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Sword Buyers Digest - February 2026, Issue #208
February 01, 2026
Hey,

Fellow sword enthusiasts,

This issue of the Sword Buyer’s Digest is different. It is a moment of truth for SBG, for the Digest, and for the sword industry as a whole. After nearly two decades of reviews, guides, experiments, collaborations, and community‑driven passion, we have reached a point that deserves transparency.

As such, this edition of the digest will be a very short one.

With so many countries now banning swords and restricting the sword market to a handful of open minded regions, and all the troubles of the last 5 years have more than taken their toll on the sword industry. So now it is time to rest before taking action - and there is a plan. I have been experimenting with some very interesting new concepts that might allow me to actually make SBG into something similar to what I had imagined it should have been at the start.

Back in 2005, even YouTube had just started and we were one of the first early adopters, embedding videos of cutting tests and destruction tests onto our site. The forum, the store, the blog, all of these things I had hoped to centralize but the technology wasn't quite there.

But from some recent experiments, it might be here now..

So stay tuned guys, things rarely if ever go to plan. But as much as the haters might want it to be, SBG is not done yet.

That's for sure..

The Sword Industry Is at a Crossroads

If you have been watching the market, you have probably felt it too. Product development across the industry has slowed to a crawl. At SBG, it has nearly stopped. The trade wars, supply chain instability, and constant uncertainty of 2025 left manufacturers circling the drain instead of innovating. Many of the projects we were excited about could not move forward in that environment. This is not the end of the industry. It is a reckoning and a reset.

We Need to Upgrade, but the War Chest Is Empty

SBG has always been a scrappy, community‑driven operation. We have never had corporate backing, investors, or a secret vault of funds. Every upgrade, every review, every project has been powered by passion and by the support of readers like you.

Right now, the platform needs a serious overhaul. The tools are aging. The infrastructure is creaking. The funds to fix it are simply not available.

Projects for 2026 Are in Limbo

We had a slate of exciting plans for the year. New collaborations, new product lines, and new experiments were all on the table. With the industry stalled and our resources stretched thin, everything is on pause. Not cancelled. Not abandoned. Just waiting for the right moment and the right support.

We Tried to Evolve the Digest, but It Is Not Enough

You may have noticed the changes we have been testing in recent issues. New formats, new layouts, and new approaches. Some of it worked. Some of it did not. It has become clear that the platform we are using may no longer be the right home for the Digest.

We may need to move again in order to keep the content flowing and the community alive.

Considering a Kickstarter for SBG 2.0

This brings us to the big question. Is it time for SBG 2.0? We are seriously considering launching a Kickstarter to rebuild SBG from the ground up. That would mean modern tools, modern infrastructure, and a renewed focus on what made this community special in the first place.

Before we take that step, we want your thoughts. Your ideas. Your wishlist. Your warnings. Your wild dreams. SBG has always been shaped by its community, and this next chapter should be no different.

How You Can Support Us Right Now

If you want to help keep SBG alive and moving forward, the simplest way is also the most direct.

Buy a sword from the SBG Sword Store.

To make that a little easier, we are offering a special 5 percent off coupon code for Digest readers. It is not much, but it is the best we can do right now and it is still one of the best deals available for any of the new or classic swords we have in stock.

Every purchase helps us keep the lights on, the servers running, and the dream alive.

Expires Midnight Feb 7

Simply enter the coupon code or click the image to apply to any and all swords in your cart. SBG-Sword-Store

A Glimpse of the Future

If we had the funds, what we could build right now would be extraordinary. Imagine the SBG Store, the classifieds, the forum, the Digest, and all our resources combined into one unified hub. A true community space with special privileges for members, streamlined buying and selling, and more reviews and content than anything the sword world has ever seen.

That future is possible. It is within reach. It only needs the support to bring it to life.


A Final Word...

SBG has survived recessions, factory closures, pandemics, and more than a few experiments that probably should not have worked. We have always adapted, rebuilt, and found a way forward because this community is stubborn, passionate, and wonderfully strange in all the best ways.

This is another crossroads. It is not the end. It is the moment before the next evolution.

Let us know what you think. Tell us what you want SBG 2.0 to become. And if you can, pick up a sword from the store and help us push through this rough patch.

Onward,

Paul and the SBG Team

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