Albion Swords – Next Generation Principe
Feb 1, 2014 13:19:05 GMT
Post by Paul on Feb 1, 2014 13:19:05 GMT
Yes I’m using the template
Introduction
I suppose we all collect swords for a variety of reasons and motivations, historical significance, cool factor, fantasy desire, collection piece, etc, either one or a variety of these reasons motivates you and this may change from piece to piece within your collection. I guess for me, in this case, it was combination of these factors with a bit of a fantasy twist in the search for that sword that speaks to you and is what I imaging to be that extension of yourself. I was a bit late on the announcement of the Alexander & Principe and only became aware of them in November 2012 when I started this topic viewtopic.php?f=10&t=14327 and if you flick to page 3 you will see that I went to the lengths of mocking up a waster based on the known measurements. From the moment I saw the Principe I was immediately taken, I waxed and waned for months and ultimately I bit the bullet about 5 months ago and started an Albion payment plan.
Historical overview
I’m not a history buff and I struggle to recall a swords type without having to refer to Oakeshott’s typology charts. The Principe is a type XVIIIc blade hand and a half sword. The descriptions on the Albion Swords site of the Alexander & Principe (same blades) date this sword type from 1367 to 1436 with the character of the Principe noted as being in the spirit of 15th century Italy. www.albion-swords.com/swords/alb ... xviiia.htm
Full Disclosure
I have no affiliation with Albion Swords, I paid full price with my own money direct from Albion Swords Ltd. I am a collector and a very casual practitioner and by that I mean I sometimes cut plastic bottles. I have a handful of swords and related items that can be perused here viewtopic.php?f=34&t=13181
Initial Impressions
She arrived in the recognisable Albion white box late morning at my office, it was a torturous day as I had too many staff on to open it in private. The box was unmolested with the original packing tape still uncut, this is the 1st sword I have received where I felt the guys at customs hadn’t had a play with it, thanks FedEx. Special note for anyone in Australia importing something > than $1,000, make sure your phone number is on the box, customs will not release it until they have contacted you, assessed the item and got their money. Items greater than $1,000 are subject to the 10% GST based on the value + shipping costs of the goods plus a customs fee, all up another $240 in my case.
When I finally got home it was time for the unboxing and hoping that all was well inside. Everything was perfect; sword was tightly in place, the foam spacers were still firmly glued and a nice sheen of oil was evident on the blade. More than any sword before I had a lot of trepidation with this one, the stats and sheer scale are like nothing else on the market and I was worried that she was going to be some fat unwieldy sword that you could almost use to hide behind….. BUT once I glided her out of the box I felt relieved and pleased all at once, some swords can put a smile on your face, this is one of those.
Statistics
Kitchen scales & tape measure, mine in black & Albion’s quoted states in red.
Overall Length: 116.8cm 116.8cm
Blade Length: 87.2cm 87.3cm
Blade Width: 7.7cm (@ point of node on guard) 7.62cm
Grip / Leather Length: 19.4cm not advised
Guard/ Width: 25.8cm not advised
POB (Point of Balance): 8cm 8.25cm - Also Albion kindly put their makers mark pretty much right on the POB, very handy
COP (Center of Percussion): na 52cm
Weight: 1.74kg 1.8kg
Blade thickness, not known for sure but thought to be 5mm
The only noticeable difference in the states is the weight at .06kg / 2.116oz, overall very impressive adherence to the stated stats.
The Blade
The blade on the Principe is like nothing I have experienced. This is a broad blade, I guess that goes without saying, it gradually tapers to about 8” from the tip where the tapering increases to the point. I don’t have the tools to measure it but the blade tapers in thickness alone its length to the tip.
Blade width at Guard = 7.7cm
+10” = 6.5cm
+15” = 5.75cm
+20” = 5cm
+25” = 4.4cm
+30” = 2.8cm
Assumed to be 5mm thick at the base makes this somewhat a thin blade and due to this there is a degree of flexibility, it is difficult to accurately measure but it does seem to have slightly more flex than my Albion Crecy’s blade, which is reported to be 6.1mm thick and stiff enough to be an efficient thruster. One of my fears with the Principe was that it would have more flexibility than I like (from my limited experience) however this is not what I would call a whippy or overly flexible blade. I’m sure the broadness of the blade assists in controlling this flex and I’m happy to say that it’s not too flexible for my tastes. The edge starts in earnest at roughly the POB, it is SHARP evenly done and without fault. The central ridge is not as pronounced as I expected & hoped for but nonetheless it is there and is nice and straight and central All these attributes combine to produce a sword that I feel will be an exceedingly efficient cutter, this doesn’t mean this blade isn’t capable of thrusting, it has a nasty ridged point combined with adequate stiffness to be a capable thruster. If you rated the Crecy as a 50/50 cutter thruster I would rate the Principe as a 75/25 cutter thruster. There were only some slight scuff marks on the blade on the ridge about 10” from the tip on one side, however these are slight and nothing a grey pad can't remove. Quick edit, really only a small thing but as I sung the praises of this sword I should also point out any small issues I notice. Just inspecting the blade again I noticed that the centre ridge isn’t “perfectly” straight when it gets to the tip, one side has an ever so slight curve, pics attached. lol struggling to find flaws here :?
The Handle
The grip is a real winner. The leathered area has ample space for 2 hands with room to spare. The thickness is also increased from other swords I have handled, for me this is a plus and allows for a comfortable secure grip, this is further enhanced by the spiral grip treatment. The spiral is actually hard, I had assumed they would be somewhat soft. I really like this grip!
The Guard
The guard is simple and elegant at the same time. There are no flat surfaces, it starts out from the central ridge (which is very thick, about 25mm from both sides) tapers slightly and then flairs to create the ending nodes. The central ridge node that extends down the blade is substantial and attractive and helps balance the look of the guard. The finish is excellent, perhaps the best I have encountered.
The Pommel
The pommel is also a draw card for this sword, it is much more complex that pictures portray. I quite like its central ridge as it continues the ridge theme from pommel to tip. It is comfortable to grip and is solid enough to be used as a weapon. The peen in blended in and is virtually invisible.
Handling Characteristics
Keep in mind that I am still relatively inexperienced, however the handling of the Principe is a pleasant surprise, the stats would suggest a heavy handling sword at the quoted 1.8kg / 3lb 15.5oz, this is not the case. I find the Principe to be a wonderful handling sword and its point of balance at only 8cm / 3.15” makes for unexpected recovery. You can lumber it around in one hand but I firmly believe this to be a 2 handed sword and the ability to space your hands further apart adds to its handling abilities. I actually find it more pleasing to swing than my Crecy and I also find the Principe much easier to control in terms of edge alignment by comparison, though no actual cutting was performed. Point control is also very good however I will say that this aspect is not quite as good as that of my Crecy, as you would expect. All in all I’m very pleased with its handling.
Test Cutting
None done as yet but I have a feeling this will be a monster cutter. Il have to update this at a later stage
Conclusions
This is what I call an expensive sword, $1,430 + $190 shipping to Oz not to mention the added import charges, and as such you would have high expectations. For me my expectations have been met and I’m happy to have paid this price. This is not only a good sword, finished to the highest standard I have experienced from any maker to date but it is also a very unique sword as I am unaware of any other maker that is making a similar product, this is a collectors piece to be sure. Now I mentioned in my opening statements that part of my motivation for the Principe is that fanciful search for that sword that becomes an extension of yourself, a sword that you are going to grab and run with at the end of days in whatever form it comes…. Is this that sword?…………….. this is tough as I recently received another sword, a Long ship Armoury Silvia which I am quite attached to and between this and the Principe it is close BUT I have to say it, I really think to date that the Principe may be the one or as close to it as I have come so far.
Just a special note regarding the size and scale, when I 1st picked it up it didn’t feel like the massive sword it is, it wasn’t until I got a few other swords out that its size became really apparent. I guess what I’m trying to say is that if the Principe was your 1st sword I don’t think you would walk away saying that is a massive sword and the more you hold it the more its size becomes “normal”
Pros
- Fit and finish on everything, I’m really impressed by this.
- Handling is excellent
- Grip is a big improvement over my Crecy and a benchmark for me moving forward.
- Edge is very sharp and excellently done
- Uniqueness
- Packing was excellent, only improvement would have been if it came in a wooden box.
Cons
Hope I haven’t come off as a fanboy because im not, in this case Albion just hasn’t given me much to complain about,
- Price, well we will always want to pay less
- Blade flexibility, not really a con but I would love a bit more spine to add stiffness. If I went custom this may be my only change.
- Minor scratches on the blade
- Not really a con but I would love some extras, a bit of print media, a colour booklet documenting what you just purchased. I know not really necessary but for me it would add a special touch to the purchase. Like my Longship Armoury Silvia, it came with a really cool poster, signed by John with the limited edition reference, 5/20 in my case
The Bottom Line
Would I recommend this sword to anyone who can afford it and is prepared to pay the price…. Simply yes.
Questions, comments, good or bad all welcome. This is my first attempt at a proper review and I would hope to improve on this moving forward
Introduction
I suppose we all collect swords for a variety of reasons and motivations, historical significance, cool factor, fantasy desire, collection piece, etc, either one or a variety of these reasons motivates you and this may change from piece to piece within your collection. I guess for me, in this case, it was combination of these factors with a bit of a fantasy twist in the search for that sword that speaks to you and is what I imaging to be that extension of yourself. I was a bit late on the announcement of the Alexander & Principe and only became aware of them in November 2012 when I started this topic viewtopic.php?f=10&t=14327 and if you flick to page 3 you will see that I went to the lengths of mocking up a waster based on the known measurements. From the moment I saw the Principe I was immediately taken, I waxed and waned for months and ultimately I bit the bullet about 5 months ago and started an Albion payment plan.
Historical overview
I’m not a history buff and I struggle to recall a swords type without having to refer to Oakeshott’s typology charts. The Principe is a type XVIIIc blade hand and a half sword. The descriptions on the Albion Swords site of the Alexander & Principe (same blades) date this sword type from 1367 to 1436 with the character of the Principe noted as being in the spirit of 15th century Italy. www.albion-swords.com/swords/alb ... xviiia.htm
Full Disclosure
I have no affiliation with Albion Swords, I paid full price with my own money direct from Albion Swords Ltd. I am a collector and a very casual practitioner and by that I mean I sometimes cut plastic bottles. I have a handful of swords and related items that can be perused here viewtopic.php?f=34&t=13181
Initial Impressions
She arrived in the recognisable Albion white box late morning at my office, it was a torturous day as I had too many staff on to open it in private. The box was unmolested with the original packing tape still uncut, this is the 1st sword I have received where I felt the guys at customs hadn’t had a play with it, thanks FedEx. Special note for anyone in Australia importing something > than $1,000, make sure your phone number is on the box, customs will not release it until they have contacted you, assessed the item and got their money. Items greater than $1,000 are subject to the 10% GST based on the value + shipping costs of the goods plus a customs fee, all up another $240 in my case.
When I finally got home it was time for the unboxing and hoping that all was well inside. Everything was perfect; sword was tightly in place, the foam spacers were still firmly glued and a nice sheen of oil was evident on the blade. More than any sword before I had a lot of trepidation with this one, the stats and sheer scale are like nothing else on the market and I was worried that she was going to be some fat unwieldy sword that you could almost use to hide behind….. BUT once I glided her out of the box I felt relieved and pleased all at once, some swords can put a smile on your face, this is one of those.
Statistics
Kitchen scales & tape measure, mine in black & Albion’s quoted states in red.
Overall Length: 116.8cm 116.8cm
Blade Length: 87.2cm 87.3cm
Blade Width: 7.7cm (@ point of node on guard) 7.62cm
Grip / Leather Length: 19.4cm not advised
Guard/ Width: 25.8cm not advised
POB (Point of Balance): 8cm 8.25cm - Also Albion kindly put their makers mark pretty much right on the POB, very handy
COP (Center of Percussion): na 52cm
Weight: 1.74kg 1.8kg
Blade thickness, not known for sure but thought to be 5mm
The only noticeable difference in the states is the weight at .06kg / 2.116oz, overall very impressive adherence to the stated stats.
The Blade
The blade on the Principe is like nothing I have experienced. This is a broad blade, I guess that goes without saying, it gradually tapers to about 8” from the tip where the tapering increases to the point. I don’t have the tools to measure it but the blade tapers in thickness alone its length to the tip.
Blade width at Guard = 7.7cm
+10” = 6.5cm
+15” = 5.75cm
+20” = 5cm
+25” = 4.4cm
+30” = 2.8cm
Assumed to be 5mm thick at the base makes this somewhat a thin blade and due to this there is a degree of flexibility, it is difficult to accurately measure but it does seem to have slightly more flex than my Albion Crecy’s blade, which is reported to be 6.1mm thick and stiff enough to be an efficient thruster. One of my fears with the Principe was that it would have more flexibility than I like (from my limited experience) however this is not what I would call a whippy or overly flexible blade. I’m sure the broadness of the blade assists in controlling this flex and I’m happy to say that it’s not too flexible for my tastes. The edge starts in earnest at roughly the POB, it is SHARP evenly done and without fault. The central ridge is not as pronounced as I expected & hoped for but nonetheless it is there and is nice and straight and central All these attributes combine to produce a sword that I feel will be an exceedingly efficient cutter, this doesn’t mean this blade isn’t capable of thrusting, it has a nasty ridged point combined with adequate stiffness to be a capable thruster. If you rated the Crecy as a 50/50 cutter thruster I would rate the Principe as a 75/25 cutter thruster. There were only some slight scuff marks on the blade on the ridge about 10” from the tip on one side, however these are slight and nothing a grey pad can't remove. Quick edit, really only a small thing but as I sung the praises of this sword I should also point out any small issues I notice. Just inspecting the blade again I noticed that the centre ridge isn’t “perfectly” straight when it gets to the tip, one side has an ever so slight curve, pics attached. lol struggling to find flaws here :?
The Handle
The grip is a real winner. The leathered area has ample space for 2 hands with room to spare. The thickness is also increased from other swords I have handled, for me this is a plus and allows for a comfortable secure grip, this is further enhanced by the spiral grip treatment. The spiral is actually hard, I had assumed they would be somewhat soft. I really like this grip!
The Guard
The guard is simple and elegant at the same time. There are no flat surfaces, it starts out from the central ridge (which is very thick, about 25mm from both sides) tapers slightly and then flairs to create the ending nodes. The central ridge node that extends down the blade is substantial and attractive and helps balance the look of the guard. The finish is excellent, perhaps the best I have encountered.
The Pommel
The pommel is also a draw card for this sword, it is much more complex that pictures portray. I quite like its central ridge as it continues the ridge theme from pommel to tip. It is comfortable to grip and is solid enough to be used as a weapon. The peen in blended in and is virtually invisible.
Handling Characteristics
Keep in mind that I am still relatively inexperienced, however the handling of the Principe is a pleasant surprise, the stats would suggest a heavy handling sword at the quoted 1.8kg / 3lb 15.5oz, this is not the case. I find the Principe to be a wonderful handling sword and its point of balance at only 8cm / 3.15” makes for unexpected recovery. You can lumber it around in one hand but I firmly believe this to be a 2 handed sword and the ability to space your hands further apart adds to its handling abilities. I actually find it more pleasing to swing than my Crecy and I also find the Principe much easier to control in terms of edge alignment by comparison, though no actual cutting was performed. Point control is also very good however I will say that this aspect is not quite as good as that of my Crecy, as you would expect. All in all I’m very pleased with its handling.
Test Cutting
None done as yet but I have a feeling this will be a monster cutter. Il have to update this at a later stage
Conclusions
This is what I call an expensive sword, $1,430 + $190 shipping to Oz not to mention the added import charges, and as such you would have high expectations. For me my expectations have been met and I’m happy to have paid this price. This is not only a good sword, finished to the highest standard I have experienced from any maker to date but it is also a very unique sword as I am unaware of any other maker that is making a similar product, this is a collectors piece to be sure. Now I mentioned in my opening statements that part of my motivation for the Principe is that fanciful search for that sword that becomes an extension of yourself, a sword that you are going to grab and run with at the end of days in whatever form it comes…. Is this that sword?…………….. this is tough as I recently received another sword, a Long ship Armoury Silvia which I am quite attached to and between this and the Principe it is close BUT I have to say it, I really think to date that the Principe may be the one or as close to it as I have come so far.
Just a special note regarding the size and scale, when I 1st picked it up it didn’t feel like the massive sword it is, it wasn’t until I got a few other swords out that its size became really apparent. I guess what I’m trying to say is that if the Principe was your 1st sword I don’t think you would walk away saying that is a massive sword and the more you hold it the more its size becomes “normal”
Pros
- Fit and finish on everything, I’m really impressed by this.
- Handling is excellent
- Grip is a big improvement over my Crecy and a benchmark for me moving forward.
- Edge is very sharp and excellently done
- Uniqueness
- Packing was excellent, only improvement would have been if it came in a wooden box.
Cons
Hope I haven’t come off as a fanboy because im not, in this case Albion just hasn’t given me much to complain about,
- Price, well we will always want to pay less
- Blade flexibility, not really a con but I would love a bit more spine to add stiffness. If I went custom this may be my only change.
- Minor scratches on the blade
- Not really a con but I would love some extras, a bit of print media, a colour booklet documenting what you just purchased. I know not really necessary but for me it would add a special touch to the purchase. Like my Longship Armoury Silvia, it came with a really cool poster, signed by John with the limited edition reference, 5/20 in my case
The Bottom Line
Would I recommend this sword to anyone who can afford it and is prepared to pay the price…. Simply yes.
Questions, comments, good or bad all welcome. This is my first attempt at a proper review and I would hope to improve on this moving forward