Where can I acquire a quality rapier?

[Grey_Knight]

I have looked around and have found MANY rapiers that have LOOKED appealing, however, I don’t know where to actually acquire a quality one that wont fall apart on me after so use. I was hoping Albion would be coming out with one but it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen anytime soon. So….

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

 

[kwackster]

You could try the Hanwei Paul Chen series.
I have inspected quite a few of these and they seem like good quality to me.
Nice semi-flexible carbon spring steel blades, and you can also change the sharp-pointed blade for a dulled sparring version with rounded point.

 

[FullerH]

How much are you willing to spend and how long are you willing to wait. If you are willing to spring for a custom piece and are willing to wait for it, you might try Patrick Barta at http://www.templ.net/english/. He is expensive and he now has a wait of over two years but I just ordered a sword from him and I already have one of his swords. He does most excellent work. I particularly like his rapier, Sword # 208, but it is 2,650EURO. For a rather lower price and a rather shorter wait, you might try http://www.lutel.cz/, remembering that the Czech kroner is much weaker against the dollar than is the Euro. Art Elwell of A Work of Art is ther US dealer for Lutel and maintains a stock of their items. You might email him to see what he has. His site is at http://www.a-work-of-art.net/

 

[Triton]

Hugh had some good suggestions. In my opinion the highest quality rapiers being produced in the United States as production pieces are made by Arms and Armor.

www.armor.com

You also might want to give darkwood armory a try

www.darkwoodarmory.com

 

[FullerH]

I had forgotten Arms and Armor. Good catch, Russ. If you would consider a smallsword, G.G. Godwin has one with a colichemarde blade for around $300, scabbard included. The colichemarde blade is a most unusual design in replica swords and I think that it is MOST appealing.

http://www.gggodwin.com/swords.htm

 

[Triton]

I had forgotten Arms and Armor. Good catch, Russ. If you would consider a smallsword, G.G. Godwin has one with a colichemarde blade for around $300, scabbard included. The colichemarde blade is a most unusual design in replica swords and I think that it is MOST appealing.

http://www.gggodwin.com/swords.htm

Right back at you, a good catch there for you. I have never handled one of their swords but G.G. Godwin's fittings and customer service are outstanding.