Albion crecy review
Aug 27, 2016 6:06:12 GMT
Post by Iradei on Aug 27, 2016 6:06:12 GMT
Introduction
I have always considered the so-called transitional sword (i.e. type XVIa) to encapsulate the very essence of our forebears’ ingenuity in the designing of arms and armours. It epitomizes a constant endeavour to impart the utmost effectiveness to close-fighting weapons, in an attempt to tilt the scale in favour of the warriors who would wield them on the field of combat.
Often pigeonholed in the so-called jack-of-all-trade section, type XVIa swords came into existence at a very specific period in terms of armour development—straddling the line between the age-old combination of mail and gambeson, and the emergence full plate armour—and therefore needed to be refashioned accordingly. Thus, in seeking to strike a compromise between cutting and thrusting abilities, fourteenth century swordsmiths eventually came up with a unique blade design, often regarded as one of, if not the most appealling and cleverly-executed european sword style—be it on an aesthetic or indeed on a functional level.
As to why I chose to get a type XVIa from Albion specifically, suffice it to say that all the positive feedback I read about the Crecy enticed me, as it were, into making the purchase. Plus, it hardly needs saying that adding another Albion piece to one’s collection never does any harm.
I think we all know that part by heart now, so let’s get down directly to the nitty gritty, shall we ?
The blade
It hardly needs mentioning that the real beauty of Crecy lies in the geometry of its blade. The deep fuller creates an elegant contrast with the last third of the blade, where the two ridges merge smoothly into a single medial rib running towards the tip. It bears noting that while the first two thirds of the blade boast a very deep fuller, the mid rib remains quite superficial—the reason for this being that the blade is so thin as it tappers towards the tip that there is simply not enough material to make it more prominent. Evidently, therefore, the real purpose in designing such a weak ridge is merely linked to aesthetics, as it is not nearly as pronounced as it needs to be to have any noticeable effect on the rigidity of the blade.
It therefore stands to reason that, despite what the sharp tip and the mid rib appear to imply, the blade under review seems to have a little bias towards the cut—all the more so if one takes into account its wideness at the CoP (around 3.5-4cm).
A major element which reflects all the ingenuity that went into the making of this sword has to do with the ten-centimeter section of the blade that stretchbetween the fuller and the mid-rib. This portion of the blade being at mid-point between hexagonal and lenticular in cross section—the latter being likelier than the former—happens to be located PRECISELY where the so-called sweet-spot area lies. Though I might have turned swordcrazy a few years ago, I do believe it is not haphazard if the flattest portion of the blade, that is the part of sword offering the least resistance against targets, turns out to be exactly at the CoP
In terms of functionality, all these elements coalesce, as it were, to tilt the scale in favour of cutting capacities over thrusting abilities.
With regards to the tip however, the phrase “needle sharp” can be applied quite literally. As much as I like pointy tips, the Crecy’s simply far too acute for my liking and I don’t care whether it’s made of adamantium or not, but I can tell you that that tip will bend at the slightest impact—be it bone, steel, or even reinforced leather.
Apart from this, there’s nothing new under the sun : the grip bears Albion’s good old cord imprints to keep the hand from sliding, the seam is barely visible (as usual) and the back dye has been evenly applied on some top quality leather.
Bottom line : Feels great. Smells interesting …
Interestingly enough I found that the riser plays a big part in making the sword feel more authoritative in the hand. The riser is placed relatively close to the guard, so that, instead of merely sitting against the little finger it acts like a wedge between the pinky and the ring finger, thereby making the grip feel a lot more responsive to the movement of one’s wrist. Consequently, not only does it give the handle more character, but it also achieves functional requirements. In truth it really feels like your fighting hand is literally glued on to the grip when moving the sword round.
Will you look at that fuller ? Absolutely stupendous !
It is a general principle that while most bastard swords can be wielded with one hand or with two, they tend to be less nimble than a true single hander when used with one. In that regard, the Crecy is somewhat of an exception to the rule as it can be used single handed with astonishing ease and fluidity. I would even go as far as to say that it handles better than most of one handed sword currently on the market. When held with closed eyes, the general feel is that of a single handed sword, and, although the distal/profile taper and the general mass distribution are most likely the key factors at play here, the slightly shorter grip definitely adds to that affect.
Should the need arise, the Crecy would therefore be as true a friend in one hand as it is with two.
In the words of Ewart Oakshott : “That austere perfection of line and proportion which is the essence of beauty”
Historical context
As has often been repeated since sword reviewing was ever created, the fact that plate armour became increasingly prevalent in the course of the 14th inevitably led to adaptations in the weapons meant to oppose such protections. Gradually swords became thicker and more suited for piercing unprotected, or more lightly armoured parts of the body—sometimes at the utter expense of their cutting potential. Between the wide, flat, fullered blades of ancient cutting swords, and the narrow thrust-centric sword of the 15th century, came a transitional type combining both cutting power with thrusting abilities bla, bla, bla …I think we all know that part by heart now, so let’s get down directly to the nitty gritty, shall we ?
The blade
It hardly needs mentioning that the real beauty of Crecy lies in the geometry of its blade. The deep fuller creates an elegant contrast with the last third of the blade, where the two ridges merge smoothly into a single medial rib running towards the tip. It bears noting that while the first two thirds of the blade boast a very deep fuller, the mid rib remains quite superficial—the reason for this being that the blade is so thin as it tappers towards the tip that there is simply not enough material to make it more prominent. Evidently, therefore, the real purpose in designing such a weak ridge is merely linked to aesthetics, as it is not nearly as pronounced as it needs to be to have any noticeable effect on the rigidity of the blade.
It therefore stands to reason that, despite what the sharp tip and the mid rib appear to imply, the blade under review seems to have a little bias towards the cut—all the more so if one takes into account its wideness at the CoP (around 3.5-4cm).
A major element which reflects all the ingenuity that went into the making of this sword has to do with the ten-centimeter section of the blade that stretchbetween the fuller and the mid-rib. This portion of the blade being at mid-point between hexagonal and lenticular in cross section—the latter being likelier than the former—happens to be located PRECISELY where the so-called sweet-spot area lies. Though I might have turned swordcrazy a few years ago, I do believe it is not haphazard if the flattest portion of the blade, that is the part of sword offering the least resistance against targets, turns out to be exactly at the CoP
In terms of functionality, all these elements coalesce, as it were, to tilt the scale in favour of cutting capacities over thrusting abilities.
Sharpness
It is a well known fact that Albion tends to be a wee bit stingy when it comes to sharpening their swords. The least I can say is that the Crecy I received was no exception to the rule as both edges were, let’s face it, absolutely dull. As a caveat it should be noted that, of the three swords I got from Albion’s next generation line, the Crecy, which was by far the least sharp, was the only one I ordered through Kult of Athena—the other two having been sent to me directly from Albion Europe. I am therefore unsure whether this is entirely of Albion’s doing. However that may be, it is worth reminding that since the center of the blade slopes down towards the two edges with constant gradients, which means that there is no secondary bevel and, by extension, no extra material to grind off, one should be able to give it a decent edge very easily.With regards to the tip however, the phrase “needle sharp” can be applied quite literally. As much as I like pointy tips, the Crecy’s simply far too acute for my liking and I don’t care whether it’s made of adamantium or not, but I can tell you that that tip will bend at the slightest impact—be it bone, steel, or even reinforced leather.
Guard and pommel
The cross-guard and the pommel share the same combination of simplicity and elegance. Both exhibit clearly-defined ridges with crisp and symmetrical lines. Overall there isn’t much to say about these two hilt components other than that they have a very attractive look. The only criticism I could bring forward is that a peen block at the end of the wheel pommel would have further enhanced the beauty of the hilt, and possibly give it a little more character—that would have really been the icing on the cake.The handle
Keeping in mind that the crecy is a bastard sword, the handle might strike one as being relatively short, although there is more than enough room to ensure a secure grip with both hands without even touching the pommel. I for one tend to grab the pommel with my left hand to exert some extra leverage on the blade, so no issue there. Apart from this, there’s nothing new under the sun : the grip bears Albion’s good old cord imprints to keep the hand from sliding, the seam is barely visible (as usual) and the back dye has been evenly applied on some top quality leather.
Bottom line : Feels great. Smells interesting …
Interestingly enough I found that the riser plays a big part in making the sword feel more authoritative in the hand. The riser is placed relatively close to the guard, so that, instead of merely sitting against the little finger it acts like a wedge between the pinky and the ring finger, thereby making the grip feel a lot more responsive to the movement of one’s wrist. Consequently, not only does it give the handle more character, but it also achieves functional requirements. In truth it really feels like your fighting hand is literally glued on to the grip when moving the sword round.
Will you look at that fuller ? Absolutely stupendous !
Balance and weight
Regardless of one’s aesthetic preferences, there can be no denying that this sword has been blessed with outstanding handling properties. The fact is that of all the swords I’ve had the pleasure of handling, this one simply outshines them all.It is a general principle that while most bastard swords can be wielded with one hand or with two, they tend to be less nimble than a true single hander when used with one. In that regard, the Crecy is somewhat of an exception to the rule as it can be used single handed with astonishing ease and fluidity. I would even go as far as to say that it handles better than most of one handed sword currently on the market. When held with closed eyes, the general feel is that of a single handed sword, and, although the distal/profile taper and the general mass distribution are most likely the key factors at play here, the slightly shorter grip definitely adds to that affect.
Should the need arise, the Crecy would therefore be as true a friend in one hand as it is with two.
Conclusion
Despite the steep price; despite the dull edges; despite the excessive acuteness of the tip—despite all these negative aspects, I feel no qualms in saying the Crecy truly lives up to its legend. The lazy sharpening service is something I am more than willing to overlook, being personally more preoccupied by the angle at the edge, rather than the degree of sharpness itself—the latter being far more easily fixed than the former. What it might lack is character is amply made up by perfect lines and proportions.In the words of Ewart Oakshott : “That austere perfection of line and proportion which is the essence of beauty”