As the title says I would like some help from my fellow forumites. I am looking for input on what type my next sword purchase should be. I have even given you a poll to vote in for this. My thoughts on the two choices and what I would like them to look like follows. I need to get my design team working on mock ups of the hilts that I will post here for comments and constructive criticisms.

Type XIa concept
- 34-1/2” long blade 2”-2.25” wide at the guard (width subject to maintaining weight & handling) with a fairly acute point
- Type A brazil-nut pommel
- Straight Style 1 cross
- 2-3/4 to 3 pounds maximum as low on this scale as feasible
- worn looking dark brown grip, leather over cord with wooden core

Type XIIIb concept
- 31” long blade 2.25”-2.5” wide at the guard (width subject to maintaining weight & handling)
- Type W pommel
- Straight Style 4 cross with a round cross section
- 3 to 3-1/4 pounds maximum as low on this scale as feasible
- worn looking light brown grip, leather over cord with wooden core

Just to let all of you know my two swords are an ATrim 1423 Type XIIIa hilted by Christian Fletcher and an Albion Next Gen Squire so I have the years 1240-1350 well covered. I know that the XIa would give me a much earlier time frame to play with while the XIIIb falls right into the time frame I already have covered. This works for me since my main area of interest falls right at 1300 give or take a decade on either side of that.

So have at it brethren and help me decide!

I cast my vote for the XIa. A truly underdone sword type for some reason.... I'm a sucker for type A pommels too! Make sure you post pics of whatever you choose!!!!

Thank you for the vote Tim. I seem to remember having a conversation about XIa's after you received your XI from A&A. Which is honestly one of the things that made me take a closer look at the XI and XIa.

To everyone else, please feel free to chime in why you voted the way you did and any other thoughts you may have.

Scott

I don't think I would categorise the first sword you describe as a type XIa; based on the listed dimensions I would think that type XI would be a better fit. With just two examples and the only description being a very broad blade with a narrow fuller running almost full length there's plenty of room for interpretation, but personally I doubt that a 34-1/2” long, 2”-2.25” wide blade would look particularly broad.

I voted for the Type XIIIb because it fits into your main area of interest and should have distinctly different handling from either of the other swords you own.

I voted for the XIIIb as well...you just don't see very many of those.

I voted for the Type XIIIb with the 31" blade. The other one with the 34" blade may be a little bit more difficult to handle. You can't know for sure unless you actually handle it, but the 31"inch blade is a safer bet for a single handed cutting sword I think.

I voted for XIa, but it really should be a bit broader to be different enough from regular XI.

Thank you all for the votes and comments. So from what you are telling me I should bump the X!a to 2.25" to 2.5" to truly make it that type. Or should it be even wider?

Please keep the votes and ideas coming. I will hopefully be posting rough mockups of the two hilts in the near future. It might not be at the same time but they will be posted eventually.

Scott

I think 2.5" would be enough. Btw, does anybody know the measures of the XIa with spherical pommel from XIa features on this site? Blade length, width, weight? I would say its blade is shorter than 34" so it might only look wider, maybe it
isn't much more than 2".

Yes, that is the one. It looks quite wide but it might be the effect of very little tapering. I don't know, somebody with more experience and maybe first hand knowledge on such swords could have some ideas.

The one that I had voted for was the type XIIIb just because for that width of blade it might be safer to go with the 31'' blade. However, had you changed the other option to a regular type XI instead I might had reconsidered. As far as the earlier sword types go they are one of my favorites, as I like the proportions of these blades and the hilt shape.

That said, between a choice of either a moded Atrim or an Albion squire (Knightly I'm assuming), I don't think there is a bad choice :) .

I'd like to thank everyone who has taken the time to vote in the poll and also to give their input. At the moment this is a future project for me due to the current economic situation. I just like to get all my ducks in a row and have a plan.

Now for the twist on this. This not a matter of which one I am going to buy but which one I am going to have made first! :D

Scott