[Marc Ridgeway]

Angus Trim Makers Mark XIIa Longsword
Review by : Marc Kaden Ridgeway
Atlanta, GA
4 July 2010




Occasionally I get offered a chance to test swords and write reviews on them, but seldom does a powerhouse like Gus Trim call me up and offer me a couple of prototypes to play with. Naturally , when he did, I jumped at the chance.

In the world of European sword replicas, especially amongst practioners of WMA , there are what is known as the Big
Three ... that is : Albion, Arms and Armour and Angus Trim.

Of these three , the swords of Gus Trim have always been known for their performance and Albion for their histrocity... well Gus is making changes.

The performance is still there, but now Gus is throwing in little bonuses... like primary bevels, a smoother ,less machined finish, and permanent construction.

The sword in this review is prototype/first production model of a sword being created for a new alliance between Gus and Sonny , of Valiant Armoury. Judging from the two I've gotten, and the ones I see from Mike and Tom, it should be a VERY happy marriage.





Specifications

Weight: 2lbs 13 ounces
Blade : 35.5 inches
Grip: 7.5 inches
Hilt: 10 inches
Cog: 5.75 in. from cross
COP: 24.5 inches






Aesthetics: Fit & Finish

This is a XII a longsword, common in the 13th century and pretty typical of the form. The 7.5 inch wooden grip is wound with cord and wrapped with English brown leather.

The pommel is a type J and the guard is a gorgeous style 2. Machine marks are virtually non-existant , and it is all joined together by a nice peen.

The polish is a nice high satin and I am unable to discern a secondary bevel. Lines are all crisp and the entire package flows together into a beautiful sword.

The permanent assembly is tight and solid , and the peice as a whole just feels " seamless ".

The 5160 blade is is even with no hint of waviness, and is tempered to extremely durable spring temper through Gus's famous Aero-space heat treaters.

[Marc Ridgeway]

Handling Characteristics[/font]


This being an Angus Trim , handling is one of the areas you expect it to shine, and being an Atrim , in does not dissapoint.

The balance point is 5.5 inches , but this doesnt even begin to tell the story. The story, in fact, is a mystery, because I dont have a clue how Gus makes a sword with the balance of a katana move so well.

This longsword functions almost as well one-handed , and when dry handled it has a sense of blade presence but almost no inertial drag , or feeling of tip-weight. It corners like a Lotus Esprit , and stops on a dime.

The grip makes a great handlebar, with the oval shape near the guard tapering to a slightly squarish shape at the pommel.









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[Marc Ridgeway]

Cutting

Along with the incredible handling, this sword also feels indestructable in hand. Its solid.

The nimbleness also belies how well this sword tracks in the cut.

I am VERY inexperienced with western swords, but despite this , IO went straight to the bamboo, skipping the bottles, as the sword seems biased well for heavy targets... and indeed, it handled bamboo with ease, despite my horrible form]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8CmkX8v6Ns









The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

Again, this is my critical section, where I point out all the little flaws on a sword. Sometimes this is a easy section to complete, and occasionally it is near impossible, as it is this time.

There is really nothing bad to say about this sword.. the handling, cutting appearance, construction... all top notch as you would expect to find from a giant like Gus.

Were I to really nit-pick I could point out that the handle wrap is not quite flush with the crossguard, but is a bit wider , which is a sticking point with some people, but not me. Also I'm not sure what the wrapping set up will be moving forward. I know these swords will be a limited production run through Sonny, and I know Sonny does leather work...so? Who knows who will be doing the handle wrapping? Not I ... I do know that Gus isnt that fond of it... LOL.

At any rate, thats the only thing I could find to flesh out this section , and it is really not an issue to any but the pickiest of collectors.









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[Marc Ridgeway]

Conclusion

This is another winning design for Gus, with the performance characteristic of what we've come to expect from him. Further , this is another step in a departure that is leading away from the utilitarian performers of Gus past , and moving towards a world in a sword that has more cosmetic characteristics of an Albion can still perform like an Atrim ...
thats a world in which I'd feel right at home .

By cosmetics of an Albion, I mean : primary bevels, permanent construction , upgraded polish, and a variety of other changes... like any one notice the leather's NOT black?

It's a sure bet to say that Gus, together with Christian and Sonny are forever changing the world of Western sword replicas; and changing it for the better.

This prototype , that will be a limited run production piece for VA, is a huge way-station on that route.

In this time of rising Albion prices, along comes Gus Trim stepping up to the plate with an incredible array of choices in every level of the market. From the VA performance, Signature
and Regal lines... to the Chimera and Prestige lines ... the Legacy line and the Makers Mark series, and now these new protypes... Gus together with Sonny and Christian is truly creating an unheard of new-renaissance in the Euro sword market... lucky us.

This sword is so great , because it is what it is... a sword designed , created, mounted, finished in entire by the master sword fabricater, Angus Trim. This is not some blade created by a 3rd world laborer... this is essentially a custom sword from a HUGE maker for production prices... now how can you go wrong with that?

Thanks for reading.

[Martin Erben]

Thanks for your review. I also think that this sword really looks great, and also I'm pretty sure it has a great performance, but what really bothers me is the very machined look of the pommel which disturbs the otherwise historical appearance of this sword.....

[Joe Fults]

Ditto...that pommel and peen looks machined.

However, some of the touches on the guard are nice changes and the gentle swelling at the base of the blade is a element often not considered by producers that can make a blade stand out a bit. Also, although its hard, really very hard to tell from photos, the blade does look to be pretty cleanly executed.

That said, if a maker wants to impress on me that they are in Albion's league, they need to stretch themselves when they set that aspirational goal and do something other than a Type XII with a straight cross and wheel pommel. It seems like there are about a thousand different incarnations out there that really display very little variety, and it misses the entire point of what Albion does. Its not the standard XII that makes Albion special, its all the other types and variations that they do and nobody else even tries, let alone gets right, that is a huge part of what seperates Albion from the pack.

[Bartek Strojek]

I have to agree, sword looks really great, but pommel, especially it's mounting spoils overall impression quite a bit...

Otherwise it's fine, congratulations for the photos too, they're really gorgeous.

[Ken Jay]

Nice sword! Gus is stepping up his fit and finish. The pommel looks fine to me but I don't so much need the most historic look. I'm not aware of any production swords using historical methods of forging for blades or hilt assemblies. CNC milling, machining, casting all work for me. My only hitch is as prices rise I'm far less inclined buy and actually use one for cutting - marred finish, chips, etc.. I don't want a sword just as expensive "man-bling."

[Chad Arnow]

[JE Sarge]

Good review and insight on this sword.

As for myself, I am put off by just how many Type XIIs Valiant has decided to do rather than explore the Typology elsewhere. I mean: the Kriegschwert, Practical Arming Sword, Practical Longsword, Malatesta, and Crusader are all Type XII derivatives. Now, don't get me wrong here. I am a huge Valiant fan and own several myself, but as a customer, I need to see something different. The Type XIIs and Type XIIa are not really impressing me any more, Valiant just makes too many of them at this point.

How about a Type XVb or a Type XVIIIe off in there to expand on their product line now that they have a reputation for making a decent budget sword?

[Sonny Suttles]

[Joe Fults]

I'm confident that there is much anticipation surrounding the other projects in the pipeline that will represent new typologies in your product line. Speaking only for myself, I'm extremely interested in seeing how some of the other interpretations develop. Something to consider is that the pommel on this one looks spun (not sure if that is the right word for it) and many of us have become accustomed to seeing forged or cast parts. Right or wrong its a look I think people have been trained to expect by other market offerings.

[JE Sarge]

[Marc Ridgeway]

[Spencer Hahn]

I'm eager to buy my first bastard sword, and am eying this or the Kreigshwert. I've long been interested and involved in martial arts, particularly martial arts involving weaponry, but have never owned a real sword - only practice ones. The only problem I have with these swords are the reports that the bolts can come loose. I want a battle ready sword with a sense of legitimacy not one that starts loosening when it hits things. Can anyone tell me if there is a product you can use to tighten the bolt, at what price etc ?

[Matt Corbin]

Judging from the pictures I've seen, it appears that only a simple hex wrench is needed.

[Maurizio D'Angelo]

[Jean Thibodeau]