Windlass Steelcrafts – Royal Armouries Collection – 16th Century Italian Cinquedea Short Sword

This balanced and finely crafted Cinquedea is a close reproduction of Royal Armouries Sword #IX.148. The cinquedea was a characteristic type of Italian broad-bladed short sword or large dagger, with this example in the Royal Armouries having a longer blade to make it a dedicated arming sword which dates to around 1500-1530.  Through collaboration with experts at the Royal Armouries, Matt Easton the sword was exhaustively documented and the careful craftsmanship of the skilled bladesmiths at Windlass Steelcrafts were able to closely reproduce the dimensions, weight, construction and handling properties of the museum original.

The blade is crafted from well-tempered 1075 high carbon steel. Its guard is of mild steel and the blade is pinned between two grip scales of finely carved hardwood with a banding of brass to bind the seam of this composite grip. The blade is also pinned with the guard itself and ground and polished flush. The scabbard is wood which is bound in stitched leather and capped with a brass chape. Included with the sword is a Certificate of Authenticity.

While Cinquedeas were often carried as civilian sidearms, and some examples were highly decorated, this example could equally have been carried by a member of the gentry or as a military sidearm – more commonly by an infantryman or gunner. The impressively broad blade of 26 inches has a complex transition from three down to two fullers, with a thin and distally tapered cross-section which make this a very light and fast weapon for its size.

This Windlass replica has faithfully copied all aspects of the form and statistics, the most interesting of which is the unique hilt construction. The ingenious and iconic guard design is fabricated of various components welded together, as in the original. The heel of the blade actually extends completely through the guard and is riveted to it. The blade heel and rivet heads are then ground flush with the guard and the whole assembly is polished. This method provides exceptional strength and durability. The blade also has a full profile tang, with hardwood grip scales and decorative brass filigree inlaid rivets.