buying a basket-hilt

**Alan H** · 8th July 16, 02:03 PM

A buddy who used to be very big in the local historical re-enactment crowd is selling off some old kit. One of the items is a very well-used basket hilt broadsword that is blunted for live-steel theatrical combat. I doubt that I have time to learn this, much less to set up with a partner and choreograph an actual fight, but I suppose it's not beyond the realm of possibility. At any rate, he tells me that the item was made by Windlass Steelcraft and while the blade is beat up and ugly, it's solid.

My last basket hilt was a purely decorative affair for toting in the Clan parade. I finally gave it to a dance school to lay down on the stage.

Here's the item.

I will need some sort of frog to tote it around with me on days when I'm playing with the local "Highlanders" guild, which purports to play a Highland family around 1715. I'll have it on with a totally period incorrect great kilt, Jacobite shirt, cadadh and lapped "ghillies". It used to drive me nuts that we were asked to wear stuff which isn't even vaguely correct, and then the Court folks would go on and on about correct language, how to hold your hat and so on, but I've come to accept that it's all a show and we give the patrons what they expect to see.

James tells me that the blade is solid, but it's not "ringing" on impact like it used to so it will probably fail at some point, probably in the tang. He says that when that happens, I can replace it with an appropriately-sized blade from Amour Class (in Scotland), Baltimore Knife and Sword (In the USA), or Wulfland (in Czechsovakia) and the hilt will carry on.

**Dughlas mor** · 8th July 16, 02:14 PM

Well used indeed. Your buddy is an FB friend of mine, and a heck of a nice guy. Glad to see you ended up with his sword.

**Luke MacGillie** · 8th July 16, 02:27 PM

There are certainly worse baskethilts out there! I like how the hilt has been Japanned.

**thrasher the kerr** · 8th July 16, 02:32 PM

Beware Wulflund, I and some others I know have been having order fulfilment issues with them lately.

**Orvis** · 8th July 16, 02:46 PM

I agree with Luke. I've seen a goodly number of Windlass baskethilts out there when reenacting 18th c. redcoat Highlanders and 1745 Jacobites. IMHO, the Windlass blade is too heavy and the hilt is too big, but it's better than some of the band swords some reenactors lug around when starting out, and it's pretty affordable and eminently useable for an occasional event. When I started in a redcoat Highlander unit, I got a G. Gedney Godwin baskethilt backsword, which had a correct hilt, but the blade was sub-par. Then I moved on to a Mad Piper regimental backsword with a Del Tin Blade, and later obtained a Mad Piper Glasgow-hilt broadsword (also with Del Tin blade) and ultimately, an Armour Class broadsword for use with my Jacobite Highlander unit. The Mad Piper swords and the Armour class sword had correct hilts and what I consider "real" sword blades when compared to originals - light, flexible and useable (if sharpened). Unfortunately, these swords will run anywhere from $500-$1,000 (U.S.), and Mad Piper swords are no longer being made. All of this took me about 25 years. For the ultimate, you can imagine a Vince Evans or an Erickson baskethilt. I do! I can afford to imagine.

**Knight** · 8th July 16, 03:06 PM

Oh man, that poor blade. Is it the photo, or is it rust spotted? It could be a gorgeous item with some TLC.

As a sword collector, I always check with people who own un-scabbarded swords that they're cleaning and oiling the blades at least once a month. Once that rust sets in...

I have an ENORMOUS German longsword hanging over my desk, a set of Spanish rapiers, and a number of wooden swords in various styles. Cleaning, oiling, and polishing them all is a monthly affair. Movies and popular media completely fail to represent the care required to maintain a sword, particularly in situations where the sword is being dragged on misadventures.

**Alan H** · 8th July 16, 03:50 PM

Reply about Wulfland is noted. If I was seriously into this I'd invest in a Baltimore Knife and Sword item, but this is really going to be a more of a "carry it around and wave it in the air now and then" thing. I might sit in on a few basic hour-long clinics if I can, and that's a BIG "if".

The local groups that do live steel re-enact 1570's so a full Scottish basket-hilt is not really "the thing" though the Amour Class Early Basket hilt on a broadsword blade would probably do the job. Most of the guys carry basic cruciform hand-and-a-halfs. At this stage I can't see dropping $400+ in a blade that I most likely won't use that much.

Yes, I'll be wire-brushing the dickens out of the blade for starters and see if I can get it a little better-looking. I don't ever expect it to gleam again, but that's no big deal.

**Luke MacGillie** · 8th July 16, 03:57 PM

Gleam is relative. Polish/Clean it with brick dust and sweet oil, aka Olive oil and it will take on a nice correct light grey color.

**Panache** · 8th July 16, 04:37 PM

I like the battered worn look of the hilt and scabbard. It is the kind of patina that only comes with age and use.

However get that blade cleaned up immediately my friend!

Cheers

Jamie

**Sir Didymous** · 9th July 16, 06:07 AM

Yeah, cleaned up that would be a great character piece, but be very careful if you try your hand at the live steel. I had a Windlass blade fail on me a while back; and it was a fair deal better maintained than that. Admittedly, it was my go-to sword for almost ten years in an unchoreographed group, but it was still unsettling when it went.

I'd give it the brick dust and olive oil treatment and then look it over real good with a magnifier to see if there are any stress fractures before battling with it. Those are what killed my 13th century war sword.