[Jean Thibodeau]

Just opened the box and I'm very impressed it also got here with no accidents in transit so it' s rustfree and nick free.

I don't find it excessively heavy for a one hander and recovery from a swing is a little faster than with the Gaddhjalt for comparison by a good 25% margin in my opinion. The Sovereign is a little faster than the Tritonia: This is obviously not comparing apples to apples but maybe comparing oranges to tangerines ( I won't say lemons as none of these is a lemon ...... LOL. )

I'm also pleasantly surprised by the very well made wooden box it comes in that can even be used for storage / display, as well as being useful if ever I need to reship it for any reason in the future: I don't expect wanting to ever sell this one.

The distal taper is interesting in that it seems to be in steps and not uniform or in a single simple curve: Near the guard the blade is relatively thick but tapers more steeply than further down the blade where it seem much more gradual. the last part of the blade is thin but not as much as I expected from reviews at www.myArmoury.com . Not that the reviews are not accurate only that they give the impression of being thinner.

The Sovereign seems thinner near the point and in part the very wide blade of the Tritonia near the point visually makes the blade seem thinner in proportion to width. The best way to understand the distal taper is to close one's eyes and feel the thickness of the blade over it's whole length. I have read that the human hand can feel differences of 1 /10,000 of an inch that your eyes will not pick up on.

The very wide spatulate point would still be dangerous against an un-armoured opponent but even leather armour or linen gambison would be difficult to pierce with a thrust. On the other hand I think a tip cut would slice this type of armour like a hot knife through butter.

The blade is dull for the first few inches of the blade near the guard and becomes gradually sharper at first glance towards the point.

Cutting a hand held piece of paper was like using a Star Wars light sabre, sharp enough ! I haven't checked for scary sharp yet, but paper cutting sharp or sword sharp is more than enough and usually a more durable edge. If one is looking for the best in a dedicated to the cut one hander this design and this well executed version of one is the one to beat. ( You're not going to find a better design. )

My thank for Peter Johnsson for having taken up making / researching / designing sword: BIG THANK YOU THERE !

Finish and fit is very good.

[Ryan A. C.]

Sounds like a definite winner to me! I have always loved the look of that sword, massive and elegant at the same time. The spherical pommel just strikes my fancy and the “florette” makes it even more appealing. I think it adds just a touch more class to the whole sword.

Do you plan on doing any heavier cutting with the sword?

[Andy Bain]

Jean, I have one of these bad boys too. Wait 'til you do some cutting with it. You will continue to be impressed.

[Jean Thibodeau]

Well I mostly just collect / fantasize and enjoy comparing the feel of my swords just cutting air.

Not much room in my house for wide sweeping moves with swords so " real cutting " hasn't been attempted by me so far.

My paper cutting I limit to just evaluating how keen the edges are: Once I have checked out the sharpness, the best way to keep things sharp is to not keep on cutting with a sword or knife.

I can usually put a razor sharp edge on my folding knives and fighting knives were I can shave hairs off my arms.

From what I have read here, cutting does take some practice keeping the edge alined before, during and after in follow through and that speed is what does most of the cutting. Also from other topic threads that swords don't need to be razor sharp or even paper cutting sharp to be effective: Sword sharp is mostly having the right edge geometry and that having a zero edge is just nice to have but not essential. A fine razor edge is O.K. on a sword if it hasn't been produced at the expense of a sturdy " enough " edge.

Serious cutting practice is almost an activity in itself and If I started doing it I think I would limit it to lots of practice with a very good but less expensive sword(s) with maybe test cutting of more expensive swords in a more limited way with the least damaging to the blade targets. Again, more a collector than user.

Now, if I joined some local group of " cutters " or travelled to a cutting party I would have no problem adding wear and tear to other peoples swords. Well joking here as I have nothing but respect and admiration for those who have developed their cutting skills.

Oh, my Tritonia blade bites into a thumb nail with just a light touch: So. yes. scary sharp

[Gordon Frye]

Jean;

Very Cool, good for you in being able to get one of these! I think though, that you're well on your way to winning the "He who dies with the most toys... WINS!" prize!

Cheers!

Gordon

[Craig Peters]

[David Etienne]

Congratulations for your new sword, Jean !

It's a very nice sword (though I don't know if "nice" is the right term for it) and it has always been on my wish list.
Can't you post some pics from you holding this beast?

Cheers,

David

[Russ Ellis]

Congratulations Jean, to be honest I wasn't convinced about that type R pommel on the Tritonia or that I would even like the sword but when one came up on the secondary market for a very reasonable price I just had to jump on it. I'm really glad I did and since then I've noticed these XIIIbs all OVER the place in period illustrations.

[Jean Thibodeau]

David;

Oh, I don't have a digital camera yet but when I do I will have a lot of catching up to do taking shots of all sorts of things.


Craig;

If I started doing cutting practice on a regular basis I would have to acquire the attitude that normal wear is just that normal wear.

I see little virtue in causing this wear an tear on swords that are mostly going to be admired by me at the moment, but being careful with them in a modern context is not the same as when they are mostly a " fighting tool " in period or if one adopts swordsmanship, cutting or sparring as a sport or martial art.

Oh, you did add a wink at the end of your post, so maybe I'm answering you much too seriously.

[Steve Grisetti]

Congratulations, Jean. The Tritonia is pretty high on my desired acquisitions list.

[Jean Thibodeau]

The Tritonia has a blade size pretty much as large as the Albion Duke and although a bit shorter it does make it up in being a bit wider and is actually a heavier sword.

An old topic thread I started a while back about using one handed swords with two hands would seem to apply to the Tritonia even more that my original comments in that old topic with the Gaddhjalt: The round pommel is easy to grasp with the second hand if one decides to use it so.

The original topic discusses this very well and instead of repeating most of it I will just refer to the original topic thread:
http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t...mp;start=0

Now the topic did get sidetracted to other things after the first half of the first page: Any new ideas / comments about using two hands on single handed swords? Or specific to the Tritonia being used this way?

There is also a more current thread topic about early use of two handed swords that are worth comparing as to the origins of using both hands on swords or at least handles / tangs of a length to suggest the possibility.
http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=5866