Posts: 717 Location: Wisconsin, USA
Tue 23 Aug, 2005 4:55 am
Brian M wrote: |
Anyone care to post a pic of X.15? I really need to pick up a copy of Records.
Howy, if you care to answer this, will there be a Museum Line version of the Xa.1, or is the NG version likely the only one we will see?
Brian M |
Hey Brian!
Yes, we do plan to do a Museum Line version of Xa.1 -- but it will not be officially announced until the end of the year.
Best,
Howy
Posts: 285
Fri 02 Sep, 2005 8:42 am
Howard, your initial post states that all of the swords in the contest weren't up yet. Are they now? If not when will we see the rest?
Posts: 129 Location: East Bay California
Thu 08 Sep, 2005 11:51 am
Landsknecht question
Howard, any more info on the new designs coming out? I love the look of the two Landsknechts but would like some rough stats on them. When are you going to list them on your site?
And by all means ....WHAT ELSE are you bringing out??????
Inquiring minds want to know :lol:
Cheers
Dave
Posts: 1,757 Location: Storvreta, Sweden
Thu 08 Sep, 2005 1:35 pm
Re: Landsknecht question
David Lannon wrote: |
Howard, any more info on the new designs coming out? I love the look of the two Landsknechts but would like some rough stats on them. When are you going to list them on your site?
And by all means ....WHAT ELSE are you bringing out??????
Inquiring minds want to know :lol:
Cheers
Dave |
I am still working on some of the concept drawings.
Itīs a varied bunch I might say, but I wonīt say more than that just right now. ;) :D
Best
peter
Posts: 129 Location: East Bay California
Thu 08 Sep, 2005 4:04 pm
OK
Ok Peter that was just a TEASE :lol: A question about the Zwiehanders though. are these going to be true two handers or more of a large war sword such as A&A's German Bastard Sword? I am hoping more for the former as I like the big MANLY swords :D
Cheers
Dave Lannon
Posts: 556 Location: Central PA
Thu 08 Sep, 2005 11:58 pm
Re: OK
David Lannon wrote: |
I am hoping more for the former as I like the big MANLY swords :D
|
Yeah, I suppose these swords can be thought of as "manly"...
...
... unless, of course, you happen to be compensating for something! :p
Posts: 1,606 Location: Chicago, Illinois
Sat 10 Sep, 2005 11:49 am
WOW! That #1 sure is cool.... another sword to buy!
Posts: 90
Mon 12 Sep, 2005 7:07 pm
LaTenes perhaps? Or are those strictly next year?
Posts: 50 Location: NW Montana
Mon 19 Sep, 2005 9:50 am
Somewhere in one of these threads I believe that someone from Albion said that the plan was to release approx. two new sword models per month. I just looked at the new release schedule on the Albion website and note that there are 13 new swords scheduled for release either in the fall of '05 or late '05, as well as a number in early '06. This is just in the Next Gen lineup, doesn't include the sparring blades or anyting in the Museum or Squire lines. But in looking back at the recent new releases, the most recent one that I can find is the Berserkr which came out in late July. Have any been released since then? Nearly 2 months has passed since that one came out. Are we, in a realistic way, able to anticipate the release of 13 different models/varieties within the next three months?
Posts: 4,393 Location: Northern California
Mon 19 Sep, 2005 10:23 am
Robert B. Allison wrote: |
Somewhere in one of these threads I believe that someone from Albion said that the plan was to release approx. two new sword models per month. I just looked at the new release schedule on the Albion website and note that there are 13 new swords scheduled for release either in the fall of '05 or late '05, as well as a number in early '06. This is just in the Next Gen lineup, doesn't include the sparring blades or anyting in the Museum or Squire lines. But in looking back at the recent new releases, the most recent one that I can find is the Berserkr which came out in late July. Have any been released since then? Nearly 2 months has passed since that one came out. Are we, in a realistic way, able to anticipate the release of 13 different models/varieties within the next three months? |
Well, the path to true love never did run smooth, as they say.
Give them a break. This stuff isn't easy and can't always conform to the timetable
Posts: 50 Location: NW Montana
Mon 19 Sep, 2005 12:18 pm
Roger Hooper wrote: |
Well, the path to true love never did run smooth, as they say.
Give them a break. This stuff isn't easy and can't always conform to the timetable |
In honesty, I wasn't being facetious or even critical, more just curious.
Posts: 5,739 Location: Wichita, Kansas
Mon 19 Sep, 2005 12:20 pm
Robert posed an honest question. Let the maker answer it, and let them defend themselves.
Posts: 1,757 Location: Storvreta, Sweden
Mon 19 Sep, 2005 1:00 pm
I think someone at Albion is better suited to answer this as I am located a bit away form the workshop. I suspect however that they are pretty busy at the moment and find it hard to keep up with posts at the forum... :)
I know some things about what has been causing delays in the time table: new wax & molding routines: new molds have been made for swords already in production and that has taken time from molding newly produced hilt waxes.
Also, perhaps more importanlty, some further adjustments of blade-prototypes (my fault!) has delayed some of the swords scheduled for production for some time now. There is a limit to how many swords Steve can develop and program in any given time. Changes will tend to bunch up his production shedule...
As he NG line has grown we have also put higher demands for quality of the swords and also seek smoothness in production. That has made it necessary to adjust some routines, forcing a new ship to be built while it sails across the ocean, so to speak.
New methods & new molds will make sure for smaller tolerances and better output, but it has been taxing for the R&D of swords currently in development.
I am very sorry to see this, and I know the folks at Albion are bending backwards to keep the time table. There are now several swords close to being presented. I have shipped a number of wax oringinals that are in various stages from molding to being cast as I write this. In the coming period I think we will see a number of new swords being finished in rahter rapid succession.
It is no excuse, but perhaps an explanation.
Thanks
Peter
Posts: 570 Location: Gothenburg/Sweden
Mon 19 Sep, 2005 1:17 pm
FWIW:
I placed an order for a
Poitiers with Albion yesterday and at the same time asked Mike on a rough estimate when it and the Agioncourt I already have on order would be available? I recvied the following reply:
Quote: |
I am hoping to see this and the Agincourt in steel next month. We have waxes out to the foundry so we are
just waiting on castings. |
/Daniel
Posts: 717 Location: Wisconsin, USA
Mon 19 Sep, 2005 1:37 pm
Robert B. Allison wrote: |
Somewhere in one of these threads I believe that someone from Albion said that the plan was to release approx. two new sword models per month. I just looked at the new release schedule on the Albion website and note that there are 13 new swords scheduled for release either in the fall of '05 or late '05, as well as a number in early '06. This is just in the Next Gen lineup, doesn't include the sparring blades or anyting in the Museum or Squire lines. But in looking back at the recent new releases, the most recent one that I can find is the Berserkr which came out in late July. Have any been released since then? Nearly 2 months has passed since that one came out. Are we, in a realistic way, able to anticipate the release of 13 different models/varieties within the next three months? |
Hey Robert!
Very valid question with a fairly simple answer: since May we have lost 5 staff people, all in production, for various reasons. We have hired 2 new folks - one has started and another will start in about a week and a half. As a result, people like Eric (responsible for R&D for Albion swords) has been working in production for the last several weeks to help keep swords being built, Jason has been both grinding and assembling swords, and other folks have had to jump in to other jobs.
On the good side, this "retooling" has given us an opportunity to take a fesh look at how we do things. Carl, for example, who joined us in July to work in cutlering, is now using his past experience to make our waxes and molds better.
On the bad side, it has caused our schedule to slip badly -- but we are recovering. Several new models will be introduced over the next few weeks as the first castings for those models come back from the foundry, such that I hope by the end of the year that we will be back on track to release one or two new models a month on a regular basis.
When we set the new target dates on the website, we set them pretty generously, hoping to beat those public deadlines by a good bit. If luck is with us, we will.
Best,
Howy
Posts: 252 Location: The Netherlands
Mon 19 Sep, 2005 1:46 pm
Howard Waddell wrote: |
Robert B. Allison wrote: | Somewhere in one of these threads I believe that someone from Albion said that the plan was to release approx. two new sword models per month. I just looked at the new release schedule on the Albion website and note that there are 13 new swords scheduled for release either in the fall of '05 or late '05, as well as a number in early '06. This is just in the Next Gen lineup, doesn't include the sparring blades or anyting in the Museum or Squire lines. But in looking back at the recent new releases, the most recent one that I can find is the Berserkr which came out in late July. Have any been released since then? Nearly 2 months has passed since that one came out. Are we, in a realistic way, able to anticipate the release of 13 different models/varieties within the next three months? |
Hey Robert!
Very valid question with a fairly simple answer: since May we have lost 5 staff people, all in production, for various reasons. We have hired 2 new folks - one has started and another will start in about a week and a half. As a result, people like Eric (responsible for R&D for Albion swords) has been working in production for the last several weeks to help keep swords being built, Jason has been both grinding and assembling swords, and other folks have had to jump in to other jobs.
On the good side, this "retooling" has given us an opportunity to take a fesh look at how we do things. Carl, for example, who joined us in July to work in cutlering, is now using his past experience to make our waxes and molds better.
On the bad side, it has caused our schedule to slip badly -- but we are recovering. Several new models will be introduced over the next few weeks as the first castings for those models come back from the foundry, such that I hope by the end of the year that we will be back on track to release one or two new models a month on a regular basis.
When we set the new target dates on the website, we set them pretty generously, hoping to beat those public deadlines by a good bit. If luck is with us, we will.
Best,
Howy |
Ouch!! Loosing people in production is pretty bad in itself, but 5 at once!! Very sorry to hear that Howy, but I'm glad you guys are getting back on track. :)
I only wish I had some more money to spend. My Knight needs some company, and I think both the Gaddhjalt and the Reeve would make great companions for it. :D
Posts: 50 Location: NW Montana
Mon 19 Sep, 2005 2:01 pm
Thanks to Howy and Peter for their answers to my question, and I suspect that there are more than a few of us eager to see the new items that will be coming on line in the next few weeks/months. You guys fabricate wonderful product and any impatience in we consumers that you might detect is simply because we want more of it!!
Posts: 717 Location: Wisconsin, USA
Mon 19 Sep, 2005 2:21 pm
Robert B. Allison wrote: |
Thanks to Howy and Peter for their answers to my question, and I suspect that there are more than a few of us eager to see the new items that will be coming on line in the next few weeks/months. You guys fabricate wonderful product and any impatience in we consumers that you might detect is simply because we want more of it!! |
I see eager anticipation as a good thing! We are very lucky to have folks watching and waiting for the new models.
To answer part of your question that I missed, what you will see in the next three months (with luck):
Agincourt
Poitiers
Talhoffer
Aquilifer
Allectus
Pedite
Hospitaller
Reeve
Thegn
Bayeux
(not necessarily in that order)
Hope that helps.
Best,
Howy
Posts: 8,310 Location: Montreal,Quebec,Canada
Mon 19 Sep, 2005 2:59 pm
Howard;
The pace of new stuff becoming available has been impressive and having to run in place for a while or stop to catch your breath shouldn't be perceived as a bad thing.
Maintaining and even improving your already excellent quality control is more important than to rush new product out the door at the risk of trying to do too much too soon and doing it badly.
Naturally replacing 5 people at once is a temporary hick-up you might have been glad to have avoided.
Your reputation for AAA quality work is something you can't put at risk because this is what assures your longterm success.
In any case, it would be very short sighted for your customers, who want you still around making new toys for them for years to come, to insist on your keeping to an impossible schedule ;) :lol:
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