:\ I could have sworn I saw a forum somewhere on here yesterday that said something about reviews of swords by AngelSword. Did I imagine it? I sure haven't been able to find it again. And I couldn't find it in forums anyplace else, either.
All I know is that in various places I've encountered a helluva disparity in people's opinions on the swords from those guys. Anything from, "stay away from them, they break easily" to "best swords in the world".
Well, I was hoping to find an objective review someplace, as I'm considering an 8-10 hour drive to bloody Scarborough Fair just to go look at the things & see if I think it'd be a swell idea to drop a bundle on one. Well, they do have hassle free sounding layaway, and a lifetime warranty/guarantee thing. :wtf:

Trace,
No other sword company will produce such widely varied commentary as Angelsword. The very mention of the company's name invariably brings out both vehement support and vehement denouncement of the products, both of which often are of the band-wagon variety ("I like them/I hate them and nothing you say will change my opinion. If you disagree with me, I'll just state my opinion again, but more loudly."). It is nearly impossible to get unbiased opinions on their products.

Angelswords are not historical designs, nor do they claim to be. As such, this site, "A Resource for Historic Arms and Armour Collectors" is not the best place to get info on them.

There have been no threads on them here for several weeks at least. The last one quickly got out of hand. This one must not.

I think your decision to go look at their products is probably the best way to approach things.

That way you can decide if their value proposition is really going to be valuable to you.

I would recommend that you go with the intention of looking and reflecting on things. Don't go intending to buy if you find the right deal, because you may get a hard sell for the wrong product. Don't take the funds to buy if the deal is right. In my experience, if I have the cash burning in my pocket, a deal finds me whether its really a deal or not.

I do recommend that you make yourself walk away from the first time chance to buy from any vendor. If you can wait a week and still feel that you have to have a product you've seen, and then decide to buy, you will be making a better decision. Besides, no matter what anybody claims in this hobby, when we're talking about reproductions, once in a lifetime deals are seldom once in a lifetime.

Well...I have an Angel Sword (from their "cheaper" Bright Knight line). It was the first sword I bought...Yeah I know, I am a little a** backwards! Most people buy wallhangers first...Well not me! I knew nothing about swords and was amazed that people actually made real swords. After visiting their booth (at the NY renn faire) and deciding I needed to get a sword, I came back a few weeks later and spent time picking out a nice, light warsword. It is actually quite maneuverable, works OK for Liechtenauer, and got me back into my interest in swords and historical combat (as a kid I always wanted to know how swords were really used). They have a nice warranty, are pretty tough (they told me to "beat the s*** out of it"), and some of them are nice looking. I don't buy any of that super steel stuff (the very tip has bent a little) and the edges have dulled a bit from my makeshift cutting stand (I'm always learning! :p ). I won't buy another one. I'll get an Albion or Atrim instead. They wayyy overcharge because they can do that to the Renn Faire crowds (that's the main reason they tell you to come to the faires to look at their weapons...it is nice to hold a sword before you buy it, but they've got some good salesman and women). My AS is not really historical...It kinda looks it, but any sword can look it. Definitely more fantasy when one gets to know more about swords (although some are just plain fantastic looking). One thing that drew me to mine is that it looked more like medieval weapon than most of the others, and I've come to find that to learn historical combat, it's best to use historical based weapons. So now it's my $1500 beater! Hey, they got a good warranty and it cuts pretty sweet! My best advice is to get 2 nice swords from Arms and Armor, Atrim, or Albion than to get one Angel Sword. That is unless one of their designs really call to you. I still check 'em out every year at the NY faire, but I already know while I'm lookin at them I'm just whetting my appetite for a sword from another maker. This may be the first unbiased opinion of them I've seen ;) !

Hi Trace,

I would say if you want a really, really nice sword it would be best to save your money and buy an Albion Sword.
You cannot and will not be disappointed. :)


Regards,

John

:lol: Well, I wasn't trying to stress it that much, as you're right, and I know that. But, 5 years ago I didn't have internet access nor friends who knew anything about the hobby, so when I first laid hands on their swords I was shocked. I had never held a 'real' sword, and was amazed that anyone was making them. I thought "oh, sure someone can make a sword, but it'll probably cost thousands of dollars". So, when seeing their wares, I had a revelation and a decision... They're cheaper than I thought and do I buy or not? I never buy anything for myself, and my wife was really into the idea of me grabbing at something from my childhood. So, not realizing I had other options, I grabbed a credit card and bought my favorite at the stand. I don't regret it, nor do I feel bamboozled. It's a really nice sword that got me into this hobby and was the key to learning things I had always wanted to. If I had known of other quality makers it may very well have been a different, less expensive 'key' that opened this door for me. But once again, I like the sword, and you can't beat a lifetime warranty (I'll admit it, I'm a sucker for warranties :lol: ). I'm just saying that now I will spend my money elsewhere due to my historical preferences.

I should add that my opinion of overpricing is based on people with no knowledge of swords nor the sword community. I didn't want to come off as their swords aren't worth the price. But for someone desiring a user friendly sword without gouging their wallet of a lot of hard earned cash, there are other reliable options.

Go to the fair and give them a look. I would if I lived that close. If you can, make sure to give atrim, albion and arms & armour a look over too. Forget all the sales pitches and hype and politics and decide what you think "feels" and looks better and what you want to pay. Can't go wrong then mate. :)

The only thing I would stress is to make sure you know what specifics you are after in a sword before you drop US$1k on one.

Hi everyone,

I just bought an Angel Sword at the Scarby Faire and so I though I'd post my comments. I bought the blade shown below. The blade is made from 1/8" thick S-7 about 25" long and 1 3/8" wide. The hilt and pommel are blackened steel and the grip is wood covered with ostrich leather. Overall length runs a little over 33 inches.

I also thought that these swords were overpriced when I first encountered them. I also thought that they were too thin for regular use. Two things changed my mind. The first was a video on the AS website showing them bending an S-7 blade almost into a circle before it snapped. The second was doing some actual cutting with an AS ninjato-style sword which belongs to my sensei. This skinny little sword has seen regular use at our dojo for several years cutting water bottles, tatami mats, and bamboo. Its held up fine, even on a few bad cuts by novice students. I've got a tameshigiri stand and a box of mats on the way, so I intend to see how my blade holds up under cutting. I'll post my impression of it after I use it for a while.

Overall, I'd agree that AS blades are not 100% historically accurate in their styling. If you are looking for a historical replica right off the shelf, then an Atrim or Albion would be a better choice. I mainly bought my AS because of its cutting performance and the fact that it felt great in my hand. The size, weight, and balance really impressed me and prompted me to buy, even though I wasn't intending to purchase a sword at that time. It was expensive, but I think it was well worth the purchase price. I think Taylor Ellis had some good advice about making sure you know what you want in a sword and checking out the other makers. I did and so far I'm pleased with my purchase. The real test will come when my stand and mats arrive.

Jeremy G - You mentioned your tip bent slightly and the edge dulled. What were you trying to cut? Have you contacted AS to have them repair it under warranty?

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Thanks Jeremy....that is much clearer. You were coming off differently in the first post. Now it sounds as if you are a happy customer.
My wife essentially convinced me to purchase by the same terms. (Not at swordpoint). I had been a regular visitor to the booth for nearly 20 years and had only come close a few times before my wife insisted since it was my B-day, we had the $$ and it would fulfill a lifelong 'dream'. Mine was very similar to yours but more basic. Bitchin' cutters though I really don't do that stuff. I have seen many AS and many others. Admittedly I have handled far more AS pieces. Fit and finish are great. Some have occasional issues relating to 'abuse', by my definition. Usually in the weakest point of any sword, the handle. Where the lesser material meets the stronger always tends to show more stress damage whether it is swords, cars or bones.
I have since sold that one and purchased a Jody Samson Seaward. Not as good a steel, but I really love the uniquicy of the design. Definitely non-historic fantasy-ish, but it fits my style. A little 'out there'......

Not so much the tang as is what is wrapped/glued/screwed or otherwise fastened to it. The metals flex the other stuff off or cause cracking at some point due to the particular stress harmonics involved in a solid strike or simple torquing.

Hi Joe--

The tip bend was a couple years ago. It was the middle of winter and I was itchin to get my sword movin. I was alone in the house and went thru a couple small drills and on one winden I caught a printer that was stored on top of a bureau in our bedroom...no big deal, but the tip sank in a little, caught the printer off balance, and dragged it to the floor, hence the tip bent a little...The blade dulling is no big deal either (it's still sharp), but I cut the cutting stand a few times while trying to get the most out of some milk jugs ;) . My makeshift cutting stand is an old children's picnic table standing on end....you know the kind...thick plastic, impervious to weather, home playground stuff. I haven't contacted AS yet as I believe in tool wear and tear. If you use a sword it won't stay pristine. Spending the amount I do on swords, I can't justify having them sit on display...if that's what someone else wants that's their preference. If the edge gets really chewed up, or something like the blade bends I'll contact them, but so far I've been happy with the performance.

Hi Mark--

Sorry I sent the wrong gist on my first post. I don't have any complaints with my AS piece, I just won't buy one again (unless my retirement plan of hitting the lottery pulls thru!). Every year when we go to the NY faire, I always spend some quality time at the AS booth, eyeing and holding each one that strikes my fancy. (I almost bought one last year, but held out long enough for my wife to come back and whisk me away---she knows to give me sword time, but also to not give me too much sword time!). The main reason I go historical now is that I want to learn about swords and how they were used. Some fantasy stuff is really awesome (by the way that Jody Samson piece is sweet! Nice catch!), but I wouldn't really want to use a gorgeous fantasy piece for cutting and such.

I went over to the Angel Swords website again and took another look at their swords. I'm sure they are finely crafted, durable, and very good piercers and cutters. Aesthetically, I don't care for them. Even if I did like the way they looked, I wouldn't buy one, because there is no way I am going to pay $10,000.00 for a sword, excepting perhaps an antique European weapon in very good condition.

If Angel Swords can sell to satisfied customers at that price, more power to them.

The $10 grand range is representative of but a few blades of their offering. The Bright Knights are far less expensive twixt $1000 and up mostly. There may be some under that price depending on materials and complexity of the design. Not all their blades are pictured on the net. Many will only be seen before they sell at the faires.
Trace, where do you live? There is also Texas Ren Fest over by Houston starting in October....bigger than Scarby I think.

OK, 10K swords are the higher end ones. Still, if I was going to spend between $1000.00 and $5000.00, I would get an Albion Museum piece, or a custom sword from Kevin Cashen, Vince Evans, or Peter Johnsson. But that is just my individual taste.