"A buyers guide to getting the best possible value for money fantasy blades"
Fantasy swords, being products of the imagination, naturally come in all kinds of wondrous shapes and sizes.
In our sub US$300 price range, there are a plethora of swords to choose from with a fantasy theme. However, only problem is, most are nothing more than display ornaments -
and many are so poorly executed that they fail even at that...
However, scratch below the surface - and sort through all the junk - and you can divide fantasy swords into two main categories: high quality display swords and functional fantasy pieces.
Both of these are quite rare in the sub US$300 price range, but they are there if you know where to look.
So take a journey with me now through the looking glass into the world of high fantasy, both magical and futuristic, as we meander through the exotic mindscapes of the
pure and unfettered imagination...
QUICK RECOMMENDATIONS BY PAUL
Click on the links to be taken to the respective reviews
While functional Fantasy swords are often discontinued by the manufacturer, as the market tends to favour cheap 'wallhangers', there are still a few blades that defy the trend. My personal favorite functional fantasy swords would have to be the Fantasy Chaos sword by Generation 2, a true monster if ever there was one, or the super tough dragon claw hilt Guardian Sword by Darksword Armory. However, there are also a few high quality decorative pieces out there with an attention to detail that puts all other decorative blades to shame - and that is the designs by the talented artist, Kit Rae: with my personal favorite being the wickedly curved Mithrodin sword.
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CHEAP FANTASY SWORDS
Now as I mentioned, there are a lot of very cheap fantasy styled swords available that are extremely questionable...
Most have extremely shoddy construction and are made for cents on the dollar in Pakistan or China, which becomes even more apparent when you 'pop the hood'...
An example of a typical cheap fantasy sword with a 'rat tail tang'.
Unfortunately many of these swords look ok when they are photographed for the web, but are a major disappointment when you get them in your hands. And like many
cheap stainless steel swords, the biggest problems with these swords is that they are constructed very poorly, often with loose or soon to be rattling hilts, fragile
or brittle blades (that can sometimes be sharpened - which is not only a bad idea - but potentially lethal to the wielder if used!) and a complete lack of attention to detail.
Watch the video below to see what I mean...
VIDEO: The Perils of Cheap Fantasy Blades
Demonstration of what is under the hood, loose hilts and a catastrophic blade failure…
Fortunately, you don't have to pay a huge amount of money to dramatically improve the quality.
QUALITY DECORATIVE SWORDS
While the number of quality decorative blades is much less than the 'piles of crap' you can pick up for $20, there are some that stand head and shoulders above the rest.
But there is one name that comes up time and time again, Kit Rae.
KIT RAE SWORDS
Kit Rae is has been a designer of decorative fantasy swords and knives since 1984 and it is his designs that are the most commonly imitated with cheap knock offs.
As can be expected, the knock offs don't even come close to the real thing, and to make matters worse, some highly unethical sellers actually put up an image of original
and then ship a $20 knock off instead, so be very careful where you buy them from...
Anyway, Kit's work creating fantasy knives, swords, axes and other hand weapons has a certain distinct flair and flavour - with an attention to detail that is extremely rare at this price point.
Considering that you can pick up the original designs for just under or just over the US$100 at such sellers as
Replica Dungeon
and Kult of Athena they are truly excellent value for
money, and while the swords are not 'battle ready' (made from stainless steel, they are definitely not to be used for cutting - see our article on battle ready swords to know
why it's not suitable) they more than fulfil their function as true three dimensional fantasy art and blow everything else right out of the water...
Kit Rae Reviews
"Mithrodin"
United Cutlery: Kit Rae
PRICE: US$94 to $179
OVERVIEW: While I generally disdain decorative swords, I am more than willing to make an exception for this masterpiece by Kit Rae. Considering the attention to detail, this sword is an absolute bargain and a must have for any lover of fantasy blades.
There is something very powerful and 'magical' that happens when you fuse fantasy with functionality...
Personally, I feel that by making fantasy swords functional, it somehow seems to bridge the gap between the ethereal and the real - bringing an otherworldly
design to life and giving it a very real presence that you just can get from a stainless steel decorative piece...
Despite this though, truly practical fantasy swords are very rare in the sword market, though most of the major manufacturers of historically inspired battle ready swords make one or two each.
Part of the reason for this rarity has to do with design constraints. In other words, many of the typical blade geometries depicted in fantasy simply don't work in the real world.
However, let's take a look at a few swords that DO work in the real world. And as we will see, some of these fantasy swords work very, very well indeed...
WINDLASS STEELCRAFTS
Windlass Steelcrafts have probably made more tempered carbon steel, full tang fantasy blades than just about every other manufacturer. Only problem is, as is often the
case with Windlass, many of the best ones have been discontinued...
However on the bright side, there are still several designs that have withstood the test of time. And many more that have either just come out or are around the corner.
The majority of their fantasy designs are based on either role playing games such as Dungeons and Dragons (ah, memories of a misspent, proudly geeky youth!) or official
replicas based on books such as the Heron Mark from the wheel of time.
Below are some reviews of some classics that are still in production.
Windlass Fantasy Sword Reviews
"Forgotten Realms - Twinkle"
Windlass Steelcrafts
DISCONTINUED
OVERVIEW: While this sword was far from perfect, considering the few available functional fantasy swords on the market, it's departure leaves behind it a void..
While Generation 2 concentrate primarily on historically inspired medieval swords, they have made and still make a few nice fantasy pieces – especially
several Lord of the Rings inspired works such as the Ranger sword, Sting (now discontinued) and an High Elven King Sword (also discontinued).
But they also have a very big and mean fantasy blade aptly named the Sword of Chaos, pictured below.
While their range is limited, the functionality of these swords is not, as you can plainly see from the reviews below...
GENERATION 2 Sword Reviews
"Chaos Fantasy Sword"
Generation 2
PRICE: US$233 to $259
OVERVIEW: One heck of a mean sword, both in appearance, durability and performance - this thing is a beast, and while not cosmetically perfect, really does have the sense of being the kind of blade you would see in the hands of a Chaos champion.
While Hanwei only really have one sword to contribute to our functional fantasy line up, it's one of the best (and the cheapest around).
I am talking of course about their tough as nails Dark Sentinel Sword, a hybrid between a Japanese Katana and a European duelling sword, which you'll find a detailed review of below:
Hanwei Fantasy Sword Reviews
"Dark Sentinel"
Hanwei Forge
PRICE: US$89 to $165
OVERVIEW: A classic hybrid between a Japanese Katana and a European Duelling sword, the Dark Sentinel is both fast and extremely strong. Not to mention, also very affordable - and a staple of every fantasy sword enthusiasts collection.
When it comes to a tough blade, Darksword Armoury pretty much have the market cornered.
Yes, their fantasy swords are heavier, bigger and meaner than just about everything else out there on the market. And they make some excellent fantasy designs, both original
and inspired by classic fantasy fare such as Lord of the Rings - and are the ONLY company to offer a replica of the famous Anduril Sword, complete with runic engravings (below).
Due to their weight, these swords may not be to everyone's taste, and some models of their fantasy swords are not without their issues. However, for the collector of
functional fantasy blades, you can do a lot worse.
Darksword Armory Reviews
"The Guardian"
Darksword Armory
PRICE: US$275 to $310
OVERVIEW: An original design, this eminently functional sword is both elegant and powerful. In this review we take a look at this sword through the eyes of its designer, from an original sketch to the final steel.
OVERVIEW: Similar to the Guardian sword, the Carpathian is a leaf bladed sword with a vampiric theme. Sturdy, well, made and powerful - it is the epitome of what a fully functional fantasy sword should be.
OVERVIEW: Inspired by the Lord of The Rings, the Ranger sword by Darksword Armory had something of a reputation of being a bit on the overly heavy side, but was still one of the only functional replicas of Striders sword ever made.
OVERVIEW: Darksword's Anduril sword was a real masterpiece, but was discontinued when United Cutlery renewed their license to the LoTR franchise. A real blast from the past.
Most recently, Valiant Armory has done to fantasy swords what they did to medieval swords - they have shaken up the market and shown what is truly possible..
Teaming up with the legendary sword designer John Lundemo from Odinblades (a highly respected custom sword maker based in the USA) - a new paradigm for a lightweight, durable and exceptionally elegant fully functional fantasy sword that might not be cheap, but worth every penny (and then some)..
Valiant Armory Reviews
"The Warder"
Valiant Armoury
PRICE: US$416 to $520
OVERVIEW: Inspired by the wheel of time series, designed by Odinblades - and a hybrid between a Katana and a Sabre with a strong fantasy flavor - this sword simply has to be seen to be believed..
If you are into fantasy weapons in general, I can heartily recommend the semi regularly updated blog Darkblade's Blog
as great source of news and information.
Also, you may be interested in a tutorial on how to turn the BLADE of ANY sword into a fantasy style runic engraved piece with our guide to electro chemical etching that you can use to achieve results like this:
I should also mention that there is some crossover between Fantasy swords which are based more on art and pure imagination and those which are replicas of blades
seen in various movies, comics and Japanese Anime of course. So for more fantasy swords that are based on the latter category, check out our
guide to TV, Anime and Movie swords here
FANTASY SWORDS INDEX
ARTCILES
Sword Engraving 101 - Turn any blade into a fantasy sword using this clever method
