hey guys,

I want to get a russian 9/10c sabre made for me. But before I do I want to check with you about this sword ban business. The sword im ordering will have a curve to the blade but be blunt for re enactment use. Do you think I will run into any problems?

Many thanks for your time and efforts

As it's blunt, and for re-enactment use, you should be fine.

Unfortunately, the situation still appears to be very poorly understood by the legal authorities. Probably the least helpful thing you could do is go around announcing the fact to the (largely ignorant) institutions.

You have legitimate use for a blunted replica (in fact, designed for safety!); therefore you have broken no law. Don't give people the opportunity to take that away from you.

Be practical, be pragmatic, be safe. There should be no issue with that.

I'd just ignore it altogether. It's an asinine reactionary law made by an asinine reactionary government. Unless you're waving it around in the street I don't see how they'd get to know anyway.

As far as I am aware, as long as you have a copy of your 3rd party insurance that your re-enactment group has, that's the only thing the manufacturer and seller need to see if they are not satisfied that you won't use it for nefarious purposes. But if they are confident you won't anyways, they may not even ask to see that. The govt/police etc don't need to see anything pretty much unless they are wanting to check with the manufacturer that they are doing things properly.

Unless you are planning to import it, in which case have a look at this thread:

http://www.fioredeiliberi.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=8522

cheers

Colin

Who are you planning to make it? (Could you PM me, I've been looking for a sabre maker for ages.)

Daniel Michaelsson-

Please keep the insulting name calling off this site. You're welcome to express your opinion on the matter, but are expected to do so in a professional manner. Any further questions or comments on the issue can be directed to me via Private Message or Email.

Thank you.

As of this month a new amendment added to the law which says if it is hand made after the mid 50's it is legal,
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2008/draft/ukdsi_9780110817774_en_1

Big thumbs up to Simon at Raven Armoury for the link above,





having it made in and around the UK helps with alot of issues,
i have two fantastic sabre blades from Rob Miller of Castlekeep,
I've seen some great sabres,sharp and reenactment from Mark Vickers of St George Armoury,
and Armour Class have had some nice sabres in the past i've seen first hand at shows,
or,picking up an antique from a military fair or site is a great way to get a fine blade,
i've seen bare blades for sale ticketed up in bin lots at the fair in Coventry,some more than the makers mentioned above,but a few needing some TLC going for less,

Geoff,

I could be mistaken. That was just an observance based on the posted link. I would think they would allow swords made prior to 1954 (although the choice of year seems quite arbitrary) so as to allow the purchase of actual antiques. The ban would then be on mass produced (cheap swords) vs custom made (expensive swords). This is reminscent of the post US civil war Jim Crowe laws such as the "Saturday Night Special" law which banned cheap revolvers that people of low income (ie freed slaves) could own. Anyway, I'm sure the law makes someone feel safer.

notice that it states that being hand-made is a defense once charged. it does not keep you from being arrested and charged in the first place...

Lee O'Hagan wrote:

As of this month a new amendment added to the law which says if it is hand made after the mid 50's it is legal, http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2008/draft/ukdsi_9780110817774_en_1 Big thumbs up to Simon at Raven Armoury for the link above, having it made in and around the UK helps with alot of issues, i have two fantastic sabre blades from Rob Miller of Castlekeep, I've seen some great sabres,sharp and reenactment from Mark Vickers of St George Armoury, and Armour Class have had some nice sabres in the past i've seen first hand at shows, or,picking up an antique from a military fair or site is a great way to get a fine blade, i've seen bare blades for sale ticketed up in bin lots at the fair in Coventry,some more than the makers mentioned above,but a few needing some TLC going for less,

As Glennan said be prudent in your use of it and you will be fine. Most of the police I have spoken with regarding the ban are not familiar with it and assume it will be another tool used for people out causing trouble. Do not go out making issues and I am pretty sure you are fine. I remember something about exclusions for reenactors in it as well if I am not mistaken.

RPM

I second the advise of keeping a low profile with your swords in the UK until the confusion clears up a little. Last year we had a story in the newpaper about a highschool senior be apprehended with a cased and unloaded rifle locked in the trunk of his car on school grounds. The next day we had another story of how the police had to return his rifle to him because the law that he had supposidly broken had been changed to allow such action. One of the ladies down at the hospital was stopped for driving with a loaded pistol on the dash of her car (open carry without a permit is allowed in Virginia...allowed but not recommended). This was several months after the General Assembly voided all city and county gun laws giving to itself the sole authority to regulate firearms in the state. Sometimes the police are the last ones to get the word and there are also those few who just don't care.

Hey guys I know this is an old topic but I have a question about the ban. I heard that the ban does not apply to swords made in Japan before 1954 or any time after that as long as they are made in the traditional manner by a regestered Japanese swordsmith. So what about sword made in the traditional way outside Japan, are these OK or not?