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R. D. Simpson
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 Posted: Sun 29 Jan, 2006 9:38 pm Post subject: Question about Next Gen Crecy |
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I absolutely love the look of the Crecy-- I've been drooling over Albion's photos of it since it entered production. And now I have chunk of money that was given to me as a graduation gift, so I'm seriously considering putting in an order for one while Albion still has their sale. I'm also highly interested in the German longsword tradition, and, as this will be my first sword, and possibly the only one I ever own, I thought it would be a good idea to get a sword I could use to practice techniques.
Could anyone who has handled the Crecy tell me if the sword would work well with German longsword techniques?
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Bill Grandy
myArmoury Team
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| Posted: Sun 29 Jan, 2006 9:47 pm Post subject: Re: Question about Next Gen Crecy |
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| R. D. Simpson wrote: | | Could anyone who has handled the Crecy tell me if the sword would work well with German longsword techniques? |
Absolutely. Though, I will definately add that any longsword that has a grip long enough for two hands, can be weilded with one hand when necessary, and is comfortable to your proportions and preferences will work.  After all, it's a complete system, so there isn't one exact type of sword necessary.
But I got to handle the Crecy briefly and really liked it. Made me regret not buying it when Albion was having a big sale on it a while back. I'm still tempted now, but alas, no money. (same old sob story.)
I can't give you specifics, as I handled it last October, but the sword was a very lively thing, feeling a little more suited to the cut over the thrust, from what I recall, but not overly so. If you like the looks of it, I'd say go for it, as I don't think you'll be disappointed at all by the feel when you get it in hand.
HistoricalHandcrafts.com
-Inspired by History, Crafted by Hand
"For practice is better than artfulness. Your exercise can do well without artfulness, but artfulness is not much good without the exercise.” -anonymous 15th century fencing master, MS 3227a
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Joe Fults
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| Posted: Sun 29 Jan, 2006 9:56 pm Post subject: |
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I have handled it, and it will work, although in my opinion there are (and will be) models better suited to German Longsword work. That said, please note that opinions are framed by individual preference. I prefer a sword somewhat larger than the Crecy as I am a fairly big guy. The Crecy is a very nice sword and I think its one of the strongest starter swords in the entire NG line. Also note that I don't say starter sword to dismiss it as a sword that is only good for beginners. Rather its the sword I wish I had started my collecting with years ago.
Now, after all that blathering, what I would really recommend if you want to practice and learn is something less sharp and cutty. An unsupervised beginer trying to learn techniques with a sharp sword has the potential to significantly increase the negative consequeces of a mental lapse. If you can find a way to afford a blunt or waster for practice and drill, saving the Crecy for cutting when you get to it and display, I think you will be much better served.
"The goal shouldn’t be to avoid being evil; it should be to actively do good." - Danah Boyd
Last edited by Joe Fults on Mon 30 Jan, 2006 12:39 pm; edited 1 time in total
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R. D. Simpson
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| Posted: Sun 29 Jan, 2006 10:19 pm Post subject: |
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| Joe Fults wrote: | | Now, after all that blathering, what I would really recommend if you want to practice and learn is something less sharp and cutty. An unsupervised beginer trying to learn techniques with a sharp sword has the potential to significantly increase the negative consequeces of a mental lapse. If you can find a way to afford a blunt or waster for practice and drill, saving the Crecy for cutting when you get to it and display, I think you will be much better served. |
Yeah, my parents ( the source of said graduation money) would be pretty horrified if I managed to cut my right foot off with their gift. Seriously, though-- I'd fully intended to use a waster for drill practice until I've achieved a decent level of proficiency. I just wanted to be sure the Crecy would work well for practice when I eventually reached that point.
Oh, and by the way -- "less sharp and cutty" . . . 
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Bill Grandy
myArmoury Team
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| Posted: Sun 29 Jan, 2006 10:35 pm Post subject: |
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| Joe Fults wrote: | | I prefer a sword somewhat larger than the Crecy as I am a fairly big guy. |
I actually agree with that myself, but I'm also a big guy. Well, tall, anyway.  I think I do remember thinking the Crecy was a little short for my *ideal* preference, but if it were my only choice I'd still be more than happy with it.
HistoricalHandcrafts.com
-Inspired by History, Crafted by Hand
"For practice is better than artfulness. Your exercise can do well without artfulness, but artfulness is not much good without the exercise.” -anonymous 15th century fencing master, MS 3227a
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Greyson Brown
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| Posted: Mon 30 Jan, 2006 3:25 am Post subject: |
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I am not a big guy (I'm 5 feet 7 inches tall and weight 10 stone (which most people would call 140 pounds)), so I love my Crecy. It was my first Albion, but I can't have my swords with me (Army barracks  ), so I got to see my first 5 all at the same time. I love all of my other swords, and would not give up any of them, but if I could only have one sword it would be my Crecy, no questions asked. I feel that it is perfect for both cutting and thrusting, and I can use it comfortably with one hand or two. It also fits the mid 14th century time period in which I am interested. I've also mentioned this elsewhere, but the fact that my friends 8 year old son was highly effective at killing water filled jugs with this sword was just too cool!
That said, I haven't taken the time to study German longsword techniques. I don't know how well it would perform for that, but I would guess it could be used effectively.
If you can afford the Crecy at all, I would urge you not to hesitate for an instant! Be careful, though; it might lead to the realization that you need to own more Albions simply because they are out there.
-Grey
"So long as I can keep the path of honor I am well content."
-Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The White Company
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W.H. Kalfsbeek
Location: Belgium/Netherlands Joined: 20 Dec 2004
Posts: 5
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| Posted: Mon 30 Jan, 2006 12:00 pm Post subject: |
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Hello,
I received my Crecy about a week ago and I absolutely love it. I had drooled over it since the first sketch came online and ordered it (with Fletcher) when it became available late May.
I'm 5 feet 9 inches tall and the length is just perfect for me. It is a lively and practical sword, I just love the straight lines and the feel of functionality it has to it. Though easily wieldable with 1 hand , the Crecy really is a monster with 2 hands. I have yet to try cutting with.
I have the book '"fighting with the german longsword" by H. Tobler but I haven't really had a chance to explore more than the basic guards and wounders (currently trying to find a partner ). The sword handles very well between the guards and about the wounders, I wouldn't want to stand on the other side  ... the tip of the blade is quite err, pointy and pretty steady.
To describe my feelings with one word; this is my first real sword and it's just : awesome.
And yes swords are addictive. I thought my hunger would be satisfied if I bought an real swordbut all I want now is another one .
Here's a picture of here, the lightning is pretty worthless, sword and scabbard are actually oxblood. I'm going to make some new pictures over the weekend at my parents place, outside.
Best Regards
Wouter Kalfsbeek
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Roger Hooper
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| Posted: Mon 30 Jan, 2006 12:11 pm Post subject: |
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I've always liked that sword. Can anyone say exactly how long is the grip? That isn't a stat that Albion typically lists.
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Nathan Robinson
myArmoury Admin
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R. D. Simpson
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| Posted: Mon 30 Jan, 2006 12:40 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the response, folks. I'm about the same size as Greyson and Wouter, so it sounds like the size of the Crecy will be a good fit for me.
I'm assuming that in order to comfortably use the Crecy with two hands, you'd need to grip the pommel. Is there any special trick to doing so? I know there are different methods for holding the grip of a sword (hammer, handshake, etc), so I wondered if there was a particularly useful way to grip the pommel.
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Roger Hooper
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| Posted: Mon 30 Jan, 2006 1:25 pm Post subject: |
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| Nathan Robinson wrote: | Hi Roger-
The Grip length is 6.625 inches. |
Thanks, Nathan. That's just a touch too short. I need a seven inch minimum grip length for two hands without having to slip one onto the pommel.
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Greyson Brown
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| Posted: Mon 30 Jan, 2006 1:28 pm Post subject: |
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The bottom portion of my right hand may have ended up on the pommel, but if it did, I didn't notice. At least for me, there is no trick to holding this sword two handed. You grab hold with your primary hand (I don't know if you are right handed or not) in a handshake grip (I feel that the oval shape of the grip's cross section guides your hand into this position anyhow), and then grab hold with your other hand. You are now holding your Crecy two handed. Sorry if that comes across as flippant, but this sword is just so comfortable and natural to me that it really does seem that simple.
I'll attach a picture of my Crecy with some other Albions so you can compare grip lengths, if that helps... and one more, just in case you need to drool over something.
-Grey
P.S. My Crecy has Albion's oxblood grip, if you were wondering.
 Attachment: 101.68 KB
Left to right:
Squire Line Knightly sword (4.25" grip), Landgraf (7" grip), Crecy (6.625" grip), Squire (4.125" grip), Poitiers (4.5" grip)
Attachment: 110.83 KB
"So long as I can keep the path of honor I am well content."
-Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The White Company
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R. D. Simpson
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| Posted: Mon 30 Jan, 2006 2:07 pm Post subject: |
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| Greyson Brown wrote: | | Sorry if that comes across as flippant, but this sword is just so comfortable and natural to me that it really does seem that simple. |
No offense taken. I just wondered about gripping the pommel because my hands seem proportionally wider than some others'. I'd guess that I probably need 7-8" to get both hands fully on the grip.
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Gary Grzybek
Location: Stillwater N.J. Joined: 25 Aug 2003
Posts: 559
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| Posted: Mon 30 Jan, 2006 3:34 pm Post subject: |
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| R. D. Simpson wrote: | | Greyson Brown wrote: | | Sorry if that comes across as flippant, but this sword is just so comfortable and natural to me that it really does seem that simple. |
No offense taken. I just wondered about gripping the pommel because my hands seem proportionally wider than some others'. I'd guess that I probably need 7-8" to get both hands fully on the grip. |
A common misconception is that wheel pommels do not allow for comfortable gripping of the pommel. I think this idea is distorted due to the fact that many poorly researched repro's have oversized pommels to help balance a blade that is too heavy. They also leave out small details in the shape that make them harder to grip. A properly made pommel should at least allow you to partially grip it without any discomfort. Most Albions I've either handled or currently own with wheel pommels feel just fine.
Gary Grzybek
ARMA Northern N.J.
www.armastudy.org
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Addison C. de Lisle
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| Posted: Mon 30 Jan, 2006 3:54 pm Post subject: |
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My first sword was a Crecy, and I absolutely love it. I too feel it is a *bit* shorter than my ideal (I'm 6'3"), but I disagree about the handle. My hands fit on just fine, but I do notice that gripping the pommell is a very natural thing to do when I'm playing with...I mean testing the balance
Of course I have no prior hands-on experience or training with swords, so I could be completely mistaken...
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R. D. Simpson
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| Posted: Mon 30 Jan, 2006 4:34 pm Post subject: |
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So, at the risk of repeating myself, is there any particularly useful way to grip the pommel, or do you just grab the thing?
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Gary Grzybek
Location: Stillwater N.J. Joined: 25 Aug 2003
Posts: 559
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| Posted: Mon 30 Jan, 2006 4:59 pm Post subject: |
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| R. D. Simpson wrote: | | So, at the risk of repeating myself, is there any particularly useful way to grip the pommel, or do you just grab the thing? |
It really depends on the pommel. If it's a wheel with a raised center you can slip your pinky and ring finger over and against the raised area. Some wheels allow you to grip them almost entirely in your hand, especially if they have flat surfaces and are of smaller diameter. This will not only give you more leverage by moving your hands father apart but also more control over the alignment of the edge. You will find what works best for you by trying different things. This also depends on the sword, your personal style and physique
Gary Grzybek
ARMA Northern N.J.
www.armastudy.org
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Bill Grandy
myArmoury Team
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| Posted: Mon 30 Jan, 2006 7:06 pm Post subject: |
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I totally agree with Gary. Just to add to what he said, your grip will subtly change depending on the type of cuts you're making, or what guard you're in. Since R.D. brought up German longsword, a perfect example is striking a zwerchau from vom tag. When you make that cut, in order to keep the edge alignment, the pommel will just slightly rotate in your hand.
Though I did want to point out that not everybody grips the pommel. There were many period masters that advocated or illustrated longswords being held by the grip only.
HistoricalHandcrafts.com
-Inspired by History, Crafted by Hand
"For practice is better than artfulness. Your exercise can do well without artfulness, but artfulness is not much good without the exercise.” -anonymous 15th century fencing master, MS 3227a
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Jeremiah Swanger
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| Posted: Tue 31 Jan, 2006 12:19 am Post subject: |
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| Roger Hooper wrote: |
Thanks, Nathan. That's just a touch too short. I need a seven inch minimum grip length for two hands without having to slip one onto the pommel. |
The grip on my bastard sword is barely six inches, so I have to grip the pommel. I have found that wheels work better for this than scent-stoppers, because wheels nestle neatly in the palms of my (fairly) meaty hands. I find it much more comfortable than the comments on the forums suggest...
"Rhaegar fought nobly.
Rhaegar fought valiantly.
Rhaegar fought honorably.
And Rhaegar died."
- G.R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire
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Gary Grzybek
Location: Stillwater N.J. Joined: 25 Aug 2003
Posts: 559
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| Posted: Tue 31 Jan, 2006 5:40 am Post subject: |
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| Bill Grandy wrote: | I totally agree with Gary. Just to add to what he said, your grip will subtly change depending on the type of cuts you're making, or what guard you're in. Since R.D. brought up German longsword, a perfect example is striking a zwerchau from vom tag. When you make that cut, in order to keep the edge alignment, the pommel will just slightly rotate in your hand.
Though I did want to point out that not everybody grips the pommel. There were many period masters that advocated or illustrated longswords being held by the grip only. |
And a very helpful addition it is
Gary Grzybek
ARMA Northern N.J.
www.armastudy.org
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