[John Cholidis]

hello guys am new in the sword buying and I wanted to ask for suggestions.Am looking for a historicall accurate Spartan sword and there is actually a reenactor in Greece who makes himself Greek weapons (they are based on a actual sword but for it seems I can't upload any pictures of it for some reason but his Spartan swords are historically accurate at least ) he can make them as he says from bronze,wood,bone (handles) and iron,stainless steel, steel;bronze (blade) it's a custom work and he might take from 200-450€ with scabbard but since he is in Greece like me he said I can visit his shop and watch the process of the sword in case of flaws. Do you think that they worth the try since they will also put off of me the weight of shipping from other countries or shall I look for a more skilled maker?

[Matthew Amt]

Welcome and hello!

Unfortunately, I would not recommend any of these pieces. They are simply not very accurate. For a better idea of what to look for, try the Weapons page of my own humble Hoplite website,

http://www.larp.com/hoplite/greekweapons.html

Scroll down to the Swords section. For a Classical-era hoplite (Spartan or otherwise), no bronze is used for the sword. The blade is iron (or steel, for most reproductions), and the hilt is wood, bone, or ivory, often with an iron guard. Even the shapes of the ones you posted are not very realistic, to me. But this is long after the end of the Bronze Age, so bronze blades are not correct.

Kult of Athena recently introduced 2 new hoplite swords that are FAR better than anything else commercially available:

http://www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=AK001
http://www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=AK002

They aren't perfect, and the scabbards really won't be any use without reshaping the wood, covering it with leather or fabric, and adding proper chapes and throats. BUT, like I said, if you want it quickly and inexpensively, these are the ones.

For a *good* sword, you need to have it custom made, by someone who knows more of the details about what Greek swords really looked like. I'm afraid the fellow you've been talking to may not know as much as he thinks he does.

Good luck and best wishes!

Matthew

[Hector Mendoza]

I told you, my friend. That guy is a malaka and a klephtos. I am sure someone in this forum will be able to recommend a better maker in Europe capable of producing something with higher quality and historically accurate.

[Dean F. Marino]

Purely personal opinion....

I would not touch any of what you have shown.