At last...

We are now in full production of the first model of the Maestro practice swords.

[ Linked Image ]

more here:

http://www.albion-swords.com/swords/albion/ma...enauer.htm

Next up in line for release are the I:33 and the Meyer (no set dates yet.)

Best,

Howy

wow!
when one heres a cost effective practice sword, one usually doesnt picture such a nice lookin sword....... that cord wrap is really nice

YEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS !

I want one, now !

I will send my order tonight.........

Edit : order sent, cannot wait no more. :)

Fantastic! One of my students has had one of these on pre-order, so I can't wait to beat it up. :)

Is this a good sign that the other Maestro line swords will be coming along? Such as the messer? (hint, hint!)

<Very loud, very high pitched, excited girly scream>

For all of you at Albion: :-*

<running to the window, pressing my face against the glass, watching for the UPS truck>

Awesome looking practice weapon!

The real one looks much better than I had anticipated from the concept sketch.

Also, excellent choice providing a list of Next Gen swords the Maestro line will be comparable to (even if some of those aren't in production yet). That saves me having to ask that question when I (eventually) order one, or waiting to be able to handle them side by side in person.

(If only I weren't broke)

David Kite
GFS, ARMA in IN

Cool to see. :) The choice of stainless fittings is interesting and should be good for those in stage work or people who beat their stuff up regularly.

cool. is the pommel peened or threaded?

Awesome! Could we get a picture of the edge?

The tang is riveted/peened at the pommel, just like every other sword. Even the guard is peened/riveted down on each side of the tang for extra sturdy durability.
The edge is shaped from a flat 2 mm into a well rounded section.

Perhaps I should point out that my intention with the Maestro line training swords is not to reproduce the heft of any specific NG line sword *exactly*, even though there will be a definite siblingship between these trainingswords and their sharp counterparts in the NG line. Just like the swords listed as comparable to the Liechtenauer are all slightly different from each other, the Liechtenauer will still clearly belong to that group. You can cross train with the sharps and the blunts and get good feedback between them, but one should not expect a complete blue print similarity to any specific sharp in the NG line. This is only said to make sure that expectations of exact similarity are not get put to shame.
The fact that the Maestro line trainers do behave like sharp weapons, make them suitable to be used alongside NG swords as the two lines are built on the same basic principles for dynamic balance, heft and type character.

The Liechtenauer is intended to behave like a sturdy, but agile longsword. The goal was to make a trainingsword that behaves as much as ever possible as a sharp sword.
The Liechtenauer will correspond most closely to the Regent, Earl and possibly also the Landgraf and Sempach. It is not too far removed form the Talhoffer and Agincourt, but will have a slightly more cut oriented feel compared to the long XVa´s.

The Meyer is closer to the XVa NG line long swords in its handling. The Meyer can be used as a blunt trainer in place for most agile pointy longswords of similar length and possibly also for the coming XIXa bastard swords. Perhaps the Meyer could actually correspond pretty well to the Munich as well.
The Meyer has an edge that is thicker at the base (about 5 mm) gradually thinning down to 2 mm at the very point. The edge is given a radiused section.

The Epee de Guerre will naturally correspond most closely to the Baron and Duke.

It will be interesting to get feedback from WMA practioners on these trainers and how they affect sparring and interpretation of the techniques shown in the manuals.

There are other trainingswords to be included in the Maestro line in various stages of development and design, but we shall return to those later.

Thanks for your enthusiastic respons so far.
I´m looking forward to hear any further questions and thoughts.

I got the extreme pleasure of handling one of these beauties at the New York Knife Show and am very glad I ordered one when I did (last Dec.). I only wish I'd ordered sooner...

(Thanks to Harlan and Mike of Albion for their gracious hospitality. It was great finally meeting you!)

Wow, it looks like you guys have been really burning the midnight oil; unfortunately, I think you missed the mark on this one. That sword is waaaaay too pretty to be a practice weapon! :D :p :lol: Seriously though, awesome job blending both aesthetics and functionality. I can't wait to see what ou do with the rest of the line.

In response to the following two quotes (and similar ones from other posts in this thread):

Peter Johnsson wrote:

It will be interesting to get feedback from WMA practioners on these trainers and how they affect sparring and interpretation of the techniques shown in the manuals. I´m looking forward to hear any further questions and thoughts.

Jean Thibodeau wrote:

But back on topic this training sword actually looks very good aesthetically as a sword and not only as a training tool: Although I'm sure that it's extremely well designed as a training tool. Pamela you will just have to win every bout with Bill with a pre-emptive strike so he doesn't even get a chance at beating up your sword.

This sword has undergone a very extensive research and development process. Part of this included the making of a couple of prototypes to test the blade's characteristics, resiliency, and handling, and to help with the design of the fittings, among other things. As a result, a few of us at the shop have had a good deal of opportunity to give them a thorough workout. Although they are longswords, we've primarily used them for Fiore's single-handed work. We have pressed into some of Fiore's 2-handed, armoured, horseback (minus the horses, but the techniques are still valid) and some of Liechtenauer's 2-handed work as well.

Although I do work with Albion, that fact has nothing to do with my next statements. I take my training quite seriously, and I want the best tool I can manage to obtain for that purpose. I'll have a bit of a wait as there are a bundle of orders in front of mine, but Shan-Aan and I are down for a pair of them. They're simply awesome. No training sword I've ever encountered compares (and the list is quite long). They feel right. They act properly. They are very durable and resilient (the blades show some dings and scratches of course, but we've yet to file a dangerous burr and they remain straight after an estimated 50+ hours, some hardcore full-speed, full-strength!) To provide my answer to Peter's questions, they offer a good sense of safety and control during sparring while handling as a sharp sword would. I have no reservations about using these instead of a wood, composite, or aluminum waster - in fact, I actively avoid them in favor of these. I find that all of the techniques translate exceptionally well, and, honestly, it's my opinion that my training has benefitted as a result of having such a tool to work with. Cutting from guard to guard, counters and counter-counters, winding and binding, disarms, even stepping on the opponent's blade (which flexes the heck out of it quite aggressively - always returned true) all work well because they are a good approximation of a longsword such as the Regent, Landgraf, or Brescia, all of which I know very well. As I mentioned above, we've used them easily single-handed, and they handle beautifully 2-handed. They have a noticeable presence and response to strikes and guards; they hit solidly - quite satisfying, actually.

I'm personally excited to see these in production now - there are a lot of practitioners that I know will appreciate them.

And yes, Pamela, it IS in the way... but only because Rob managed to pry it out of my hands to ship it. Brave, brave Rob... :p

Hi Aaron, thanks for letting go. :D

I have a safety question. How flexible is it in the thrust?

Hurrah! Looks great. I've got a Maestro Epee de Guerre on order. I wonder if I should have opted for this one instead?