WTK: Who makes the best repro swords?

[66illinois]

Board, who makes/sells the most authentic reproduction CW swords? I have been told some makers are much better than others..... Help!!!!

Thank You.

[flattop32355]

Depends upon whom you ask, as everyone with an interest in the subject has their own opinion, based on their own criteria.

You might wish to narrow the parameters by providing more information. Otherwise, you're just asking which pellets from a shotgun blast will make the biggest holes in the target....

[jurgitemvaletem]

The general school of thought on this is Ames Sword Company

http://www.amessword.com/

I have seen their work and it is truly amazing. They have been arround, using the same manufacturing techniques since 1791 and did indeed make some used during our time period.

My reccomendation would be Ames.

[VaTrooper]

The general school of thought on this is Ames Sword Company

http://www.amessword.com/

I have seen their work and it is truly amazing. They have been arround, using the same manufacturing techniques since 1791 and did indeed make some used during our time period.

My reccomendation would be Ames.


I would not call Ames amazing at all. They are higher end repros but don't come close to originals.

[madisontigers]

Sir,

There is a vendor that specializes in authentic edged weapon reproductions. As a matter of fact, I purchased a model 1742 British hangar, German production style, from him in the late 90's, as I need an authentic edged weapon for my jacobite impression. I'll try to scavenge through my records and find some contact information. I can readily attest to his fine craftmanship.

David Long

[Kevin O'Beirne]

I bought a Legendary Arms M1850 US foot officer sword in 2000. It was pretty good in some ways and required a lot of work in several other ways to make it more accurate to originals.

As with virtualy any repro product, the quality, materials, and manufacturing techniques can and do change over time from one maker to another. The best bet is not to ask "who makes the best...?" but rather to learn what the originals were (and are) like and then buying a repro based on knowledge. As the old Simms clothing store commercials used to say, "An educated consumer is the best customer."

I'm not saying that everyone needs to buy the most accurate repro (although it would be nice if they did), because that's not what many reenactors are after; many merely want a cheap price. However, once you know what the originals are/were like, you can consciously elect to purchase the repro that's right for you.

Info on originals is not that difficult to find:

* Look online on the Internet.
* Visit some historical society museums/collections near your home. Chances are they have some Civil War relics, no matter how small the town.
* Visit relic shows to look at and maybe handle originals.
* Visit museums that have originals in their collections. An advance phone call and/or letter may even result in the curator allowing you to look more closely at the original or even handle it.

Good luck! :)

[RedkepiWA]

whether you buy from them or not, contact Cold Steel and get their free dvd which shows them torture test various swords. They have a 1830 something French sword, a 1790 something Blucher sword and a US sword. What they do to them is something to see! And the swords do not die during the tests.

[madisontigers]

Like Mr. O'Beirne stated, look at several original pieces and, from there, try to coordinate your finds with a reputable maker. I own 2 original Civil War swords; one of which is an original CS sword, manufactured in New Orleans in 1861. The other, which is a fairly common item, is an 1864 Groby US Cav. saber, and is in mint condition. If you can wait a few days, and are interested, I might be able to shoot you some detailed pictures of my swords.
Now, on another note: Some sword makers are very 'iffy' about producing super accurate swords.Now, you are probably asking why! Well, it's fairly simple;FAKES.Due to the fact that my mother owns an antique mall, and I have been an amateur collector for several years, I can attest to the paranoia going on in the militaria collectors den right now. The reason for some makers being a bit squeamish now, when it comes to reproducing swords, happens to be related to their fear of being tied to 'super fakes'. Many folks believe that it is simple to detect a fake, but,let me tell you, the fakes have been getting better. A pard of mine, who has been a collector for over thirty years, and who has appraised militaria items for a living , came fairly close to being duped a couple of years ago. But, this all goes back to what Kevin was saying; which is ...... research your material. Now, I know that this issue doesn't directly correlate to your question, but, I feel that it at least is indirectly related to your question.
I do know of a fellow employee of mine, at our local college, who specializes in period blacksmithing. I will ask him if he knows of any good purveyors of accurate reproduction swords. You might also consider trying to find an original in in fair condition. You will probably have to pay a good penny or two, but, it might be your best bet. Also, is there a particulair style of sword/saber that you are looking for?


Hope this helps,

David Long

[3rd_PA_Artillery]

Well, I haven't got a specific company, but if I would buy a sword from anywhere, I'd get it from a company in Germany. It might be a bit pricy, but the Germans will mostly take your specifications right down to the letter and make a good quality sword.

[Andy German]

This is a dangerous topic.

From a cavalry point of view, none of the repro sabres are ideal. Legendary Arms is the only one I know to produce a model 1840 "Wristbreaker," but while their's is good looking it is not a reproduction of the original I recently bought (which is beautifully balanced). Ironically, the grip on the 1840 is more like the 1860 grip, while the repro 1860 grip is closer to the 1840 and the pommel cap is way too high. At least we won't confuse them with originals. The Ames 1860 has the wrong pommel cap and too few wraps on the grip, and Cold Steel is not reproducing anything; they're interpreting things in modern terms.

For infantry officer swords I don't know what to say. Check Sword Restoration Services online for possible rebuilt original swords.

Good luck,
Andy German