[Björn Hellqvist]

I visited Peter Johnsson today, and had the opportunity to handle six Albion-made swords. As I had only handled Peter’s prototypes for the Museum Collection’s ”Brescia” and ”Solingen”, it was the first time I handled the production swords. I was blown away! Keep in mind that I’ve handled about a hundred antique swords, about a dozen of them very well-preserved real medieval swords from some of the major collections, plus about a hundred different production swords by over half a dozen European, Asian, and American makers. I’ve collected swords for 15 years, and thought I had seen it all. The Albion swords felt like the real thing, and blew the repro stuff out of the water!

Some of you might have noticed that I haven’t posted here as much this year as I used to. The reason is a sword burn-out, where I felt that the subject had lost much of what initially attracted me to it. But after handling the Albion swords, I felt rejuvenated. These are the real thing! The beautiful proportions, the subtle shaping of the sharp edges, the crisp fullers (or in one case, the crisp hollow-grind), the hilt components, the grip wrap… Albion has succeded in translating Peter’s designs and prototypes into real fighting swords that convey the ”PJ” feel. I’ve known Peter for over ten years, and handled many of his custom swords, and feel confident in my claim that if you buy an Albion sword, you get a custom-class production sword, thanks to the extensive design and prototype process headed by Peter, and the excellent work by the Albion staff. It is a mistake to think that ”production” equals ”machine-made”, as the final grinding, polish, and assembly are made by hand. Handling the swords, I didn’t experience the mass-produced feel that many other brands display. Peter showed me a CNC-ground blade blank, and it was then I realized what a true master Jason is at hand-finishing the blades. There's a lot more work put into it than meets the eye. Crisp, even and with perfect edges, they were in a league of their own, and coupled with the superior hilt wrap and the hand-finished hilt components, they formed a perfect whole.

I handled the ”Regent”, the ”Duke”, the ”Knight”, the ”Ritter”, the ”Vinland” and the ”Clontarf”. I must say that Albion has got these swords down pat. All of them handled beautifully, and I feel supremely confident in endorsing the whole line. The ”Ritter” gave me the same feeling as I got when I handled a Fairburn-Sykes British commando dagger for the first time: this weapon means business - a real fighting tool! The all too common feel when handling a production sword, that it is ”almost but not quite” a real sword, wasn’t there. It was a 100% real sword. Simply put: at the prices asked, you get a superior product. They would still be worth it if Albion asked 50% more for the swords. Compared to production swords half that price, the Albion swords aren’t twice as good – they are ten times as good! But the good stuff didn’t stop there. I handled the prototype for a Messer, and I must say that the test-cutting crowd is up for a real treat. By pure chance, Eric McHugh phoned Peter while I was there, and I got the chance to personally convey my congratulations on a job very well done. I repeat what I said to him: My hat is off to Albion. This stuff rocks!

[Patrick Kelly]

Nice to hear from you Bjorn.

Now you know why we've been so excited!

[Joachim Nilsson]

Yup, gotta love that prototype Messer. What a lovely little piece of... CHOP CHOP!

[Jason Dingledine]

[Joachim Nilsson]

[Joe Fults]

They are even more fun to kill pool noodles with than they are too look at.

[Björn Hellqvist]

[Michael Sigman]

Thank you so much Bjorn for the compliments. You don't know how much that means to us. You really made a bunch of people's days in Wisconsin with your comments. We ALL appreciate it!!!!

[Patrick Kelly]

[Gary Grzybek]