Windlass Warbrand re-released

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Aaron
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Windlass Warbrand re-released

Post by Aaron »

Hey all, figured I'd give you guys a heads up on a neat and inexpensive blade. Windlass discontinued it years and years ago (as is their standard practice) and I've been trying to get a hold of one since. Very hard to come by on the used market...I've seen maybe 2 for sale in the last 7 or so years. They recently re-released it, with antiqued copper fittings instead of the original brass. I've always felt the blade had some elvish flair to it, though the hilt is a little simple and could use some spicing up. It's a hell of a deal at only 165 bucks, and Kult of Athena is getting it in stock in the next couple of weeks so it might be even cheaper there (though at such a low price it probably won't be too much different).

Here's the link:
http://www.museumreplicas.com/p-2847-th ... sword.aspx
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Greg
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Re: Windlass Warbrand re-released

Post by Greg »

That's actually pretty nifty.
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Aaron
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Re: Windlass Warbrand re-released

Post by Aaron »

Greg wrote:That's actually pretty nifty.
Agreed. It's a pretty rare reproduction, too. I've only seen one other company reproduce this piece from the Maciejowski Bible, and for a Windlass it's pretty accurate.

Image

I'm waiting for KoA to get it in stock, but I'm not letting it slip through my fingers again.
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Elleth
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Re: Windlass Warbrand re-released

Post by Elleth »

Oof. Now that was drawn by someone who knew what spilling entrails look like. *squick*

Could blades really cleave maille and helms like that? On the one hand, I'd expect poetic license.. then again, the other depictions look frighteningly real, and in a pre-industrial age of scarce materials and cheap labor, I can imagine too-thin and poorly tempered iron making it onto the battlefield as the best available in a pinch.

Regarding the weapon - that is interesting! Could it have been a cut down pole arm, or is current thinking that (provided it really existed) - it was made to that size from the start?
I'd think the original would have had either a spearhaft type socket or a knife/sword style whittle tang, yes?

I definitely see the "elvish" aesthetic you're talking about. I think my favorite thing along those lines was a reshaped katana blade set into a long "elvish" handle. This was ages ago - before the movie replicas came out, if I recall correctly. It was fantastically quick and agile, though it gave up reach to a true longsword sword of the same size. I assume there's a reason they never hit real battlefields in big numbers - but gosh it was fun to play with. :)
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Elemmakil
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Re: Windlass Warbrand re-released

Post by Elemmakil »

Aaron wrote:Hey all, figured I'd give you guys a heads up on a neat and inexpensive blade. Windlass discontinued it years and years ago (as is their standard practice) and I've been trying to get a hold of one since. Very hard to come by on the used market...I've seen maybe 2 for sale in the last 7 or so years. They recently re-released it, with antiqued copper fittings instead of the original brass. I've always felt the blade had some elvish flair to it, though the hilt is a little simple and could use some spicing up. It's a hell of a deal at only 165 bucks, and Kult of Athena is getting it in stock in the next couple of weeks so it might be even cheaper there (though at such a low price it probably won't be too much different).

Here's the link:
http://www.museumreplicas.com/p-2847-th ... sword.aspx
Does KoA still carry Windlass products? I thought there was a flap recently where Windlass discontinued supplying them.
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Peter Remling
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Re: Windlass Warbrand re-released

Post by Peter Remling »

Windlass changed their tactics and are now supplying many of their previous vendors. Some smaller vendors closed down as Windlass was their primary suppliers and when they stopped supplying the smaller vendors had no recourse but shut down.

The bigger vendors like KOA were affected but had other goods to sell.

It is my belief that this was how MRL and Atlanta Cutlery got bought out by Windlass in the mid 90's. Bill Adams owned Atlanta Cutlery and was talked into starting the MRL division by Hank Reinhardt. Hank at the time was an avid sword collector, historian and involved in early Historic Europeon Martial Arts. When MRL originally opened they had several Del Tin models and the demand far exceeded what Del Tin could supply, so Bill looked primarily to Windlass who had been supplying Atlanta Cutlery with many blades for years. Several other smiths products were offered but all these others were small forges not set up for quantities needed by the growing company.

Eventually Windlass provided 70-80 % of the products and forced a buy out. This last part has always been a conjecture on my part but fits the known facts.
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Aaron
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Re: Windlass Warbrand re-released

Post by Aaron »

Elleth wrote:Oof. Now that was drawn by someone who knew what spilling entrails look like. *squick*
Or maybe they just really loved spaghetti back then. :P
Elleth wrote:Could blades really cleave maille and helms like that? On the one hand, I'd expect poetic license.. then again, the other depictions look frighteningly real, and in a pre-industrial age of scarce materials and cheap labor, I can imagine too-thin and poorly tempered iron making it onto the battlefield as the best available in a pinch.
Unlikely if both objects are of good construction. The shape of that helm is made to deflect. The mail could if it had some broken links, or was butted instead of riveted (which is unlikely). I think it's possible for those things to have happened, but not very probable.
Elleth wrote:Regarding the weapon - that is interesting! Could it have been a cut down pole arm, or is current thinking that (provided it really existed) - it was made to that size from the start?
I'd think the original would have had either a spearhaft type socket or a knife/sword style whittle tang, yes?
That's the big topic of discussion when this image is studied. Being a cut-down polearm is one of the biggest explanations for why we never see any other blades like this. However, the Maciejowski Bible does show a couple of other interesting blade types not really seen outside of it that would not have been just cut-down polearms, so it's possible the Warbrand was designed to be that size. Or maybe they're also the result of poetic license, as they're unique to the Maciejowski artwork.

Image
Image
Image

I think the Warbrand would be a great piece for a Ranger as it serves more than one purpose unlike a typical European sword. That design should make it effective at clearing brush as well as defending the Free Peoples.
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Re: Windlass Warbrand re-released

Post by Gedeses »

Pretty :)
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