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Markus Haider
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Posted: Wed 22 Oct, 2003 6:09 am Post subject: Albion's Rouen |
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Since we have here a lot of people who visited Albion recently, I wondered if anyone handled the Rouen Hand-and-a-half? How does it compare to others like the Brescia?
It seems to be another sleeper at Albion, since I didn't find much about it on the net.
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Harlan Hastings
Industry Professional
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Posted: Wed 22 Oct, 2003 6:34 am Post subject: |
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Not much about it yet because it's still fairly new.
It is an amazingly agile sword. It's a bit shorter than the Brescia and just a touch wider at the hilt. Very handy with one hand and lots of room on the hilt for two. Both are relatively stiff blades. I have not cut yet with the Rouen but the Brescia is a demon, easily handling two mat rolls (and I have NO technique to speak of).
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Markus Haider
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Posted: Wed 22 Oct, 2003 1:18 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks Harlan. How long is the gripable area of the hilt? 6"?
I am still tied between the Rouen (cheaper + economy sale, availiable, hollow ground, I wouldn't hesitate to use it, which I surely would with the Brescia) and the Bresica (longer, PJ-design, beautiful pommel), and there are the hinted new ATrim-swords... - decisions, decisions...
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Harlan Hastings
Industry Professional
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Posted: Wed 22 Oct, 2003 2:46 pm Post subject: |
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I never measured the grip (didn't put it down long enough to do that) but I'd say it should be around 6" . Somebody at Albion could answer better than me.
A couple things to keep in mind - the Brescia is very user friendly. I would not hesitate to cut with one I owned at all. On the other side, both the Rouen and the Orleans were in-house designs that were probably run past Peter before being produced. They have such a great, close relationship that many of the swords that Peter doesn't design directly are still bounced off him for feedback.
I guess it comes down to size/design vs money/hollow grinding. Personally I think Albion's sale is the best deal going right now and I'd be getting a couple things from them if I hadn't already spent my money on stuff from Peter and Rick. If it was me, I'd pick up the Rouen before it went back up in price and come back for the Brescia if I wanted something a little bigger down the road.
Heck, you can never have too many swords!
Harlan
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Nathan Robinson
myArmoury Admin
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Posted: Wed 22 Oct, 2003 4:45 pm Post subject: |
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I was able to handle the Rouen while visiting Albion and was immediately impressed by it. This sword, designed by Jason Dingledine, appears at first sight to be a hefty, substantially wide bladed monster. Upon wielding it, however, one immediately notices the benefits of the hollow-grinding. It's amazingly light and maneuverable for its blade profile dimensions. To be direct: it's a hell of a sword and replicates many styles history has brought us, but far too few replica makers have attempted to tackle.
I wouldn't compare it to the Brescia, as they're quite different swords. The handling characteristics, and probably intended purposes, of each sword are different from one-another.
As I understand it, the Rouen and Orléans were both designed by Jason, and were the first of the new models that really took advantage of much of the research from the Peter Johnsson/ Albion connection. The benefits of such a team certainly show up in this design.
Here are some photos I was able to take while visiting.
Click on each image, above, to see a full-sized photograph
I'd, personally, love to see the same sword with a fishtail pommel and different guard.
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Joe Fults
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Posted: Wed 22 Oct, 2003 6:36 pm Post subject: |
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Ditto on the pommel and guard.
"The goal shouldn’t be to avoid being evil; it should be to actively do good." - Danah Boyd
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Markus Haider
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Posted: Wed 22 Oct, 2003 10:15 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks guys you were really helpful, and I think I'll go with the Rouen (just waiting for the new offerings Gus will have).
I agree that it would even be better with a Fishtail pommel (my favourite), but this is reserved for a future custom sword.
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Mac Smith
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Posted: Sat 03 Jan, 2004 3:17 am Post subject: |
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This thread really helped me out also since ive been considering the Rouen as well.
valar morghulis
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Amy Christensen-Waddell
Industry Professional
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Posted: Mon 05 Jan, 2004 2:45 pm Post subject: Hey Harlan and Allan... |
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Hey Guys... wasn't it the Rouen that sent Allan into a tizzy? One of the most humorous and oddly touching ramblings I've ever heard from a man...
Amy Waddell
President/CEO
Albion Swords Limited, LLC
I wrote to the FBI to see if they had a file on me. They wrote back, "we do now..."
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Harlan Hastings
Industry Professional
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Posted: Mon 05 Jan, 2004 4:13 pm Post subject: Re: Hey Harlan and Allan... |
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Amy Christensen-Waddell wrote: | Hey Guys... wasn't it the Rouen that sent Allan into a tizzy?: |
Geez Amy ... you expect me to remember what Allan talks about? (never mind paying attention to him in the first place!)
Seriously, I think you are correct. The prototype of the Rouen really crystallized, in Allan's mind, how serious Albion's commitment was to "getting it right". We had several discussions about how there were a number of people/companies that did excellent hilt work but you folks were the first to really make a commitment to making the blades that were missing from the modern replica marketplace. The Type XVIIIs are a perfect example. Oakshott documented a large number of them in Records that are hollowground yet, before last spring, there were no hollowground swords available commercially (other than custom pieces). Given the extra time and material cost involved in making them, it's understandable but he (we) were just so impressed that there was a company that not only saw this as a necessary part of their product line but also was willing to spend the time and resources developing the manufacturing process so that those swords would be affordable as well.
Allan is a very concrete kind of guy. He's not much impressed with hype. Kind of "don't tell me what you're going to do, just do it".
(shrug) You folks did it.[/quote]
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Amy Christensen-Waddell
Industry Professional
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Posted: Tue 06 Jan, 2004 1:22 pm Post subject: Re: Hey Harlan and Allan... |
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Harlan Hastings wrote: | Geez Amy ... you expect me to remember what Allan talks about? (never mind paying attention to him in the first place!)
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I suppose that makes sense. Since we aren't around him all the time, what he sez tends to stick with us. :-) Allan's a hoot. But I suppose that would be like someone asking me what Mike said about a subject. *chuckle* I wish you could remember though, because I don't feel like I should say it, but I so loved it. I mean, it was kinda gross, but at the same time, so flattering for the sword... *hee hee!*
Amy Waddell
President/CEO
Albion Swords Limited, LLC
I wrote to the FBI to see if they had a file on me. They wrote back, "we do now..."
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