Please: Who makes high quality swords?
- Thread starter tiltrite
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What's your budget?
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You're going to have to sift through the verbiage and learn in order to tell what a good quality long blade even looks like.
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The widest variety of decent swords will come from Windlass Steelcraft. They make just about everything.
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Barry Dawson of Dawson knives and swords. They use a clay hardening technique here in the U.S. and Zombietools. They make some strong awesome unique swords.
Barry Dawson - have 2 short Japanese and 1 long. The problem is that he does not "give away" his swords.
I read about people wanting a functional sword. You are not going to use a Barry Dawson sword to chop wood or even in practice.
Here are options, as we all want to save money:
1. take a knife fighting or sword fighting class or escrima. If a sword fighting class, you will use a wooden mock up. Just having a sword doesn't give you skills;
2. consider buying a machete instead.
I explain. The essential movements in knife fighting/sword fighting/escrima are the same. Human ergonomics limits you in effective movement of your arms.
A machete is a very good substitute for a sword if you want to use an actual blade against a target. Condor makes an excellent substitute.
I read about people wanting a functional sword. You are not going to use a Barry Dawson sword to chop wood or even in practice.
Here are options, as we all want to save money:
1. take a knife fighting or sword fighting class or escrima. If a sword fighting class, you will use a wooden mock up. Just having a sword doesn't give you skills;
2. consider buying a machete instead.
I explain. The essential movements in knife fighting/sword fighting/escrima are the same. Human ergonomics limits you in effective movement of your arms.
A machete is a very good substitute for a sword if you want to use an actual blade against a target. Condor makes an excellent substitute.
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For quality and historical accuracy Albion is the way to go.
BlackKnight86
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Condor and Cold Steel both have decent sword-like machetes for low prices, to try out. That may help you to narrow down what you would like.
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Albion will have something you will love, just look them over. Put down a deposit and you will have a year wait. It will be worth that wait. Save your pennies and when you get that magic email saying its finished its time to get really excited. When that box arrives it will be like "Christmas Morning" for a 10 year old boy!! I have 2 and I love them both
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Traditional Filipino Weapons makes quality blades. Wide variety. Legacy Arms Gen. 2 blades are well made. Both made from 5160 steel in the forges of the Philippines and right by each other I heard. Some high priced swords are CNC made and are very good but something about hand forged blades attracts me. I own a gladius sword from each of these companies. I also own a couple high end swords from Albion and Angus Trim. Very well respected because they are quality. They won't come with a scabbard though. You have to buy that from a scabbard maker which generally runs about 400-500.
The Gladius swords comes with a scabbard as the rest of the swords from the TFW and L. A.
Zombie Tools is another great sword maker and other edged weapons. I have a few of their blades but no swords.
The Gladius swords comes with a scabbard as the rest of the swords from the TFW and L. A.
Zombie Tools is another great sword maker and other edged weapons. I have a few of their blades but no swords.
BlackKnight86
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I'll vouch for Zombie Tools, as well....my absolute favorite source of long blades.
If you want to go nuts, Christian Fletcher is a phenomenal scabbard maker who also finishes swords (he may even be making them, now....). He has swords on his site. Functional works of art! They are pricey, though.
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I'll give a third vote for Albion. I've owned several over the years and if you want a historically accurate, beautifully made, and fully functional sword, they are the only game in town (aside from custom makers).
Here are a few I've had (the scabbards for all three were custom made for me by Brian Kunz, at DBK Custom):
Crecy
Knight
Sempach
Here are a few I've had (the scabbards for all three were custom made for me by Brian Kunz, at DBK Custom):
Crecy
Knight
Sempach
Absolutely correct. I sold a few of the Cold Steel options to friends at dealer cost. My favorite machete is the Condor Golok and you can use that in practice. The only stopping me from buying another Condor is that I have a couple dozen machetes and swords already.