Posts: 813 Location: Windsor, Colorado
Wed 07 Nov, 2007 6:41 pm
I love this sword (it's sitting on my lap right now), and I definitely had to raise a glass to Albion tonight (rum and coke in honor of Mike Sigman, and that's not something I drink often).
I can sympathize with those that aren't sure about ordering the Vassal. I
loved the concept drawing, but was not as thrilled with the production photos. Having done a little grip work myself, I tend to notice that area, and was not convinced that the five riser grip (versus the two in the production sketch) was an aesthetically sound choice. If you'll forgive my language; bugger aesthetics! It's functional and, in the end, the right choice (I think). The user's grip is sound, and the comfort factor wonderful. The other change I noticed was the guard (call it height or thickness; I'm not sure which is right but it's the dimension from top to bottom when viewed in a point-down, can-see-the-blade-in-profile shot). There's a distinct difference between the production sketch and the finished sword, but again, the photos are misleading, and I don't even think about it when I look at the sword in my lap.
The one thing that I don't think many photos can capture is the
blade geometry. This is not the delicate, fragile edge one gets with some of the other production falchions out there. My only other experience with a falchion was my MRL/Windlass German Falchion. A nice little sword, but it left me expecting a very delicate edge on my Vassal (my brother's use of the unsharpened MRL sword resulted in several significant notches in the blade). The truth is that there is enough meat on this blade that I would not be scared to use it. A friend asked me if the edge was ax-like, and I have to admit that that is the best explanation I can come up with. It is sharp, but still retains strength.
I do have to caveat Bob's comment just a little. I in no way mean to detract from Peter Johnsson's contribution to Albion, but there were a lot of other folks that worked on my sword (and some folks who did not work on it, but still keep the company running at a pitch that allowed others to do so). Peter Johnsson definitely deserves some credit for this sword, but so do the Waddell's (after all, without them Albion wouldn't exist), Steve Fisher (whose CAD work makes the rest of the process possible), Carl Croushore (part of Albion's wax works), Aaron Schnatterly and Eric McHugh (who always keep me slightly jealous (I really covet the PJ Type XVI that I think Eric owns)), Joe Waites and his crew (who grind the blades), Shan-Aan Northrop and Jody Samson (who appeal to a different clientele, but still help keep the company viable), and let's not forget Joel Donahue and his crew (who put all the pieces together in the cutlery department). I, for one, can't find a person or group in that list that is most important; it's the fact that all of them come together that makes this sword what it is.
-Grey