement as a transitional blade type. It is one of the most seen blade types in burial effigies and medieval art. It’s sometimes hard to decipher these swords in art from its Type XII and Type XV brethren in effigies due to most being depicted sheathed. Though is most easily depicted in art due to its broad base and shorter than average blade length. The Type XIV seemed to be favored by the Knight on horseback (Ironically compared to the earlier Type XI which is the opposite profile regarding horseback combat) as well as the footman and archer, who’s primary weapon the bow was useless in close quarters. It has prominently been seen in use in the Fechtbuch Manuscript with a buckler. Back to bowmen it seems that the secondary weapons of archers was in fact the short sword and buckler. It seems very appropriate that the Type XIV was the most prominent on the battlefield at its height of popularity when you look at the prominence of the longbow at the same time and the information about the archer class.
This specific Windlass reproduction is based on one such popular sword found in Chartres Cathedral and is now displayed in a museum in France, pictured above. This sword was well preserved over the centuries like most other church kept swords. It is said to have belonged to Philippe IV, le Bel, who deposited the sword in the cathedral with his armor in 1308 in gratitude for his victory in the battle at Mons en Pouille. Being the replica of one of Philippe the IV’s swords does add to some of its notoriety. Not only is it a knightly sword of a King of France, this is King of France best known for his conflicts with Edward I of England, the Jewish community of France which he expelled in 1307 as well as his most notorious exploit on Friday the 13th 1307 when he suppressed and later executed the Order of the Knights Templar.
Full Disclosure
In disclosure I am not affiliated with Windlass Swords. This sword was received in trade by fellow forum member Bennett Snipes, who was the original owner. I’m just a fellow sword loving forum member that enjoys reviewing and discussing swords here on this forum with it’s awesome community.
Initial Impressions
Overall I was really excited to get ahold of this sword. As you can see from my historical overview this is one sword type that has always intrigued me and one that I knew I had to handle to understand. Shipment was fast and direct. Packaging was great and thanks to Bennett apparently keeping ahold of its original packaging, came almost exactly how it would be sent by Museum Replicas themselves.
My first impressions were caught on the length and width of the blade. I know this replica is less broad than most Type XIV replicas it is still of a very impressive width. Much wider at the base than any of my other swords, even my Lowlander and a shorter length than any other European sword I own. I was also surprised at the size of the hilt. The pommel was wider than any of my other wheel pommels and the guard was thicker than most as well. Judging by the picture of the original and of other Family B hilt configurations this seems to be quite the norm. Overall an attractive and stout sword.
Statistics
Blade Length: 26” (Blade width, 2 5/8" at base tapering to 1” before the tip)
Handle Length: 4” (3 1/2” round at base tapering to 3 1/4” round at pommel)
Overall Length: 33”
Guard Width: 7” (length ½”)
Point of Balance: 4” from the guard
Center of Percussion: 16” from the guard
Weight: Little over 2 ½ lbs
The Blade
The blade is short and stout, wide at the base and tapers moderately to a sharp acute point. It has the typical mirror-like high polish of most Windlass swords and has a nicely terminating fuller on both sides of the blade. The blade is quite flat in profile with a flat diamond profile past the fuller. Though the Type XIV Typology states these blade primarily had a lenticular profile through the blade length there are many examples (including the one this sword is based on) that do have a prominent diamond ridged profile past the fuller. Very similar to the hexagonal to diamond profile of most Type XVIa blades. I was surprised at how rigid this blade was. Not a lot of flex when giving it a flex test. I think a lot of this has to do with its length as well as its wide profile. The sword feels like it could thrust through and effortlessly cut in half or in good quarter anything put in front of it.
Since this is a second hand sword, I can’t really judge how it came from MRL. It is in great shape and aside from a few light cutting scratches looks brand new like it was first hand. The blade is sharp, very sharp to be exact and has a slight secondary bevel to it. I’m not sure if Bennett sharpened it or if it was either sharpened by a third party or by MRL’s service (forgot to ask) but it is quite an impressive sharpening job. If this is a MRL job I must say they’ve really stepped up their service since the last time I used it. The tip is sharp and pointy but has the same feeling of rigidness as the rest of the blade. Overall a very attractive and durable feeling blade that is very accurate to its historical counterpart.
(Pic of the XIV tip compared to others in my collection, top to bottom: Homildon, Effigy, XIV, European)
The Handle
The handle is quite long in my opinion for a single handed sword. At exactly 4” it feels oddly in the middle between the standard 3”-3 ½” arming sword handle or the 5”-7” hand and a half handle. I guess you could call it a “hand and a quarter” handle. 4” inches didn’t seem on paper to be that much different than for example my Windlass European Sword’s handle length of 3 ¾” but that ¼” does make it feel that much longer. I guess it wouldn’t really effect a larger handed individual than me (probably feel more comfortable than 3”) but I do notice it with my medium sized hand. It’s not uncomfortable by any means, it just feels a little awkward at first. The handle itself has a slightly wide oval shape. Its circumference down its length is 3 ¾” around at the guard, only tapering down to 3 ½” around at the pommel. Oddly enough Oakeshott does mention that swords of these types tended to have longer than average handles. Not sure what the benefit of having a little more grip does but perhaps it held some benefit to the historical wielder that I’m not aware of?
Another defining feature is a slight ridge shape to its front and back face sides at the upper half that slowly fades towards the lower half. It terminates pretty well and does seem to add a little more palm grip. A nice little addition especially on a Windlass. The leather is the standard black variety found on almost all Windlass swords. It does feel like a thicker piece of leather than what was used on my Roven or European for example. The seam is also of standard Windlass stitch and is terminated decently with only one slight flaw. Right below the guard you can see where the seam didn’t butt tight and can see the wood underneath. Not a big issue as I’m more than likely going to re-wrap this sword as well. Overall a nicely crafted handle with its only minor flaws being the stitching and odd (but historically accurate) length.
The Guard
The guard is easily classified as a Type 7 style guard and in Oakeshott’s classification of guards the Type 7 was prominent among Type XIV blades. Type 7 guards are described as being long with arching quillons towards the blade. It is cast well and made of a mild steel. It is kind of bulky with each quillon being ½”x ½” throughout their length. It’s not uncomfortable or cumbersome in any way, I’m just surprised at the bulky size. Then again when you look at the original its guard was quite bulky as well. It fits excellently and has no rattle or movement whatsoever. It also lines up well to the handle and though a little wide at the mouth fits the blade extremely well and is flush. Overall a nicely cast and very historically accurate guard.
The Pommel
The pommel is also easily classified as a Type K pommel in Oakeshott’s classification. This pommel type is classified as having a wide flat wheel shape with very prominent central bosses. Most were solid but many, like the one on this sword and the original were recessed in the center. Normally to facet a special trinket or coin into the pommel. The Historical original has such a facet, a small cloth cross is imbedded into the recession. Another example is the sword of King Edward III which has his coat of arms in the facet. The pommel of this sword’s face is 2 ¼” long and 2 ½” wide as well as ½” thick. The recessed boss on each side is right at 1”x1” and about ½ cm deep. Plenty of room for any coin or trinket you would want to place inside it. The pommel is cast well and has no marks or pitting. The peen is decent enough and has the usual Windlass unfiled hammered look. Overall and impressive and unique pommel I was happy to see firsthand. The only difference I can tell from it and the original is the original had a peen block.
The Scabbard
The scabbard is the standard variety leather scabbard Windlass offers with most of their swords. It’s made of the harder variety leather like the Sword of Roven. It fits the sword pretty loosely and unfortunately is probably the worst fitting scabbard among all my Windlass scabbards. It just seems they over compensated and made the grove and throat wider than the actual sword. It is too bad because I really like this hard leather as opposed to the flimsier leather of my Effigy and European sword. It does its job housing the blade but rattles quite loudly and won’t hold the sword upside down put in either side. Overall a decent scabbard that was unfortunately carved internally a little too big for the sword. I’m not sure if this is a flaw in mine alone or is how these scabbards come in general but hopefully others don’t fit the same. Aesthetically it looks good and I like the mouth and chape, they are very similar to the ones used on the European sword with a few slight differences.
Handling Characteristics
This sword is very lively when handled. Even with a lower point of balance and shorter blade this sword doesn’t feel the slightest tip heavy. Compared to both my European which is more tip heavy and my Effigy which has a higher point of balance and is thrust oriented, it does seem to fit right in the middle. It feels the most alive in a handshake grip performing quick snap cuts and thrusts. It has enough balance point to offer authority when cutting but still allows very precise thrusts. As its typology describes I can really see how this sword was the transition point for cut and thrust blade types as it does both with great efficiency. The hilt is comfortable and even though takes some getting used to with the slightly longer handle does feel very serviceable. The guard feels comfortable in the grip and the pommel shape doesn’t break my grip and is comfortable as well. The leather is slightly slick after a little sweat but that will be remedied in the future.
Overall this sword handles great and I can see how it was so popular at its time. It may be short but in close quarters or even indoors (think of the thin winding corridors and stairways of castles) this sword would be absolutely devastating. Looking at the old manuals showing duels with Type XIV and bucklers I can now understand more just how effective that style of combat was. The sword can be used two handed but I feel much like with my Effigy Sword, it’s meant for single handed use and feels overpowered and unbalanced two handed. I can easily envision a knight riding across the battlefield and meeting another mounted knight deflecting a blow from a mace or sword with shield or buckler and quickly driving this sword through the underarm. Handling simply is remarkable.
Test Cutting
I only did a little cutting with this sword as I don’t have any bottles and I haven’t really been doing much backyard cutting as of late. I pretty much performed a few quick light cuts on some hanging vines outside my patio. They were cut effortlessly. I also tried a few thrusts into a fixed 2x4 outside and was pleasantly surprised by the tip control and rigidness of the blade. Almost no flex on the thrust, this is one stout blade. If you want more visual entertainment there are plenty of videos of this sword in action that prove it’s a capable cutter. Overall this sword is ready to deal punishment with its wide and rigid profile. Edge is extremely sharp too, sharper that I keep most of my swords.
Conclusion
Overall with its interesting transitional placement in the typology, historical design and more than capable durability and cut and thrust ability this sword is a great choice for anyone looking for either a shorter arming sword, historical replica or lively cut and thrust sword. It is definitely one of Windlass’ finest swords available and I can see now why so many wanted it back in production when it first left the market many years ago. I’m not sure how it holds up to the original model for better or worse but I believe this sword was definitely worth being revived by Windlass.
Pros
- Historical design
- Peened construction
- Great balance
- Premier cut and thrust ability
- High carbon steel blade
Cons
- Scabbard is a poor fit
- Fit and finish may be hit or miss as most offerings in this price range
- May be shorter than most are comfortable with
The Bottom Line
In the end I’m extremely happy with this sword. This is one of Windlass’ top swords on the market in my opinion and fits well into my collection among my other great sub-$300 swords. I have a newfound respect for the Type XIV blade type as well as for shorter bladed arming swords. If you have the chance and or are looking for a stout capable arming sword or short sword this should be perfect for you. It really is an amazing sword and I am very happy it is in my collection.
Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed,
D
Reviewed by, NDDave (David) Emmett, ID
Hi Everybody,
So I just received a new sword today and decided after plenty of research and inspection of the sword decided to write a review. The sword I received and will be reviewing is the Windlass Oakeshott Type XIV. This sword is a popular one around the sword community and has already had a few reviews of it but I would like to add my opinions as well as research into the sword and its typology. So let’s get into it and I hope you enjoy reading.
Historical overview
This sword is easily described as a Type XIV in the Oakeshott Typology. With it broad tapering blade, ¾ length fuller and acute tip the Type XIV was a unique and easily the most transitional of the blade profiles in the Typology. One other unique thing about Type XIV blades are their shorter than average blade lengths. Most blades of the XIV type are around 24”-30” at their longest, with some reaching a few inches longer. The entirety of found Type XIV blades have been categorized in Oakeshott’s Family B of hilt types. Primarily due to the standard hilt furniture these swords had, which were wide flat but bossed pommels and slightly thin arched cross guards. The Type XIV is considered by most to be the most transitional of profiles due to its placement in the Typology. In the Oakeshott Typology two classes of blade profiles can be seen. Class 1, which primarily consists of flat lenticular blades for cutting and Class 2, which primarily consists of diamond ridged and hexagonal blades for added thrusting capabilities. The Type XIV is the latest in the Class 1 and also offers the most acute tip suited for thrusting, though still keeping a broad flat upper section for cutting.
Being the first of its kind to offer a cut and thrust combination in profile it does have some less appealing features that some of its later brethren. One being it’s shorter than average blade length. Though its shorter length does have its benefits, such as offering a quicker handling arming sword in close quarters, as well as having more blade mass to offer stout thrusting. Something the warrior of the time needed against the new advancements in armor of the time, such as plate mail and armor which had begun to appear on the battlefield and was nearly impervious to lenticular cut focused blades. Another benefit of its profile was the broader than average blade width which allowed more cutting surface especially at shorter lengths. The Type XIV is very uniquely its own blade but shares similarities to its ancestor the Gladius as well as its predecessors where you can and see it was advanced and improved upon by smiths with the more efficiently designed Type XVI and XVIa cut and thrust blades.
The Type XIV seems to be a popular sword of its time, even if that time was relatively short for your average blade type proving more of its placement as a transitional blade type. It is one of the most seen blade types in burial effigies and medieval art. It’s sometimes hard to decipher these swords in art from its Type XII and Type XV brethren in effigies due to most being depicted sheathed. Though is most easily depicted in art due to its broad base and shorter than average blade length. The Type XIV seemed to be favored by the Knight on horseback (Ironically compared to the earlier Type XI which is the opposite profile regarding horseback combat) as well as the footman and archer, who’s primary weapon the bow was useless in close quarters. It has prominently been seen in use in the Fechtbuch Manuscript with a buckler. Back to bowmen it seems that the secondary weapons of archers was in fact the short sword and buckler. It seems very appropriate that the Type XIV was the most prominent on the battlefield at its height of popularity when you look at the prominence of the longbow at the same time and the information about the archer class.
This specific Windlass reproduction is based on one such popular sword found in Chartres Cathedral and is now displayed in a museum in France, pictured above. This sword was well preserved over the centuries like most other church kept swords. It is said to have belonged to Philippe IV, le Bel, who deposited the sword in the cathedral with his armor in 1308 in gratitude for his victory in the battle at Mons en Pouille. Being the replica of one of Philippe the IV’s swords does add to some of its notoriety. Not only is it a knightly sword of a King of France, this is King of France best known for his conflicts with Edward I of England, the Jewish community of France which he expelled in 1307 as well as his most notorious exploit on Friday the 13th 1307 when he suppressed and later executed the Order of the Knights Templar.
Full Disclosure
In disclosure I am not affiliated with Windlass Swords. This sword was received in trade by fellow forum member Bennett Snipes, who was the original owner. I’m just a fellow sword loving forum member that enjoys reviewing and discussing swords here on this forum with it’s awesome community.
Initial Impressions
Overall I was really excited to get ahold of this sword. As you can see from my historical overview this is one sword type that has always intrigued me and one that I knew I had to handle to understand. Shipment was fast and direct. Packaging was great and thanks to Bennett apparently keeping ahold of its original packaging, came almost exactly how it would be sent by Museum Replicas themselves.
My first impressions were caught on the length and width of the blade. I know this replica is less broad than most Type XIV replicas it is still of a very impressive width. Much wider at the base than any of my other swords, even my Lowlander and a shorter length than any other European sword I own. I was also surprised at the size of the hilt. The pommel was wider than any of my other wheel pommels and the guard was thicker than most as well. Judging by the picture of the original and of other Family B hilt configurations this seems to be quite the norm. Overall an attractive and stout sword.
Statistics
Blade Length: 26” (Blade width, 2 5/8" at base tapering to 1” before the tip)
Handle Length: 4” (3 1/2” round at base tapering to 3 1/4” round at pommel)
Overall Length: 33”
Guard Width: 7” (length ½”)
Point of Balance: 4” from the guard
Center of Percussion: 16” from the guard
Weight: Little over 2 ½ lbs
The Blade
The blade is short and stout, wide at the base and tapers moderately to a sharp acute point. It has the typical mirror-like high polish of most Windlass swords and has a nicely terminating fuller on both sides of the blade. The blade is quite flat in profile with a flat diamond profile past the fuller. Though the Type XIV Typology states these blade primarily had a lenticular profile through the blade length there are many examples (including the one this sword is based on) that do have a prominent diamond ridged profile past the fuller. Very similar to the hexagonal to diamond profile of most Type XVIa blades. I was surprised at how rigid this blade was. Not a lot of flex when giving it a flex test. I think a lot of this has to do with its length as well as its wide profile. The sword feels like it could thrust through and effortlessly cut in half or in good quarter anything put in front of it.
Since this is a second hand sword, I can’t really judge how it came from MRL. It is in great shape and aside from a few light cutting scratches looks brand new like it was first hand. The blade is sharp, very sharp to be exact and has a slight secondary bevel to it. I’m not sure if Bennett sharpened it or if it was either sharpened by a third party or by MRL’s service (forgot to ask) but it is quite an impressive sharpening job. If this is a MRL job I must say they’ve really stepped up their service since the last time I used it. The tip is sharp and pointy but has the same feeling of rigidness as the rest of the blade. Overall a very attractive and durable feeling blade that is very accurate to its historical counterpart.
(Pic of the XIV tip compared to others in my collection, top to bottom: Homildon, Effigy, XIV, European)
The Handle
The handle is quite long in my opinion for a single handed sword. At exactly 4” it feels oddly in the middle between the standard 3”-3 ½” arming sword handle or the 5”-7” hand and a half handle. I guess you could call it a “hand and a quarter” handle. 4” inches didn’t seem on paper to be that much different than for example my Windlass European Sword’s handle length of 3 ¾” but that ¼” does make it feel that much longer. I guess it wouldn’t really effect a larger handed individual than me (probably feel more comfortable than 3”) but I do notice it with my medium sized hand. It’s not uncomfortable by any means, it just feels a little awkward at first. The handle itself has a slightly wide oval shape. Its circumference down its length is 3 ¾” around at the guard, only tapering down to 3 ½” around at the pommel. Oddly enough Oakeshott does mention that swords of these types tended to have longer than average handles. Not sure what the benefit of having a little more grip does but perhaps it held some benefit to the historical wielder that I’m not aware of?
Another defining feature is a slight ridge shape to its front and back face sides at the upper half that slowly fades towards the lower half. It terminates pretty well and does seem to add a little more palm grip. A nice little addition especially on a Windlass. The leather is the standard black variety found on almost all Windlass swords. It does feel like a thicker piece of leather than what was used on my Roven or European for example. The seam is also of standard Windlass stitch and is terminated decently with only one slight flaw. Right below the guard you can see where the seam didn’t butt tight and can see the wood underneath. Not a big issue as I’m more than likely going to re-wrap this sword as well. Overall a nicely crafted handle with its only minor flaws being the stitching and odd (but historically accurate) length.
The Guard
The guard is easily classified as a Type 7 style guard and in Oakeshott’s classification of guards the Type 7 was prominent among Type XIV blades. Type 7 guards are described as being long with arching quillons towards the blade. It is cast well and made of a mild steel. It is kind of bulky with each quillon being ½”x ½” throughout their length. It’s not uncomfortable or cumbersome in any way, I’m just surprised at the bulky size. Then again when you look at the original its guard was quite bulky as well. It fits excellently and has no rattle or movement whatsoever. It also lines up well to the handle and though a little wide at the mouth fits the blade extremely well and is flush. Overall a nicely cast and very historically accurate guard.
The Pommel
The pommel is also easily classified as a Type K pommel in Oakeshott’s classification. This pommel type is classified as having a wide flat wheel shape with very prominent central bosses. Most were solid but many, like the one on this sword and the original were recessed in the center. Normally to facet a special trinket or coin into the pommel. The Historical original has such a facet, a small cloth cross is imbedded into the recession. Another example is the sword of King Edward III which has his coat of arms in the facet. The pommel of this sword’s face is 2 ¼” long and 2 ½” wide as well as ½” thick. The recessed boss on each side is right at 1”x1” and about ½ cm deep. Plenty of room for any coin or trinket you would want to place inside it. The pommel is cast well and has no marks or pitting. The peen is decent enough and has the usual Windlass unfiled hammered look. Overall and impressive and unique pommel I was happy to see firsthand. The only difference I can tell from it and the original is the original had a peen block.
The Scabbard
The scabbard is the standard variety leather scabbard Windlass offers with most of their swords. It’s made of the harder variety leather like the Sword of Roven. It fits the sword pretty loosely and unfortunately is probably the worst fitting scabbard among all my Windlass scabbards. It just seems they over compensated and made the grove and throat wider than the actual sword. It is too bad because I really like this hard leather as opposed to the flimsier leather of my Effigy and European sword. It does its job housing the blade but rattles quite loudly and won’t hold the sword upside down put in either side. Overall a decent scabbard that was unfortunately carved internally a little too big for the sword. I’m not sure if this is a flaw in mine alone or is how these scabbards come in general but hopefully others don’t fit the same. Aesthetically it looks good and I like the mouth and chape, they are very similar to the ones used on the European sword with a few slight differences.
Handling Characteristics
This sword is very lively when handled. Even with a lower point of balance and shorter blade this sword doesn’t feel the slightest tip heavy. Compared to both my European which is more tip heavy and my Effigy which has a higher point of balance and is thrust oriented, it does seem to fit right in the middle. It feels the most alive in a handshake grip performing quick snap cuts and thrusts. It has enough balance point to offer authority when cutting but still allows very precise thrusts. As its typology describes I can really see how this sword was the transition point for cut and thrust blade types as it does both with great efficiency. The hilt is comfortable and even though takes some getting used to with the slightly longer handle does feel very serviceable. The guard feels comfortable in the grip and the pommel shape doesn’t break my grip and is comfortable as well. The leather is slightly slick after a little sweat but that will be remedied in the future.
Overall this sword handles great and I can see how it was so popular at its time. It may be short but in close quarters or even indoors (think of the thin winding corridors and stairways of castles) this sword would be absolutely devastating. Looking at the old manuals showing duels with Type XIV and bucklers I can now understand more just how effective that style of combat was. The sword can be used two handed but I feel much like with my Effigy Sword, it’s meant for single handed use and feels overpowered and unbalanced two handed. I can easily envision a knight riding across the battlefield and meeting another mounted knight deflecting a blow from a mace or sword with shield or buckler and quickly driving this sword through the underarm. Handling simply is remarkable.
Test Cutting
I only did a little cutting with this sword as I don’t have any bottles and I haven’t really been doing much backyard cutting as of late. I pretty much performed a few quick light cuts on some hanging vines outside my patio. They were cut effortlessly. I also tried a few thrusts into a fixed 2x4 outside and was pleasantly surprised by the tip control and rigidness of the blade. Almost no flex on the thrust, this is one stout blade. If you want more visual entertainment there are plenty of videos of this sword in action that prove it’s a capable cutter. Overall this sword is ready to deal punishment with its wide and rigid profile. Edge is extremely sharp too, sharper that I keep most of my swords.
Conclusion
Overall with its interesting transitional placement in the typology, historical design and more than capable durability and cut and thrust ability this sword is a great choice for anyone looking for either a shorter arming sword, historical replica or lively cut and thrust sword. It is definitely one of Windlass’ finest swords available and I can see now why so many wanted it back in production when it first left the market many years ago. I’m not sure how it holds up to the original model for better or worse but I believe this sword was definitely worth being revived by Windlass.
Pros
- Historical design
- Peened construction
- Great balance
- Premier cut and thrust ability
- High carbon steel blade
Cons
- Scabbard is a poor fit
- Fit and finish may be hit or miss as most offerings in this price range
- May be shorter than most are comfortable with
The Bottom Line
In the end I’m extremely happy with this sword. This is one of Windlass’ top swords on the market in my opinion and fits well into my collection among my other great sub-$300 swords. I have a newfound respect for the Type XIV blade type as well as for shorter bladed arming swords. If you have the chance and or are looking for a stout capable arming sword or short sword this should be perfect for you. It really is an amazing sword and I am very happy it is in my collection.
Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed,
D