How to start sword collecting: Where to look, what to avoid

[@runemaster861]

"A threaded pommel is usually a sign of a cheap sword" I think you've made a mistake here... how else would you end him rightly if the pommel isn't threaded?

[@BarryMichaels]

Exactly !

[@brieneaton6079]

well said!

[@tiarnanmacdonough455]

Damn, you beat me to that comment

[@leviadvonin2451]

umm by chopping his head of? piercing his heart? doing it with the boot?, lol i just pictures someone trying to kill someone with the end of a rapier xd

[@leavemealoneiknowhatimdoing]

new here? :)

[@ferntheyoutuber9960]

I feel like Skallagrim broke a cheap sword and accidentally killed his neighbors cat.

[@Artemis0713]

So I'm not the only one who thought that, I hope it's a good thing and that I not just have dark toughts about impaling cats. .

[@aaronhanson7241]

kamj2003 I'm gonna have to disagree, I think he actually hit his neighbor rather than his neighbor's cat

[@allykat5899]

FernTheKZbinr hehe funny

[@theoristocratic1923]

Yea... I too found that to be a rather wildly specific description of a possible scenario.

[@billybob5161]

a cheap cold steel sword to be more acurate

[@Mountainmonths]

whoa whoa who says im not going into battle with a sword!?

[@randyparsons3188]

Mountainmonths The guy with the gun : D

[@dansolt929]

Randy Parsons any gun-wielding tard whipping his piece out at me better be farther than 20ft. Or I win xD. 9 times/10 in close confrontation, gun loses; or worse, shoots the idiot holding it. Not to mention that at least half the retards in this country who own a gun have never practiced with it, nor would they know what to do if it misfired/jammed on them.

[@DoomedSonoftheWalrus]

Randy Parsons That only works if you can hear the guy with the gun. "Mad Jack" Churchill *clearly* couldn't hear him over his own bagpipes, and it worked out pretty well for him :)

[@morganfinley3]

dansolt929 Are you high? 9/10 times in close confrontation a gun loses? You're clearly an idiot. 20 ft is excellent enough distance for a person with a firearm to whip your ass with your dinky sword. I don't suggest confronting someone with a gun wielding a sword at them.

[@morganfinley3]

dansolt929 Also... misfires and jams rarely happen with modern firearms. You've clearly no experience with firearms at all.

[@andrewhanowski9601]

Daniel Tosh of tosh.0 was cutting stuff with the cold steel great sword in an episode and it came apart when he was swinging it and the blade went flying at his camera crew.

[@TheReTurnersFlips]

That's because he was trying to split firewood with it. It didnt come apart the tang snapped. Swords arent meant for that kind of stress.

[@Elbowbanditest2003]

@@TheReTurnersFlips if its made decently with decent materials it will be able to take abuse like that how do you think they were used in battle? To slice paper?

[@superjlk_9538]

@@TheReTurnersFlips swords were designed to kill people

[@tomsawyerpiper9412]

@@superjlk_9538, true, but a sword that shatters against an enemy shield wall or plate armor is not fit for battle.

[@niel7250]

I love the shout out to sword buyers guide, great site. Also really like what you are doing with the channel! Another great video as always

[@Skallagrim]

Thanks.

[@MrJesusPerson]

***** can you do a video like this for knives. I would like to see a video showing website recommendations and things to avoid. (if you haven't already :)

[@Streifenprinz]

"the really good stuff starts at 800$" and that's why i am fighting with an axe :P :D

[@sirdanielsmalley9657]

*laughs in Arms and Armour* Never mind I just looked at it, and Arms and Armour has some really affordable high quality axes. :)

[@Skycube100]

@@sirdanielsmalley9657 do you have links?

[@sirdanielsmalley9657]

@@Skycube100 sorry it looks like links are disabled. I tried. 😄 Go to Kult of Athena website and look at brands, Arms and Armour, then scroll down a bit.

[@anthonydelonga7181]

A goos brain and a quarter staff is a good qeqpon

[@symphonysystem4846]

Historically accurate

[@timothyheimbach3260]

Did anyone else wonder if skall had hit his neighbors cat with a broken blade...

[@walfalcon]

Timothy Heimbach He does seem to mention such things often...

[@mistanix]

+Timothy Heimbach there is a diplomatic solution with cats who whiz on your steps - costo sized catnip - a soccer ball stabbed about a hundred times, put the catnip in the ball - tether said ball to a tree far from your house and voila - it is doubtful the cat will bother you for awhile

[@giantdad1661]

No. He hit his neighbors cat with the Pommel.

[@crazyd4ve875]

+Xav X He ended it rightly.

[@n-thebigdeal8675]

I just found this channel at 3 in the morning and I’m so happy I did. From the few videos I’ve watched, I’ve greatly enjoyed the content, and this video itself just saved me a lot of trouble, as I was honestly about to buy a sword from Cold Steel. I know this is an older video, but I really like it, along with all the others I’ve watched. Way to go Mr. Skall!

[@rowanvincent5762]

This was a really good video Skall, would it be possible for you to make another video explaining more of the differences of production and materials between different blades? Focusing on the types of metal used, how it's made etc. I definitely want to learn more!

[@MicheleeiRettili]

you should start a "Sword collection 101: buyer's guide" for beginners, like... continuing this and pass your knowledge to people that want to begin sword collecting. I really enjoyed this video.

[@xilio2622]

My Cold Steel Gross Messer handle broke off during a test cut. would not recommend either. I do like the folders they make though.

[@Skallagrim]

xilio I'm not surprised, their swords are not well built.

[@chysayeh4043]

***** How do you feel about their machetes?

[@xilio2622]

i have not owned one, but they are fairly inexpensive. I'd would say try it it out, or feel out the reviews on amazon. My problem with the GM was the price and the handle breaking. I might have been ok with that if it where 100 bucks less. I will say this; I've owned a 9$ harbor freight machete and it was good for the tasks it did after i sharpened it, i dont think CS makes worse products then a 9$ HFT item.

[@chysayeh4043]

Well I'm just looking into it because my buddy loves Rome and they have a gladius machete so it's a cool way to get him a sharp gladius for his birthday without breaking the bank

[@chainsawelliott44]

***** i wish i had listened to you, i bought their saber machete and thought it was ok at 30 dollars...then i bought their 2 handed greatsword and it was baaaaaad i attempted to cut some tree branches that were no thicker than a quarter of an inch (6mm) and the tiny nut that they fixed it with broke off and the whole sword came apart the blade had a decent temper and flexed really well (not as well as in the "sword proof" video but it wasnt bad) but now i have to fix it myself, im just gonna fix it with pins and weld the pommel on so that it works like a peen

[@SanjiSasuke]

For Kult of Athena, I recommend 1. Their second hand stuff (seriously, sometimes you can get $100 off for a cracked scabbard, which can be replaced by a wall hanger's or repaired or similar minor problems like paint or finish issues) 2. Their FAQ, lots of good info in there, including price matching.

[@itsjonesh]

I actually want to start sparring and training medieval sword-fighting. Shame Brazil does not have an huge tradition on sword fighting or renaiscance fairs. :(

[@wesleyalmeida8080]

+João Le Peixe -q If you live in São Paulo, there is a sword-play academy near Republica, but that's pretty much the only one i know about, at least in my state.

[@itsjonesh]

I live in RJ, sadly. But is cool to know that there's somewhere here where i can look at it at my leisure when i have the time. Only other place i diacovered tha covered thia kind of training of martial arta was in Magé and Santa Catarina, where the people of SACRA are from.

[@gabrielnoya6004]

Moonmanos u know the name of the school?

[@alonsoallen]

Because Brasil have bows and axds and after the europeans come to kill everyone go right to the fire guns

[@taliesin159]

I think Skal could benefit from making an updated version of this video.

[@bornforburning777]

What is your opinion on Darksword Armory?

[@Isaac_El_Khoury]

I love how I am not interested in collecting swords, but I sit and watch through this video, simply to relax and listen to your awesome voice. ;D

[@KnightMirkoYo]

Please, make a series of videos like this. Thank you.

[@Skallagrim]

What precisely are you looking for?

[@KnightMirkoYo]

Ah, I've been thinking about it and it seems that you covered everything about buying swords in this particular video. Just continue doing what you do, I would especially like reviews of your new swords. Thank you!

[@edi9892]

On Kult of Athena you can often see from the enlarged pics where the problems are. E.g. look at the assassins Katar and see how it is assembled... I bought my CS Shamshir there. With shipping to Europe and a horrendous tax it was still cheaper than from CS itself. It came sharp and rocksolid, but there were many issues that I could not foretell: - the *fittings* were slightly *misaligned*, it causes scratches on the scabard and is abrasive to your hand. Also the brass color is apparently paint (pealed off on several spots right out of the box --> *quality control on KoA also not too good!*) - the grip is too round, long and *slippery* (makes edge alignment difficult) - no distal taper - the faux buffalo horn is actually high density PP or similar heavy duty platic (also poor paint job there) - CS produces in India and then ships it to the US where the "made by Windlass" is polished off (poorly) and the sword becomes packed again Since it sounds like an angry rant here comes what I like - the over all design is very appealing - the low weight (atypical for CS) - very durable edge - very rust resistant (even compared to my 1000 EUR sword) - bit tip heavy, but still decent handling - over all it is still the blade that I would trust if shti hits the fan (due to cutting ability and robustness at only 800g)

[@tetsubo57]

A good friend contacted me today and asked me what he should know before he purchased his first sword. Weird.

[@Skallagrim]

Guess I did the work for you. :)

[@drmadcap1352]

***** Salutations skall Where would go to buy axes or tomahawks? I thinking of getting some to modify into steampunk axes.

[@5chr4pn3ll]

I didnt think this video would be this great for some reason. Pleasantly surprised. Best video on the subject I've ever seen

[@benjamin3615]

What Skallagrim says about Cold Steel is true, just go watch their demostration video. There was a sales pitch for a Zweihander as a home defense weapon. XD

[@KrigRaseri]

Oh dear.

[@atk9989]

Their knifes are amazing though. I have their 7inch blade GI Tanto knife picked one up 4 years ago on a military base for $20 and iv been all kinds of abusive to it and only damage its taken is I managed to break off about 1/8-1/16 of the tip when I threw it and I think it hit a rock.

[@benjamin3615]

Yeah, their throwing weapons are pretty great too. I've used some for martial arts before.

[@OgreMECH]

I just bought that sword (pictured)! I got it for $260 after shipping and taxes. I love it and it's holding up. It also got a 4 star rating from sbg.

[@SAsgarters]

I always thought that was satire.

[@alanashley6097]

I'm a low budget beginner sword collector and am interested in the gladius style at the moment. I bought a Ritter Gladius and agree with your description. It is heavy made out of 1085 steel I believe. I took the brass spikes out of the handle and filled it with wood filler and stained over. Looks better and I figure this is a good practice sword to build arm and shoulder strength. I did buy a Legacy Arms Gladius as well and really like it. I also picked up a Traditional Filipino Weapons Gladius and am impressed with that blade. After swinging the Ritter sword these other two are like swinging feathers. So the sword adventure began.

[@cbr600rrturbo]

Thanks for the info Mr.Skall, u are the man

[@skylerburton9903]

What are your thoughts on Peter Regenyei? Apparently he is in belguim and I am considering buying a two handed sword of his through the HEMA shop. Any response would be appreciated, thanks.

[@Skallagrim]

Skyler Nguyen From what I've seen he makes excellent practice swords.

[@northwestsurvival5343]

+Skallagrim plz respond I'm 12 so I can't collect real swords but I have many wooden 1s and I'm not take sticks like they have hand guards some of them have a pummel my favourite is the Viking long sword plz respond it would make my or my month or my year

[@Darth_Nycta_13]

+Skallagrim what companies would you say are good or recommend for a reasonable price?

[@Darth_Nycta_13]

***** thanks

[@justinjenkins6925]

“Not gonna go into battle with a sword nowadays” ..... you underestimate my power....

[@rawheadrex1972]

Don’t try it!

[@ryanwood6006]

When the next riots start again you can bet your grass ill be out there with my shortsword and buckler

[@Whatshappening2024]

Wish I saw this a year ago lol, but my steep learning curve ended when I got my hands on an Albion Agincourt. As soon as I lifted it I knew this is what swords were meant to feel like and was amazed at the quality.

[@Northwite]

Can I just say that I'm glad that I found someone who has a love for weapons and lives in Canada. Canada's laws with weapons is, in some cases, bat shit crazy so it's nice to know that there is someone with knowledge of sites and information that falls in line with the stupid laws we have when it comes to weapons. Thank you for the information. I just wish we could buy nunchakus instead of having to make them ourselves. Stupid government. Oh, we'll allow guns up to and including sawed off shotguns (if they're made professionally), but nunchucks aren't allowed because they are more dangerous than a gun.... *sigh*

[@kriddie88]

Great video Skall. I'm not new to weapons collecting, although I have only now started really expanding my collection with swords. I have, over the years, collecting some fine WWII bayonet pieces, but haven't had the funds to start collecting real swords. Just ordered the Tinker Pearce Longsword to start off in earnest. Loved your review of it, and decided that the cost/quality balance seems perfect for a starter. Already feel bad for all those plants in my garden.

[@zekethegamefreak4930]

I came here to figure out whether I should pein the pommel or thread the pommel.

[@deltavee2]

Thank you. This is extremely informative for the beginner collector like me. And please don't ever stop the rants. A lot of good comes out there too! Thumbs up of course, and bookmarked.

[@Epicslayer77]

When you went from kult of Athena to Google it was just kind of like, ow, my eyes.

[@Viking1310]

I highly recommend Windlass Steel Craft swords as a start for collectors. I got my first one from them on Museum Replicas, and I love that thing. Cost me about $215-230.

[@blakefish80]

Hi Skall, that was a really good solid beginners guide on sword collecting... It's about time somebody laid into Coldsteel. They really do act like they're gods gift to sword making when in reality they're complete garbage. The only sword of theirs i ever saw that was any way decent was the Chinese war sword, but that's insanely overpriced when compared to a Hanwei or even the Condor Dadao you reviewed recently. What i would say though, and i hope you would agree with me, is that Windlass have made some pretty good short swords? For instance the Pompeii Gladius and Spartan Lakonian are both very good swords for there incredibly cheap price. The dull edge i believe is Indian law, I don't think they're allowed to ship swords with an edge? Maybe you could correct me on that but i'm sure that's what i heard. But the good folk at KoA do a pretty good job at sharpening for the $20... P.S, That Hanwei Pudao you sold that is now discontinued? You can actually still buy them at The Knight Shop in the UK if you ever get the inkling to rekindle your lost love for big sharp red Chinese poles :D

[@brandonfoley7519]

Cold steel makes some exceptional budget machetes

[@yharim180]

Most of their swords are sourced from windlass, keep that in mind. Windlass can make some bangers. I also heard that some of their lines of japanese swords are reliable, but the rest of their swords are hit or miss. Cold steel isn't my first pick for swords, but def my first pick for beater knives or smaller things. I recently found a diamond in the rough from them too.

[@Symphonia30]

I've haven't been sword collecting for a long time, mainly because of funds. But now I'm I'm restarting to collect more swords from movies, games, and animes again. It's quite an experience. I buy my swords from all sorts of sights, True Swords, KA Swords, Swords of Might, sometimes ones from Anime expos. Swords doesn't have to be expensive or high quality, the quality and look that counts to me, so I could hang it up on my swords rack on my wall.

[@kingnikolaj]

Now I might ask dumb question to the cold steel hilt thing could people not just "rehilt" the sword so the hitl is stronger?

[@Skallagrim]

The problem is the weak threaded construction, and you can't simply change that. And they are also poorly designed and handle like a clumsy sharpened crowbar.

[@kingnikolaj]

well again I don't have a sword...(yet) so I will take your word for it since I can hear and see you know your stuff about swords

[@quinnloneheart9906]

How odd, It was my birthday today and i got my first training sword a book on sword fighting techniques called the swordsman's companion AND NOW THIS VIDEO! this has been a great help for people like me who are just starting out, thanks a ton Skallagrim!

[@TheJoritomo]

I ordered that book few days ago as a gift too! Happy training ^^

[@simbaesqueleto9334]

"impail there cat" yo man that was reaaally specific 😂

[@BESTIAL-CRUCIFIER]

Good video. As someone interested in obtaining a sword, but not overly knowledgeable in the hobby, this was helpful.

[@blakefish80]

Also, Chris Palmer at Scorpion Swords makes some great swords too at a low price range. He does a pretty nice Khopesh that you might like? Not authentic Bronze, but very nice and extremely durable.

[@Skallagrim]

Yes, I've seen that. Pretty neat.

[@FutureUSMC12]

I like this, learned some good and bad things about swords and some new places to buy them. I see a lot of people talking about the prices, just remember that his suggestions are based more for a "battle ready" collector. As with anything, you can decide for yourself whether you really want the high end for fencing or show, or if you want high end or cheap for display. I personally have cheap ones (under $100), but they are still beautiful and fair for display.

[@PurpleHurrple]

Don't think they ship to Norway because reasons. Oh well, I could still have a kitchen knife collection.

[@Skallagrim]

Gren_Sonny In fact they do.

[@PurpleHurrple]

***** Checked their 9th century Viking sword based on what they have dug up in Trondheim and it doesn't ship here. It's Hanwei.

[@Skallagrim]

Gren_Sonny They are currently re-working their website and have some issues with the automatic shipping calculator. Try to send them a message.

[@PurpleHurrple]

Thanks for the tip mate. :)

[@ephesusrh4780]

+Gren_Sonny you are from Norway? hello from Georgia, in the US. the land of the "free". I'm sure our founding fathers are disappointed in us. lol, this comment was random but is Norway awesome? i think anything would be better then here

[@QOSQualityofSpeed]

Make your own, I was lucky in University I apprenticed underneath a knife maker who helped me construct my first sword. After making your own you kind of understand a lot about how swords are made and what is good quality and what it's not. I don't have that sort anymore it was named Scorser. It was 36 in Long it was a broadsword with a dual filler running up both sides of the blade that came to a point in the center of the blade. I also etched a dragon on it using acid with an artist friend of mine she helped me draw the Dragon. Had a brass gillion and a brass pommel and a Oakwood handle. I also made a sheath for it out of sheet metal and leather.

[@himynameispuky]

Which sword manufacturer would you say has the best build quality? I don't care much about aesthetics or type of sword, but I'm looking for the most reliable thing out there.

[@Skallagrim]

Albion and Arms & Armor, like I said in the video.

[@liamwhinery5749]

***** Also... Del Tin.

[@himynameispuky]

I'm interested in Celtic and Japanese swords more, though I'm open to try any type of sword.

[@AGermanFencer]

himynameispuky Celtic ? so you`re looking for bronze weapons ? There was this one skalla tested... just search for it in his channel ^^ Japanese ? Not a fan. Thick bulky short heavy sabers of poor steel (at least the real deal ^^) But can be nice too of course. I can just underline what Justin Jones said. looks for Craftsmen.

[@himynameispuky]

Will do.

[@ernestsheffield9976]

At 6:02 or so you are absolutely correct. Any forged blade has to the have a stock removal step anyway. The cool things about forging is less limitations on stock size or shape, and the cool factor with a connection to the past. And in the case of pattern welded stuff...well really it's just the aesthetics, it is so damn pretty. Heart of the blade is steel type and proper heat treatment for that steel type.

[@I.am.Khor.0]

I Have a "Sword" just like the example of what not to buy. (But i just buy it like a decorative), but i was used to swing it just for fun... and it brokes! The funny thing about it is that i have 50kg (~110 pounds) and i barely can lift it with one hand! (srry bad english and stuff)

[@lordbiscuitthetossable5352]

That's the issue with wallhangers. They might look like swords, but they aren't constructed like one.

[@brandonfoley7519]

I bought a wall hanger katana Look REALLY good But I would never actually swing it

[@Shadowhowler42]

We appreciate the shout out... and we miss you. :-)

[@ElDrHouse2010]

What about Darksword? Are they newbies?

[@AntonNidhoggr]

Wow, and I just decided to buy my first sword, actually. You're reading my thoughts!

[@tetsubo57]

What you consider the best dollar value quality swords?

[@Skallagrim]

Valiant Armoury and Arms & Armor offer really good value for money. And Albion's Squire Line.

[@ericeinarson6654]

***** Just wondering, what's your opinion on pattern-welded blades? They look awesome but what sort of price would I be looking at for a sword with pattern-welded steel?

[@dmp762]

***** What do you think of cold steel? Have you seen their test videos?

[@tetsubo57]

dmp762 Skall is not a fan.

[@dmp762]

dmp762 I should has been more specific. What do you think of cold steel swords.

[@mattmanbrownbro]

I had taken yours and a couple others' advice a while back against Cold Steel and purchased a Windlass longsword from KOA. (I have a couple of test cutting videos with it). The blade is still pretty whippy, and a little bit sloppy on the aesthetics (wire wrap is sloppy, fuller isn't straight), but it's really structurally sounds and it works very well on light to medium targets. The whippiness isn't necessarily concerning as much as it is a minor annoyance at this point. Anyhoo, thank you for your input.

[@gartengeflugel924]

Eight hundred.. thousand dollars... eight hundred thousand?

[@jennoscura2381]

I have been pleased with the Cold Steel products I have. However I don't own any o their swords. I have the African Walking stick, Special Forces Shovel, and Kudu. The walking stick works well but is a little on the heavy side. I used that for a while as my daily walking stick. The shovel is awesome. I have been using it as a garden shovel. If I go backpacking or camping I will be sure to bring it. The Kudu is a surprisingly good knife for how little it costs. Their swords may suck, but not all their products do. At some point I plan on picking up one of their sword machetes.

[@charliecampbell8565]

"Or impale their cat!" Cracked up at that part

[@Dejawolfs]

I highly recommend Armor class. had my anglo saxon stage combat sword from armour class, and it's taken some really heavy use, and still good. nothing has come loose, and it's really light.

[@BernardTheNecromance]

HAHA, "hot peening"! God, I'm a fucking idiot.

[@Karoku2100]

Necromancer Bernard Needs Donkey Kong, lmao

[@aaronlimebeer1829]

I am suddenly glad that, outside of my practice sword, I did not buy any cold steel stuff. I did not realize that they had so many flaws and problems like that. However I can say that my Windlass Longsword is well put together. Not overly flexible in my opinion, however I don't have too much experience with longswords (I've handled a few, but most of my collection is short swords such as the Gladius) as of yet so I cannot say if it's my inexperience speaking or if I just lucked out in my purchase.

[@aidanlivingstone4724]

When you said "Impale their cat," I broke out in laughter (I love Cats)

[@MrFivefivefivesix]

I've heard good things about Arms & Armor and Lutel. I've got a Lutel rapier and Main Gauche set as well as one of their longswords (which I bought on a whim), both of which are pretty solid and haven't really had any problems with them. I've got an Arms & Armor German rapier and Main Gauche set on their way to me right now from Kult Of Athena and I'm hoping they'll also live up to the price.

[@NoBSSurvival]

I just went to kultofathena and the site keeps crashing..... I think you might have crashed the site by sending them too much traffic. Maybe you could ask them about it and see if they would like you to review stuff for them. Yep http error 503. too much traffic. LOL PS: Can people please comment if they had an error 503?

[@ElDrHouse2010]

Heh, yes. We broke Kult of Athena lol.

[@Mayfleette]

yes, it keeps crashing

[@Sylencer1982]

Heh. When I was a younger teen I'd gotten a cheapo $50 Wakizashi from Cheaper Than Dirt. It was "for display purposes only," came laquer-coated, the pommel was threaded and used a simple nut to tighten it all together, the internal grip itself was two hunks of plastic, the wrapping was cheap Nylon cordage, and was in general just a POS. I loved that thing, though. Well, more recently (I'm 31 now) the nut finally gave way, and snapped in half. It had been tightened repeatedly over the years, and eventually it was just too much for the poor metal. As the cheap brass(?) fittings had also slowly destroyed themselves against the steel for years as well, I ended up fabricating some more out of copper. The blade at least had a full tang (not a welded rod), and it even had a hole in the tang for a pin that hadn't been used in the original. I'd also made a new handle out of some redwood pieces from Home Depot, and carved a recess for the tang, including a tapered hole for a wooden pin. So after getting that right, hammering in a wedge of wood into the hole, and putting in another strip of copper for a brace for the pin, it got wrapped in some 550 paracord. I ended up using the same finishing knot process (more or less) as the actual katanas use (it was a pain in the butt), but the sword's a lot more secure now. I mean, I use it as a glorified machete, but it's more than earned back the little bit of money put into it. Heh heh heh.

[@freischutz898]

-if you dare to rant again in a video I'm going to unsubscribe and put it in the comments because I want attention. - Where I look if i can shoot the Sword? -They are very expensive for a sword, and I think it is important to put it in spite of you explained that in the video Well since I put some of the forced annoying comments. As always great video, if I had the money would be an excellent guide to start, by the way I love how your hair looks.

[@Skallagrim]

Around here people can get attention without resorting to that. In fact starting a comment with a seemingly negative statement might make me stop reading and ignore it. :)

[@freischutz898]

You know i was trying to make an ironic comment with that annoying comments, like those who say they will unsubscribe and feel the need to put in a comment

[@Skallagrim]

Anne Cruz Yeah, I know. Since I get so many comments every day though I'm forced to just skim through them and that might cause me to not notice the irony in it.

[@EIbows]

Where I live there's a close flea market where there is a permanent (or at least not going anywhere soon) sword seller as well as sellers with swords that pop up occasionally. Lot of sweet stuff.

[@eatdatshoplifter4459]

me:Doing homework Skall: lets go to the scratch and dent section me: (looks down) HHEHEEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE BWHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAH

[@hellraiserhardrocker]

This is exactly the kind of advice I was looking for. There is so much crap on the internet it's really tough to sift through it and feel confident that you aren't being ripped off.

[@hmmmhmmm6917]

What to avoid: Katanas

[@tumekass6860]

Simo Hyvarinen Do you have bad experience about katanas? Just being curious.

[@hmmmhmmm6917]

They are too overrated and have a crazy fanbase

[@hmmmhmmm6917]

We stopped using Tang Dao cause it can't cut steal armor but Japanese didn't have those armor back then so they developed it more

[@hmmmhmmm6917]

steel

[@hmmmhmmm6917]

Triggered.

[@ulfhednar6439]

Thank you for that video. I was thinking about buying a cold steel sword as a full functional sword and for the price I had never expected the mistake I would have made buying it.

[@Odood19]

Cold Steel's videos crack me up. The martial arts demos are silly looking and the guys that do the tests are ridiculous.

[@Skallagrim]

Yeah, that's another thing, they clearly don't know how to properly use a sword.

[@Odood19]

***** It's all dual wielding and flashy techniques.

[@mattmanbrownbro]

Odood19 Yep. They treat their weapons like brutes (of course you're gonna cut some rope if you baseball swing the damn thing), and when you give them even the slightest criticism, their go-to comeback is "We've been doing this for whatever amount of years, we must be doing something right." Yet, in most of their videos, their "experts" have about 15 band-aids on their hands because "when you work with sharp swords 16 hours a day, 6 days a week, accidents are bound to happen."

[@Odood19]

Matthew Brown If they didn't blow their own image out of proportion, I might actually buy more of their stuff. But when they lie to people and say how strong their crap is and the handles fall apart, I lose a lot of respect for them.

[@LaughingOwlKiller]

Matthew Brown well to be fair some of their experts are well known stunt choreographers and swordsman..Anthony Delongis being one of them. While he is a stunt man he does have an actual background in Historical fighting.

[@Shears187]

I have a couple of Angus Trim blades. They're wonderful pieces, and are forged on a cnc milling machine.

[@olympictreehugger]

Why are swords so damn expensive? You could buy a gun for those prices lol, and you can get a really good bladed tool for $60-$100 that will serve you way better than a sword

[@Skallagrim]

You can find knives for $800 too. And swords are more difficult to make.

[@mps81a]

***** Some custsom knives run into the thousands, then there's the whole art knife world where 20,000 isnt uncommon!

[@amtgardwithjack9552]

Swords like good modern day utility knives could be cheap and functional but we live in a modern age where other "tools" (guns, knives...) and since good swords aren't needed to be mass produced so they are a luxury item. And luxury items are a always over charged (ie we don't need to figure out how to mass produce good quality swords like we do for guns)

[@SAsgarters]

Low production volume. In principle you could have a factory that churns out top quality swords by the thousands.

[@SpookGod]

Can depend on a number of things. The quality of the material, the amount of labor put into it, that sort of thing. High quality steel isn't going to be cheap, and swords are more labor-intensive than, say, an axe or a mace.

[@bobbybob188]

Wow I subscribed yesterday and now I get the perfect introduction video. Thank you!

[@SEBZxELITE]

No way, sorry but im not paying $800 for a sword. Not even $300 lol

[@Skallagrim]

Then you can't have a real sword.

[@SEBZxELITE]

***** I dont think i can have any type of sword in the UK :l Your videos are still cool though :D Thats good enough for me

[@carlosdms4850]

Well, I don't recommend to you use a $200 sword for cutting text or sparring.

[@robertwatson5594]

You can indeed own a sword in the UK. But as already mentioned, you get what you pay for.

[@Skallagrim]

Actually there are good sword makers in the UK, like Raven Armoury and Neil Burridge for instance.

[@mps81a]

As strange as it sounds, antique swords are another way into a collection too. At the moment I'm focussing on 19th century sabres and you can pick up some of those for close to the cheaper blades in your video. My most recent one was an English rifle officers sabre which is in fantastic condition, with its scabbard, the grip is completely intact and the etching isn't even over polished. It only cost me £350. I have seen cheaper and of course dearer. Obviously not one to spar with, but you could definitely do cut testing and solo drill training with it (I do :D).

[@lagoonlane]

Omg. As a new person to this hobby this was HUGELY helpful

[@dapperknight3420]

I only have a few cheap swords, and by cheap I mean I basically bought them at flea markets for less than $100. They work for me, since I just wanted them for show, but one of them is in serious need of repair. Half the grip is gone and the guard, grip, and pommel are all loose to the part of being able to twist all three with a poke. I didn't know that you could basically lease swords from places like Albion though, so I might give that a try.

[@WhenYouveGoneGuru]

Could you do one of these to talk about how to start collecting other types of weapons? There's a lot of information out there about what to look for when sword collecting but people don't seem to talk as much about maces, spears or axes. I think this might be particularly valuable for starting collectors because spears and axes seem to be cheaper on average then swords. Then again I don't know for sure if the ones I'm seeing are good quality.

[@derpreusse]

My wife bought me a Windlass "German" sword about four years ago as a present. Though I was a bit leery about it at first, I'm happy to say that I'm quite happy with it and the blade retains its rigidity without undue movement.

[@drakependragon9331]

This was some good advice. I have been looking at Kult Of Athena for a few days now and I think that I want one of their maces, but I am not quite sure.

[@Fuzz82]

I recently bought a Depeeka sword (Dublin viking sword) becausse of budget, and having a sword not being a number one priority. But still a cool thing to have. And I can't say it is bad for the price as far as I know. It is definately not sharp, and the wrapping on the handle seems like it would come off with frequent use. Balance and weight seem okay after checking what it should be, and the fittings seem solid. 'Battle ready' is definately a loose term with them. But I guess it can be after some good sharpening. The scabbard is really nice. If you don't mind it having some kind of rubber like foam on the inside. And as with most Viking sword reproductions, the handle is too long.

[@Thinblueline0084]

'Traditional Filipino Weapons' is another decent online sword store for those who are looking. I have purchased the Celtic Dress sword, the Roman Gladius, the War Golok, and their butterfly knife and am always very happy with their quality and service. I have my eye currently on their recently upgraded Chinese Butterfly Swords and wouldn't mind getting my hands on one of their beautiful two-hander swords as well sometime in the near future. I have seen Skall and Cara using a sword from this store in earlier videos (one of the 'Kris' swords to be exact) and seemed like they really enjoyed this particular sword. I would be interested to see if Skall would also recommend them and if so, do you have your eye on any swords in particular that they sell?

[@Thalanox]

I remember seeing a machete for $15 in the camping section of a Canadian Tire store that I was considering picking up at some point. I already have a small hand axe for yardwork, but owning a machete would be neat. The biggest thing preventing me from getting it so far has been not having any actual use for it. What might I use a cheat machete for, assuming I don't usually go trekking in the amazon rainforest?

[@Duzzies-101]

I've been happy with my Hanwei Tinker's and Darksword Armory's but had trouble with loose fittings on my Legacy Arm's

[@lumpy091]

thanks for the video mate i have been really interested in swords for a long time and now i know where to start

[@kfgrip]

Years ago I owned quite a few swords.I even had a full set of chain-mail and plate armor with instructions that I am to be buried in it if and when I passed on.Unfortunately times got hard and I had to sell all of it years ago.Now I am in the process of re-acquiring some of my blades I just purchased a 14th-15th century German Bastard sword that is very nice.

[@stevenkennedy4130]

Too bad SBG guy's aren't around anymore. I'm a fan of Generation 2, Last Legends & Windless Steel Craft. Thanks for the share!!

[@chuckberry4247]

Ritter steel swords are hit or miss that "warsword" is actually 3.9 lbs very wide very thick and yes the pommel is threaded but its also welded its has truly good balance (2-3/4 inches past the hilt) for the price. Its quite wide and sturdy i blunt it for paring as well. I would like to add that a large amount of ritter steel swords are HORRIBLE (but not the majority), and you should only buy from them if you can get more info on the items. I do not like the threaded pommels but some on market work quite well, ive had that sword for 3 years now and nothing has loosened other than the wood grip being scratched. My favorite swords are from "darksword armory" and a few from wulfund (though i've heard some bad thing about other products from them). So what are some of your most favorite armories?

[@TheOnlyToblin]

Thank you for the insight! The only thing I missed at all was some Lutel coverage. I haven't really heard much about them aside from making them slightly heavy. Would've been nice to hear your thoughts on them, but I did get a reply on an earlier video, so I'm grateful for that.

[@ApocalypticBlades]

Hey skall, one thing I should say about Ritter Steel swords is that they are VERY poorly put together. I purchased a 230 dollar sword from them and when I received it, it had the WORST edge i have ever seen on a blade. The handle wrapping was coming off, and the blade was barely polished. They did use good material, so I was at least able to salvage it by replacing the handle wrappings and sharpening and polishing the blade it. Windlass Steelcrafts suffers from the same problem. Good material, but piss poor construction. I have purchased $45 machetes that were put together infinitely better with a razors edge.

[@michaeljdauben]

Some great tips and things to look out for when sword shopping.

[@TheBoxingCannabyte]

my very first sword: Hanwei Katana, 2nd Cold Steel ITalian Longsword and my favorite thus far (on top of a fuckload tacticool weapons, a really awesome knife collection and machetes, war hammers and a few other things, lots of war axes and tomahawks) outside of two other weapons the Italian Longsword is, by far, my favorite weapon ive ever handled. And I realize in the pantheon of Italiang Longsword and longsword makers CS doesn't stand very high, but i don't think it deserves the hate it gets. When practicing with mates who are in ARMA and HEMA fencing (Barony of Lach Salon and another company) I was sparring with it and doing practice cuts, going nice and slow and practicing the basics and it was holding up incredibly well. Though that said I can't wait to get a Hanwei blunt longsword to do steel-on-steel sparring, even though I realize it's more expensive but Ive been doing the wooden and composite polyprop sword sparring for a few years now so I think I'm ready :) I also have a gimmick of being the old one-eyed swordsman in our group, and I'm pretty good for a newbie! 17 years of boxing and aikido (+judo) has really paid off since the Italian and german techniques allow for striking and grappling. Love it! The full contact stuff videos I've seen in europe look nearly as hard as boxing in the ring! (maybe harder? I dunno, some of those guys are incredible shape, others look more like Tank Abbot or James toney....though they are amazing fighters), Richard Mardsen is skinny as can be but I'm sure on the mat he'd whoop me on (Though he'd be dust if we went into the ring, even if his boxing skill was equal i have too much height and weight, but that little dude with a sword has to be one of the best martial artists in the world!.... so it's all about the arena)

[@evanflynn4405]

While I'm aware you don't get impressed by katanas, they do tend to be the starting point of many who have an interest in swords, me included. For the record, I like them, but unlike many who do I'm not of the opinion that they are the super fantastic, beats everything ultimate sword. That being said, my current favorite blade I own is a katana. Got it a couple years ago from "Guardians Vault Australia". The blade is called "Kurayami", if you want to look it up. I know you don't really like katanas, so I felt I should mention a forge that makes some beautiful ones that also don't charge ridiculous amounts for them.

[@LionofCaliban]

Plenty to think about, I'm still probably going to get a custom forged hand a half and dagger, but pole arms, that's proving a little more difficult at the moment,

[@RangerOfTheOrder]

I think i may have a struck a gem that seems pretty battle-ready in a Budk S&D box. The hand guard is pinned in place using two 1/4" pins, the pommel is peanned on, and the blade has enough flex to it that I don't think it would shatter. It feels a tad heavy, yet well balanced. It's probably the most battle worthy sword I own.

[@jennoscura2381]

+DrivenByDiamond Bud K?!?! Is that a serious comment? Bud K is full of cheap crap. But sometimes cheap things can be ok. I have been thinking of buying one of the 6 inch stiletto spring assist knives. Since it would mainly be for my knife collection; it doesn't really matter if it's not the highest quality. I am just looking for a cheap novelty. In the state of California there are no blade length restrictions on folder. So I am tempted to carry a large folder just for the hell of it. It would be carried in addition to my usual EDC knives. Since I am not sure how useful a 6 inch knife would be for EDC.

[@RangerOfTheOrder]

Trans Feminist Autism Yeah, all the swords in the box were crap, except that one. I'm not sure how good the steel is, it appears to be well built.

[@TerribleTrace]

Great video Skall and it was helpful. I have been looking at Kultofathena for awhile now and specifically looking at the Deepeeka greek spear now might do more research on them.

[@ninponighthawk]

Skallagrim thanks for sending me the link to this page. I agree with ur evaluation of cold steel SWORDS, but as a veteran of the us army I personally carried a cold steel knife. I had very few issues and in my eyes warranted the cost. I was hoping to get your thoughts on their knives? I think, personally, that cold steel should stay a tactical knife company and not try to branch out into swords and etc. Your personal views on their knives would be greatly appreciated, just to make sure that I didn't receive the 1 in 1,000,000,000 of their products that were actually worth the price.

[@G1NZOU]

First sword I got was bought for me, surprisingly good. A Hanwei Mercenary, reviews are generally quite positive as it's better than most others in the same range from Hanwei, though it's a little heavy for my taste. First sword I bought for myself is an Albion Prince, after doing a lot of research on what kind of sword I wanted and what manufacturers were recommended. Should arrive just after Christmas.

[@Cosmoline]

I really like the Lutel bastard I picked up a few months back from Kult of Athena. It's no Albion, but it's got reasonably good balance and it cuts well. And it comes with a nice scabbard. Made in the Czech republic. Also--for those of us who don't have the money for a high end blade, remember SPEARS, then as now, can be had for a lot less esp. if you provide your own ash pole. I've got some very nice pole arms for 1/3rd what a top notch sword would cost. You can do your own fitting with some basic woodworking tools, deciding on your own preferred length of shaft.

[@andrewhammers6657]

I appreciate the heads up about cold steel I was close to buying there version of the small sword but it seems like I will have to keep looking

[@alexlasers1358]

I think it'd be cool if you had a video about the proper way to heat treat the metal for a sword.

[@connalmaccon1652]

I once ordered the cold steel "Lange Messer" and it was very diapointing. The sword I got had some tiny spotts of rust and was sticky, like from oil which went gummy. The main problem was, that the blade was assembled in the wrong way. So if you grasped the sword according to the grip and the asymetrical crossguard the edge of the blade was pointing at you. I had to send it back and the second one broke within a month or two while testcutting on tameshigiri. So I´m utterly disappionted in cold steel.

[@FinnDuDe95]

Nice video! I would also like to know where to buy battle-ready shields and daggers.