Hey, Thomas, I start HEMA tomorrow! I'm so excited :D I was thinking of buying this sword as a starter. What do you think? Is it decent enough? I'm not too sure I'll even continue HEMA, but I might as well get this sword, even if it is on a whim. *Trying to anger KnightSquire*
finally the long awaited review has arrived! damn what a piece of art... in my opinion, the regent's blade and pivot point combined with the ringeck's crossguard, grip and pommel would be perfect
She rings a nice clear tone as she cuts. No flatness to it. Truly a singing sword, maybe should have it in a schwing band. After all, it don't mean a thing unless you've got that schwing. :)
Yes - just cut a target with this sword now (finally got it my own hands the day after this video was released), and it does indeed sing beautifully. I'm quite happy thus far. :)
When you included the specs in the video at the end it would be really nice if you could also include one for distal taper. I find that to be a pretty important one. That is a truly gorgeous sword. Thanks for the video! Keep up the good work.
I LIKE SEEING THE SWORDS IN ACTION, IT GIVES US THE VIEWERS A 3D LOOK INTO THE MAKE AND A BETTER FEEL FOR THE SWORD RATHER THEN JUST SEEING IT ON THE TABLE... THANK YOU
I USE CAP'S CAUSE IT'S A HABIT FOR 35 YRS OR SO, NOT CAUSE IM YELLING LOL IT'S FROM WORK AND COLLEGE. IT'S THE WAY WE WRIGHT TO BE CLEAR. NOT GOING IN TO DETAIL... CHEER'S [_]D
As pretty as this is, I think I prefer the Earl. The pommel seems more usable and something about the lines just seems to flow better to me. Regardless, Albion hollow grinds are gorgeous. I want to eventually own the Kingmaker, the Earl, and the Oakeshott.
My preference for the Regent is for the same reason as yours, but to opposite effect: I see the Earl's lines as too smooth and flowing for my tastes-- I like how the Regent punches out in all the right places. Consider also that while the Regent's fleur-like pommel juts out to the front and back of the grip, the fluted scent-stopper of the Earl presents an array of spikes all around the top edge! If you palm the pommel or prefer to grasp the furthest top of it, there's no escaping them while the Regent's pommel is actually smoother in certain orientations.
Ever since I first saw the Regent a couple of years ago I've been in love with it. I like the hilt quite a bit and the blade itself is simply perfection incarnate. Sadly can't afford the expense.
If and when I ever save up for my own sword (im a newbie in the theme), it will definitely be either this one or equivalents done by Valiant, Elgur or Sulowski. I love the style of this sword, it really fits well with my character. The grip colour I would go either with dark green or black, personal favourites. You should definitely find out if anybody has pieces of swords made by those other brands I mentioned (i know you already had one of the Valiants), they look gorgeous and perhaps worth looking into for those who are researching and saving up for a new sword. Great video Tom, keep them coming please! You and fellow channels also help out a lot with research that im doing in order to help me write the medieval fantasy im working on and make the military and combat aspects more realistic. Thank you tons!
My personal favorite (aesthetically speaking) blade type and pommel type in one sword; only thing I would change is the guard - since I've never been a big fan of flared guards like that. Also you made a slight mistake in calling the "fish-tail" pommel a type "5" pommel when in reality it is a type "V" pommel (as in the letter "V", not the numeral) - Oakeshott labeled all of his pommel types by letter instead of number.
Thanks for doing these reviews, they are great for someone who knows nothing about swords! Would you be able to share that great picture reference you used of the evolution of medieval armour / swords? Also is there a similar sword (xviiib) with an interesting pommel that you would recommend over this one? Mainly due to the grip issues you mentioned?
This the one you are asking about: commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Evolution_of_swords.jpg. I'm sure there are similar swords of this topology, but I don't have any to reference for you at the moment.
The listed weight figure for the Regent is generous on Albion's part. The ostensible purpose behind a hollow ground blade is weight reduction, after all, and with the blades finished by hand you're bound to get a little variation from example to example. If you poll other users on the weight of particular Regents, I suspect the listed weight of 3lb/8oz is going to be on the high side. My 2005 Regent weighs 3lb/5oz (1.50 kg) while the 2019 Regent is 3lb/4oz.
I love there Roman/ Viking/Norman era swords! I just can't afford them..... : - ( I do have two of Abions viking swords squire line. Gotland and Vinland. Love em...... But I want more.... Enjoy your sword man!
I like those designs, too. Christian Fletcher's Shieldmaiden is probably the best-looking one out there outside of totally custom work. (In that category, Jake Powning's Vardhllokur takes the cake)
To me, the beauty of a sword is first the visual appeal of the fit, followed by the handling without lot of furniture and embellishment as a lot of wall hanger, fantasy" swords` present. Beauty is how it feels in the hand, begging it to be used as the primary purpose, that's when it becomes an extension of one's will, that to me is true beauty, the heart, true heart of a sword
Wish I could afford an Albion. I’m happy enough with my Honshu lineup the broadsword is great and idk if I’d be able to bring myself to do cuts with an Albion lol
Could it be the stiffness what make it so good at cutting? Please correct me if I am wrong, but from what I know the hollow ground is a way to make the sword more rigid which also make the sword "more forgiving in the cut".
The diamond cross-section is generally what makes for a stiff blade, giving it a spine. The hollow grind applied to diamond faces will keep that spine intact while removing "unneccessary" weight without compromising the strength.
By all that is good! The moment i saw it......this may be the most beautiful sword i have EVER seen! And if it performs as well as you say it does, it might be THE sword in my book. And at 120 cm it might just be the best fitting long sword for my height (i'm about 184-185 cm - 6'1''). I'm amazed......and almost short of words. Have you tested its stabbing performance as well?
I have order the Earl from albion but didn't got it yet being the same blade profile I hope it will handle in the same flawless maner, thank for the amasing review.
How feasible is it to actually get something he made? Some of the swordsmiths out there have prices way beyond what I could ever justify, assuming you could ever contract them to start with.
Very pretty, love albions, and this one is one of the prettiest with the hollow ground blade. I'm also a big fan of Albions wire wrap, nice and even. Somehow the wire wrap on this model doesn't do it for me. I think it's the length of the pommel combined with the shortness of the lower grip? It makes the grip look stubby somehow. Maybe if they continued it up to the pommel, instead of having that leather and riser peaking out at the bottom. I'm surprised because I have an Albion Fiore, and I had the wire wrap put on, and I love it! 🤷🏼♂️
The length of the wire wrap on the Regent is fine by me, but I do understand where you're coming from because I had the same feeling when it comes to a wire wrap on the Albion Viceroy. The Viceroy was on my list for an Albion purchase, but the wire wrap on that sword would have been ridiculously short and not worth it.
@@BogeyTheBear Oh for SURE! That's a mismatch, the wire on the Viceroy. But that blade! There aren't enough type 20's being made! I picked up a niiiice type XX on the My Armoury forum years ago. A fellow down in Florida had built the furniture onto a custom blade from Arms and Armor. It's a best, a cutting oriented XXa with the dimensions of their 15th century two hander!
Same blade, in truth. Small trivia fact: the earliest Regents have a different tip profile: straighter and more needlelike (the source of the 'awl shaped point' in the description). The Earl was supposed to have the same blade, but in Albion's tinkering with the design they created a slightly broader, curved tip profile which put a little more metal into the tip. This was so marked an improvement that they started making Regents with this profile. So, you might say the Regent uses the Earl's blade even though the Regent came before the Earl.
Actually, you can grip a pommel like that comfortably, or at least there is a sword in my club with a pommel just like that and gripping that pommel is fine, though you do need to place your hand correctly or it will be uncomfortable.
I finally now have one of each; a Lockwood and an Albion. :) Both of them are well worth it in my experience (and according to Thomas's reviews). However, this particular Albion is about twice the cost as my Lockwood.
I recently got a new Regent sword, and one thing I noticed is that the blade's sharpness ends about an inch from the guard. Can anyone else corroborate this? Is this a (relatively) new thing they do? I have an early-model Regent as well, and it's sharp the full length of the blade.
The current steel they use is 6150, which is a pretty soft chromium/carbon steel. It's more prone to taking a set than something that has .10% higher carbon. They used to use 1075, which is like the perfect steel for a sword. They use 6150 now because it's easier on their machining dies.
Is this true? How long has it been the case? I thought one of the benefits of Albion was supposed to be that they were hard compared to most other makers.
They don't harden the blade before machining it, and the chromium/vanadium alloying elements of the 6100 grade steels come into play after heat treatment.
cloudcleaver23 Some vendors still have old Albion swords that are made of 1075. Viking Shield is one of the vendors I can think of that has a small supply of their old Squire Line.
Anthony Johnson I'm not saying it's a garbage steel or anything, but with a carbon content of only .5% you can't expect much hardness compared to a steel like even 5160. Have you ever tried smithing a sword or using stock removal on a high carbon steel? Even without being heat treated, steel like 1075 is tough as fuk. Skallagrim has a video where his Albion Berserker takes a set and he's able to bend it back. Granted his video was an abuse test, but I've put swords through worse with less damage and no sets or warps.
I'd say yes. 36.25in is arming sword length, and 4lbs would be on the heavy side even for a longsword.You can check albion's website (www.albion-swords.com) to get a better idea of how much a sword should weigh. They're reproductions but good ones. I'm not an expert though, maybe someone will know counter examples from museums. Do you ask because you own a sword that weighs that much ?
Is it blunt or sharp ? It's not ridiculously heavy imo, maybe that can be explained by the thick edge. It may also be overbuilt if it's made to be used regularly.
The Albion Earl has the exact same blade profile, but different hilt hardware and it's cheaper. Would that pommel be more suitable, out of curiosity? www.albion-swords.com/swords/albion/nextgen/sword-medieval-earl-xviiia.htm
HEXAGONAL! Historically longswords were used whilst wearing gauntlets, that makes the world of difference when considering gripping the hilt, and holding the pommel, and half swording.
I would say it is because of wear over the filling, as the sword is *completely* solid. I should say, the Regent i have is quite old, I would say over 6 or so years old. I got it second hand.
That's a relief. Albion is known to use pretty mild steel on their hilt furniture, I think, so if you do a lot of pommel handling in practice that might wear it enough to show.
Yeah, I would say it is simply a result of regular polishing removing the metal in the area, but even then it is really quite hard to see, only visible if one knows what to look for.
Because of the aesthetics or effect on functionality, if I may ask? I actually like how it feels quite a bit with how it sits in hand, though my opinion is likely influenced because I and a glove-user.
Functionally you'd be surprised how comfy this kind of pommel is. I have a Pavel Moc embleton and it has a very similar (but slightly more aesthetically pleasing) pommel and it feels wonderful to use. If it's just the aesthetics you don't like though then that's fair enough.
$1700, haha. No. If I could actually ride down my enemies in medieval combat, and cut them in half, sure. But alas, it is 2018. Not gunna do it for something that will just hang on the my wall.
You swing it like a baseball bat, throwing the cuts arms first and lazily, standing with such an awkward posture...at least they are more or less clean.
