[Bob Burns]

I am thrilled beyond expectations and words with this sword! For such a huge beast of a sword it sure handles easily and it's all I can do to put it down. I have had two main focuses this year for swords, although I did buy a couple more, 2 from Arms & Armor and the Paul Chen Godfred Viking Sword.
Now to see to my other priority when it is ready, the Albion Swords "Vassal" (Falchion), this will be the "Beauty" addition, the Claymore was the "Beast" addition. "Beauty and the Beast" year.

It's amazing to me that a 56 inch 5 lb 6 oz sword can be wielded with such little effort, at the same time I can feel the awesome power in this sword!

Oh Happy Day!

Bob

Ah, now to the "Vassal "!

[Felix Wang]

Congratulations! The Highland Claymore is a heck of a lot of sword, one which I admire greatly but lack the muscle to really use to its best advantage. The Falchion, now, that might be more personally intriguing. It sounds like you're having a banner year.

[Steve Grisetti]

Sounds like Robert Burns is feeling some of his Scottish roots, eh? Congratulations on your claymore, Bob!

[Bob Burns]

Thank you so much Felix and Steve Felix, this sword although it is a beast, it's surprisingly light for the size. I have moderate (which is pretty bad) arthritis all thru my spinal column, including 2 minor hernias in cervical (neck) and 2 minor hernias in the lumbar (lower back), bone spurs here and there, a partial tear in the supraspinatus of both shoulders, arthritis in both shoulders and I do not have a problem wielding this sword. How did I wind up in such bad shape? Well, like an idiot, I tried to be a 25 year old athlete for way too many years. One thing though, I do not pity myself nor am I angry about it. I was the cause of these problems, no one else, and it was not genetic nor systemic, so I only have myself to blame. Anyway, to arrest myself from going off on a tangent here, I have the proper medications, etc. so that I am back to living a life wherein the pain is under control and I feel a whole lot better! One last thing on this, my orthopedic surgeon upon being inquired of, told me that swordplay would be very good for my back, neck and shoulders. I really appreciate your kind and thoughtful reply Felix, thank you!

Yeah Steve I do have a bit of Scotch in me, my dad was Irish and Scottish and there is Scottish blood on my mother's ancestry as well. I spent 7 compulsive years on my maternal ancestry and found 3 lines to Edward I King of England. That and a dollar oughta get me a cup of coffee.

Even if I were not Scottish I would have wanted a claymore though, as I consider the Scotch to be a very proud and courageous people and I have always had a deep admiration for William Wallace, even before the movie was made.
I also like to represent a lot of cultures in my collection.

Also, the claymore is one of the best known swords by people who are not into swords and it's one that has always attracted me. I've handled several claymores, but none by a company near the caliber of Arms & Armor.

Suffice to say, it's all I can do to put this claymore down in order to go to the bathroom this weekend!

I love, love, love this sword!

Thanks guys a whole bunch, really, your warm replies really felt good my fellow Knights!

Most Sincerely your friend and comrade!

Bob

[Jean Thibodeau]

Congratulations Bob on the Claymore, as you know I have the slightly bigger 15th century 2 hander ( Couldn't resist. )

And I feel the same way about handling: Almost useable with one hand, a " hand and 3/4 " sword maybe.

Good that the sword handling is actually " good " for you and not only safe for you to do. Probably helps with range of motion and flexibility and if you don't try to cut large oak trees in half, should be low " impact " exercise.

Impressive swords though !

Been weight training on & off, mostly ON, since 1984 ( Terminator movie got me started. ) and apart from the occasional
locking up of my back and a " slowmotion " sprain of my left ankle when I put too much weight on the leg press machine I have been lucky with not getting any injuries or wearing down my joints: But then I always undertrain ! Do less, but keep doing it for ever as opposed to being too enthusiastic and quitting after a few weeks until the next year's new year's resolution.

[Bob Burns]

Hi Jean, yeah but your sword tapers more towards the distal. Actually Jean, I drove myself bananas for months over whether to get the 15th Century Two Hander or the Claymore. Then I drove myself nuts once I decided upon the claymore as to whether I wanted some minor customization to get it to the length of 62 inches. Why? Because I am Nuts!
Part of what led me to the Arms & Armor Claymore over the 15th Century was that most of my swords are some kind of combination of "cut and thrust" and the 3 Ring Italian Rapier which of course is designed for the thrust, however I did not have one dedicated "cutting" sword and I love cutting swords. I finally decided not to ask for the claymore to be customized because as my wife said: "Bob the sword is 56 inches long, how _ _ _ _ _ _ _ long do you need it to be?!" After absorbing this statement I knew I was being completely nuts again and decided "Why mess with a sword that Arms & Armor long ago perfected?"

Jean, thank you for your most kind words in regard to my back, that was very thoughtful of you! Back in my obsessive work out days at one point I lifted free weights maniacly for 7 years and I am sure I did a lot of damage then. Something that keeps me far from self pity is to give deep thought to all the people who have far more serious medical problems and they did nothing to cause them. Diseases like cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, genetic diseases, our courageous military personnel who lost their lives or are from back at the time of WWII, Korea, Vietnam, to the present and are living without limbs, sight, horribly burned. The military personnel right this very minute in harms way and in great personal danger because they were selfless enough to volunteer into the military and protect our citizens.

I think of these people and you know what? I am damn lucky!

By the way, I really love that 15th Century Two Hander, I have handled it numerous times at the Bristol Renaissance Fair here on the IL / WI border and it is every bit as gorgeous as the Claymore!

Jean, have you ever taken a look at that Arms & Armor Zweihander on the "Custom" page? Wowser!

Well I am loving my Claymore and am spending a lot of time thinking about how gorgeous that Albion Swords "Vassal" (Falchion) is going to be, also I cannot get the Albion Berserkr out of my mind either! I've handled that one several times and all I can say is "SWEET! Oh So Very SWEET"!

Thank you very much once again Jean, my fellow Knight and buddy!

Bob

[Jean Thibodeau]

[Joe Fults]

[Jean Thibodeau]

[Joe Fults]

Just go ahead and plunge.

Since your buying will remove temptations for the rest of us, just consider it a public service.

[Edward Hitchens]

Congrats on your new claymore Bob! By the way, have you ever read .....

http://swordforum.com/fall99/aa-100-claymore.html

-Ted

[Nathan Robinson]

[Bob Burns]

Thanks Ed and Nathan, yes I read this a couple weeks ago, MAC sent it to me, I guess the sword used to be 2 inches longer since the article says 58 inches? Thank you too Joe! I really put a whole lot of thought into this sword.
Of the "Big Boy Swords" there is a swordsmith here who made a custom Damascus steel zweihander that is gorgeous beyond mere words, he also did a basket hilt broadsword. Someday, someway, I would love to be able to commission him to make me a damascus zweihander like the one he made, but it's an awful lot of money for me, though it's worth every dime, just a whole lot of money for me.

Thanks everyone for the warm messages, especially, it was tough to come up with the money but I made it happen. So your congrats to me means a real lot to me!

Much Thanks!

Bob