Review of: De Joinville Sword
Wonderful construction, feels light and agile in the hand.
Reviewed by: Tim, June 17, 2023
Review of: De Joinville Sword
I have to say, I wasn't expecting to be wowed by this little sword, but I believe it is one of my favorite Windlass swords. Actually, one of my favorites in my whole collection. It's simple, but elegant. I love the hollow grid cross section on the blade and the high polish of it. I've read other reviews mentioning using the sharpening service. I always sharpen my own blades, and was expecting to on this one, but it came very sharp, and very well done at that. This may be something new, as I see they now mention that it comes sharp in the ad. I think they have made some changes over the years. This sword used to come with a weathering effect that looked (in pictures) like dried water beads all over the guard & pommel. I thought it looked strange. I was pleasantly surprised that it was not on my sword, so I assume they no longer put that on this sword. I only have one gripe, and one worry. The gripe...it has a large gap between the blade and the guard, but nothing feels loose. The worry...it has a leather scabbard with no wood core. I have had several Windlass swords with leather scabbards where the leather was not sufficiently aged/dried, and the moisture it contains caused the blade to rust. I am reluctant to leave the sword in the scabbard for this reason. I have heard that you should not leave swords in leather-only scabbards due to the rusting potential. I hate to leave sharpened swords around the house with the edges exposed. Dusting is a hazardous activity in my house. Neither of these are big issues, and I highly recommend this gem of an arming sword. If you're on the fence, just get it.
Reviewed by: John, April 11, 2023
Review of: De Joinville Sword
Instantly fell head over heels for this sword after handing it for a while. I generally prefer a different style sword, though the specs and size was perfect, plus modest price. Glad I pulled the trigger on this one! Nice stiffness, pommel shape aids in two handed thrusts and more powerful cuts. Slightly longer grip adds flexibility in use. I prefer this shorter than average blade length personality. Fast, sharp, thrusts accurately, cuts well. Very nice sword!
Reviewed by: Craig, December 06, 2021
Review of: De Joinville Sword
A great arming sword! The heavy pommel, large guard and wide blade base put the point of balance about 2" in front of the guard; this enables fast cuts and recoveries, and the puts the weapon's weight in the hand for solid, aimed thrusts. I had mine sharpened by MR, and it arrived very, very sharp. In addition, it is a beauty. My only complaint is that the scabbard is not a full wood core and the throat isn't symmetrical, so the sword only seats properly with maker's mark opposite the frog lug. That aside, this sword is easily worth the price, in beauty, balance, and deadliness.
Reviewed by: Shannon, September 01, 2020
Review of: De Joinville Sword
Excellent sword. Well crafted, great shipping and packing. Only small glitch was that the shipping plastic protection wrapping discolored the pommel and guard. No problem. With a little Flitz, cleaned it up. Even with that, still 5 stars.
Reviewed by: HOWARD, August 21, 2020
Review of: De Joinville Sword
I received this today and I absolutely love it. It's a little shorter than I imagined but it's also lighter, as well. Yes, the pommel is rather large, but it brings things nicely into balance. The quillions are beautiful, the blade is perfectly polished, no scratches anywhere. Sharpening was great, too, no burrs, nice and even. The blade is a bit whippier than I had anticipated but it's perfectly fine and functional -- the shorter length of the blade makes up for it. Besides, that just means the heat treatment was done correctly. The peen is nice and rounded off. Everything fits nice and tight. The scabbard is okay, I like the dip it has at the top for the crossguard, and the antique look of the scabbard furniture is nice, too. Oh, and the wood on the handle is perfectly dyed and sandpapered smooth. All in all, a great purchase and a wonderful little short arming sword. Highly recommended.
Reviewed by: William, July 31, 2020
Review of: De Joinville Sword
This is my favorite sword. It looks and wields like a real battle sword. There is a slight dip along the edge on one side.no big deal but now that i know that it is there i always see it. even so , This sword is a great buy.
Reviewed by: kenneth, May 07, 2020
Review of: De Joinville Sword
Of all my swords purchased from MR this one is my favorite . It's well made . I had mine sharpened and engraved . It's very sharp . It balances 2" from the guard while makes it easy to wield . All steel construction is a plus . I like the design .
Reviewed by: Dennis, April 11, 2020
Review of: De Joinville Sword
This sword really pleasantly surprised me. The relatively simple design is elegant in its own way, even with the oddly over-sized pommel. It feels sturdy, rugged, like it's meant to be used instead of hung on a wall. It feels very light and nimble in the hand, though a bit hilt heavy (the pommel, no doubt....). The sharpening service was adequate and the fit and finish is excellent for this price range. I ended up actually liking the pommel as it effectively extends the grip to make this a hand and a half sword, essentially. Overall, very pleased and a good bargain for a trusty everyday carry sword.
Reviewed by: Jarod, April 07, 2020