I´m going to to order the Ringeck too as soon as I have my economy sorted out for such a blow. Hopefully not in a to distant future.

Chad,

Thanks for hosting yesterday. It is always a great relief to meet folks who are even more sword obsessed than I :), so it was a double pleasure to meet you and the folks in attendance.

Even the very best pictures on the internet don't do the Albion swords justice - handling characteristics notwithstanding - so this seems a very good forum for driving sales through network marketing. After an afternoon spent with several swords (including some that weren't on my list of favorites), my suspicions are confirmed - you can't go wrong by ordering an Albion sword. Which is unfortunate, because there are about 8 that I now need to order....

At least the Regent is in queue and I am on my way. Thanks again, Joe for letting me take yours on a test drive.

Going to be a bit lazy and let other people do story telling for these.

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Same deal.

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:D :D

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Pic 9

Not that exciting I know, and I stink as a photographer, but I don't think anybody else took photos.

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Great pics! I wish I could have made it. Please tell me that there will be another one of these in the future.


Ben

The party was a lot of fun. It's always good to hang out with people that share your insane affection for pointy metal objects. :) My thanks go to everyone who brought food and/or swords to share (Nate, that cheesecake is really good; but you left your plate :) ). Joe, thanks for taking and sharing pics.

Thanks, everyone!

It was a blast. And there were a LOT of swords there. Many more than I had time to play with. Probably more than I'd have had time to play with even if the weather hadn't been an issue.

As Joe had pointed out to me at the party, I just need to break down and buy a Regent. I think I've hogged it at all the Round Tables. It and the Brescia are by far my two favorite Albion swords, I think. It will be interesting to see how Regent compares with Earl. Man, I wish my income was high enough to afford another sword this soon!

It was good to see everyone there and to meet the new faces and I can't wait to do this again! See you all next time.

David Kite
ARMA in IN

The Round Table party at Chad's was great fun as well as a fantastic learning experience. I'm sure we all have bought swords that we've only seen in web sites or catalog pictures. Not until you spend the money do you actually see the object in person and hold it in your hands. The Round Table party saved us that trouble. For instance, I now understand why the Regent gets so much hype! If I only had the $$, I'd have one already plus a Baron. Oh, and that Landgraf!

My thanks to Chad and his family's hospitality and their willingness to let us turn his house into a full-scale medieval arsenal! ;) Definitely worth the time and the drive. It was wonderful to meet all of you. By the way, Joe, those photos are great!

-Ted

(Of course, the day would have been even better if UC didn't lose to Kentucky :mad: )

A huge thanks to Chad for hosting a wonderful event on Saturday. It was great to meet everyone and start putting some faces to the names. All the hands-on experience has confirmed what I have been suspecting for a while now… Albion is one of the top production sword manufactures in the world today, possibly the best. The opportunity to handle so many wonder pieces was an unbelievable opportunity. An event like this conveys so much more than pictures ever could.

This being my first opportunity to handle many of these swords, I will make everyone suffer through my quick observations on some of the wares we played with:

Hersir / Jarl
-Viking stuff is not really my bag but these both handle like a dream. I may have to get the Jarl just for that beautiful pommel.

Sovereign
-I didn’t like this sword when I first saw it on the website but the more I look at it the more I’ve grown fond of it. And now seeing Chad’s in person confirms that it must be on my buy list. Quick, fast and stylish.

Solingen:
-Very “alive” in the hand, excellent balance and point control.

Squire
-My favorite of the single-handers. Quick and light, with a devastating point. Feels responsive in the hand.

Prince
-Because of the same blade, similar feel to the Squire. But the grip feels rather thin which makes it tough to tell how it will control. Love the cross guard, however, which is much more to my aesthetic taste than the Squire’s.

Baron
-Big, beefy and beautiful. I’m sure this cuts like a demon.

Duke
-I thought this looked sluggish in the photos but proved to be much more responsive than I had imagined.

Regent
-What more needs to be said. This seems to be everyone’s favorite. I currently have one on order through Christian Fletcher and this “test drive” has just made me even more impatient than I already was.

Landgraf
-My other favorite longsword. Definitely at the top of my must have list. Super quick and lively in the hand.

Viceroy
-A really beautiful piece although I found this sword to be a bit of a puzzle. After handling it a bit I am left with an inclusive impression. It’s big and powerful but seems to be balanced very well. I can’t quite tell how it would handle or how I would use it. I think I need some more time with it.

Squire Line 13th Cen Great Sword
-I agree w/Joe in that this has a much better finish than I expected. It’s almost too nice to bang around.


So at the end of the day I ordered a Mercenary sight-unseen. I’m sure I won’t be disappointed. To wrap this up, Chad does need a bigger house for the next event and I must also buy an A&A Black Prince. Super cool! Thank you again Chad for hosting. I’m looking forward to the next one already. And thank you Albion for this wonderful opportunity. My credit card company loves you… my Roth IRA hates you ;)