Albion is moving in a new direction with our swords. Here is the announcement that is on our news page:
Next Generation Albion Mark Swords
Will all your Albion Mark swords be moving in this new direction eventually?
| Chad Arnow wrote: |
| Will all your Albion Mark swords be moving in this new direction eventually? |
Yes sir, they will be. It's going to be a bit of a long haul, and the pandamonium that will ensue is going to drive us all crazy. But I think it will be more than worth it for the consumer in the end. I mean, I'd say in 5 years or less each and every one of us will have been institutionalized at least once because of the precise detail we're putting into these pieces, and the number of times we have to re-do each one to get it "just right." Some of us will be in rehab, while others will be strapped down with 24-hour nurses to make sure we don't hurt ourselves. Eventually, each of the swords sold will be bound for stardom, and in 10 years worth hundreds of thousands of dollars on the open market.
That's my guess anyway...
:eek:
Amy,
So all your current models will be replaced by Next Generation swords with a similar price increase like the new gaddjhalt?
I'm sure increase in quality will be phenomenal. I just hope they'll still be in my price range.
BTW, you guys are putting out beautiful swords these days. Too bad this country still pays athletes more than classical musicians......
Thanks for all your hard work.
So all your current models will be replaced by Next Generation swords with a similar price increase like the new gaddjhalt?
I'm sure increase in quality will be phenomenal. I just hope they'll still be in my price range.
BTW, you guys are putting out beautiful swords these days. Too bad this country still pays athletes more than classical musicians......
Thanks for all your hard work.
I for one am very excited about Albions new direction. There have always been little nigling details on most replicas that have irritated my purist nature. By making truely accurate reproductions, and keeping them affordable, Albion is really going to create a nice nitch for themselves in the marketplace.
| Chad Arnow wrote: |
| Amy,
So all your current models will be replaced by Next Generation swords with a similar price increase like the new gaddjhalt? I'm sure increase in quality will be phenomenal. I just hope they'll still be in my price range. BTW, you guys are putting out beautiful swords these days. Too bad this country still pays athletes more than classical musicians...... Thanks for all your hard work. |
Hi Chad,
Yep, all of the current line will be replaced as soon as we are able. I think the only two exceptions to this might be the Orlean, and Rouen, as these were initialized with the new direction in mind (hence the hollow-grinding).
Edit: I should say that this relates to the Medieval and Viking lines. The much of the early period line, and some of the Migration line are staying as they are.
Hello Jason and Amy
I REALLY like the look of the waxes for hilts of the new viking swords! I hope we will be seeing some blades with W - I - D - E fullers and less profile taper. :cool:
I would also like to "second" Chad's request that you keep a few models priced in the lower stratosphere for us po'' folks who have champagne taste and a beer budget. :p
Thanks for your committment to your products and your customers!
Mike
I REALLY like the look of the waxes for hilts of the new viking swords! I hope we will be seeing some blades with W - I - D - E fullers and less profile taper. :cool:
I would also like to "second" Chad's request that you keep a few models priced in the lower stratosphere for us po'' folks who have champagne taste and a beer budget. :p
Thanks for your committment to your products and your customers!
Mike
| Mike Fletcher wrote: |
| Hello Jason and Amy
I REALLY like the look of the waxes for hilts of the new viking swords! I hope we will be seeing some blades with W - I - D - E fullers and less profile taper. :cool: I would also like to "second" Chad's request that you keep a few models priced in the lower stratosphere for us po'' folks who have champagne taste and a beer budget. :p Thanks for your committment to your products and your customers! Mike |
Check this out Mike and let me know what you think.... :D
http://www.albionarmorers.com/swords/albion/albionmark.htm (they are the top ones)
| Michael Sigman wrote: | ||
Check this out Mike and let me know what you think.... :D http://www.albionarmorers.com/swords/albion/albionmark.htm (they are the top ones) |
Well, don't know what Mike thinks about them, but I thank these are going to be beautiful swords. I'm kind of partial to the Vinland and Gotland swords, but it would be a hard choice to make to pick one. Unfortunately, I'm too poor to have that difficult decision to make, anyway....
Between the Albion Mark stuff and the Jody Samson stuff going up all the time, I've found it most painful to be poor. Which leads me to ask you (tongue in cheek, naturally :D ) to just ask Jody to quit making those swords. I mean, it is just plain painful to me to not be able to afford one. Especially a couple of his recent ones.... :)
Is it my imagination or do all the viking swords have completely different blades from one another?
| Jay Barron wrote: |
| Is it my imagination or do all the viking swords have completely different blades from one another? |
They all do have different blades. We are putting the hilts with the correct blades types instead of having one "generic" blade based on Peter's research of the originals. :D
| Michael Sigman wrote: | ||
They all do have different blades. We are putting the hilts with the correct blades types instead of having one "generic" blade based on Peter's research of the originals. :D |
That's fantastic, Mike. When I first saw the hilts for these swords in the news section I really fell in love with the Gotland. Now that I've seen the entire swords I'm more partial to the Vinland. It's shot up to the top of my 'wish list'. Unfortunately, now that I'm a student again that list is going to have to stay just a wish. :(
| Scott Byler wrote: |
| Between the Albion Mark stuff and the Jody Samson stuff going up all the time, I've found it most painful to be poor. Which leads me to ask you (tongue in cheek, naturally :D ) to just ask Jody to quit making those swords. I mean, it is just plain painful to me to not be able to afford one. Especially a couple of his recent ones.... :) |
Sorry Scott... I wish I could, but the *only* time Jody is truly happy is when he's making swords. And we just ordered a new and bigger metal cutting bandsaw for him so he can cut the blade profile out more quickly, so about all I can say now is, he's planning for around 20 new swords a month if we can keep up with him in supplies... If I ask him to stop, I'll never get the bandsaw paid for, *and* I'll have a really grumpy Jody roaming around the building. :eek:
| Quote: |
| That's fantastic, Mike. When I first saw the hilts for these swords in the news section I really fell in love with the Gotland. Now that I've seen the entire swords I'm more partial to the Vinland. It's shot up to the top of my 'wish list'. Unfortunately, now that I'm a student again that list is going to have to stay just a wish. :( |
The Vinland is my favorite as well. That is on the top of my wish list. I understand completely what you are saying about just a wish right now. Just think though - you are going back to school - probably to make more money - so that means more swords for the future. :D
| Mike Fletcher wrote: |
| Hello Jason and Amy
I REALLY like the look of the waxes for hilts of the new viking swords! I hope we will be seeing some blades with W - I - D - E fullers and less profile taper. :cool: I would also like to "second" Chad's request that you keep a few models priced in the lower stratosphere for us po'' folks who have champagne taste and a beer budget. :p Thanks for your committment to your products and your customers! Mike |
Hey Mike!
Thanks for the input. We are doing our best to keep our prices as low as we can, for everyone with the champagne taste and beer budget (just like us!). I know they just keep getting more expensive, but sadly we'd not be in business if we didn't charge for all the R&D we're putting into them, and though our R&D has always been high, we've been putting a stunning amount into our newest lines. Material costs keep rising as other companies are hurting in this economy and they're trying to get more money in, and no matter how hard I try, I can't get the government to give up its massive corporate tax hits, or can I get them to let us operate without ridiculously expensive insurance coverage. *chuckle* There will always be a few swords in the queue that remain in the lower echelon of cost, and consequently price. Actually, Howy just wrote something 2 days ago that is going to be put up on our webpage soon, which explains our Next Generation sword line -- what it is, why it is, and where it's going. That may cover some of these thoughts as well.
The best we can do now is price as well as we can while still giving our customers the quality they have come to expect from Albion. We had a potential investor come in and tell us that in order to be "successful" (read: rich), and get the most financial return, we should cut back on the "quality concerns." They wanted us to get rid of the "expert cutlers" and bring in lower cost alternatives. They suggested we had blades and hilt componenets made overseas, and then assembled here by folks who... how shall I say this... well, don't *actually* know much about cutlering. They said that if you look at the market, the sword companies who are indeed wealthy are the big companies who don't give a hoot about what the final product *really* is. They get away with what the market will allow them to get away with, and obviously the market allows for a lot. And yes, that is interesting advice, and it's disappointingly very true. But the whole point of why we do what we do is to offer quality. It's why we started the company in the first place. It's what we wanted to see, and we figured, if we wanted more quality products out there, then there were probably others out there who did as well. It's why our staff is here - because they want to be proud of their work. So going that particular route may pay off financially, but you have to admit, it seems a bit suspect when it comes to our overall mission... Needless to say, we'd rather retain the quality and not get rich. As long as we can pay our amazing staff and our bills, we're cool. The wonderful comments that come back from our customers are sufficient wealth. (Needless to say, that was investment money we did not accept...)
So please know, we are fighting the battle everyday. But in order to offer a product we can truly stand behind with pride, we can't turn to low cost alternatives like blades or hilt components made overseas, or anything less than hands-on individual attention by folks who know what they're doing, to every single piece that leaves our shop. It all adds up, but hopefully in a way that people can appreciate. :)
Sorry for the ramble. I just had this discussion with a friend as she and I were swapping business battle stories, so it's a bit fresh in my mind, and thereby flowing a bit too freely. *chuckle*
My best,
Amy
| Michael Sigman wrote: |
|
Check this out Mike and let me know what you think.... :D http://www.albionarmorers.com/swords/albion/albionmark.htm (they are the top ones) |
Hey Mike,
Thanks for the link - those are going to be VERY nice! I can't decide which is my favorite though and am anxious to see the finished products. We (the sword-community) certainly appreciate makers providing us with so many quality products to choose from.
Hey Amy,
Thanks for the "short" reply ;) I am glad to hear you are staying true to your mission and would hate to see a compromise on quality. What you guys are doing is AWESOME, please keep up the fight!
Regards,
Mike
| Mike Fletcher wrote: |
|
Hey Mike, Thanks for the link - those are going to be VERY nice! I can't decide which is my favorite though and am anxious to see the finished products. We (the sword-community) certainly appreciate makers providing us with so many quality products to choose from. |
I sure appreciate the compliments Mike!! The one thing that keeps us doing what we are doing is people like you. We really appreciate the sword community and would not be able to continue to make the stuff we are if it were not for you guys. Thank you for letting me have a job that I can swing swords around all day long. :D
| Michael Sigman wrote: |
| Thank you for letting me have a job that I can swing swords around all day long. :D |
Ahhh, my dream job!
Mike
| Michael Sigman wrote: |
| The Vinland is my favorite as well. That is on the top of my wish list. I understand completely what you are saying about just a wish right now. Just think though - you are going back to school - probably to make more money - so that means more swords for the future. :D |
Hi Mike,
I actually don't really know how much money a boatbuilder makes. My guess would be not a whole lot. Bun no matter. I am going to boatbuilding school to start a career that I actually enjoy doing. That is worth all the money in the world to me. Plus, I'll still make enough money to buy a sword every now and again.
Amy,
Just the thought of Albion lowering your quality standards gives me the creeps. Albion, A&A, ATrim and a few other companies are like an oasis in a desert when it comes to sword collectors. I'm glad there are still people out their who value integrity over the mighty dollar.
| Jay Barron wrote: |
| Hi Mike,
I actually don't really know how much money a boatbuilder makes. My guess would be not a whole lot. Bun no matter. I am going to boatbuilding school to start a career that I actually enjoy doing. That is worth all the money in the world to me. Plus, I'll still make enough money to buy a sword every now and again. |
Well you know it could always be a tax right off then. If you were to make a wooden boat - you need something to cut the wood with don't you. :D
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