One-Handed Swords

This sword is great! It’s sharp and light weight. Easy to swing yet solid in hand. Impressive to behold but not flashy. An excellent addition to any collector or student of the Hundred Years War.

I was initially hesitant to purchase this sword, after reading some reviews on here and on YouTube.  Every review had positive things to say in regards to the weight,  shape, taper, design and overall quality of the blade. The thing that caused me to hesitant was the mention of quality of the fittings, guard and handle being loose or out of alignment.  Things of this nature.  I have to say that my sword is as perfect as you can expect for a hand forged sword under 400 dollars. The blade is exactly as stated, light, fast, fantastically balanced an sharp as a razor. It's so sharp its a little scary! The guard and handle are tight and perfectly aligned.  As far as the quality of this blade, for the price.  I have nothing to complain about! I'm very pleased.  Something to keep in mind,  the grip area of this sword is very small,  as a big guy with big hands I wish the grip was larger but that's just me and I have to say the handle dimensions are historically accurate,  I just have ogre hands!!!.

One of the most fun backyard cutters I've laid my hands on. Good feel to the blade - authority in the cut without feeling tip heavy. Good functional sharpness, although it could be more refined.

A lot of fun to move around, and the distal taper is executed amazingly well.

Biggest downside is that my scabbard is underweight, and has the plastic inserts typical to Windlass leather sheaths, and I don't think they belong on what is supposed to be a wood-core scabbard. Makes me wonder if the scabbard isn't actually wood-core at all!

I did a full review on YouTube: https://youtu.be/yEGuzVXo_ow

I reviewed the Wakefield Hanger/Falchion in 4k resolution on YouTube: https://youtu.be/reMAZSkW2jk and the second part with extensive cutting can be seen at https://youtu.be/2jQ3Z6JKMSQ
The Wakefield Hanger is a highly accurate reproduction of an iconic English medieval sword, and it handles exactly as expected in cutting and fulfills its  role of an infantry sidearm perfectly. You can see the results in my video. The Wakefield Hanger/Falchion is particularly a joy with cut with.

I bought one of these after seeing Matt Easton's review, where he compared it to real antiques. This replica was made to be as accurate as possible, and for the price it's just unbelievable. This is a must have for anyone into replica swords. Mine arrived in just under 3 weeks.

Thanks to the distal taper and overall quality of the blade, it's very lively and just wants to whirl through the air. It is paper cutting sharp, and the included scabbard is lovely but just like the real one, you have to be very careful when drawing and sheathing the sword to avoid harm to the edge.

Such a great representation of a Wakefield hanger, and a huge step up for Windlass in quality. Well worth the higher price. I really enjoy owning this sword.

I did a full video review on YouTube: https://youtu.be/S2FYcVtWUv0

I would agree that this is slightly overpriced at $600, but MRL has coupons floating around everywhere and sales a few times a year.

Addressing the critical review above, yes this sword doesn't fit modern standards of fit and finish, but it greatly exceeds most historical originals. I find the idiosyncrasies charming, but if you're after an art piece, then perhaps look elsewhere. The sword form is correct where it counts.  

The handling and performance however is up there with the best. After sharpening it (took about 20 minutes, the sword comes 85 percent done with a superb primary bevel- I was able to cut a bottle with the factory edge), I've run the sword through many different targets and through quite a bit of drilling- it handles and cuts with the best of them. It's a broad, powerful cutter. Point control is excellent. Expect a war sword.

The CoP is very broad and all vibrational nodes are well placed. The blade geometry is top notch. Being based on an original, the proportions are authentic and probably can pass as a decent wallhanger. Though, the markings on the blade leave quite a bit to be desired and do feel souvenir-ish (which technically this is), but if you're after a hard use sword, it probably won't bother you.

The scabbard is budget plus. The outside of the scabbard looks great, but the core of the scabbard is the same old overweight (but also over built) scabbard you'd get at this price point. It works though.

The presentation and box is premium, but I'd personally wish they'd ship it simpler and pass the savings on. If you're after a gift for someone, though, it'll impress.  The included wax is a nice touch.

This sword is a solid buy at retail and a bargain with a discount.

The blade is superb!  Well balanced and plays nice in the hand.  Edge is blunt but would not take much to put an edge on it.  Well worth the price for an excellent sword!

This sword, Royal Armories I.x144 arrived well packed, I must say the inner box is lovely.  The blade is very nice and the sword rings when removed from the wooden scabbard or struck with a knuckle.  The grip and leather are well done.  The knuckle-bow is not inline with the blade  (slightly bent) however a reviewer from BC Canada mentioned that the original’s is also bent so I am fine with that.  The peen is not well done and has a very sharp lifted edge.  The guard, quillon, & pummel-cap have very sharp edges - in places cutting sharp.  The scabbard is well done but the rain flap modification to accommodate the “nail” stud/guard seems an afterthought and causes the rain guard to bulge awkwardly to one side.  My sword weighs 702 grams (verified on 3 different scales, I am fine with that lighter weight. Did I mention how lovely the blade is-good show Windlass on the blade.  The blade arrived unsharpened, the point is very very sharp, what a lovely blade.  Overall, fit quality needs to improve to get an A+ from me.  However at this price point I give it an A-  I am very happy owning this piece of history and really, it is, most likely,  a better sword than was the original at Royal Armories.

Bert Regards,
Bob
Tampa, FL

Love this sword. I originally got the Royal Armouries backsword. It too was lovely, but I was looking for something a bit more nimble and fun. I wanted something handy to swing around with grace and ease- and cut light targets with. This IS it! The exchange process was flawless! Thanks MRL.
The bade is the highlight. So well formed. Love the hollow grind the needle-sharp point. The edge geometry is the best I've seen. This will not need much to bring it to slicing capacity.

I love how compact the grip is. It feels like a proper sword in the hand (comparing it to antique sabers and higher endish swords).

Fit is VERY good. It rings with only the slightest provocation. Guard is fit tightly, so far no hint of rattle. Scabbard is quite nice. Much improved from typical windlass. Nice smell and texture. Fits very snug, no hint of rattle. Draws with ease. Bronze chape is a BIT bulky for my tast but nicely done.

Finish: blade superb! Better than expected. Can tell its handmade (which I love, not a fan of machined 'perfect' lines, doesn't look right for historical objects IMO). Some small tool marks around peen and lug, again I like these small imperfections, feels organic/authentic.

Only complaint is pummel, lug and guard edges were way too sharp. The butt of the pommel could have cut skin. For the price this bugged me... I took a file, light sand paper and 30 minutes to CAREFULLY soften edges. Now it feels like a satin pillow in my hand. Visually, no one would not be able to see the difference after my touch-up...

All in all, YES! This is easily the favorite in my collection.