Alonso’s Battles

The rapier sword is perhaps one of the most artistic styles of sword if you ask me. Those sword are light, amazingly attractive and a great addition to any sword collection.

It is common belief that rapiers were used for rapid exchange of thrust and parry like you see in multiple pirate’s movies or movies like “Monte Cristo” or “Zorro”…

Despite what most believe in our current society, rapier fights were very different than what we see today in modern fencing and what you see on TV are stunts and not a representation of how fights were conducted in that time.

The truth is that rapier fights were much more violent than you can imagine. Most of the time attacks were dodged and not blocked. It was a matter of being cautious and extremely precise. The only time an attack was blocked it was done in an attempt to deflect while continuing to make a counter thrust.

Most of the time the rapier was used with a parrying-dagger, a buckler or a cloak and in some cases even a scabbard. It was common practice in the renaissance for gentlemen to carry a cloak or cape which could be used as a defence weapon.

The Rapier fighting style was a major improvement compared to the medieval cut-and-thrust style. The rapier fighting style is all about controlling the distance, the timing and the technique.

For the experience sword collector, Paul Chen is known as one of the best maker of affordable samurai sword. For those who have never heard of him here is a simple resume of who he is.

Paul Chen is in reality a pseudonym, his real name is Chen Chao-Po. He’s the founder of Hanwei a company whose goal is to create high quality swords at an affordable price. Most of the swords created by Hanwei are forged using the traditional methods used by ancient Japanese sword smiths.

Paul Chen Swords are amongst the most popular swords for collectors.

Hanwei specialise in the creation of Japanese swords of the Edo Period ad has recently moved on to the creation of Iaito sword (practitioners of Iaido), Chinese and European swords like:

• Viking swords
• Medieval swords
• Re-enactors swords
• Rapiers
• and more….

If you are looking for quality swords to add to your collection i would highly recommend taking a look at some of Paul Chen Creations, the quality of these swords is by far superior to most that can be found on the market. Most swords manufactured by Hanwei are battle-ready swords, which mean they are in most cases, the real deal.

A couple of years ago it was very difficult to even consider collecting movie swords. People like me were usually collecting army swords, medieval swords or Japanese weapons… But now with the power of the internet and with the initiative of multiple companies it is now possible to collect the props used in various movies.

Often these props are manufactured by the same company the designed them for the movies…Movie swords collecting is not as valuable as collecting ancient & antique swords, but it can still be very satisfying…

You see some collectors only collect items that have a high financial value, but not me, my samurai swords are of amazing quality and they are worth a lot of money, but I chose them mostly because I like them, I have no intention to ever sell these…it is the same with my movie swords, they are just for me…

I have written a complete article concerning

movie swords, please feel free to read it and learn a little bit more about this new possibility for sword collectors like you and i…