Improving my kit for Days of Knights.

[Sir Edward]

Yep, cheap swords have their place. I still own a couple of $40 wall hangers that are doing just that-- hanging on a wall.

[Sir Ulrich]

Guess I will stick to my Tinker Norman, I could get it refinished to look like a high end sword as well so I think i'm well off with it. It's just hard to find a sword that would fit a Teutonic knight as I'm unsure if they even used brazil nut pommel swords. But whatever the case I am gonna put about 50 bucks aside a week to buy an Albion in the future. And by limited income I meant being unemployed. Well I aint exactly jobless I do odd jobs and handywork which I would prefer to working as a grocery store or fast food place but it isnt as secure as I'd like as somedays I'll make a lot others I wont.

[Ian]

I want to meet these members of the Order with unlimited income, and become really good friends with them!  Reveal yourselves! 

[Sir Edward]

Guess I will stick to my Tinker Norman, I could get it refinished to look like a high end sword as well so I think i'm well off with it. It's just hard to find a sword that would fit a Teutonic knight as I'm unsure if they even used brazil nut pommel swords. But whatever the case I am gonna put about 50 bucks aside a week to buy an Albion in the future. And by limited income I meant being unemployed. Well I aint exactly jobless I do odd jobs and handywork which I would prefer to working as a grocery store or fast food place but it isnt as secure as I'd like as somedays I'll make a lot others I wont.

Yeah, saving up for a while is a good way to go. Albion also has a Layaway plan, so you can throw some money at them periodically, and when it adds up to the price of the sword, you get in the queue.

My first "battle ready" sword (based on my limited experience of what that meant) was a sword I got at the renfaire back at the end of the '80s and I was in my teens. I saved up all summer for it. It really meant something when I finally got it.

Brazil-nut pommels are probably fine. They were very common prior to the 12th century, so since you're going for an earlier sort of look anyway, I think you can make the argument for it.

I want to meet these members of the Order with unlimited income, and become really good friends with them!  Reveal yourselves! 

Me too! Either that or I need to win the lottery and become one!

[Lord Dane]

Ya hear that!! Sirs Edward & Ian are looking for the forum Sugar-daddy. How quaint!!! 

[Sir William]

My first real sword was an older Windlass cut-and-thrust model (that was what it was called too, iirc); I happened upon it after I'd gotten discouraged when all I could find were places like CRKT at the mall and the various flea-bag markets in and around Baltimore - all wall hanger garbage but for a beginner, it was like striking oil for the first time.  Til I started learning about swords, really learning- by hands-on experience first (my first few wallhangers broke under use, as they were supposed to, but scared the crap outta me) and later on from reading.  A lot.  Anyway, it was about that time that I started researching jousting and imagine my surprise when I found out that it was still being done.  Came across the King's Champions- one in particular, Lloyd Clark, became somewhat of a 'hero' of mine.  He used the same sword in his competitions so that was the one I went with.  I still have it...and have plans for it too.  It has a stupid screw-off pommel.  lol

[Sir Edward]

Threaded pommels have their place. It does make modifications to the grip a lot easier to do.

Also, there's a historical account of someone using one in a duel. In judicial duels, there was a time when the rules required the opponents to start by throwing one of their weapons at the other guy, and this one person unscrewed his pommel and threw that. Threaded pommels weren't at all common, so it's suspected that he had it built that way just for this purpose, and that the hilt was probably still peened together in front of it.

But yeah, swords of all price-points can have their place. It's also worth mentioning that some of the A&A swords are cheaper than Albions, and they're quite good.

[Sir Ulrich]

http://darksword-armory.com/products-page/medieval-swords/the-norman-sword-1303/#
Checked this site out and saw this. I like it better than the other norman sword they got, the other one I dont really like how the blade tapers too much and has the round looking crossguard but this one looks nicer with its flatter crossguard and less tapering blade. Just wondering if its scabbard comes in black. Only complaint I got about it is the pommel looks a bit small on it.

[Sir Edward]

DSA does a good job for the price. That's not a bad way to go.

[Sir James A]

http://darksword-armory.com/products-page/medieval-swords/the-norman-sword-1303/#
Checked this site out and saw this. I like it better than the other norman sword they got, the other one I dont really like how the blade tapers too much and has the round looking crossguard but this one looks nicer with its flatter crossguard and less tapering blade. Just wondering if its scabbard comes in black. Only complaint I got about it is the pommel looks a bit small on it.

Call/email and ask. They have other items with black leatherwork, I think they could.

[Sir William]

I think black is their normal go-to color so it shouldn't be an issue.  Eyal's pretty good at accomodating customer requests; he knows good customer service is key to attracting and retaining customers.

[Ian]

I don't know anything about their quality, but the Lutel swords on Kult of Athena mostly come with scabbards as well.

[Sir Brian]

DSA does a good job for the price. That's not a bad way to go.

I have their dueling sabre blade on my Hanwei Pecoraro Sabre and it is SOOO sweet!

[Sir James A]

I don't know anything about their quality, but the Lutel swords on Kult of Athena mostly come with scabbards as well.

I vaguely recall Sir Gerard mentioning them as a good maker on the other side of the pond?

[Sir Edward]

I don't know anything about their quality, but the Lutel swords on Kult of Athena mostly come with scabbards as well.

I vaguely recall Sir Gerard mentioning them as a good maker on the other side of the pond?

I've heard generally good things about them. They sound like they're decent for the price as well.