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Hand and Half Swords

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14th Century Longsword

#501832
This replica longsword is part of the Royal Armouries Collection by Windlass. This type of sword may have been used by armored men-at-arms and knights, usually one-handed on horseback or two-handed on foot. Swords like this were used in Europe in the second half of the 14th century and would likely have been familiar to fencing masters like Fiore dei Liberi and used at battles like Sempach in 1386. This sword seems quite specialized for armored combat and half-swording.

$624.95

15th Century Longsword

#501831
This replica knightly longsword is part of the Royal Armouries Collection by Windlass. The original sword is believed to have been found in the River Thames before finding its way into the Tower of London collection. This is the sort of hand-and-a-half sword that was often carried by knights and men-at-arms, and it features a two-handed hilt with a scent-stopper pommel.

$644.95

Rhinelander Bastard Sword

#501770
A worthy example of late 15th-century central European cut-and-thrust swords, the Rhinelander Bastard sword has a 5160 high-carbon steel blade. Made by Hanwei.
$264.95

Hanwei / Tinker Sharp Bastard Sword with Fuller

#501762
This sharpened Hanwei / Tinker Longsword is based on the Oakeshott Type XVIIIA and has a fuller for about one-third of its length.
$264.95

Hanwei / Tinker Sharp Bastard Sword

#501758
Designed by Michael "Tinker" Pearce, the sharpened Hanwei / Tinker Longsword is based on the Oakeshott Type XVIIIA.
$244.95

Bastard Sword by Paul Chen / Hanwei

#501732
Hand and a half sword based on the Oakeshott Type XVIIIA. The blade is 5160 high carbon steel.
$269.95

Windlass Classic Bastard Sword

#501510
This hand and half sword can easily accommodate two hands. Large, but amazingly light and well balanced, this sword has a darkened steel pommel and crossguard. The 1075 high carbon steel blade arrives sharpened from the factory.
$324.95

Battlecry Agincourt War Sword

#501506
This hand-and-half sword has a sharpened, darkened 1065 high carbon steel blade with an extra-wide tang. Includes a leather belt frog and scabbard with belt stop. Overall 39 inches.
$329.95

Experience the power and versatility of hand and a half swords - get yours now!

The term hand-and-a-half is more a modern designation for a range of sword types that featured tapered blades longer than the standard shorter arming swords of the time but without the double-hand grips of larger, heavier war-swords. Many different swords fall into this category, and many of them are as maneuverable as they are surprisingly sturdy. Hand-and-a-half swords roughly fall into two categories. The first tends to have approximately six-inch grips with the blades generally between 34–36 inches. The second type is known as “bastard” swords with grips around five inches or so, and blades 30–34 inches long. Both are light enough to use one handed but allow for two handed use by gripping the base of the pommel. Blade shapes varied to the changes from the mail to full plate armor, but remained of a size that made them effective from horseback. 

Museum Replicas houses a collection of hand-and-a-half swords which includes arguably the most famous of all medieval blades – the longsword. We also offer other traditional swords of the period – the bastard sword and the war-sword. Just like our other swords, Museum Replicas’ hand-and-a-half swords are aesthetically pleasing and works of excellent craftsmanship. Check them out now!

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Top Customer Reviews

Review of: 14th Century Longsword

Matt Easton’s YouTube review goes over most on the details of the sword so I will not reiterate what he discusses. Instead, will give my personal experience with it and some of the pros and cons.

Firstly, the presentation is phenomenal. The inner box is very thick, well padded, and it makes you feel as though the sword  is a collector’s item not just a hunk of steel. The included wax and cleaning cloth is a nice touch as well.

The sword itself looks and feels very nice overall. The hilt is very impressively constructed. The grip wrap is EXTREMELY tight with no gaps or overhang to be seen. The cross guard conforms to the blade
nicely with slightly less than a 1/16in gap. The pommel is beautiful, surprisingly large, and is likely largely responsible for this swords Balance point. While it is a rather heavy sword, the balance is close to the hand which combined with the pommel and the distal taper makes it very easy to
handle. The scabbard also surprised me. While it is simple, it fits the sword well and seems well constructed.

Now for the cons. From a distance the blade looks flawless, but if you get it in the right light there is a slight but noticeable waviness to finish, likely from forging. On my example, the waves left one of the edges with a very slight warp in a section on the edge. The central ridge also does not perfectly line up with the tip but it is so minor that you could likely fix that just by sharpening it. The edge is also fairly close
to being sharp should you want to do so. I personally do not mind these finish flaws as I doubt historical examples would have been perfect in this regard either.

Overall the sword is very sold for the money  with the caveat that if you are expecting a perfect blade grind you may want to look elsewhere. Personally, I will be purchasing more swords from this series and look forward to more historically accurate replicas in the future.
Reviewed by: Cody, February 14, 2023

Review of: 14th Century Longsword

Looking at the history of swords and how they represent the technology and tactics of their time era is one of the major factors that led us at Unsheathed Sword Reviews into the collecting addiction.  Given that, it is no surprise to anyone that we picked this sword to review.  

The question this sword poses is this:  is it possible to produce a sword that is an accurate representation of a historical piece, has good fit and finish, and performs well, all at a mid-range price point?  Unsheathed Sword Reviews gives our opinion on whether Windlass and the Royal Armouries were able to pull it off in our review below.

https://youtu.be/TcRg93-3Ym4
Reviewed by: Jonathan, February 08, 2023

Review of: 15th Century Longsword

I reviewed the 15th century English Longsword in 4k resolution on YouTube: https://youtu.be/reMAZSkW2jk and the second part with extensive cutting can be seen at https://youtu.be/2jQ3Z6JKMSQ

Oakeshott type XVII longswords are rare to find on the reproduction market. Prior to this attempt by Windlass, the only option you have is the premium makers like Albion and some custom makers, which cost a lot. Under the direction of Matt Easton of scholagladiatoria, and Royal Armouries National Museum of England, Windlass did a highly faithful recreation of an typical example of this rare type of longsword. It features a graceful distal taper and accurate hexagonal cross section, just like a late medieval longsword of type XVII should. It handles well with excellent point precision, yet is still quite rigid for its length and carries authority in cuts. This is the right direction and Windlass should go back to drawing board to revamp practically every older model they have, and feature the correct mass distribution to accurately represent the type of sword they claim to replicate.
Reviewed by: Kane, February 07, 2023

Review of: 15th Century Longsword

Great fit and finish. Perfect packaging. And the sword handles great. Over all very please 5/5.
Reviewed by: luis, November 14, 2022

Review of: 15th Century Longsword

The sword is everything Matt’s review of it claims.

The fit and finish and features plus scabbard inclusion by themselves make the price point an unbeatable value, but add to that the fact that it is a 1:1 replica of a famously beautiful historical sword right down to the weapon dynamics, and you have a collectors item.
I am glad I bought it while it’s available. Do it.
Reviewed by: Ian, October 27, 2022

Review of: 15th Century Longsword

The sword is everything Matt’s review of it claims.

The fit and finish and features plus scabbard inclusion by themselves make the price point an unbeatable value, but add to that the fact that it is a 1:1 replica of a famously beautiful historical sword right down to the weapon dynamics, and you have a collectors item.
I am glad I bought it while it’s available. Do it.
Reviewed by: Ian, October 27, 2022

Review of: 15th Century Longsword

When Matt Easton reviewed this sword I was instantly smitten. I was about to buy another sword but put that purchase on hold to get this one. I was nervous, $700 is a lot for a Windlass sword and I like sharp swords, not blunt ones. I took the plunge, ordered it, and hoped for the best. When the package was delivered I was instantly worried, it was heavy as heck. Swords should be light and nimble not bricks. As I unpacked it my concerns were proven to be unfounded, the box the sword is packaged in is the heaviest duty cardboard box I have ever seen, the lid to the box weights more than the sword does!.
Inside was a wonderfully light and nimble sword. Easily handled with one hand and a dream with two.  The quality of this sword is amazing, straight lines, minimal waves in the blade finish and while not sharp it is not blunt. More like the final sharpening needs to be done and minimal material would be removed to get it to sharp. To say I am pleased is an understatement. I'll be ordering the 14th Century Arming Sword soon!  Kudos to Matt Easton, Windlass and The Royal Armories, they hit this one out of the park.
Reviewed by: Tim, October 22, 2022

Review of: Hanwei / Tinker Sharp Bastard Sword with Fuller

I guess I was just disappointed that the sword was not made be Museum Replicas the "China" label was disheartening.

I have made at least 2 purchases, maybe 3 from United Cutlery as well as Museum Replicas and always had faith in the quality. This time.......not so much. Loved the sword not the production label considering paying the price over 200.00 dollars.
Reviewed by: Paul, June 27, 2021

Review of: Hanwei / Tinker Sharp Bastard Sword with Fuller

Awesome sword. Well balanced. Decently sharp.
Reviewed by: Gary, November 16, 2020

Review of: Hanwei / Tinker Sharp Bastard Sword with Fuller

this sword is extremely lightweight and just overall great
Reviewed by: Master, October 08, 2020