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Post by Jeff K. ( Jak) on Jan 9, 2010 22:05:01 GMT
For me it's important to have both, I like having cheaper swords like windlass and hanwei to practice with, but nothing compares to an Albion. When you are comfortable enough to cut with an Albion, well, its hard to describe the difference in feeling....I'll keep buying Hanwei's till there is nothing left that Im interested in but when that one great deal on an Albion pops up, I'll grab it! It's worth it. This Duke seems like a great deal, and if it were on e of the several models I was interested in, Id snap it up....My Sovereign would normally run me about $1300 canadian....I got it for $900 canadian, couldn't pass it up and Im GLAD I didn't.
At the moment there are about 12 cheaper weapons that I have on my list, but if the right Albion deal comes up, I'll gladly put those on hold to get it. If I didn't have this big move looming I'd have grabbed that antiqued Kingmaker for $1000 even though I could buy 5 or 6 of the others for that.
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Post by YlliwCir on Jan 9, 2010 23:51:13 GMT
I like my Poitiers quite a bit. I'd like to get a Crecy and an Agincourt, maybe a couple others. I like plain looking funtional swords, the more fancy models not so much.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2010 1:16:54 GMT
Sure the Duke is of better quality, cant argue with this Its only a quality versus price issue, i think you get more for your money buying a 200$ GSOW instead of a 500$ Duke. that said, i never handled the duke, maybe it would prove me wrong I've handled the GSOW for a couple of minutes and like all Hanwei/Tinker i've been impressed by the balance and the overall feeling of those swords, thats why i feel confident in my claim. But God they cut on the fittings and finish... I'm quite enthusiastic about my GSoW too. But if it can be so much better than swords only a little cheaper just because it was designed by Tinker, I dare to say Duke with all that research behind it and made with all care and experience of Albion's craftsmen must be quite a sword. Probably very worth its price.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2010 6:07:21 GMT
Not my absolute favorite Albion, but definately worth a nod : /index.cgi?board=swordreviews&action=display&thread=14140
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Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2010 1:30:02 GMT
I took my VA 304S outside for a brief cutting session Sunday (I really don't like cutting in freezing temperatures). While I did so I made it a priority to examine the amount of flex in the blad. It is not even close to the GSOW that someone posted a video of in Luka's review. In fact, I was rather delighted at how little it flexed when I waved the blade from side to side. If the Duke has the same amount of flex, I will probably like it. I took one bottle outside to see if it would freeze instantly, and it did not. I cut it, and was surprised that it was actually a very clean cut - in fact, one of the best cuts that I have made in terms of edge alignment. I filled up some more bottles and then went back outside. The first bottle I took a swing at with one hand, just to see how easy sing-handed cutting with the 304S was. I was in disbelief when the bottle half of the bottle remained on the cutting post, filled with water. It was my second "silent" cut ever, with the first being somewhat attributed to luck instead of proper technique. I only batted one bottle that session, and most of my cuts appeared more straight instead of the jagged, crooked edge of the bottle that I was used to. In short, I believe that I am improving. Ironically, I had not touched my swords in two months before then. Cutting with the 304S makes me wonder how much better the Duke would be, since it is a specialist type of sword.
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Post by shadowhowler on Jan 13, 2010 3:57:02 GMT
Be harder to use the Duke one handed I suspect...
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Post by Jeff K. ( Jak) on Jan 13, 2010 4:37:55 GMT
I think your suspicions are correct Shadow, the measurements, weight and balance of the Duke are pretty similar to the Hanwei Bastard (the only comparable sword I have actually used), and that one is usable but sluggish and un-wieldly with one hand. A bottle can be cut, but if it were a blunt you wouldn't catch me fighting one handed with it.
But if he's just talking about its ability to cut, I think that thin blade on the Duke would make it an excellent cutter.
The Duke: Specifications Total length: 46" (117 cm) Blade length: 36" (91 cm) Blade width at base: 2.19" (5.5 cm) CoG: 5.75" (15 cm) CoP: 22.25" (57 cm) Weight: 3 lbs 4 oz (1.47 kilos)
The Hanwei Measurements length: 50 3/8" blade: 39" blade width: 2" @base, 1" near tip grip and pommel: 11" guard: 9 1/4" balance point: 6" from guard weight (sword): 3 lb 10.6 oz
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Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2010 15:10:02 GMT
The Hanwei sounds quite a bit worse than the Duke for one handed use. I did handle Hanwei and it's worse for one handed use than GSoW which is even a bit heavier.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2010 17:43:50 GMT
Talking about Albion warswords... Shootermike once said that the baron he cut with seemed not to be harmonically balanced and ATrim said the same... that was 2 or 3 years ago and I wonder if the new barons are better... who knows?
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Post by ShooterMike on Jan 13, 2010 19:57:48 GMT
Harmonic balance is a tricky thing. Some Albions have it. Some don't. Most ATrims have it down very well, but a few don't. And by simply changing out the pommel you can completely ruin the harmonics on any Euro-style blade.
That said, I've seen some swords that had pretty bad harmonics that still cut well. They just rely more on good technique. Where they suffer is when you get a bit sloppy on your alignment and location of the impact. When that's bad, they just stop working, whereas a sword that's very good about its harmonics keeps working even when you're off.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 14, 2010 2:27:45 GMT
I was referring to two handed cutting compared with the Albion Duke and the Valiant Armoury 304S (practical longsword), not anything by Hanwei. My apologies for creating any confusion. Also, cutting with/near the tip of my 304S usually never works for me. I know it has something to do with how I am cutting, but I don't know why I can always cut better with the center of the blade. The center of percussion is probably a factor, but I don't think that it is the only thing to take into account.
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Post by Jeff K. ( Jak) on Jan 14, 2010 4:41:22 GMT
I was referring to two handed cutting compared with the Albion Duke and the Valiant Armoury 304S (practical longsword), not anything by Hanwei. I know, I just used the Hanwei as an example because it's the only sword I have actually used of somewhat similar proportions to the Duke. I couldn't say anything about the VA 'cause I've never handled it. If you weren't talking about one handed use, my mistake....I was just responding to Shadows comment.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 15, 2010 2:56:41 GMT
My mistake.
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Post by YlliwCir on Jan 15, 2010 10:14:42 GMT
Man, you guys are so polite. Coolness. But now I want to go and try my Hanwei Bastard one handed. I better wait till morning.
Kudos on the good cutting, Jonathan.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 15, 2010 12:44:17 GMT
Thank you for the encouragement, Rick. Given time, perhaps I will become as great as you.
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Post by shadowhowler on Jan 16, 2010 8:47:18 GMT
Thank you for the encouragement, Rick. Given time, perhaps I will become as great as you. Better to set a more realistic goal... none are as great as the mighty Ric Willy. ;D
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Post by YlliwCir on Jan 16, 2010 9:46:29 GMT
Aww, thanks guys, but just look at my early vids. I learned anything I know here and if I can anyone can. I am one clumsy dude.
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