[Jean Thibodeau]

[D. S. Smith]

Thanks for the added insight Zach. Of the four I've mentioned the Crecy has definitely gotten the most votes so far if we use this thread as an informal poll.

Jean, thanks for the recommendation for KoA. I've decided that I'm going to make every attempt to see them in person before I make my final descision, even if it means travelling. But when the time comes to order one I'll definitely remember KoA as a good option.

[Roger Hooper]

If you are willing to go from California to Illinois to visit KOA, you might as well go up to New Glarus to see Albion - call them to arrange a tour.

[D. S. Smith]

[Brian K.]

[D. S. Smith]

[T. Arndt]

You know- If you are going to New Glarus, you might plan a trip like this:

1. Fly into Minneapolis
1.A. Visit Arms & Armor

2. Drive to New Glarus
2.A Stop at the Castle Rock Museum (of Arms & Armor) In Alma, WI

3. Proceed to drive on to New Glarus
3.A Visit Albion
3.B Visit the New Glarus Brewing Company (try some of the best beer in the world)

Luckily I live near these businesses, but if I did not, this would be a fantastic vacation!
If you are coming all the way from California you might as well as make the most of it.

Here is a google route.
P.S. You might talk to Michael P. and see if you can visit him too since he is on the way.

[Greg Ballantyne]

Very interesting reading, I'm thinking about that vacation myself. D.S.Smith, there is a rather glaring error in your reasoning, that's the bit about the one and only sword. Once you have the first one in your possession the second won't be far behind....

[Jean Thibodeau]

[Craig Peters]

Actually, his situation is worse than you think. Because he's going to visit Brian, who has numerous Albions, he is going to find multiple swords, some of which he never even knew that he might like, that he appreciates. It's going to be a flood gate from the get-go.

[Jean Thibodeau]

[D. S. Smith]

You guys crack me up.

It is very possible that my "one sword" thought process will eventually get turned on it's head (especially after viewing some of Brian's collection). But Jean, don't worry about even the possibility of me collecting cheap wall hangers. I have a curse that in every hobby I do I have to buy exceptional quality, even if it means saving for a long period of time. As an example, when I bought my latest model 1911 pistol, I could have bought a "cheap" Springfield Armory GI model for roughly $400. Instead I had the Springfield Custom Shop build me a pistol using Caspian, Ed Brown, and Wilson parts. In the end it was roughly $2,900. I'm not trying to sound snobby, or like I'm made of money, because I'm not. I just saved several years until I had enough to buy what I truly wanted. I don't "settle" for instant gratification when it comes to my hobbies.

[Jeremy V. Krause]

[D. S. Smith]

Well, I just got home from my 4 day motorcycle ride to Utah and back. I of course visited with my brother and his family, but the primary goal was to check out Brian Kunz' collection of Albions and his scabbards.

Let me start by saying that Brian is a true gentleman. He invited my brother and I into his home and took time out of his day to show us a wide variety of swords and answer my novice questions. Before I get on to the sword talk, let me also mention his scabbards. I've been drooling over them on his website, but even as good as the pictures are, they just don't do justice to the real thing. His scabbards are incredibly well made. The fit of every one I tried was unbelievable and his leatherworking skills are incredible. There is not a doubt in my mind that whichever sword I choose, I'll be ordering one of Brian's scabbards to complement it.

Now on the to the swords. I joked with Brian that my trip to Utah to see the swords in person was supposed to make choosing easier...not harder. Although he didn't have the exact swords on my list, he had their siblings so I could get a good idea of how they felt in hand. It left me with some surprising new insights.

So here was my list before (from page 1 of this thread):

Laird
Crecy
Squire
Burgundian

Thanks to seeing the swords in person, two of these are now off the list. The Squire (Brian actually had the Prince, which shares the same blade) is one of them. Although it was a nice sword, the blade style combined with a single hand hilt just didn't suit me. The second sword off the list is the Burgundian...but more on that later.

I checked out the Knight, which shares the blade as the Laird. The handling was truly excellent for a 1 hander. Probably my favorite feeling of the 1 handers Brian had (which were many). Even though I like the original cruciform crossguards, the knight was just a bit too plain for me. The added detail on the hilt of the Laird might make up for it.

OK, now on to what everyone's been waiting for....drumroll...the Crecy (haha OK, maybe it was only dramatic for me, and not you guys). The Crecy was hands down, 100%, no questions asked, the most strikingly beautiful of all the swords I saw. It was the very definition of what a sword should be in my book. Every line was perfect. The grip was comfortable to hold. BUT...it was the worst handling sword in the collection (in my beginner opinion)....(bangs head on table). It felt very blade heavy compared to the other swords, both 1 and 2 handers. It was probably a mistake to handle the Earl. The Earl, whose asthetics did not really suit my style, handled how I felt a 2 hand sword should. Handling-wise it was everything the Crecy wasn't. I couldn't believe they could make a sword so large and heavy feel so light, quick, and balanced.

But what the Earl did show me was that like Neil Langley said in the first page of this thread, the hollow grounds blades are beautiful in person. I'm also thinking (perhaps mistakenly) that the hollow ground blade is part of the reason behind the Earl's outstanding handling characteristics. So back to my original list, the Burgundian dropped off, but only to replaced by it's sister, the Kingmaker. Brian didn't have either of the hollow ground single handers, but from reading the stats on Albion's website, the Kingmaker seems like it would be well ballanced. The center of balance is closer to the cross guard than on similar length blades like the Squire/ Prince.

Sorry for the long post. So here's where I am at this point. If I get a single handed sword I believe I've decided on the Kingmaker. If I pick a longer sword I'll get the Crecy and just learn to live with the blade-heavy feel. As much as I hate to sound shallow, the looks of the Crecy are enough to overshadow it's handling.

[Luka Borscak]

Well, it seems that you like swords with very light feeling and PoB very close to the hilt.

[Joe Fults]

Your handling issue with the Crecy, in all honesty, is probably a function of inexperience using a wide array of swords and not fully appreciating its intended use. Figure its peak period of application, among the monied nobility at least, probably predates the Earl buy a good 100 years or more. Perhaps five or six generations of fighting men bringing innovation to the battlefield might separate them. Perhaps most importantly, full plate most likely does not dominate the battlefield at the Crecy's apogee so a bit more blade presence likely translates as more of a cutting sword and meshes with cutting technique nicely while still having the ability to thrust. By the time the Earl comes on the scene you're most likely just not cutting an armored opponent on the battlefield anymore (although not everyone is armored and level of armoring varies), so blade presence for cutting becomes less of an issue, and you may just want your sword to handle differently to compliment the technique you're now applying. Besides you're probably half swording.

As with all things this is a matter of degrees and preference still plays louder than anything else. Think of it in terms of your firearms background...different tools for different purposes and specific kinds tools dominate specific periods of history for good reasons. Some of these reasons are not immediately obvious until you build a base of experience with a range of tools. Then you get the a-hah moments!

That said the hollow grinding is beautiful and when Albion introduced their hollow ground models it was unprecedented in modern production blades. If it that's what calls to you, it would be an amazing stretch to call an Earl, Regent, or Kingmaker anything other than a great first choice!

[Paul B.G]

Well I have a Albion Crecy & a Scabbard from Brian and have to say that im very satisfied

Having said that dont think i will stop at just 1, im just biding by time b4 i order an Albion Knight and then after that I'm probably going to look into a Roman Gladius

[D. S. Smith]

Luke, you're correct. That is exactly the feel I like in a sword I've realized. Even though the trip may not have made the decision any easier, it was incredibly usefull to actually feel the different types in my hand. before that it was all guesswork and internet pictures.

Joe, you make a good point about the feel of the Crecy. For a slashing sword the slightly blade-heavy feel might be more comforting than a more balanced thrusting type blade. And like you said, having never used a sword, it might be premature to decide what handling characteristics I like.

I know I started this thread saying I would only have one sword. Like Jean said, famous last words. Maybe the solution is to get a Crecy and a Kingmaker. Then I will have my favorite longsword and my favorite 1 hander. And logically, the Crecy would have to come first. That way I can have it sooner to fondle while Brian makes the scabbard since he can do a sword-less scabbard (he'd need the Kingmaker to make the scabbard, which would delay my first sword being in my hot little hands ).

[D. S. Smith]

Well, I ordered my Crecy from albion this morning (black grip)! Thanks again for all the insight everyone here provided. I thought long and hard about it, even to the point of cutting wood stakes to the appropriate lengths of different models . The only sword that I can't stop thinking about is the Crecy. Everytime I told myself I was leaning towards something else I felt dissatisfied within a day or two. The Crecy just kept coming back to me.

This afternoon I'll be reserving a place in Brian's queue for a scabbard. My journey toward the dark side is almost complete.

[Jared Smith]