Windlass Classic Medieval Sword Review
Jul 18, 2018 7:26:44 GMT
Post by nddave on Jul 18, 2018 7:26:44 GMT
Windlass Classic Medieval Sword
Reviewed by, NDDave (David Burkhart) Emmett, ID
Hi everybody,
So I have a new sword to review thanks to the latest forum giveaway. I ended up winning the 5th prize in the giveaway and that prize was a sword from former global moderator William Swigger. A few days later I had the surprise of opening a package containing a Windlass Classic Medieval Sword. William knew I was lacking a Type X in my collection so he sent me this sword. A new sword means a new review, so I hope you enjoy reading.
Historical overview
This sword is easily classified as an Oakeshott Type X in the Oakeshott Typology or in the Geibig Typology a Type 3. It has a lenticular blade profile, wide fuller running down nearly the full length of the blade with very little profile taper ending in a rounded or spade shaped tip. The Type X is sort of a broad typology that in a sense follows up or finishes the earlier Viking blade types of the Petersen Wheeler and most of the Geibig Typologies. This blade type was one of the longest used in the middle ages spanning from the around and possibly even before the 7th century all the way to and in some circumstances past the 12th century. The defining feature of the Type X is its broad lenticular blade profile, which primary purpose was for slashing and hacking at the lightly armored warriors of the Dark Ages and early Middle ages. The Type X is defined by Oakeshott for its transition in hilt form from the more compact but still ornate Viking hilt styles to the more common cruciform hilt style of the Middle ages with circular pommel and straight cross. Most Type X swords tend to fall into Family A of Oakeshott's classification of Sword Hilt Families, though many carried over their Viking hilt types. As well as being re-hilted in later centuries with hilt pieces popular at their respective times.
The Classic Medieval Sword by its blade and pommel type clearly falls into the range of the 10-12th century arming sword that would have seen use by the warriors of the many nations of Europe. Though its guard is more of a later style that would have been more popular in the 13th and 14th centuries and seen more prominently on the Type XII swords at the time. The guard itself is actually quite similar in design to the guard of the Sword of Saint Maurice of Turin. Enough so that it makes me think that perhaps the Saint Maurice of Turin was inspiration in part or fully for Windlass in creating the Classic Medieval Sword. In a sense the Classic Medieval and Saint Maurice have a similar appearance, as the Maurice is a rather broad and long bladed arming sword that could be classified as a Type X or its Subtype the Xa. Though the Maurice does have more defining features of the Type XII which lead Oakeshott to classify it in that type, such as its more acutely tapering profile, tip and fuller termination. There is Type X sword dated 1250 presented in Records of the Medieval sword (X.14 Page 33) that does have a similar "bowtie" style guard, but it is the straight style 5 as opposed to the curved style 6 the Classic Medieval has. Overall the Classic Medieval Sword in design ideally represents the transition of the arming sword of the late Dark Ages into the knightly arming sword of the early Middle Ages.
Full Disclosure
In disclosure I am not affiliated with Windlass Steelcrafts. This sword was received as a prize im the 2018 Mid-year Forum Giveaway by forum member William Swigger, who was the original owner. I am not being paid for this review, 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
My initial impressions were good. It was packaged well in a sleeve style box with the handle protected by bubble wrap and the blade housed in its scabbard. I kind of was expecting this sword to be heavy and unwieldly due to others opinions but I found it quite responsive and lively for its weight and point of balance. It handles somewhat similar to my Windlass European Sword so getting familiar with it wasn't too hard. I was impressed by the blade profile as well. I've always liked the broad and long fullered Type X blades and was happy to finally own one. The only real flaw I noticed on inspection was the guard was loose and had some slight lateral movement. Overall I was surprisingly impressed with this sword and see why it’s such a popular and long lived model from Windlass.
Statistics
Overall Length: 39"
Blade Length: 32 3/4"
Blade Width: 1 5/8" at the base, tapering down to 1 3/4" in the middle section, down to 1 1/2" at the tip
Handle Length: 3 3/4" with a circumference 3 1/2" at the guard tapering to 3" at the pommel
Guard Length: 8 3/4"
Point of Balance: 6"
Weight: 2 3/4 lbs.
The Blade
As mentioned in the Historical Overview this sword is a Type X early medieval arming sword or Type 3 of the Geibig typology. It has a broad lenticular profiled blade, broad fuller flowing down to the tip of the blade and a slightly acutely pointed spade shaped tip. The blade in my opinion is a little long for a typical type X thought there are some (more so in the Xa subtype) that reach such blade lengths. The blade has the typical Windlass mirror polish and is well forged and shaped. I found no manufacturing flaws in the blade such as bends or twists. The sword is quite rigid with very little distal taper. As such it has very little flex in the blade due to its thickness but upon flex testing returned true. The sword came sharp with a slight secondary bevel as is the normal for swords sharpened by the Museum Replicas in house sharpening service. The edge is well done with no blemishes or flaws and follows the entire length of the blade from the base down to the tip. The fullers are also well done and are straight and even ending at 1 1/2" above the tip. The tip itself is well shaped and is a good representation of the tips seen on many historical Type X blades. One difference is the slight diamond ridge between the fuller and point, though such a diamond profile is common in most Windlass swords even of the lenticular types. Overall the Blade is well crafted and a great representation of its type.
The Handle
The handle of the Classic Medieval Sword is of the typical single handed length and shape seen on many arming swords of the medieval ages. At 3 3/4" in length it leaves plenty of room for a medium to large sized hand. Its oblong shape is comfortable to hold and tapers slightly from top to bottom. It has two risers, one at the base and one at the end and is wrapped in black leather with a high gloss finish. The seam is well executed and the leather wrap is tight and well-formed over the risers. The only thing I'm not too fond of is the finish on the leather. It’s different than the stock leather of other Windlass swords I've owned and the finish is kind of like a vinyl. It’s not long lasting though as the finish rubs off after some heavy handling and underneath is a nice soft leather. Similar to what was wrapped on both my European Sword and Sword of Roven. I'm sure the handle is made of a quality hardwood similar to the rest of my Windlass swords, though I'm sure I'll get better confirmation it gets one of my custom rewraps. Overall a well-made and comfortable handle.
The Guard
The guard is easily classified as a Style 6 guard (Why is it called a Style 7 in its overview on MRL I have no idea, perhaps a long forgotten typo or mistake never corrected?). It has the distinct curvature as well as the thin cross that widens out with the prominent bowtie quillions seen on all Type 6 guards. I love this guard or Style 6 guards in general. Windlass has done a great job with this guard. It’s made of their commonly used mild steel polished to a high sheen. It is straight and even with the edges rounded making it comfortable to the hand. The quillions have the proper taper that defines the Type 5 and 6 guard styles. Unfortunately, the guard is where the only real flaw was on this sword, as it was slightly loose and had play. This was an easy fix though as all it took to remedy the looseness was a few hammer strikes to the peen on the pommel. Overall a well-made and attractive guard that is an excellent replica of its type and style.
The Pommel
The pommel is a circular Type I. In comparison to my Windlass European sword's pommel which is also a Type I, it is thinner and its circumference wider. It like the guard is made of mild steel and has a mirror polish. It is shaped well and its lines are crisp and even. There are no sharp edges to the it and it rests on the bottom of the hand comfortably. The tang is peened to the pommel. The peen was a little off though and I suspect that is why the guard was loose. When I hammered the peen a lot of the metal pushed down into pommel which evened out the peen and also secured the guard. It seems that some attention to the peening was missed in the manufacturing of this sword. Overall though the pommel is well done and is comfortable and attractive.
The Scabbard
The scabbard is the typical Windlass scabbard made of leather with a steel chape and throat. It is the harder leather as seen on my Roven and Type XIV. Unfortunately, it too suffers the loose hold similar to what I experienced with my Type XIV scabbard. Much like the Type XIV its mouth seems to have been carved to wide and the blade moves around quite easily. The blade also rattles in the scabbard. One benefit is the frog button on the throat. It is very similar to the button on my Culloden Basket Hilt scabbard. Sadly, the frog of my Culloden is too small to fit the broad Classic Medieval scabbard but a wider frog or one with adjustable straps would work well. Actually the scabbard is too broad for the sword itself due to how loose it fits. I'm not sure if this is reflective on all Classic Medieval scabbards but it is unfortunate as this to date is my worst fitting Windlass scabbard. Which of course isn't saying much in regards to Windlass Scabbards as a whole. Overall a subpar scabbard that does its job of housing the sharp blade but the fit leaves much to be desired.
Handling Characteristics
This sword handles quite well for its weight and high point of balance. As I mentioned in the Initial Impressions section of the review it handles very similar to my Windlass European even though this sword has less profile taper and a point of balance an inch higher. It doesn't feel as quick and responsive as the European Sword but I feel that has more to do with the point of balance than the weight or profile taper. Honestly I feel that if this sword was a little shorter, with maybe a 30" blade as opposed to its 33" length it would be much more lively and quick in the hand. It doesn't handle poorly though and the forward balance is a benefit to cutting. As putting it in motion it isn't difficult to stop mid swing and when in full swing it has some serious cutting power. It may feel too heavy for those who prefer a lighter sword or one with a lower point of balance but for what it is as a broad cutting sword it handles quite well. Overall I'd say for its type and point of balance it is handles pretty well but it may feel too heavy in the hand for some.
Test Cutting
This is definitely where this sword shines. This sword is meant to cut and it does this extremely well. I had a lot of fun cutting with this sword and could really feel how the balance and blade profile worked in unison with a cutting stroke. It is also to my surprise a good thruster. This is probably due to the fact that it has such a sharp and pointed tip. The sharpening job done by MRL was well executed and as mentioned before is razor sharp and evenly sharp from the base of the blade to the tip. As can be seen in the cutting below I had little trouble cutting through the various bottles and would feel comfortable using this sword on heavier targets. Also the guard didn't loosen up after the cutting session so the work I did on the peen must have been efficient in fixing the manufacturing flaw.
Conclusions
This sword actually surprised me when compared to me earlier judgments based on older reviews and impressions. It cuts extremely well, handles nicely and though simple in design is attractive and historically accurate in its blade profile and hilt pairing. This is definitely a staple of the Windlass European line of swords as it has held its place on the market longer than any other Windlass model. It’s even seen a second release under the newer Battlecry line, getting a full bluing and a single silver wire grip for additional function and aesthetic renamed the Acre Broadsword. It has also been seen and had use in many films and documentaries over the years. If anything with its time on the market and popularity it has definitely earned its name as the "Classic Medieval Sword".
Pros
- Hand forged blade of 1060 high carbon steel
- Peened hilt construction
- period accurate blade profile
- Durable solid blade
- Attractive and comfortable grip and hilt
Cons
- May feel too heavy in the hand to those who prefer a lighter sword
- Fit and finish may be hit or miss due to price point
- Chance of a poor fitting scabbard
The Bottom Line
Overall I was really impressed with this sword for what it is and anyone else would too who is looking for a well built and attractive reproduction of an earlier period arming sword, especially for its price point. It’s quite hard to find a sword these days around $200 that handles and is built like this one. Whether it’s this original Classic Medieval Sword model or the newer blued Battlecry Acre model, I feel this is a good sword and can see why it has lasted for as long as it has as a staple Windlass in the lineup.
Thanks for reading and I hope you all enjoyed,
D
Reviewed by, NDDave (David Burkhart) Emmett, ID
Hi everybody,
So I have a new sword to review thanks to the latest forum giveaway. I ended up winning the 5th prize in the giveaway and that prize was a sword from former global moderator William Swigger. A few days later I had the surprise of opening a package containing a Windlass Classic Medieval Sword. William knew I was lacking a Type X in my collection so he sent me this sword. A new sword means a new review, so I hope you enjoy reading.
Historical overview
This sword is easily classified as an Oakeshott Type X in the Oakeshott Typology or in the Geibig Typology a Type 3. It has a lenticular blade profile, wide fuller running down nearly the full length of the blade with very little profile taper ending in a rounded or spade shaped tip. The Type X is sort of a broad typology that in a sense follows up or finishes the earlier Viking blade types of the Petersen Wheeler and most of the Geibig Typologies. This blade type was one of the longest used in the middle ages spanning from the around and possibly even before the 7th century all the way to and in some circumstances past the 12th century. The defining feature of the Type X is its broad lenticular blade profile, which primary purpose was for slashing and hacking at the lightly armored warriors of the Dark Ages and early Middle ages. The Type X is defined by Oakeshott for its transition in hilt form from the more compact but still ornate Viking hilt styles to the more common cruciform hilt style of the Middle ages with circular pommel and straight cross. Most Type X swords tend to fall into Family A of Oakeshott's classification of Sword Hilt Families, though many carried over their Viking hilt types. As well as being re-hilted in later centuries with hilt pieces popular at their respective times.
The Classic Medieval Sword by its blade and pommel type clearly falls into the range of the 10-12th century arming sword that would have seen use by the warriors of the many nations of Europe. Though its guard is more of a later style that would have been more popular in the 13th and 14th centuries and seen more prominently on the Type XII swords at the time. The guard itself is actually quite similar in design to the guard of the Sword of Saint Maurice of Turin. Enough so that it makes me think that perhaps the Saint Maurice of Turin was inspiration in part or fully for Windlass in creating the Classic Medieval Sword. In a sense the Classic Medieval and Saint Maurice have a similar appearance, as the Maurice is a rather broad and long bladed arming sword that could be classified as a Type X or its Subtype the Xa. Though the Maurice does have more defining features of the Type XII which lead Oakeshott to classify it in that type, such as its more acutely tapering profile, tip and fuller termination. There is Type X sword dated 1250 presented in Records of the Medieval sword (X.14 Page 33) that does have a similar "bowtie" style guard, but it is the straight style 5 as opposed to the curved style 6 the Classic Medieval has. Overall the Classic Medieval Sword in design ideally represents the transition of the arming sword of the late Dark Ages into the knightly arming sword of the early Middle Ages.
Full Disclosure
In disclosure I am not affiliated with Windlass Steelcrafts. This sword was received as a prize im the 2018 Mid-year Forum Giveaway by forum member William Swigger, who was the original owner. I am not being paid for this review, 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
My initial impressions were good. It was packaged well in a sleeve style box with the handle protected by bubble wrap and the blade housed in its scabbard. I kind of was expecting this sword to be heavy and unwieldly due to others opinions but I found it quite responsive and lively for its weight and point of balance. It handles somewhat similar to my Windlass European Sword so getting familiar with it wasn't too hard. I was impressed by the blade profile as well. I've always liked the broad and long fullered Type X blades and was happy to finally own one. The only real flaw I noticed on inspection was the guard was loose and had some slight lateral movement. Overall I was surprisingly impressed with this sword and see why it’s such a popular and long lived model from Windlass.
Statistics
Overall Length: 39"
Blade Length: 32 3/4"
Blade Width: 1 5/8" at the base, tapering down to 1 3/4" in the middle section, down to 1 1/2" at the tip
Handle Length: 3 3/4" with a circumference 3 1/2" at the guard tapering to 3" at the pommel
Guard Length: 8 3/4"
Point of Balance: 6"
Weight: 2 3/4 lbs.
The Blade
As mentioned in the Historical Overview this sword is a Type X early medieval arming sword or Type 3 of the Geibig typology. It has a broad lenticular profiled blade, broad fuller flowing down to the tip of the blade and a slightly acutely pointed spade shaped tip. The blade in my opinion is a little long for a typical type X thought there are some (more so in the Xa subtype) that reach such blade lengths. The blade has the typical Windlass mirror polish and is well forged and shaped. I found no manufacturing flaws in the blade such as bends or twists. The sword is quite rigid with very little distal taper. As such it has very little flex in the blade due to its thickness but upon flex testing returned true. The sword came sharp with a slight secondary bevel as is the normal for swords sharpened by the Museum Replicas in house sharpening service. The edge is well done with no blemishes or flaws and follows the entire length of the blade from the base down to the tip. The fullers are also well done and are straight and even ending at 1 1/2" above the tip. The tip itself is well shaped and is a good representation of the tips seen on many historical Type X blades. One difference is the slight diamond ridge between the fuller and point, though such a diamond profile is common in most Windlass swords even of the lenticular types. Overall the Blade is well crafted and a great representation of its type.
The Handle
The handle of the Classic Medieval Sword is of the typical single handed length and shape seen on many arming swords of the medieval ages. At 3 3/4" in length it leaves plenty of room for a medium to large sized hand. Its oblong shape is comfortable to hold and tapers slightly from top to bottom. It has two risers, one at the base and one at the end and is wrapped in black leather with a high gloss finish. The seam is well executed and the leather wrap is tight and well-formed over the risers. The only thing I'm not too fond of is the finish on the leather. It’s different than the stock leather of other Windlass swords I've owned and the finish is kind of like a vinyl. It’s not long lasting though as the finish rubs off after some heavy handling and underneath is a nice soft leather. Similar to what was wrapped on both my European Sword and Sword of Roven. I'm sure the handle is made of a quality hardwood similar to the rest of my Windlass swords, though I'm sure I'll get better confirmation it gets one of my custom rewraps. Overall a well-made and comfortable handle.
The Guard
The guard is easily classified as a Style 6 guard (Why is it called a Style 7 in its overview on MRL I have no idea, perhaps a long forgotten typo or mistake never corrected?). It has the distinct curvature as well as the thin cross that widens out with the prominent bowtie quillions seen on all Type 6 guards. I love this guard or Style 6 guards in general. Windlass has done a great job with this guard. It’s made of their commonly used mild steel polished to a high sheen. It is straight and even with the edges rounded making it comfortable to the hand. The quillions have the proper taper that defines the Type 5 and 6 guard styles. Unfortunately, the guard is where the only real flaw was on this sword, as it was slightly loose and had play. This was an easy fix though as all it took to remedy the looseness was a few hammer strikes to the peen on the pommel. Overall a well-made and attractive guard that is an excellent replica of its type and style.
The Pommel
The pommel is a circular Type I. In comparison to my Windlass European sword's pommel which is also a Type I, it is thinner and its circumference wider. It like the guard is made of mild steel and has a mirror polish. It is shaped well and its lines are crisp and even. There are no sharp edges to the it and it rests on the bottom of the hand comfortably. The tang is peened to the pommel. The peen was a little off though and I suspect that is why the guard was loose. When I hammered the peen a lot of the metal pushed down into pommel which evened out the peen and also secured the guard. It seems that some attention to the peening was missed in the manufacturing of this sword. Overall though the pommel is well done and is comfortable and attractive.
The Scabbard
The scabbard is the typical Windlass scabbard made of leather with a steel chape and throat. It is the harder leather as seen on my Roven and Type XIV. Unfortunately, it too suffers the loose hold similar to what I experienced with my Type XIV scabbard. Much like the Type XIV its mouth seems to have been carved to wide and the blade moves around quite easily. The blade also rattles in the scabbard. One benefit is the frog button on the throat. It is very similar to the button on my Culloden Basket Hilt scabbard. Sadly, the frog of my Culloden is too small to fit the broad Classic Medieval scabbard but a wider frog or one with adjustable straps would work well. Actually the scabbard is too broad for the sword itself due to how loose it fits. I'm not sure if this is reflective on all Classic Medieval scabbards but it is unfortunate as this to date is my worst fitting Windlass scabbard. Which of course isn't saying much in regards to Windlass Scabbards as a whole. Overall a subpar scabbard that does its job of housing the sharp blade but the fit leaves much to be desired.
Handling Characteristics
This sword handles quite well for its weight and high point of balance. As I mentioned in the Initial Impressions section of the review it handles very similar to my Windlass European even though this sword has less profile taper and a point of balance an inch higher. It doesn't feel as quick and responsive as the European Sword but I feel that has more to do with the point of balance than the weight or profile taper. Honestly I feel that if this sword was a little shorter, with maybe a 30" blade as opposed to its 33" length it would be much more lively and quick in the hand. It doesn't handle poorly though and the forward balance is a benefit to cutting. As putting it in motion it isn't difficult to stop mid swing and when in full swing it has some serious cutting power. It may feel too heavy for those who prefer a lighter sword or one with a lower point of balance but for what it is as a broad cutting sword it handles quite well. Overall I'd say for its type and point of balance it is handles pretty well but it may feel too heavy in the hand for some.
Test Cutting
This is definitely where this sword shines. This sword is meant to cut and it does this extremely well. I had a lot of fun cutting with this sword and could really feel how the balance and blade profile worked in unison with a cutting stroke. It is also to my surprise a good thruster. This is probably due to the fact that it has such a sharp and pointed tip. The sharpening job done by MRL was well executed and as mentioned before is razor sharp and evenly sharp from the base of the blade to the tip. As can be seen in the cutting below I had little trouble cutting through the various bottles and would feel comfortable using this sword on heavier targets. Also the guard didn't loosen up after the cutting session so the work I did on the peen must have been efficient in fixing the manufacturing flaw.
Conclusions
This sword actually surprised me when compared to me earlier judgments based on older reviews and impressions. It cuts extremely well, handles nicely and though simple in design is attractive and historically accurate in its blade profile and hilt pairing. This is definitely a staple of the Windlass European line of swords as it has held its place on the market longer than any other Windlass model. It’s even seen a second release under the newer Battlecry line, getting a full bluing and a single silver wire grip for additional function and aesthetic renamed the Acre Broadsword. It has also been seen and had use in many films and documentaries over the years. If anything with its time on the market and popularity it has definitely earned its name as the "Classic Medieval Sword".
Pros
- Hand forged blade of 1060 high carbon steel
- Peened hilt construction
- period accurate blade profile
- Durable solid blade
- Attractive and comfortable grip and hilt
Cons
- May feel too heavy in the hand to those who prefer a lighter sword
- Fit and finish may be hit or miss due to price point
- Chance of a poor fitting scabbard
The Bottom Line
Overall I was really impressed with this sword for what it is and anyone else would too who is looking for a well built and attractive reproduction of an earlier period arming sword, especially for its price point. It’s quite hard to find a sword these days around $200 that handles and is built like this one. Whether it’s this original Classic Medieval Sword model or the newer blued Battlecry Acre model, I feel this is a good sword and can see why it has lasted for as long as it has as a staple Windlass in the lineup.
Thanks for reading and I hope you all enjoyed,
D