One Sword... or Many?

[RikJohnson]

><>>Apparently Rik, you havn't heard of the impending Zombie Apocalypse

Already got it covered!
I do NOT want to get within reach of the undead!
Even if I could smash a brain with a mace or lop a head with a blade, the closing distance between we two is too close! If I can hit him, he can grab me!

Bullpup semi-auto shotgun with full choke!
Plus, replace the shot with ash toothpics and it works on the vampire infestation as well!
or maybe a supersoaker filled with holy water....

The CDC has a good book on the zombie apocalypse.

[Aaron]

SO here's the question:

It seems that the starting price of a really nice, but not perfect, sword is in the $600-$800 range. I have several not so great quality swords that I could sell and buy one good one.

Good idea? Bad idea? Discuss.

I am curious if Caedmon ever ended up following through with this plan.

[Cinead]

No swords here.

Seax and a good axe any day!

Along with my crossbow....and I am good to go!

I can kill (two or four legged threats), build a shelter, hunt and survive....and move quickly!

[Arbellason]

As I see it stainless steel blades are good for two things looking shining and to practice good form and to figure out your style, a cheap stainless to see how it's type handles is cheaper than a good steel blade. Personally once I get the money I'm having one built at Fable blades and then I'm done for sword buying for a good while as the wallet tries to regain itself.

[Peter Remling]

As I see it stainless steel blades are good for two things looking shining and to practice good form and to figure out your style, a cheap stainless to see how it's type handles is cheaper than a good steel blade. Personally once I get the money I'm having one built at Fable blades and then I'm done for sword buying for a good while as the wallet tries to regain itself.

You live in Wisconsin and arn't going to buy a Albion ?

I wouldn't pick up a stainless sword, I'd suggest a inexpensive carbon steel to determine the type or types you'd like to have custom built.

[Arbellason]

Now an albion would be nice but being 14 without a good job doesn't agree with the price as for the stainless steel blades they are free for me so I'm not complaining even if all I do with them is a wall hanger or a template nothing beats free.

[RikJohnson]

photo of me in the field!

[Ringulf]

Heh Heh, yup looks familiar! I put a beard on him to make him look more Dwarven, but that was a while ago!

[mcapanelli]

Now an albion would be nice but being 14 without a good job doesn't agree with the price as for the stainless steel blades they are free for me so I'm not complaining even if all I do with them is a wall hanger or a template nothing beats free.

Actually you can have an Albion for about $500 if you look at the squire line. I have an SL Knightly and its in no way less of a sword than my more expensive Albions.

[mcapanelli]

To answer the OP, I think the answer depends on why your buying a sword in the first place.

Trying to start a collection? Then your going to end up with more than one sword for sure. You'll most likely start with some cheap SLO's, move on to DSA and swear by them, and then arrive where almost all European collectors end up, with Albion, A&A, and customs. You'll also wander around time periods till you figure out what your actual area of interest is. Oh, and that two handed viking you think will be a good idea will be something you laugh about 10 years from the purchase date.

Trying to get in to HEMA? You'll first end up with windlass and tinkers, both blunt and sharp. These are good swords, but not as good as the Eastern European smiths can make. As you progress the cold steel wasters you thought were great will feel like heavy dead hunks of plastic. You'll end up with an H/T longsowrd till you figure out its too light, then its either a Regenyei or Ensifer for you. You'll also be in to Pavel Moc and Albion again on the sharp end. by the time you start seriously training to use that Shidelhau as an actual cut you'll have honed in on period and sword type.

The bottom line is most sword will cut it (no pun intended) for what your describing in your OP. What will change is your understanding of just how a sword in your period of interest should fell and behave in motion. That sense will become more refined the more you learn and the more open you are to learning that the notions you hold today will be wrong tomorrow. Its the expansion of your understanding and appreciation of the art behind the blade that will drive you up in price point till you arrive where everyone else has.

Well that my 2¢, adjusted for inflation. Good luck on your journey and remember to add salt to my advice. And if you're ever in the NY Metro area and would like to attend a HEMA class, check out Long Island Historic Fencing Society on Facebook and at lihfs.org. Now back to my beer.

[Peter Remling]

To answer the OP, I think the answer depends on why your buying a sword in the first place.

Trying to start a collection? Then your going to end up with more than one sword for sure. You'll most likely start with some cheap SLO's, move on to DSA and swear by them, and then arrive where almost all European collectors end up, with Albion, A&A, and customs. You'll also wander around time periods till you figure out what your actual area of interest is. Oh, and that two handed viking you think will be a good idea will be something you laugh about 10 years from the purchase date.

Trying to get in to HEMA? You'll first end up with windlass and tinkers, both blunt and sharp. These are good swords, but not as good as the Eastern European smiths can make. As you progress the cold steel wasters you thought were great will feel like heavy dead hunks of plastic. You'll end up with an H/T longsowrd till you figure out its too light, then its either a Regenyei or Ensifer for you. You'll also be in to Pavel Moc and Albion again on the sharp end. by the time you start seriously training to use that Shidelhau as an actual cut you'll have honed in on period and sword type.

The bottom line is most sword will cut it (no pun intended) for what your describing in your OP. What will change is your understanding of just how a sword in your period of interest should fell and behave in motion. That sense will become more refined the more you learn and the more open you are to learning that the notions you hold today will be wrong tomorrow. Its the expansion of your understanding and appreciation of the art behind the blade that will drive you up in price point till you arrive where everyone else has.

Well that my 2¢, adjusted for inflation. Good luck on your journey and remember to add salt to my advice. And if you're ever in the NY Metro area and would like to attend a HEMA class, check out Long Island Historic Fencing Society on Facebook and at lihfs.org. Now back to my beer.

The Will Hunting speech for swords.

True none the less !

[Manveruon]

Good lord it's brilliant. I'm only just starting to tinker with swords in an almost-serious way (the custom type XII I commissioned this past year is still my baby... I really need to finally post a review of that tihing), but I can totally see how this process plays out, haha.

[ineffableone]

For a decent Euro style sword your looking at $500+ typically. While there are some budget blades in the $250-$300 range they tend to be not great examples of the sword styles and might put one off of a style when a better version for a bit more money might actually be the perfect fit for someone.

Looking at the Chinese made katana's we can see it is possible to make a functional sword for very low cost if they are making a lot of them. You can get a cheap functional katana for $50-$80. $300 gets you a pretty solid trustworthy katana. But for Euro blades, the gaps are bigger and and prices higher due to lower volume of business.

If Euro blades were more popular, and less of them made as wallhangers and more made functional prices would go down. This will only happen if more people buy functional blades over wallhangers.

While I see nothing wrong with wallhangers if that is all you wish to have, I do think if you have interest in a functional blade it is a good idea to save up for that special sword. Or if you already have a wallhanger collection, consider selling them off to afford the special sword. More we buy functional swords more they will be available and lower their prices will get, eventually.

[Rifter]

I have a nice one from valiant armories. Apart from that and a few stage steel swords I use for performances I only have that one. I would love a Christian border watch blade...but I'd want a few alterations and I prefer a circular grip not a square one such as my blade now had. Darksword has some nice items but the weight there is an issue for me, I like to use swords that can be two or one handed and in a perfect world Peter Lyons could make me a strider replica in carbon and I'd be happy

[Arbellason]

There once the college funds are set aside (a small sum of $24,000 for a six month school ) and the sustainable job is going then it's albion time as most have seen it will be hopefully my first build and first proper sword.