Poll: Sword Fans

[Hikikomori Ookami]

Well hello there my fellow Escapist's! After receiving the most recent addition to my collection, I began to wonder how many Escapist's collected swords and how many they had. On top of that, I'd be interested to know how long you've been a collector and what items have found their way into your humble (or not so humble) collection. For conversation sake, please at least tell me about the sword that started it all for you.

As a bonus topic for fans of wolves, George R.R. Martin's series A Song of Ice and Fire or the TV show A Game of Thrones, please tell me your opinion on the following swords:

Longclaw, Sword of Jon Snow [http://www.valyriansteel.com/shop/swords/longclaw-sword-of-jon-snow/prod_2.html]

Ice, Sword of Eddard Stark [http://www.valyriansteel.com/shop/swords/ice-sword-of-eddard-stark/prod_9.html]

The very first sword I bought, and is sadly no longer a part of my collection, was a ninjata that I bought while over in Japan. While I was moving from Hawaii to Maryland this was stolen along with my XBOX 360. The sword that restarted my collection is a wooden bastard sword that I bought as a souvenir from a [ii]Medieval Times[/i] show. I also have an eight ball sword cane, a wooden Chinese sword, a "Bloodrayne zombie/vampire slaying sword, Cloud's Buster Sword, Sephiroth's Masamune blade, a lightsaber (my sister's friend builds them) and the Howling Wolf blade that I recently purchased.

As for my bonus topic, Longclaw should be everything I want in a sword. It's a large, beautifully crafted sword featuring a wolf head pommel. The problem with it, in my opinion, is that the wolf head is hideous! The one featured on the TV show is marginally better, but still not something I would look at with anything but revulsion. Were I to ever buy this sword, I would have that wolf head replaced with a howling head, cast in stainless steel to match the blade and lining up better with the hilt.

Ice, in my opinion is everything a sword should be, except that it matches neither the description given in the book or the sword shown on the TV show. Is that an issue for me? Not at all. Hopefully this sword will be gracing my collection soon!

 

[purehatred89]

A few years back I found a beautiful sword, decoration only but I didn't mind as I don't see me using it. I'm British and the website was American, but I ordered anyway, paying the extra to have it shipped overseas. Not sure if it was a scam site or something, but I never received my sword. Fortunately, I'd paid via Paypal and managed to get my money back after threatening to take action 3 months later.

 

[Hikikomori Ookami]

A few years back I found a beautiful sword, decoration only but I didn't mind as I don't see me using it. I'm British and the website was American, but I ordered anyway, paying the extra to have it shipped overseas. Not sure if it was a scam site or something, but I never received my sword. Fortunately, I'd paid via Paypal and managed to get my money back after threatening to take action 3 months later.

Man, that sucks. Way too many scams out there these days. I've had pretty good luck so far, but I usually buy from reputable sellers on Ebay, or on fairly popular websites. At least you got your money back out of the deal, and a good Paypal advertisement!

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

I have a sword I got from Toys For Big Boy it is nothing special really as far as I can tell it is more just faux oriental. I do have a short sword/long dagger type thing my girlfriend got for me from Africa it is from the Massimara(not sure how to spell it) tribe. I also have an antique knife that is a bit like the one used by the Iraeli military(it is curved slightly near the top and has a serrated edge at the the back of the knife).

 

[Hikikomori Ookami]

I forgot about my kukri's with dragons inlaid on the handles...

 

[Beliyal]

I'm just getting started! I have two swords for now; a katana and gladius (I bought the gladius in Rome and I love it very very much because of it). However, I collect weapons in general so I don't have any other sword (yet), but spent my money on various knives, a spear, an axe, shurikens and flintlocks. I'll be getting a bow next, but I'd also like to get some new sword, possibly some nice and big two-handed one.

These two swords from Game of Thrones are awesome! They look very well made. Ned's sword would look awesome as a decoration, but I think I like Jon's sword more.

 

[sms_117b]

I have a Chinese Sabre, my brother.....he has an armory, multiple sets of kitanas, couple of long swords, short sword, bow and arrows, Medieval and Chinese spears, plus some pieces of armour

 

[Shock and Awe]

I have 4, a ninjato, two wakizashis, and a European long sword. To be honest though the only one that is a legitimate blade is the Longsword, the others are made out of lesser materials.

 

[thePyro_13]

I don't have any currently though I want to get some, I don't plan to have any large collection, though I'd like a wooden training sword or two(to play with of course!), and perhaps a display sword.

 

[Actual]

A few years back I found a beautiful sword, decoration only but I didn't mind as I don't see me using it. I'm British and the website was American, but I ordered anyway, paying the extra to have it shipped overseas. Not sure if it was a scam site or something, but I never received my sword. Fortunately, I'd paid via Paypal and managed to get my money back after threatening to take action 3 months later.

Blades UK has been reliable for me, I've purchased a tai chi sword and a couple of display knives from there all sharp, and my brother got an axe and naginata. Just in case you planned on buying again.

http://www.blades-uk.com/

 

[WouldYouKindly]

I have a taste for knives. Mostly utility knives since I like getting a use out of my items. Because I don't own anything I don't know how to use, I can flip the grip(spin) any knife quickly, self taught.

I used to have a couple butterfly knives, one mostly made out of carbon fiber. It had an ultra hard steel edge surrounded on three sides by the carbon fiber. I never once had to sharpen it.

The most recent ones are a smallish thrusting knife that fits in between you fingers. The others are a half serrated, half straight, wide work knife with a brushed aluminum base and wood inlay and a straight blade with based in patina brass with blood red acrylic inlay, both of them are simple folding knives.

A personal favorite of mine was a simple black stiletto(the blade is spring loaded and pops out of the top of the handle), sharp as a razor. It would have been my hypothetical choice if I ever had to have a concealable weapon.

 

[SckizoBoy]

I have a Chinese Sabre, my brother.....he has an armory, multiple sets of kitanas, couple of long swords, short sword, bow and arrows, Medieval and Chinese spears, plus some pieces of armour

Re: archery kit... of antiquity or contemporary.

OT: The question must be: functional; or aesthetic only?

If the former, then I have the following:

Han-dynasty jian
Tang-dynasty jian
Chinese sabre
Dadao
Katana/Wakizashi/Tanto
Butterfly swords (which I really don't like...)

Replicas/ceremonial etc.:

Green Destiny
Spartan sword (300)
Glamdring
Sword of the Nazgul (prefer it over Sword of the Witchking)
Sword of Goujian (a rather bad one)

Other weapons:
Jo, bokuto, yari, practise sabres, contemporary archery equipment (ACC's, bashed up all my ACE's & haven't shot in ages).

Um, that's about it, I think. As this is Britain, though, can't do anything with them except the wooden ones.

 

[Nimbus]

Pretty awesome sword. Bought it cheap from a reenactment society who didn't want it because it's inaccurate.

 

[Saltyk]

I think I have about ten (including the sets of 3). Maybe a few more. The vast majority are mostly decorative, but I have two that could actually be used in combat, a one handed broad sword and an Odachi.

 

[Hikikomori Ookami]

Those two swords are absolutely disgusting to my eyes, they're both extremely ugly, especially Longclaw's pommel. I prefer Needle actually, it looks plainer and more utilitarian to my eye. I'd like to see their versions of Joffrey's swords, particularly is it HeartEater? The one he uses halfway through book 2?

I'd be interested to hear what you don't like about Ice, although I agree with you concerning Needle and Longlcaw's pommel. Joffrey's Valyrian blade was Widow's Wail.

 

[Gearhead mk2]

Im interested in feudal japan, so I may get a decorational katana.

 

[The Last Nomad]

Just one sword, but I don't collect swords or anything, my uncle just gave it to me because he didn't want it anymore. Its a pirate sword, pretty old, kinda rusty in places and of course blunted.

EDIT: and those Stark Swords are Awesome, but if Neds is the same one he used to decapitate the deserter in the series, it looks very unwieldy. A bit impractical for anything other that decapitation.

 

[sms_117b]

I have a Chinese Sabre, my brother.....he has an armory, multiple sets of kitanas, couple of long swords, short sword, bow and arrows, Medieval and Chinese spears, plus some pieces of armour

Re: archery kit... of antiquity or contemporary.

It's a working Uru-Kai(?).....Lord of the Rings, short bow and arrow set, works really well, he keeps eyeing up a British Long bow and says the modern bows are "abominations".