Review: The Town Guard by Arms & Armor

[@Oversamma]

That sword is nearly as pretty as your fabulous vest. Nearly.

[@Harshhaze]

Oversama makes me want to duel him just so I can loot the vest...and the sword

[@pritsky4219]

@@Harshhaze If you win, the vest would likely be damaged and stained.

[@rayanderson5797]

I think I have the same vest actually. We found it on amazon for a quite reasonable price. It looks really good, too.

[@BlueMoonFuzz]

*NEARLY*

[@bootboot2289]

Agreed. Great design with balance, beauty, practicality and excellent craftsmanship all coming together rather nicely. All you could want in a vest

[@giantotter319]

He pointed the sharp sword at me, but all i could see was how sharp dressed he was.

[@eriqueleon4326]

I can’t afford to collect swords but your channel helps me get over it. Thank you skal

[@Will-Woll]

Hears $1,220... *coughs blood*

[@alextrill5829]

Prices on those swords cut deeper than any blade.

[@ChadKakashi]

@@alextrill5829 your words cut deep deeper than any blade

[@trystanfranziskus]

now u can get the lk chen one

[@cooccom]

Oh my God you finally did it I've been waiting for years,,,,,,,, yeaaaaars to see the full review of the townsguard.

[@deaditor399]

It reminded me of the Milanese Sword from Assasins Creed 2 and brotherhood. Mario carries it in 2. Obviously some differences but the elaborate design of the guard with that gap showing part of the blade inside it and the similarity in shape of the pummel is what caught my eye in this video.

[@itssnowingonmountfuji7988]

STOP! You've violated the law pay the court a fine or serve your sentence. Your stolen goods are now forfeit.

[@MehrumesDagon]

STOP! You.. YouYou. You. You YOU VIOLATED THE LAW. YOU VIOLATED THE LAW! STOP! :)

[@JibujiPidones]

@@googleeatsdicks Forgive me, Thane. I didn't knew it was you.

[@Sputin]

@@googleeatsdicks Then pay with your blood!

[@rhett5058]

Ok but how do you KNOW it’s stolen?

[@ChadKakashi]

@@rhett5058BECAUSE IT’S MY JOB TO KNOW!

[@creativedegree]

sponsors are dope dude

[@creativedegree]

not hard to fast forward ;)

[@austinmiller6837]

@Toastmaster1990 wtf lol

[@letmepreachhisname2184]

12:14 Town guard summons town guards.

[@ZakRoks487]

Your original review of the Town Guard actually steered my attention to Arms and Armor for a sword, and I got the Towton Longsword and I gotta say, its a lovely sword and Arms and Armor has some of the best customer service I've dealt with. Would recommend them to anyone!

[@Ranstone]

Towton Longsword is a really, really aesthetically pleasing sword in my eyes.

[@ZakRoks487]

@@Ranstone Its a really nice sword honestly, its simple, but elegant and it's proportioned wonderfully

[@shaska762]

Hey mate. I know it is not that simple to get hands on swords and stuff, but could you do a video over the Shashka cossack saber? It is a saber used by the russian cossacks, specially in Caucassus, mounted on horses, with infantry and by dancers, actually the dance with the Shashka is very atractive and looks really smooth when done correctly... Again, I know it is not easy, but I would really enjoy to watch a video well explained and well presented as you do.

[@camsterdam3896]

Love the idea , and that Blade you spoke of... Scary sword...

[@shaska762]

@@camsterdam3896 Scary as it needs to be, beautyful as it can be

[@scottmacgregor3444]

Richard Marsden wrote a pretty hefty book on Polish saber fighting. You might find it interesting.

[@erichusayn]

I have a few (very poor, nowhere near skalls quality) videos and a review of the hanwei shashka on my channel. One of my favorite swords for sure...

[@nodarikvatchantiradze7277]

Shaska is a weapon of Caucasian countries, Cossacks were slavic people, they did use Sabers and Shashkas but the credit must go to Caucasus. I'm from south Caucasian country - Georgia and we call this sword "Cholauri" (ჭოლაური), Shashka is a russian word. It truly is a magnificent and beautiful sword.

[@matteussilvestre8583]

"No lollygaggin'."

[@Red_Lanterns_Rage]

Lemme guess, someone stole yer sweetrole??

[@biohazard724]

_Curved. Swords._

[@Red_Lanterns_Rage]

@Greg nelson What is it? dragons??

[@mennograafmans1595]

My cousin's out fighting dragons. And what do I get, guardduty.

[@giantotter319]

Disrespect the law and you disrespect me.

[@intergalacticimperialist9670]

I'm a lvl 20 Diplomancer, even the mightiest of wizards cower before my unparralelled speechcraft!

[@camsterdam3896]

Lol... " I disbelieve"....

[@thehipmyster]

Magics gay grab a sword and then fight me

[@JibujiPidones]

Heard about you and your honeyed words...

[@cdgonepotatoes4219]

Nothing some good ole' duct tape can't solve

[@LiveErrors]

*casts Silence

[@weldonwin]

For a sword intended for town guards, who I presume are basically a local militia, its a very fancy looking sword

[@NDOhioan]

I mean, it was the Renaissance. The Renaissance was the high point* of sword design. *Come at me, smallsworders/sabreurs.

[@kovi567]

Thanks to better education, that militia was way more professional than the medieval or ancient counterparts. Also, forging improved as well, with more blacksmiths and the like avaible.

[@kevin427]

@@NDOhioan Haha, "high point."

[@peaceonworldkiwi]

It could also be that it'd be a point of pride for a town to have an imposing looking town guard. A rich looking town must surely be worth flocking to with your lucrative business, after all.

[@PomaiKajiyama]

These so called "Town Guards" were mostly excuses for rich men to get together and play with swords and guns and have their portraits painted. Look up Schutterij on google for more info, it's pretty interesting.

[@SarelDuursema]

I've been waiting for more on this sword. Looks like the perfect sword. Cut and thrust. Hand protection. Thank you Skall!

[@thegreatlemmon7487]

Dam that's a pretty ass sword. Not as Majestic as your beard but still looks good!

[@El_Rey_247]

Oh XKCD... I read that as "pretty ass-sword", and since "ass" is used to mean bad, I understood the comment as "that sword is pretty bad"

[@Efreeti]

Keep coming back to this video. This might be the one sword you've reviewed that I would most like to own myself.

[@ObservingLibertarian]

Easy way to protect against rust on that hilt is to heat up a bit of motor oil to being hot (not boiling, just hot to the touch), then dunk the hilt in it, leave it in the hot oil a few moments, then pull it out, let it drip for a while then use a cloth or paper towels to take off the excess oil. The reason you want it hot is to make the oil less viscous and thereby allow it to seep into all the nooks and crannies that you cannot otherwise apply oil to prevent rust. Also water proofs the wood and keep the leather of a handle from drying out at well.

[@steveshepard5242]

I’ve been waiting for your follow up long term review of this one for a long time. Thank you. I am not a collector and don’t intend to buy more than one if I ever even do buy a sword, but this is on my top 3 list right now if I ever did.

[@45calibermedic]

A stout and reliable blade, something like a Type XV or XVIII (as you said, the originals varied a bit in the exact blade profile) with a complex hilt and the appropriate ricasso. I have one with a blued hilt, and it's lovely. There's no play in mine.

[@johannesblank1552]

Him mentioning Heroes of Migh and Magic...so many memories

[@codyo3243]

That's sword is beautiful! Thanks for all the videos! I havnt had a chance to watch in over a month

[@PrimordialNightmare]

What I like about the townguard: It can be found in a lot of places, there is quite a number of the originals, while there's also a lot of companies doing them as well.

[@wanderingbluesman1846]

This sword looks highly aesthetically pleasing as well as it being highly effective as a weapon. Also very nice choice of attire.

[@smalltalk5468]

I own a windlass sword that looks identical to this exact sword and I love it. Great video btw, love your channel.

[@draco00]

I’m glad I got it when I did. I paid around $900 for mine. I love it. I definitely agree that the edge could be sharper out if the box. Its definitely one of my favorite swords. I just need to pony up for a sheath.

[@Crytica.]

Now that's a beauty! Such a nice sword! Those guards and the width of the sword is exactly how i like it!.

[@dmshampton]

This is my favorite sword in your collection. It's so beautiful.

[@FoardenotFord]

This is one of the most beautiful modern reproduction swords I’ve ever seen. If the blade profile wasn’t so similar to another sword I own, I’d go for it...still might :D

[@chummychum706]

This. This is the skall we all want and need. I hope this gets a lot of views.

[@darthsnowball3157]

I've had this bookmarked on Kult of Athena for about 4 years now. I have to go look at it and lust over it every so often. I want one so much, however I am a broke student so I will have to continue to dream a while longer. Thanks for the closer look anyway.

[@benjaminthibieroz4155]

My all time favorite from your collection. I absolutely love the design. Was really inspiring.

[@RuneTrips]

That wide blade is so aesthetic. So dope

[@Raven_Leblanc]

That intro was amazing! It satisfied my steampunk/fantasy needs!

[@M.M.83-U]

I'm one impoverished peaseant 😢

[@josuelservin2409]

You are not alone 😂 At least we get to enjoy a video with Skallagrim.

[@navigatorofnone]

Same.

[@dillonhensley5846]

M M We may be impoverished but have hearts of gold! 🤣

[@big_igloo3064]

Thank you for always converting the weight to lbs

[@wakeful1710]

I'm makeing dnd versions of my favorite weapon&armour/history KZbinrs. Skall is a elf fighter,Cara is a dwarf druid,Metatron is a halfling fighter,Thiegn Thrad is a goliath barbarian,and Shad is a gnome bard with the carpentry skill.

[@Riceball01]

What about Matt Easton?

[@musicandalltheprettybits2670]

Skall should have been a ronin kappa

[@wakeful1710]

Oh yeah,probably a fighter

[@TrueZawmbee]

Thats....remarkably on point.

[@Murlak]

what about lindybeige? has to be a half-goliath. that guy is huge, afaik.

[@abubakrabdelkareem4652]

Another cool vid by Skallagrim... Keep up the good work... Really enjoying your channel. And about the caffeine: Noli timere cafea potionem. Verum virtute intus!

[@ClutchPwnageTv]

I've always been curious about the price of swords in relation to inflation / historical circumstances. Like $1,200 is a lot to pay for a town guard sword today (even though the quality is amazing). I know a lot of this is related to a lower demand for swords, and their status as more of a hobby pursuit. Still governments today usually spend less than half of the price of that sword for a service rifle, and civilian prices can be significantly higher for the same weapon. How much would that town guard sword have cost/been worth during its historical period of service? And how does that stack up to today, both for buying the sword itself as a hobby weapon and buying a comparable police or military service weapon?

[@patrickmurphy8008]

Military rifles are much, much more expensive. They dont use AR15s. And specialist guns like LMGs and sniper rifles are up to 5 digits. Single shots of handheld missile launchers cost more And swords and armor of this quality were very expensive in ancient times.

[@camsterdam3896]

"Hand Forged is better because the smith puts his soul into it." 👌 so did the machinist who built the machine , who is to say the machine doesn't put copies of said soul into the blades. 😉

[@jacktheaviator4938]

The Windlass version of this sword is just ss nice, and the hilt fit is flawless. And i paid just under 300 with a coupon code

[@ajwall1]

I'd like to see someone compare the A&A, the windlass and the LK Chen versions side by side

[@BlueMoonFuzz]

Dude that handle wrap is *NICE*

[@ekimolaos]

hands down the most beautiful sword I've seen.

[@theg0z0n]

Thanks for this review. I think this sword is so beautiful!

[@lukesabaton5469]

This wide Rapier looks pretty good :D

[@psykikninja]

@Budget Kommando wide poker*

[@archive1318]

Breiteskriegrapier

[@INTERNERT]

*stabby boy

[@johnsheppa8168]

It is so awsome to here somone mention heros of might and magic. Best game ever! I still play heros III to this day.

[@garethlamb6923]

When I first started looking at reproduction swords, the Town Guard was the first sword I saw that made me really want to get it.

[@mountainwindcat]

That sword is so beautiful, man.

[@weldonwin]

Which does strike me as interesting that a sword intended for town guards, would be so fancy

[@abhrajitdhar4628]

@@weldonwin Town guards were usually sons of upper class families

[@christopherfisher5155]

Windlass makes a version of this called the Munich Cut and Thrust Sword that is a lot cheaper. Whats the possibility of a comparison? It is cheap enough that destructive testing should be very doable.

[@chadherbert18]

Caffeine... Shinny... Love that the 'town guard' sirens went off as you introduced the Town Guard sword and simultaneously they went off in here too - wtf - lol?!?

[@aldor9357]

Daddi Skall is so fabulous

[@voidthedullard6990]

i honestly dont care if ones video is sponsored as long as the content they put out is good

[@PirateFuzz]

Been waiting for this review. I have the same sword and it has become my go to blade.

[@GameTimeWhy]

I hope you keep getting good sponsors! You definitely deserve it :)

[@ExileofFyr]

I don't mean to complain about sponsors but I do appreciate how short the sponsorship spot was. Also, damn, that's a pretty sword.

[@remygrunge3223]

What a beauty!

[@Nestta5252]

Wooo Hoo! I have been waiting for this review forever!

[@doesntmatter5857]

I love it when he acts high and nerdy.

[@steinarbergstl5799]

That is such a gorgeous sword! I've been wanting one since the fist video where you showed it off, but that price... That's a lot of money. Ah well, maybe some day, and in the meantime one can drool over pictures of it and dream. :)

[@mysticmarbles]

I have one and I agree with your assessment. Overall great, but the sharpness was lacking. Wish I had gotten the hilt blueing now, as the guard rusts fairly easily when using it without gloves, and is a bit of a pain to clean due to the complexity. Still, it's one of my favorites.

[@matthewaleman4401]

Side swords and rapiers are the best looking swords ever

[@trevormclain9404]

Hi Skall I've been a big fan of your channel for years now and I feel like your opinion has always been very reliable when speaking about how conventional self defense weapons really are and a question struck me while looking online for a new knife to add to my EDC get up. Do serrations really make a difference when it comes to thick heavy clothing and could they potentially be a better option in a self defense context compared to a traditional blade? Would love to see a video just talking about serrated blades verses traditional ones in general if you've got the time and thank you so much for all of your hard work even though the majority of your videos are meant for entertainment purposes I feel like I've personally gained a lot from your videos both when it comes to history and culture in general so again thank you and keep up the great work!

[@Heartless-Sage]

I could watch your videos for just the out takes at the end. You ever consider a bloopers reel? It would be a laugh to try if nothing else. :)

[@arch226]

Really cool sword.

[@MandalorV7]

That sword is a work of art. If I had the money I would get one. But seeing as the sword cost almost as much as I paid for the used car I'm driving... yeah.

[@thomaswilkinson3241]

A challenge like Captain Carrot from the Discworld Novels would have been a crack up thing. But your approach was not lacking, even good.

[@danielstephens1185]

I've held that sword! Great weight and balance, IMO, but my the wire wrap grip wasn't comfy to me. On the other hand, they do custom work so could conceivably get it with their more usual leather over wood grip.

[@kieranlock3070]

Also, thank god another review, been missing these

[@shawnwolf5961]

Man, I want that sword but over 1k is WAY out of my price range.

[@fattiger6957]

That's how much the really good swords cost. Us peasants must look on with envy and make do with chinese-made swords.

[@BrianHuynhPersonal]

Fat Tiger a wooden axe can still chop someone to death if used right, don't knock off Chinese weapons, they serve the same purpose

[@MrDracolucassos]

The funny fact. In my country- Poland, you can get extremely well done hand forged sword on maximum half that price;) Btw Skall, if you would ever be interested to order sth from pl blackshmith, just poke me, I can help with contact, but bewarw, you need tons of patience, as I realy do not know a single craftsmen who meet his terms :D

[@KingBongHogger]

I'd much rather have an ad that's relevant to the channel than the usual movie, tik tok or political ads. Some channels even make the ads funny (Funhaus) so I think you should definitely get sponsored more often. Especially if they keep the channel alive!

[@patjenkins3032]

I've wanted that thing since I first saw it on your channel.

[@markmoore4079]

That sword is gorgeous.

[@DuncanOsgrey]

Fantastic video! That sword is beautiful.

[@schonnj]

12:11 "this is the town guard" *sirens heard in the background interrupting the take* Your town guard heard you and wanted to be part of the production.

[@VeraTheTabbynx]

Lovely looking blade, for sure.

[@michaelpeters6659]

Great review as always Skall would it be possible to use this sword left handed? Or does the shape of the complex guard not allow for this?

[@nealsterling8151]

Some people appreciate the Katana for its beauty, they must have never seen swords like this. To me this kind of sword is the most beautiful ones and the most versatile (i guess?). From my novice point of view, it seems to be the best compromise between cutting power and piercing. Btw, does it cut comparable to a Medieval one handed sword? If that's the case and i'd definitely would want one of these as a sidearm if i would go out adventuring.

[@rayzimmermin]

their is a difference between forged and stock removal in stock removal you are removing mettle to create the shape with forging you are compressing mettle to create the shape meaning the crystalline structure of the mettle is more compact making it denser making it stronger in a way you cant get with stock removal

[@potatoradio]

This has on my list for a few years.

[@xluca1701]

Skall, thats a pretty nice outfit :'D

[@BradKarlovec]

Man that is a gorgeous sword

[@AgentTasmania]

This swept-hilt beauty makes me wonder when you’ll be looking at your picks for most attractive weapons.

[@Seelenschmiede]

A wild looking grizzled Skal hops out of the bushes: "Stop peasant! Give me all your goodies. No, stop! I have a better idea! Coffee or life!"

[@mcbadger2440]

Us siren-makers are a proud race. Show your appreciation! Haha I enjoyed the video, brother!

[@DepressyDuck]

I've waited so long for this!

[@bizmofunyuns9693]

Skallagrim, I would be interested in seeing a video of same steel swords of one forged and one made through stock removal. Both the same blade and manufacturer. Perhaps 5160 vs 5160 and 1095 vs 1095. . You have covered pros and cons a bit but maybe a controlled test would give us more insight.

[@policemanmojo2751]

Why does he have so many fancy shirts and stuff?

[@deormanrobey892]

Because he can. :p

[@letmepreachhisname2184]

He's only as fancy as he is deadly.

[@xPepe1310]

part of the cringe

[@JariB.]

Question is; Why don't you? In all seriousness though, does he really need a reason?

[@iota-09]

perhaps the question is not why, but how.

[@grendelgrendelsson5493]

That is a bloody beautiful sword. Thanks for showing it. I'm jealous though.

[@JacquesOF]

Im not into fashion, but, i like how Skallagrim looks in this vid. He looks like a civilized badass.

[@gruknarorcishwar-yerhereto8489]

Such a beautiful piece, and the sword ain’t bad either. Man I wish more companies would make reproductions of the munich guard swords, they are probably my favorite of all eroupean one handed weapons. Sadly the closest to a cut and thrust I own is a rapier by cold steel, and we all know the problem there (ridiculously long and I’m 6ft).

[@demetriknighthawk5677]

When I saw the title being town guard, and saw him in a Red Shirt. I thought this episode would discuss prototypical city guards and their equipment. While it wasent what I was expecting, perhaps this can give our fine host something for his next video. If he has already, can someone point me to it?

[@mrscary3105]

I have been thinking about getting this blade.

[@TrueZawmbee]

For half a second Skall i thought you were gonna hit me with a "Stop you've violated the law! Pay the court a fine or serve your sentence. Your stolen goods are now forfeit."

[@muaddib5559]

Im surprised no one is outraged that this is a $1200 sword (in the higher price range for a sword) and the hilt started to loosen after light cutting tests...

[@Kazu_Katto]

I adore these town guard swords particularly a 15th century version, mainly a fan of the blade shape itself. Though for some reason the pommel bothers me

[@walkercobb2808]

I might just be a materials nerd, but 6150 is technically an alloy steel because of its chromium, vanadium, and manganese content. Also, it doesn't make a lot of sense to make a hilt out of any kind of tool steel. That level of hardenability just wouldn't be necessary when a stainless or carbon steel at equal or lower cost would work just as well. Cool video though!

[@positroll7870]

"This is not the kind of sword you'd try to split shields with; this is more of a finesse weapon." Um, yes to the first, but no to the second. This is a sword for the Munich city guard. That's a police force, really. At the time, Munich was the capital of the Duke of Bavaria. Who has a pretty big professional army, armed with muskets, cannons etc. The city guard did use the swords to keep order. Who would they fight if need be? Thieves armed with long knifes. Unruly apprentices armed with brooms or whatever. Travellers and sons of the local nobility getting drunk in a tavern and drawing their rapiers. The "townguard" is nimble and protected enough to go up against a rapier, yet stable enough to deflect a heavy club or chair or whatever else might get swung at them. So it would actually have faced a LOT of abuse in its intended mission. Fighting in a war, if the city gets besieged, was a tertiary consideration for this weapon at best, though it can fulfill that function, too.

[@TheTrace008]

I enjoyed the outtakes!

[@ZenithArt07]

It blows me away that traditional smiths and artisans could work metal with such detail, but the Wallace collection is a great example of past capabilities. Are you familiar with Alec Steele? He has made reproductions of various weapons. I would love your opinion on his end products. I understand you're not a blacksmith, and he (Alec) is a skilled metal worker, but he does not have much knowledge of HEMA and traditional arms and armour, so I would love to see you thoughts on the swords and axes he has made.

[@Da_vid374]

Love the bloopers