Which Sword Should You Buy 2: Medieval & Renaissance (Longsword, Messer, Falchion, Rapier, etc) 

Obviously, you shouldn't buy a sword, you should loot one from a dragon.

If I ever get into collecting swords I'm going to rely heavily on this guy's input and advice

“I would advise being careful with this type of blade against hard targets.” ...does that include bullets?

I'm really enjoying these reviews, would love to see more videos like this covering axes, maces, daggers etc

Last time I was this early Ötzi was rocking a copper axe

I love how the budget picks start at a higher price than I have ever paid for a sword!

I can vouch for the Kingston Arms 13th Century Arming Sword. It is an incredible sword.

Arms and Armor sells an Irish arming sword, for those interested in Irish medieval swords. They even give you the option of a scabbard with it, but it costs extra.

I've tried one of the Balaur Arms longsword, had it for about a year. Felt great, fit and finish were great and it cut very well. Unfortunately I believe I got a lemon and the peen broke during my first cutting session after sitting on a rack mostly for over a year. Couple bad cuts against a target that was not giving towards the end of the day, not a hard target, just a very thick and slightly heavier plastic bottle. Pretty sure the peen was just done wrong and the first time it encountered any kind of real resistance it would have broken. Ended up selling the sword to a friend to be a project blade. But I liked it so much I have seriously considered buying another one, but using it much sooner so that it is still in warranty if it breaks. Hard to beat that price and the scabbard was really really nice for the price too. Also have the Angus Trim type 14 Kingston arms sword and it is wonderful. Scabbard didn't fit so the sword rattles and will fall out. I believe I got the KoA sharpening service and the edge geometry was...bad. It can't cut water bottles. Needs touch up, me and my buddy tried cutting with it for quite a while and we failed every cut with the sword. Not the swords fault though, I love the feel and once it is properly sharp it will be my favorite sword.

Oh lord, the next video is gonna have 'fantasy swords.' If there is no Skallchion I will riot!

I'll say this about the Windlass rapier, the one I set up for a friend of mine to use on stage survived several seasons of hard use doing stage combat. While that extra flexibility might not be great for actual combat it came in handy making it safe for stage use. The only issues were that after several seasons the pommel would loosen up and need to be tightened regularly and the wire wrap had loosened up a little.

Keep up the good work! I watch your channel since 2017. Never been dissapointed. I love how you do things and how you operate the channel. You are 'Infotainment' at its finest. Please keep doing it!!! Greetings to you and cara from Germany

Thx for doing all the hard lifting for us laz .. uh, I mean VERY busy viewers ;-) Seriously though, this is a big help!

I actually bought the Balaur longsword Skall mentions in the beginning of the video. I'm still relatively new and I was shocked at how whippy it was. To me it felt overly whippy. I returned it and exchanged it for the Balaur Italian longsword and I was much, much happier. The handle wraps are fantastic. I made some lo-fi video reviews for them if you click on my RU-vid avatar.

I'd really like to see you do some Balaur reviews. Really curious about them

5:55 I have the Katzbalger! It's definitely my favourite sword, it feels so good in the hands

Oh my, I've wanted a M T G sword for a while and, and yes the A and A one is beautifully and well made, it would be interesting to see a comparison with LK chen version.

Blue yourself with cold gun blue. Just wrap tape over handle and blade. It does wear but if you keep applying it eventually it becomes very long lasting

Now this is the sword of video I subscribed for

I think you undersell the Landsknecht Emporium range of messers. Speaking to messer specialists, LE are *the* go-to brand for HEMA messers. Especially as they offer most of their messers with a choice of three blade types - sharp, blunt trainers with very similar weight to sharp, and blunt sparring blades that are thicker to stand up to the rigors of contact.

0:37 I actually own this longsword now. It's pretty nice. After like 5 months of abuse the guard started making clicking sounds but its still strong as hell. Seriously recommend it.

Castille armory makes customizable sharps. I only have the budget sideward, but they look great.

I have a Balaur Arms 14th - 15th Century Longsword. Its actually very good. I had the sharpening service on it and then touched it up myself, and it performs as a sword double its price would. Honestly, well worth the price. The steel is good, the build quality is good. Only downside is the pommel and grip are, shall we say, a bit rough looking, but fully functional, but that can be solved with a bit of care. Honestly, they make good swords. Try one, see what you think.

Balaur is a sort of dragon in Romanian mythology, people might wanna know this

I'd like to get a budget arming sword

Surprised to see no mention of Darksword Armoury, you need to check them out!

I really like my Cold steel Italian longswords MAA. For the money it is a balanced slightly heavy sword that is perfect for beginner users in the hand and a half category. The basic yet refined design handles amazingly.

The cold steal messer is awesome. I severely recommend it as well

I am wanting to get into swords an I am surprised by the prices. The range of prices are basically the same ranges as guitars

I'm learning a lot and unfortunately my tastes as most only go up the more I see quality stuff. That last one handed sword was beautiful! I wish you had updates of these with retailers and current bargains etc. The search continues unless I win the lotto

The sword at 8:15 is nice. I've had one for over 10 years (bought back when they were Kris Kutlery) and it's easily my favorite longsword.

I love this series. Even if its not featured on here you can use it to reference other swords.

Just so you know ive watched these three videos in full probably about six times each as i am starting a collection and am using this as a reference - wish i could find that tinker parce renaissance longsword with the fancy handle

I have the Ronin Katana Euro 7 Longsword, and I love it. It's nimble, elegant looking, and it cuts bottles nicely. I think I paid $265 for it from KoA last year. I first heard about Ronin's Longswords from Skall, so thanks for the recommendation!!

of all blades i have trained with my fav is oakesott type x. point impact is is devastating...as weight is well foreward of hilt but allows for maximum impact for least energy expenditure. i have been watching your stuff for quite some time .....i hope you keep doing it...i see the subtle humour...wry but there. was just watching you and mrs skallagrim on scale armour....while i know you were being serious...her face was a picture...tell her i said that. also watched on duelling. as i grew up in north east england ...duelling is still with us...but without weapons for most part....but things are usually settled the old way we are still a representative of our norse ancestors....(hang on...my dad is northumbrian..my mum danish)...we are still nordic in our outlook here...i have seen old men fight over whose turn it is to by the ale....even defending the fact that the next pint is on them...and still they resort to a rolling scrap over it. honour and dignity still prevail here. as for the timetravel thing...first thing they would do would be to wait untill you had to drop your pants ...then take any advantage you thought you had...they still do that with sillysods with airguns...wait till the shite then disarm them afore they shoot horses. also remember...yorkshire is mainly old norse in language and mindset...even now.(you and mrs skallagrim would love it here) i was raised to follow the old ways of our preceross ancestors...danish mum and northumbrian grandparent on dads side that were still of the old mind..i have worn a mjolnir since 1974(family heirloom ...over 1200 years old)...you had to earn this thing by acting with honour and bravery and in defence of our ways.....it wasnt automatically handed down. these things are earned...not just given. i was raised in a mix of precross anglosaxon and norse ...beowulf and the sagas were my childhood stories....related to me with passion ...these are the tales i hold to be true...not tales of thomas the tank engine or similar pointless tales. i am self reliant strong and resiliant...through my belief...its the only one i know. as for a duel...right is righ and honour is serveved by attendance.....any furthering must be at the whim and will of the challenged....it is dishonourable to act with violence against a man of meek will...unless you have no option left much is played upon kinfolc. due to the currentcrap i am gettiing calls from kinfolc globewise. min muther says closekin is what matters ...then tells me about her sis...who lost her (miserable controlling) hubby and has been robbed blind by my cousins///(my aunt was a dear girl...he is now in a home in texas...im in england...i want to meet these areosols). yet all or kin here are close...even through divorce and all the rest...at the end...one view sticks together no matter what...in times of strife they stop feud and unite as one kin. that is what our "heathen" way is ...hurt one...you hurt all..our reputation is at stake. something our current system is ignoring to their direst peril honour dignity and respect are important still..cut one you cut all the New Heathen Horde is gaining numbers. steel on steel we cannot be silenced we will not be....our time will come ...all sons of Woden and seaxneat stand and say AYE ther are those that would crush us again. to me thate is a racialhatecrime that cannot be forgiven. but my friends you must listen...the tint of a mans flesh is nothing...the gods that he may adhere to are as nothing. we have as bigger problem facing all of us that is not of faith...but the denial of faih...no matter what that faith is. xbearers....m u slims...heathens....c h ristians heed my words...all of you. no matter what you have for faith...we are all trying to live on tjis one world. thjere are those that would defy us all in the face of secluded freedom...that is freedom for no one/...only reverse apartheid. the ones who cry loudest have most to lose. Skal Wulf

Love the longer videos.

I picked up the Hanwei backsword in a January sale - lovely item, but with a butterknife edge. Fortunately the edge profile was decent enough that it only took 20mins or so on a whetstone to get it at least paper-cutting sharp.

Always impressed how good Skal's pronounciation of German words is. Well done!

I own two Ronin long swords and they are very VERY nice for the price.

I just bought the katzbalger from Kingston arms. Swords & more was the only place in Europe where you can buy it. This katzbalger was also the only one that looked well finished and comes with a sheath in that price range.

I own the Kingston arming sword and the Ronin war sword. I enjoy both of them but I absolutely love the Kingston. It's an amazing cutter.

As far as the Claymore goes, best option I've ever seen is the Hanwei. Perfectly built, weighted, cute like a beast with factory sharpening, and nearly indestructible with normal use(including accidental strikes on cutting stand nails)

I enjoy all of your vids. I dont watch the recommended sword ones because there arent any HEMA groups close to me (i think the ones asking for these are in the the minority with access to HEMA classes). I really love your vids that have a historical element (like the neolithic warfare one) and i enjoyed the zombie tools spear and the adlatle (forgive spelling).

Would love a hema weapon version of these videos

Balaur Arms are awesome i have the 15th Century Italian longsword and absolutely love it.

Im going to buy an arming sword for cutting test and this is helping me so much

Also about that atrim cutlass (18:13), plenty of 17th-18th century hangars/cutlasses had blades that would have been right at home on a medieval falchion/messer, so I wouldn't say it's an amalgamation. It's accurate, even tho it's not based off a specific historical example, it wouldn't have looked out of place in the powdered wig era lol

I actually have the ronin katana #7 and, well it's the only sharp that I have, but it cuts quite well for what I use it for.

If an arming sword is, what is commonly false attributed as a longsword - then what is the difference between Bastard and longsword anymore? Both are hand and a half it seems? I'm super new to hema.

i have TFWs bastard sword and i love it. the pommel shape has to be my favorite both for comfort and appearance.

I got the kingston arms atrim cutlass about a month ago. Haven't tried cutting with it yet but it feels fantastic and looks really good. The factory edge doesn't seem great, in fact KoA's false edge sharpening is actually better than the main edge. But, I'm very happy with it overall.

Ive been thinking about getting a balaur arms longsword. I would love to see you review a balaur arms longsword

Maybe one on spears/ax etc. I've always kinda liked the idea of getting a usable short spear kinda thing for various uses and the way things are going, running out of ammo might actually be a thing.

My first sword is a cold steel hand and a half and I like it

I have that Atrim cutlass. It's definitely a mean cutter and a well made sword but I find it's slightly awkward and off kilter in aiming or in preparation for a cut or from changing positions in between guards. I also find the grip to be hard to index and too small for my big hands. It looks very pretty on the wall though I have to say.

Does anyone know why Del Tin is not producing for the time being? Kult of Athena seems to have the majority of the affordable swords back ordered, and since Cold Steel has been sold it seems their swords are mostly out of stock. Windlass seems to be in a reserve situation for some of its sword offerings, and also seems to have discontinued sharpening services. Is this all related to the world situation, disruptions in supply, or just random events? Makes one wonder...

Ok: I forgot to ask! Will there be a part 3 dealing with more modern swords? I myself like sabers (I think they are elegant weapons and the final itteration of the sword - unless someone truly manages to make say a hilt containing nano-particles that form a blade when released or a true lightsaber :D - Hey, I can dream, right? ;) )

This might be stupid. But do you think you might try dnd streams? It seems something that is befitting to your channel.

That bastard sword from TFW @1227 Was a sweet looking sword

Could you also make a video on Middle Eastern Weaponry, because I mostly see European or East Asian swords when I shop for Swords

hey Skal (or anyone else who'd know), what's your opinion on Del Tin's swords? I was considering their Sciavona and a curious how their swords compare to those from other armories.

I really can’t decide between an Albion viceroy and the Lockwood 15th century bronze hilt longsword

I have the Scottish One Handed Sword from Valiant Arms. I've had it for years and love it. Well balanced and a nice length. Unfortunately, it is no longer made. Which is too bad, because its a very nice one handed sword.

3:25 I own the Ronin Euro Sword 3. For a sword in that price range, it looks identical to a historically accurate Alexandria type sword (the only exception is the pommel which is too small). It looks exactly like the type of sword you see in all of the early 15th century manuscripts. It has one major flaw though. Its distal taper is too fat. The point of balance is 20cm in front of the guard (historical Alexandria is 10cm) so it's really heavy. :(

I watched a ton of you're reviews of various swords. I bought a Katana (walking dead sword) from wicked swords Canada. It's my first sword and it very night and haven't cut anything with it. I'm looking for a sweet viking sword and don't know where to look? I have seen other reviews online about wicked swords Canada and apparently I bought a crappy sword at top price and really want to get a proper medieval sword. What is a grate place to order from?

What swords do you recommend for sparring?

i kinda want the 'sephiroth sword' , the towngaurd, and a dane axe, + a choppa (maybe just a machette or crute but heavy cutter.).... i should probably also get a basic larger european mideival sword of good quality... and all that is allot of money... eeeek

2:17 is the slippery floor part of the competition?

Wish it was possible to import them into Brazil, but the import duties and the current dollar to BRL rate, even the cheapest swords become prohibitively expensive

Good sire where would you recommend me to buy a very one time purchase of a claymore. The best bang for my buck I shall cherish and outmost appreciate your information hope to hear recommendations.

The Windlass Christus Imperat is even better than the Italian rapier for about the same price; bit heavier duty and based very well on a real sword.

Are there any good mid-range rapiers and basket hilts? Something that falls between Windlass/Hanwei on the low end and Arms and Armor on the high. I presume Arms and Armor is pretty good.

I have a Balaur arms long sword and if you give me some way to get a hold of you I'd be willing to send it up to Canada so you can test it out.

I love balaur arms but unfortunatly the way india restricts their ability to leave a decent bevel on the blades makes it really difficult to put a good edge on the blades that otherwise awesome for the price. If they came with a sharp edge I could easily see these asking for 400-500 on the metal work alone.

@Skallagrim What do you think about the Kurgan sword of the 80s movie "Highlander"? Some sort of take-down sword. Not realistic at all, but could you think of something like that which would be remotely feasible?

What about Deepeeka? KultofAthena claims they are made of EN45, which seems to be a decent steel.

I've always loved swords but after putting my hands on several swords under 500 dollars I decided to buy once cry once. But every time a get $1000 together I end up with a gun. My last sword turned into an m1 garand😢. I don't regret the purchase but something in my head keeps telling me 800 to 1200 on a sword is an unwise purchase.

From a collector who’s just starting, these recommendations are simultaneously wallet saving and wallet breaking, but in the best way possible. If it wasn’t for Skall and the rest of the historical arms channels, I wouldn’t have started.

where can you buy the tinker pearce renaissance longsword today (2023)?

sounds like maybe cold steel would be better for blunt weaponry, warhammers, maces and the like where you won't have the edge problem with lax QC.

You can take Dungeons & Dragons the mix up with long swords and Arming

Hey, Skall! I've been looking at a store called KaerMorhenForge, and they seem to make VERY decent replicas of swords from The Witcher 3. I haven't actually seen any reviews of their swords, however, so i'd like to know your thoughts at a glance, if you've time :) They seem to be at least fairly functional, from the provided photos, and they're low/medium price range, starting at 400€. One thing i'm a bit wary of is the 50HF spring steel they're made of. It's used for large knives, but is it really any good for swords?

Ordered the TFW Claymore we’ll see how it goes

Do you think cold steel is going to continue making that maa messer?

Got any opinions on post-renaissance European swords worth buying?

Are we gonna do a part 3 with calvary sabers and tacti-cool?

Still waiting for someone to give some tips or reviews on Valiant Armoury's Leaf Blade short sword. For the price one would assume its a very well made piece. However I would like to see something on it. Valiant Armoury's website doesn't even have reviews.

I'm kinda disappointed there wasn't any sabers included here :/

does kultofathena deliver to the UK? tia

If you sell one of your kindeys, you could buy several of these most expensive swords

have you changed your logo to a beaver?

11:00 but can you unscrew the pomel

I wish that everything wasn't just black leather. I'd way prefer even a dark brown

I like them big and I can take it, but I don’t think I can afford it.

I am trying to find a sharp or semi sharp complex hilt sword. I don't mind if it's title is a rapier as long as the blade wide say 1 and half inches at least at the hilt. Or a side sword, not a fan of that name but they gorgeous. Any recommendations?

I went with the Kingston arms sidesword and it’s pretty good. Ps no real reviews exist anywhere 😂

Will you do a review of the albion Kerne sword.

literally the only sword I wanna get atm is a rapier and you only found one lol but, that was gonna be the rapier that I got if I couldn't find anything better anyway, so I guess it works out

Also Cold Steel was sold.

what would you recommend for a end all be all sword focused on parrying and thrusting?