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Karl Knisley
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 Posted: Tue 29 Dec, 2009 8:00 am Post subject: Is MacAllen Armourers still around? |
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Hello
Is MacAllen Armourers still in business?I cant get an email through to them.Does anyone know thier price range?
Anybody own one of thier swords?
Thanks
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Christopher Gregg
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| Posted: Tue 29 Dec, 2009 8:09 am Post subject: |
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I also never have had an email reply from them after attempting to contact them. 
I owned one of their two handed Scots "Claymores" (a Claideahm Da Laihm) a few years back, purchased from a Scottish merchant at a Highland Games. I have to say that for the money, I was a bit disappointed when I compared it to Arms and Armor's similar sword, even the Del Tin of similar price - the MacAllan piece was really too heavy, the blade was too thick, and the crossguard had really bad casting flaws. Plus, the sword was really badly balanced, the grip was too short, and the pommel was off center. All this being said, it was fine as a wall hanger, and the only reason I got it in the first place was to own a UK made Scottish sword (which in retrospect, I should have just ordered an Armor Class - something I'll do next time). Maybe that's what you should do, Karl.
Christopher Gregg
'S Rioghal Mo Dhream!
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Karl Knisley
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| Posted: Tue 29 Dec, 2009 8:19 am Post subject: |
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Hello
Thanks.I guess I`ll shop elsewhere:-)
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Henrik Bjoern Boegh
Location: Agder, Norway Joined: 03 Mar 2004
Posts: 386
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| Posted: Tue 29 Dec, 2009 8:21 am Post subject: |
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I've handled three basket hilts from them. The balance on one was OK, another bad and one brilliant...
I've only heard rumors within the UK reenactment community and nobody seems to have heard from them in ages.
Cheers,
Henrik
Constant and true.
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GG Osborne
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| Posted: Tue 29 Dec, 2009 7:40 pm Post subject: |
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Ditto to what Henrik says. However, just between us girls, I know where there is a brass hilted "Pince of Snuff: hilt by MacAllen in a Texas Scottish shop. I bought one in steel from them two years ago and I think the brass one is still in stock or was last time I asked. PM me if your interested and I'll give you the name. The sword I bought is nice...basket a bit small for my hand but probabaly a good reproduction of the actual size. As I remember, the price was right.
"Those who live by the sword...will usually die with a huge, unpaid credit card balance!"
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Lin Robinson
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| Posted: Wed 30 Dec, 2009 3:36 am Post subject: |
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I ordered a basket hilt from them over seven years ago. Never got an acknowledgment or the sword, even though I wrote them later asking for status. I believe they are defunct. Fortunately I sent my credit card information and not a check.
Lin Robinson
"The best thing in life is to crush your enemies, see them driven before you and hear the lamentation of their women." Conan the Barbarian, 1982
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Jim Lindsey
Location: Arlington, Texas Joined: 24 Aug 2003
Posts: 101
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| Posted: Sat 23 Jan, 2010 8:06 pm Post subject: |
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| Karl Knisley wrote: | Hello
Is MacAllen Armourers still in business?I cant get an email through to them.Does anyone know thier price range?
Anybody own one of thier swords?
Thanks |
Hi, Karl ... I'm piping in a little late because I've only just gotten internet again, but just in case you may still be a little curious about their products, here's the experience I had with one of their swords.
Quite some years ago, before Albion contacted me and started the Discerner project, I had been looking for an Excalibur (movie sword) replica to hang on my wall to, in an indirect way, "represent" Discerner until the day when I could get an actual recreation of Discerner made.. During my search, I discovered the "Sword Of Kings" from MacAllen which was their Excalibur movie sword replica. In the ad I saw, it looked pretty accurate in the picture, so I thought I'd go for it.
I called them on the phone (which ended up being one heck of a big phone bill), talked to them personally, then ordered the Sword Of Kings, or SOK as they were fondly calling it. Mine is number 0004 of what was supposed to be 1000.
I don't know if they're still in business or not ... but I do own one of their swords and, though I dislike ever being negative about any manufacturer's work, I've always been rather disappointed with my Sword Of Kings.
After waiting for nearly two months, the SOK arrived and as I opened the box it was a pretty thing to look at and even came with a nice plaque that had my name on it and how this number 4 in their series had been especially made for me. But seeing it in its shipping box is where the magic of the moment ended.
First thing I noticed was that it was far larger and massive in size than what the image in the ad had led me to believe. I was expecting something that was either single handed, or hand-and-a-half at the most, but this was way larger than I was prepared for. Standing barefoot, I'm 5' 5" tall and standing the sword beside me, tip on the ground, the pommel is nearly to my chin. (Discerner itself is a large sword, but it pales in size compared with the SOK)
As soon as I drew it from the box, I was appalled at the sheer weight of it ... it was like trying to lift a small section of rail from a rail road track. It's a dreadful heavy thing with absolutely no balance and no wieldability at all (unless, of course, you're a Philistine named Goliath). Now, in fairness to MacAllen, I don't think the SOK was ever meant as a "battle worthy" weapon, but rather a well built decorative wall hanger ... thus, I don't believe the manufacturer had things like weight or balance in consideration when making them. Still, I've never seen any wall hanger sword have the sheer weight and clumsiness in feel that this thing does.
The blade of this monster also has a definitive twist in it so that when you look at it from the side, you actually see one side of the blade at the tip and as you gaze up the blade, it slowly twists so that you see the opposite side of the blade at the blade base near the hilt fittings. A friend of mine, examining the twist in the blade, jokingly said if the twist was any more severe it would remind him of a propeller.
I do not know if my SOK is a typical example of all of their work, but had I seen an actual one before buying, I would probably have avoided the purchase. The one thing I will say in its favor is that, if you're away from it, it makes for an impressive looking wall display when seen from across the room.
"And so it shall be that in the days of peace, one sword shall keep another in its scabbard."
Have a great day ! Best Regards,
Jim
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