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Jonathan Eells
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 Posted: Mon 07 Jul, 2008 10:17 pm Post subject: The Ulvbane: First Impression |
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My Ulvbane showed up today, and now that I've finished up my afternoon's "Ulvbane Dance" I had an impression or two to share with you all.
The sword is positively massive. I am 6'5" and 270lbs. I do a lot of strenuous things all the time, so my forearm strength is greater than average and I train a fair bit with a variety of swords. The first impression made by the Ulvbane is how much more I found myself thinking about just holding it properly. It was HEAVY and wanted to pull my wrist out of alignment, down to the ground. Not too badly. Just more than any other sword in my collection save one or two, like the Albion St. Maurice.
The blade presence is - well - it's a bloody big blade. Where other blades stop, this one keeps going. There's a lot more blade out there than with other Norsely inspired swords. Again, it's more like the Maurice, which means that I will really want the Ulvbane when I've saddled up the Percheron and am ready to ride down the Templar scum. With the recovery time that this blade will necessitate, a good sweeping blow to an enemy on foot will ideally be recovered in the time that one's two ton horse takes to ride past, wheel on a hapless Hospitaller churl, and send him to meet his Templar room-mate in Sheol.
My favorite melee sword from the Albion line is the Thegn, which compared to the Ulvbane is a letter opener. Where the Thegn is lively and yare in the hand, the Ulvbane is glacial. The Thegn is a point placement and slasher sword in a crowd, while the Ulvbane is a blind thruster, unless you have the time to set up and deliver a thunderous, smashing blow that cannot be opposed. Think of the winning stroke in "Rob Roy", when Neeson's Roy give's that irritating, rapier whipping poppinjay a giant new aperture from which to exhale... THAT kind of blow. And if you're on a horse, the Ulvbane is your best friend.
Here are some pictures of the Ulvbane next to a Thegn and a Gotland for scale. Note the Ulvbane's grip compared to the Thegn. My hand is an 11.5-12, or an XL glove size - not too big - but the Ulvbane gives me plenty of room unlike no other Type X or even the Type XII Maurice. There's room there for a decent two handed technique. Because of it's upscale sizing, I'd have to say that the Ulvbane feels like a type X that's just been "Hulked" a wee bit. All of the dimensions are increased in a lovely bit of steel transmogrification.
She's a wicked bit of work, the Ulvbane. Thank you, Albion.
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Room for a little extra hand in there. Nice bloody big guard. [ Download ]
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May the Gods give me a Thegn when I have to fight my way out of a crowd. I love that sword. [ Download ]
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Gotland to the left. Thegn to the right. And the Ulvbane, rising a head taller than the rest. [ Download ]
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Mike Arledge
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| Posted: Tue 08 Jul, 2008 5:27 am Post subject: |
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thanks for posting this, it sure looks impressive next to the Thegn and the Gotland! Nice purchase!
Mike J Arledge
The Dude Abides
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Jonathan Eells
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| Posted: Tue 08 Jul, 2008 7:02 am Post subject: Honey I Shrunk the Valkyrja |
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So I was thinking, "Wow, this feels like the Turin" (as in "St. Maurice of..."), and it looks vaguely like the Valkyrja, so here they are together on the mantle. NO WONDER it feels like the Turin!
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Turin to the left. Valkyrja to the right. Ulvbane center stage. [ Download ]
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Mike Arledge
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| Posted: Tue 08 Jul, 2008 7:09 am Post subject: |
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Quit bragging!
The blade used looks similar, but with say a longer tang than the Turin.
Mike J Arledge
The Dude Abides
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Jonathan Eells
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| Posted: Tue 08 Jul, 2008 7:12 am Post subject: You're right! |
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Ahh, shucks, I have to release the hounds once a while just to air them out a little...
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Dan Dickinson
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Tue 08 Jul, 2008 8:15 am Post subject: |
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If I remember correctly (not sure if it was on here or on Albion-Europe) Peter said that they used the Turin blank and extended the fuller (and I'm assuming the tang)....so there definitely is a reason they feel similar 
Dan
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Tim Lison
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| Posted: Tue 08 Jul, 2008 8:56 am Post subject: |
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Great looking swords you have there. Nice mantle and stone wall too  Do you plan on doing any cutting with this beast? Maybe some telephone poles or engine blocks? Looks like it would lick 'em no problem! Thanks for posting pics of the detail on the fittings. It's always nice to get extra views of that sort of thing. Enjoy your sword!!!!
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Grayson C.
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| Posted: Tue 08 Jul, 2008 9:29 am Post subject: |
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What am I missing?
I don't recall albion releasing a sword called Ulvbane....?
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Mike Arledge
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| Posted: Tue 08 Jul, 2008 9:32 am Post subject: |
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| Grayson C. wrote: | What am I missing?
I don't recall albion releasing a sword called Ulvbane....? |
It is part of the lineup they did for the Arn: Templar Knight movies.
Mike J Arledge
The Dude Abides
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Jonathan Hopkins
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| Posted: Tue 08 Jul, 2008 9:33 am Post subject: |
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Grayson,
It is from their line of swords for the movie "Arn".
Jonathan
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Tim Lison
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Grayson C.
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| Posted: Tue 08 Jul, 2008 9:45 am Post subject: |
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Ah ha!
I see now, thank you all!
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Jonathan Eells
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| Posted: Tue 08 Jul, 2008 10:25 am Post subject: I'm such a baby |
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Y'know, every once in a while I think of bringing out a flashy bright sword and cutting the Hel out of something with it. Then, I imagine putting the same scoring and "teeth" into the blade that I've put into my dedicated cutters. And so I go with watermelons instead! The Ulvbane has done some summer melon hacking already this morning and my Wee Horde Chortles their appreciation.
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Chad Arnow
myArmoury Team
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| Posted: Tue 08 Jul, 2008 12:23 pm Post subject: |
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Here's what Peter Johnsson said in the Arn Movie thread:
| Quote: | No, this sword is about twice the size of the Knud...
Well, not quite, but it certainly feels so.
This sword is huge and massive.
The blade is that of the St Maurice of Turino, but with a larger hilt and longer fuller.
It weighs 1.72 kilos (3.8 pounds) and has a massive feel to it.
When I visited the shooting of a battle scene close to Skara, several of the stunt guys got to handle the sharp version of the sword, and the consensus seemed to be: Wow.
It is way to big for me to handle. Still a few of the stunt fighters could get it to move in a way that seemed to belie its size.
It was designed to illustrate the personality of the overbearing, arrogant and brutal berserker Ulvsbane, who is defeated by the more skilled and nimble hero Arn.
They needed a sword that looked really big and hefty.
Hence this design.
Some swords of the viking age are as heavy as this or even more in a few cases. They are definitely a witness to the fact that there are some guys that are larger and stronger than average.
Blade length is 91.5 cm (36") and total length about 110 cm (43.3").
The pommel reaches my navel when I rest the point on the floor.
In real life it looks to be one or two sizes larger than life.
And yet, there are some swords of the viking age that share this aspect of hugeness. A few of the surviving swords have a size that smacks of the unreal.
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ChadA
http://chadarnow.com/
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Anders Backlund
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| Posted: Wed 09 Jul, 2008 12:08 am Post subject: |
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Nice! Looks like the big brother of the Valkyrja. Damn, I love those Type AE's.
Also, I've always found it kinda interesting that the Thegn is one of Albion's lightest swords.
The sword is an ode to the strife of mankind.
"This doesn't look easy... but I bet it is!"
-Homer Simpson.
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This is a standard topic