Have you tried contacting Albion? I know you don't want to send them back, but I also know Howie stands behind the swords they produce; they can and will do maintenance for you, including sharpening. If you intend to sharpen them yourself, be aware that an edge which might be appropriate for a knife will likely not be appropriate for a sword. Swords should be sharp, but not kitchen knife sharp (you don't want to put an edge that's too fragile for the kind of use a sword is intended to do). I've found DMT diamond sharpening "stones" along with ceramic rods (like those in the Sharpmaker) work really well. Start at the tip and work back toward the forte. You should also get some grey Scotchbrite pads (NOT the green ones - they're too coarse for the finish you want; Amazon if you can't find them at your local hardware store) to help blend the edge.
