Apartment sword

[AlexC1981]

Yes, this is how it sounds.



I love Game of Thrones and I'm also a fan of medieval set roll playing (computer) games. Every couple of years or so I ponder buying a sword and eventually the urge passes as I have no use for one other than to play with it like the infamous Star Wars kid or to hang it on the wall, which some people will call council on me for.

I think it is only European medieval swords that interest me, but if anyone has any type they would like to show, I'd love to see them.

I'd really want a proper antique sword, but while things like 18th century sabres are quite affordable, anything prior to 16th century is difficult to come by and way over my budget.

I don't want something that I'd have to mount on a plinth in an airtight box and never touch anyway, so that leaves me with replicas. Whilst I'd be happy to spend a fair bit on an antique, for a replica I couldn't see me spending more than a couple of hundred. Can anyone recommend a supplier of authentic looking swords? I wouldn't want anything that looked like it was obviously made using modern machinery.

[AlexC1981]

All good points people, but I'm afraid a knife just isn't going to cut it. It is a bit childish I suppose, but it's going to be an ornament 99.9% of the time. Maybe I'll attack the occasional watermelon, but that's about it.

I suppose I am a bit of a child at heart. My 10 year old nephew is mad on medieval stuff and we have spent hours fighting with full contact foam bokken (wooden swords are destroyed in 5 minutes) and wooden shields. I enjoy it almost as much as he does. Don't worry though, I will not tell him about it if I get a steel one.

Thanks for the website recommendations, I'll take a look at those.

medieval said:

I would recommend joining a local medieval or other period re enactment unit locally if possible where you can really get some enjoyment from a good sword and learn how to use it safely and with skill

Takes time but well worth the effort in my opinion

Regards

I have thought about doing this, but I'm not sure if I like the idea of performing in front of a crowd.

red_slr said:

have you seen the proposed law changes...…….

I was aware you can't buy a full sized sword with a curved blade, could you tell me what the new proposal is please? I wouldn't be looking for something razor sharp. A dull blade, maybe even one with a few chips and wear marks would be good as long as it's well made.

Badda said:

The Queen has called for help as 6 French elite knights are attempting to dethrone her literally and sexually and her blouse has been ripped open slightly by these monsters.

Hang on, I just need to adjust something...

OK done.....so what happens next?

[AlexC1981]

I agree it would be fantastic to keep an antique medieval sword, but these things are best looked after by museums where everyone can enjoy them. Antique 19th century cavalry sword? Meh... easily bought, but not an historical period I have any interest in.

Ultimately my main reason for getting one is because I just sort of want one. I'm not going to do anything with it. I might not even display it. A bit odd maybe, but what is life without its small pleasures?

And I bet you all secretly want one too.

I have been googling and the prices vary enormously. At the lower end there is a company that hand makes swords and armor in India called Deepeeka. They have a 3mm blunt edge so you can do reenactment fighting with them and they look good in a rustic sort of way, but they are almost too cheap! I would prefer a locally made weapon if I can find one at a good price.

[AlexC1981]

andyxxx said:

Quite. And it’s all been fairly good natured and seemingly well taken by the op.

I've been on PH for long enough to know how these sort of things go down and I'm honoured to have been the subject of most of PH's most venerated clichés. The only issue is that some of the more boisterous posters might have scared off someone who has useful information on the topic and I end up replying to the nonsense instead of the sensible posts!

[AlexC1981]

superlightr said:

pic with my practice Rapier.

Bloody hell, I'd end up with a ceiling like that of my local snooker club if I took that indoors! I bet you really enjoy your sparring, I'm tempted to have a go at something like that.

I like the medieval short swords, like this one. Nothing fancy needed. Just good workmanship and an authentic design. I've definitely decided I don't want a sharp one, mainly for safety reasons and I would not be able to spar with it if I wanted to.

This has quite a short handle though, I'm starting to lean towards one of the smaller hand and a half swords. Probably 105cm maximum.

[AlexC1981]

spaximus said:

A couple of weeks ago we happened upon a medieval festival in Tewksbury. I was amazed at the amount of companies who would make you a bespoke sword from very plain to beautifully intricate. This along with every piece of armour or weapon you could wish to own.

If you are into this sort of thing then the couple of hundred people there would be a great place to use your sword, instead of hung on a wall.

Not my cup of tea and yes some did look like 40 year old virgins, but there were all types there male and female, the hot women were dressed as nobles the ugly ones serving wenches, so pretty authentic probably. What was clear they were having a whale of a time knocking lumps of each other in the battle re-enactment.

Good call on the medieval festivals. There's a large one at Herstmonceux Castle near Hastings in August. It's a bit of a trek, but could be fun to visit and maybe camp over. There might be some interesting wares for me to look over.

[AlexC1981]

sc0tt said:

OP, when you say “apartment”, I assume you actually mean, “flat”?

In The Big Bang Theory they refer to it as the "apartment sword", hence the pic in my OP

I plan to buy a house early next year. It probably won't be quite as suitable as Yellowtang's is for swords though

[AlexC1981]

peterperkins said:

To be fair here, I do have an ornamental sword.
Made for me by my father many years ago RIP.

Great sentimental value, and it's not swung around by me like a ninja whilst in my pants.
It's called Nothung/Notung, and as I'm an Wagner Opera enthusiast it suits me well.

Of course being able to pull it out from the ash tree at the end of Act1 of Die Walkure whilst singing the part of Siegmund would be a dream come true.
Alas the sofa cushions will have to do with Wagner blaring out on the Stereo..

It's metal and wood obviously, about 40" long.
If you can guess what metal (artifact) it's made from I will give £100 to the charity of your choice... (Genuine competition)





Opp's sorry for the thread hijack... I'll repost or delete if required..

You are delightfully eccentric. How wonderful to have something your father made. If that's 40 inches it must weigh a tonne!

My guess is it is made out of a handle from a steam engine.

[AlexC1981]

Zod said:

Please tell me those are not your bedsheets!

Of course not. I sleep only among the furs of beasts I have slain.

[AlexC1981]

wolfracesonic said:

AlexC1981 said:

Zod said:

Please tell me those are not your bedsheets!

Of course not. I sleep only among the furs of beasts I have slain.

You go ratting then?

Beavers and the occasional platypus.

[AlexC1981]

steveonts said:

Albion make some beautiful 'replicas', but they come with a hefty price tag. You get what you pay for though.

The duty of one from the USA is going to be hefty too. Thanks for the suggestion, but I think I'm going to carry on looking for a UK made one, it seems more appropriate somehow.

That said, some of the really cheap ones from India look the part and are very tempting, but they get slated on the dedicated forums.

[AlexC1981]

Ayahuasca said:

I would never buy a modern reproduction, most of them are rubbish (some are not) and the fantasy type ones are particularly rubbish.

I did buy a 1796 pattern cavalry sabre after reading the Sharpe books. His was a heavy, mine is a light, which is more common and cheaper.

No I have no idea why the pictures are on their sides.



The sabre is a massive chopping / slicing sword. But if I had to choose one for a duel it would be the smallsword. It has no edge, but it is so light and nimble it is a murder machine.

That doorstop is a 22 pound Spanish cannnball. Handy to throw at any burglars.

Good stuff I had a more dedicated google for medieval swords, but when they come up at auction they go for around £100K. I want the genuine article, but not that badly!

On the reproduction side, many look so clinical and perfectly machine made that it is quite off putting. Perhaps the finest weapons of the middle ages had perfect finishes, but I bet the vast majority didn't.

There are a number of smiths in the Czech Republic and Hungary who make some nice authentic looking pieces and the prices are much better than those made in the UK. You can see the hammer marks in places.

I like this one. The only downside is that I tend to over research stuff and my research leads me to believe that a sword of this type with a point of balance just 5cm below the guard, makes for a poor weapon. Swords of this type would historically have the POB further down the blade to give it more momentum when slicing. I really like this one, but I want it to have an authentic feel. I'll have to do a little more reading before I make a decision.

[AlexC1981]

Cheers, I will keep a look out. The replica still has the advantage that you can hit stuff with it, but of course I can get both

I just watched that chaps Arya vs Brienne analysis. Quite interesting, but I see what you mean by him rabbiting on.

The sword on the Wulflund website that I posted earlier is still my first choice, but the Oakeshott XIV type swords have grown on me. Unfortunately I can't find one I like that is in budget.

This is what a type XIV looks like. A bit shorter, fatter near the guard and tapers sharply to the point. These were made to pierce through the vulnerable spots on early forms of armor and through chain mail.

[AlexC1981]

Hey there swordfans,

I turned my attention towards looking for antiques, but I think I've ended up with a forgery! I don't want to post too much about it right now as I'm in discussion with the auction website (not ebay) about a refund.

When it's all over I'll fill you all in on the details, but if you are looking for antiques, bear in mind that auction curators can be very sloppy in their appraisals, so do a lot of research. Buy nothing without detailed and complete history of its provenance as from what I have recently read, there are quite a lot of fakes around and they look superb to my untrained eyes.

Worst case I have lost £1400, not the end of the world, but certainly not something to just be brushed off. I'll get some pics up of the forgery at some point, but I can see this dragging on for a while given the sluggish response I have had so far from the auctioneers. I would appreciate it if you didn't sleuth and post links, but any advice would be welcomed

[AlexC1981]

I had a feeling that joke might come up There is nothing that 100% confirms it, it's down to a number of factors. Too many to be coincidences based on the similarity of construction, individual components, finish and wear/patina when compared to other items that have been sold from the same area within a close time frame. There are other things too, such as the reputation of a previous seller of the same item. I will go into details with photos when it's been resolved. I spoke to the auctioneers a few days ago and they told me to email them the evidence, which I compiled and replied in detail the same day. I haven't heard anything since.

[AlexC1981]

I think my initial feeling that this will take a while to resolve will be correct. I didn't hear anything so I phoned them on Saturday. They said I had not heard back yet because the person dealing with the claim had gone on holiday. The issue and my email is now with their experts for review.

They have asked the seller for more information relating to its provenance, but they have not heard back from him yet. They emailed me later apologizing for the delay and have confirmed they have not released the money to the seller, so at least they are taking this seriously even if they are a bit slow. I'll have to hold tight for a few days to see what happens.

Thanks for asking, I'll keep you posted!