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Post by UYFB on Nov 2, 2019 18:38:01 GMT
What do you guys think about the way Albion handles their swords for shipping? Much room for the sword to move around on the long journey: Point penetrated the foam and 3 of 4 layers of cardboard, as it is the nature of a Thrusting sword:
I am glad the FedEx guy didn't get stabbed...
It's good to have a company that cares about the environment and does not unnecessarily waste packaging material to protect expensive luxury goods from getting damaged. Priorities.
*Edit:
Just realized, the foam is attached to it's own cardboard layer, which of course was also penetrated, that makes 4 out of 5 cardboard layers.
*Update: -PLOT TWIST!-
As it turns out, if you rotate the sword by 180° it fits perfecty fine into the package. That way the foam supports the pommel and the sword can't move at all. A plastic tip protector won't be needed (and yes, I noticed myself that KoA uses them).
What I think is that the guy at customs, possibly a right-hander, put the sword back the wrong way after playing with it.
If so, Albion is not guilty and an apology is appropriate. But maybe they should switch to right-hander cardboard packaging instead of left-handed.
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stormmaster
Member
I like viking/migration era swords
Posts: 7,714
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Post by stormmaster on Nov 2, 2019 19:11:10 GMT
I think a plastic tip protector would be nice but otherwise ive had np with albions packaging, tho personally i would have filled the entire box with bubble wrap and also put some around the pommel
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Post by pellius on Nov 2, 2019 19:25:12 GMT
Over the years, I have received a couple of swords in the mail that had several inches of the tip protruding from the box.
The last time, the postal worker gave me a hard time about it. Imho, he was right to be vexed. I was quite fortunate the post office didn’t just destroy the package.
Whether priceless or budget, unsafe packaging of a sword is irresponsible at best and egregiously dangerous (even negligent) at worst.
I’m not calling anyone out. Just mtc.
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Post by strigoil on Nov 2, 2019 19:26:32 GMT
Mine have always come with a plastic bit on the tip, but they have also been through KoA so maybe it's them who add it, I agree that the packaging is less than desirable...But considering they will have to take the burden if it's damaged in transit it must somehow have proven to be good enough? Or they would as a business have changed it...But yeah no protection for the tip is reckless.
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christain
Member
It's the steel on the inside that counts.
Posts: 2,835
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Post by christain on Nov 2, 2019 20:50:17 GMT
The only two swords I've ever gotten without scabbards were my Hanwei claymore and Lowlander, both from KoA, and both came with plastic tip protectors. You'd think that with a high-end sword like an Albion, it would at least have that...and some wadded up paper around the hilt to keep the sword from moving. If I were shipping a high-end sword without a scabbard, I think I would at least have something harder than just cardboard on the ends of the box. Maybe a couple of pieces of 1x4 wood.  |
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Post by UYFB on Nov 3, 2019 10:54:40 GMT
*Update:
-PLOT TWIST!-
As it turns out, if you rotate the sword by 180° it fits perfecty fine into the package. That way the foam supports the pommel and the sword can't move at all. A plastic tip protector won't be needed (and yes, I noticed myself that KoA uses them).  What I think is that the guy at customs, possibly a right-hander, put the sword back the wrong way after playing with it.
If so, Albion is not guilty and an apology is appropriate.
But maybe they should switch to right-hander cardboard packaging instead of left-handed.
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Post by rannh1 on Nov 3, 2019 16:50:32 GMT
I was going to comment on that actually, but I figured I didn't know if someone else would clarify or if it was my place. I would've figured the black foam held it in place as their other sharps are. Glad no one got hurt though. *Update:
-PLOT TWIST!-
As it turns out, if you rotate the sword by 180° it fits perfecty fine into the package. That way the foam supports the pommel and the sword can't move at all. A plastic tip protector won't be needed (and yes, I noticed myself that KoA uses them).What I think is that the guy at customs, possibly a right-hander, put the sword back the wrong way after playing with it.
If so, Albion is not guilty and an apology is appropriate.
But maybe they should switch to right-hander cardboard packaging instead of left-handed.
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Post by MOK on Nov 4, 2019 6:53:16 GMT
Yeah, looks like Albion's packaging was simply not foolproof.  |
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Post by rjodorizzi on Nov 4, 2019 14:33:02 GMT
The advantage of living close to Albion, I can just go drive and pick it up :-P
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Zen_Hydra
Moderator
Born with a heart full of neutrality
Posts: 2,659 
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Post by Zen_Hydra on Nov 4, 2019 14:41:15 GMT
My last two Albion swords arrived with significant damage to the box, apparently caused by the sword banging around inside.
My Sovereign had part of it's guard poking through the box, and you can bet I scrutinized it for damage (though there wasn't any).
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Post by theophilus736 on Nov 5, 2019 12:10:23 GMT
Yeah I could tell right away it was backwards after having had a few of their boxes and fooling around with putting things back in myself. Someone dorked up. Could have been the shipper or Albion. I'd be ticked if it was the shipper..
Also, one of my favorites of theirs! In the preferred grip color. Very cool.
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seth
Member
Just Peachy
Posts: 1,012
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Post by seth on Nov 7, 2019 16:45:11 GMT
My squire line viking also had come loose in the box and banged around quite a bit. Nothing poked through but there were some small scratches on the blade. There are no customs to blame in my case.
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Post by theophilus736 on Nov 8, 2019 1:26:30 GMT
Sounds like they need to make sure that it's oriented correctly.
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Post by Lord Newport on Nov 20, 2019 4:46:23 GMT
Yeah, looks like Albion's packaging was simply not foolproof. Its foolproof, just not moron proof.... |
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Post by MOK on Nov 20, 2019 5:32:09 GMT
Yeah, looks like Albion's packaging was simply not foolproof. Its foolproof, just not moron proof.... To-may-toe, po-tuh-toe... |
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Post by metinemre on Feb 17, 2024 4:52:54 GMT
Time to revive this, I received two swords with same packaging. One recently. I think for the money spent, packaging should be better and should be made moron proof. Also it is a hazard for carrier employees. One sword arrived 2 inches of the tip cut trough the box and hanging out. With all due respect to their quality, friendly communication and all, this has to improve. wrap the darn sword with an oily plastic to prevent rust like $100 katana sellers and put dense foam and hard plastic to protect the tip and the guard. Very simple. Especially with the current wait times nothing would suck harder to see your sharp baby arriving damaged.
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Post by toddstratton1 on Feb 17, 2024 12:53:38 GMT
The issue with a lot of things to end up getting shipped is that the delivery services can be so abusive with these boxes. They get tossed and bang around so much that you really need to have a lot of security for what you're shipping, if you're gonna have a sharp sword being sent off. I have never had a problem with an Albion. And I have ordered quite a few in the box. However, any time I ship it out myself I always add extra protection for the tip. And I will do more to cover the entire blade, and then separately the crossguard and pommel, but thats more so for protection against rust and the like. But as others have mentioned I think Albion should at least add some kind of tip protection. Because it could be very dangerous if a tip of a sharp sword stabs through and injured somebody. And for general protection of it.
The worst damage I got from a sword being shipped was a Brescia Spadona from Germany, which had a package so abused the pommel ended up cresting a hole and being exposed to any hard surfaces thereafter if tossed around. It ended up coming with some scuffs and a ding to the pommel as a result. But thankfully it was very minor, and the blade was left pristine. Still hurts to happen on what is now a 2500 dollar sword though, and the shipping company is a pain in the arse to resolve the damage claim.
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Post by pellius on Feb 17, 2024 13:15:26 GMT
A private seller once shipped me a sword with a small paperback book taped to the inside end of the box. There was no way the sword tip was going to poke thru. I thought that was a pretty good idea.
Pointy quillons and the like could be similarly protected.
On the other hand, those little plastic tip protectors always seem to be dislodged, and end up stuck to the side of the blade or floating free in the box.
fwiw
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Post by eastman on Feb 17, 2024 16:21:13 GMT
The advantage of living close to Albion, I can just go drive and pick it up :-P
That's what I do. I guess I'm not the only one to road trip to New Glarus.
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Post by eastman on Feb 17, 2024 16:24:36 GMT
Yeah, looks like Albion's packaging was simply not foolproof. Its foolproof, just not moron proof....
nothing can ever be foolproof, because those fools are so damn clever
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