There is nothing wrong with going for your first impressions.
The Cold Steel you mention is nothing particularly special. I have briefly handled one.
One reason you will see favorable reviews for many items on Amazon
is that many have never owned any other sword and it was love at first sight. I mention the SBG board as you will be able to read and interface with a fair sector of the current marketplace and reviews. There are facebook groups as well but the format sucks.
I had begun a poll last year at SBG and it shows buys from some of the more often patronized producers.
https://sbg-sword-forum.forums.net/thread/55512/who-bought-swords
Of 132 voters (as of this writing), 29.545454545 % of the buyers have bought a Darksword Armoury sword.
65.909090909 % have bought a Museum Replicas/Windlass sword............and so on. Cold Steel is encompassed in the "other" categories which represent and account for dozens of producers. In other words, Cold Steel is not a large sector of the medievalists interests.
I just this past week purchased a used Del Tin, sans scabbard for half of retail. It is a model I have admired for twenty years. I have been collecting modern made swords, mostly some decades ago and I am more interested in early modern antiques at this point. I own three Del Tin swords once again
http://www.deltin.it/2132.htm
The used Del Tin I just adopted suits me fine but could be picked apart as easily as many that aren't an Albion or Arms&Armor.
It really is a very subjective matter. I, for one, would never buy from Darksword because I don't like the owner whatsoever. The goods have increased in value but the ad copy isn't the only underlying ethical issue I have with them. As the poll shows, DS gets a fair share of the interest. The poll does not list the number of swords a person owns, nor the number of swords someone has bought from a given source. It is as close to a "first impressions" calculation as one might encounter.
Again, window shop KOA and sign up at SBG for lots more feedback and options. There was just a sale of swords from an outfit called Balaur. A line that has had a lot of buzz lately and many liked those low cost swords. Many had some minor issues but it was a first run.
One very important thing to consider in discussion boards are those trying to be objective and others that will basically repeat some of the buzz. I am trying not to be a parrot here and I'm really trying not to bash any one company (although I despise Darksword). Let me qualify just one thought on that and if anyone has paid attention they know this to be tripe from the producer.
"Differential Hardened at a Rockwell of 60 at the Edge; 48-50 at the core"
That is bullshit in my opinion and all the producer needs do claiming it can show his actual production of blades. He dances well
He sells a lot of swords. Re-sale by collectors doesn't go so well.
So anyway, that first sword buy is really a subjective issue. I spent many months looking at the market in the late 1990s and narrowed my choices to either a Museum Replicas Espada Ropera or the Del Tin 5160. I waffled and bought the Museum Replicas (Windlass) sword and was overjoyed. Indeed over the years, there was favor by more than just me that the Windlass was the better version of a sword noted in Ewart Oakeshott's books. The years went by and it was at a public display event that I sold that in 2015. Still eyeing the Del Tin 5160, a one off second hand example surfaced and I bought it. It differs in the blade a bit but I had re-filled that void.
Many of my remaining modern production swords were found second hand and that might be something to consider. Again pointing to SBG, there are usually plenty of opportunities at good prices.
Cheers
GC
