[Mike Arledge]

Stats:

Weight: 2 lbs 8.5 ounces
Overall Length: 34 inches
Grip: 4 inches
Blade Length: 27 and 3/4 inches from guard
Point of Balance: approx. 3 and 1/4 inches from guard
Center or Percussion: approx. 18 inches from guard
Distal Taper
At Crossguard -4.5 mm
At COP - 3 mm


Initial Impressions:
Sweet, sweet package, plainer, but no less lovely cousin to the Albion Sovereign

Appearance:
I purchased this sword because I wanted another Albion to accompany my Thegn before Albion increased their prices At the end of July. I originally called Mike Sigman at Albion and put an order down for the laird because I was reading some books on the Border Reivers. A day later I changed my mind and went with what I felt was the better sword for me both visually and for my swordsmanship tastes. I wanted a single hander that would work for the timeframe of 1100-1400, so I had a lot of options. What I ultimately decided was to pick a sword that say an English Sheriff might carry, yet might not be out of place as the sidearm of a Longbowman. Money was a consideration, so it came down to either the Sheriff or the Yeoman. From the Albion page I decided that the guard and pommel of the Yeoman won the day. I couldn’t be more pleased now that it is in hand. Albion has really done something special with blades in the XIV lineup. The blade lines are so mysteriously defined, at times looking like a slight leaf-blade, other times you would almost swear it was a short XII. Its very dynamic in appearance, especially in a 3D setting. Pictures don’t do it justice. The grip is so well done. The pommel could be a bit bigger to me visually, but its not undersized. The cross is a subtle as dynamic as the blade design. Truly a visual masterpiece. The fuller is well formed, although the finish is a bit wavy in some lights, moreso than say my Thegn. I also paid Albion to antique the hilt parts, and I can honestly say this made the sword from dynamic to art for me. It is just so striking. Really well done on this piece Albion! Thanks Mr. Sigman for the mention of the Yeoman as one of your favs.

Handling:
This sword is not terribly light for a single hander of its shorter length. The base of the blade is pretty beefy at just about a full 3 inches wide, and the handle is a bit on the large size for my hands. But this sword is made to fight. It feels more powerful in your hand than you might expect for a shorter blade. It has good point control and moves through cuts smoothly. I have cut a modest amount with it and find it to hit hard, but not as clean as I am used to, and I think I just need to work on my edge alignment, but perhaps the blade design itself being a bit of a hybrid limits its shearing power. There is about a good 1.5 inches of blade massed at the COP, so it is a surprise that I didn’t have better luck getting good cuts. It does have a terrific ring to it when cutting though, and that is a satisfying sound! Characteristic of its type, the point is not reinforced, so thrusting will be best against light targets, and it has no problems with milk jugs and cardboard. I must admit I feel my review is incomplete regarding handling due to the fact that I have yet to get a proper target for my left hand. I feel that this sword will really shine when accompanied with a target for I:33 type swordplay.

What you should expect:
This sword costs $802 with shipping and antiquing before the Albion price increase.. Like my review of the Thegn, I think it is worth repeating that this is a hefty price tag for many collectors. Thus, expectations were high on my part. I can say with satisfaction that Albion absolutely delivered! I didn’t think I could find a sword from their lineup that suited my tastes as strongly as the Thegn fit my Viking era tastes. This sword is a remarkably complete package, especially with the antiquing of the hilt. Note the price does not include a scabbard, so I will consider the total package to be higher priced once I do commission a scabbard in the near future. My belief is that this sword will not be the plainer cousin to the Sovereign much longer! I am truly very pleased with my purchase.


Full Sword:
http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj133/mike...-full2.jpg

Hilt:
http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj133/mike...n-hilt.jpg

Sword in Hand:
http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj133/mike...inhand.jpg

Second Full View:
http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj133/mike...-full1.jpg