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Michael Brudon




Location: South Pacific
Joined: 21 Dec 2013

Posts: 107

PostPosted: Sat 14 Jun, 2014 9:32 pm    Post subject: type XIV performance and characteristics         Reply with quote

Hi looking to get one of these made partly as a cut and thrust sword, with an emphasis on cutting.Wondered how they rate along side other less than 30" blades, like type X's and falchions for hackability?

I never realised how wide their blades were until saw them in a pic with standard type X's and they basically dwarfed the type X visually, and thus I became interested in getting one. Obviously they taper quickly but I imagine there must still be a lot of cutting power at the COP. Have not been able to find a great deal of information on their performance so thanks if anyone has info on them.

Also does anyone know the historical maximum lengths and widths these came in at?
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Tom Carr




Location: Dallas TX
Joined: 23 Aug 2003

Posts: 148

PostPosted: Sun 15 Jun, 2014 11:42 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

The first is actually misnamed but it is a Type XIV by Windlass/ Museum Replicas
http://www.myArmoury.com/review_ws_typeiv.html

The next is an Albion of the same type.
http://www.myArmoury.com/review_alb_sherriff.html

Most XIV's are similar in many respects as to weight and length of blade though POB will vary according to manufacture.

Much fine information can be found here.

http://www.myArmoury.com/feature_oakeshott.html
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Paul Watson




Location: Upper Hutt, New Zealand
Joined: 08 Feb 2006

Posts: 395

PostPosted: Thu 19 Jun, 2014 1:52 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

The Sovereign was capable of cutting well but it felt like it was designed to thrust which it also did very well. In basic terms it didn't dynamically feel like a cutter like X's and XII's I am guessing due to it's short length and mass near the hilt.
I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, but that which it protects. (Faramir, The Two Towers)
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Ben Coomer




Location: Colorado
Joined: 06 Sep 2011
Likes: 1 page

Posts: 184

PostPosted: Thu 19 Jun, 2014 10:56 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

My wife and I both have a Windlass Type XIV and we're pretty happy with them.

Its a hell of a cutter. The wide blade whips through light targets like milk jugs and squash. My major problem is that it is significantly shorter than my other swords and took me a while to adjust and I still feel a little vulnerable in trying to get so close to use it. But I've just started working with arming swords after decades of longswords so it might just be me.

Its also a great thruster, but I do wonder if it really applies to the Type XIV in general as the Windlass model has a mid ridge from the fuller to the point that doesn't seem to be present in the historical and high end reproductions and may add a rigidity that wasn't typical. But they do come to a sharp point and should do fine as a thruster.
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Mikko Kuusirati




Location: Finland
Joined: 16 Nov 2004
Reading list: 13 books

Posts: 1,080

PostPosted: Fri 20 Jun, 2014 1:00 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

One of my favorite sword types! But then, I've always felt comfortable with compact weapons and stuck right up close to the opponent, spoiling their fight and cramping their style. Maybe it's just because I'm myopic, who knows. Happy

The spotlight article on the type XIV right here on myArmoury is quite good.

There are no real "maximum" dimensions unless you're reproducing a specific example, of course, but I'd say if you stay under 33" or at most 35" of blade length you'll be reasonably within historically plausible parameters. More than that and it begins to veer off into historically inspired fantasy - and moreover IMO kind of misses the point of the type (so to speak). The blade's width, on the other hand, should simply be in aesthetically and functionally pleasing proportion to its length and thickness and the overall design of the individual sword, being part of what defines the mass distribution and thus handling qualities of the weapon.

Ben Coomer wrote:
My wife and I both have a Windlass Type XIV and we're pretty happy with them.

Its a hell of a cutter. The wide blade whips through light targets like milk jugs and squash. My major problem is that it is significantly shorter than my other swords and took me a while to adjust and I still feel a little vulnerable in trying to get so close to use it. But I've just started working with arming swords after decades of longswords so it might just be me.

Its also a great thruster, but I do wonder if it really applies to the Type XIV in general as the Windlass model has a mid ridge from the fuller to the point that doesn't seem to be present in the historical and high end reproductions and may add a rigidity that wasn't typical. But they do come to a sharp point and should do fine as a thruster.

Actually, some historical type XIV swords do have a ridged point section, like the famous one from the Metropolitan Museum, featured in the myArmoury.com article and Records of the Medieval Sword - they're atypical, but they do exist.

"And sin, young man, is when you treat people like things. Including yourself. That's what sin is."
— Terry Pratchett, Carpe Jugulum
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