Great Budget Saber….And Then Some! The Windlass Confederate Cavalry Saber is well constructed, with a solid hilt and handle as well as a rugged, well tempered blade easily capable of taking quite some abuse if necessary. The hilt fit and finish is not perfect but is fully functional and looks good, even with a few rough spots. The blade finish is more or less even along the entire blade length with a semi-satin, almost polished finish, however it is prone to minor scratches as with all swords, especially if used. The scabbard is durable and the finish is fine, practical, and is somewhat resistant to discoloration. The sword fits decently into the scabbard; the sword is able to move very little forward and backward inside but there is a small rattle inside if shaken vigorously. The sword itself is not perfectly historically accurate: the distal taper along the blade is nowhere near as much as antique models, thus restricting its maximum cutting ability, but otherwise, the hilt, and the “unstopped” fuller, are more or less consistent with period antiques. The sword handles as would be expected of a cavalry sword; somewhat slow and challenging to maneuver because of the weight and point of balance. This isn’t to say the sword does not handle well, however. The sword is still lighter than a heavy cavalry saber and is still fast enough to parry against certain swords, namely other sabers. The extra heft and extended point of balance also contribute to this sword’s devastating cutting ability even with the historically inaccurate distal taper, and is curved just enough to allow an effective thrust. The value for money of this sword is incredible. I would buy this sword even if it were 200$ or 250$, and I would have no problem recommending this sword to anyone interested in using it for decoration, or using it for cutting, or even for sparring if left completely unsharpened and the point is rounded off. All in all, this is a great sword, and well worth the money.
