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Ulf Lidsman




Location: Upland, Sweden
Joined: 09 Aug 2016
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PostPosted: Mon 05 Sep, 2016 5:12 am    Post subject: Top 5 modern swordsmiths         Reply with quote

In your opinion, witch would the Top 5 modern swordsmiths be?

To clarify this question I would like to apply these

1. By swordsmiths I mean those who actually make the swords by hammering (by hand or machine) steel, not those who uses machines to form the blade. Albion for example are swordmakers not swordsmiths (IMHO).
2. Now living and active.
3. Who makes swords after or inspired by historical originals.
4. Make European swords, let's say from the migration, medieval and renaissance periods.
5. From all over the Globe.


Last edited by Ulf Lidsman on Mon 05 Sep, 2016 11:03 pm; edited 3 times in total
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Lance Morris




Location: NYC
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PostPosted: Mon 05 Sep, 2016 5:37 pm    Post subject: ....         Reply with quote

I'm gonna miss a few but here goes

They all use modern tools and steels - and they don't forge a blade they do stock removal

Angus trim

Tinker Pearce (his custom work)

Albion

Who am I missing fellows?
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Patrick Kelly




Location: Wichita, Kansas
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PostPosted: Mon 05 Sep, 2016 6:15 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

In what niche, which genre?

Your question's far too vague and subjective.

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Edward Lee




Location: New York
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PostPosted: Mon 05 Sep, 2016 6:19 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

By swordsmith as an individual, I'd say it's Peter Johnsson. Leo Tod's stuff makes good swords too, and also Mateusz on this forum shows very promising work.
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Tim Lison




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PostPosted: Mon 05 Sep, 2016 6:23 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I can give you my top 5, but it won't be everyone's top five! Here is my top 5:

1. Peter Johnson
2. Robert Moc
3. Patrick Barta
4. Leo Todeschini (Tod's Stuff)
5. Michael Pikula

All of them are high end custom smiths, which is what I like!
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Joe Fults




Location: Midwest
Joined: 02 Sep 2003

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PostPosted: Mon 05 Sep, 2016 6:37 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Can't really see that Albion is a smith, to me, its a firm. But if you're claiming them, to me, you're pretty effectively saying Peter Johnsson. So sure, I can get on-board with that opinion even without qualification of why. If we're just throwing names, I think Vince Evans has to be in the mix.How about Patrick Barta? If self promotion, fan-i-tude and price count for anything then you have to slot Daniel Watson someplace. His stuff is pure pants to me but his fans are REALLY fans and they REALLY pay for his products!

Then there is everyone from the Eastern spectrum doing some amazing work that I have too little appreciation for.

So to Patrick's point...

Best in America?
Best in Europe?
Best in Japan? China? India? Pakistan?
Best doing custom work?
Best production work?
Best working mono-steel? Folded? Wootz (at least claimed)?
Best currently working?
Best in the 21st century?
Best in the 20th and 21st century living or retired (for any reason)?
Best in the modern era?
Best at $500?
At $1000?
At $2500?
At an unlimited budget?

.

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Last edited by Joe Fults on Mon 05 Sep, 2016 8:08 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Nathan Robinson
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PostPosted: Mon 05 Sep, 2016 8:04 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I always answer these questions with, "Best at what?"

There's a lot of top-notch makers out there who can make the very best of the best of a particular type of sword but who lack the research or technical abilities to make other types with any degree of accuracy.

Ferrari makes a hell of a super car, but if one's needs have them looking for a daily driver in a snowy climate for a family of four, Ferrari just won't cut it.

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Ulf Lidsman




Location: Upland, Sweden
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PostPosted: Mon 05 Sep, 2016 10:56 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I have clarified my question:

1. By swordsmiths I mean those who actually make the swords by hammering (by hand or machine) steel, not those who uses machines to form the blade. Albion for example are swordmakers not swordsmiths (IMHO).
2. Now living and active.
3. Who makes swords after or inspired by historical originals.
4. Make European swords, let's say from the migration, medieval and renaissance periods.
5. From all over the Globe.


Last edited by Ulf Lidsman on Mon 05 Sep, 2016 11:02 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Ulf Lidsman




Location: Upland, Sweden
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PostPosted: Mon 05 Sep, 2016 10:59 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Tim Lison wrote:
I can give you my top 5, but it won't be everyone's top five! Here is my top 5:

1. Peter Johnson
2. Robert Moc
3. Patrick Barta
4. Leo Todeschini (Tod's Stuff)
5. Michael Pikula

All of them are high end custom smiths, which is what I like!


Tim, are Robert Moc related to Pavel Moc?
/Ulf
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Ulf Lidsman




Location: Upland, Sweden
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PostPosted: Mon 05 Sep, 2016 11:01 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Patrick Kelly wrote:
In what niche, which genre?

Your question's far too vague and subjective.


Patrick, I have fixed the vague part. I'll guess that the answers will be subjective, but I don't think that a question can be that. Thank's anyway for pointing out the vagueness
/Ulf
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Mark Griffin




Location: The Welsh Marches, in the hills above Newtown, Powys.
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PostPosted: Tue 06 Sep, 2016 6:55 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I'll preface this with a related phrase from one Dr T. Capwell.

'there are many armour makers, but not many armourers'.

So I'll drop Josh Davies, Mark Vickers and Paul Binns into the mix. I have handled and own items of theirs, all fab.

Currently working on projects ranging from Elizabethan pageants to a WW1 Tank, Victorian fairgrounds 1066 events and more. Oh and we joust loads!.. We run over 250 events for English Heritage each year plus many others for Historic Royal Palaces, Historic Scotland, the National Trust and more. If you live in the UK and are interested in working for us just drop us a line with a cv.
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Roger Hooper




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PostPosted: Tue 06 Sep, 2016 10:30 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Kevin Cashen and Vince Evans. I'm not sure if they use a forge or a CNC, not that I care. IMO, the end product is more important than how it got there.
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Mercer L. Blaire




Location: Ohio
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PostPosted: Tue 06 Sep, 2016 10:58 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

id also add John Lundemo and KC Lund to the list
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J. Helm




Location: WA, USA
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PostPosted: Tue 06 Sep, 2016 11:18 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

[withdrawn]

Last edited by J. Helm on Wed 07 Sep, 2016 11:12 am; edited 1 time in total
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Ulf Lidsman




Location: Upland, Sweden
Joined: 09 Aug 2016
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PostPosted: Tue 06 Sep, 2016 12:20 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

J. Helm wrote:
I am not knowledgeable enough to rate one smith over another. That said, I badly want one of Patrick Bárta's celtic pattern-welded swords. I also drool over many of Mateusz Sulowski's works.


I second that. Mateusz is an artist and a nice chap.
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David Wilson




Location: In a van down by the river
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PostPosted: Tue 06 Sep, 2016 5:06 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

1. Vince Evans
2. Patrick Barta
3. Jake Powning
4. Robert Moc
5. Leo Todeschini/Mike Pikula/Peter Johnsson/Kevin Cashen (four-way tie because I couldn't make up my mind)

David K. Wilson, Jr.
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David Wilson




Location: In a van down by the river
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PostPosted: Tue 06 Sep, 2016 5:11 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Roger Hooper wrote:
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Kevin Cashen and Vince Evans. I'm not sure if they use a forge or a CNC, not that I care. IMO, the end product is more important than how it got there.


Both forge. The closest to modern powered equipment they would get would be power hammers.

David K. Wilson, Jr.
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Christopher Gregg




Location: Louisville, KY
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PostPosted: Tue 06 Sep, 2016 7:01 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I'll add:

Kyle Willyard of Old Dominion Forge

Glenn McClain of Westfork Forge

Vladimir Cervenka

Christopher Gregg

'S Rioghal Mo Dhream!
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Nathan Robinson
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PostPosted: Tue 06 Sep, 2016 7:16 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

For my taste, this topic lacks a lot of value because it lacks context. People are throwing out names without context. I'll follow suit here by throwing out Craig Johnson from Arms & Armor. He's a fantastic swordsmith with excellent forging skills and makes a wide variety of items spanning era, style, and culture.
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Tim Harris
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Location: Melbourne, Australia
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PostPosted: Tue 06 Sep, 2016 8:34 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I'm not sure about the other four, but J.T. Palikko would be on my list.
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