It’s been awhile since my last post. I started selling on Amazon and have been very busy. However, we have added some new swords, knives, replica guns and gifts and collectables to the site. So check it out.
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April 30th, 2011What is a good Functional Sword?
January 11th, 2010We have explained what a functional sword is, son now we look at what’s a good functional sword.
The answer is of course, what you are going to do with it and how much you are willing to spend. If you intend to use the sword in a rigorous manner then be prepared to spend a lot. Some stage combat and reenactments require a top quality sword for heavy use. For safety sake buy only top quality swords. Don’t think a $39.95 sword will do it. Sometimes you will get lucky but cheap swords will not hold up.
For most of us a $150.00 to $300.00 sword will do just fine. These are carbon steel swords that can hold up to moderate or light use. There are many of them out there so the selection is large and varied.
I personally prefer Windlass, Hanwei and Ritter Steel, in that order. The main reason is availability. These swords are available which keeps the prices down and quality up.
Windlass is my favorite because they are good quality, consistency and look and feel better than most. A great example is the 500784 Musketeer Rapier. It is not only a good sword but feels good in your hand and looks great. There are many other examples in the Windlass line.
Hanwei swords are great. Maybe even the best swords available. However, the can cost a lot but offers a good selection of top quality, well made swords. Like Ritter Steel swords the $150 to $300 swords are a bit heavy and plain. Overall they are some of the best but could cost a lot. They are well worth looking at.
Hope this helps in your buying decision.
Japanese Katanas a Popular Collectors Item
May 9th, 2009Japanese Katanas is a kind of sword often used by the Samurai warriors so people often call these swords Samurai swords. In the sixteenth century, Japanese warriors used different types of swords of different lengths and the term Katana was used for the Samurai swords that were long and had curved blades. Nowadays, the use of Japanese Katanas are for martial practice or for decoration on the walls by the people, who are fond of collecting swords as a part of their collector hobby. Japanese Katanas are of different types so if you want to choose a katana sword for practice of martial art or as a part of your collection you must have the knowledge about the difference between the Japanese Katanas and the wakizachi.
The Samurai warriors carried both types of Samurai swords when they went for war or followed their masters as protectors. The Japanese warriors always carried two swords in their belts and both the sabers adorned the left side of their belt. The two swords were of different sizes one was long and the other was short out of the two the longer sword, which in Japanese language is daito or the longer saber, is actually the Japanese Katana and the shorter saber is the wakizachi. These two sabers got the name of Samurai swords and many people often confuse it as the Japanese Katanas. In the present time when other weapons have replaced the sword as the battle weapon, the Samurai swords or the Japanese Katanas have become collector’s item.
Therefore, nowadays these swords or sabers manufacturers have adopted the decorative style of creation that adds color and beauty to the interior where it decorates the wall. The most popular decorative Japanese Katanas or Samurai swords are the engraved ones that have the crane or the bamboo style on the guard, known as the tsuba in Japanese. The engraved portion is at the bottom of the handle usually made for protection of the hand and the shape looks like a loop or the buckle of a belt. The Japanese Katanas crafted in the crane style are swifter and lighter than amongst all the types of Samurai swords. The pierced style in the guard indicates wisdom and longevity.
The main difference between the bamboo katana and the crane katana is that the crane katana has hard steel or Swedish steel whereas the bamboo katana is made of softer steel than the crane katana. This soft steel gives a special edge to the blade, as it is not only shock resistant but also has forceful cutting abilities. Therefore, you should always be careful while cleaning your collection of Japanese Katanas as the sharp edge can cut very easily. It is advisable to keep these swords out of the reach of children as they are very dangerous and can cause serious injury. Japanese Katanas or Samurai swords have tight scabbards to avoid the risk of accidental unsheathing that can cause irreparable damage to you or your family members. Therefore, you have to be very careful while pulling out your Japanese katana from the scabbard.
Why do people collect Medieval Swords and Medieval Armor?
April 28th, 2009Many people collect medieval swords and medieval armor. They spend a considerable amount of money to add more items to their collection. People collect medieval swords and medieval armors for many reasons. For those who are looking for an exciting and unique hobby take on to collection of medieval swords and medieval armor. This is one of the unusual hobbies and it requires a considerable amount of reading and learning about the various types of medieval swords and medieval armor.
Many people collect various items for the sake of hobby. If the items that they are collecting are rare and hard to find, the hobby gets more exciting and interesting. The same applies to the collection of medieval armor and medieval swords. There are variety of items that the collector can add to his or her collection such as medieval shields, medieval helmets, swords, spears etc. Normally, the collection of medieval items involve a lot of research this makes the entire hobby interesting as the collector acquires more knowledge about the historical times.
Besides using it as a hobby, a number of people collect medieval swords and medieval armor for the value they have. They invest a lot of money because some of the rare items are highly prized. They consider spending money on the medieval sword and medieval armor as an investment because they can easily find other collectors who are ready to pay hefty prices for rare medieval items.
While some consider collection of medieval armor as just pastime, while others do it as investment, there are people who take a lot of trouble to collect rare medieval items and they do it because they love challenges. Sourcing some of the items can be very difficult depending on the nature of the items that they are collecting; people love the entire process of tracking the historical background involved with those items and finding them.
Some of us collect medieval swords and medieval armor because we love history and the cultural heritage. When we collect medieval swords and medieval armor, we learn to appreciate our history. We will able to get better insights into people’s lives and their cultural background. When we research about various medieval swords and armor, we will come across a lot of other information that will enrich us.
Some hobbyists collect medieval swords and armor as decorative items. Medieval swords and armor are excellent decorative items, which you can use to decorate your offices or homes. They bring a special feel to the entire environment; they have an inherent ability to make the entire place look regal. Since there are so many types of medieval armor available for us to collect, we can bring a great variety into our living space using these items.
As we can see many people collect medieval armor for various reason. Whether they are collecting for the sake of hobby, investment or as decoration items, medieval sword and armor collection brings great joy to the collector.
How to select your non-firing replica guns?
April 22nd, 2009Guns have always been treated with respect for they signified immense power encased in that black metal. Its revered status gave it a class, which called for flaunting. With the craze for guns for decorative and display purposes came the safer alternative, non-firing replica guns. It provided ardent collectors with a new addition to their assorted collections. These guns, as the name suggests, are replicas of original gun patterns and cannot be used for firing, rendering them very safe to handle.
Collectors can choose from wide variety of replica weaponry. To name a few from the long list are swords, replica guns, non-firing replica guns, antique weapons, medieval swords, Civil War reproduction pistols, Pirate Flintocks and swords, Old West firing cap and ball revolvers, Colonial Revolutionary war Replica weapons and the list just carries on. Besides using this handsome and exquisite weaponry for exhibition purpose alone, these are very widely used in theatrical performances and action scenes in movie productions.
Now that you are all excited to hop into your ammunition amassing spree, let me guide you towards what options you have in the market of non-firing replica guns. Firstly, begin by charting out your budget. Non-firing rifles usually come in the price range of 150 – 250 USD. The Western Lever Action M1866 Gray Rifle and Brass Rifle will definitely get you many envious glares! These very elegantly trot-out dignity and are a great way to accessorize your fireplace. The M1873 Brass with Engraving Rifle is an old west rifle. It has a functioning lever and the barrel has the octagonal design. Plus this beauty boasts of an engraved brass receiver. For the fans of the TV series ‘wanted dead or alive’, there is good news! The extensively featured gun Mares Leg Lever Action Rifle Replica is available in stores. The price falls in the aforementioned range. The 1860 Enfield Civil War Musketoon comes fully assembled and has a 24” blued barrel and a sling. Model 1892 Western Lever Action Rifle is a very famous 38” western classic. Deluxe M1866 Old West Carbine Set is well-known lever action rifle with a brass receiver. Because of its shiny brass receiver, it earned the title ‘the golden boy’. Its price falls in the upper half of the mentioned price range. The Percussion Revolving Rifle works on the system that pistols of the nineteenth century worked on. The Henry Repeating Rifle is also available in the market. It was very widely used in the Civil war and the Wild West.
If you are looking for smaller replica guns for theatrical props you can choose from Beretta Px4 8mm Blank Firing Gun Replica and CZ75-8m Blank Firing Gun-Black. These are a little weighty on the pocket hence you could opt for less expensive replica guns. In the lower price range, there are Sig Sauer P229 Blank Firing Gun replica and black blank firing guns. The Sig Sauer is available in nickel, gold and nickel-gold. You need not have a license to buy blank firing weapons but the age limit is above 21 years. So what are you waiting for? Fire away!
Buying the best Samurai Sword
April 13th, 2009Samurai swords are popular collectors items. It is one of the interesting hobbies and at times, it can prove to be an expensive hobby too. But for those who collect samurai words, price is never a problem. They will be ready to spend any amount of money as long as they find their exotic samurai swords. Though we do not use these samurai swords for self-defense, we should ensure that we get good quality samurai swords for the money we pay. Many of us buy samurai swords to decorate our walls and as such.
One of the major factors that you need to take note while buying you samurai swords is the quality of the blade. If you want to use it, then full tang samurai swords are the best. Full tang samurai swords are made of single piece of steel. These are also sometimes called battle ready swords. If you do not intend to use it for self-defense or for your exercises, then you can go for a samurai sword that is not full tang and you can just use it as a decoration on the wall. So you must decide in advance, what type of sword you need. If you are not sure what exactly you are looking for, then it is best to compare different types of samurai swords before buying your piece so that you will get familiar with your options.
Samurai swords are available in different types of steel and the cost of the sword varies depending upon the quality of the steel used. You can find samurai swords in folded steel, stainless steel and high carbon steel. If you are looking for a strong weapon then folded steel will be the best option for you. In terms of the quality of the steel used, high carbon steel is the best though not the strongest steel.
Depending on your taste, you can either go for Japanese Katanas, the Wakizashi sword or the Tanto. Amongst these, the most popular samurai sword that is known to many of us is the Japanese Katanas. Many Americans have bought into the habit of collecting samurai swords. The reason for this new trend could be the increasing popularity of martial arts. Whether you are getting your samurai swords for self-defense or as a collector’s item, you should never pick your swords without making a good online research. If you are new to this field, you must first learn about the different types of samurai swords available. Without knowing your options, you may end up choosing decoration piece while what you actually want is a functional sword.
If the samurai sword that you pick is not of good quality, then it will lose its lustrous new look soon. The attractiveness of a samurai sword lies in its shiny blade and if the blade takes an old look, then your samurai sword will be no good to be used as a showpiece. So do take time to select your samurai sword through careful review.