There's lots of sword makers out there. Most of them are pretty bad, including a couple that I already own. In those cases I let my enthusiasm get in front of my knowledge. It happens.
There's swordsmiths around that make one-of-a-kind masterpieces that are simply far better than anything off the shelf, but nobody (and that would include me) can afford them. They start at several thousand and go up from there. Some reach deep into five figures. I'm not going there. Ever. That would be silly.
But there's one "off the shelf" sword maker that stands head and shoulders above all the others. Nobody else is even close. They make stuff that's simply astounding for the price. I've gotten the chance to handle a couple of them and they just come alive in your hand. Very different. Obvious excellence. That's "Albion Swords".
So here's your Tuesday night sword pron.
First is the "blunt" I want for practice. The "Liechtenauer", named for the German master that formed the basis of most known early longsword technique. I've handled a couple of these and they're just magic:
Next is the "sharp", along the same line but not for practice:
The "Baron". Just... nice.
I've been eyeing this next one for weeks, and almost pulled the trigger a couple of times. Now I see that it's sold out and I'm really bummed. They're all made in limited editions and I waited too long:
The Valkyrja. Dang it. Missed it by -> <- that much. It really is an exceptional piece.