Windlass "1860" Union Officer Cavalry Saber Review 

It's been a sturdy sword, as all my Windlass swords have been. I'm planning a follow up on this one because I made some improvements to the edges and taper, and did similar work on their 1850 Infantry Officer's Saber. I really like them now.

@@michaelrizzo5523 I bought an 1840 Heavy Dragoon Saber and they only had one in stock that was sharpened in house. I would never by a blade sharpened by them again. I would just do it myself. It would not surprise me if a customer returned it because of the badly (un) sharpened blade.

How does she feel about the thin grip?

@@michaelrizzo5523 She prefers the grip on it to my 1917 cutlass and my older Windlass French cutlass. I'd be lying if I said I had noticed it to be particularly thin. Hers is rather old now so maybe they made the newer ones thinner.

But I have other cavalry sabers (English, French) that don't have grips nearly this thin, but one other US one that does, and that one's an infantry officer's sword. American thing? American gloves? Uniform code?

I've been watching a lot of "Katana vs..." HEMA videos. Seems like the biggest disadvantages are reach and speed. Unfortunately, I'm starting to realize my Dr. No hand may be more of a barrier to HEMA than I'd hoped...

@@michaelrizzo5523 I've definitely noticed the reach thing too. When people use the longer Nodachi/Odachi that gap is closed pretty well though. Perhaps you could look into HEMA styles that use a shield/buckler, one of those in your less dexterous hand would probably help mitigate things.

It's better than I expected.

@@michaelrizzo5523 Have to consider broadening my horizons with Saber like that it's really beautiful

@@JoeSteel1 Wait... I have a few more reviews coming...

It's very crisp and has held up very well! Is it Ferric Chloride?

Yes, gloves definitely help!

I was going to suggest a good leather glove! :)@@michaelrizzo5523

I've actually seen the DeLonghis videos, and I've been watching HEMA tutorials. I've also been running my various Katana Kata with a variety of other swords, making the combos work, so I may do a video on that. I really don't know why your comments keep getting disappeared.

@@michaelrizzo5523 RU-vid is on it's own mission. Freedom of speech and such. :( It's not just here either. Happens elsewhere, including when I wrote a long comment about G3 rifles that were used in Africa. Only to see that it was deleted. Needless to say it's very irritating.

I'd think you'd need to heat up that peen somehow, either with a torch or electric burner (which is more focused). Seen it done, never tried it myself.

Well, considering how cheap it is, it's pretty well made. I did reprofile the edges to cut a bit better, but I just don't seem to "click" with curved sabers. This one is about as much curve as I can work with comfortably, but I haven't spent much time with it as I do love my katanas and my straight cut-and-thrust swords a lot more. Funny that my favorite saber-like sword is my Talwar.

Still looks good. It's partly faded with multiple cleanings to a dark sort of "graphite" gray, but it's also nicely etched in. Definitely liking it better since I re-profiled the edge a bit and healed up enough to get a better grip on it. Scabbard still stinks of kerosene or whatever it came packed in.

Those special memories...

Yeah, I'm a bit less happy with humanity lately.

Ah, I was afraid a glove would be the answer, as it is for other thin-grip European style swords. I suppose I'll have to custom-make something as my braces don't accommodate any kind of gloves, probably a gauntlet with the brace built in. As for the thumb on the back, I was aware of that but am not able to do it with the missing thumb tendon, so that may slow my progress, or it may turn out this kind of saber just isn't to be my thing.

I only cut very rarely, usually just to test a new build. It wasn't something we did often in my original training, which was almost all kata and fencing. Also I almost exclusively cut cardboard now, which I absolutely don't recommend because it can damage blades, and I strike hard targets to pressure test blades (I've been showing this in recent videos). I just don't have tatami in my budget right now. I miss the days when I had "green" targets readily available.

@@michaelrizzo5523 there's always water bottles my friend

Theirs is more of an 1840 Heavy Cavalry Saber with some 1860 hilt features. I've heard it's very good. I have their "Napoleon" saber and their 1796. Love the Napoleon, just haven't gotten around to the review.

@@michaelrizzo5523 Thanks good to know look forward to your review. ot just curious do you know if CS still puts the British proof test paper on their swords? I bought a Scottish broadsword recently but it did not come with it.

@@highlanderNC-mr8feI did get a proof test certificate with the Napoleon, which I bought a few months ago.

@@michaelrizzo5523 Interesting I bought mine through Amazon. None in the box. Supposedly brand new. Lol

@@michaelrizzo5523 where if you dont mind me asking did you buy yours from? TIA

So am I: I have maybe an inch on Tom Cruise and Peter Dinklage's hands.

I heard it is heavy and clunky, do feel is a bad sword for a beginner?

@@junichiroyamashita it's a little tricky to answer that question because unfortunately windless products over the years have been inconsistent. I have a couple of the rapiers that are wonderful but I've also seen a rapier by them that was so whippy it might as well be a car antenna. The saber I have is not clunky or heavy and I would recommend for a beginner. However I cannot guarantee that if you purchased one today it would be the same as mine. I think over the years their sabers have been more consistent than some of their other swords. if you were ever in the United States near Conyers Georgia I'd recommend you stop by the showroom so you can handle the swords before buying. But if one can't manage that then I would say it's likely any of the Windlass Confederate era sabers should be ok, but be open to the possibility it might not be good. Unfortunately there aren't a lot of companies making savers for beginners. Most if not all the Cold Steel saber blades are made by Windlass so that narrows the field further. Universal swords make similar swords but from what I hear they're a slight step down from Windlass. In summary my best advice is if you want to beginner saber I think winless is probably a safe bet; but be prepared to potentially send it back if you don't like it.

@@asa-punkatsouthvinland7145 mmh,thanks. I am thinking that the problem would be more of how to sharpen it once it arrives. I am already going crazy with the Huntsman Knife from Lords of Battle and only a whetstone.

@@junichiroyamashita yeah I understand the issue unless you get the sharpening service from wherever you buy it a Windlass (except for some of their knives and Battlecry swords) definitely comes blunt. Personally the way I sharpen mine, since I don't have a belt sander anymore, is to establish the initial edge with a file and then work it with a whetstone. but if you're not experienced with sharpening or don't want to put the effort into it then cold steel sabers do come sharpened. and as the blades for those are made by winless they're fairly similar as I remember.

@@asa-punkatsouthvinland7145 a file you say? How can you put an edge with one ? Yeah it is a pity, Windlass seems promising for certain things ,but the shipping and sharpening are definetly a con

Makes sense. They may have designed the pattern to be similar to their "CSA" marked swords and removed the A after the stencil was otherwise finished.

@@michaelrizzo5523 good point