Albion Maximilian Zweihander Review w/ Matthew Jensen ft. Ballistic Gel Human Analog Test Cutting

It is to my utmost pleasure to present this collaborative review of the Albion Maximilian early zweihander two-handed greatsword with Matthew Jensen (   • Albion Maximilian Review  ), the OG sword reviewer on YouTube. In this video, Matthew and I explored the historical background and the evolution of late medieval and Renaissance Germanic two-handed swords, compared and contrasted their usage to a number of contemporary swords of various sizes, but also the grete swerdes of war that came before, and the larger 16/17th century Renaissance zweihanders/montante/spadone came later. We also did some extensive cutting on various targets including a home-made human thigh analog made of 15% gelatin to simulate muscle, inside milk jug to simulate skin, and a wooden dowel in the center to simulate bone. The results are impressive and thought-provoking!

The Maximilian is one of the three models of late 15th/early 16th century two-handed swords of Germanic origins (the other two being the Tyrolean and the Archduke). Named after Maximilian I, the Holy Roman Empire Kaiser, a renowned warrior emperor, arms and armor aficionado, and the patriarch of House Habsburg, who established one of the greatest dynasty in European history, the Albion Maximilian is a design that takes inspirations from a number of late medieval / early Renaissance two-handed swords built in the Holy Roman Empire, with the broad blade with hexagonal cross section and multiple fullers to utilize the technology of fluting to enhance the strength and rigidity, but also writhen hilt furniture.

We explore a bit of Maximilian I's numerous exploits including the battles he personally fought in to understand the context and usage of this sword, and contrast its handling characteristics to longswords of the same period, but grete swerdes of war from early centuries. We both find the sword to be a hefty beast that requires proper strength and significant training in two-handed sword techniques to fully realize the potential. I had some great success cutting with this sword that feels very different than the usual medieval longswords and arming swords, when I move with the flow of the hefty broad blade that tapers significantly distally, and slightly in the profile. It cuts light targets quite well, and with its sweeping strikes, cleaved the human thigh analog (more difficult to cut than a double tatami-mat according to people who has done extensive experiments) in half several times.

I also sampled from Julian Schuetze (@HEMASimian), a HEMA practitioner and instructor, founder of the Historical Combat Collective, and high-level contestant of HEMA tournaments and cutting competitions, and Matthew Cross (@realswords2997), a sword collector, professional sharpener and hiltsmith. Both personally confirmed the Maximilian to be one of their favorites in terms of handling and cutting performance.

The build quality and fit and finish is on par with Albion's usual, which is considered the Gold Standard in the industry. The hexagonal cross section with multiple fullers ensure the blade is rigid and strong, but the edge bevels have small angles and the sword to be somewhat tamed in weight. There's obviously enormous authority in the cuts still, and the large hilt provides ample gripping space to utilize the leverage, and although the grip is very girthy, its tapering still makes sure it's somewhat easy for hands to wrap around the entire grip. Matthew Jensen made some very astute assessment of the impact this specific pommel shape has on the handling compared to the Tyrolean.

We agree that this is probably not the sword for an entry-level practitioner as the first sword, but for two-handed enthusiasts to practice cutting with a fearsome and hefty sword this is the perfect choice. Many thanks to Matthew Jensen again for this incredible collaborative effort. Make sure to check out the review on his channel ‪@Matthew_Jensen‬

Stats and Measurements:
blade length: 41" (104.1cm)
overall length: 55" (140cm)
weight: 2388g (5.26 lbs)
point of balance: 4.5" (11.4 cm) from the hilt
Distal Taper (thickness of the blade):
7.6mm at the base
4.4mm at midpoint
1.8mm at the tip
Profile Taper (width of the blade):
55mm at the base
44mm at midpoint
34mm at the tip

Background music:
Warhammer Total War Empire soundtracks

Skallagrim's Video shows Julian Schuetze's cutting:
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00:00 Intro
01:25 Historical Background
03:58 Usage
10:59 Design Philosophy
18:48 Thrusting vs Cutting
20:40 Earlier Grete Swerdes of War
23:50 Renaissance Zweihander
28:58 Discussion with Matthew Jensen
42:21 Test Cutting
50:30 Fit & Finish
56:23 Conclusion