Battle Ready Swords

Many people wonder why Battle Ready Swords (also called functional swords) are considered to be the best swords made.

To truly qualify as battle ready, swords must be made of high-carbon steel. But, the quality and craftsmanship of battle ready swords are not equal!

Quality and Craftsmanship

Just like cars, battle ready swords have quality issues. Although a low priced economy car is made of steel, it will never have the same strength and luxury appeal as a Mercedes-Benz or Volvo. Battle ready swords also range in quality, from high-end to low-end. So how can you tell which is the best sword for your needs?

One of the first questions you must answer is, "how will I be using the sword?".

In general, Battle Ready Swords are designed with superior strength, to withstand the impact of striking another functional sword. This is accomplished by using high-carbon steel as the base material for the blade.

Now you need to find out if the steel and craftsmanship used in manufacturing your sword is going to meet your expectations. (For more information on the difference between battle ready swords and "display only" swords made of 440 stainless steel, please see our section on Sword Materials.)

Swords made of high-carbon steel are not created the same. For this reason, our staff personally selects swords for our Functional Swords section that are outstanding, very tough and based upon historic designs. Besides reviewing manufacturing test results and industry evaluations, one of the final tests we personally give each battle ready sword is the WOW Test.

The WOW Test relies on our own opinions and first impressions of the overall construction, balance and feel of the sword. To pass, we ask ourselves the following:

Will your new sword cause you to rejoice with excitement and say, "Wow, this is a real sword that I could have taken into battle a thousand years ago to defend my life."?

If the WOW is more of a "hum", that sword is excluded from our Functional Swords section and listed along with stainless steel swords in the general swords section by each sword type (Medieval Swords, Roman Swords, Renaissance Swords, etc.) Please note, the battle ready swords that do not pass our WOW Test are still very nice swords, just not the very best of the best.

Dos and Don'ts

Invincible battle ready swords that do not break exist only in the movies. High-carbon steel is the strongest material used in sword manufacturing, however, even high-carbon steel will break when pushed beyond the laws of physics.

So how can you use your battle ready sword for full contact and reduce the odds of breaking?

High-carbon steel Battle Ready Swords are only designed to be struck against another high-carbon steel weapon. In this case, the energy of the strike is disbursed and absorbed by both swords. The typical result of this type of impact is a small nick or indention of the blade edge, or a bending of the sword blade (more common with high-carbon spring steel which is designed to bend instead of break).

Many people use swords to cut a variety of targets (often, anything they can find) which can damage your sword. Bamboo poles and rolled rice mats are the recommended targets for cutting with a blade to ensure the blade is not damaged. Striking things like trees, bricks and rocks force the sword to absorb more energy which can cause hairline fractures (microscopic cracks) within the steel. Over time this will weaken the sword blade at a faster rate and eventually cause it to break. This is why swords were often considered to be a disposable item in the Medieval Age (just like tires on a car are replaced when worn down or destroyed).

When two medieval knights battled, each had extra swords which their attending squire would bring to them as a replacement for a bent or broken sword. At the end of the day, the damaged swords were taken to a blacksmith for repairs. If a sword was beyond repair, it was melted down and completely reforged into a new battle ready sword.

High-carbon steel will rust if not properly cared for. Do not use WD-40 to clean high-carbon steel - it reacts as a solvent and will only speed up the rusting process. Please view our Sword Cleaning Instructions and Armor Cleaning Instructions for information on how to properly clean and maintain high-carbon steel items. Regular use of Sword Cleaning Kits every 4 months to maintain high-carbon steel swords will help prevent rusting and deterioration. The best way to deal with rust it to never let it start. (The appeal of stainless steal swords is that they do not rust.)

When storing your battle ready swords, be sure they are out of the scabbard. Most scabbards included with these swords will retain moisture which can rust high-carbon steel. If you leave your sword in the scabbard too long, the scabbard can fuse to the blade causing permanent damage (and you might not be able to get your sword out of the scabbard).

Price Is A Key:

As a general rule, you get what you pay for. This philosophy is also true when buying swords. If you find battle ready swords made of high-carbon steel that are under $100, we recommend you do not strike it against anything. Typically, this type of sword is for costuming and is suitable for staged plays where a sword might be drawn out of the scabbard and waived about (but not striking anything).

A true swordsmith will make 100 percent of your sword blade and hilt (handle) from raw high-carbon steel which is bought directly from the foundry. These can be exquisite, however, be sure to research your swordsmith before buying. Talk to previous customers and review sword chat rooms to evaluate the skill of the swordsmith and the quality of their battle ready swords. Prices for custom-made swords can range from $1,200-5,000 per sword (you are paying for US labor, materials and skill).

Some Spanish, Filipino and Japanese foundries also make finished blades in high-carbon steel which are often purchased from skilled craftsmen who specialize in custom making only the sword hilts (handles). They will then sell the completed swords as custom made. These are often excellent swords and prices range from $800-$2,000 per sword. This is one way to save money when buying custom battle ready swords.

If the custom-made $800+ sword is more than you are looking for, we can help. We buy our high-carbon steel Functional Swords directly from the manufacturers. We have Medieval Functional Swords which are battle ready swords with low prices starting at $129.00 per sword (excellent quality and craftsmanship - a very good value).

Manufacturing Country Makes a Difference

The following information does not pertain to swordsmiths who custom-make high quality battle ready swords by hand (blade, hilt and all). We are only generalizing the quality of retail distribution swords and their point of origin so customers new to the sword market can be better informed.

There are swordsmiths and foundries in many countries making swords for retail distribution. When looking for battle ready swords, be sure to confirm the Sword Materials used to make your sword. High-carbon steel is what you want in a battle ready sword, not stainless steel - including 440 stainless steel.

Regardless of what a sales person or website might swear to, if any type of stainless steel is used to make your sword blade, it is not a battle ready sword.

Spanish, Filipino and Japanese made swords are well known for excellent quality. These battle ready, high-carbon steel swords are often made by hand from newly refined steel – not recycled steel.

High-carbon steel swords made in India are typically not the best looking or as desirable as swords with Spanish, Filipino and Japanese manufacturing. In many cases, the steel used in India is being recycled from large trucks and tanks. The high-carbon spring coils and axle supports are reheated and made into swords. The problem is that if the steel is not heated enough, it will retain imperfections that weaken the strength of the steel.

There are a few companies in India that can make beautiful high-carbon battle ready swords, but many do not pass our WOW Test. The few that do pass can be found within our Functional Swords section.

Most other countries are not known for making high quality battle ready swords using high-carbon steel.

Notes:
Also see our special Reenactment Section which is dedicated to members of reenactment groups who need to find the highest quality battle ready swords at affordable prices, as well as ready-made Historic Clothing, Sword Belts, and Battle Ready Shields.

For a sword to be approved for use in any reenactment group it must pass stringent testing, and meet specific flexibility and safety standards (plus other design requirements). Since these standards and tests vary among the different groups, we suggest you check with your organization before buying to ensure compliance and that our battle-ready swords and daggers are approved for use.

If you have any questions about our products or would like to have us carry something you did not see here today, contact us and we will see what we can locate for you.

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