Albion Squire-Line 13th Century Knightly
Sept 13, 2008 2:10:18 GMT
Post by dand on Sept 13, 2008 2:10:18 GMT
Albion Squire-Line 13th Century Knightly by Dan Dickinson, Midland , MI, USA
Albion swords are known for their quality and since I had previously been impressed with another model from their squire-line, when it came time to help my brother select a mid-range model for his first sword, the SL knightly was an obviously choice.
I was able to find a second hand model that had been cared for relatively well, so it did not arrive from Albion in the characteristic white box. However, from my other experiences, I can state that Albion's customer service is second to none and their packaging is also industry leading.
Here's how it stacks up in the numbers:
Weight: 2 pounds, 8.2 ounces
Overall length: 37 3/8 inches
Blade length: 31 1/4 inches
Blade width: 2 1/16 inches at base, tapering to 7/8 inch
Grip length: 4 1/4 inches
Guard width: 7 3/4 inches
Point of Balance: 4 inches from guard
Center of Percussion: ~19 1/4 inches from guard
For those who may not be familiar with Albion's Squire Line, they are essentially less finished and simpler versions of several of their next-gen models. As a trade off, they do also feature a lower price tag, which should make them accessible to more people.
DESIGN, FIT & FINISH
The Blade
The blade is an Oakeshott type XII and is a slightly rougher and unsharpened version of Albion's Next Gen Knight ( as such it also features correct blade geometry). The blade is nicely ground and is free of any ripples. The fuller is also straight and fades out in a pleasing manner. The finish was slightly rougher and not as consistently finished as Albion's higher end models, but was still very satisfactory for the price bracket that it is designed for. The edge comes unsharpened from Albion, but can be ordered sharpened, albeit with a secondary bevel, for an extra $25. In it's present unsharpened state, the edge is about the same as that of a Del Tin( ~1.5mm) and thicker than thatof a Windlass. While not specifically designed for sparring, many people have done so and the SL's have stood up well (though personally I would prefer the edge to be thicker and the tip to be more rounded off) Even the trademark is tastefully done, not looking out of place or obviously modern.
The Hilt
The Grip
The grip when it arrived was covered in a plain black leather with no risers as shown on Albion's site. Just to be clear, the grip shown in the photos is not the original grip, but was something I customized for my brother. The original grip fit my hand well and was rather comfortable, but was perhaps a little slick for my tastes.
The Pommel
The pommel is an Oakeshott type I. It was also perhaps the weakest portion of the overall finish with a slightly wavy surface on the faces. However, this was by no means a deal breaker and is something that can be relatively easily fixed if so desired. The hilt utilizes Albion's extremely sturdy wedging and hot peening contruction and shows evidence of this in the recessed peen. While not as nicely finshed as their next-gen models, it is still cleanly done.
The Guard
The guard is of Oakeshott's type 1a...being a simple straight bar that widens in the middle to accommodate the tang.While simple, it is still cleanly done with nice sharp corners and a cleanly inset slot for the blade shoulders.
The Scabbard
Some users may be bothered by the fact that although the sword is above the $300 mark, unlike many sub $300 swords, it does not come with a scabbard.
TESTING
Unfortunately, my brother wished to keep his knightly unsharpened, so no real testing was done. However,a few thrusts were done on a milk jug and even unsharpened, it performed quite well. Also, from experience with other sharpened squire-line models, I would expect it to perform quite well.
In dry handling, the sword performed very well. While slightly more blade heavy than the next-gen knight (most likely due to the unsharpened blade) it still performed wonderfully, with great tip control and a blade presence that practically begs to be sharpened and to destroy milk cartons, water bottles, etc. Historically, it is a wonderful example of the type XII....a blade that was still designed for the cut, but showed a greater emphasis on the thrust. Aesthetically is is simpler than it's cousin the knight, but it has a simple appeal of it's own and can also cover a wider time period.
Overall, I think this is a great sword for the money. Even at the list price, in my opinion, it's worth the money. However, at the used price I was able to pick it up for, it was an incredible value. While above the Sub $300 focus of SBG, I believe this model still deserves consideration as used models sometimes appear close to the price limit and are opportunities that should not be missed.
Here are my ratings:
Historical Accuracy: 5/5
Fit and Finish: 4/5 (nice, but compared to Albion's higher priced offerings, can't get a perfect score)
Handling: 5/5
Structural Integrity: 5/5 (features Albions rock solid hilt assembly)
Value for Money: 5/5
OVERALL: 4.75/5 (If you can pick one up, do so).
Albion swords are known for their quality and since I had previously been impressed with another model from their squire-line, when it came time to help my brother select a mid-range model for his first sword, the SL knightly was an obviously choice.
I was able to find a second hand model that had been cared for relatively well, so it did not arrive from Albion in the characteristic white box. However, from my other experiences, I can state that Albion's customer service is second to none and their packaging is also industry leading.
Here's how it stacks up in the numbers:
Weight: 2 pounds, 8.2 ounces
Overall length: 37 3/8 inches
Blade length: 31 1/4 inches
Blade width: 2 1/16 inches at base, tapering to 7/8 inch
Grip length: 4 1/4 inches
Guard width: 7 3/4 inches
Point of Balance: 4 inches from guard
Center of Percussion: ~19 1/4 inches from guard
For those who may not be familiar with Albion's Squire Line, they are essentially less finished and simpler versions of several of their next-gen models. As a trade off, they do also feature a lower price tag, which should make them accessible to more people.
DESIGN, FIT & FINISH
The Blade
The blade is an Oakeshott type XII and is a slightly rougher and unsharpened version of Albion's Next Gen Knight ( as such it also features correct blade geometry). The blade is nicely ground and is free of any ripples. The fuller is also straight and fades out in a pleasing manner. The finish was slightly rougher and not as consistently finished as Albion's higher end models, but was still very satisfactory for the price bracket that it is designed for. The edge comes unsharpened from Albion, but can be ordered sharpened, albeit with a secondary bevel, for an extra $25. In it's present unsharpened state, the edge is about the same as that of a Del Tin( ~1.5mm) and thicker than thatof a Windlass. While not specifically designed for sparring, many people have done so and the SL's have stood up well (though personally I would prefer the edge to be thicker and the tip to be more rounded off) Even the trademark is tastefully done, not looking out of place or obviously modern.
The Hilt
The Grip
The grip when it arrived was covered in a plain black leather with no risers as shown on Albion's site. Just to be clear, the grip shown in the photos is not the original grip, but was something I customized for my brother. The original grip fit my hand well and was rather comfortable, but was perhaps a little slick for my tastes.
The Pommel
The pommel is an Oakeshott type I. It was also perhaps the weakest portion of the overall finish with a slightly wavy surface on the faces. However, this was by no means a deal breaker and is something that can be relatively easily fixed if so desired. The hilt utilizes Albion's extremely sturdy wedging and hot peening contruction and shows evidence of this in the recessed peen. While not as nicely finshed as their next-gen models, it is still cleanly done.
The Guard
The guard is of Oakeshott's type 1a...being a simple straight bar that widens in the middle to accommodate the tang.While simple, it is still cleanly done with nice sharp corners and a cleanly inset slot for the blade shoulders.
The Scabbard
Some users may be bothered by the fact that although the sword is above the $300 mark, unlike many sub $300 swords, it does not come with a scabbard.
TESTING
Unfortunately, my brother wished to keep his knightly unsharpened, so no real testing was done. However,a few thrusts were done on a milk jug and even unsharpened, it performed quite well. Also, from experience with other sharpened squire-line models, I would expect it to perform quite well.
In dry handling, the sword performed very well. While slightly more blade heavy than the next-gen knight (most likely due to the unsharpened blade) it still performed wonderfully, with great tip control and a blade presence that practically begs to be sharpened and to destroy milk cartons, water bottles, etc. Historically, it is a wonderful example of the type XII....a blade that was still designed for the cut, but showed a greater emphasis on the thrust. Aesthetically is is simpler than it's cousin the knight, but it has a simple appeal of it's own and can also cover a wider time period.
Overall, I think this is a great sword for the money. Even at the list price, in my opinion, it's worth the money. However, at the used price I was able to pick it up for, it was an incredible value. While above the Sub $300 focus of SBG, I believe this model still deserves consideration as used models sometimes appear close to the price limit and are opportunities that should not be missed.
Here are my ratings:
Historical Accuracy: 5/5
Fit and Finish: 4/5 (nice, but compared to Albion's higher priced offerings, can't get a perfect score)
Handling: 5/5
Structural Integrity: 5/5 (features Albions rock solid hilt assembly)
Value for Money: 5/5
OVERALL: 4.75/5 (If you can pick one up, do so).