Albion Skirmish Line Wallingford
Mar 21, 2012 14:57:51 GMT
Post by Fifteenthirty on Mar 21, 2012 14:57:51 GMT
As someone who has never quite gotten over the unfortunate defeat of Harold Godwinson, rightful King of England, at the dastardly hands of William the Bastard, I have always wanted a proper Anglo-Saxon sword. Some years ago I purchased a Thames Axe from Manning Imperial, which has cloven many an imaginary Norman helm. The time had finally come to purchase a worthy sidearm to go with that impressive piece. Unfortunately, proper Anglo-Saxon swords are rather thin on the ground compared to the fairly similar Viking and Norman swords.
Scouring the interwebs revealed the Albion Thegn, for which I immediately developed a serious case of GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome). Unfortunately the price gave me pause, along with the potential wait. I then stumbled across the Albion Skirmish Line of blunt sparring swords, and the mighty Wallingford. Having recently purchased a HT Tinker Norman (cough) blunt, I had come to appreciate the advantages of blunt swords in a household with two infants. The Wallingford was not cheap at $550 (the HTN was $119!) but man it was sexy. My interest was piqued, so I ordered one. A couple of weeks later, it was in my hand.
Historical overview
The Wallingford is an Oakeshott X type designed from scratch as a blunt with realistic handling characteristics and safe edges. It has the broad blade, spatulate tip and long wide fuller of the type, with rounded edges. The hilt is a variation of the Petersen type L, with a strongly curved cross and upper guard. This type is considered to have been a native English style. The hilt bears some resemblance to the sword described on pp 77-79 of Ian Peirce's 'Swords of the Viking Age.
Disclosure
I am a collector and occasional cutter. I am pretty realistic about my collections: my swords, knives, guitars and comics are primarily vehicles of fantasy. I love swords due their connection with history, as well as their association with the imaginative worlds of Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Terry Brooks, Edgar Rice Burroughs and Robert Howard I inhabited as a child. Despite my taste for fantasy, I like my swords historically accurate, or at least plausible, and functional. I have no connection with any sword related business or organisation.
First Impressions
The box was long and light. It contained nothing but the sword suspended in two blocks of foam. The sword felt light, lively, agile, and comfortable. I had to get outside and start swinging.
(with HTN)
Statistics (Metric: I like anachronistic weapons, not units of measurement!)
Blade: 755 mm
Grip: 90 mm
Cross: 115 mm
Overall length: 900 mm
POB: 130 mm
Components:
Blade: The blade is very wide (54 mm at the forte) and flexible. It would easily pass the British Proof Test. It has a fairly basic satin finish, with some grind marks. It has significant distal taper, and the mild profile taper of type X blades. The edges and tip are blunt and rounded.
Grip: Comfortable and grippy brown leather over cord. The grip feels very comfortable and natural, allowing for enthusiastic swingery with no need for conscious palming of the pommel.
Cross and pommel: Stainless steel, with an attractive pewter-like antiqued finish. The width of the blade is peened through the cross. The pommel is one piece, and is quite bulbous when viewed edgewise. The overall construction appears extremely solid.
Handling: This is where the Wallingford really shines. Although it looks pretty, it handles like a dream. Far from the clumsy, blade heavy, uncomfortable hilted stereotype of Viking type swords, the Wallingford is agile, light, and lively. It feels very natural in the hand, and invites quick, slashing attacks. The curved upper and lower guards allow for a variety of grips. Magic.
Conclusions:
The Wallingford is now vying with Honey (my favourite Telecaster) and Tailbiter (my AT1530) as my weapon of choice. The hefty price tag is completely vindicated by the beautiful handling characteristics and plausible appearance. Part of the cost of these swords is the R&D that goes into producing such beautifully designed and realised weapons. This sword, whilst aimed at reenactors, would also be an ideal display piece, or a perfect backyard swinger.
Pros:
-Attractive, plausible appearance
-Outstanding handling
-Excellent customer service
-Sturdy construction
-Its an Anglo-Saxon sword!
Cons
-Pricey
Overall, the Albion Wallingford Skirmish Line Sword has met all my expectation, and I highly recommend it!
Scouring the interwebs revealed the Albion Thegn, for which I immediately developed a serious case of GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome). Unfortunately the price gave me pause, along with the potential wait. I then stumbled across the Albion Skirmish Line of blunt sparring swords, and the mighty Wallingford. Having recently purchased a HT Tinker Norman (cough) blunt, I had come to appreciate the advantages of blunt swords in a household with two infants. The Wallingford was not cheap at $550 (the HTN was $119!) but man it was sexy. My interest was piqued, so I ordered one. A couple of weeks later, it was in my hand.
Historical overview
The Wallingford is an Oakeshott X type designed from scratch as a blunt with realistic handling characteristics and safe edges. It has the broad blade, spatulate tip and long wide fuller of the type, with rounded edges. The hilt is a variation of the Petersen type L, with a strongly curved cross and upper guard. This type is considered to have been a native English style. The hilt bears some resemblance to the sword described on pp 77-79 of Ian Peirce's 'Swords of the Viking Age.
Disclosure
I am a collector and occasional cutter. I am pretty realistic about my collections: my swords, knives, guitars and comics are primarily vehicles of fantasy. I love swords due their connection with history, as well as their association with the imaginative worlds of Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Terry Brooks, Edgar Rice Burroughs and Robert Howard I inhabited as a child. Despite my taste for fantasy, I like my swords historically accurate, or at least plausible, and functional. I have no connection with any sword related business or organisation.
First Impressions
The box was long and light. It contained nothing but the sword suspended in two blocks of foam. The sword felt light, lively, agile, and comfortable. I had to get outside and start swinging.
(with HTN)
Statistics (Metric: I like anachronistic weapons, not units of measurement!)
Blade: 755 mm
Grip: 90 mm
Cross: 115 mm
Overall length: 900 mm
POB: 130 mm
Components:
Blade: The blade is very wide (54 mm at the forte) and flexible. It would easily pass the British Proof Test. It has a fairly basic satin finish, with some grind marks. It has significant distal taper, and the mild profile taper of type X blades. The edges and tip are blunt and rounded.
Grip: Comfortable and grippy brown leather over cord. The grip feels very comfortable and natural, allowing for enthusiastic swingery with no need for conscious palming of the pommel.
Cross and pommel: Stainless steel, with an attractive pewter-like antiqued finish. The width of the blade is peened through the cross. The pommel is one piece, and is quite bulbous when viewed edgewise. The overall construction appears extremely solid.
Handling: This is where the Wallingford really shines. Although it looks pretty, it handles like a dream. Far from the clumsy, blade heavy, uncomfortable hilted stereotype of Viking type swords, the Wallingford is agile, light, and lively. It feels very natural in the hand, and invites quick, slashing attacks. The curved upper and lower guards allow for a variety of grips. Magic.
Conclusions:
The Wallingford is now vying with Honey (my favourite Telecaster) and Tailbiter (my AT1530) as my weapon of choice. The hefty price tag is completely vindicated by the beautiful handling characteristics and plausible appearance. Part of the cost of these swords is the R&D that goes into producing such beautifully designed and realised weapons. This sword, whilst aimed at reenactors, would also be an ideal display piece, or a perfect backyard swinger.
Pros:
-Attractive, plausible appearance
-Outstanding handling
-Excellent customer service
-Sturdy construction
-Its an Anglo-Saxon sword!
Cons
-Pricey
Overall, the Albion Wallingford Skirmish Line Sword has met all my expectation, and I highly recommend it!