Nov 01, 24 01:49 AM
If you have ever googled 'custom sword makers near me' or otherwise looked for a well researched database and directory of swordsmiths and blade artisans, until now you would probably have been disappointed.
But all that has changed with THIS list.. Because HERE you will find the most comprehensive list of Custom sword makers online who specialize in bespoke custom sword projects.
While we do not list any price information (after all, each project is unique) don't contact these guys unless you have at least a couple of thousand set aside and can accept that the wait times (which are a very rough estimate at best) can and usually do end up being a lot longer than anticipated.
But if you are serious and you have the patience and the budget, we think that this guide will be of use in finding the right artisan for your special custom sword project, no matter how unique or complex it may be..
IMPORTANT NOTE: While we do our best to only list Artisans with a good reputation in the sword community and who are well established, we make no warranty or guarantee and do not receive any compensation or charge any fee for the listings presented below (which are listed in no particular order). As always, verify the information elsewhere, ask lots of questions before you commit and be careful when making payments.
While we cannot assist if there is a problem that occurs with one of these artisans, if you DO have issues with one or more of the listings please CONTACT US to report it and if needed we will temporarily or permanently remove the listing accordingly.
Wait times and other details will also be updated as information is provided to us, so feel free to contact us if an update is needed (please note, for a new recommended sword maker to make the list, a photo of the smith is required. Additionally a proper website is also required - while there are some smiths who trade exclusively on Facebook or other social media, a professional website is also required to be listed here - if you know of or are a good smith with a proven track record that fits these criteria, please let us know and we will check it out! There are no fees for this and never will be, it's purely here to give people who are looking for a unique item made by a truly skilled and passionate artisan that a solid starting point to get some quotes and see if one or more of these guys can make that special truly special dream sword).
Location: Poland
Specialization: 10th-15th Century Medieval Swords
Wait Time: 4-12 months
Notes: Maciej Kopciuch is a published author, In addition to custom historical European swords, he also makes bespoke medieval scabbards for the complete package.
Website: https://artofswordmaking.com/
Location: Australia
Specialization: Fantasy Swords
Wait Time: 12 months+
Notes: 9260 Spring Steel fantasy blades by Brendan Olszowy who got started on our very own SBG sword forum. These days he only takes commissions that are of personal interest and his work is very ornate, detailed and highly regarded.
SBG Reviews: Master Sword
Website: http://www.fableblades.com/
Location: USA
Specialization: Seax, Falchions and Fantasy Swords
Wait Time: 3-6 months
Notes: Very affordable work from Wes Beem who started his career on the SBG forum and his blades were tested and proven in season 2 of "Forged in Fire" 2018.
Website: https://www.lonelywolfforge.com/
Location: USA
Specialization: Fantasy swords with ornate brass fittings
Wait time: 6-12 months
Notes: Well known on the SBG forum as 'brotherbanzai', Jeffrey takes custom bronze fittings on his fantasy swords to a whole new level.
SBG Reviews: Antediluvian Sword
Location: France
Specialization: Traditional Japanese Katana
Wait Time: 2+ years
Notes: French sword artisan who is able to make unique and quality Japanese style Katana, including custom koshirae (furniture). Very reasonably priced for what is on offer, especially when compared to Japanese smiths who require several artisans to be employed in the build. Also does restoration work on antiques.
Website: https://www.michael-sabatier.com/
Location: United Kingdom (Scotland)
Specialization: Medieval and Renaissance era swords
Wait Time: 1 year+
Notes: Established in 1991, Rob Millers Castle Keep is one of the oldest and most respected sword forges in the United Kingdom and the world. Stunning attention to detail.
Website: https://www.castlekeep.co.uk/
Location: United Kingdom
Specialization: Medieval and Fantasy
Wait Time: 7 years
Notes: A family owned and operated business since 1987, they make stunning high end swords from fantasy, history and many different cultures and eras. The only main issue is that they have a massive backlog going back several years, so be aware the wait time might be quite extreme..
Website: https://www.ravenarmoury.co.uk/
Location: Czech Republic
Specialization: Recreations of Japanese Katana
Wait Time: 6-9 months
Notes: The website is entirely in Czech, but if that doesn't put you off you this Japanese trained swordmaker can recreate a fully functonal replica of a Japanese Katana at a very fair price for this level of craftsmanship and personalization.
Website: http://www.nipponto.cz/index.php
Location: USA
Specialization: Fantasy Swords
Wait time: 6-12 months
Notes: Family owned and operated since 1982, they specialize in very unique, personalized and original fantasy sword and knife (athame) designs.
Website: https://www.omegaartworks.com/
Location: USA
Specialization: Fantasy and Medieval Swords (especially Damascus steel)
Wait time: 6-12 months
Notes: Run by Jamie Lundell and Matthew Parkinson, who appeared on several episodes of Forged in Fire, their business partnership specializes in one of a kind custom swords from history and fantasy. In addition to running the forge, they also teach blacksmithing with public and private classes.
Website: https://dragonsbreathforge.com/
Location: USA
Specialization: Fantasy and Japanese Swords
Wait Time: 9-12 months
Notes: A partnership between James Fang and legendary swordsmith John Lundemo (formerly from Odinblades.com) they are able to make fully customized Japanese style and Western style blades in a wide variety of styles from the strongest and best steels currently available.
SBG Reviews: Odin's Oar, Furia (Ninjato)
Website: https://longshiparmoury.com/
Location: Sweden
Specialization: Norse and Fantasy Swords
Wait Time: 12+ months
Notes: Bespoke, highly detailed traditional Norse and original fantasy sword designs. Very high end and rarely taking orders these days, his work is internationally regarded.
Website: https://www.andreandersson.com/
Location: USA
Specialization: Modern swords inspired by Japanese sword making tradition
Wait time: A very, very long time (if at all)
Notes: A true legend among custom sword makers, Walter Sorrels specializes in the modern school the of Japanese sword making tradition. His site is also a great resource for would be sword makers. The only issue is, he rarely seems to accept commissions these days and wait times are unknown at this point. But no directory of custom sword makers would be complete without him..
Location: Germany
Specialization: Historical European Swords and HEMA
Wait time: 9-12 months
Notes: Lukas started his journey towards swordmaking when he discovered the SBG sword forum in his teens and has never looked back. Wait time will vary as he is a full time medical doctor, and the same precision and attention to detail shines through in his custom sword work.
Website: http://www.lukasmaestlegoer.com/
Location: Argentina
Specialization: Replicas of Japanese Katana
Wait Time: 12 months+
Notes: Based in Argentina, Gabriel Fiori specializes in Japanese swords and Koshirae (furniture). Prices are listed in Argentinian pesos and his work is very reasonably priced.
Website: https://www.tanakabuki.com/
Location: Sweden
Specialization: Historical European Swords
Wait time: Many years..
Notes: The driving force behind the Albion design team and a true master smith of the highest order. He is a very busy gentleman, so if you are even able to secure a spot on his wait list, it's going to be a long wait (but most agree well worth it if you have the funds and the patience).
Website: https://swordreflections.com/
Location: Czech Republic
Specialization: Historical European and Renaissance era swords
Wait time: Many years..
Notes: Stunningly beautiful historical recreations of historical European swords. One of many highly skilled custom sword makers from the Czech Republic.
Website: http://www.templ.net/english/
Location: France
Specialization: Historical Medieval Swords
Wait Time: 12 months
Notes: French sword artisan specializing in Viking and knightly medieval swords. His website can be a little hard to navigate if you do not read French, but does have English available and he is open to international orders.
Website: https://www.gaelfabre.com/
Location: United Kingdom
Specialization: Damascus Patterned Viking, Medieval and Fantasy Swords
Wait Time: 6-9 months
Notes: With a large forge (big enough for 10 students, as he also runs bladesmithing classes) and collaborations with Czech bladesmith Petr Florianek and custom sword makers around the world, Owen Bush's Damascus patterned blades are in high demand. Appeared in over 28 TV shows with over 25 years experience.
Website: https://www.owenbush.co.uk/
Location: United Kingdom
Specialization: Exacting replicas of historical European Swords
Wait Time: 12+ months
Notes: Leo Todeschini, aka 'Tod' was formerly involved in the special effects industry for over 25 years and brings an exacting eye for detail to his sword making craft. In addition to his original works in steel, Tod's workshop is also a popular choice for high end custom scabbard work.
Website: https://todsworkshop.com/
Location: Hungary
Specialization: Historical European and HEMA related swords
Wait Time: 3-6 months
Notes: Very affordable custom maker of historical European swords, Messers, Rapiers, etc by Hungarian artisan Peter Regenyei. Usually a fairly fast turnaound time too.
Website: https://regenyei.com/
Location: USA
Specialization: Damascus Steel Fantasy Blades
Wait Time: 3-6 months
Notes: A collaboration between American born J.D. Smith and Russian born Joseph Shinayder (hence the name 'AmeR-Russ'), they primarily specialize in Damascus steel knives but also make the odd highly detailed and stunningly beautiful Damascus fantasy sword from time to time.
Location: USA
Specialization: Wide range of historical and functional fantasy swords
Wait Time: 1 year+
Notes: Hosts to the popular 'Man at Arms' series on YouTube and winners of 1st place on Forged in Fire, the forge of brothers Kerry and Matt makes affordable custom swords though the wait time can be quite extreme at times.
Website: http://imakeswords.com/
Location: USA
Specialization: Medieval and Renaissance swords
Wait Time: 6-12 months
Notes: While Christopher Poor is best known for his work in high end production swords at Arms & Armor, he can also be commissioned for custom sword work and design.
Website: https://www.arms-n-armor.com/collections/custom-gallery
Location: USA
Specialization: BIG SWORDS!
Wait Time: Unknown
Notes: The infamous Irish YouTuber who turned his passion for oversized, giant fantasy swords into a seriously popular media franchise. Due to his internet popularity, lead time is currently unknown, but worth contacting if you have a commission for a BIG sword that he has not made previously..
Website: https://michaelcthulhu.com/
Location: Czech Republic
Specialization: Viking and Medieval Swords
Wait Time: 1 year+
Notes: Great prices at this Czech republic based sword and scabbard maker, though the wait time will frequently exceed a year, most agree they are worth the wait.
Website: https://www.sword-elgur.com/
Location: Czech Republic
Specialization: Renaissance and Medieval Swords
Wait Time: 6-9 months
Notes: Another highly skilled and relatively economical choice from the pool of custom sword makers from the Czech republic, Vladimir Cervenka has been making swords since the 1990s.
Website: http://www.sword.cz/eindex.htm
Location: United Kingdom
Specialization: Historical European Swords from all time periods
Wait Time: 3 years+
Notes: Paul MacDonald has been making swords since 1998 from a European Martial Arts Point of view. High demand means that the custom order backlog is frequently paused so a lot of persistence and extreme patience is the order of the day.
Location: USA
Specialization: Historical European Swords
Wait Time: 9-12 months
Notes: John Davis apprenticed to Christopher Poor at Arms & Armour in 2007 and started his own independent workshop in 2015. In addition to swords, he is also an accomplished armorer and scabbard maker.
Website: https://davisreproductions.com/
Location: Poland
Specialization: Medieval Swords
Wait Time: 9-12 months
Notes: Highly detailed medieval sword and scabbard work by Polish custom sword maker Damian Sulowski.
Website: http://historicalswordszone.com/
Location: France
Specialization: Historical European Swords
Wait Time: 1 year+
Notes: with a literal PhD in medieval archeology, Dr. Fabrice Cognot's emphasis is on replicas of historical swords that come as close to the originals as is humanly possible - both in terms of how it is made and of course, the end result.
Location: United States
Specialization: Early Iron age, with forays into Japanese and Viking Swords
Wait Time: 9-12 months
Notes: Specializing in replicas of Iron Age swords, Emiliano Carrillo's Sun and Stars Forge has also won acclaim for his replica Viking swords (pattern welded) and Japanese style blades.
Website: https://www.emilianocarrillo.com/
Location: Czech Republic
Specialization: Pattern Welded Viking Swords
Wait Time: 9-12 months
Notes: Owned and operated by Czech bladesmith, Petr
Florianek, his forge makes authentic Viking sword replicas and Viking inspired fantasy pieces that would make a Jarl proud. Additionally he holds classes and workshops around 25km from Prague.
Website: https://www.gullinbursti.org/
Location: USA
Specialization: Viking, medieval and fantasy swords
Wait Time: 6-9 months
Notes: The forge of Matthew Hopkins Berry specializes in very detailed custom Viking swords, medieval swords and fantasy pieces since 1990. Appeared on Forged in Fire several times.
Website: https://www.hopkinsforge.com/
Location: USA
Specialization: Genuine Wootz Steel Swords
Wait Time: 12 months+
Notes: One of the few modern swordsmiths who has revived and mastered the 'lost art' of making Wootz pattern welded blades.
Website: http://jeffpringle.com/swords/
Location: Canada
Specialization: Historical Viking Replica Swords
Wait Time: 12 months+
Notes: Having joined the esteemed circle of custom sword makers in 2005, Jeff Helmes specializes in high end historical recreations good enough to be displayed at the Royal Ontario Museum.
Website: https://www.jeffhelmes.com/
Location: USA
Specialization: High end pattern welded blades
Wait Time: 12 months+
Notes: A modern master of pattern welding using modern supersteels like L6 shock steel and O1, KC Lund's knives and swords are in high demand and are stunning works of art in their own right.
Website: https://kclundblades.com/
Location: Czech Republic
Specialization: High end historical European Swords
Wait Time: Several Years
Notes: While the wait time is in the years due to the demand for his high end mono and pattern welded historical European sword replicas, if you are patient his swords are well worth the wait..
Website: http://www.robert-moc.sk/pages/sk/start.php?lang=SK
Location: Finland
Specialization: High end historical European Swords
Wait Time: 9-12 months
Notes: Highly versatile, J.T. Palikko has made and makes a very wide variety of high end European swords and scabbards from many different historical eras.
Well, that's our list of makers - as we stated at the start of this directory, please just CONTACT US if you are an independent sword maker with your own website (Facebook pages do not qualify) and are willing to show your face and have a proven track record, let us know and we will add you at a random spot in the directory completely free of any charges or fees.
Similarly, if you have had a GOOD or BAD experiences with one of these smiths (or pics, always love seeing good 'sword porn') let us know and we will look into it and modify the list as best serves the customer to get exactly what they want.
This is not an advertising platform to benefit the custom sword makers just looking t make a quick buck (there really are some scammy custom sword makers out there these days) this is the place where we try our very best to ensure you won't find any of them HERE..
Special thanks to SBG member stormmaster for his work establishing the basis of this custom sword makers list on the SBG forum!