Caesar 305 Posted February 3, 2011 After no less than three months in waiting (commissioned while I was back at Thule, AB) I've received my brand new Albion-mark sword - the Albion "Talhoffer." Named after the 15th century Fechtmeister Hans Talhoffer, and designed after the swords of his Fechtbuch illustrations, the Talhoffer is an Oakeshott Type XVa hand-and-a-half longsword. The XV and XVa blade design was in use in Western Europe from roughly 1350AD to beyond 1500AD, and was clearly influenced by advances in armor development. XV/XVa blades are of a rigid, heavily tapering diamond cross section and balance very close to the hands for exceptional point control - especially maneuverable and useful to punch into the gaps of plated defenses, while rigid enough to pop the rings of mail that might be found in those gaps. The Talhoffer is an armor fighting design if there ever was one - simply looking at the clubbed-ends of the cross and the mace-like pommel one can assess the blunt-force strikes that can be made by blows from the hilt, and I can say from a bit of handling that it is an extraordinarily maneuverable weapon, able to deliver quick cuts and terrifying thrusts with its blade. Because of its tapered design, the Talhoffer's Type XVa blade does sacrifice some cutting capacity; the Type XV/XVa is not as good a cutter as a Type XVIII or XX, which are a bit wider and flatter, but anyone who would think that they'd be safe from a hew delivered with intent from an XVa like the Talhoffer is a fool. The edge is sharp enough to cause deep lacerations, and a solidly delivered cut could well be expected to de-limb an opponent. As I swing the weapon it makes such beautiful song, slicing the air - that's really the only way to describe it. Even as an armor fighter, as I've written in my web log, the longsword is a fairly lightweight weapon. The Talhoffer, at 46 and 3/8 inches in length weighs 3 pounds 5 ounces - just about average weight for historic specimens. More than 3 feet of its length is blade, and although rigid, does have a little flex to disperse impact from another weapon, quite unlike the Tuck, a weapon that might be considered a rod with a cross, and which has no cutting capacity. I'll have to wait until probably late spring to be able to do serious test cutting and thrusting, thanks to the crap-tastic winters in central New York, but just the minor handling at this time is satisfactory. It takes its place as the first "true" sword I've owned, alongside the more modern firearms of my collection, and stands as a standard for the handling characteristics of a properly made, functional weapon. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+daddyairplanes 10,118 Posted February 3, 2011 cool sword Ceasar! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UK_Widowmaker 571 Posted February 3, 2011 I collect swords too Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Caesar 305 Posted February 3, 2011 Would love to hear about it sometime! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Siddley 9 Posted February 3, 2011 That is simply beautiful. Formidable but beautiful. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FalconC45 158 Posted February 3, 2011 Would love to hear about it sometime! I collect Fantasy Knives. I also have a turkish sword but one of the hand guards broke off when my mother knocked it off on the floor. I have a standard Ninjustu sword, 440 steel blade. I also have a katana from anime series called Bleach. Ichigo's 68" Bankai Katana, unfortunately the blade isn't real. I love to get a carbon steel Katana but with my disability, it'll be hard to maintain it & clean it :(. Falcon Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Piecemeal 450 Posted February 4, 2011 No need to ask who wins the arguments in your house then?! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
