Alex, thanks for the pics. I guess they are not all the same after all. I also have a feeling that they made some changes in the hilt as well as maybe the engravings and the way the blade is ground. I just got my Atlantean yesterday and there are some things I'm concerned about there as well. I studied the pics of the Atlantean that are on the myArmoury review for a long time while I was saving up, and now I think there are differences in my Atlantean, not for the better. Is there anyway you could post more pics of both your swords? I am most interested in the hilts and the engravings.

Thanks lots! Chris

hmmm, now I am peeved :mad:

When I was told this was as per the original, I took it at face value. Now it seems my doubt has been with warrant.

I will be in-touch with Albion soon. I also noticed along the blade visible horizontal machining markings, is this normal or should this be smooth, - I am not referring to the grain of the steel.

THanks for the pics Alex, Chris, can you please describe your issues with the Atlantean. I have been told mine is still a few months away from being completed.

The Riddle of Steel! ...sigh

Cheers

Jason

Think I got the pic thing figured out, so this will be a test to see if I got it right. If you guys can see this, here is what my runes look like on my Father's. Do you guys also have the little parallel lines in each letter?

2nd pic is of the runes on my Atlantean. I had expected the engraving on both swords to look more like the 3rd pic, which is from the myArmoury review. It seems they are not using the same electrode(s) anymore.

Chris

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Sorry, it seems that the order of my pics got reversed. The one on the top is from myArmoury.

Chris

Chris,
I wonder if Albion changed how they get the runes on there. On the review sword, I believe the runes were elctro-etched. The last pic in your post makes me think that yours could be machined in, like they do with the engravings on the St. Maurice-Turin sword.

Wow, there is definitely something going on there that wasn't at first. I would be a little unhappy as well. I hate to say it, but I really feel that their production of these fell into back burner, "Meh", category with them. Its too bad, but I guess that should encourage me to take better care of my own.

Alex, here are some more shots of both my Atlantean and the one that was reviewed. This concerns me alot. In both cases I have provided a photo with and without "high-lighting" the area in question. On my sword the area on the back of the hilt has a "stepped" appearance, while the other (and all others in pictures I've seen) does not. In my mind this is pretty significant and is a good indication that this is a different casting altogether. What does yours look like?

Next are some shots of the langets of both swords. Mine seem to be sightly mis-shapen and do not fit against the blade as well as on the other. This seems to support my notion of a different casting.

Your opinion of all this? I am not sure how to proceed with Albion.

Chris

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Ok, not to clutter up the thread with all my photo's, just check out my conan stuff album here:
Clicky
but here is two of mine:
Flush

Tight/no gaps

and the engraving is more of a pebbled sandy look in the grooves.

Are you sure its from albion? I kind of wonder if this is what the Marto swords look like? You did get it from them?

Thanks Alex,
Clearly they are different. I guess I will be calling Albion on Monday. I feel as though I have an imitation of what I actually paid for. Now what? Keep it and live with it? Send it back and live without? This is not the experience I was hoping for.

Sorry, just venting. Thanks for your help Alex. Jason, I guess you get the idea on my concerns now.

Chris

...geez, this is worse than I thought!!!

Chris, please let me know how you get on. I will need to send them an email raising my concerns.

Cheers

Jason

Something else to consider: Only the first 1000 were to be numbered I believe, so maybe after that initial run they downgraded them? I really didn't keep track of the run after I got mine. (Again both my swords are #39 by special request)

... my certificate also says, '... with hilt components cast from the original studio molds and the blade made under the supervision of the original maker, Jody Samson"

My Father's is #145 and my Atlantean is #309. Both are without a doubt from Albion.

Chris

I suspect a change in the castings of the Father's also, but to a lesser degree of difference. I think that would explain the gap though.

Chris

Wow, i guess they didn't sell as many i thought. :\ i guess thats why they didn't renew their contract. :confused:

Mark, the step is not the only difference, just the most obvious. Perhaps it is not an entirely new mold, but significantly reworked for sure. Why? If they were right already. And what about the engravings?

Chris

Jason and Alex, do the engravings on your Fathers swords look like mine?

Chris