Good first sword?

[Nathan Dexter]

I have been looking araund for a while for a sword, and I have run into a lot of dead ends, so if anyone knows {and I'm sure there are droves of people who do} where to get a good, lower-priced sword, it would be of great assistance.
Thanks

[Brian Hunt]

blunt or sharp?

Brian Hunt
GFS

[Shane Smith]

For a low price for a decent sword, Deltin isn't bad if you pick the right models. The Albion squire line is pretty darn nice too but I think they run a few more dollars,however,they are seemingly worth it based on the squire models I've handled.

If you're really on a budget, the MRL Arbedo has always been a consistantly decent model.I've handled five of them and all were okay aside from the occasional gappy crossguard.

[Axel Pettersson]

from my (limited) experience I must say that Lutel is pretty good too, relatively cheap and still real good swords (I am referring to blunts here, have not handled a Lutel sharp), I dont know how much shipping is to the US though (they are based in the Chech Republic).

[Stacy Clifford]

Lutel is definitely good if you're looking for a blunt; their fit and finish is very good and the balance and weight are nice. Longswords like the one I got are around $350 U.S., give or take, or were last time I checked the prices, although I hear they're creeping up as their reputation grows. I believe it's a small family business, so the waiting list can get kind of long. Shipping to Houston from the Czech Republic was $75, but at least a Ming vase couldn't have been packed any better. I think most here don't recommend them for sharps, but they've proven their worth in training and sparring and hold up extremely well.

Another one that's even cheaper (though not as sweet) is the Paul Chen Practical series. Solid construction, very workmanlike blunts good for training, and I believe less than $200.

[Brian Hunt]

If you shop carefully on the Paul Chen's, they can often be obtained for around a hundred dollars. I paid $90 for mine.

Brian Hunt
GFS

[DaveSmith]

I work in a local Knife (sword) Shoppe in the DFW area (before anyone asks, we ALWAYS tell people when they're buying SLOs and that they're only good for decoration) and I can run down the usual prices you'll see for Paul Chen Practicals
~Longsword (which they call a bastard)= around $200-235 (this one varies the most)
~Hand+Half= $130
~ One-Hander= $100
~ Viking= $100

That's about what our prices are, so don't pay more and look for less. As a side note, I've handled some Lutels, and was very impressed.

[Brian Hunt]

Hi Dave,

have you got your hands on one of the Paul Chen sideswords yet? I am really curious about the quality of this one, it looks good on their webpage, but nothing beats a reveiw from someone who has handled one.

Thanks.

Brian Hunt
GFS

[DaveSmith]

Unfortunately I have not, we don't get in new styles nearly as often as I would like. People are so intent on buying the mainstays ( i.e.~ longsword, hand+half, viking... katana <img src="/forum/images/icons/mad.gif" alt="" /> ,etc.), that it actually cuts into the market for anything newer. Although, if I ever have any useful info in the future, I will definitely make it available.

[CARLOS DIAZ]

Hi,
Just read your comments and thought of this sword featured on these videos. Not too bad for a begginer and I think that pricewise it is not too bad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0uJ72M3udM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTg79LjK4mo

[Mars Healey]

If you're looking for a nicely made aluminum practice longsword, I have a www.Swordcrafts.com 'Lichtenaur' long sword and love it. The school bought 4 for themselves and the sound of ringing blades is music to my ears. They are very sturdy. Mine is finished and I think they look much better than the base unfinished blade. Cost was around $175(US).

[Jason Taylor]

If you want a good sharp, I think yoiu'd be pretty good with the Cold Steel Hand-and-a-half sword. Don't be fooled by the coldsteel.com price--you can get them a LOT cheaper. I'm probably going to get mine from here:

http://www.thebladeshop.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1853

I heard that it's pretty decent, though I haven't actually handled one.

Jason

[Allen Johnson]

The big problem with aluminum is that you can only use it with other aluminum blades. I also find they are a bit lighter than I like.

[Rod-Thornton]

I would recommend Albion's blunt, but mine, arriving yesterday after a wait of a number of months, actually came out of the box with surface rust on portions of the blade and pommel (unlike my sharp which came about as pretty and shiny as it gets when that first arrived). Previously a big fan of theirs, I am hoping their customer servicing ramps back up to match the design and materials quality that made them a "first choice" for me in the past.

Hopefully it was a fluke and I would suggest them as a good "first blunt" for you.

[Michael Olsen]

I would recommend Albion's blunt, but mine, arriving yesterday after a wait of a number of months, actually came out of the box with surface rust on portions of the blade and pommel (unlike my sharp which came about as pretty and shiny as it gets when that first arrived). Previously a big fan of theirs, I am hoping their customer servicing ramps back up to match the design and materials quality that made them a "first choice" for me in the past.

Hopefully it was a fluke and I would suggest them as a good "first blunt" for you.

I'll second the Albions, if they are within your price range. (Mine came rust free.)

As to the rust problem, did you notify Albion? If not, please do so.