Sword Buyers Digest:

Issue #186, January 2024

Welcome to the January edition of the Sword Buyers Digest! It is our first issue of the year and the the first issue since we took a brief hiatus in November last year. So without any further ado, let's take a look at what is new in the world of swords!

The total number of 1,000 year old 'Ulfberht' branded swords gets closer to 180 with this most recent river dredge find in the Wisla River, Poland.

Yeah, they might only be stainless steel wallhangers, but you gotta start somewhere. And it would seem that their cheap $50 Braveheart Claymore is a hit!

The Wallace Sword and Braveheart..

While they might have a replica at Home Depot, controversy continues to surround the so called 'Wallace' sword on display at the National Wallace Memorial in Scotland..

Most exciting excavation find of 2023 was...

We reported on them last year, but the 1,900 year old Roman blades found in the Judean desert has been recognized by National Geographic as the most 'exciting archeology story of 2023'.

16th century Swedish Noble's Burial Sword Found

He was a giant of a man standing 6' 3" and was buried with a 16th century Longsword fitting for a man of his size and stature.

Blue eyed Samurai - how accurate is it from a historical perspective?

There is no doubt that the Netflix series Blue Eyed Samurai with its emphasis on actual sword forging is one of the most interesting and accurate anime ever made. But how accurate is its portrayal of Edo period Japan? A historian weighs in..

10 most iconic swords from TV, ranked

We have seen these lists for movies, but how about TV shows? From the Walking Dead to Adventure Time and many more in-between, find out where your favorite ranks.

Henry Cavill confirms Highlander remake, training begins in earnest

There can only be one, and for this much anticipated remake, Henry Cavill has just started to immerse himself in some serious sword training that we hope will mean the remake will not suck..

Best posts from the official SBG Sword Forum

Alternatives for Neil Burridge Bronze Swords

The overly restrictive laws in the UK finally struck down the work of famous Bronze sword artisan Neil Burridge. So who, if anyone, can fill the void it left behind? Find out here.

Do you still have your first?

Buying that first real sword is something really special. But do you still have it? If so, what was it? SBG forumites weigh in on their first and if they still have it or not..

Swords that ring..

Ever had a sword that made a really pleasant 'rrrriing' sound when it struck and cut a target? What to look for in a blade that makes that oh so unique and satisfying sound..

Spring steel, T10, Tamahagane..

Posted by Alex from Swordier, an up and coming Longquan supplier - we take a look at the pros and cons of common steel types, and I even weigh in myself on whether or not 'Tamahagane' made outside of Japan is worthwhile or not.. (just my $0.02).

Skallagrim and Shadiversity are two of the most well respected and popular sword content creators on YouTube. So it was inevitable, much like the debate about 'Samurai vs Knight' - if they went head to head in a sword fight, who would win?

It is of course purely speculative, but it is a fun little video and an interesting analysis!

Over the last few months we have been working closely with our partners in Project X and Forge Direct to produce the highest possible quality T10 Tool steel blade that the smiths in Longquan can muster, and we are now only DAYS away from the first release..

Here is a sneak preview of what they have come up with:

First release details on this exciting new blade will be made available to subscribers of the exclusive Project X newsletter. In the meantime, here is a quick video of one of these new style blades..

Click the link below to be notified when these new blades are available:

Hope you enjoyed the new streamlined version of the Sword Buyers Digest. Until next issue, stay well, buy lots of swords to support the industry and Happy Swordening all!

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