Falchion

[Sir Ulrich]

http://www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=AT306&name=Valiant+Armoury+Norwich+Falchion
Did knights use falchions like this? This weapon does look at least to me like a knightly falchion crafted as well as a sword would be. Debating on getting it for my upcoming birthday.

[Sir Edward]

I don't think it would be unheard of.

[Sir James A]

Possibly the ones in or near the middle east. It looks like a european sword / shamshir hybrid, so probably came about when somebody decided to make a sword influenced by both styles.

[Sir Ulrich]

I been considering it, mainly because I missed out on buying the Castile, but missed my opportunity to do so so I want to get this. Though the castile is my first choice I dunno if a falchion would be period for the "crusader knight" type, or at least one of this model.

[Sir Wolf]

i likez falchions

[Sir Edward]

I lot of these falchions came about also by sword-hilting what would have otherwise been a messer. The messers were relatively inexpensive (partly because of the less complex hilt) and a therefore were more accessible to the lower classes. A sword-hilted falchion would be more expensive I'm guessing, and thus less common amongst the lower class.

I don't see a problem with a man-at-arms or a knight using one. It might have been a poorer knight, or one a knight with a specific preference.

[Sir Gerard de Rodes]

I like falchions too 

There are plenty of medieval illustrations showing the use of the falchion throughout the period by all levels of society. A good google search should do the trick.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falchion

I really want one of the ones in the Maciejowski Bible, they look mean.

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=maciejowski+bible&num=10&hl=en&gbv=2&biw=1034&bih=655&tbm=isch&tbnid=IPAqwN918ZAl1M:&imgrefurl=http://www.keesn.nl/mac/mac_en.htm&docid=YkSm_6Z4CAdrxM&imgurl=http://home.tiscali.nl/~t401243/mac/mac03vA.jpg&w=732&h=446&ei=lrUtT8CWGIHb8gO2mumYDw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=98&vpy=123&dur=3980&hovh=175&hovw=288&tx=179&ty=107&sig=105760970318420941165&sqi=2&page=1&tbnh=124&tbnw=203&start=0&ndsp=13&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0

One of the guys in our group has got a really nice sword hilted falchion from Armour class.

G.

[Sir Ulrich]

I like it because it's quite elegant and knightly looking despite being a "common foot soldiers weapon" The majowski bible ones look quite evil and whatnot, I sorta like them though I dont know where to actually get one designed like that.

[Sir Wolf]

I like falchions too 

There are plenty of medieval illustrations showing the use of the falchion throughout the period by all levels of society. A good google search should do the trick.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falchion

I really want one of the ones in the Maciejowski Bible, they look mean.

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=maciejowski+bible&num=10&hl=en&gbv=2&biw=1034&bih=655&tbm=isch&tbnid=IPAqwN918ZAl1M:&imgrefurl=http://www.keesn.nl/mac/mac_en.htm&docid=YkSm_6Z4CAdrxM&imgurl=http://home.tiscali.nl/~t401243/mac/mac03vA.jpg&w=732&h=446&ei=lrUtT8CWGIHb8gO2mumYDw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=98&vpy=123&dur=3980&hovh=175&hovw=288&tx=179&ty=107&sig=105760970318420941165&sqi=2&page=1&tbnh=124&tbnw=203&start=0&ndsp=13&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0

One of the guys in our group has got a really nice sword hilted falchion from Armour class.

G.

i looked at his when i got my del tin version as well

[Sir Edward]

I really want one of the ones in the Maciejowski Bible, they look mean.

Del Tin makes them, and KoA sells them. I have one.

[Sir Matthew]

I carry an early 16th Century Italian Falchion for my 16/17th century kits. The Falchion is my all time favorite sword, probably because it is so simple, yet elegan looking. And bonus is they were used for such a long time with only minor changes. My example is much more ornate than most earlier Falchions, but blade wise it looks almost exactly like the earlier medieval example one of the other guys in my reenacting unit has. His is a Windlass, I have no idea who made mine, I got it from Therion last year when he got a special shipment of a few in. I do know it is the same as the one Norm Carey carries at VaRF and MdRF.

[Sir William]

I love the falchion...especially the ones with a slight curve in the blade...they make nasty choppers.

Sir Matthew, do you carry the Italian model from Windlass?  Has a pretty ornate guard with an extra curve portion to it?  I wonder...I always liked it, ended up gifting it to my best man at my wedding.  I actually got that one from Bill Grandy back when SFI had actual people posting there. 

[Ian]

From a French manuscript dated to 1380. The man with what looks like a falchion has a crown on his head, so I'd say it's fair to guess the falchion spanned social classes.

http://manuscriptminiatures.com/cy-commencent-les-grans-croniques-de-la-genealogie/253/

[Sir Matthew]

Mine may be a Windlass piece, but I have no idea. I know it is pretty ornate compared to most I've seen, but not in comparison to other swords from the 16th and 17th centuries. It does have a pretty good curve to it. I really like it and wish I knew who made it to keep an eye out for any others like it that might pop up on ebay or such places.

[Sir Ulrich]

I think it's a windlass piece, this looks like the same one. I liked it when I saw it up close.

http://sbgswordforum.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=swordreviews&action=print&thread=8275