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D. Bell
Location: New Zealand Joined: 01 May 2004
Posts: 73
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 Posted: Sat 28 Jan, 2012 2:51 am Post subject: |
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I have to agree with D. S. Smith about the Knight - if Albion did not make it, I would have commissioned it. That said, of my five medieval swords from Albion, the Oakeshott is the hardest to put down, it just feels so alive, and the combination of hollow grinding and the long fuller makes the blade stand out from the pack. Other people have mentioned the Sovereign, and I certainly like mine, but personally I would rather have either of the Knight or Oakeshott.
An armed society is a polite society.
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F. Portman
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| Posted: Sat 28 Jan, 2012 8:07 am Post subject: |
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This exchange is exactly what I was hoping for when I posted the question, so thanks again. Every sword (and sword type) seems to have its advocate, and while that doesn't narrow down the field, I do feel I know more about what to consider simply from witnessing the advocacy.
That is indeed a great review of the Sheriff, JE Sarge, and I certainly am tempted by the XIVs. Your pictured Sovereign is simply gorgeous.
Aesthetically, though, I find the longer swords more appealing. And I suppose this prejudice toward the X / XII comes from the same place described by DS Smith, that is, simply a lifetime of picturing that type of sword in the hand of a knight, since childhood. I was drawn to that particular model simply because it seems like a "classic" iteration of this image; but that is not to say I'd necessarily prefer it to others of it's type. And in fact that's why I felt I needed help to narrow it down, and "handling" or feel was another important criterion that I couldn't judge from the pictures. I have heard others comment favorably on the Knight's handling, but it seems as though there's no obvious consensus.
P. Cha, I'm curious as to why the two XVIs are the obvious second to the XIVs in terms of aliveness-in-the-hand and not the other longer single-hand blade types. I quite like the aesthetics of those as well.
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Chad Arnow
myArmoury Team
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| Posted: Sat 28 Jan, 2012 8:26 am Post subject: |
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I have a Sovereign and love it. However, some people find it too short for their comfort level. I have cut with the Knight and love it. It's very responsive. I also reviewed the two XVI's for this site. They may be a little more nimble than the Sovereign, which doesn't mean either is better or worse. Since they are from different eras and are meant for different circumstances, they feel different. If I wanted another single-hander, they'd be high on the list.
ChadA
http://chadarnow.com/
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Eric G.
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| Posted: Sat 28 Jan, 2012 8:59 am Post subject: |
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| D. S. Smith wrote: |
The OP will have his own answer to this, but I'll tell you what speaks to ME about the knight...  In my mind it is the classic example of a medieval single hander. When I think of a knight swinging his sword from horseback, with a shield in the off-hand, the sword I picture is a Knight, and always has been (before I'd even heard of Albion). Secondly, it has little things that are appealing. For instance the octagonal cross section of the cross guard is very appealing to me compared to the Squire (for example) which is simply square. I love the looks of the type XVI blades like the squire, but only in a hand and a half length (like my Crecy). The single handed XVI's did not "speak" to me. I've got to go with the OP on this one. If the Kingmaker wasn't so high on my single-hander list, the Knight would be a no-brainer for the top pick. |
I can see the appeal here. Still, it seems to me that I have seen many swords that I could see as an iconic from horseback knightly sword. Albion has a lot of extraordinary pieces, and while I'm sure that this one handles like a dream I just don't see it really being unique enough to warrant being high on my list. Perhaps I'll change my mind some day... 
Eric Gregersen
www.EricGregersen.com
Knowledge applied is power.
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P. Cha
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| Posted: Sat 28 Jan, 2012 9:17 am Post subject: |
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| F. Portman wrote: | | P. Cha, I'm curious as to why the two XVIs are the obvious second to the XIVs in terms of aliveness-in-the-hand and not the other longer single-hand blade types. I quite like the aesthetics of those as well. |
Well you will have to realize that the list I said was in particular my personal judgement. The XIVs feel very alive in my hands and the XVIs have a pretty close mass distribution of their blade to the XIVs...just elongated out and so those would be the next most favored sword for me. The XIVs and XVIs hit that sweet spot of quickness and blade presense that makes the sword come alive in my hands.
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Paul Hansen
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| Posted: Sat 28 Jan, 2012 10:43 am Post subject: |
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Since we are on the subject, does anyone have any remarks on the Type XVIII and XIX blades?
I personally keep looking at the Machiavelli...
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Lloyd Winter
Location: Los Angeles Joined: 27 Aug 2011
Posts: 201
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| Posted: Sat 28 Jan, 2012 11:10 am Post subject: |
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My Kingmaker scabbard is being finished now.
Ask me in a couple of weeks
As for the original question, I have to throw in my vote for the type XIVs. I have a Sovereign and a Yeoman. The yeoman is new and I think I actually like it better than the Sovereign
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Roger Hooper
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| Posted: Sat 28 Jan, 2012 2:03 pm Post subject: |
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| Paul Hansen wrote: | Since we are on the subject, does anyone have any remarks on the Type XVIII and XIX blades?
I personally keep looking at the Machiavelli... |
I have a Condottiere. It's light, well balanced, handles well. Albion makes the best XIX's of anyone, especially if you count the beautifly done grooves on the ricasso. On the negative side, XIX's arent the most forgiving cutters around. You must hit the COP.
I have an Oakeshott and highly recommend it - beautiful sword - it sets the standard for High Medieval swords. (The Chevalier uses the same blade)
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Paul B.G
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| Posted: Sat 28 Jan, 2012 2:17 pm Post subject: |
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I’m only a spectator to this thread as l’m yet to own a single handed sword, however I’ve been keenly following as I’m very close to making the same decision myself.
I just want to through 2 swords out there as I’m surprised they didn’t get more notice in this thread, The Vigil and the Oakeshott.
http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=15953
sorry couldn’t find a good thread on the Oakeshott.
I know that both these swords and priced a bit above your favoured choice the Knight, but I’d love to see some discussion on them, for the record I’m close to ordering the knight myself
Paul
A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person
O====[::::::::::::::::::::::::::::>
Tho’ much is taken, much abides; and tho’
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
—Alfred Lord Tennyson, Ulysses
Last edited by Paul B.G on Sat 28 Jan, 2012 2:43 pm; edited 1 time in total
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F. Portman
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| Posted: Sat 28 Jan, 2012 2:32 pm Post subject: |
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Very interested in the Vigil, and the Oakeshott as well, as it is quite beautiful and spoken of so highly in this thread and others. Rather inconveniently (albeit fittingly) named, though, for searching purposes, as that particular combination and sequence of characters appears in every single bit of text of any kind written about any Western sword.
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Brian K.
Industry Professional
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Joined: 01 Jan 2008
Posts: 727
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| Posted: Sat 28 Jan, 2012 3:04 pm Post subject: |
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Having handled almost every single-handed sword Albion makes, I'd like to make a suggestion or two, or three.
My absolute favorite single-hander is the Chevalier. initially the pommel turned me off, but once acquired the pommel has grown on me and now I quite like it. Aesthetically, I love the guard and the blade is exquisite. As for performance, it's a wicked, nimble blade begging for action. It is a very lively blade, and I love the POB. In short, it's a perfectly balanced sword between fast, nimble and cutting.
(An alternative to the Chevalier would be the Oakshotte. While the guard is not as attractive to me, the same blade and balance is there and makes for a fine sword in itself.)
My second favorite is the Vigil. When I first picked this sword up, wielded it, I immediately felt like the sword was an extension of my arm. It begs to cut. While not as nimble as the Chevalier, it's a more punishing cutter while remaining agile enough to feel very lively. The spiral cord grip is a major turnoff though. It isn't attractive, and bare-handed it's quite uncomfortable. A regrip or the Chevalier grip would be necessary.
My third favorite would be the Knight, for many the same reasons as mentioned so many times before. If someone asks me what Albion I would recommend for introductory reasons, it would be the Knight. Preferably the Next Gen, but the squire is very nice, too.
These are just my opinions.
Brian Kunz
www.dbkcustomswords.com
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Bartek Strojek
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| Posted: Sat 28 Jan, 2012 3:16 pm Post subject: |
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Chevalier is absolutely beautiful, that's certain at least.
Combination of pommel, that nice leather wrap with somewhat more 'fancy' blade cross section makes it just 'swordy' to the limit IMO.
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Paul B.G
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| Posted: Sat 28 Jan, 2012 3:32 pm Post subject: |
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| Brian K. wrote: | Having handled almost every single-handed sword Albion makes, I'd like to make a suggestion or two, or three.
My absolute favorite single-hander is the Chevalier. initially the pommel turned me off, but once acquired the pommel has grown on me and now I quite like it. Aesthetically, I love the guard and the blade is exquisite. As for performance, it's a wicked, nimble blade begging for action. It is a very lively blade, and I love the POB. In short, it's a perfectly balanced sword between fast, nimble and cutting.
(An alternative to the Chevalier would be the Oakshotte. While the guard is not as attractive to me, the same blade and balance is there and makes for a fine sword in itself.)
My second favorite is the Vigil. When I first picked this sword up, wielded it, I immediately felt like the sword was an extension of my arm. It begs to cut. While not as nimble as the Chevalier, it's a more punishing cutter while remaining agile enough to feel very lively. The spiral cord grip is a major turnoff though. It isn't attractive, and bare-handed it's quite uncomfortable. A regrip or the Chevalier grip would be necessary.
My third favorite would be the Knight, for many the same reasons as mentioned so many times before. If someone asks me what Albion I would recommend for introductory reasons, it would be the Knight. Preferably the Next Gen, but the squire is very nice, too.
These are just my opinions. |
G’day Brien, thanks for chiming in with your hands on experience. Just reading the specifications can only get you so far, hands on experience is really the only way get to know a sword, and as I’m not in a position to handle a sword unless I buy it I really appreciate the opinions of those with the experience.
On a lighter side, but still a comparison point when “the world as we know it” ends in December this year which of the 3 swords are you going to grab? 
A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person
O====[::::::::::::::::::::::::::::>
Tho’ much is taken, much abides; and tho’
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
—Alfred Lord Tennyson, Ulysses
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Jeremy V. Krause
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| Posted: Sat 28 Jan, 2012 4:28 pm Post subject: |
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| F. Portman wrote: | | Very interested in the Vigil, and the Oakeshott as well, as it is quite beautiful and spoken of so highly in this thread and others. Rather inconveniently (albeit fittingly) named, though, for searching purposes, as that particular combination and sequence of characters appears in every single bit of text of any kind written about any Western sword. |
The last Albion I purchased was the Vigil and I had a hard time chosing between it and the Oakeshott. Both swords are fine examples of cut oriented designs in the age of mail (1100-1250).
I've never handled the Oakeshott so I can't give an informed opinion regarding it, but I understand it is a very fast sword that has an, "out there" feeling related to it's length and slender blade shape. Folks say it is even faster than the Knight which says something for such an earlier design.
The Vigil handles wonderfully and seamelessly combines a fair degree of manuverability, a broad profile, and thin cross-section, to produce an efficient system.
The Vigil has a very thin cross-section near the point section and is still quite thin at the COP. The blade has a tiny bit of "droopiness" to it when held out horizontally. It doesn't take much effort to bring the blade up to speed, and so this, in combination with the thin section and broad blade makes for a really scary weapon at least for anyone who would have been on the receiving end of the original!
When comparing the Vigil and the Knight, Peter Johnsson states that they handle similarly but that the Vigil has a more "mature" feeling. I would echo this. Both swords share a dynamic pressence but the Vigil is "more"- kind of like a Knight and-a-half. I am not staing that the Vigil handles "better" than the knight- I am trying to get across in words the impression that I have in comparing the two swords. I would characterize this "more" feeling as the broader blade, a bit more heftiness, and a bit more weight in the hand. Using the Vigil would be harder on the wrist given some time in practice, but make no mistake; both swords do respond to wrist movements and neither has the authority of a Templar, Norman, or Tritonia, which benefit from more complete sweeping motions. Though all of these examples are cavalry weapons IMO, the Norman, Tritonia, Templar, etc. are REALLY cavalry weapons.
I still think that the Knight would make an excellent first sword. Save more "specific" designs for later purchases. Keep in mind that I am reccommending this even though my personal tastes run earlier than the knight. Since you don't express a concrete historical era of interest I believe the Knight captures what many think of as the quintessential medieval sword. I would point out that there really isn't any "quintessential" medieval sword- the knight just captures what many of us would think of as that entity.
Last edited by Jeremy V. Krause on Sun 29 Jan, 2012 9:59 am; edited 2 times in total
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Brian K.
Industry Professional
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Joined: 01 Jan 2008
Posts: 727
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| Posted: Sat 28 Jan, 2012 7:59 pm Post subject: |
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| Paul B.G wrote: | | On a lighter side, but still a comparison point when “the world as we know it” ends in December this year which of the 3 swords are you going to grab? |
Whichever one I have a scabbard available for. 
Brian Kunz
www.dbkcustomswords.com
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F. Portman
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| Posted: Sun 29 Jan, 2012 1:35 pm Post subject: |
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Mr. Krause, I believe you summed up the situation aptly. I think of the Knight as the paradigmatic, basic form of the thing I'm most looking for, the others being more "specific." As for the specifics, I truly appreciate the input from you, Brian K., and others. Still a tough decision, but I do feel more informed.
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F. Portman
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| Posted: Mon 30 Jan, 2012 7:59 am Post subject: |
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JE Sarge, I just stumbled on this post with the details about the restoration of the Sovereign you mentioned in the present thread:
http://forum.sword-buyers-guide.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=4348
What a terrific story, and that certainly is a fine-looking sword.
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