Collecting medieval swords is a very engrossing, fun hobby, and there are usually swords that just about everyone can appreciate. Not only do you get to have a little piece of history hanging on your wall (or from your waist if you happen to attend Renaissance fairs), but you get the sense of holding a piece of history. Even though the replicas I buy weren’t ever actually used in combat by knights, Vikings, or Saracens, I still get a great sense of history from the swords. The size, weight, and look are all accurate. Something else that I’ve discovered is that the more different types of medieval sword that one collects, the more prone they are to picking up a book or going on the internet to research the period of history the weapon represents. Honestly, collecting swords has done more for the history bug living inside of me than all the years of high school history combined. If you are even remotely interested in history, I recommend the hobby.
The most impressive fantasy sword designs I have ever come across are those by the amazing artist Kit Rae. His style is distinct and all of the weapons he makes really seem to come from the same vast universe, which he created. In fact, all of the Kit Rae fantasy swords come with prints of his artwork as well as stories about the swords and characters he created. Very few sword designers go to so much trouble to showcase their work. He is one of a kind. Some of his designs that I find most impressive are Kilgorin, the Sword of Darkness, the Black Legion Battle Axe, and Elexorien, The Sword of War. The designs look very fantastical while at the same time seem very functional, as is they could have come from the world in which we live. They are great for those who are just getting into collecting fantasy swords.
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