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Björn Hellqvist
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PostPosted: Wed 11 Aug, 2010 7:57 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Congrats on a very attractive sword! The antiqueing looks very good, and certainly more convincing than my antiqued rapier. The cord could have been a bit more sharply defined, but otherwise, it looks like many genuine swords I've seen in major collections.
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Russ Ellis
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PostPosted: Wed 11 Aug, 2010 10:49 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Björn Hellqvist wrote:
Congrats on a very attractive sword! The antiqueing looks very good, and certainly more convincing than my antiqued rapier. The cord could have been a bit more sharply defined, but otherwise, it looks like many genuine swords I've seen in major collections.


Now there's a face I haven't seen in a while. All it takes to pull you out of the woodwork is the GBS?! How's it going Bjorn?

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Steve Grisetti




Location: Washington DC metro area, USA
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PostPosted: Wed 11 Aug, 2010 5:48 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I was the beneficiary of one Nathan's GBS deacquisitions a few years ago, and still have that piece. I am very fond of A&A's catalog GBS, but prefer this custom version due to the additional detailing. I especially like the cross-hatching on the pommel, but the more defined writhen cross is also very nice. I have mixed feelings on the blade.
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Björn Hellqvist
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PostPosted: Wed 11 Aug, 2010 6:02 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Russ Ellis wrote:
Björn Hellqvist wrote:
Congrats on a very attractive sword! The antiqueing looks very good, and certainly more convincing than my antiqued rapier. The cord could have been a bit more sharply defined, but otherwise, it looks like many genuine swords I've seen in major collections.


Now there's a face I haven't seen in a while. All it takes to pull you out of the woodwork is the GBS?! How's it going Bjorn?


Oh, I sort of burned out on the sword thing back in early '04, and delved into other hobbies instead. I've been out of the loop for far too long, but my website still generates a few emails/month, and it was in the process of answering one of them that I had a peek here a couple of weeks ago. It was nice to see the ol' place thrive... I posted in the contributor forum that I'm still alive and had just become a father again. My collection hasn't exactly grown, and I plan to get rid of some of the excess (maybe buying an Albion sword), but there are swords that I won't part with. And then there's still the thrill to hold a really nice sword in my hands - some things never go away.

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Jean Thibodeau




Location: Montreal,Quebec,Canada
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PostPosted: Wed 11 Aug, 2010 7:55 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Björn Hellqvist wrote:
Russ Ellis wrote:
Björn Hellqvist wrote:
Congrats on a very attractive sword! The antiqueing looks very good, and certainly more convincing than my antiqued rapier. The cord could have been a bit more sharply defined, but otherwise, it looks like many genuine swords I've seen in major collections.


Now there's a face I haven't seen in a while. All it takes to pull you out of the woodwork is the GBS?! How's it going Bjorn?


Oh, I sort of burned out on the sword thing back in early '04, and delved into other hobbies instead. I've been out of the loop for far too long, but my website still generates a few emails/month, and it was in the process of answering one of them that I had a peek here a couple of weeks ago. It was nice to see the ol' place thrive... I posted in the contributor forum that I'm still alive and had just become a father again. My collection hasn't exactly grown, and I plan to get rid of some of the excess (maybe buying an Albion sword), but there are swords that I won't part with. And then there's still the thrill to hold a really nice sword in my hands - some things never go away.


Well, welcome back and congratulations on the family additions. Big Grin Cool

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Nathan Robinson
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PostPosted: Sun 22 Aug, 2010 7:58 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I love this sword! It left a big mess of cut-up thick-walled cardboard tubes out back.
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Greg Mele
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PostPosted: Mon 23 Aug, 2010 8:47 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Nathan,

Just saw this thread for the first time. I am Kermit the Frog green with envy - a wonderful piece made all the more wonderful. The GBS is a weapon with a lot of presence but a lot of life to it. I bet it was a joy destroying those tubes! Wink

Greg Mele
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Craig Peters




PostPosted: Wed 08 Sep, 2010 9:55 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

You know, I really like how the various components of the hilt furniture on the Custom German Bastard Sword complement each other. Even the grip matches the pommel and the guard. I also really like the triple fuller; it "feels right" for this piece.
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Nathan Robinson
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PostPosted: Wed 08 Sep, 2010 10:26 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Craig Peters wrote:
You know, I really like how the various components of the hilt furniture on the Custom German Bastard Sword complement each other. Even the grip matches the pommel and the guard. I also really like the triple fuller; it "feels right" for this piece.


This is a great comment and one that I share. It all comes together even more in person.

Cheers

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Nathan Robinson
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PostPosted: Tue 11 Jan, 2011 3:13 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I did some cutting practice this weekend on Tatami and used this sword. It's a beast. I'm having a hard time choosing which amongst my collection is the best/easiest cutter.

Of the swords I took out, the Arms & Armor Custom Swiss Saber, the Albion Soldat Grosse Messer, and this Arms & Armor Custom Bastard Sword are probably at the top of the list. The Phoenix Metal Creations Hand-and-a-Half Sword remains a powerful competitor for the crown, too, but I've had it so long it's just not as fun to use as the newer swords. Happy

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Scott S.




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PostPosted: Tue 11 Jan, 2011 8:09 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Glad to see this thread resurface!

I'm often tempted to comment on older threads I've missed, but hate to dredge them up just to say "Awesome!" So I'll take the opportunity to echo Nathan's own "Holy Crap!" comment. (Actually, I believe I "OMFG'd" when I first saw the pics. No children were present.) The ageing and distressing is just amazing, and truly inspiring to behold. That grip is just perfect in every way IMHO. It's kind of magical how much extra "history" is imbued in a reproduction sword with an expert, aged patina like that.

I'm happy to say that I spoke with A&A Craig yesterday and ordered my very first humble acquisition from him, the "Medieval Knife" as reviewed and so expertly photographed by Chad. Craig asked me how I'd heard about them, and of course I said myArmoury.com! with much exuberance. One day I WILL own an A&A sword!
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Bryan Heff




Location: Philadelphia
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PostPosted: Tue 14 May, 2013 6:34 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I recently become very enthralled with the stock version of A&A's GBS and while searching for pics on the I web came across this thread just today. This is truly one of the most beautiful swords I have ever seen. It takes the stock GBS, which is quite fantastic in its own right and puts it on a different stratosphere. What great balance and harmony all the components have. Congratulations on such a fine piece.

Edit - and this is coming from a person who is not generally interested in swords with complex hilts or curved cross guards.
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Nathan Robinson
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PostPosted: Tue 14 May, 2013 9:09 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Bryan Heff wrote:
I recently become very enthralled with the stock version of A&A's GBS and while searching for pics on the I web came across this thread just today. This is truly one of the most beautiful swords I have ever seen. It takes the stock GBS, which is quite fantastic in its own right and puts it on a different stratosphere. What great balance and harmony all the components have. Congratulations on such a fine piece.

Edit - and this is coming from a person who is not generally interested in swords with complex hilts or curved cross guards.


Did you see the other photos and information in my collection gallery?

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Roger Hooper




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PostPosted: Tue 14 May, 2013 11:37 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

That is a great variation on the base model. Interesting that the new blade makes it a different kind of sword.

Maybe this is an indication of my shallowness, but I love that grip. It really makes the sword pop out at you.
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Bryan Heff




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PostPosted: Tue 14 May, 2013 1:02 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Nathan Robinson wrote:

Did you see the other photos and information in my collection gallery?


I did, right after reading this thread I checked your collection page. How does your version compare to the diamond cross section blade of the standard GBS in terms of flex?. I imagine the stock version may be a bit stiffer due to its cross section? Just curious.
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Nathan Robinson
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PostPosted: Tue 14 May, 2013 1:39 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Bryan Heff wrote:
Nathan Robinson wrote:

Did you see the other photos and information in my collection gallery?


I did, right after reading this thread I checked your collection page. How does your version compare to the diamond cross section blade of the standard GBS in terms of flex?. I imagine the stock version may be a bit stiffer due to its cross section? Just curious.


My sword blade is very rigid, perhaps more so than the standard GBS. The concept of blade stiffness is largely misunderstood by people posting on the 'net and has given the wrong impression of sword blades.

In my example, the blade remains fairly thick throughout its length. It isn't an example of lenticular blades that get very thin near their tips. There is more mass in the lenticular cross-section of my example's blade than there would be on a comparably-sized diamond cross-sectioned blade which may attribute to additional stiffness.



 Attachment: 10.07 KB
CrossSectionsAndMass.gif
Diamond cross-section vs lenticular cross-section.

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Christopher B Lellis




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PostPosted: Tue 14 May, 2013 1:52 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

That style of hilt is post medieval, early renaissance correct? I saw a lot of swords like that in the Wallace collection.
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Nathan Robinson
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PostPosted: Tue 14 May, 2013 2:26 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Christopher B Lellis wrote:
That style of hilt is post medieval, early renaissance correct? I saw a lot of swords like that in the Wallace collection.


As indicated in my collection gallery, the original sword on which the modern version is made comes from circa 1500.

There are some absolutely stunning examples of compound-hilted longswords at the Wallace! I don't really remember anything too similar to this example in their inventory, but there are several varieties there.

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Bryan Heff




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PostPosted: Wed 15 May, 2013 5:13 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Nathan Robinson wrote:

My sword blade is very rigid, perhaps more so than the standard GBS. The concept of blade stiffness is largely misunderstood by people posting on the 'net and has given the wrong impression of sword blades.

In my example, the blade remains fairly thick throughout its length. It isn't an example of lenticular blades that get very thin near their tips. There is more mass in the lenticular blade of my example than there would be a comparably-sized diamond cross-sectioned blade which may attribute to additional stiffness.


A picture speaks a thousand words. Yes, makes sense to me. You actually have underlined a point in my mind that I have struggled with in the past and that is the idea (misunderstood by me) that diamond cross section always equals stiff/stiffer blades. The "whippiest" blade I ever owned had a diamond cross section and because I was conditioned prior to receiving it that diamond = stiff, I was quite shocked when it flexed like it did. Incorrect expectations on my part for sure. Like so many other things its not a hard and fast rule and other factors like blade thickness must be taken into consideration as well.
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Daniel Wallace




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PostPosted: Sat 18 May, 2013 8:58 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I've also come across the concept that diamond cross section adds rigidity to a blade based off of geometry, this is something I hadn't been able to argue with others due to my lack of owning or handling other swords. but just an Nathan puts is, there is simply more mass, and in my experience in researching 2 handed swords, there seems to be a lot of hexagonal designs in the styles I've looked into.



I'm a proud owner of a A&A German bastard sword (the stock version) and have said many times before, their production version is probably my favorite sword period. Nathan's custom is killer, not only does it have the original's look but also geometry. it's interesting that with the triple fuller design the sword still remains nearly a ridged as their production sword as Nathan states.
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