Albion 13th Century Great Sword Mk 1 Review
Jul 28, 2022 14:12:35 GMT
Post by curiomansion on Jul 28, 2022 14:12:35 GMT
My review template is a never ending work in progress. I'd like to focus more on the subjective elements of the swords I review, because I think that's what people are looking for.
Albion 13th Century Great Sword Mk 1 Review
Links
albion-swords.com/The%20Late%2013th%20Century%20Greatsword.html
Experience with the Sword
• Owned for 19 Yrs, Bought New
• HEMA drills for almost 2 decades, laying the foundation of my longsword game
• Extensive Pell Work, including stationary pells (trees/phone polls)
Thoughts/Feelings on the Sword
Here I focus on the subjective qualities and user experience of the sword. For stats, see the above links. My particular example was close enough to the official stats to not note a difference.
• WRATH! This sword is designed for thorough beatdowns, hitting hard and fast. It doesn't want to change directions mid cut, but it'll make it's way around your body quick enough that it doesn't matter.
• This is not a sword that bends to your will: it wants to swing in it's own arch, and if you harmonize with it, it rewards you. In fact, I highly recommend this sword to beginners, as it will teach you (force you even) to cut properly. I've lent this sword to new HEMA students who struggle with body mechanics, and for the most part, it instantly starts to correct bad habits.
• The best analogy I can think of for this sword is Sauron in the Fellowship of the Ring prologue. Broad sweeping movements and everyone goes flying. It sings loudly too!
• This was my first "real" sword and not sharp. I've cut a carved out watermelon with it, but that's it.
Why I Bought It
This was my first real sword. Inspired by the Lord of the Rings and the HEMA content flooding the internet back in 2002, I started shopping for "real" swords. I loved my United Cutlery Narsil, which I swung around nearly every day after school, but I wanted something more durable and historically accurate. I petitioned my parents to combine my Christmas and birthday gifts to get me one, and they agreed! At the time, Angus Trim swords were all the rage, and I spent a lot of time pouring over his catalogue. Right before I made a final decision, an up and coming company called Albion debuted their squire line, which they touted as the most historically accurate swords for the money. Peened construction! At the time, I'd been fencing for about 4 years and wanted something as far from a foil or epee as I could get. This 13th Century Greatsword spoke to me, and so I decided to take a risk on this new company and went with the Albion.
Performance
My rating system:
• 1 – Ineffective
• 2 – Don’t Count on It: Probably won’t work, but might get lucky or can muscle it if you’re strong/fast.
• 3 – Competent: Reliable with good technique.
• 4 – Good: Reliable and forgiving of bad technique.
• 5 – Excellent: Gotta be incompetent to mess it up.
Handling
• Cuts from the Fingers – 4, Counter intuitive to many, but swords with a lot of tip weight and a forward balance tend to cut well from the fingers. Cuts from the fingers aren't the fastest with this sword, but they certainly aren't slow and hit hard.
• Cuts from the Wrist – 4, Anything circular with this sword feels amazing. Not a 5 because the sword has some inertia to get the cut started, but feels amazing whirling this around your wrists.
• Handshake Cuts – 4, Feels great, the forward balance really aids with these cuts.
• Cuts from the Elbow – 5, I'm confident these will rock you through a helmet. Feels like a high torque car.
• Cuts from the Shoulder – 5, Amazing! One cut, two enemies. Makes you feel like Mike Tyson.
• Stopping/Changing Direction of Cuts – 2, You have to muscle it but it's possible. It's much better to follow through on all your hits.
• Zwerchs, Krumps, Schiels – 4. Super powerful, but not a 5 because of speed/agility.
• Winding (Roll) – 4, almost 3. I've actually slow wound with this sword v. an Albion Lichtenauer. Basic winds work well and take the line almost every time. Compound winds are where it loses to quicker swords. So wind quick and decisively. This is not a slow fighter.
• Steadiness in the 4 hangers – 3, almost a 4. I imagine nothing gets through, but the balance doesn't help you get the point on target.
• Disengaging – 3, competent.
• Point Accuracy – 3, competent.
• “Whoosh” Factor (1= neutral to 5=blade forward) – 5, this blade wants to slug and wants to go. Once it starts going it goes fast with a lot of momentum.
• Sword Wind – 1, silent but deadly.
Damage - This sword is blunt, so I'm only judging based on power. This sword type tends to cut very well, so use your imagination.
• Tip Cuts – 5, Hits hard and feels very solid.
• CoP Cuts – 5, No lie, this sword hits as hard on the CoP as my axes and polearms. I think it has a sweet spot of weight and blade speed.
• Raking Tip Cuts – These don't rely on power, so can't tell. I'd imagine it would do very well.
• Thrust Penetration – 2, It'll go through anything soft (fabric, flesh), but only make an ouchy on hard targets.
• Blunt Trauma – 5, I test this somewhat subjectively on an upright tire that’s stabilized. I check how easily the sword compresses the tire, how deep in compresses it, and how well it resists the bounce back. Lastly I feel for the sensation in my arms after a hard hit. Hits as hard as my axes and polearms. This is the main course of this sword. POWER! It pains me to see how unpopular swords of this configuration and balance are. It hits like a train. I can't emphasize this enough.
• Draw Cutting – Can't test. Blunt
• Push Cutting – Can't test. Blunt
• Vs. Fabric – Can't test. Blunt
Durability
• 5 - This is a blunt, so there's that, but I have hit stationary targets pretty hard with this and it hasn't come loose. I'd imagine if it had an edge, it would be relatively fine, but this sword is solidly built.
Comparisons
• The closest sword I've handled to the Arn was an antique 1860 US Light Cavalry Saber. The particular specimen was in superb condition. The two handled amazingly similarly despite looking so different. The Albion Gaddhjalt apparently has the same blade, but I have not handled it. Can't imagine it being too different. For a trainer, Blackfencer's Long Arming Sword is a very close analog. I consider the two a matched sharp/training pair.
Recommendation
Value Score = 100%*
(what I think it's worth/what it costs) = ($650/$650)
It cost $380 back in 2003 when I got it. With inflation now, I guess it costs about the same, but seeing as how wages haven't caught up it's functionally more expensive now. *This is the mark 1. The mark 2 might be different. At the current cost, I don't think it's particularly high value for money. You get what you pay for, nothing more. Great engineering. Great balance. It's not sharpened. The grip is just okay in terms of looks.
• As far as its place in a collection goes, the 13th Century Great Sword is a knock out artist. A skilled slugger. I can't imagine a better zombie weapon. I wrote this review to hopefully convince more people to appreciate weapons optimized for power. You don't have to go to a pole weapon to enjoy something that hits like a train. This weapon want's to move in broad circles and doesn't want to stop moving. When this blade fly's towards you, you get out of the way. It can execute Lichtenauer's repertoire without flinching and encourages sound body mechanics. You need at least one of these monsters in your collection.
Albion 13th Century Great Sword Mk 1 Review
Links
albion-swords.com/The%20Late%2013th%20Century%20Greatsword.html
Experience with the Sword
• Owned for 19 Yrs, Bought New
• HEMA drills for almost 2 decades, laying the foundation of my longsword game
• Extensive Pell Work, including stationary pells (trees/phone polls)
Thoughts/Feelings on the Sword
Here I focus on the subjective qualities and user experience of the sword. For stats, see the above links. My particular example was close enough to the official stats to not note a difference.
• WRATH! This sword is designed for thorough beatdowns, hitting hard and fast. It doesn't want to change directions mid cut, but it'll make it's way around your body quick enough that it doesn't matter.
• This is not a sword that bends to your will: it wants to swing in it's own arch, and if you harmonize with it, it rewards you. In fact, I highly recommend this sword to beginners, as it will teach you (force you even) to cut properly. I've lent this sword to new HEMA students who struggle with body mechanics, and for the most part, it instantly starts to correct bad habits.
• The best analogy I can think of for this sword is Sauron in the Fellowship of the Ring prologue. Broad sweeping movements and everyone goes flying. It sings loudly too!
• This was my first "real" sword and not sharp. I've cut a carved out watermelon with it, but that's it.
Why I Bought It
This was my first real sword. Inspired by the Lord of the Rings and the HEMA content flooding the internet back in 2002, I started shopping for "real" swords. I loved my United Cutlery Narsil, which I swung around nearly every day after school, but I wanted something more durable and historically accurate. I petitioned my parents to combine my Christmas and birthday gifts to get me one, and they agreed! At the time, Angus Trim swords were all the rage, and I spent a lot of time pouring over his catalogue. Right before I made a final decision, an up and coming company called Albion debuted their squire line, which they touted as the most historically accurate swords for the money. Peened construction! At the time, I'd been fencing for about 4 years and wanted something as far from a foil or epee as I could get. This 13th Century Greatsword spoke to me, and so I decided to take a risk on this new company and went with the Albion.
Performance
My rating system:
• 1 – Ineffective
• 2 – Don’t Count on It: Probably won’t work, but might get lucky or can muscle it if you’re strong/fast.
• 3 – Competent: Reliable with good technique.
• 4 – Good: Reliable and forgiving of bad technique.
• 5 – Excellent: Gotta be incompetent to mess it up.
Handling
• Cuts from the Fingers – 4, Counter intuitive to many, but swords with a lot of tip weight and a forward balance tend to cut well from the fingers. Cuts from the fingers aren't the fastest with this sword, but they certainly aren't slow and hit hard.
• Cuts from the Wrist – 4, Anything circular with this sword feels amazing. Not a 5 because the sword has some inertia to get the cut started, but feels amazing whirling this around your wrists.
• Handshake Cuts – 4, Feels great, the forward balance really aids with these cuts.
• Cuts from the Elbow – 5, I'm confident these will rock you through a helmet. Feels like a high torque car.
• Cuts from the Shoulder – 5, Amazing! One cut, two enemies. Makes you feel like Mike Tyson.
• Stopping/Changing Direction of Cuts – 2, You have to muscle it but it's possible. It's much better to follow through on all your hits.
• Zwerchs, Krumps, Schiels – 4. Super powerful, but not a 5 because of speed/agility.
• Winding (Roll) – 4, almost 3. I've actually slow wound with this sword v. an Albion Lichtenauer. Basic winds work well and take the line almost every time. Compound winds are where it loses to quicker swords. So wind quick and decisively. This is not a slow fighter.
• Steadiness in the 4 hangers – 3, almost a 4. I imagine nothing gets through, but the balance doesn't help you get the point on target.
• Disengaging – 3, competent.
• Point Accuracy – 3, competent.
• “Whoosh” Factor (1= neutral to 5=blade forward) – 5, this blade wants to slug and wants to go. Once it starts going it goes fast with a lot of momentum.
• Sword Wind – 1, silent but deadly.
Damage - This sword is blunt, so I'm only judging based on power. This sword type tends to cut very well, so use your imagination.
• Tip Cuts – 5, Hits hard and feels very solid.
• CoP Cuts – 5, No lie, this sword hits as hard on the CoP as my axes and polearms. I think it has a sweet spot of weight and blade speed.
• Raking Tip Cuts – These don't rely on power, so can't tell. I'd imagine it would do very well.
• Thrust Penetration – 2, It'll go through anything soft (fabric, flesh), but only make an ouchy on hard targets.
• Blunt Trauma – 5, I test this somewhat subjectively on an upright tire that’s stabilized. I check how easily the sword compresses the tire, how deep in compresses it, and how well it resists the bounce back. Lastly I feel for the sensation in my arms after a hard hit. Hits as hard as my axes and polearms. This is the main course of this sword. POWER! It pains me to see how unpopular swords of this configuration and balance are. It hits like a train. I can't emphasize this enough.
• Draw Cutting – Can't test. Blunt
• Push Cutting – Can't test. Blunt
• Vs. Fabric – Can't test. Blunt
Durability
• 5 - This is a blunt, so there's that, but I have hit stationary targets pretty hard with this and it hasn't come loose. I'd imagine if it had an edge, it would be relatively fine, but this sword is solidly built.
Comparisons
• The closest sword I've handled to the Arn was an antique 1860 US Light Cavalry Saber. The particular specimen was in superb condition. The two handled amazingly similarly despite looking so different. The Albion Gaddhjalt apparently has the same blade, but I have not handled it. Can't imagine it being too different. For a trainer, Blackfencer's Long Arming Sword is a very close analog. I consider the two a matched sharp/training pair.
Recommendation
Value Score = 100%*
(what I think it's worth/what it costs) = ($650/$650)
It cost $380 back in 2003 when I got it. With inflation now, I guess it costs about the same, but seeing as how wages haven't caught up it's functionally more expensive now. *This is the mark 1. The mark 2 might be different. At the current cost, I don't think it's particularly high value for money. You get what you pay for, nothing more. Great engineering. Great balance. It's not sharpened. The grip is just okay in terms of looks.
• As far as its place in a collection goes, the 13th Century Great Sword is a knock out artist. A skilled slugger. I can't imagine a better zombie weapon. I wrote this review to hopefully convince more people to appreciate weapons optimized for power. You don't have to go to a pole weapon to enjoy something that hits like a train. This weapon want's to move in broad circles and doesn't want to stop moving. When this blade fly's towards you, you get out of the way. It can execute Lichtenauer's repertoire without flinching and encourages sound body mechanics. You need at least one of these monsters in your collection.