I have been pinching pennies trying to save up for an Arms and Armour english loop hilt smallsword but I just cam across an amazing deal. I can get a Cold Steel smallsword for $240. Should I pull the trigger and put off the Arms and Armour smallsword or just save my money?
Thanks for the advice.
Save your money.
| Moses Jones wrote: |
| I have been pinching pennies trying to save up for an Arms and Armour english loop hilt smallsword but I just cam across an amazing deal. I can get a Cold Steel smallsword for $240. Should I pull the trigger and put off the Arms and Armour smallsword or just save my money?
Thanks for the advice. |
It depends on what you want. My initial response to tell you to save your money, but what are you after? Having owned both swords (and having handled dozens and dozens of antiques to compare them to), I'll tell you right now that the Cold Steel smallsword is inferior in all ways to the A&A. Its a decent sword for the price, but its not terribly representative of antiques. The A&A, on the other hand, is quite accurate in terms of handling and shaping.
If you just want any decent smallsword and don't want to spend much money, the Cold Steel is worthwhile. If its important to you that the sword really represent the originals, though, the A&A is hands down the one you want to save for.
It depends on what you intend to use this sword for. If you intend to use it hard, then the Cold Steel model might suit your purpose. I am assuming that the Cold Steel version handles in a similar manner then a fine sword might. If anything the Cold Steel sword is probably over built, which mean that some day when you get a finer sword, it will handle like a feather compared to the bulky CS blade. On the other hand an A&A sword would also serve you well for heavy use, as they are well made. Perhaps you will be more cautious when using it. I myself am not in a position to be able to afford a high end sword. If ever I am in a position to own high end production or even custom blade, I will be saving my money for the better stuff.
Save your money, in my opinion. The A&A sword looks great and seems to be an accurate weight for the type of smallsword it represents.
The Cold Steel smallsword is more than 50% heavier than it should be, which is a problem with many modern replicas.
I own three 18th c. antique smallswords and have had the privelage of handling over a hundred more in the past years at shows and museums, and I have to say that NONE of them felt clunky or heavy in the least. On the contrary, they felt impossibly light for steel objects - like feathers. Every one of those smallswords I handled felt under a pound and every one I have seen the actual weight of, including my own, were under 14 ounces.
I think buying the Cold Steel sword is almost doing a disservice to the purpose and design of the smallsword. Every friend who comes over and handles it will get a false impression of how a real smallsword is supposed to feel. I only say this because I owned a clunky replica many years ago that I thought was light (this was before I held any antiques). I let a friend who knew little about European swords hold it who and he said "It's heavy!" After that I knew I had to stick with either good quality replicas or antiques.
The Cold Steel smallsword is more than 50% heavier than it should be, which is a problem with many modern replicas.
I own three 18th c. antique smallswords and have had the privelage of handling over a hundred more in the past years at shows and museums, and I have to say that NONE of them felt clunky or heavy in the least. On the contrary, they felt impossibly light for steel objects - like feathers. Every one of those smallswords I handled felt under a pound and every one I have seen the actual weight of, including my own, were under 14 ounces.
I think buying the Cold Steel sword is almost doing a disservice to the purpose and design of the smallsword. Every friend who comes over and handles it will get a false impression of how a real smallsword is supposed to feel. I only say this because I owned a clunky replica many years ago that I thought was light (this was before I held any antiques). I let a friend who knew little about European swords hold it who and he said "It's heavy!" After that I knew I had to stick with either good quality replicas or antiques.
I think I will wait and buy the AA sword. Thank you all for convincing me to do the right thing.
| Moses Jones wrote: |
| I think I will wait and buy the AA sword. Thank you all for convincing me to do the right thing. |
I've got several stories of times where I pulled the trigger and purchased a less expensive item only to turn around and sell it at a loss and buy the more expensive option later. The end result? I'm out a whole lot more money than I would have been if I had just bought what I really wanted instead of settling. Too many stories. :)
| Moses Jones wrote: |
| I think I will wait and buy the AA sword. Thank you all for convincing me to do the right thing. |
I don't think you'll regret it. Looking back on the MRL pieces I bought when I was younger, less financially solvent and far less educated about these things, I have to admit that these purchases were ultimately not very satisfying, as if some ancestral memory was asserting itself and whispering, "No, that's not what a sword is supposed to feel like." By contrast, I get a thrill every time I see and handle any of the more expensive but also more faithfully recreated weapons I've acquired since (including an A&A Town Guard). There is a minimum threshold of fidelity that I have come to respect in these matters. And if you end up waiting a bit longer, that will only make the experience that much sweeter when your sword arrives. :)
And of course, we'll expect pictures when that happens. ;)
Ditto and double ditto to Nathan's comments!
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