Shrewsbury Sword broken after 1st day

[Derek Wassom]

This is what happened to my MRL when I did a quarter speed schiller in the air. I don't buy swords from them anymore.

[Matthew_Anderson]

Well, like we've been saying for years now, it's pretty hit or miss with MRL/Windlass. I've got an old MRL"Henry V" that is tough as hell and has held up to years of hard use, including hard test cutting. I've also had a couple of MRL pieces that are total crap. The problem is they all look good in the catalog <img src="/forum/images/icons/wink.gif" alt="" />

[Casper Bradak]

At least four of those are circulating among fencers in the ogden-slc area since they went on sale. We've been using them as sharps and solo training tools. I've moderately abused mine, and we've had no failures yet. Another example of the hit and miss MRL gambles.
Last fall I I broke an MRL longsword, the one they call the "german bastard sword" at the shoulder from a relatively light cut. It had enough of a lifespan to tell it was a worsening defect in the metal though. The spot where it broke was certainly substantial enough. I wonder if they can actually get much quality control, having to import them from india.

[Shane Smith]

This is what happened to my MRL when I did a quarter speed schiller in the air.

Where's the tang of the blade???!! <img src="/forum/images/icons/shocked.gif" alt="" />

[Derek Wassom]

You mean this little thing? The light gray is JB Weld.

[Matt Bryant]

Wow Derek... that is mortifying. My already very low opinion of MRL plummets yet further.

[david welch]

Wow Derek... that is mortifying. My already very low opinion of MRL plummets yet further

I just wanted to point out that I don't have a low opinion of MRL swords... I have a low opinion of their sending out everything and letting their customers do their quality control work for them.

The best thing I can think of doing in the mean time is coming up with a list of non destructive tests that could be done as soon as you get one to immediately weed out the defective ones.

Stuff like put the blade in a padded vice, and hang a 50 lb weigh from the pommel. Wait five minutes, turn the blade over and hang weight from the other side. Stuff that won't damage the blade, but is enough that if it fails from what would be "normal" use you can send it back and get a good one.

[Glen Cleeton]

I don't mean to speak for Derek but isn't that the Gothic sword from last decade's production? Isn't it also one of the tangs with a welded extension? It seems most do it poorly but Lutel has had success. I don't push my DT5157 too hard because of this.

I do agree that Windlass still seems to suffer from fit and finish issues, as well as the "springy is better" syndrome, this from many reports over the past six years. There have been suprisingly few failures reported. I have suggested the Shrewsbury to some on a budget, with suitable caveats, and the response to the sword has been favorable overall. Many of these folk are not going to be doing a Tsafa with them.

The overcooked grain growth can be a real issue. There really is no way for a consumer to see it, until after the fact. I had a Hanwei blade literally rip in half under severe blows and the blade had perfomed wuite well up to that point. That grain made the tang pictured here look almost normal. Holding the steel too long at heat apparently makes for grain growth.

The Shrewsbury must have been made in quite substantial numbers, as it continues on closeout. This report does put a check in the negative box though.

I own only one Windlass cruciform sword (circa 1999) and it was their version of the espada that Del Tin did as the 5160. The tang is actually pretty massive. I have pushed this harder than most would a sword of this caliber and it has stood up just fine. It did need some shimming of the cross and grip. The threaded end is actually thicker than the blade, therefore the cross opening was bigger than a close fit.

Cheers

GC

[s_taillebois]

I'd wonder if some of the "Shrewsbury" swords might have been made by outsourced people for Windlass/MRL? It's still in the catalog, and they note that these were made for some kind of a studio contract. One sword failure could be just that, but would wonder if the conditions for which these were made, might have had an effect.
On Windlass, as noted their quality seems to rise and fall. Would be nice if their quality control could be more consistant, insofar as for the money involved, some of their offerings are a reasonable value.

[TimSheetz]

According to their site it was made as piecs for a movie or tv show... I have one and it ahs held up fairly well. I ahve not seriously or even significantly stressed it.

Tim

[GaryGrzybek]

What a terrible sight <img src="/forum/images/icons/crazy.gif" alt="" />

That's just wrong <img src="/forum/images/icons/frown.gif" alt="" />

[david welch]

Well, I certainly beat up Atlanta Cutlery for what I believe is their lack of quality control, so I need to also write about what I think they are doing very, very well.

We hemed and hawed over what to do with this sword, and whether or not Donna wanted a replacement for it, or a refund to get one from a different company. Donna decided that with the luck I am having with mine she would give them another shot.

I didn't send it back until Friday morning. Monday night I got an email saying it had been processed, and last night another email saying it had been shipped. Tracking shows that it is here in town, and should be delivered today.

If nothing else, in my eyes their no hassle return policy and turn around time make it worth while to at least give them a chance.