[Dustin Faulkner]

Hello Everyone:

The title to this posting might seem too simple or silly, but I am being sincere. I hope to one day be able to afford a very nice high-quality sword like Albion's 'Munich" sword or Landgraff sword ( I hope to get A&A's knightly poleaxe too). I admire German longswords and Albion's are very authentic.

My question to those of you who are fortunate enough to own "top of the line" reproduction swords is this: what do you do with them? Do you actually use them? If so, how? Very carefully? In slow motion practice fencing? Do you insure them?

I am curious simply because if I paid around $1,000 + for an Albion sword, the last thing I'd do is start banging it against hard things or test cut it against meat & bone. Many of these weapons we admire cost more than modern guns.

In my case, an Albion would be a very nice piece of wall decoration to impress friends because I can't buy an expensive sword whenever I feel like it, or ... gosh ... my overwhelming strength caused me to break a blade again! Darn!

Because of my admiration and respect for the craftmanship & quality of such swords, I'd be afraid to get a scratch on it - especially something with gold plating like A&A's beautiful German Branch sword. A wooden waster or Hanwei's Federschwert would be used by me for actual practice.

Anyway ... I am simply curious. I confess I do ... in a good way ... envy those of you who have shown some wonderful swords on this website. However, I cringe at the thought of any of them actually being whacked against something. However, if a burglar broke into my home .........

Thank you / Danke

- Dustin Faulkner

[Sean O Stevens]

I use all of my swords for some form of cutting and dry handling... to varring degrees depending on how much I like them. This includes Albions near the 1k mark in price and customs near or over that mark as well. I just won't own a sword that was not designed to be used... and I won't own a sword that I would not use.

That being said... some of them only deal with light cutting... mats and waterbottles and pumpkins and watermellons and the like. Some of them get used for heavier cutting... bigger waterbottles and bamboo and such.

[Mike Capanelli]

I use my swords to cut and train, all of them. Just like Sean I've never owned a sword I haven't at least dry handled. It's really all in what your interests are when you collect. I don't collect so much as buy swords to advance my understanding of their use. I'm a martial artist and approach sword buying with that perspective. I've owned a TON of different swords at this point from top of the line Albions to Hanwei and all of them were used to some extent, some more then others. Hell I dare you to own a Brescia Spadona and NOT cut or practice guards with that thing. The sword just floats in your hands. Just ask MIchael Edelson.

[Michael B.]

I use all my swords, but not abuse. Like a gun, every time I pull one out and cut or dry handle it, I clean and oil. My Albion Talhoffer while not being swung about also hangs proudly on the wall in the living room. I do have insurance on my arms and armour collection, I think that once your collection gets past a certain point, it's wise to do so.

[Michael Edelson]

My Albion longswords are all working swords, and they work hard. If you go to Youtube and search for "NYHFA", you will see what I do with my Brescia Spadonas (I have 2). They see a lot of use.

I do not abuse my swords (Oooh, let me see if I can cut a three inch sapling, because doing so has all sort of historical relevanace!), but I am hard on them. One good thing to come of it is that I have learned to repair the finish on Albion swords. I have gotten so good at it that my heavily used swords sometimes look better than new Albions When that happens, I have to spend hours evening and smoothing out things most people can't even see (an annoying consequence of "polisher's eye") before I can accept a new sword as part of my collection.

Albion swords not only look historically accurate, they perform that way too (probably better, actually). They are not delicate and you don't have to baby them. Keep them oiled with a modern synthetic oil (CLP, Remoil), don't abuse them (don't hit things that they are not meant to hit without the sword taking damage, which means don't hit anything hard unless you're prepared to repair edge damage) and don't let them stay wet for more than a couple of minutes, and you'll be okay.

[JE Sarge]

I use all of my swords, but I do hesitate to work some of my more expensive or rare swords has hard as I do cheaper ones. For example, I won't work my Albions or A&As on a tire pell, but I will wear out a Valiant, Hanwei, or Windlass on one. Accidents happen and swords were not made with such abuse in mind - which is why I am more caring with the more expensive swords - the cheaper ones can be easily replaced.

[Scott Hrouda]

[Christopher Gregg]

Most of my collection is simply for display. I view them as works of art foremost (for me, anyway), and functional weapons secondarily. I own more Del Tins than anything else, and only one of them is sharp (my old Irish single-hander), so cutting is not really viable at this stage. My Arms and Armor swords, of which two are rapiers, and really aren't meant for cutting, can cut. My two Albions I have cut with, and they're great.

I have a preponderance of Scottish basket-hilted Claymores, made by Donnie Shearer (aka the Mad Piper), and these are mainly for reenacting and historical display. I also have a few other 18th century swords, which I also use in reenacting and weapons displays at events. Along with these, I also have a sizable collection of dirks, daggers and knives, of Medieval, Renaissance, and 17th - 18th century, also mostly for reenacting and displays. All of my collection is insured.

The artistic and historical quality of my collection is most important to me, and since going into armed battle is not really likely, aside from a bit of dry handling and cleaning, my swords usually hang on my wall as visual portals of the imagination.

[Bryan W.]

I think there is a spectrum between those view blades as pure collectors and those who view it as something to "use" be it a sport, martial art, historical reenactment and/or study etc etc.

Regarding the former, to me, the "use" is obvious and display with possibly dry handling but that doesn't detract from their purpose in that they're collecting beautiful pieces of function rather than cheap wall-hangers just like one might collect antiques that will never be used except as display, rare coins that will never be spent, sports memorabilia, etc

To the latter I view it more as any other piece of expensive equipment. People who go out and buy several thousand dollars worth of golf clubs usually have intention of using them. Sure eventually they might get damaged or worn-out but the point would be to use them. Most involved in competitive sports see their equipment as an investment to let their skill really shine through and achieve improved or at least consistent results with less chance of equipment failure.

I also really don't see people who use expensive blades like Albion and A&A spending that much more on their hobby than people involved in many competitive sports. Sure those who abuse their blades against things like trees, oil drums and the like will run through them faster, just like the golfer who hits his golf club against a tree (or oil drum) everytime he misses a shot will go through his clubs faster than someone who takes care of them.

[Gottfried P. Doerler]

I won`t buy high-priced albions etc. out of this reason.
its difficult to differentiate between "use" and "abuse". crossing blades in some form is surely a form of "use" and will inevitably leave marks. i`m curious how medievial people dealt with this problem.
so, as for me, i stay to cheaper czech productions (~300$ or €) and hammer them on hard things without bad consience.

[Chad Arnow]

Unfortunately, due to my schedule, my collection spends a decent amount of time just sitting around. But I've cut with everything in there and like to do that at least several times a year. My cutting is generally limited to light targets (like foam pool noodles) for cost and cleanup reasons, though I have taken my Albions against various things like pumpkins, melons, etc.

Everything is covered by a blanket personal articles and umbrella policy we have for other reasons. If I had to, I'd take out separate insurance on these, as it would cost a lot to replace them. Ditto my books.

[Bryce Felperin]

For me I dry handle them when I can, clean and maintain them and show them off to friends when I first get them. Aside from that I wear them in custom made scabbards when at Renaissance Faires our group puts on. I like to feel how they balance on my hip and understand what it means to maneuver through crowds and wear them in costume. Occasionally I cut with them on various plant matter or water bottles and very rarely on Tatami mats.

At present they are all in my electronic combination safe in our storage unit, which is as safe as I can put them. When I need them I take a trip out there to pick them up. I keep one at home occasionally to dry handle in the drive way when the mood strikes as well. That one I hide behind clothes in the closet behind the shotgun. :-) Frankly, I'm more worried about my home computer, which I just built, getting stolen than my swords. Only I and my wife have the key to the storage unit and only I know the combo to the safe (though I have stored the number in a safe place in case I die and the wife has to open it).

[Harry J. Fletcher]

I have a Reeve and it is been on display but I finally did some cutting with it. I ordered some tameshigiri and did some cutting to see how it cut or how well I could cut with it. There was a bit of a learning curve involved in cutting with it.

Next, I have ordered an Albion Baron and also plan to do some tameshigiri cutting with it to see how it handles and cuts. Also I might try some pool noodles which can be a challenging target and not damaging to a sword blade like milk jugs and soda bottles which are reserved for my bottom line swords.

Another intended purpose which sounds awful but many of us have in mind is for self defense in the home. If someone breaks in I have two katanas in my bedroom ready to go. Also, when I travel, I worry about the law in other states and the use of a firearm in a motel room with overpenetration by a handgun bullet. So I told my wife next time we go somewhere, I am bringing a sword along with us. In the case of a hurricane or tornado and I must stay on the property to guard it, a nice sword as well as a firearm is very comforting to handle looters. And don't tell me that most of us in myArmoury don't think the same thing....heh, heh, heh.

[Bryce Felperin]

[Jeremy V. Krause]

My swords are in the closet! Thousands of dollars of stuff just sitting in the closet! And I just keep buying MORE!! Talk about crazy!

Seriously though, we rent so I have never hung them up. I would never do the mature thing if I saved up some money and buy a display case. If I had extra money I would . . . you got it. . . . buy more stuff!!

Plus we have a baby so they need to be kept away.

I would cut tatami with them if I ever got the initiative. I likely would not cut with my custom seax or with a Barta but, sure, I would cut with an albion or A&A!

I do take them out of the closet sometimes though!!

[Addison C. de Lisle]

[Tony Brass]

Honestly, I simply like having access to a piece of history. The look, and feel of a weapon crafted to function in a manner substantially similar to a historical sword is thrilling to behold, not to mention swing.

Swords like those from Albion, Arms and Armor, and even better offerings from Windlass convey that sense that one id holding a weapon that is (almost) the same in spirit and function as those used so long ago.

Simply put, my swords transport me to eras that fascinate me.

[J. Abernethy]

Honestly I wish I could say I cut with ALL my swords but I dont. I have some that cost me many thousands of dollars and could not be replaced. I enjoy oiling and looking at them though. A comparison could be made, "If you had a Ferrari would you take it out to a track and push it a little?", but I must admit id probably just set it in my garage and dust it with a diaper. I get a great deal of enjoyment out of just collecting.

[Harry J. Fletcher]

I have repeatedly told my husband to sell them and give me the money. Seeing all the needless expense and time wasted daydreaming about swords and new swords by my husband is driving me crazy. It is certainly counterproductive. I think my views apply to the other wives who are long suffering from this nonsense as well.

Regards,

Mrs. Fletcher

[Jean Thibodeau]