Sword of Roven By Windlass (Fist review, be gentle)
Jul 22, 2016 2:02:55 GMT
Post by 28shadow on Jul 22, 2016 2:02:55 GMT
Introduction
This is my first SBG review, so cut me some slack (please:D ).
I purchased this sword from Museum Replicas during a Deal of the Day in the later months of 2015. The sword cost me a total of around $160 USD. I had read wondrous things about this sword, about how well constructed it was, about how it was one of Windlass' better offerings, so I decided to make the (little) plunge and buy it when on sale. Until the arrival of the sword, I was expecting an awkward handling beast of a sword, that when swung would deliver a tremendous blow capable of removing appendages. When the sword arrived, I was proven wrong about all but one thing: This thing will rip the target asunder.
Historical overview
Now, I make no claims to be a historian. I'm just your average sword geek who happens to enjoy cutting through hordes of water bottles in an effort to stop global warming (not really), so please excuse me if I get something wrong. This is an Oakshott Type XX "Warsword". However, this sword lacks the hexagonal cross section that the Type XX usually had.
Full Disclosure
I am in no way whatsoever paid by anyone to do this review (But I wouldn't mind) and have not received this sword for free for review purposes (Still wouldn't mind). However, I am a simple backyard cutter who puts results first and historical accuracy second. Sorry if that makes you want to lynch me .
Initial Impressions
When I removed the massive amount of anti-apocalypse packaging that MRL slapped onto this thing, I was met with a sword that defied my mind. When reading the specifications I had seen that this sword was over 3lb in weight, and had a rather far POB. However, when I held the sword in my hand it felt practically weightless to me. The balance point fits right at the end of the sword's ridiculously long ricasso, yet it doesn't make the sword feel any heavier. I had no idea at the time that this sword would become my favorite sword of my collection.
Statistics
*Stats pulled from Kult of Athena*
Blade Length:
38"
Handle Length:
9"
Overall Length:
48"
Guard Width:
9 1/2"
POB (Point of Balance):
6 5/16"
COP (Center of Percussion):
26" from guard
Weight:
3 lb 3.6 oz
Components
The Blade
The blade of this sword is incredulously long. For a man of my height this "Warsword/Longsword" is theoretically a greatsword, the pommel reaching just past my armpit. The blades length brings what would be a normal length hilt to a sword that is almost 50" long. This thing is almost too long for me to draw from the hip, but with a little practice and experimentation I got it down.
I ordered the blade sharpened from MRL, and it came paper cutting sharp. I had read online that people really didn't like a "Secondary bevel" edge, and that appears to be what this is. The sword is still sharp enough to shear through bottles, however I have yet to do a conclusive test on Tatami mats. One thing to not on the sharpening is that one edge towards the tip was actually ground slightly deeper into the actual blade than the other. However, this has yet to affect performance.
One particularly unique part of this blade is the ricasso and triple fullers. The ricasso is 6" long and features two fullers, whilst the third fuller runs 3/4ths of the way down the blade. When it terminates the cross section becomes a flattened diamond cross section. I can best describe it as a long dagger at the end of a metal slab. The blade itself begins at 4.9mm thick at the guard and tapers down 1.6mm to 3.3mm thick.
The Handle
The handle has a leather wrapped wood core grip with numerous risers underneath the leather. The grip is rather comfortable, and affords a good hold on the sword, even when wet. One complaint is that when I received it during my dry handling the grip began to peel right where my thumb was beneath the guard. Afterwards I realized that my thumb was better placed on the flat to assist edge alignment and to help save the grip. This has not occurred again through months of continuous use.
The Guard
The guard is made of steel and passes the "magnet test". The quillons are very nicely made and actually taper down until half way and then it flares out again. I find the shape rather appealing, and I feel that this would be sufficient to help stop the descent of most weapons onto one's poor hands.
The Pommel
The pommel is a Oakshott type V2 as far as I can tell. The pommel is held onto the tang via threaded nut, and is relatively comfortable to use. Myself having never used any other pommel types, I cannot compare it to others. It is rectangular in profile, and does assist me in my edge alignment. Your results may vary.
The Scabbard
Really not much to say here, the scabbard is your typical Windlass leather scabbard. However, it does hold the sword very nicely.
Handling Characteristics
Where can I start? I originally thought this would handle like an axe. Boy was I wrong. This sword feels wonderful in my hands. It has just enough blade presence to assist in the cutting, yet is perfectly nimble enough for me to transition through my sloppy guards and slashes. Perhaps the sword would perform even better with a 4" POB. All I know is that this sword cuts bottles with authority.
Test Cutting
This sword most certainly earns its place as my favorite sword in my collection. EDIT: Here is a much better video showing the sword cut, by yours truly.
Conclusions
At $160 dollars this is an amazing deal, and an incredible cutting sword. At the normal price however, I would hesitate to purchase, mainly due to the scabbard. If this sword had a wood cored scabbard, and perhaps a nice looking throat and chape, I wouldn't hesitate. The blade sings as it rends plastic from bottles, and keeps coming back for more.
Pros
- nice leather grip
- weight is well controlled
- powerful design
- handles very well
Cons
- Pommel can be slightly uncomfortable
- Leather grip can peel up
- Tip is slightly misshapen
- Scabbard is typical windlass trash
The Bottom Line
Would I recommend this sword for the backyard cutter looking for a western blade? Absolutely. Does this blade function well as a typical longsword? Absolutely not. Although this sword handles well, and you can transition through guards fast enough, it is not a sword I would have carried on the streets of the 15th century. In my opinion it is too long for a "longsword" which is very strange wording, I know. But this does make sense at the sword is marketed as a "warsword" which means it is a sword meant to the battlefield, not for self defense. For that purpose it performs exceedingly well.
To sum up: This is the worst stage combat sword. Ever. Buy it!
This is my first SBG review, so cut me some slack (please:D ).
I purchased this sword from Museum Replicas during a Deal of the Day in the later months of 2015. The sword cost me a total of around $160 USD. I had read wondrous things about this sword, about how well constructed it was, about how it was one of Windlass' better offerings, so I decided to make the (little) plunge and buy it when on sale. Until the arrival of the sword, I was expecting an awkward handling beast of a sword, that when swung would deliver a tremendous blow capable of removing appendages. When the sword arrived, I was proven wrong about all but one thing: This thing will rip the target asunder.
Historical overview
Now, I make no claims to be a historian. I'm just your average sword geek who happens to enjoy cutting through hordes of water bottles in an effort to stop global warming (not really), so please excuse me if I get something wrong. This is an Oakshott Type XX "Warsword". However, this sword lacks the hexagonal cross section that the Type XX usually had.
Full Disclosure
I am in no way whatsoever paid by anyone to do this review (But I wouldn't mind) and have not received this sword for free for review purposes (Still wouldn't mind). However, I am a simple backyard cutter who puts results first and historical accuracy second. Sorry if that makes you want to lynch me .
Initial Impressions
When I removed the massive amount of anti-apocalypse packaging that MRL slapped onto this thing, I was met with a sword that defied my mind. When reading the specifications I had seen that this sword was over 3lb in weight, and had a rather far POB. However, when I held the sword in my hand it felt practically weightless to me. The balance point fits right at the end of the sword's ridiculously long ricasso, yet it doesn't make the sword feel any heavier. I had no idea at the time that this sword would become my favorite sword of my collection.
Statistics
*Stats pulled from Kult of Athena*
Blade Length:
38"
Handle Length:
9"
Overall Length:
48"
Guard Width:
9 1/2"
POB (Point of Balance):
6 5/16"
COP (Center of Percussion):
26" from guard
Weight:
3 lb 3.6 oz
Components
The Blade
The blade of this sword is incredulously long. For a man of my height this "Warsword/Longsword" is theoretically a greatsword, the pommel reaching just past my armpit. The blades length brings what would be a normal length hilt to a sword that is almost 50" long. This thing is almost too long for me to draw from the hip, but with a little practice and experimentation I got it down.
I ordered the blade sharpened from MRL, and it came paper cutting sharp. I had read online that people really didn't like a "Secondary bevel" edge, and that appears to be what this is. The sword is still sharp enough to shear through bottles, however I have yet to do a conclusive test on Tatami mats. One thing to not on the sharpening is that one edge towards the tip was actually ground slightly deeper into the actual blade than the other. However, this has yet to affect performance.
One particularly unique part of this blade is the ricasso and triple fullers. The ricasso is 6" long and features two fullers, whilst the third fuller runs 3/4ths of the way down the blade. When it terminates the cross section becomes a flattened diamond cross section. I can best describe it as a long dagger at the end of a metal slab. The blade itself begins at 4.9mm thick at the guard and tapers down 1.6mm to 3.3mm thick.
The Handle
The handle has a leather wrapped wood core grip with numerous risers underneath the leather. The grip is rather comfortable, and affords a good hold on the sword, even when wet. One complaint is that when I received it during my dry handling the grip began to peel right where my thumb was beneath the guard. Afterwards I realized that my thumb was better placed on the flat to assist edge alignment and to help save the grip. This has not occurred again through months of continuous use.
The Guard
The guard is made of steel and passes the "magnet test". The quillons are very nicely made and actually taper down until half way and then it flares out again. I find the shape rather appealing, and I feel that this would be sufficient to help stop the descent of most weapons onto one's poor hands.
The Pommel
The pommel is a Oakshott type V2 as far as I can tell. The pommel is held onto the tang via threaded nut, and is relatively comfortable to use. Myself having never used any other pommel types, I cannot compare it to others. It is rectangular in profile, and does assist me in my edge alignment. Your results may vary.
The Scabbard
Really not much to say here, the scabbard is your typical Windlass leather scabbard. However, it does hold the sword very nicely.
Handling Characteristics
Where can I start? I originally thought this would handle like an axe. Boy was I wrong. This sword feels wonderful in my hands. It has just enough blade presence to assist in the cutting, yet is perfectly nimble enough for me to transition through my sloppy guards and slashes. Perhaps the sword would perform even better with a 4" POB. All I know is that this sword cuts bottles with authority.
Test Cutting
This sword most certainly earns its place as my favorite sword in my collection. EDIT: Here is a much better video showing the sword cut, by yours truly.
Conclusions
At $160 dollars this is an amazing deal, and an incredible cutting sword. At the normal price however, I would hesitate to purchase, mainly due to the scabbard. If this sword had a wood cored scabbard, and perhaps a nice looking throat and chape, I wouldn't hesitate. The blade sings as it rends plastic from bottles, and keeps coming back for more.
Pros
- nice leather grip
- weight is well controlled
- powerful design
- handles very well
Cons
- Pommel can be slightly uncomfortable
- Leather grip can peel up
- Tip is slightly misshapen
- Scabbard is typical windlass trash
The Bottom Line
Would I recommend this sword for the backyard cutter looking for a western blade? Absolutely. Does this blade function well as a typical longsword? Absolutely not. Although this sword handles well, and you can transition through guards fast enough, it is not a sword I would have carried on the streets of the 15th century. In my opinion it is too long for a "longsword" which is very strange wording, I know. But this does make sense at the sword is marketed as a "warsword" which means it is a sword meant to the battlefield, not for self defense. For that purpose it performs exceedingly well.
To sum up: This is the worst stage combat sword. Ever. Buy it!