Interested in your thoughts on data from Albion's 'New Generation' viking swords.
At first glance, to the unpracticed eye, the data would suggest that differences between
these swords are superficial, unless you consider the high and low ends on an index.
Wondering if functionally these various swords are very different?


__________Total Lgth____Weight___Blade Lgth______Width
Gaddhjalt_____41.125 ____1.1______35.875______1.93
Knud_________39_______1.17______32.875______2
Hersir_______ 37_______1.17______30.75______2.2
Huskarl_______36.9______1.22______31________2.2
Vinland_______36.875____1.1______30.875 ______2.2
Valkyire_______36.5_____1.33______30.25______2.32
Gotland_______36.375___1.2______30.125______2.375
Jarl__________36.25____1.27______30.125 ______2.2
Berserker_____36_______1.2______29.56_________2
Stamford _____35.875____1.17______30.25 ______2.25
Clontarf ______35.875 ____1.0______30.375 ______2.25
Thegn_______34.5_______0.915_____28.75______2.1875

The Berserker cauight my eye when I first looked at these swords.
However, in spite of its fearsome name, it looks quite middle-of-the road.
I've enjoyed the reviews of a few of these on these forums, but it seems that
if I ever come to the point of pulling the trigger on one of these, decisions may be made on appearances.

Data alone is very inadequate for knowing how a sword will feel or handle, particularly because the Albion page doesn't give you every piece of information- and nor should they either: it's Peter Johnsson's R&D. Further, even if you have all the information, that still tells you nothing about how a sword feels in hand and when striking and thrusting, which is knowledge that can only be had through handling, not from reading statistics. Nor will raw data alone give you a clear indication of how good the weapon is at cutting and thrusting.

The Beserkr is a fearsome cutter, as I understand, something which will not be apparent if you are merely looking at statistics in terms of length, width, weight, etc. You seem to be operating on the assumption that "bigger is better", but this is not necessarily so, especially considering that having a larger and heavier sword were not driving factors in the creation of Viking era blades, for the most part.

Phil,
I suggest you read our reviews on a variety of products and brands, if you haven't done so already. We list more stats than most makers do, but even those stats don't give a complete picture of handling. We also have many threads, including a number in the Spotlight Topics section, that cover handling.

Take a stick that weighs 1 pound and is 3 feet long. Take an additional pound of weight and add it to the far end (the end away from your hand). Now move the 1 pound weight toward you hand. It would feel different and probably better in the hand, even though both configurations are the same length and weight. Now imagine splitting the 1 pound weight in half and putting the 2 1/2 pound weight in different locations along the stick. Different feeling again.

Length, weight, and width only tell you so much. Balance point tells you a little more, which our reviews include. Location of vibrational and rotational nodes tells you more.

In the case of the Berserkr it is shorter and less wide, but that doesn't mean the blade is thinner. How the mass is distributed is key. Too much or too little mass in certain places is detrimental to handling.

I've swung the Berserker and liked it a lot. It's made for brutal chopping obviously and is quite solid but also surprisingly agile if one can handle a sword with a hefty blade presence, like I train to do.

I find this relates to what technique one is used to and how much of your body you activate to get the sword moving more than a specific sword being "better made" or "better balanced" than another. They're made for different purposes and cater to different needs and technique orientation of a swordsman. If one is unfamiliar with decent blade presence oriented swords and want something that's ligth and "wristy" then the Thegn is a better choice. If one wants a heavy cutter for their first attempts at sharp target cutting the Berserker is just perfect since it's far easier to handle a single edge sharp without cutting yourself than a double edged one which takes a while to get used to.

Thanks all, this is really helpful.

Johan, what do you mean by hefty blade presence .... does this relate to Paul's comment about blade stiffness?

All in all the berserker sounds like the one for me so far.

Hi Phil,

If you like the Berserker look at the Ollin Blades Magus Koll. I have an early custom one and like it better, as I have owned both, but just my view.

Regards
Robert