seth
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Post by seth on Oct 7, 2020 17:44:35 GMT
This item has been in the MRL catalog as long as I can remember. I've always had an interest in it, and I finally got one on a whim. It's something different so I thought I would do a little review. MRL says this is from Batman Begins, but I am pretty sure it's been in the catalog longer than that. It's pretty sleek looking and very sturdy. It would serve very well as a cane if you needed some assistance in walking though a 90 degree handle would be better if a person needed more stability. The height is good for my 6' self. The body is aluminum and steel--very strong. It's 36" long overall with a 29" blade, 5/8" wide, and 3/16" thick--it weighs 1.5 lbs (from MRL's website). It locks sturdily together with no play. There is no rattle when the blade is in the shaft. The latch releases with just the right amount of pressure. It would be difficult to inadvertently release the blade just by grasping the button, but the button releases easily when deliberately pushed. The shaft is robust and would make a formidable weapon itself--a very good offhand weapon. The blade is secure in the handle, but it does have gaps. There's no play, but I filled the gaps with epoxy anyway, but I was careful not to interfere with the latch's movement. MRL touts this as a full-length rapier blade. I am not super-familiar with rapiers, but I found the blade to more similar to small sword replicas I have had. There is quite a bit of flex in the blade, but it would hold up well to a thrust. The blade is not sharpened. I think a triangular cross-section blade would be stronger, but this blade could be used effectively on the thrust. It's fun piece and reasonably priced.
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Oct 16, 2020 18:10:23 GMT
I missed your review when first came out and accidentally stumbled on it when searching for something else. At 36” OAL it meets the international standard length for canes. My length is 37” but can use it with no problems. I’ve had mine for many years. I like it very much and is one of my favourite sword canes. I got it when first getting into swords. I sharpened the blade but wouldn’t trust it as a cutting blade unless to discourage someone from holding it, but should thrust well. It is the only blade I’ve drawn in defence and was glad that I was carrying it that night. No blood was draw as they couldn’t figure out how to get around the points. You’re right, the scabbard can be used. I held off the second attacker but had never thought of using the tip up to that time. It is quite fast, I had it out and on guard before my feet hit the deck that night. If you intend to carry it I heartily recommend a wrist strap. They are commercially available but after going through 2-3 I started making mine and mine lasted. They make for easier handling. My homemade jobbies are an excuse to hide the release button. I also wrapped mine in electrical tape as I like the feel better than bare metal. As for a 90° handle, I have no problem with the knob. In fact the worst handle I have is on CS HDSC. The largest advantage I see in such a handle is that they make a more comfortable seat. My favourite is an oversize crook, but that will never do on a sword cane. It takes a more rugged individual then me to set on that knob.
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Post by randomnobody on Oct 19, 2020 5:52:05 GMT
Bought one of these, years ago now, as a joke gift for an aging family member. My own impressions were that the cane and its parts were substantial and should do their job, at least in the formal sense, but I thought the blade overly flexible.
Anyway, it was a hit, but now resides at the back of a closet...
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seth
Member
Just Peachy
Posts: 975
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Post by seth on Oct 25, 2020 2:27:40 GMT
I missed your review when first came out and accidentally stumbled on it when searching for something else. At 36” OAL it meets the international standard length for canes. My length is 37” but can use it with no problems. I’ve had mine for many years. I like it very much and is one of my favourite sword canes. I got it when first getting into swords. I sharpened the blade but wouldn’t trust it as a cutting blade unless to discourage someone from holding it, but should thrust well. It is the only blade I’ve drawn in defence and was glad that I was carrying it that night. No blood was draw as they couldn’t figure out how to get around the points. You’re right, the scabbard can be used. I held off the second attacker but had never thought of using the tip up to that time. It is quite fast, I had it out and on guard before my feet hit the deck that night. If you intend to carry it I heartily recommend a wrist strap. They are commercially available but after going through 2-3 I started making mine and mine lasted. They make for easier handling. My homemade jobbies are an excuse to hide the release button. I also wrapped mine in electrical tape as I like the feel better than bare metal. As for a 90° handle, I have no problem with the knob. In fact the worst handle I have is on CS HDSC. The largest advantage I see in such a handle is that they make a more comfortable seat. My favourite is an oversize crook, but that will never do on a sword cane. It takes a more rugged individual then me to set on that knob. My notifications failed to let me know you replied. Thanks for the tip on the wrist strap. That makes sense. I feel like the sword could actually be the distraction while the scabbard comes out of now where for a non-lethal but encounter ending strike.
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Oct 25, 2020 12:46:09 GMT
Bought one of these, years ago now, as a joke gift for an aging family member. My own impressions were that the cane and its parts were substantial and should do their job, at least in the formal sense, but I thought the blade overly flexible. Anyway, it was a hit, but now resides at the back of a closet... Strange, mine does not flex other than purposely bending it with both hands. It is by no means whippy. While trying to make it flex by radically slashing it through the air I got a most audible swish out of it, something that would do my other blades proud. Perhaps what you have is due to Windlass’ famed production variation. Their adherence to close tolerances leaves something to be desired. I have one of their rapier bladed umbrellas that has more flex. The blade is narrower and I believe slightly longer. Sorry too lazy to go to the other end of the house to check the exact length but it is longer.
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Oct 25, 2020 13:08:19 GMT
I feel like the sword could actually be the distraction while the scabbard comes out of now where for a non-lethal but encounter ending strike. If you mean what I think, that is to use the cane as a baton making the cane non-lethal and the blade as a backup that was and is my original intent. And have had good luck as such with my wooden canes which I find more versatile in EDC. So far every encounter I’ve experienced with such a cane ended in my favour. One strike, if it goes that far, and it’s over. I know pressure points and use those. The CS HDSC is best in that light but that thing is miserable to carry and the shape of the handle is horrible, not that it’s uncomfortable but poorly designed to have good functionality.
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Post by randomnobody on Oct 25, 2020 16:38:13 GMT
Bought one of these, years ago now, as a joke gift for an aging family member. My own impressions were that the cane and its parts were substantial and should do their job, at least in the formal sense, but I thought the blade overly flexible. Anyway, it was a hit, but now resides at the back of a closet... Strange, mine does not flex other than purposely bending it with both hands. It is by no means whippy. While trying to make it flex by radically slashing it through the air I got a most audible swish out of it, something that would do my other blades proud. Perhaps what you have is due to Windlass’ famed production variation. Their adherence to close tolerances leaves something to be desired. I have one of their rapier bladed umbrellas that has more flex. The blade is narrower and I believe slightly longer. Sorry too lazy to go to the other end of the house to check the exact length but it is longer. Going only by memory, holding the blade horizontal gave it a pretty noticable arc. A small section of a very large circle, granted, but the was easily an inch lower.
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Oct 25, 2020 19:15:45 GMT
Strange, mine does not flex other than purposely bending it with both hands. It is by no means whippy. While trying to make it flex by radically slashing it through the air I got a most audible swish out of it, something that would do my other blades proud. Perhaps what you have is due to Windlass’ famed production variation. Their adherence to close tolerances leaves something to be desired. I have one of their rapier bladed umbrellas that has more flex. The blade is narrower and I believe slightly longer. Sorry too lazy to go to the other end of the house to check the exact length but it is longer. Going only by memory, holding the blade horizontal gave it a pretty noticable arc. A small section of a very large circle, granted, but the was easily an inch lower. Not so here. I started to photo it but that blade is too thin with no colour for the camera to focus on. Having gotten my curiosity up I examined the blade to the umbrella. It is 28 15/ 16” long, .382” wide in front of the ricasso, .114”-.113” thick (no taper). Shaking it I could feel the blade flex and it drooped about 1” at the tip when held horizontally. Being narrower and a trifle longer the additional flex is understandable. Which further got my curiosity so I gave it a thrust test using a free standing filled plastic gallon jug that fabric softener came in protected by two rugs. I gave two thrusts. With the first it holed the front of the jug only and I could feel the flex. The blade sprung back true. The second time I got complete penetration. Both holes that time were smaller than the first test measuring entrance ≈.390” and exit ≈.384”. The first thrust gave a ≈.446” hole, probably the result of the blade flexing. I have rarely carried the umbrellas and it is not amongst my favourites. I believe the umbrella was used in a film that I didn't see but can imagine what Hollywood did with this umbrella.
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Post by randomnobody on Oct 26, 2020 0:03:28 GMT
Going only by memory, holding the blade horizontal gave it a pretty noticable arc. A small section of a very large circle, granted, but the was easily an inch lower. Not so here. I started to photo it but that blade is too thin with no colour for the camera to focus on. Having gotten my curiosity up I examined the blade to the umbrella. It is 28 15/ 16” long, .382” wide in front of the ricasso, .114”-.113” thick (no taper). Shaking it I could feel the blade flex and it drooped about 1” at the tip when held horizontally. Being narrower and a trifle longer the additional flex is understandable. Which further got my curiosity so I gave it a thrust test using a free standing filled plastic gallon jug that fabric softener came in protected by two rugs. I gave two thrusts. With the first it holed the front of the jug only and I could feel the flex. The blade sprung back true. The second time I got complete penetration. Both holes that time were smaller than the first test measuring entrance ≈.390” and exit ≈.384”. The first thrust gave a ≈.446” hole, probably the result of the blade flexing. I have rarely carried the umbrellas and it is not amongst my favourites. I believe the umbrella was used in a film that I didn't see but can imagine what Hollywood did with this umbrella. Unfortunately the cane I bought is no longer in my possession, having been a gift to someone else, so I can't get any pics or measurements. I only have memories of it being saggy to a level I didn't like. It was never to be used, so I wrote it off and passed it along and haven't seen it since. I'm glad others have gotten better ones, though it sounds like your umbrella is pretty comparable to the cane I got. It's probably been a decade or so that I bought it, so it's hard to say whether it was typical of its time or an outlier.
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