Mr. Gregg, thanks for the compliments! Weight=1210 g blade is 33 inches long, 39.25 total sword length, POB is 2.5 inches. Handles very light due to the close POB yet the tip seems very steady and controllable. tr

My wife and I just got our anniversary gift to ourselves last week. :)

[ Linked Image ]

[ Linked Image ]

[ Linked Image ]

Some believe that a swordsmith puts a little bit of his soul into each sword he creates. If that's true, then this sword truly bears the soul of a gentleman...and a master. Thank you, Gus and Christian...we couldn't be more pleased. :D

Here are the newest toys in our house. Technically it's not my last sword since these belong to my girlfriend, but I do get to play with them :)

It's a hand-and-a-half sword and a dagger by Kovex Ars, both unsharpened for WMA and re-enactment use.

Sword
Overal length: 117 cm
Blade length: 87 cm
Fuller length: 33 cm
Crossguard width: 23 cm
Blade width at crossguard: 4.5 cm
Blade width at tip: 1.7 cm
Distal taper: Yes, a little, but I lack the tools to accurately measure it.
Weight: 1.9 kg
PoB: At the crossguard

Dagger
Overall length: 36 cm
Blade length: 21 cm
Fuller length: 13 cm
Crossguard width: 10.5 cm
Blade width at crossguard: 2.7 cm
Blade width at tip: 0.9 cm
Weight: 0.3 kg

The sword is pretty big and heavy. It's bigger and wider than my Talhoffer (that's a Pavel Moc Talhoffer, not the Albion one). It handles very nicely though because the point of balance is so far back. You can swing it around almost effortlessly. The scabbard wasn't custom-made for this sword, but it's a nice enough thick leather scabbard that does the job. The crossguard and pommel have the typical Kovex Ars rough finish. You either love it or hate it. Personally I like it. It makes it look a bit like a sword that was mass produced in the middle ages. A tool for war, not a work of art. The blade itself has a nice satin finish, including the fuller (which Kovex Ars swords sometimes leave rough as well).

The sword and dagger are not a set, that's why they look differently. They did have a dagger on sale that matched the sword in style, but we chose this one instead. It matches very nicely with my Talhoffer.

---

 Attachment: 120.33 KB

Rear view of the dagger, showing the peened tang.

 Attachment: 112.03 KB

The dagger with scabbard.

 Attachment: 116.48 KB

Front view of the sword

 Attachment: 107.32 KB

Detail of the sword grip and rough finish of the crossguard and pommel.

 Attachment: 115.71 KB

The sword from behind.

OK, this isn't my newest sword, but rather my newest scabbard! I just received it this week, after placing a custom order with DBK Custom Swords. I'm very pleased with how it turned out. The chape and the "rain flap" have styling modeled after the guard and pommel respectively. It has an integrated double-suspension. The draw is perfectly smooth and effortless, and yet the blade is retained even if you turn the scabbard up-side down. The fit is perfect.

[ Linked Image ]
[ Linked Image ]
[ Linked Image ]
[ Linked Image ]

My two most recent projects:

---

 Attachment: 73.21 KB



 Attachment: 104.03 KB

This isn’t exactly a sword, but a seax by Michael Pikula of Volund Forge in Wisconsin USA. I picked it up from his Silent auction for Haiti on all in stock items thread. The seax is 19.25 inches overall with a 14” blade. The POB is 10.25” from the tip, thus a great little chopper! This fine weapon is being gifted to a friend this summer, so I won’t be able to hold onto it long. :( :)

---

 Attachment: 92.63 KB



 Attachment: 157.25 KB
[ Download ]

I got my first Albion today! Some of you may recall that I ordered an Albion Kingmaker over a year ago - I had to cancel the order due to financial obligations and left Albion with my $300 deposit sitting until recently. I've recently began to put together a 13th century kit for reenactment and SCA use, and decided a dress sword would be a wonderful (and necessary) addition to my outfit.

I put in the order for a new Squire Line 13th century knightly sword just over two weeks ago. Mike said it would be ready in two weeks, and it arrived today! I've never owned a sword of this caliber, and I'll probably never buy another sword of lesser quality again. The balance, weight and overall finish of this sword are really great. I ordered a sharpened piece, so I'll get around to doing some cutting soon, I hope. I'm definitely already hooked, and can't wait to get my first Next Generation sword! Crossing my fingers for that this summer!

I quickly took the initiative and used isopropal alcohol to wipe the grip down to remove the built up black dye (which was getting on my hands after immediate handling). I then took some Eco-Flo scarlet dye and mixed it over the dulled black. In pictures and even in person it is hard to tell the scarlet is there, but a very subtle mix of the deep red can be noticed in the light. I then went over the grip with Fiebing's Leather Balm and let it dry out for the afternoon. The results are pleasing.

I also spent the end of the evening cutting out my first scabbard core! I'm using 12 oz leather (a tad thick, but it's all I've got) and cut, wet and bent it into shape. Tomorrow I'll be stitching it up, dying it and then hopefully before the weekend and spring break are over I'll make a chape and belt for it! All in all, it has been a good, Albion day!

I'll have a thread posted with my modifications and such when the project is done.

-Gregory

---

 Attachment: 104.92 KB

I ordered a custom all black Malatesta from the Valiant Armory Custom Sword Shoppe last week. It's a nice sword for the money, my favorite Signature Series sword yet...

A few weeks ago at the Baltimore Show I picked up yet another British Pattern 1895 Infantry Officer's Sword. This one was made by Thurkle and bears the officer's initials T.C.:

IT FINALLY ARRIVED!!!!!! After about 6 weeks. It is a private purchase British Light Infantry Officer Sword from about 1810-1820.
It is of a very fine quality. An excellent 28 inch blade and very sharp! I wonder how much the original owner payed for it.?

---

 Attachment: 56.68 KB



 Attachment: 23.03 KB



 Attachment: 32.2 KB

Absolutely beautiful, have you bisected any watermellons with it yet? :D

British Pattern 1897 infantry officer's sword by Ranken & Co., with GRI cypher (indicating that it belonged to an officer of the Indian Army), and complete with its original sword bag bearing the initials of it original owner--F.C. Head of the 6th Jat Light Infantry (served in Mesopotamia in the attempt to relieve Townshend at Kut).

My latest sword is a rattan waster I am proud to say I carved myself ... its even SCA legal.

[ Linked Image ]