[Michael Edelson]

This is a continuation of the review that was started in this thread:

http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=8914

This Saturday, the New York Historical Fencing Association held a cutting test using tatami omote from Keen Mirror, a retailer that rolls Mugen Dachi mats into cutting targets and sells them by the box. The mats were soaked overnight then allowed to dry for several hours before cutting. This gave me chance to test several of my swords, including the Albion Earl. I will break the results down into three categories; feel, results, and durability.



Feel
-----
We used both half mat and full mat targets, and I started with a half mat. I made several oberhau (cuts from overhead) at varying angles and all cut successfully. Initially, I tried to cut as I do in training, without cocking the sword back and with the sword moving first. Although I only practice cutting in this manner when I train, when it came time to cut tatami, I found that I could not generate sufficient power for a clean cut. Although the Earl did sever the half-mat, the mat was bent and flew off the stand a couple of times despite being cut. This is a deficiency in my technique, not in the Earl.

When I switched to full mats and allowed myself to cock back, the Earl came alive. Mats were cleanly severed, with both oberhau and unterhau (cuts from below). Although I had previously believed that thin (and consequently springy and flexible) swords were better for cutting, the Earl has changed my mind in this regard, as its stiffness helped to preserve its energy when striking the tatami. Its thickness and hollow grinds did make me feel as though I had to muscle it through the mats a little bit...this is not one of those thin competition swords that will effortlessly slice tatami but disintegrate on a botched cut.

In the first part of the review, I mentioned that I did not like the Earl's handling as much as that of other, lighter swords. I don't really feel that way anymore. For one thing, the shape of the Earl’s handle is very conducive towards maintaining proper edge alignment, which makes it a joy to cut with. Another reason is how the sword’s handling is transformed once you get used to it; the Earl presents two faces to its users; one face to those who first meet it, and the other to those who know it well. A swordsman can get used to any sword, but the Earl goes beyond that, it rewards you for doing so with superior handling.

My only complaint is in Albion's tendency to sometimes go for looks over function in the hilts, which may have been inherited from their medieval predecessors, or at least those with a taste for fancy furnishings. The Regent is a prime example of this, the Earl not so much (but still so). The grip on a longsword should be fluid during cutting, but with the Earl you have to keep the left hand high, lest it slides down onto the spikey part of the pommel and compromises your control of the sword.



Results
---------
The Earl cut cleanly and without the slightest damage to itself or even scratches in the finish. It did not lose edge sharpness to any noticeable or measurable degree. In analyzing video of the cuts, the Earl did not noticeably flex on impact, except on botched cuts (see below). I will not post the videos out of shame for how sloppy my form was in actuality compared to what I pictured in my mind. Maybe next time.


Durability
-------------

I made about 40 cuts in total, about 20 with the Earl, and I botched 2 of those 20. The botched cuts had good edge alignment and a lot of power but insufficient speed to finish the cut. In video analysis, I saw the Earl flex as it wanted to move past the point of impact, but due to the Earl's stiffness the flexing was relatively minor (compared to other swords I used).

The Earl not only survived everything I threw at it with grace, but it could have handled a lot more. This is a durable sword, with strong edges and a stiff spine that keeps it out of trouble.

One of the swords I used that day took a set from exactly the same botch I did with the Earl (I need work on my left side!). I'm not going to say which sword set, not even in PMs so don't ask. This is a review of the Earl, and the Earl is one tough sword.

Conclusion
------------
When I started cutting bottles with the Earl, I got the feeling that what it really wanted was something heavier, and I was right. The Earl, for a Western sword, excells at cutting tatami, and is tough enough that even a beginner can dare try it without fear of bending the sword. I was quite impressed with the Earl and have since added it to the list of swords that will never leave my collection.

[Jeremy G]

Sounds like fun! I love my Regent, and now I'm really starting to like the Earl...I'll be watching for more reviews! Oh, I like the little touch of gold around the top of the grip...looks nice!

[Jonathon Janusz]

Interesting read. I have a question in regards to your assessment of the Earl's hilt and handling. For your time spent cutting with the sword, were you wearing gauntlets, gloves, or barehanded? Do you think a variation in this would change your overall impressions?

Cheers

[Michael Edelson]

[Hugh Knight]

[Joe Fults]

Sounds like she's defintely grown on you Mike.

[Michael Edelson]

[Michael Edelson]

[Hugh Knight]

Hi Michael,

You're more than welcome to quote me on it... as long as you change the word "aling" to "align" and "propelry" to "properly" so I don't look like some sort of unlettered buffoon!

I saw this trend when I did JSA (years ago) and I see it even more now: People create a test they think has validity then change their technique to fit that test regardless of whether it reflects the realities of combat or not. You can probably hit hard enough win a fight by just snapping your hands into your target with no arm, hip or body action--there's no need to do these huge, overblown cuts. All they do is make for a bigger action that's easier to counter.

Regards,
Hugh
www.schlachtschule.org

[Rodolfo Martínez]

Hello Mike.

What kind of sword is the Earl, a type XVIIIb?
Can it be easily handled with one hand? (I mean, for horseback work.)

I was told that tatamis are more dense than human arms or bones, i cant´remember. But, if in a battle you give a powerful blow and don´t cut the entire member, reaching to the bone, you will have a very injured person. So, don´t worry too much, i don´t think that you don´t have an efficient technique. Remember that the guys that used those swords used to practise with them since very young. Maybe this is not very pertinent for the topic, but Longswords didn´t used to be very sharpened while being in the battlefield to prevent ruining the edges if choping against a plate armour or something else. (But still a blunt longsword can cut a green bambu)
The ultra-sharpened sword myth is derivated from the cutting power of razor edge katanas (Wich is as powerful as a razor edged longsword), but, during some japanese periods katanas and other sabers weren´t very sharpened to prevent the breaking of the sword after choping a do.

Excellent sword, excellent wielder, excellent results!
Cheers Mike.

P.D.

I was fencing with a friend with some improvised longsword wasters and most of the movements wich i performed were more like improvisation than real knowledge (Maybe a bit of luck too) and i defeated him several times. Technique is important, but during a battle, or a cut you can be lead my improvisation, and sometimes is really good. I´m not saying that the true masters aren´t good or something else. Remember that medieval and renaissance guys used to practise since very young, and maybe they could understand better than us the efficiency of that techniques (Wich are great). Apart from that, is good to try sometimes new things or new improvised techniques from your own light. I think that a good technique is the one wich keeps the enemy dead while keepeng you alive, so a not very elegant movement can be more deadly than a graceful one. (Please, don´t misunderstand me, I don´t want to go away very far from the historical fencing or something else)

Don´t worry, those tatamis are dead...

[Michael Edelson]

[Michael Edelson]

[Hugh Knight]

[Lancelot Chan]

I had the same thought too. However, my guess for the cause of the relatively thin European grips was because of the need to change the gripping method frequently during a fight. This thought came to me when I cross train the same technique with swords from different cultures. One may note that for European longsword, the grip thickness and width near the pommel was the smallest, almost circular in cross section. That means added with a scent stopper pommel, one would never feel the blade alignment with the left grip alone. Also, overall it was relatively diffcult to keep a hold on the blade alignment of longswords than on katana or jian with barehand. The grip of the longsword would tend to rotate within the palm. That was a big question to me until I realize that the thicker grip of some of the Asian swords would not allow as quick a change in the gripping method, such as switching from the hammer grip to the thumb on the blade grip depicted in German manuals or vice versa. Moreover, the left hand changes its gripping position even more often than the right hand did to give better power in some of the cuts that doesn't present in katana due to the lack of false edge.

Then of course, I also agree that as you said, with the thinnest gloves the grip's traction problem would be solved as well.

[Chad Arnow]