I've recently started to acquire swords, after a long time of being interested in the subject, and I started by buying two cheap wall hangers since I wanted to own examples of a cruciform arming sword and a rapier that look the part. I was also hopeful to get to know how a sword feels in the hand, so I picked examples that fit with the historical lengths, sizes and weights.

However, I was shocked by how heavy and unwieldy they felt in the hand. I think the main issue is that they lack distal taper, even though they have the correct proportions and overall weight, but from what I've seen in reviews, truly well balanced swords tend to be on the high end. That's a little overkill for what I want, because I don't intend to use them for sparing or cutting. I also thought about buying a training sword but they tend to be on the lighter side, from what I gathered, and I wanted an accurate representation of the real deal.

So, if all I want is a sword that feels like a quality sword, but I don't necessarily want to pay for the hardness, safety and reliability of the truly functional swords out there, what would you suggest for me to look out for? Everywhere I look just seems like a gamble top me.

I'm sure many of us started with a cheap wall-hanger. I certainly did, and I was similarly underwhelmed by mine from the moment I first picked it up, even having nothing whatsoever to compare it with. That said, I'm unaware of any maker who will go to the effort of authentic dimensions and feel, but skimp on heat treatment and construction. I guess you could go custom and request specific corners be cut, but that might defeat the purpose cost-wise. On some level, I think each characteristic of a sword depends heavily on other characteristics for the sword as a whole to be firing on all cylinders, so to speak. If you're willing to reconsider trainers, you might be able to find a used Albion Maestro Line at a price that might agree with you. I have one that feels quite nice compared with its sharp siblings. Usually, my advice to anyone who wants a sword for more than decoration is to stick with a waster for training until you have both the knowledge and the means to buy something you'll really appreciate. The waiting sucks, but (IMHO) it sucks less than the wall-hangers I started with. If all you want is to hold a well-made sword to see what it's like, you might be able to find a reputable maker at an event and ask them if you can heft one of their pieces.

I think the closest thing to what you're looking for are blunt training swords. They tend to be cheaper than live blades because they're more or less expected to be used up and replaced now and then. Good ones, with the right feel and handling dynamics, will still cost around $200, though.

For example, Hanwei Practical Rapier and Hanwei/Tinker Single Hand Sword.

PS. Or maybe something like the Black Fencer synthetic waisters? (As opposed to most synthetic waisters that are deliberately made lighter than real swords, for use with minimal safety gear.) Arming sword, rapier.