[Tiff H.]

So I am planning to start some work on I.33, what would be the recommended equipment?

For the sword, I found
Albion: I.33 Sword http://www.albion-swords.com/swords/albion/ma...ce-I33.htm
Arms and Armor: Scholar Sword http://www.arms-n-armor.com/train207.html
Are there any good, cheaper options?

For the buckler, I'm not sure which to get! I found these. What size buckler should I get too, 9", 12", or 15"?
http://www.windrosearmoury.com/zc/index.php?m...cts_id=557
http://www.alcheminc.com/bucklers.html
http://www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=...+-+12+Inch

So I hope to get a decent set of equipment for myself. I also am thinking of starting up a club at my college for this, where would they be able to buy a decent sword and buckler that they would be able to purchase for a low price?

Also say I got the Albion I.33 sword and someone else got a sword of lesser quality and we were sparring. Would it harm my sword?

Thanks!

[Elling Polden]

Good quality swords tend to notch low quality swords, not the other way around, so no worries there. I have never tried the A&As, but the Albion I.33 is a good sword. We generally use narrow (3,8-1,9 cm) Armour Class swords. They

The 12" buckler should be suitable for most.

[Jean Thibodeau]

Well there is also this one by Mercenary Tailor's:

http://www.merctailor.com/catalog/product_inf...ucts_id=57

Well built but not too heavy and at 11" it's a good size and the price is reasonnable for very good quality.

Some favour the smaller bucklers as these are easier for the sword to manoeuvre around but larger ones could be seen as slightly more defensive.

On the other hand going too big one gets away from the idea of a buckler and closer to a target or rondache shield in size and maybe slower and heavier.

As to sword damage the lesser quality swords tend to get chewed up and barely making a mark on the better swords.

[Craig Shackleton]

I do a lot of work with I.33. My preferred bucklers are the Merc Tailor 11" steel buckler and the Alchem 11" buckler. The GDFB buckler is way to heavy. I haven't used the windrose one, so can't comment.

I like both the A+A scholar sword and the Albion I.33, about equally. Both are excellent.

Until I saw the recent thread on tangs breaking, I would have recommended the tinker hanwei's as a possible cheaper alternative. I have handled a few but don't own one.

I do use Alchem's "scarf swords" for I.33 as well. They don't look as nice as the Albion or A+A, and they are less accurate in terms of weight and balance, but they are perfectly useable and IMO are safer due to their greater flex in the blade. I'd put a safety tip on the end though. And although they are much, much cheaper, they are every bit as durable as the A+A and Albion swords, even when used against them (as I do regularly).

Honestly, Alchem is my one stop entry level I.33 shop. Not pretty in terms of historically accurate appearance, but inexpensive, well-made, durable, effective and safe.

One word of caution: waiting times vary. Tell him how soon you need it and he will tell you if it's possible. If you don't tell him, expect him to take his time.

[Sander Marechal]

[Tiff H.]

Thanks guys!

So the Albion and A&A swords seems to be about the same, same with the Alchem and Merc buckler. I might go with Alchem since it's cheaper. Is there much of a difference between these two bucklers?

I couldn't find the scarf sword on the Alchem site until I googled it. I'll look into that for the cheaper alternative. Is there a cheaper alternative for bucklers too?

What is the difference between the Hanwei Tinker Norman sword and the Hanwei Practical Norman sword(also the practical knightly sword) And the Tinker Pearce Blunted Single Hand Sword?

[Craig Shackleton]

The MT buckler is nicer looking than the alchem. I don't know that it is actually more historical, but it is more handcrafted and made with traditional means. It also has a pad glued in behind the boss/umbo. The grip is twisted steel bar.

The Alchem is well made but you can see the ripples in the metal where it has been spun rather than dished or raised. The grip is wood dowel bolted on with carriage bolts. No attempt is made to disguise the modern manufacture.

One other significant difference, though, is that the body of the MT buckler is flat, and the grip protrudes in a small arch, whereas the alchem buckler is convex (like the images in I.33) and the grip is straight across the boss. I personally prefer the handling characteristics and coverage provided by the alchem buckler somewhat. It isn't a huge difference.

I bought three bucklers from Alchem several years ago, and then two years ago bought twelve more. The overall quality had gone up, except that the dowel handle was a bit thicker. I like my old ones better in that regard.

Note that my first one has been abused to hell and back, but I still use it regularly.

I have not found a cheaper buckler than the alchem that I would use for I.33. They are out there, but they are either way to heavy or way to flimsy in my experience (in fact, so are some of the more expensive ones). Honestly, the alchem is simply the best value for money, unless you are specifically after historical accuracy. (IMO)

Typically the tinker hanwei line tends to be lighter and better balanced than the hanwei practical line, but looking at the stats of the norman versions on KoA, they seem to be opposite in this case. The tinkers also have more flex but narrower points and thinner edges. I have had older generation practical knightly swords and found them very unweildy. The tinker medieval swords I've handled have been fine, but apparently there have been some isolated incidents of tang failure. Still, if you buy from KoA, they will typically solve problems like this if it happens to you. And a tang break is in my opinion less bad than a blade break.

[Tiff H.]

Thanks for the info Craig! Very helpful.

And I welcome more input from others