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Help me buy a sword.
Elvenshae
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Hey, all!
I'm looking to buy a sword for a friend of mine for a graduation present, since he just successfully defended his doctoral thesis.
I would like to get him something in the scimitar or Eastern European / Russian vein, which I could get engraved.
I know that there are lots, and lots, and lots of shitty quality "replica" swords out there, many of them fantasy swords, but I'm looking for something a bit higher quality. Essentially, I'd like a presentation sword that he can hang on his wall - but I have no idea where to find such a thing that isn't a modern military ceremonial sword. Google keeps trying to get me to buy Anduril or Sting.
Help!
I'm looking to buy a sword for a friend of mine for a graduation present, since he just successfully defended his doctoral thesis.
I would like to get him something in the scimitar or Eastern European / Russian vein, which I could get engraved.
I know that there are lots, and lots, and lots of shitty quality "replica" swords out there, many of them fantasy swords, but I'm looking for something a bit higher quality. Essentially, I'd like a presentation sword that he can hang on his wall - but I have no idea where to find such a thing that isn't a modern military ceremonial sword. Google keeps trying to get me to buy Anduril or Sting.
Help!
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
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Posts
They're Canadian, so ... no?
Yes.
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
I'm still baffled that US has no Ketchup chips!
It is a mall store, but ours here , while having the lesser end replica section, also has full out properly made sections too.
( But still no help since Canada only woops heh)
This is honestly not sarcasm, Do you have any local Blacksmiths? They usually love a new project and are usually pretty decent about price being basically materials + labor. Never had a sword made, but we used a local guy here for a ton of crazy framework for various art things ( And a giant mechspider for our paintball field)
Heh - that's okay.
Cool! No, the type you get in the States are all pretty ... low-quality.
None that I'm aware of, but that's a good angle to take. Thanks - I'll see what I can find!
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
http://www.albion-swords.com/swords/albion/squire/sword-squire-knightly.htm
There are really only two ends of the spectrum when it comes to swords, with little in-between: (1) a flimsy stainless steel decoration piece that isn't designed to do anything other than hang on your wall, or (2) a high-carbon blade that is actually intended for "practical" use.
It sounds like you want the former, but are trying to apply some sort of standard of quality to it, which is hard to do. The basic requirements for decorative swords are that they look pretty and can hang on a wall without breaking. It's pretty hard to fail those tests. Which is why pretty much all of them come from China, where you can buy cheap stainless steel in bulk and then literally cut it into sword-shaped pieces for sale. So what differentiates one hunk of polished stainless steel from another is going to be the materials it is surrounded with - what is used for the pommel, hilt, etc. It's hard to find a market for this, because real sword collectors want real swords, not knock-offs, and people who want wall decorations don't want to pay another $300 for pretty jewels and wood on something that isn't even functional.
Also, keep in mind that a "real" sword has high carbon content, which means that it must be cleaned and oiled regularly, or it will rust away. This is another reason why they generally don't make good showpieces.
TL;DR
Do a Google search using "decorative", that should help with your results. Be very wary of cheaply-constructed Chinese swords (if it rattles or parts feel loose when you pick it up, it's crap). What you really want are decently-constructed Chinese swords. I would be very wary of spending more than $200 on something like this (or even $100), as the difference between one decorative weapon vs. another is going to be very small unless you are dealing with valuable components (e.g., jewels).
Albion swords are like the name brand "real swords" that HEMA enthusiasts buy.
Which may not be the thing you want if you're buying your friend this cool commemorative piece.
Just so long as he doesn't wave it around, a shitty wallhanger replica is just fine. It's more of a piece of sculpture than a sword.
Lets put it this way. Even if the US had ketchup chips, we would still put ketchup on them. its not so much the flavor but the fact that its a high sugar thick and gooey sauce that must be on all american food. Period.
They can't be used in combat situations, they will shatter and/or shear since they're so brittle.
If this is an issue because you want the idea of a sword rather than a pretty replica as a talking piece, wallhanger isn't a good choice.
But a real sword is going to be expensive, since they can't be pressed from a bar of metal, and have to be smithed. The downside here is that they are not really shiny swords either, so they may not look great on the wall or beside your coat of arms.
Other swords which are fairly high-quality but are intended for sparring are Peter Regenyei swords. They have features which make them safer. This doesn't mean they're essentially modern sham-swords, people who learnt to swordfight back in the day also used practice swords and sabers.
I would personally just find a good-looking decorative piece or an antique if you can find one. Keep in mind that sharp swords are dangerous and you can cut yourself badly with one.
They give good reviews and explain what to look for in a sword at the price range you've mentioned.
Nothing, really, but I want to get him something more real than not, and the ones I've seen have tended towards the cheap end of the spectrum, where you're paying for ... brand or licensing or something, rather than nice construction. Since it is highly unlikely that he'll ever get another Ph.D., I'd like to spend a little more and get something ... more unique?
He's also the type of guy that would appreciate a real sword vs. a fake one.
Yeah - I figured that was one of the reasons that I was having trouble finding what I was looking for, in that there isn't much of a middle market.
Yeah - I was able to find a lot of the "cheap Chinese stuff," but not so much the other things (until all the help from this thread appeared, anwyay! Thanks, everyone!).
I'm looking at the Cold Steel / Windlass shamshir / scimitar, currently, since they seem to be the best of the midrange Middle Eastern swords available.
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
http://www.woodenswords.com/category_s/1836.htm
However, if you are willing to spend the money to get steel, I cannot disagree with your choice. With your price range you might want to get a "training" or "stage" weapon which would be steel, however it would not be sharp. They can still look very nice. There are several smiths in the U.S. that I could reccomend, and others across the Atlantic as well. My personal knowledge is with the longsword, but I am sure you can find something more along the vein of what you are looking for, or even have something custom made.
Either way, Best of Luck!!
commissioning a full-size, forged, heat-treated and tempered sword from a blacksmith would be very expensive, like definitely not less than a grand and probably a lot more. and that's if the smith in question is even able to make a sword, it requires a lot of specialized knowledge and tools that are really only applicable to swordsmithing.
hitting hot metal with hammers
You can get some decent steel for less than 500 bucks. You might not get Excalibur, but as long as your selection is made intelligently (carbon steel, full tang construction, etc), you can get a decent sword for that price.
Fixed that for you. =P
But to be fair you probably could find a decent historical decorative sword, like something given to a U.S. Marine officer in the 1950's or something, for a relatively decent price as long as you aren't expecting it to be in mint condition. Japanese WW2 officer swords are everywhere (including a flood of cheap Chinese fakes, per usual), because literally every single officer got one. The real problem is that you aren't an expert, so you have no idea if you're really getting what you are paying for or if it is one of the aforementioned fakes. Then again, that's a problem you will face even if you buy something that isn't trying to pass itself off as an historical artifact, so whatever.
Also, I feel compelled to reiterate the point about high carbon content in "real" swords. If you buy something that isn't stainless steel, your friend will have to take care of the blade or it will eventually rust away, sometimes very quickly (as in, a couple of years = rust everywhere). If you're serious about it as a gift, even a "practical training" sword, then you might want to include a sword cleaning kit or similar materials as part of the whole package.
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
I think this is a cool idea. Not just because I'm a cheapskate, but because the wooden rudis signified that a gladiator has performed well enough to be freed from his/her servitude in the arena and become a free man.
This sounds like it was properly forged( not an expert if someone else can peek at it) and is based in history over fantasy.
trueswords.com/cold-steel-battle-ready-grosse-messer-sword-88gms-p-2153.html
YW. You might also want to check out @Reverend_Chaos 's link. There's a Victory Sword that looks like it's exactly what you're looking for.
This is a good point since swords will rust even when left in the scabbard (and eventually become so rusty that you won't be able to extract them anymore without destroying the scabbard). Fingerprints left on the blade can also oxidize.
That way if the sword does get stuck in the scabbard, he has a chance at not completely destroying it and the sword. (Cut the stitching apart, peal the scabbard open, free the blade, clean the blade, see if you can stitch the scabbard back together.)
Yeah there's a number of ways to protect a blade from rust better than traditional methods if it's just a showpeice. Also...it should not be mounted inside a scabbard.
So, you know, fuck you guys!
I host a podcast about movies.
Also worth mentioning: a smaller gift is going to be way less of a hassle if he's ever moving, or needs to live in a smaller space.
I ended up going with the Windlass Steelcrafts Persian Scimitar.* I then got it engraved with the details of his degree and, of course, the XKCD quote that kicked off the whole idea.
I wrote him a Top 10 List of how the sword was like his degree (Bioweapon / bioterror Defense) and read it at the "presentation" (by which I mean, "When we unwrapped Christmas presents"). Included in the list was, "Although not strictly limited to the Middle East, it's the first thing everyone thinks of when they see it, anyway."
So, to answer your question, yes.
Anyway, thanks again everyone - it was a huge success, and I couldn't have done it without y'alls help.
* And a bottle of car wax and the previously-linked sword maintenance kit, both of which were presented well in advance of the actual blade just to mess with him.
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]