Thinking about getting stuff from MRL.....

[Guest]

Hi,
I was thinking about getting 2 swords from MRL (specifically the "14th Century Cut &Thrust", and the "Sword of the Great seal of Robert the Bruce")

I was wondering if anyone could give me some feedback on MRL in general , and if possible about those 2 swords.
Thanks a LOT
Josh

[Shane Smith]

A fellow ARMA Virginia Beach Scholar owns the MRL "knightly hand and a half".The blade is well finished and the hilt is tight.The wheel pommel was a bit crooked(I think it's a screw-on type) and the blade was somewhat whippy in my opinion.It did seem to be quite serviceable and I believe he has done some sparring with it while in harness(the sword IS blunt).All in all,I thought it a nice-looking piece for the price.It's heft and balance were adequate .

[Guest]

Josh,

I have an MRL German Hand in Half and it's very whippy but I like it. I haven't seen all the MRL swords but have heard that they are whippy. I have asked MRL 4 time in the past 4 months to send me a new catalog and I'm yet to recieve one and I'm a paying customer.

Albion Armorers has nice swords and is my next purchase.

Todd

[Derek Wassom]

Hi Joshua.
I own a MRL gothic bastard sword, and it too, is very whippy. The hilt came loose very easily too.
IMHO they are good for the money, but there are much better swords out there.

[John_Clements]

I've enjoyed their ring hilted backsword and their double ring hilted German sword. Both had sturdy blades and good weights and strong hilts. Though I would advise JB welding the pommels and guards in place permamently.

JC

[Jeffrey Hull]

I have one of the old KH&H swords from MRL. It has worked well for me, I wrote up a good review for it after test-cutting, and I have not found it whippy. I have handled a really nice A&A great-sword, which I think was whippy, but still quite nice. As far as having to repeatedly ask for catalogs, and then not getting them: I have run into the exact same problem myself. I do not know why this happens. They are always nice enough to me when I request, and once I resubscribed by fee, only to be skipped an issue, though I am getting them now with no apparent problems. Yet they do seem to have some problems getting them out to customers, yet when they do, I enjoy them. JH

[Guest]

I bought their european sword a while back, very pleased. Sword Forum

[Jim Charles]

I bought their european sword a while back, very pleased. Sword Forum

I have several MRL swords both single handers and two handers and none of them are very whippy. The blades are flexible and on one of them, I do think the smith went overboard with the whole distal tapering thing (as compared to their older models) but none are whippy.
On the other hand, my Arms and Armor Schloss Erbach sword IS whippy. I would love to handle the Windlass version to see if it is any better in that regards.

[Allen Johnson]

I have two of their now discontinued swords. One, the old Scottish backsword, which I like very much. And their old steel baskethilt claymore which is overly heavy, mostly due to the ginormous basket. I don't care for this one very much. I've been to their shop there in GA and handled a fair amount of their swords. My conclusion at the time was that I didn't care for anything hand and a half or larger. Just felt a little too clunky for the money. I still plan on getting their falchion though...really liked that one.

[s_taillebois]

Have had a MRL "Towton" for 5+ some years now, used for pell work, cutting and thrust practice.

Blade has a fuller, should have been a diamond profile, but works well enough but for such a steeply tapering blade it should have been a bit stiffer.
Blade has taken thrusts and cuts well, even those which the tip was visably bent during the thrust returns to true.

Pommel, grips needed tightening (peened 'nut') but once tightened out no further issues. Pommel however has taken pommel strikes quite well, quillions have done ok with similar usage.

Faults, 1. the pommel itself is a heavier metal with a plating, which over the years has worn off...would have preferred the metal without the plating.
2. The 'leather' covering for the grip is very thin and marginally
leather.
3. Scabbard ok, but is heavy leather would have been better wood
covered with leather.
4. the plastic varnish which they shipped it with is a nuisance
hard to get off....
5. Curve in quillions visually elegant, but probably would have
been better straight.

Discontinued model, but overall nice handling sword and has held up well...actually the sword which I like best...