The Economy Sail Dagger from Castille Armory is a great companion piece to a rapier for a complete duelist’s set. Made entirely in the USA from US-sourced steel and constructed in Castille’s Oregon workshop, this dagger is both an excellent training or sparring dagger at a great value price which was made possible by Castille economizing their production without making sacrifices to practical quality and usability. Its quillons are 10″ in width and the sail shaped guard is 4 1/4″ which allow for the dagger to be excellent at protecting the hand and very capable in the parry and bind. The well tempered 5160 spring steel is rounded and rebated with a spatulate tip and the guard is made from tough and durable 100 Grade steel. The dagger can be dismantled easily to allow for replacement of components.
Flex (F3)- Medium heavy stiffness, compliant to SCA Rapier and Cut & Thrust calibration. 1″ – 1.5″ drop @ 6 oz. (170 gr.). Recommended flex for SCA Rapier and Cut & Thrust dual duty, WMA and HEMA armored combat.
We offer a limited warranty* on all Castille Armory sword hilts, pommels and some handles for any reason that would cause the product not to pass regulation inspection within the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism), HEMA, and WMA groups. All Castille Armory combat blades are warrantied* for a period of 2 years from the date of purchase for any reason that would cause the blade to not pass regulation inspection within the SCA (Society of Creative Anachronism), HEMA, and WMA groups.
Please Note: At KOA we currently offer two different version of the Castille Armory Economy Saber: The 20 mm is a wider blade, whilst the 16 mm is thinner. This is the 16 mm version.
The Castille economy sabre is based on the 19th and 20th century light cavalry sabres that boasted the “stirrup” style guards. This inexpensive simulator while being light with a total weight of just 570 grams, provides plenty of blade presence. The superbly well tempered blade is a robust flat ground version of our 16 mm Dueling blade at 34” F3 and has a proper Radaelli curve. The rounded blade edge has a minimum of 3mm thickness and a 3mm thick rounded tip. Made entirely in the USA, the high quality 5160 spring steel for the blade is sourced from USA mills and certified for quality.
The guard is made from high strength 100 grade alloy steel and offers a great deal of space for heavy gloved hands including SPES style gloves. This sabre offers a choice of robust specially contoured black PLA grip or our dueling sabre back strap system with a large and small profile grip insert. It is all held together by a recessed m6 threaded pin. It can be disassembled as needed for replacement of components or modularity as desired.
We have developed this sabre to be the go-to product for new fighters and masters alike. Its the most robust light sabre available anywhere, period. Being heavily tested in the most demanding combat situations, it has truly astonished our testers against longswords and in full contact, full armored combat. It is a truly remarkable value. Finally, it handles like a historical sabre of this variety should with a balance point of 11cm. Its the last sabre you’ll ever need.
Flex (F3)- Medium heavy stiffness, compliant to SCA Rapier and Cut & Thrust calibration. 1″ – 1.5″ drop @ 6 oz. (170 gr.). Recommended flex for SCA Rapier and Cut & Thrust dual duty, WMA and HEMA armored combat.
We offer a limited warranty* on all Castille Armory sword hilts, pommels and some handles for any reason that would cause the product not to pass regulation inspection within the SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism), HEMA, and WMA groups. All Castille Armory combat blades are warrantied* for a period of 2 years from the date of purchase for any reason that would cause the blade to not pass regulation inspection within the SCA (Society of Creative Anachronism), HEMA, and WMA groups.
After being inundated with requests Windlass has now added a rapier to its Battlecry! line; a dignified, Spanish style swept-hilt rapier ready for the duel right out of the box. The blade is long and optimized for delivering a decisive thrust from a distance whilst still being able to deliver a respectable cut or slice. The sharpened blade is forged from 1065 high carbon steel with a tempered hardness in the low 50s HRc. The hilt is of steel and like the blade it is darkened with an antiqued finish unique to the Battlecry! line. The grip is bound in blackened wire for a solid handhold and the blade tang is stoutly anchored into the hilt with a peened construction.
The sword comes with a sheath of thick and stiff leather with a locket and chape of darkened steel to match the all-black, sleek look of the sword. Also included is a manufacturers production certificate.
The Main Gauche from Kingston Arms gets a stylistic makeover with a sleek, black titanium matte finish for the hilt to make it a perfect dagger to pair with the Kingston Arms Blackened Rapier (SM36151 – sold separately). The well-tempered blade from this deft dagger is crafted from forged high carbon steel. This blade is unyielding and sturdy, making it an excellent choice for a parrying dagger. The hilt is expertly molded from stainless steel and black titanium coated for a finish. Wrapped in tight brown cord, the grip ensures a firm hold and the dagger comes complete with a robust leather-wrapped scabbard featuring a blackened steel chape and locket that match the dagger’s design flawlessly.
The term “Main Gauche,” translating to “Left Hand” in French, plainly nods to its role as an off-hand dagger, designed to complement a larger blade—typically a rapier. In duels, the Main Gauche served chiefly as a defensive tool, adept at ensnaring an opponent’s weapon, yet in the hands of a skilled wielder, it could swiftly shift to deliver a lethal, duel-clinching strike. Often, rapiers and their Main Gauche counterparts were forged as matching sets, their coordinated style amplifying the wielder’s elegance and prestige.
What Has Shaped Sword Design Through the Ages? Geography and Resources The resources available to a society greatly influenced sword design. Availability of metal, the skills of local blacksmiths, and access to different forging techniques determined the quality and characteristics of swords. In some places, iron was scarce, leading to different materials being used for […]
This Main Gauche can be stylistically paired with the Kingston Arms Swept Hilt Rapier to create a matched sword and dagger set. Available separately (SKU SM36150)
The name “Main Gauche” means “Left Hand” in French – a rather direct reference to the use of this dagger as a off-hand weapon intended to be paired with a larger sword, usually a rapier. The Main Gauche had a primary defenseive / entanglement role in the duel, but could just a rapidly go on the offense when in skilled and capable hands to strike a decisive, duel-ending blow. Many rapiers and Main Gauche were fashioned into stylistically matching pairs to further heighten the fashion and status of the bearer.
This Main Gauche by Kingston Arms is a fine match for the Kingston Arms Swept Hilt Rapier and has a blade of forged and tempered high carbon steel. The blade is stiff and rigid, ideal for a parrying dagger and the hilt is cast from stainless steel. The grip is bound in brown cord for a sure grip and the dagger is paired with a hard core scabbard with a stainless steel chape and locket to match the dagger.
Unlike the rapier, the side sword cuts a balance between the thrust and the cut alike, and in addition to being a great all-rounder for any self-defense situation, the wider and more robust blade was more suited for war than most rapiers which were optimized for duels. In war, the Sidesword was commonly paired with a rotella round steel shield and flexible and mobile infantry armed in such a manner would support the flanks of a much more inflexible pike or halberd block formation.
Like historical originals, this Sidesword by Kingston Arms cuts and thrusts efficiently whilst being relatively nimble and responsive. The blade is forged from tempered 5160 high carbon steel and the hilt is stainless steel. The grip is bound in leather and the sword is matched with a hard core scabbard which is wrapped in matching leather with stainless steel fittings to match.
Please Note: The sword ships disassembled for more efficient shipping. It can be reassembled or disassembled without needing special tools
This form of the Sidesword clearly shows its evolution from the late Medieval arming sword; remove the protective hilt rings and knucklebar and you can see the cross-hilt late medieval or Renaissance arming sword hilt beneath the additional protection. Sideswords such as this coexisted with rapiers and other divergent forms of the sword and unlike the thrust-oriented rapier the Sidesword sought to find a balance for a blade that could be used to cut and thrust with equal ability. That durable blade form ideal for repetitive parries and binds in a larger melee was also better suited to military and civil militia and guard use over most rapiers which were optimized for a duel or small scale self defense, though certain “military rapiers” did exist.
The Balaur Arms Sidesword has a sharpened blade of GB 60Si2MnA High Carbon Manganese Spring Steel (a steel similar in its properties to 5160) and is tempered to a final hardness of 54-55 HRc. The sword was designed to be a powerful cutter and not a featherweight for its type; the blade has the width needed for efficient and powerful cutting whilst narrowing enough at the tip to be quite a capable thrusting sword. Careful attention was paid to ensure the blade had the stiffness and rigidity needed to puncture with great force. Its wielder can place a finger over the guard and within the protective ring the greater control of the sword is achieved and a light pair of gloves is ideal for maximizing comfort in this position. The hilt is fashioned from stainless steel and the thick blade tang is peened over the pommel for a lasting and durable hilt construction. The grip is wood which is wrapped in tight blue leather. Included with the sword is a wooden scabbard which is fitted with tight, stitched leather to match and a stainless steel locket and chape.
The Supreme-Cutter™ Classic from Lancelot is the result of his journey to create an optimized fighting sword, a blade that uses his 30 years of swordsmanship experience to full effect to create an ideal sword that balances reach, power, speed and practicality, a sword that is optimized for cleanly and repeatedly slicing tatami, thick rolls of newspaper and other targets. The Ultra edition with its greatsword-like size is specialized for open area combat, where one may have to face multiple opponents, or to quickly overcome an opponent immediately with the help of reach. For the advanced users who can handle the extra weight and measure, this edition brings the ultimate fighting prowess. Each sword gets closely inspected by Lancelot himself to ensure that they meet his approval for a sword deserving of the Supreme Cutter title. You can read more of his design philosophy farther below.
The sword has a rigid and robust blade forged from well tempered GB 60Si2MnA High Carbon Manganese Spring Steel with a final tempered hardness of 50-55 HRc and sharpened to a fine and keen cutting edge and polished to beautiful reflective mirror finish.. The disk guard and pommel are of stainless steel with a sandblasted finish contrasted with a mirror polished rim. The wooden grip is tightly bound in blackened hand-wrapped cord. The sword is paired with a wooden scabbard which is tightly bound in faux black rayskin and is completed with a blackened brass locket and chape fittings. The scabbard is specially designed to ensure that sheathing / unsheathing the sword will not dull the blade edge. A cloth sword bag and sword presentation box are included.
Please Note: The standard factory edge merely means that the sword is not personally sharpened by Lancelot, but it is inspected by him. The edge from the factory bladesmiths is still very sharp and quite capable of efficient cutting.
The concept of the Supreme-Cutter™ – an optimized fighting sword
Why cutting is so important?
According to medieval German longsword swordsmanship, there were three sword strikes: cut, thrust, and slice. When a cut missed, it could become a thrust. When a thrust missed, it could become a slice.
However, if we consider “stopping power”, both slicing and thrusting would not stop a frenzied opponent right away. There are many historical records depicting duels that ended with mutual kills, with both parties inflicting the opponent with plenty thrusting wounds and together bled to death.
George Silver, the 16th century British sword master, criticized Italian rapier swordsmanship for causing the death of many brave young Englishmen in duels. It was partly because thrusting wounds, while they would eventually kill, were unable to stop the opponent right away and protect oneself.
The slicing attack was also not enough to stop a drugged opponent. There is video footage of villagers defending their home against gangsters, while the latter wielded glaives. The villagers were wounded several times in the fight. Hamstring and thumb were cut, but the brave villagers fought on. Also, there is footage of a modern European swordsmanship group which practiced with sharp sword sparring, and one of the participants was cut at the elbow, forming a gaping bleeding wound, yet the fencer did not even acknowledge the hit. It was his partner who pointed it out so they could stop the practice and tend the bleeding wound.
As a result, the only reliable way to stop the opponent in their tracks, was a physical removal of the opponent’s appendage. This works on drugged, frenzied, zealous, or even undead opponents like zombies. Moreover, it was also the only way that one can threaten multiple opponents, cutting through the first target and still capable of threatening the next one.
So, it was very important to have a design that can facilitate supremecutting power that would not have the blade getting stuck in the target and let the user become defenseless.
For my 23 years of test cutting, I have used swords from various cultures and taken notes on all the factors that would contribute to good cutting power. Yet, it was only recently, with the use of high FPS camera, that allowed me to pinpoint the problem of blades losing penetrating power during a cut, and later develop a solution to mitigate it.
In the end, “Supreme Cutter” is designed as the answer to maximize cutting power and minimize the probability of the blade getting stuck in the targets.
– Lancelot
About Lancelot
With decades of scholarly experience in European and Asian sword martial arts Lancelot is a recognized expert and instructor in the field. His school seeks to teach swordsmanship in a global way, unhindered by style and his students study the various schools of swordsmanship, such as German Lichtenauer and Chinese Tai Chi and then seek to blend together these various historical fighting systems in to a modern, efficient system tailored to each individual student. The focus being the attainments of excellent swordsmanship informed from the best that historical martial arts has to offer. Through rigorous sparring against a variety of opponents, weapons and situations and with focused and decisive practical cutting Lancelot and his students seek to best understand the sword and swordsmanship.
The Supreme-Cutter™ Classic from Lancelot is the result of his journey to create an optimized fighting sword, a blade that uses his 30 years of swordsmanship experience to full effect to create an ideal sword that balances reach, power, speed and practicality, a sword that is optimized for cleanly and repeatedly slicing tatami, thick rolls of newspaper and other targets. Each sword gets closely inspected by Lancelot himself to ensure that they meet his approval for a sword deserving of the Supreme Cutter title. The Compact Edition is specialized in combat in low height and narrow areas, such as doorway. It excels in defending behind the door, or in bashing through a doorway during an assault. It is also easier to carry around and is quicker to unsheath due to the shorter blade length. In addition, it’s also the lightest and fastest among the three, which allow single handed use more often, where the offhand is holding ranged weapons or something else to help one to defend oneself. You can read more of his design philosophy farther below.
The sword has a rigid and robust blade forged from well tempered GB 60Si2MnA High Carbon Manganese Spring Steel with a final tempered hardness of 50-55 HRc and sharpened to a fine and keen cutting edge and polished to beautiful reflective mirror finish.. The disk guard and pommel are of stainless steel with a sandblasted finish contrasted with a mirror polished rim. The wooden grip is tightly bound in blackened hand-wrapped cord. The sword is paired with a wooden scabbard which is tightly bound in faux black rayskin and is completed with a blackened brass locket and chape fittings. The scabbard is specially designed to ensure that sheathing / unsheathing the sword will not dull the blade edge. A cloth sword bag and sword presentation box are included.
Please Note: The standard factory edge merely means that the sword is not personally sharpened by Lancelot, but it is inspected by him. The edge from the factory bladesmiths is still very sharp and quite capable of efficient cutting.
The concept of the Supreme-Cutter™ – an optimized fighting sword
Why cutting is so important?
According to medieval German longsword swordsmanship, there were three sword strikes: cut, thrust, and slice. When a cut missed, it could become a thrust. When a thrust missed, it could become a slice.
However, if we consider “stopping power”, both slicing and thrusting would not stop a frenzied opponent right away. There are many historical records depicting duels that ended with mutual kills, with both parties inflicting the opponent with plenty thrusting wounds and together bled to death.
George Silver, the 16th century British sword master, criticized Italian rapier swordsmanship for causing the death of many brave young Englishmen in duels. It was partly because thrusting wounds, while they would eventually kill, were unable to stop the opponent right away and protect oneself.
The slicing attack was also not enough to stop a drugged opponent. There is video footage of villagers defending their home against gangsters, while the latter wielded glaives. The villagers were wounded several times in the fight. Hamstring and thumb were cut, but the brave villagers fought on. Also, there is footage of a modern European swordsmanship group which practiced with sharp sword sparring, and one of the participants was cut at the elbow, forming a gaping bleeding wound, yet the fencer did not even acknowledge the hit. It was his partner who pointed it out so they could stop the practice and tend the bleeding wound.
As a result, the only reliable way to stop the opponent in their tracks, was a physical removal of the opponent’s appendage. This works on drugged, frenzied, zealous, or even undead opponents like zombies. Moreover, it was also the only way that one can threaten multiple opponents, cutting through the first target and still capable of threatening the next one.
So, it was very important to have a design that can facilitate supremecutting power that would not have the blade getting stuck in the target and let the user become defenseless.
For my 23 years of test cutting, I have used swords from various cultures and taken notes on all the factors that would contribute to good cutting power. Yet, it was only recently, with the use of high FPS camera, that allowed me to pinpoint the problem of blades losing penetrating power during a cut, and later develop a solution to mitigate it.
In the end, “Supreme Cutter” is designed as the answer to maximize cutting power and minimize the probability of the blade getting stuck in the targets.
– Lancelot
About Lancelot
With decades of scholarly experience in European and Asian sword martial arts Lancelot is a recognized expert and instructor in the field. His school seeks to teach swordsmanship in a global way, unhindered by style and his students study the various schools of swordsmanship, such as German Lichtenauer and Chinese Tai Chi and then seek to blend together these various historical fighting systems in to a modern, efficient system tailored to each individual student. The focus being the attainments of excellent swordsmanship informed from the best that historical martial arts has to offer. Through rigorous sparring against a variety of opponents, weapons and situations and with focused and decisive practical cutting Lancelot and his students seek to best understand the sword and swordsmanship.
The Supreme-Cutter™ Classic from Lancelot is the result of his journey to create an optimized fighting sword, a blade that uses his 30 years of swordsmanship experience to full effect to create an ideal sword that balances reach, power, speed and practicality, a sword that is optimized for cleanly and repeatedly slicing tatami, thick rolls of newspaper and other targets. Each sword gets closely inspected by Lancelot himself to ensure that they meet his approval for a sword deserving of the Supreme Cutter title. You can read more of his design philosophy farther below.
The sword has a rigid and robust blade forged from well tempered GB 60Si2MnA High Carbon Manganese Spring Steel with a final tempered hardness of 50-55 HRc and sharpened to a fine and keen cutting edge and polished to beautiful reflective mirror finish.. The disk guard and pommel are of stainless steel with a sandblasted finish contrasted with a mirror polished rim. The wooden grip is tightly bound in blackened hand-wrapped cord. The sword is paired with a wooden scabbard which is tightly bound in faux black rayskin and is completed with a blackened brass locket and chape fittings. The scabbard is specially designed to ensure that sheathing / unsheathing the sword will not dull the blade edge. A cloth sword bag and sword presentation box are included.
Please Note: The standard factory edge merely means that the sword is not personally sharpened by Lancelot, but it is inspected by him. The edge from the factory bladesmiths is still very sharp and quite capable of efficient cutting.
The concept of the Supreme-Cutter™ – an optimized fighting sword
Why cutting is so important?
According to medieval German longsword swordsmanship, there were three sword strikes: cut, thrust, and slice. When a cut missed, it could become a thrust. When a thrust missed, it could become a slice.
However, if we consider “stopping power”, both slicing and thrusting would not stop a frenzied opponent right away. There are many historical records depicting duels that ended with mutual kills, with both parties inflicting the opponent with plenty thrusting wounds and together bled to death.
George Silver, the 16th century British sword master, criticized Italian rapier swordsmanship for causing the death of many brave young Englishmen in duels. It was partly because thrusting wounds, while they would eventually kill, were unable to stop the opponent right away and protect oneself.
The slicing attack was also not enough to stop a drugged opponent. There is video footage of villagers defending their home against gangsters, while the latter wielded glaives. The villagers were wounded several times in the fight. Hamstring and thumb were cut, but the brave villagers fought on. Also, there is footage of a modern European swordsmanship group which practiced with sharp sword sparring, and one of the participants was cut at the elbow, forming a gaping bleeding wound, yet the fencer did not even acknowledge the hit. It was his partner who pointed it out so they could stop the practice and tend the bleeding wound.
As a result, the only reliable way to stop the opponent in their tracks, was a physical removal of the opponent’s appendage. This works on drugged, frenzied, zealous, or even undead opponents like zombies. Moreover, it was also the only way that one can threaten multiple opponents, cutting through the first target and still capable of threatening the next one.
So, it was very important to have a design that can facilitate supremecutting power that would not have the blade getting stuck in the target and let the user become defenseless.
For my 23 years of test cutting, I have used swords from various cultures and taken notes on all the factors that would contribute to good cutting power. Yet, it was only recently, with the use of high FPS camera, that allowed me to pinpoint the problem of blades losing penetrating power during a cut, and later develop a solution to mitigate it.
In the end, “Supreme Cutter” is designed as the answer to maximize cutting power and minimize the probability of the blade getting stuck in the targets.
– Lancelot
About Lancelot
With decades of scholarly experience in European and Asian sword martial arts Lancelot is a recognized expert and instructor in the field. His school seeks to teach swordsmanship in a global way, unhindered by style and his students study the various schools of swordsmanship, such as German Lichtenauer and Chinese Tai Chi and then seek to blend together these various historical fighting systems in to a modern, efficient system tailored to each individual student. The focus being the attainments of excellent swordsmanship informed from the best that historical martial arts has to offer. Through rigorous sparring against a variety of opponents, weapons and situations and with focused and decisive practical cutting Lancelot and his students seek to best understand the sword and swordsmanship.
Please note: This sword now has a shinier, polished steel finish for the hilt components instead of the antiqued gray shown here. Photos will be updated when possible.
LK Chen Munich Town Guard sword takes its inspiration from an iconic sword crafted by the famed German sword maker Wolfgang Stantler in the early 17th century which is commonly known today as the Munich Town Guard sword. It has a sharp and well tempered blade of GB 60Si2MnA High Carbon Manganese Spring Steel which hits a fine balance between rigidity for the thrust and necessary flex for resilience. Not only is the sword capable of decisive punctures on a target, but it can cut and slash with considerable ability! The complex guard is well-cast from stainless steel with a dull gray finish. The grip is bound in tight braided wire surmounted by wire knotwork. Included with the sword is a wooden scabbard which is bound in leather and completed with a protective stainless steel chape.
These “Town Guard” swords are in essence medieval single-hand arming swords with the addition of protective bars to take the place of the plate gauntlet. While post-dating the Oakeshott’s medieval sword typology, Munich Town Guard typically correspond to Oakeshott Type XV and XVIII blades, balancing cutting and thrusting abilities by starting broad at the guard and tapering dramatically to an acute point. It was a design that was a fine all-rounder with its considerable cut-and-thrust ability and it could be used as readily for the battlefield or for self defense in the raucous city streets at evening.
The Town Guard’s thick forte and tang, strong profile and distal taper, complex hilt and wire-bound grip combine to create a lively weapon that also is heavy enough to withstand and excel at use against armored opponents on a crowded battlefield. Whereas a rapier is often a specialized dueling and self-defense weapon to be used in non-military contexts, the more robust Sidesword has a ready place on the 17th century battlefield. Many of Stantler’s battle swords can be found outside Germany in collections throughout the world including the Royal Armories, Armories of the Dukes of Burgundy and Higgins Armory Museum and Wallace collection.
Please Note: The guard / hilt of the sword has a dull gray finish which looks brighter under studio photography lights. It is normal and common for there to be some minor blemishes, such as scuffs / scratches on the finish present.
Order Status
You will receive an email notification, including tracking information, when the order ships. If you ordered an in-stock item, please reach out to us only if you have NOT received a shipment notification after 7 business days.
We prioritize quality over speed.
Our shipment times include an amount of time for us to inspect and then appropriately package and protect your purchase before we ship. We are proud to be famous for our brown-paper protective wraps which help your purchase arrive in excellent condition.
Shipment times will vary due to the stock status of an item and whether you included other services, such as sharpening, in your order.
If an item is in-stock, we aim to ship within 7 business days of your order. If you have added sharpening, it may add up to an additional 7-10 business days.
Our items that are listed as Usually Ships in One to Two Weeks normally ship within 10-14 days.
Thank you for being a valued customer!
Kult of Athena Team
Local Pickup
After you place your order, we’ll work on getting it ready as soon as we can. We know you’re excited to get your new items, but please make sure you wait to hear from us before you head over to our facility for pickup. We don’t want you to show up before your order is ready and have to wait.
You’ll receive a call or an email from us as soon as your order is ready for pickup.
See you soon!
Kult of Athena Team
Deposits
Take advantage of our deposit option and pay only a deposit (+shipping) at this time. The cart will process this as a normal order and calculate your shipping costs so you know what to expect. When the item is available to ship we will contact you for the balance.
Please note: this deposit is non-refundable. Turn around time is an estimate and can vary depending on the manufacturer’s given work load.
This option is not for in stock items, it is only for special orders with long turnaround times. If you do order something marked as in stock, the stocked model will not be held for you. A new special order with the listed turnaround time will be started for you instead, to allow you the time to pay off the full price.
Unsharpened
Unsharpened edges will be thinner than a “blunt” edge, but will not offer any cutting ability. They will typically taper towards an edge, but then stop short.
Sharpening Service
Overview
Our sharpening service will provide a good serviceable edge on the blade. The result is typically “very sharp” with a small secondary bevel and a bit of an “apple seed” profile. The resulting edge is somewhat dependent on the particular blade. Some blades will take and hold sharper edges than others and the thickness of the blade will determine how wide the bevel will need to be. We adjust the angle of the edge to suit the specific blade and attempt to get as close to a bevel-less edge as possible without marring the surface of the blade.
The Sharpening Process
The sharpening service is done with a belt sander. The process involves many passes with sanding belts of various grits. The blades are rested between passes to prevent them from becoming hot and damaging their temper. By default we will sharpen as much of the blade as possible including any false edges if appropriate. If you have a different preference, feel free to make that request in the special instructions at check out. We can sharpen only the last half or third of an edge, for example. Our sword sharpening expert has personally sharpened several thousand swords at this point, so will provide you with a professional service.
What the Service is Not
The resulting edge will be “sword sharp” not razor sharp. Our goal is to provide you with a usable edge for cutting practice that will hold up to some use and not require constant re-sharpening. In other words, we intend to provide you with a serviceable weapon, not a personal grooming implement. The service will not provide a completely bevel-less edge. To create that type of edge will necessarily scratch up the blade surface and we lack the machinery and time to provide a full re-polishing of a blade’s surface. A service of that nature would be significantly more expensive as a great deal more time would be required. We do not offer this type of service at this time.
Disclaimer
We make no guarantee that the resulting edge will meet with your expectations. Every blade is different and some will take and hold a sharper edge than others, due to the blade material, heat treatment or geometry. Some customers can also have incorrect assumptions about sword sharpness and improper expectations as a result. All we can say for sure is that the resulting edge will be sharper than the default edge, in most cases, significantly so. We can not provide any refunds for the service once it has been completed, so consider it to be provided “as is”. That being said, if you are unhappy with the product for any reason, we do still allow you to return the item for a full refund, including the sharpening costs under our normal return policy. This does not apply to special sharpening requests, for example if we sharpen something specially for you that does not normally list that option on our site. The vast majority of our customers are happy with the results of the service, so as long as you keep the above mentioned in mind, we are confident you will be pleased with the results as well.
Grade
Blemished
A factory blemished model will have small cosmetic defects but no issues that will affect its function. Examples include, small surface scratches, scabbard dents or cracks, minor blade pitting, etc. Larger issues like blade chips, cracks, warps or anything else that will affect performance will not be included with these. Please note that we do not keep track of every specific minor blemish, so please do not contact us asking for details, we will not have them available. We are offering these items at a further discount for customers who are not overly concerned with cosmetics and intend to put them to some use.
Munitions Grade
A munitions grade item is not up to our normal high standards. Munitions grade items will typically have various bends or twists in the blades, basically rendering them as 2nds quality. These items are still a great choice for collecting and re-enacting and functional pieces will still be functional. Please keep this in mind when ordering.
Munitions Grade
This “Munitions Grade” item is not up to our normal high standards. Munitions grade items will typically have various bends or twists in the blades, basically rendering them as 2nds quality. These items are still a great choice for collecting and re-enacting and functional pieces will still be functional. Please keep this in mind when ordering.
Country of Origin
“Country Of Origin” refers to the coutry where the product was manufactured. This is not to be confused with the “Culture” spec. For example, a culturally “Japanese” Sword could be made in India, a culturally “German” sword could be made in the US or a culturally “Indian” sword could be made in China. The historic “culture” associated with a particular sword and the country a reproduction is currently being made in, are two separate things and should not be confused.
Manufacturer
As you would imagine, the “Manufacturer” spec refers to the brand or company the item is made by. Not all products will have a manufacturer listed. Some products do not fall under a specific brand.
Culture
The “Culture” spec will denote if the item is associated with a specific group of people, conflict or geographic area. For example, “Viking”, “Crusader”, “Pirate”, “Indian” “WWII”, and so on. Please note that many items will not fall into a specific culture like this and were used by many peoples or across many time periods.
Class
The “Class” spec can have four possible values:
Battle Ready – For functional weapons
Sport Combat – (also known as Stage Combat) For blunted fighting weapons
Decorative – For display only weapons
LARP – For Foam fighting weapons
P.O.B.
P.O.B. stands for Point Of Balance, this is measured in inches from the hilt down the blade. It refers to the point on the blade where the sword achieves a perfect balance. A number of 0” would balance exactly at the guard, while a negative number will have a POB in the hilt itself. In theory a sword with a POB of 0” is perfectly balanced. In practice however, there are many reasons why you may not want this for a particular sword. A POB of 3”- 5” usually results in a well balanced sword, but does depend on the type of sword. In general, a low POB results in good point control well suited to a thrusting blade, while a higher POB adds impact to a cleaving blade. A very high POB will result in a sword that feels heavier than it actually is and is difficult to wield.
Please note: Due to the hand made nature of these items, all specs should be considered as approximates. This info is provided to give you a good idea of the product being presented, the one you receive may vary from the specific one we took measurements of.
Pommel
The Pommel entry refers to how the pommel, and usually by extension the whole sword, is held together. Possible values include “Peened” where the blade tang goes through the pommel and is hammered flat at the end, Threaded” where the end of the tang has threads and the pommel is screwed on, or “Nut” where the tang goes through the pommel and is secured by a separate threaded nut at the end.
Thickness
“Thickness”, not to be confused with a blade’s “Width” is measured in millimeters on the blade where it first leaves the hilt and will refer to the thickest portion. For example the back edge on a katana or the mid section on a diamond shaped blade. Sometimes you will see two entries here, in that case it is usually because the blade is “distal tapered” meaning that it gets thinner towards the tip. The second measurement is taken approx. 1” from the tip.
Please note: Due to the hand made nature of these items, all specs should be considered as approximates. This info is provided to give you a good idea of the product being presented, the one you receive may vary from the specific one we took measurements of.
Width
On blades, the “Width” is measured in millimeters and is taken where the blade leaves the hilt. A second measurement is provided when a blade widens further down, such as in a leaf shaped blade. The second measurement is taken at the blade’s widest point.
Please note: Due to the hand made nature of these items, all specs should be considered as approximates. This info is provided to give you a good idea of the product being presented, the one you receive may vary from the specific one we took measurements of.
Edge
The “Edge” spec will tell you about how sharp a blade is. Possible values could be “Rebated” meaning the edge is intentionally thickened for safety, “Blunt” meaning the edge is fairly thick with little to no taper, ‘Unsharpened” which would taper to the edge but stop short of having any real cutting ability, “Slightly Sharp, Moderately Sharp , Sharp, or Very Sharp” Sharp or Very Sharp are considered good for cutting swords. Moderately Sharp is close, but may need to be touched up to get the best performance. A common misconception is that swords should all be “razor sharp”. However for reasons we won’t get into here, this is not the case.
Please note: Due to the hand made nature of these items, all specs should be considered as approximates. This info is provided to give you a good idea of the product being presented, the one you receive may vary from the specific one we took measurements of. The Edge ratings in particular are somewhat subjective and each blade can vary. Consider this as a general guideline only.
Weight
The “Weight” spec refers to the item itself and does not include any packaging or accessories. For example, it would be the weight of a sword not including a scabbard.
Please note: Due to the hand made nature of these items, all specs should be considered as approximates. This info is provided to give you a good idea of the product being presented, the one you receive may vary from the specific one we took measurements of.
Overall Length
As you’d imagine, “Overall Length” is the full length of the item in question. It is the length of the main item itself, not including any accessories. For example, this measurement for a sword would be for the sword itself, from the tip of the blade to the end of the pommel. This measurement will not include any scabbards, sheaths, boxes etc.
Please note: Due to the hand made nature of these items, all specs should be considered as approximates. This info is provided to give you a good idea of the product being presented, the one you receive may vary from the specific one we took measurements of.
What is "Battle Ready?"
Swords marked as “Battle Ready” are made to a higher standard than your average display weapons. The blades are usually made of carbon steel, as opposed to the more brittle stainless steel and feature longer and stronger tangs.
“Battle Ready” does not necessarily mean the blade is sharpened, this depends on the manufacturer. Some sell them sharp like Cold Steel, some dull like Windlass Steel Crafts, and some do both like Hanwei. So if you need to know if it is sharp or not and it is not mentioned in the description, just ask.
In general “Battle Ready” swords are functional weapons that will live up to actual combat usage. They are closest to historic examples in the fact that when properly sharpened they can cut as designed. However, “Battle Ready” does not mean indestructible. Any sword can be broken. Use common sense with your sword, and it will last for generations. A sword being listed as “Battle Ready” does not constitute a guarantee that it will withstand any abuse you can throw at it. “Battle Ready” swords are not designed for blade to blade type combat, you will want to select “Stage Combat” swords for this activity.
What is "Sport Combat?"
Swords listed as “Sport Combat” (also known as “Stage Combat”) are specifically designed for combat reenactment, stage and film fights, and other activities where they will be hit edge to edge together.
Using a sword in this capacity is very different than how a sword would have been used historically, and as a result the sword must be made differently. Sport combat swords feature extra strong tangs and thick blades with thick edges. Sport combat swords will generally weigh more than a “Battle Ready” equivalent and are not made to be sharpened.
Swords listed as “Sport Combat” will hold up to a fair amount of usage, but will wear out with time. No sword is indestructible, and “Sport Combat” swords are no exception.
Blade Length
On a sword, knife or dagger, The “Blade Length” spec is measured from the tip of the blade to where the blade enters the hilt, this will include a ricasso portion if present. For katanas, this measurement includes the habaki.
On a spear it is a measurement of the edged portion and does not include the socket. On an axe, it is a measurement of the axe edge itself, in a straight line from point to point.
Please note: Due to the hand made nature of these items, all specs should be considered as approximates. This info is provided to give you a good idea of the product being presented, the one you receive may vary from the specific one we took measurements of.
