Zen_Hydra
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Post by Zen_Hydra on Dec 3, 2019 23:58:36 GMT
I think I would prefer the Albion Alexandria over the Principe...May have to get one. The Principe had considerably more grippable space. I've heard some folks complain that two-handing the Alexandra feels a bit crowded. I've got truckasaurus hands, so I went with the Principe.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2019 0:09:51 GMT
Every time I see a euro sword competition for cutting I see the Albion Alexandria.
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Post by Lord Newport on Dec 4, 2019 0:13:08 GMT
I think I would prefer the Albion Alexandria over the Principe...May have to get one. The Principe had considerably more grippable space. I've heard some folks complain that two-handing the Alexandra feels a bit crowded. I've got truckasaurus hands, so I went with the Principe. I have average sides hands and I am used to using a 11.5 inch tsuka on my JSA cutting swords (Howard Clark L6) and done very well in competition here and in Japan. I can see the need for more grip if you have huge hands...but its not about leverage...but proper technique. Additionally, the Alexandria is a historically inspired sword that is similar enough to its namesake that is a hands down choice for this student of warfare.
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Zen_Hydra
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Post by Zen_Hydra on Dec 4, 2019 1:54:45 GMT
The Principe had considerably more grippable space. I've heard some folks complain that two-handing the Alexandra feels a bit crowded. I've got truckasaurus hands, so I went with the Principe. ...but its not about leverage...but proper technique. A sword is literally a lever. You can't have technique without leverage.
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Post by Lord Newport on Dec 4, 2019 2:05:50 GMT
...but its not about leverage...but proper technique. A sword is literally a lever. You can't have technique without leverage. I have watched a lot of swordsmen, totally devoid of proper training and technique, mostly JSA and a few HEMA try to use specialty cutting swords above their ability and muscle via leverage to get through a target. They usually end up with crappy cuts and bent blades in the JSA community, at least when using proper "used" tatami mats.
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Zen_Hydra
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Post by Zen_Hydra on Dec 4, 2019 2:41:25 GMT
A sword is literally a lever. You can't have technique without leverage. I have watched a lot of swordsmen, totally devoid of proper training and technique, mostly JSA and a few HEMA try to use specialty cutting swords above their ability and muscle via leverage to get through a target. They usually end up with crappy cuts and bent blades in the JSA community, at least when using proper "used" tatami mats. Without proper structure, one cannot efficiently apply leverage.
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Post by john1 on Dec 17, 2019 4:44:35 GMT
I think the answer to the OPs question is: In Open Longsword, mostly: 1. Albion Alexandria & Principe (same blade) 2. ATrim XIIa 3. Customs with similar thin, wide & stiff blade geometries. In Novice Longsword, mostly: 1. Cold steel hand and a half 2. Valiant Arms (with Chinese blade) Why ? The Open Longsword folks buy “the best” - to be competitive. The Novice Longsword guys still have “affordable” starter swords. The Swords being used in Open cut “OMG hugely better” and are priced “OMG hugely expensive” for people who aren’t fanatics “yet” ![;)](//storage.forums.net/forum/images/smiley/wink.png) ps: Note the word “mostly”. Other swords also do well in the hands of a good cutter. Geometry and sharpness counts the most. Then weight, balance and hilt length.
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Post by Lord Newport on Dec 17, 2019 9:10:02 GMT
I think the answer to the OPs question is: In Open Longsword, mostly: 1. Albion Alexandria & Principe (same blade) 2. ATrim XII3. Customs with similar thin, wide & stiff blade geometries. In Novice Longsword, mostly: 1. Cold steel hand and a half 2. Valiant Arms (with Chinese blade) Why ? The Open Longsword folks buy “the best” - to be competitive. The Novice Longsword guys still have “affordable” starter swords. The Swords being used in Open cut “OMG hugely better” and are priced “OMG hugely expensive” for people who aren’t fanatics “yet” ![;)](//storage.forums.net/forum/images/smiley/wink.png) ps: Note the word “mostly”. Other swords also do well in the hands of a good cutter. Geometry and sharpness counts the most. Then weight, balance and hilt length. Did you mean an ATrim XIIa? the XII is a single handed sword in Oakshott's typology.
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Post by john1 on Dec 17, 2019 13:56:26 GMT
Sorry. Yes XIIa. Edited original post to correct typo.
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Post by Lord Newport on Dec 17, 2019 17:11:16 GMT
Sorry. Yes XIIa. Edited original post to correct typo. I am surprised that Type XIII and XIIIa's are not doing well. I wonder how a real executioner's sword would do..
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Post by Student of Sword on Jan 2, 2020 19:22:17 GMT
In the East Coast, Albion are the most commonly seen longswords manufacturers in HEMA cutting competition in all of Longpoint, the biggest HEMA competition in North America. I have heard that ATRIM are common in the West Coast but I have never attended a West Coast event.
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Post by Student of Sword on Jan 2, 2020 19:24:45 GMT
Sorry. Yes XIIa. Edited original post to correct typo. I am surprised that Type XIII and XIIIa's are not doing well. I wonder how a real executioner's sword would do.. There is one portion of the cutting competition where your target is between two wooden poles. You start inside one pole, but you are not allow to hit the second pole. It is a very short stroke cut. This is where Type XIII lose out.
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Post by Lord Newport on Jan 2, 2020 19:39:14 GMT
I am surprised that Type XIII and XIIIa's are not doing well. I wonder how a real executioner's sword would do.. There is one portion of the cutting competition where your target is between two wooden poles. You start inside one pole, but you are not allow to hit the second pole. It is a very short stroke cut. This is where Type XIII lose out. Do they have a category for single hand swords only?
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Post by LG Martial Arts on Jan 2, 2020 19:44:57 GMT
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Post by Jordan Williams on Jan 2, 2020 20:44:09 GMT
Was wondering why no one had tagged him yet lol.
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Aikidoka
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Post by Aikidoka on Jan 2, 2020 23:54:21 GMT
I have used an ATrim XVIa.4 longsword to win a good number of medals in advanced cutting tournaments at HEMA events over the past several years. I like that type of longsword better than the wide, thin and heavy Principe or Alexandria. There is no doubt, though, that those Albions are popular swords at HEMA tournaments.
There are more and more single hand cutting tournaments popping up at HEMA events as well. The ATrim Xa series of sword & buckler swords do well and I like my ATrim XII.1 arming sword. The Albion Sheriff and the other type XIV Albions also do very well.
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Aikidoka
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Post by Aikidoka on Jan 3, 2020 0:04:10 GMT
This discussion started in an inappropriate place so Ill bring here since I am interested.... Whose swords are winning HEMA cutting completions? when and where are these competitions held? There will be an event in Los Angeles, CA in February (SoCal Swordfight), which will have both longsword and single hand cutting tournaments. I will compete in both.
In March, I will be running my cutting tournament here in Phoenix, AZ (The Valley of the Sun Cutting Tournaments). It will have longsword and arming sword tournaments, as well as a saber cutting challenge. It will also have several classes on cutting.
Then in August, I will be running the HEMA cutting tournaments at CombatCon in Las Vegas, NV. This will be my first year to direct those tournaments. I will also teach a beginner cutting class there.
Then in September, there will be an event in Seattle, WA (Swordsquatch) that will have a cutting tournament. I won that one last year, so I will probably help run it and teach the cutting seminar again.
These are just the events that I will be involved with this year. There are many other HEMA events around the US with cutting tournaments.
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Post by ballenxj on Jan 3, 2020 0:06:30 GMT
I have used an ATrim XVIa.4 longsword to win a good number of medals in advanced cutting tournaments at HEMA events over the past several years. I like that type of longsword better than the wide, thin and heavy Principe or Alexandria. There is no doubt, though, that those Albions are popular swords at HEMA tournaments.
There are more and more single hand cutting tournaments popping up at HEMA events as well. The ATrim Xa series of sword & buckler swords do well and I like my ATrim XII.1 arming sword. The Albion Sheriff and the other type XIV Albions also do very well.
Ah, there you are. Do you by chance have any videos of these cutting matches?
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Aikidoka
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Post by Aikidoka on Jan 3, 2020 0:13:06 GMT
Here is one that I attended in Victoria, British Columbia, that was run by Blood & Iron and was filmed by Skallagrim. I used my ATrim XVIa.4 to perform a double cut through 3 tatami mats during the final round of that one.
And here is a link to the playlists of footage from Swordsquatch this year. It has playlists for the various cutting feats that we did there:
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Post by Lord Newport on Jan 3, 2020 0:34:35 GMT
Here is one that I attended in Victoria, British Columbia, that was run by Blood & Iron and was filmed by Skallagrim. I used my ATrim XVIa.4 to perform a double cut through 3 tatami mats during the final round of that one.
And here is a link to the playlists of footage from Swordsquatch this year. It has playlists for the various cutting feats that we did there:
Is dipping your shoulder like that considered good form? I'm am ranked in JSA and placed well in many TaiKai's in the US and Japan. The Ryu-ha is studied specifically focused on tamishigiri and dipping your shoulder like that was considered poor form...I assume in HEMA it's different?
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