There are some pictures of this sword in the Makers forum, but I thought I'd share them with a wider audience.

This is a prelude to a review I'm going to submit to Nathan soon, with some quick and dirty photos thrown in (the submitted ones will be a lot nicer, I hope). A version of this mini-review is also posted on SFI.

The 1508 is, in my opinion, the finest longsword Angus Trim makes, and one of the best lonsgwords anyone makes. Its combination of handling, dynamic balance, ergonomics and durability make it a cut above most other swords. The 1508 as seen here weighs 2lbs 15ozs, has a 9" handle, a 36" blade, is 47.5" overall and has a point of balance 3.5" from the cross.

Its handling is phenomenal. The best way to describe it is by comparing it to Arms and Armor's wonderful fechterspiel blunts. One member of my study group asked "Why can't someone make a real sword that feels this good in the hand?" Well, someone did, and here it is.

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I'm glad to see somebody is writing a good review on this one. I went to Blade show intending to get a 1403... and came back with this instead.

Not only is it probably the best handling sword I have ever held, but even with an edge as fine as the one on mine it will cut through heavy bone without any problems. I wouldn't use it against metal, but any other target is good to go. I regularly use mine to test cut on pig arms and shoulders. I'm hoping to try a whole pig carcass or two this winter to see how it does.

That's funny because I went to the Blade show with a 1508 and wanted to come back with the 1403. The 1508 is a great sword. I know at one point Gus was using 2 different pommels for the 1508; one lighter and one heavier. I wonder if he still has those options.

David Welch wrote:

I'm glad to see somebody is writing a good review on this one. I went to Blade show intending to get a 1403... and came back with this instead. Not only is it probably the best handling sword I have ever held, but even with an edge as fine as the one on mine it will cut through heavy bone without any problems. I wouldn't use it against metal, but any other target is good to go. I regularly use mine to test cut on pig arms and shoulders. I'm hoping to try a whole pig carcass or two this winter to see how it does.

How does it compare to an Albion of similar blade type?

I heard, although I'm not sure how true it is, that Albion swords were more durable in heavier cutting.

I am probably going to get killed for this... :)

From my own experiences with Albion and Angus Trim swords, I would have to say that the edges of Angus Trim swords are a little more resilient. Albion edges are, however, easier to repair, as they tend to be a bit softer (50 vs. 52). Both an Albion and an Atrim edge can survive being whacked lightly into an iron post without any sort of damage. Again, this is data from my swords, and my swords only. I cannot speak of anything else. This is not a major difference, and really doesn't make itself very apparent when cutting.

I have heard that Albion uses 1070 or similar steel, which is a good, tough steel and is closer to medieval steel, while Angus Trim uses a modern alloy, 5160, which is supposed to be a little tougher.

I have never pushed either my Atrims or Albions to the breaking point, so I cannot definitively speak of durability, except to say that from reliable second hand sources I have heard that Atrims are very, very tough and have survived some ridiculous abuse tests. The destruction tests on Albions website are also quite impressive, but I have no third party evidence of how well they do in user's hands. This is probably because people tend not to use Albions heavily.

The Albion longswords I have are significantly thicker than my Angus Trim longswords. For example, both the Earl and the 1508 start out the same thickness (1/3 of an inch), but the Earl is almost twice as thick near the point. The Earl pays the price for this thickness...it is no where near the 1508 in handling. However, logically speaking, the Earl should be less likely to set on a bad cut, provided the heat treatment is good, and having tested the sword, I see no evidence to the contrary. However, I do not own any Angus Trim "war swords", and the Earl is, I believe, a war sword, so perhaps the comparison is not fair. I have seen heavy Angus Trim swords that conveyed the impression of invulnerability.

So the answer is, it really depends on the individual sword. Gus himself may be able to better answer this question, as I can only speak from my own limited experience.

Yup, that was a better answer. :)

Thanks, Gus.

Michael

well i have four atrims and three albions, so there(LOL).


Mike

Michael Edelson wrote:

Tyson Nakamura wrote: How does it compare to an Albion of similar blade type? I have four Albions and three Atrims, and so I have learned not to open that can of worms. :) I can't discuss fit and finish...although the 1508s is lovely, it cannot compare to an Albion in that department, and this is why Albions cost a lot more. I also cannot compare this sword in terms of performance (balance, handling, etc.), because as I have already stated, this sword is best I have ever used in that regard. Therefore, comparing it to any other sword in this category would yield the same results...this sword wins. The real answer to that question is that both Albion and Angus Trim make some of the best swords available today (along with Arms and Armor). You can't go wrong with either, so ultimately, the only real answer is which do you like better?

I sense an imbalance in the force...

You must buy another Albion, and I must buy another Atrim.