[Adam James]

Does anyone out there own an Albion Søborg? There seems to be so little information out there - and not many images other than Albion’s own. If you care to share any thoughts, experiences, and/or images that would really be so helpful- I’m pretty confident that that would be true not just for myself but for a lot of people. I’m very interested in this weapon but it’s so hard to get a sense of it with the scanty information available.

Thanks in advance for anything you’ve got!
-Adam James

[J.D. Crawford]

I was also hoping you'd get a response. The original is such a perfectly proportioned sword and I think we can assume the museum line piece has exactly the same measurements. It looks like it would be a sweet handling sword despite the length.The only things that turn me off about this sword are the price, and maybe the engraving (as opposed to inlay that might double the price again). I might rather have just a plane blade than a look-alike.

[Nathan Robinson]

[Jeremy V. Krause]

I think it is etched and then "filled in" with silver, so not inlay in the conventional sense.

I, too, love this sword but am turned off, as well, by the price and faux-inlay.

I'm having Jeff Helmes make a recreation of this sword. It will lack the exact measurements of the original but, in my mind will more than make up for it in historic construction and real inlay.

I am also curious to hear anyone's reaction to handling the Albion piece.

[J. Nicolaysen]

[Kai Lawson]

I have had some very limited handling of the sword, and my comments are based on my impression from a few years ago. Take what you will from that.

The sword overall felt light, in relation to it's overall size, it's ease of movement and empirically. It was very long, quite fast and rather responsive to changing guards and stopping cuts--but not compared to a lighter type XV or even a XIV. It looks similar to the albion Gaddhjalt or the A&A St. Maurice (Vienna), but it felt more like the Albion Knight, if it were longer and slightly more filled out in terms of blade presence.

The grip was a very comfortable length for changing guards and altering grip styles, and while the blade was quite flexible, the action of thrusting felt good and 'natural,' even if the blade would be unlikely to penetrate thicker fabric defenses with regularity. The tip would be adequate or specialized for it, like a broad head arrowhead, but the looong blade has enough flex to rob a thrust of some of it's energy.

Perhaps it's not completely incorrect to imagine a less tapered, relatively wide-ish cut-and-thrust sidesword or narrow 'broadsword' (as in complex/basket hilted sword) style blade, with a further POB? It's a bit hard to describe, actually.

Not sure that the above is helpful, really, but that's what I remember it being like.

[Adam James]

Many Thanks, Kai- That is exactly the kind of thing I was looking for, actually. I used to own the Albion Gadd. and Knight so I can relate to your impressions.

One of the most exciting and intriguing aspects of the sword to me is Peter's Geometric principle of design theory and how it relates to this particular weapon. I'm beginning to think that the only way I'm going to have an opportunity to experience this thing is to order one. (Wouldn't that be a tragedy...)

I had all but given up on getting a response to my post so thanks to all who contributed. Please keep the thread going if you have anything to add!

[R. Robinson]

A hopeful bump as this sword also really interests me? I doubt anyone has specs as precise as Peter's, so the authenticity of inlay and probable doubling of price doesnt interest me as much as Albions recreation.

[Søren Niedziella]

Hi. I had the Søborg for a while at Albion Europe. Spent days with it (and lots of other Albion swords) at a rainy medieval market in France. It's magical :-) There are several factors that all come together perfectly for me in this sword.

First of all it fits the time and looks for the quintessential sword for me. The type, look and period of all the movies and books, all the battlefields and knightly virtues that started my love for swords :-)

And then it's local ... Søborg castle was about 40 km from where I live ...and I assume you have Peters text on the sword: http://www.peterjohnsson.com/the-soborg-sword/

...and most importantly of all ... it handles in way that made my doubt the feeling in my hand when I look at it. It's too long to handle that well! There is just a flow and gracefulness to using it that I haven't felt in any sword of that size :-)

I did often get that question - back when I was Albion Europe - do you have a favourite sword? This is it! I regret selling it ... often. I want one ... I need one ... just need to the get money for it....

Not sure my feelings about the sword helps with your decision ... but it's one of the few swords that haunts me.... (and I like the etched text).

Best wishes,
Søren

[R. Robinson]

The handling was my greatest doubt. At that size without a type x fuller I just have to imagine it's more forward heavy.

[Jeremy V. Krause]

[R. Robinson]

I've owned a Hersir, Norman, and Oakeshott, and although the Hersir and Norman are more forward balanced, I can't imagine the Soborg being as lively. The Oakeshott is the liveliest single handed sword at 30+ inches of blade I've ever handled myself.

[Kai Lawson]

I may be totally off base, as my memory is a handful of years old at this point, but I remember the Søborg feeling like a longer version of the Reeve: very lively, quite fast, and ‘slice-y’ but able to hit with authority. The length may have played into that feeling, by making it seem lighter than it was. That said, I owned and still own a Gaddhjalt, and that’s long and light but is also blade heavy, and I remember the Søborg feeling ‘livelier’ than the Gaddhjalt.

[J.D. Crawford]

Its all about reducing mass toward the tip. I have a very similar XI (37.5" blade) that feels great in hand due to its narrowing profile and flat tapering cross section toward the end. Someone once said 'like a sword with knife at the tip.' Like that.

[R. Robinson]

Sweet, thanks for the further intel guys.