Albion Armorers Mercenary
Original: 15th century
This bastard sword is made in the style of swords seen in fencing manuals of the 15th century. Swords of this type could be used easily with one hand, though there is room on the grip for the second. As plate armour became more commonplace, blades with thrusting capabilities appear more frequently. Swords of
Type XV and its subtype
Type XVa have blades that are often quite wide at the base, but taper to a lethal point. The thrusting ability of these blades often outpaces their cutting ability, but many examples are quite capable in both.
The Mercenary has a Type XVa blade made of tempered 1075 steel. Its cross-section is well defined, and of a stout diamond shape. The simple Style 6 guard and faceted Type T
3 pommel are made of mild steel. The pommel is elegantly shaped and the peening of the tang has been almost completely blended into it. The grip, made of stabilized birch, is wrapped in a rich, dark, red leather called "magenta" by Albion.
See our
hands-on review for more information on this sword.
Overall length: 42.875"
Weight: 2.95 pounds
Width of guard: 8"
Blade: 33.6875" long; 2.3125" wide tapering to .5"
Grip and pommel: 8.75"
Point of Balance (PoB): 4" from guard
Center of Percussion (CoP): ~20" from guard
Maker:
Albion Armorers of Wisconsin.
This item has been retired from the collection.