Albion, Hanwei, Cold Steel

gamma_nyc

gamma_nyc

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What are some of the good sword makers out there for <1500?

How would you rate the general quality of the above 3?
 
Albion is superb.

Cold steel seems to like to lean towards the heavy side of things. This doesn't appeal to everyone.

Another name to look into both for quality and value is Angus Trim.
 
I don't know much about Hanwei except that Bugei's swords are made by them.

Cheness is worth looking into. It's a company that has really caught my eye although I'm not sure exactly why.
 
I have a Hanwei Practical Katana, it is pretty solidly (over)built, made to be used for cutting practice on straw mats. Paid $165 at a gun show, think they are running about $250 or so. Decent for the money, a bit heavy, but cuts well.
 
gamma_nyc said:
What are some of the good sword makers out there for <1500?

How would you rate the general quality of the above 3?
Click to expand...

For production swords Albion's are the best and it really doesn't get any better. They almost seem magical when they cut. OK I will admit I'm a bit of an Albion snob LOL. You can have custom swords made with more fluff to appeal to the eye but with most the functionality will be no better and some may be worse.

Not sure about Hanwei I have not outright owned any of his swords. On a side not I have owned Paul Chen swords and there not to bad but they can be a bit spotty on quality and the temper can be a bit soft. Although I here he's getting better.

Cold Steel...I'm not entirely sure who make these but I have a chisa katana which seems pretty solid. It's by no means a high end sword but it seems serviceable. The one area that always concerns me on CS swords is the handle. I have ran across some reports of the handles cracking under use. Mine seems to be OK however I've yet to dismount it.

Angus trims are a good middle of the road sword. They cut nice, are very forgiving, handle well and are defiantly worth considering.

Arms and armor makes some very nice pieces which are also worth considering.
 
Can't comment on Paul Chen/Hanwei but can personally attest to the strength of the Cheness - even if the finish is not the bestI refer you to this link
 
gamma_nyc said:
What are some of the good sword makers out there for <1500?

How would you rate the general quality of the above 3?
Click to expand...

What style of sword....Japanese, Chinese, Korean or Western?

Rapier or Broadsword?

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
If you're looking for traditional handmade swords then Cold Steel is not the way to go. Paul Chen swords above $500 are generally pretty fantastic. Cheness swords are also great for kata or cutting and they are less expensive than Chen.
 
Everyone can recommend anything they want, but we don't know the purpose or aesthetic sense of the OP.

If they want a European sword, and can afford Albion, they can't go wrong. A good selection with superb products. I've never read anything but absolute praise from Albion customers.

If they wish to spend less, and understand that Hanwei is good for the price but not amazing, then Hanwei would be a fine choice. From what I've read, I wouldn't suggest any of their Euro line for anything but light cutting, and the same for MOST of their Asian swords(I can't speak for a lot of the newer models, or the higher-end models).

If they are completely untrained and there's any chance the user is going to attempt to cut something that a proper sword shouldn't cut, maybe Cold Steel is a better choice. They are overbuilt, making them poorly balanced and heavy, but they will survive far more abuse than a properly balanced and weighted blade. Their Euro swords seem to have a problem with the tang snapping just ahead of the pommel, though, so I suggest against them. I have owned a Cold Steel O-Katana. Considering its size, the balance wasn't enough to bother me, though I'm no JSA practitioner. The sword came shaving -sharp, and remained that way through some serious cutting; mostly bottles, but it cleaved 3" diameter sapplings with ease.


All in all, I ask the OP as to what they EXPECT from the sword, what they are INTERESTED in design-wise, and if they ever plan to partake in formal training in sword-arts. If so, one is generally now allowed to handle a sharp during class for a long time, and even then it's often that swords aren't right for that particular art. There might be different requirements in length, shape, balance, yadda-yadda-yadda, so anyone wishing to train I tend to suggest wait until they have a teacher and to ask what they recommend.
 
Hi, I'm a new guy on this forum, long time lurker....:)

Anyway, as far as European style blades, I'd vote for Albion if you have the money.
I had them make me an Oakeshott Type XVII - called the Landgraf a couple years ago, and love it.It's beautiful, perfectly balanced - It handles and cuts very well with decent technique. I am in the process of making a traditional scabbard for it.

I've always been leary of the socalled Japanese styled blades out there.
Everyone and their brother has a eh-hum "battle ready" sword for sale from 29-200 bucks. They are mostly junk IMHO.
I purchased a Paul Chen "Shobu Zukuri" Katana from BTC last year, and for the money, I have no complaints. It's probably as close as you can get to the handeling, feel, and look of the real deal without selling the wife and kids into the slave trade. This blade will hold up, and if there is such a thing as "battle ready", I reckon this is it.

That's my two cents
 
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Around the 200 USD mark you can find functional, carbon-steel swords that aren't junk at all. Hanwei's "Practical" blades are among these.
 
I certainly don't claim to know every maker and their products, I was just speaking generally. Of course there are exceptions to everything.:D
 
Well, looks like one of my fellow HI Forumites beat me to it!!
Yes, The Everest Katana seems to be The BEst Strongest in the sub $350.00 range.
Looking at the Current price in the above link, it is at the $265.00 Shipping Included!!!!
I must say that among my Katana-like objects, the Everest Katana is my Favorite Hands-down!!!
 
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