[Anders Backlund]

Because I'm bored and felt like posting something fun.

I ask thee this question: which type* of sword do you personally associate the most with heroism and adventure?

*Or types; you can have more then one.

[Gary A. Chelette]

To me it's always been this sword.


I love it's line and looks. I wish I could afford this one.

[Anders Backlund]

That's the Beastmaster's sword, right? Neat.

For me, it depends a lot on what mood I'm in. Though, I do have a strong fondness for long, two-handed cutting swords. Odachi/nodachi, swiss sabers, that kind of thing. I blame too much anime.

[Christopher Gregg]

For me, there can be only one -

No, not the Highlander katana, it's got to be the Atlantean Sword from Conan the Barbarian! No sword sparked more imagery of conquest and adventure than Arnold's two-handed beast.

[Anders Backlund]

[Christopher Gregg]

Yeah, the mystique of "The riddle of steel" and all that. I will always remember the opening sequence when the Father's Sword is being "forged". I know it's incorrect, but what a cool scene!

[Anders Backlund]

Oh yes, that one too. And the scene directly after, with Conan and his dad on the mountain top.

But nothing beats the Atlantean tomb scene. That one is just very, very special to me.

[Ransom Prestridge]

I agree that I can watch that scene in the tomb over and over and everything from Basil's score to the details of the skeleton is perfect, but the one thing that always makes me cringe is when he slams the sword down on the stone floor to get the dust and the like off of it. I guess they did it to give the scene a sense of power and such, but does it bother anyone else as much as it does me??? Other than that one detail I think it's a perfect sequence in an excellent visionary film, but that always struck me as unnecessary and cruel.

But I will also throw my hat in with the Atlantean as the ultimate hero's sword! Shame I couldn't pick up an Albion version before they stopped making them.

[Alex Oster]

I'll ditto all the above. You can't beat conan, and my vote is out on beastmaster. When I was a kid, I loved the show, but now that I'm older I can't quite feel the same about it. I think that would change if I could feel the way it handles.

Then I wonder what is the most noble sword you can think of? When I think of nobility and courage, or any virtuous qualities, I think about Excalibur from same named movie. Its almost what I think about when I think about adventure, but it has such a more noble feel. I'm about ready to go start the payment plan on a discerner before they cancel it as well.... Thou I'm flat busted, maybe I can at least get a place in line. Then I'd be ready to start saving for a beastmaster sword.

[Arne Focke]

The most heroic sword? Thats a tough question.

Hm, probably it is always the blade i am currently working on.
That may be the reason why it is so hard to let go of them and ship them to the customers.

[Anders Backlund]

[Gary A. Chelette]

What do you guys think of the "Arn" sword?
Is it too plain? Not fancy enuff?


Or Subotai's sword? Too much meat chopper?

Or Valeria sword?


Or how abot an out of this world sword?

Or am I just being picky?

[Christopher Gregg]

Y'know Gary,

I'd vote that if it's between anything Albion or Jody Samson made, picky isn't even a consideration! I'd take any of those into battle!

[Anders Backlund]

[Christopher Gregg]

Then I'll just stick with the Atlantean Sword, and leave it at that!

[Jan H.]

For me, personally, the swords connected with heroic adventures, even legends, are the ones even our far-away ancestors used to speak highly of, e.g. in the viking sagas, the nibelungen sage, beowulf and so on.

The swords of the migration era and their offspring: the "classical" viking-sword are my favorite ones when it comes down to a nice evening by the fire and the telling of old stories.

The Arn-sword, of course tells of a typical knights story. For that reason I like it very much. It is probably the first sword a small boy would dream of.

[Mikko Kuusirati]

From fiction, Hollywood-Conan's Atlantean blade - and John Carter's Martian longsword. Any blade in the service of the incomparable Princess of Helium is well worthy of a hero. (I can't help it, she's one of my more serious fictional crushes. Finding out they're considering a movie adaptation had me giddy for a whole month, only I couldn't think of anyone who could actually play the role and do her justice. )

From history, I've always got that sort of heroic vibe from late Migration Era and Viking swords. And the Renaissance twohanders, used by bodyguards and landsknechte...

PS: Oh, and bridging fantasy and reality, Albion's Lady Vivamus. That sword is just pure dream come true, straight out of the adventure pulps we all loved as boys (and I still do).

[Dan P]

A short rapier, long dagger, and dark hooded cloak is what I'm taking!*

*Velvet mask, cool hat, and rich upper class lady infatuated with my roguish ways sold separately.

[Gavin Kisebach]

Something about the scene where Conan knocks the rust off of the Atlantean sword has been permanently burned into my imagination. I'm not one for fantasy swords, but it just doesn't get much better than that.

Glamdring, Gandalf's sword, comes in a very close second. The image of Glamdring reflected in the terrified eyes of the goblin king is pretty darn cool.

[Shamsi Modarai]

For me there is no question. Its Anduril, all the way.....the Flame of the West, the sword of Aragorn Elessar, reforged by the Elves of Imladris from the Shards of Elendil's ancient sword Narsil.

And for a rather "anti-heroic" sword, I would pick Anglachel, 'Iron of the Flaming Star', the sword forged by Eöl the Dark Elf and borne by Beleg of Doriath. It was later reforged as Túrin's black sword, Gurthang.

Yes, I rather fancy blades with cool names that are forged anew and then given even cooler names. Especially if they are wielded by wood-savvy, wandering warrior-Men..