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I want a tough sword.

by Joseph
(Warrior, Al, usa)

I have a few battle ready swords and while I enjoy them I'm afraid of a break or scratch. I'm aware of what authenticity in a sword means but it's not what I want in my next purchase. I wand a tough sword. Point of balance, weight,holding an edge or historic accuracy don't matter to me. I want the sword to be a crowbar of a sword. The blade should be so thick that is absolutely rigid. I want a tang that won't snap except under unreasonable circumstance. Any suggestions?

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Some recommendations
by: Paul

No sword is indestructible, but there are several brands on the market that specialize in making swords that are designed primarily with durability in mind..

First off though, a general recommendation - especially if you are budget conscious - is for a thick bladed, properly tempered sword made from 1060, 9260 or 5160 spring steel..

Click here for our full article on Sword Steels

As you may notice, all of these steels have xx60 in their description - this is the carbon content (.60%) and swords made with this level of carbon content tend to have the best compromise between hardness and strength - meaning they make the best "beaters" (Cold Steels 1055 carbon steel swords are also pretty much the same, only .05% difference in carbon content).

As a sword is only as strong as its weakest point, you need to ensure it does indeed have a well mounted handle and this is where a lot of sword makers fall down.

Now you did not mention what TYPE of sword you were interested in, i.e. medieval, Chinese, Japanese, etc - so I will try to cover all the bases..

The first brand that comes to mind, and are often described as "handles like a crowbar, cuts like a lightsaber" are any of the swords by Cold Steel - they produce swords from almost every culture and style imaginable, and all have a well deserved reputation for toughness (though the handles do sometimes let them down).

One of my favorites is the Cold Steel Gim Sword - you can read the review here

For medieval swords, Hanwei make some good 5160 Spring Steel swords - and for Japanese swords, well - we have a whole section dedicated to the best Japanese style beaters here.

Hope this helps!

- Paul

Built like a crowbar?
by: Mike M.

If you're looking for an absolute beater sword, I'd recommend taking a look at Starfire Swords. Their products are geared towards Renaissance combat reenactments and stage fighting. Extremely heavy design, solid like a rock. They will even void the warranty on their blades if the owner sharpens them, as they are not designed for cutting.

Looks like their website is down, but check them out on Facebook.

Thick steel!
by: Adam Pendragwn

Just a couple of things to consider: firstly, the kind of sword you’re talking about—a huge thick blade—sounds impractical. The thicker the blade the heavier the sword. One could make a sword that is literally indestructible, but then it would be too heavy to use! And, that doesn’t mean the edge won’t bend or break off. And secondly, if you really don’t care what type of sword it is—what period or time, etc.— then why not use a good machete? They’re cheap, fast, and you can pound the heck out of it. The point being, at some point you’re going to have to start making compromises. Like most beginners, you’re asking for something which doesn’t exist. I’ve known people who have sharpened high-quality staged combat swords—blunts—and they’ve kept an edge pretty well; but they are heavy, and more importantly end-heavy (and people have reported breaking thousand-dollar Albion swords). My advice: think about what you really want to do with this sword, and be realistic—there are no such things as giant ogres, and indestructible swords made by the Fay folk! Once you’ve figured out what you really intend to do with this sword, write PAUL back and if he can’t recommend a sword nobody can. Again, just be realistic!

Crowbar sword.
by: Anonymous

Im aware of the worlds lack of ogres lol. Also aware of the fact that no sword is indestructible. I own a hanwei tinker i use for practice and some cold steel for cutting. What im looking for is more along the lines of a plaything. Practicalities are not an issue and neither is accurate function. POB doesnt matter. Im looking for a european medieval type. Longsword or bastard. I considered the theater swords but most have a threaded pommel. Something overbuilt and blade too thick with no flexibility would be perfect.

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