[Sean Flynt]

I wanted to post a few quick photos of my last project before submerging in preparation for my family's own private "Labor Day".

Dustin Reagan had the same idea, with very nice results:
http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t...light=cord

I went a slightly different route with mine. I discarded the entire grip, which was just a dowel with two facets cut into the lower end. The new grip is oval in section, like the original's (see last photo below). I narrowed the base of the pommel, filed off the raised part of the pommel below the nut and flattened the quillon block to conform more to the design of the original. I gave the hilt and blade a satin finish, firmly wedged the cross in place, used JB Weld on cross, grip and pommel, and peened the tang over the pommel nut. The sword feels and looks much better to me. The first photo shows the piece as purchased.

I didn't set out to match the original exactly. I just wanted something with a nicer finish and a few more historically appropriate details.

[Jean Thibodeau]

Very nice work ! A lot of these inexpensive but basically well put together swords can benefit from a little home project improvements fixing details that were missed or done incorrectly.

Almost a good thing that the makers get thing wrong as you wouldn't get the fun of putting your own touch on these.

[Torsten F.H. Wilke]

Excellent job on the grip, Sean. You have almost faithfully recreated the original to a "T".

One rhetorical question though - why can't anyone seem to get the rest of a sword right??? Viewing the original makes me think of the recreation in terms of words such as comical and horrendous. Many fine sword recreations are victims of this apathy if you look closely. Even the finest are not infallible. Have we as humanity lost the mastery of finesse? Oh, I accidentaly used a form of the word "master". Hope I haven't inadvertantly started a second 90 post "discussion" on that kr@p. Maybe they will graduate to starting a topic on debating the number of angels which can fit on the head of a pin next... /sarcasm

[J. Pav]

Excellent! I've always liked the look of this model, but your modification is a huge step up.

Since I'm here, how flexible is the blade? This model is a tad newer than any MRL longswords I've handled, and they were all noodles...

[Nathan Robinson]

[Sean Flynt]

The thing about this blade is that although it clearly is not enough like the original to be considered a reproduction (the fuller is non-negotiable, in my view,) it seems to be a reasonable form for the period, culture and hilt. That's one reason I consider this piece to be more generally "in the style of" the early 16th c. rather than a reproduction of the Wallace Collection original.

Specifically, the blade is of thick and pronounced hexagonal section in its upper third, gradually tapering toward the point and becoming lenticular. It's a broad, strong cutting blade, which is true to the type and period. It's also the stiffest Windlass blade I've ever encountered. That may sound like faint praise, but it really is extremely stiff. POB remains ~3" below the cross in spite of all my hilt work because I also sharpened the blade.

I share the frustration with some Windlass pieces, wondering why the designers would go out of their way to get something wrong, giving one sword an ahistorical blade when we know the company is technically capable of getting it right on other swords in the same price range. This piece is one of the good ones, and although I would prefer a blade more like that of the original, this one is a reasonable substitute (especially for under $200).

[Sean Flynt]

It's worth noting that the blade of A&A's German Bastard Sword appears to be even less like that of the original sword that inspired its hilt design. From what little we can see of the original's blade, it appears to be another one of these broad, flat-ish cutting blades, with a soft, fullered hexagonal section in its upper part and probably tapering slightly and becoming lenticular. But the A&A's Type XVIII blade is a beautiful and historically defensible substitute. Wish I owned one of those, as well as a Town Gaurd Sword. Y'all let me know if you own those and want to trade even!

[Nathan Robinson]

[Sean Flynt]

Yeah, unlike some folks, I don't worry much about the assembly or finish of Windlass swords because of the price point. I get the same swords other folks get, but I view them from a different perspective (as kits). I can't imagine returning a $200 sword because the hilt rattles. I just figure it's a $200 sword because the hilt rattles. I fix the rattle. I just want to see historically plausible designs (including vital stats). I've noticed that I get frustrated with Windlass when the Windlass sword's inaccuracies exceed my current ability to deal with them on the workbench. Ugly finish? I now look right through it when I'm buying. Blade of ugly modern design on decent, historically inspired hilt? Frustration builds. The more skill I've developed at my workbench, the more content I've become as a consumer of Windlass products.

It's actually a little surprising to me that people complain more about mid-range swords than about those that cost twice as much but feature similar design compromises. I guess we're just willing to overlook a small thing like an unattractive grip wrap or lowest-common-denominator blade choice if the rest of the sword meets or exceeds expectations in terms of finish, fit and assembly. Well, that's how I feel with a finished Windlass upgrade project. It still has some design compromises, but it looks good and I've saved a ton of cash.

Once I have the finished Windlass project in hand I'm also reminded how much of the price difference between a decent inexpensive sword and a decent expensive one must come down to the labor cost of creating such details. I would guess that if Windlass decided to push into the premium sword market with a couple of new items each year, it wouldn't have to do as much in the way of R&D as in assembly and finishing. And since it'd be paying Indian craftsmen to create historically accurate cord-bound grips, peen tangs and do elaborate filework and careful hand finishing, it could offer these premium details for less than the premium American makers and satisfy folks who want a fully-finished $450 piece that looks wonderful even if it doesn't have much, or any, hands-on research behind it or handle as well (historically speaking) as an Albion or A&A piece. Maybe not. Maybe there's a no-man's land between $250 and $600.

Basically, I've created my own Windlass Premium Line, and I have no illusions about what I'm getting. I'd rather have the Albion or A&A products because of the research and craftsmanship behind them. But I'm not one of those with a large collection of cheap items that I could swap for one or two fine reproductions. My cheap stuff wouldn't add up to a single A&A item, and if I did manage to trade up I'd still have to be comfortable with compromises. Now, if Albion or A&A wanted to offer sword kits based on their regular catalog items--blade, pommel and guard, unassembled, unpolished and without grip--and get those down into the $450 range, I'd be the first in line and I seriously doubt there would be any more Windlass products in my collection, upgraded or not. I can certainly understand all the reasons they wouldn't want to do this, but it's fun to dream.

[Dustin R. Reagan]

[Sean Flynt]

[David Martin]

Sean,

You took a nice looking sword and turned it into a beauty! Congratulations on a job well done!

Thanks for sharing the "how to". Grips from automotive chamois - that's genius!


David

[Christian Henry Tobler]

That looks fantastic Sean - well done!!

All the best,

Christian

[Sean Flynt]

Thanks for the kind words, folks! The work is rewarding in a variety of ways, but it's always good to hear what others think, too.

By the way, the cord I used for both the underwrap and temporary overwrap was just neon-orange cotton cord from Lowe's. The orange grip, pre-leather, actually looked very cool. The risers are hemp.

[Torsten F.H. Wilke]

Sean, thank you much for the info you included in your posts. It amazes me how simplicity can be so effective, especially in upgrading a project sword. Please also pardon the sarcasm in my earlier post, I was in a rare mood that day...

By the way, is the pronounced hexagonal cross section of the upper blade portion a normal occurance in period?

[Greyson Brown]

[Sean Flynt]

[Sean Flynt]

[quote="Greyson Brown"]

[Christopher Lee]

Sorry if this is a truly dumb question, but how did you remove the colour of the cross and take it back to satin finsh? What method did you use and how would a person go about it?

[J. Pav]