Any of you into swords?

[jwf891]

What types of swords are you into? Do you practice martial arts or test cutting?

My favorite is the XVIa longsword (Oakeschott typology). It was the longsword most commonly used during the 100 years war. Feels very nimble and well balanced.

I really liked the aesthetics of the XIIa(Knightly sword) but did not care for how it felt in hand. Nothing else comes close to the XVIa for me but the XVIIIb is what im eyeballing next.

I don’t buy antiques though, I’m too poor for that lol. I am not a collector I just like cutting stuff and training (Liechtenauer/German longsword).

[IG88A]

My harness would potentially dox me, same for swords, but I’ve got a ~1410-50’s italian export styled suit of plate and a BKS longsword for steel fighting. Rest of the collection is a Hanwei Tinker longsword with printed armory fittings as a cutter (budget albion regent), the blunt with factory fittings as a second rebated longsword, and a VA bristol as a walking around short sword which is why I’m partial to the Coxcomb in KCD.

The HT longsword is a XVIIIa and honestly all the swords of that line, especially for the price, are the best low price high quality swords on the market. every other company putting out a product south of $700 doesn’t hold a candle to these ~$250 blades. Spring steel + actual proper geometry is a winning package. Pic related, not mine but one that has the aftermarket fittings. I haven’t regripped mine.

[jwf891]

I just got a Ronin-Katana Euro #2, it is on par with my Hanwei. RKs newer stuff is pretty good. Both beat Cold Steel by a wide margin. I even prefer them to the Darksword Armory sword I paid twice as much for and just sold not too long ago.

[IG88A]

Darksword is in general a terrible company. The fit and finish of their swords is sub indian, temper can be soft as mild steel, scabbards are loose crap (and ahistorical on all but some 13th century single handers- but such is expected from indian manufacturing), and they are wholesale lying about being made in canada. Assembled maybe, maybe even 53% for the lowest form of “product of canada” there is no record of them meeting, but they are most definitely imported like their canadian business license classification alludes to. Some have been nice, but not any of the ones anyone I know actually received. Little things like releasing cringey “production” videos to try and quell the fact no one thinks they make their swords, always raising more questions than answers, years worth of product floating around with failed or no tempering, magically having batches upon batches of swords with rat tail tangs in 2016, etc. etc.

They have a bottom floor reputation everywhere outside of SBG, which happens to sell them so make of that what you will.

[jwf891]

My Darksword was ok , definitely overpriced though.

[fang3412]

might as well go dynasty forge or albion squire line for the price some darkswords go lol

[jwf891]

Very true.