I have finally acquired my first Albion sword and what a fantastic sword for my introduction into the realm of an uncompromising high quality company like Albion Swords!
I've been quite an obsessed Arms & Armor customer (another uncompromising high quality company) having bought seven of their swords, 1 rapier, several polearms and 3 daggers, "so far"!
I also have the Albion Vassal on order with Kult of Athena, having put down 50% of the total cost last week or so ago. Everytime I would go over to the store I would handle the Berserkr and admire the absolute perfection of this sword and for what it is meant to do. Looking down the blade profile of this fierce majestic marauder is to observe a most esquisite piece of engineering and design with the wide shallow hollow grind that flows from the tapering spine to gracefully terminate back to a thickness somewhat less than that of the spine and then gradually tapers down to the ferocious cutting edge.
The Berserkr is as beautiful to look at as it is in it's ferocity and the perfection of the mass distribution of the blade gives it a feel that is nothing less than awesome power in your hand.
This was an early birthday gift from my mother, as she knew I had wanted this sword for a very long time. In her kindness she sent me the money to purchase the sword (including money for tax). So being that I was not working this past Friday I drove the 17 miles to Kult of Athena, walked into the store at 10:00 (open at 09:30) and I said; "Hey Ryan, do you still have that Albion Berserkr in stock?" He says "Yeah I sure do", I said "Not anymore you don't, I am buying it!" Where upon I walk between the cases to the back wall, took the Berserkr down, put it on the glass case and started laying down $100s, $50s and $20s.

What this sword does to water filled milk jugs, large thick detergent jugs and cat litter jugs (I go garbage picking on Thursday nights thru recyleables "shameless" :lol: "we have no cats, just a spoiled golden retriever "Rosie") and how easily it slices thru them is incredible!

I think the Berserkr will be the perfect mate for my forthcoming Albion Vassal!

Oh My God How I Love this Berserkr :!:

Bob

Congratulations Bob and it should help waiting for the Vassal a bit easier. ;) :D Or at least I hope it does. :p :lol:

Yikes: Reading your post TOO fast and I thought I read about cutting milk jugs and cat litter jugs was leading into lamenting not having any cats to test cut on but fortunately you had a dog " spoiled golden retriever Rosie " . :eek: :eek: :eek:

My God that would be letting your enthusiasm get the better of you ! And " Rosie " ....... Runnnnnnnnnnnnnn .... RUN !
( Obviously I'm just kidding. ;) :D )

Sort of make you understand a Samurai with a new sword being tempted to try it on the first peasant who didn't bow fast enough !

:lol: Jean! I assure you I would not hurt any animal although I am not a cat person, I care about all animals and when it comes to dogs, well I am the biggest chump you ever seen! Now if someone were to intentionally hurt my Rosie, then the thought of a sword might cross my mind but I'd have too much fun with bare handed combat and put my karate black belt to use. :lol: I might be falling apart with my spinal arthritis but I ain't dead yet! :lol:

The genius of Peter Johnsson and the mastery of the swordsmiths at Albion Swords most certainly is demonstrated in the Berserkr! I am so very glad to finally have an Albion, because I respect them so very much and for months I have spoken very highly of Albion but had yet to purchase one of there many esquisite swords. In truth, my eyes just about bugged out of their sockets when the Berserkr was first announced, well let me put it this way, this here Berserkr sitting to my right on the table next to the keyboard of my computer is the best birthday gift I have ever received in my life! And I've been around for a few years! :lol: :eek:

The Vassal is an absolute for sure acquisition as I've deposited $500.00 on it, now I am wishing I had the $1,300.00 for the Knecht. However, I would certainly accept the Knecht as a birthday gift from any of my fellow Knights of the Sword here at myArmoury. :p

Well so far I've spent several hours buffing up the crossguard and pommel with various grits of sandpaper finishing up with 2,000 grit and metal polish and then 2,000 grit saturated with gun oil and it's got quite a shine!

Suffice to say in my opinion the Berserkr is the benchmark standard that all single edged cutting and hacking swords of European origin should be judged by for excellence! And I have not one doubt in my mind that the Vassal will easily be another example of this level of perfection! I guess what I am trying to say here is that I am in love with this sword :!:

Most Sincerely and Elated!

Bob

Congratulations Bob! What color grip did you get?

Congratulations, Robert. I look forward to seeing some photos of you going 'Berserkr' on the recyclables!

Hey Shae, I got it with the black grip, the Vassal will be oxblood. Gayle (my wife) has been making some indications of buying me a sword for my birthday or that Windlass riveted mail hauberk which I believe runs for over $600.00 at most places but over at K of A it's only $429.00. So I wrote down contact names for Arms & Armor, Albion and Kult of Athena and phone numbers and then a list of swords, of which of course are all either Albions or Arms & Armor. Well then there's that A&A Italian Bill Hook. I guess I am having the most lucrative birthday ever this year, but it was a year in where my immediate family prospered some and for the first time ever to any real extent.
I guess you might say I am overwhelmed with joy this year, as up until this past year my life and that of my immediate family has always been a financial struggle. Still my eyes are set low and there is only one facet in my life where I really want to spend any kind of real money and that of course is on swords. I do make it a point to spoil my wife and always have but if you give me the choice between a home theatre system and a sword, well I am fine with the shelf system hooked up to the 36 inch TV to watch my sword related DVDs on, so please forget the sound system, I'll go for the sword!
Oh yeah Steve, the Berserkr sure makes short work of the water filled plastic jugs :!:

Blissfully,

Bob

Let me add my voice to the congratulatory roar of the crowd, Bob !

Your assembling quite the collection, and it's nice to hear your enthusiam!
(reminds me of the old Mac ;-)

Enjoy, Mac

Thank you so much! Especially coming from you MAC! You've always been so very helpful to me both directly and indirectly and may I add that your collection is nothing less than mesmerizing in it's beauty, class and elegance!

Of you Scotland should be most proud! As you represent this proud country with the most beautiful private Scottish Sword collection that "I" have ever seen!

Thanks my friend!

Bob

Congratulations Bob! That's quite an armory you've got going there :D

Bob,
Congrats on your new Berserkr! Every time I see that one I like it more and more. :surprised:

Bob,

Congrats on finally owning your first Albion! The Berserkr is certainly a fine piece to start your Albion collection. Though it's not particularly high up on my priority list of swords due to personal preferences, if I had boatloads of money to throw around I'd certainly buy one. I wish my mother would give me money to buy swords. The better part of my sword collection has been purchased with my own money, though there are some exceptions like my new A&A sword.

:D Congrats Bob!
I have a Berserkr to, i can't find the right word for the feeling of it more then
...it's full of "Jävlar Anamma"/ "damn and blast" from the sv/eng book. :cool:

Thank you so much everyone for your kind messages to me in this thread. I am so happy to finally be aboard officially as an Albion customer, the quality of they're swords are exceptional and "The Berserkr" is a fine example of Albion's ever growing legend. I've admired Albion all along as soon as I started learning about medieval swords and it's a great feeling to finally put my money where my mouth is, well another $500.00 and a couple of months or so and the Vassal will be here too. By the way, I ordered "Campaign Line" scabbards for both the Berserkr and the Vassal with baldrics. For me, I like baldrics more than sword belts actually, but then again one sword on a baldric and the other on a belt is a nice thing too!
Obviously, the Berserkr and the Vassal are only the "beginning" of my Albion acquisitions over time. Between Arms & Armor and Albion Swords, you simply cannot go wrong :!:

Thanks very much once again!

Bob

OK! Today I went over to Kult of Athena here in Elgin, IL and paid off the forthcoming Albion Vassal including sales tax, so it's now paid for lock, stock and barrel. I gotta admit I am more than a little bit excited but at the same time I know it's a couple of months off yet, I just wanted to get it taken care of from this end so as to not have any costs left hanging over my head on it. In other words, no big hurry, it will be finished when it is finished and when that time comes, all I have to do is drive the few miles to go and pick it up and this has made my day a most happy one indeed! :D

Bob

Well done, Robert. Here's wishing you a pleasant anticipation, in waiting for your Vassal.

Thanks a whole lot Steve :!: It's been a pleasure getting to know Mike Sigman too! I missed him this past weekend, in that I went to the Renaissance Faire in WI. on Sunday (for the first time, I always go on Saturday) instead of going on Saturday.
Darn it! :lol:

Bob

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:D Yep, its look great Bob :cool:

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Well I now know what my 1st sword will be. What a awe-inspireing weapon. As Beautiful as it lethal.

I was informed by a good friend who does sword-fighting in Europe to expect to pay 3,000 dollars for a quality sword. I may have missed what you paid for it, but I'm asking? Also his 3,000 may have been a poor traslation from Russian currency, I hope.

Also where would I locate the website of this sword maker?

Thanks for showing that.

The website for the maker is www.albion-swords.com

the berserker is listed for $900

-James