Hand and Half Swords

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.

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

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.

Great fit and finish. Perfect packaging. And the sword handles great. Over all very please 5/5.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Awesome sword. Well balanced. Decently sharp.

this sword is extremely lightweight and just overall great