Aikidoka
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Monstrous monk in training...
Posts: 1,451
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Post by Aikidoka on Mar 23, 2018 2:54:53 GMT
This review has been featured on SBG! CLICK HERE to read it in its new and improved format
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Post by Faldarin on Mar 23, 2018 3:14:39 GMT
Oh, here it is. Really want to hear about the actual handling here. That 8" balance point would potentially make it a little strange, depending on how the mass distribution is overall. (Edit: Even just sitting out on the stand, that thing is beautiful and eye-catching.)
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tonystark
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“I told you, I don’t want to join your super secret boy band!”
Posts: 816
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Post by tonystark on Mar 23, 2018 3:22:41 GMT
Oh my...... That is just wonderful!
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Post by tancred on Mar 23, 2018 6:04:19 GMT
Nice review, Aikidoka. Glad you beat me to a review; now maybe I won't have to make one. I did get the blade without inscription. I also had the exact opposite experience as you with the scabbard. The fit on mine is tight/near perfect. Won't come out when held upside down at all. My first attempts at shaking it upside down were mild. I tried a few harder shakes today, and it still wouldn't come out. Maybe the fit is too tight. I don't mind. The belt is only ok. Kind of thin. It does do the trick, though, so that's what counts. Thanks for the refresher video of the original. This definitely shows that the pommel on the original is different in shape. I obviously prefer the original. Not that the Ronin pommel is terrible. I just like the original one better. I hope the Albion when it comes in will retain the more original look. It all still makes me wonder if Ronin is using the same pommel on all their Euro models that have disc/round pommels. Going by the online pictures, they look the same. Though your review is not complete, it seems that you like the sword. Or, did the point of balance being off from what you expected change your liking of the sword? I hope you enjoy it. I certainly love mine so far.
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Post by Croccifixio on Mar 23, 2018 11:05:20 GMT
With enough love from a belt sander, this might be able to turn into as beastly a cutter as the Albion. Looking forward to seeing what Aiki can do with this.
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Post by Bryan Heff on Mar 23, 2018 16:46:13 GMT
I couldn't resist any longer... Mine is on its way. Great review thus far.
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Aikidoka
Member
Monstrous monk in training...
Posts: 1,451
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Post by Aikidoka on Mar 24, 2018 20:50:16 GMT
Cutting video added as well as some observations regarding handling.
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Post by Faldarin on Mar 24, 2018 21:03:54 GMT
Nice. Awesome to see the video as well as read your thoughts. Did you do any work on the edge before cutting mats? Or is that still the 'factory' edge?
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Aikidoka
Member
Monstrous monk in training...
Posts: 1,451
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Post by Aikidoka on Mar 24, 2018 21:11:00 GMT
Good point! I sharpened the edge this morning. It took a bit more effort than I would have expected. Had to spend a while at 400 grit to establish an initial edge bevel. As I mentioned above, the "edge" was very thin, enough to cut skin, but it was not sharpened.
*review updated with this information*
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Post by Faldarin on Mar 24, 2018 21:39:55 GMT
Thanks for the clarify! That's exactly how the 'edge' on my Euro #7 came. It would cut medium targets, but it was much more difficult than it should have been for a sword of its weight, and didn't really cut lighter targets well.
Thanks again for the amazingly-fast impressions. I may need to pick up one of these monsters before they sell out.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 24, 2018 23:38:23 GMT
Oh, here it is. Really want to hear about the actual handling here. That 8" balance point would potentially make it a little strange, depending on how the mass distribution is overall. (Edit: Even just sitting out on the stand, that thing is beautiful and eye-catching.) Albion version POB 4 inches with mega thick pommel (metal type?) Ronin version POB 8 inches with thinner pommel (metal type?). I think the different pommel weights are affecting POB? Wow. Ronin version cuts well and it's not sharpened yet? Nice vid Aikid.
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Post by Faldarin on Mar 25, 2018 0:14:20 GMT
Oh, here it is. Really want to hear about the actual handling here. That 8" balance point would potentially make it a little strange, depending on how the mass distribution is overall. (Edit: Even just sitting out on the stand, that thing is beautiful and eye-catching.) Albion version POB 4 inches with mega thick pommel (metal type?) Ronin version POB 8 inches with thinner pommel (metal type?). I think the different pommel weights are affecting POB? Wow. Ronin version cuts well and it's not sharpened yet? Nice vid Aikid. He added to the review that he did sharpen it. I mainly asked because he was taking it straight to Japaneese tatami.
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Aikidoka
Member
Monstrous monk in training...
Posts: 1,451
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Post by Aikidoka on Mar 25, 2018 1:12:51 GMT
Oh, here it is. Really want to hear about the actual handling here. That 8" balance point would potentially make it a little strange, depending on how the mass distribution is overall. (Edit: Even just sitting out on the stand, that thing is beautiful and eye-catching.) Albion version POB 4 inches with mega thick pommel (metal type?) Ronin version POB 8 inches with thinner pommel (metal type?). I think the different pommel weights are affecting POB? That's exactly what I am thinking. I have already spoken to someone about making a new pommel for it. Something along the lines of the pommel on the Bashford Dean sword at the Metropolitan Museum of Art:
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Mar 25, 2018 3:42:13 GMT
Thanks Fald. What a monster cutter.
Yes Aikid, that should be a good counter weight. That would be a cool project....determining the weight of the new pommel to reduce POB from 8 inches to 4 inches.
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Aikidoka
Member
Monstrous monk in training...
Posts: 1,451
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Post by Aikidoka on Apr 1, 2018 1:52:50 GMT
Added photos, measurements and discussion of the sword's tang in a new "The Hilt" section just before the section on Handling.
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Post by Jordan Williams on Apr 1, 2018 2:24:25 GMT
Added photos, measurements and discussion of the sword's tang in a new "The Hilt" section just before the section on Handling. Kinda makes me wary of how thin the tang looks, but if it stands up to cutting then I suppose my fears are unbased. A new pommel I think would do wonders.
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Post by Bryan Heff on Apr 10, 2018 19:01:06 GMT
Mine arrived today. FYI the POB on mine is a just shy of 7 1/2". Its a super bad ass looking piece for sure, handles pretty nicely but as the "monster monk in training" already mentioned, the sword has quite a bit of blade presence. I do agree that a wider tang and more heavily weighted pommel would probably help but by no means is the handling clunky. One other thing I noticed is the diamond cross section on mine is pretty washed out, the final 1/3 towards the tip is nearly lenticular in cross section but that is not something that overly bothers me in the least. Overall Seems like its definitely worth the money. I will probably redo the grip. Overall the blade shape on mine is very nice, very clean...very good edge with no secondary bevel at all, but needs touching up to make it crazy sharp.
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stormmaster
Member
I like viking/migration era swords
Posts: 7,647
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Post by stormmaster on Apr 10, 2018 19:12:42 GMT
Mhmm based on all the feedback I've seen on this piece looks like a clear winner for the really attractive price, heck I've seen Matthew jensen's video and he said he would rather have 3 of these then 1 Albion equivalent Alexandria
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tonystark
Member
“I told you, I don’t want to join your super secret boy band!”
Posts: 816
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Post by tonystark on Apr 10, 2018 19:18:35 GMT
stormmaster I agree with him! Plus if you actually wanted to “use” these for anything, it wouldn’t make you spontaneously burst into tears for wasting $1k+ and a years worth of white-knuckling it if something DID happen to it!
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Post by Faldarin on Apr 10, 2018 19:19:55 GMT
Mine arrived today. FYI the POB on mine is a just shy of 7 1/2". Its a super bad ass looking piece for sure, handles pretty nicely but as the "monster monk in training" already mentioned, the sword has quite a bit of blade presence. I do agree that a wider tang and more heavily weighted pommel would probably help but by no means is the handling clunky. One other thing I noticed is the diamond cross section on mine is pretty washed out, the final 1/3 towards the tip is nearly lenticular in cross section but that is not something that overly bothers me in the least. Overall Seems like its definitely worth the money. I will probably redo the grip. Overall the blade shape on mine is very nice, very clean...very good edge with no secondary bevel at all, but needs touching up to make it crazy sharp. This is the same kind of edge I had on my Euro #7... it was good enough to cut with and ultra-durable... but not super-sharp. Some work will make this a monster.
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