Tobacconists & Market stalls

For a first sword buyer, you stand in awe of anything that passes your way, eagerly spending up to 50 dollars on swords that are neither sharp, polished, or scratch free... i recently started a collection, and before finding this site bought from venders at places like Morriset Mega markets, and previously a small flourist who had a very large specialty section... While my first ever knife which is still my favourite, was bought from a tabaconnist who's high prices and lack of costumer service quickly got me into arguements and banned from the store and turned me to the internet. Now a word of the wise about buying Cheap Knives and Swords from any store, usually they buy from the internet just like us, and buy the cheapest they can... CHECK THE BLADES!!! I cannot stress enough who crutial this is, if the store has a no handling policy of blades, ask them to see it... any mark, blemishes or anything... don't buy it... i have a 50 dollar piece of junk sitting on my mantle that was bought hastily with the poorest looking blade i'd ever seen... i did manage to clean it up a bit, but i will be lucky to sell it to anyone for what I bought it... and never buy from tabacconists... they buy and sell the exact things Paul is talking about when he says hunks of junk... all these things are common sense i know, but hey, when you see something and rush it, you tend to come out red faced in the end