Sword Type

What is the best type of sword to get for a beginner mostly just wanting to play around with them?

I’m looking at buying a sword online, and I have taken precautions to make sure they are fully functional, and I’ve mostly been looking at fantasy swords. What do you suggest?

Fantasy swords are usually just for hanging on the wall and looking at. They are not made strongly enough to swing about or hit anything with. My suggestion would be to join a group that does sword training and start learning some skills. Most people don’t begin with real swords. They train with wood, or bamboo or even just a long ruler. When you do this and realise how often you hit your own leg or hand with the training sword, you’ll realise the wisdom of this.

Also, most swords will be too heavy and cause wrist damage until you have worked with lighter training weapons for long enough to build up strength. I did over 100 hours training with practise weapons before working with a real sword. Fantasy swords are usually even heavier than real swords because they are not made to be swung about and they are not properly forged with good quality steel.

If you want to train with something that looks real, right from the beginning, how about a tai chi sword. I don’t mean the really floppy wushu variety, but the next level up that still has a flexible blade but enough rigidity to practise real rechniques. These usually come with a sharp tip but blunt edges. They look real and feel real enough for a beginner. If it is made of stainless steel though, don’t hit anything very hard because the blade can shatter.

Other than that, if you’re determined to get a real sword, get a Kris Cutlery Jian. It’s light enough for a beginner, sharp but not razor sharp. If you do, you absolutely must get some training from someone with many years of experience. these are not toys. They are not for playing with. They are for serious training and swords were actually made to kill people. They still can – even you if you accidentally slip and cut your femoral artery for example. You probably wouldn’t get to hospital on time.

Real Sword Type 97 review