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Pete R.




Location: United States
Joined: 16 Apr 2013

Posts: 14

PostPosted: Sun 07 Jul, 2013 2:13 pm    Post subject: Trying to find reliable production for Xiphos, Kopis, Spatha         Reply with quote

Starting to get into more ancient type swords of the Greek factions and specifically looking for Battle Ready/ High Quality, Xiphos, Kopis and Spatha.

However most of the sites I seem to look at seem relatively cheap, as some swords are only around 160 dollars which after doing research on medieval swords and having them reach 1200+ it sends off alarms in my head to avoid the websites.

So if anyone has some references for some high quality producers of these swords please let me know.

This is one of the sites I found- http://www.hellenic-art.com/armour/sword.htm

Thanks!

-Pete
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Ian Hutchison




Location: Louisiana / Nordrhein-Westholland
Joined: 27 Nov 2007

Posts: 625

PostPosted: Sun 07 Jul, 2013 8:25 pm    Post subject: Re: Trying to find reliable production for Xiphos, Kopis, Sp         Reply with quote

Pete R. wrote:
Starting to get into more ancient type swords of the Greek factions and specifically looking for Battle Ready/ High Quality, Xiphos, Kopis and Spatha.

However most of the sites I seem to look at seem relatively cheap, as some swords are only around 160 dollars which after doing research on medieval swords and having them reach 1200+ it sends off alarms in my head to avoid the websites.

So if anyone has some references for some high quality producers of these swords please let me know.

This is one of the sites I found- http://www.hellenic-art.com/armour/sword.htm

Thanks!

-Pete


I expect Dan Howard, a user on these forums, probably knows who makes the best Greek/Ancient swords. If he doesn't see this thread, try sending him a PM.

'We are told that the pen is mightier than the sword, but I know which of these weapons I would choose.' - Adrian Carton de Wiart
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Pete R.




Location: United States
Joined: 16 Apr 2013

Posts: 14

PostPosted: Sun 07 Jul, 2013 8:54 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Thanks!
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Jason Daub




Location: Peace River, Alberta
Joined: 14 Jan 2005
Reading list: 78 books

Posts: 162

PostPosted: Mon 08 Jul, 2013 1:00 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Shane Allee at Iron Age Armoury did a very nice job on a Xiphos, his company is listed on the Links page, and there is a thread detailing the build under the thread title "Greek Xiphos".
'I saw young Harry, -with his bevor on,
His cuisses on his thighs, gallantly arm'd,-
Rise from the ground like feather'd Mercury,
And vaulted with such ease into his seat,
As if an angel dropp'd down from the clouds,
To turn and wind a fiery Pegasus,
And witch the world with noble horsemanship.'
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Will C




Location: Brisbane, Australia
Joined: 22 Nov 2008

Posts: 22

PostPosted: Mon 08 Jul, 2013 1:14 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

http://templ.net/english/weapons-antiquity_an..._of_d_type
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Dan Howard




Location: Maitland, NSW, Australia
Joined: 08 Dec 2004

Spotlight topics: 2
Posts: 3,636

PostPosted: Mon 08 Jul, 2013 1:29 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Manning Imperial.
http://www.manningimperial.com/
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Matthew Amt




Location: Laurel, MD, USA
Joined: 17 Sep 2003

Posts: 1,456

PostPosted: Mon 08 Jul, 2013 9:48 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Yup, Manning Imperial. I would steer clear of Hellenic Arts, unfortunately! Like many vendors, they have a lot of junk, disguised by "history lessons" which are painful to read... They *do* show the very recently improved Deepeeka Greek swords, namely the Alfedena and Campovalano swords, but from the little research I've been doing on the subject lately those are *Italian* variants--the hilts do not match the parts actually found in *Greece*. Same general shape, just different construction. And of course the eternal question of whether Indian-made swords are high enough in quality for your purposes. In your case, I'm guessing you want to go with an experienced custom sword-maker!

Matt Lukes is another option. I've seen a photo of a repro he had in progress of one of the swords from Philip II's tomb, and it's outstanding.

http://fabricaromanorum.shawwebspace.ca/

Good luck!

Matthew
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David Wilson




Location: In a van down by the river
Joined: 23 Aug 2003

Posts: 802

PostPosted: Mon 08 Jul, 2013 5:26 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Another recommendation for Manning Imperial, here. They make some pretty good xiphoi on a regular basis, and have a couple nice kopides on their website, too, so they have a bit of experience in that field. And they will probably make you a very nice spatha, too.
For spathae, I'd recommend Albion, they make two very nice, high quality spathae, and have at least one more in the planning stages.
For a more budget-level approach, Kris Cutlery makes a very functional spatha. It's a bit short (but not all spathae were all that long), and lacks a bit in historical accuracy, but initial reports seem to indicate that it's a good quality piece.

I don't have any experience with these guys, but here they are: http://www.dioskouri.com/About_us.html

Del Tin makes a spatha and a "falcata" (which can fill in for a kopis). These are decent, and functional swords (they come unedged, but once you have them edged, they work). The spatha is generally pretty good, but lacks a bit in terms of historical accuracy (steel guard plate and lacquered hilt are the main problems). The "falcata" is a nice sword but has more problems in the historical accuracy department.

David K. Wilson, Jr.
Laird of Glencoe

Now available on Amazon: Franklin Posner's "Suburban Vampire: A Tale of the Human Condition -- With Vampires" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072N7Y591
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Matthew Amt




Location: Laurel, MD, USA
Joined: 17 Sep 2003

Posts: 1,456

PostPosted: Tue 09 Jul, 2013 5:27 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

David Wilson wrote:
I don't have any experience with these guys, but here they are: http://www.dioskouri.com/About_us.html.


Oooo, I'd be careful about this place. He's clearly a very skilled craftsman and can do some lovely metal and leatherwork, but the honking big fuller on that xiphos is dead wrong, and there is no evidence that I've ever seen for all the wild decoration on the scabbard. I'm always leery of people who go on at great length about metallurgy but don't seem to have noticed the *look* of the pieces they claim to reproduce. (Horrible website, but that's beside the point!)

Sorry....

Matthew
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Philip Melhop




Location: Wokingham, Berkshire, UK
Joined: 24 May 2008

Posts: 132

PostPosted: Tue 09 Jul, 2013 5:58 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Hi there
try this guy, Paul Howell. http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t...highlight=
He did a falcata for me to and it is very nice.
Phil
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David Wilson




Location: In a van down by the river
Joined: 23 Aug 2003

Posts: 802

PostPosted: Tue 09 Jul, 2013 4:49 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Philip Melhop wrote:
Hi there
try this guy, Paul Howell. http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t...highlight=
He did a falcata for me to and it is very nice.
Phil


How could I forget Paul???? Yes, another great source for an affordable custom falcata/kopis/machaira/whatever!!!

David K. Wilson, Jr.
Laird of Glencoe

Now available on Amazon: Franklin Posner's "Suburban Vampire: A Tale of the Human Condition -- With Vampires" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072N7Y591
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Michael D.




Location: Texas
Joined: 29 Apr 2013

Posts: 7

PostPosted: Wed 10 Jul, 2013 4:11 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I can second the Kris Cutlery Spatha. I own one, and it is an excellent blade for the money.

Very sharp, well balanced, and well constructed. Price is right as well, you get a good sword for the money.

The sword is not particularly accurate historically, but not terrible. The scabbard is the most inaccurate, its a good quality scabbard, but very Philipino in construction. Not bad by any means, just not historically accurate.

Scorpion swords has some Greek styled swords. They are pretty rugged, but not historical.

Most historically accurate early period Greek blades (bronze) would still be Neil Burridge over at Bronze Age Swords. They don't get much more accurate than that.
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Matthew Amt




Location: Laurel, MD, USA
Joined: 17 Sep 2003

Posts: 1,456

PostPosted: Thu 11 Jul, 2013 7:15 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Michael D. wrote:
Most historically accurate early period Greek blades (bronze) would still be Neil Burridge over at Bronze Age Swords. They don't get much more accurate than that.


Very true! But he doesn't make the Classical xiphos or kopis, which were iron/steel.

Matthew
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