Ok, so I've taken all of my favorite historical attributes (from existing swords), and have photoshopped them together. The result, would (hopefully) be a giant's type XIIa, so, in other words, a XIIa scaled up to fit my unusual height. I'll give a million brownie points to whoever can guess the three swords I used.

What I'm wondering is just how a-historical it would be to have those features combined into a single sword.

Anyway, now would also be a good time to marvel at my amaaaazing image-compression skills.

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Well you used the Sovereign Cross, the Sempach pommel and and I'm just not sure about the blade. . . hmmm CF Ranger blade?

Nope. Changed my mind. The Blade is from the Albion Baron

Three swords used:

Pommel: Albion Sempach
Guard: CF Ranger
Blade: Atrim

AT1435 blade with the the double fuller singularized

Albion Sovereign cross

Albion Sempach pommel

You all get 500,000 brownie points...anyway...

What I've been thinking, so far, is that the pommel is a little bit late for a XIIa...the rest seems to go together in my mind.

The Guard looks a bit later in period for a XIIa as well.

If you're looking for some kind of historical justification for your design you could simply say that this is an earlier blade, rehilted in a later fashion. This was a very common practice back in the day.

Either way, it looks incredible. :)

Well, you've got an almost perfect 15th-16th century Continental European Two handed or Longsword, although I've never seen those style of Quillons in use on that type of weapon.

If you wanted to make it into a typical Renaissance longsword, I'd go for a straight quillon, and possibly with one or two side rings, such as the Museum Replica's Hand and a Half.

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BTW, lest my credibility get tarnished, I only used this MRL as an example, I went looking for a certain blade I had in mind from the Landeszeughaus Graz, but work beckoned... ;-)

Isn't the new "Lady Restita" the AT1563 a gigantic type XIIA?

Exactly. Otherwise, I'd just get a 1563 with a CF Fechtbuch hilt, or somesuch. No, I need a big sword. Something a knight/accomplished man-at-arms would take into battle if he was my size, but not a full-on true two-hander. A greteswerde for a William Wallace sized individual.

Anyway, it looks less triangular than the 1435 because I lengthened the blade to make it more like a XIIA.

Hi, Felix ... well I didn't get any brownie points for guessing the three swords used in your illustration because I'm not good at guessing sword types yet, but I can say this ... I think it's a great looking sword you've pieced together in the illustration (man, you have to love Photoshop ... what a great program). The lines of your concept image are clean and I like the way everything proportions out to make a fine looking sword. I think it's a beautiful design ... I like it.

As far as how historical the design is, I have to agree with Patrick's idea when he says "If you're looking for some kind of historical justification for your design you could simply say that this is an earlier blade, rehilted in a later fashion. This was a very common practice back in the day."

it recalls to mind some conversations I had with Albion a couple of years ago. When Albion first began the Discerner Project, we often corresponded a lot about the sword and occasionally the question came up as to whether or not the hilt fittings as we know them were original to the sword or whether they had evolved over time to the way they were on the sword when it was buried with my ancestor. We still don't really know the answer to that question, but to quote Albion (from the Discerner pages of their web site), "The heart of the sword has always been considered the blade, and hilt fittings were often changed to suit the fashion of the time." :)

Have a great day and, again, I think you've come up with a really nice looking design there.

Thanks for all the positive comments!

Right now, I'm in the process of talking with John at Odinblades--partially because he's one of the few custom smiths I can afford, partially because I really like his work, and partially because I've read so many good things about the performance of his swords.

Anyway, it's sort of riding on whether or not I can get a summer job, and if not, what sorts of long-term payment plans might work.

Boy, I sure use the word 'anyway' a lot when I post.

So, anyway...

Oh, did it again.