Albion Duke

Overall Length: 46 inches
Blade Length 36 inches
Point of Balance: 5.5 inches from cross
Center of Percussion: 20.5 inches from cross
Weight: lbs
Pommel type: I
Cross type: 2
Blade type: XIIIa
Hilt Length: 10 inches
Blade width at cross: 2.25 inches
Blade width 2 inches from tip: 1.5 inches
Handle Length: 7.25 inches


Performance Review:
This is a big sword but handles very nicely for all that. I had been led to believe that the Duke was somewhat sluggish. Compared to something like the Albion Knight or the Arms and Armor Bavarian Broadsword it is. However, when compared to comparably sized swords I believe the Duke to be as agile as most of its contemporaries. The sword is balanced nicely and flows naturally into cuts and guards. Cutting is where this sword excels although it does not exhibit any of the "blade predjudice" that I was expecting. The somewhat spatulate point does not easily lend itself to thrusting although it could probably do a reasonable job against light targets in a pinch.

Appearance:
This is another of Albion's more austere offerings, with basically no embellishment beyond the dark green color of the grip leather. The blade on this sword exhibits the precision that is to be expected from a CNC ground piece. The long fuller is well executed and the edges taper slightly yet evenly towards the somewhat spatulate point. The cross is a Oakeshott type 2 with a round cross section. It is cleanly executed with no visible flaws and is nicely symmetrical. The pommel is plain but well built with no visible flaws. The grip on this particular example is green leather over cord and it seems to be well built and secure. As is the norm with Albion's new offerings the tolerances are very tight between the blade and hilt components.

Conclusion: I was expecting the Duke to be something of a tank and was pleasantly surprised that it instead offers reasonable agility, balance and weight for its size. Although the sword does not exhibit any fancy embellishment it is nicely constructed and exhibits a certain stark beauty. I would consider it a good buy for the money and probably one of the nicer examples of the XIIIa subtype currently available on the production market.

Arms and Armor Henry V

Overall Length: 33.5 inches
Blade Length 26.75 inches
Point of Balance: 1.75 inches from cross
Center of Percussion: 15 inches from cross
Weight: lbs
Pommel type: I
Cross type: 9
Blade type: XVIII
Hilt Length: 6.75 inches
Blade width at cross: 2 inches
Blade width 2 inches from tip: .4 inch
Center of Percussion: 15 inches
Handle Length: 4 inches


Performance Review:
The most striking thing about the Henry V upon first examination is its diminutive size. This is a rather small sword with the entire length being only 33 inches which is substantially shorter then just the blade of many other swords. For the Henry V it's small size however turns out to be an asset. The best way to describe the performance of this sword is "handy." That is, it is very natural to swing and thanks to its small size it can be used for a very long time without causing fatigue. Also because it is so short it is a very quick sword, which is easy to recover. The Henry V both cuts and thrusts with equal facility. The drawback of the small size is a decreased reach and lack of cutting power against hard targets. I believe it would be ideal against lightly armored opponents but would not be the sword for use against armored opponents or from horseback.

Appearance:
As is usual with Arms and Armor the fit and finish on the sword is very good. The blade is clean and symetrical with no grind marks or ripples. They Oakeshott type 9 cross is nicely symetrical with three pairs of small incised lines for a somewhat understated decorative affect. The finials of the cross are nicely executed as well something that seems to be difficult with this cross type. I suspect that the use of cast hilt furniture helps in this regard. The pommel is interesting because of its very massiveness. It measures an inch and a half thick and two and a quarter inches in diameter. This mass is responsible for bringing the balance point so far back towards the hilt and no doubt is largely responsible for the sword's "handy" feel. This pommel has two slight casting pits. The unbeveled "raised" central portion in the middle of the pommel has a slightly rough texture and would be ideal for mounting a coin in. The grip is Arms and Armor's wax shrunk stitched grip, which is comfortable yet durable.

Conclusion: I was a bit surprised at the diminutive size of this sword. Of course I had read the statistics but there is no real substitute for having the sword in hand. I typically prefer a longer sword but I feel that this sword is a nice what I considert to be "short sword" and a very good representative of the type worth the asking price.

As I noted before these sort of "quick and dirty" reviews aren't nearly as nice at the ones featured on this site. However I can crank them out in a half hour or so and hopefully they will provide good information for potential buyers. If you have any questions please by all means just ask.

Russ -

Was this Henry V an "old" one with the solid pommel, or a new hollow pommel version?

Thanks

Gordon

The pommel of the original sword was not entirely hollow. It was a solid central disc, with the raised rim sections being hollow and brazed to the central disc if I remember correctly.

So fully solid is closer to accurate than entirely hollow. To do it completely accurately would involve a 3-piece assembly. The extra parts and labor would equal $$$$.

Here's the thread and Craig's illustration and explanation:

http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=3739

[ Linked Image ]

Craig wrote:

Here the three versions can be seen side by side. The grey areas being solid material. A- the original construction B- the A&A construction C- the hollow construction used by A&A for a short while.