Alonso’s Battles

The Civil War was an important era in American history and there are many people around the world who are interested in what happened during those years. Some are mainly interested in the history, whereas others are enthusiasts for the many different Civil War swords. Replicas of these swords are being made even today and still have a large following and are versatile enough to be used for a number of purposes.

Collectors of Civil War swords have lots to choose from. There are swords from both the Confederate and Union armies, as well as different kinds for officers, field soldiers and cavalry. One thing that almost all of these swords had in common is that they had thin blades, which made them especially good for thrusting attacks instead of just cutting. Many of the Civil War swords can be classified as sabers or cutlasses, although some take more the form of a rapier on.

As collector’s swords, the replicas of those from the Civil War are valuable because they are almost never cheap copies, but instead are high quality, correctly forged and fully battle ready weapons made of the best materials. The details are amazing and are exact copies of the features that were found on the original weapons used during the war, including the hand guards, leather wrappings used for the handles and the sheaths. 

Due to the fact that the vast majority of Civil War & Military swords are fully functional, they are also great for training and practicing with, as well as using for battle reenactments. For the blades high carbon steels are used, which is flexible and strong enough not to break upon impact. A variety of materials can be used for the hilt and hand guards.  However, it is best to look for Civil War swords that make use of brass since it looks elegant, can be used for engravings and is a lightweight metal, unlike steel or iron.

There are many manufacturers and sellers of Civil War swords and therefore it is worth taking the time to look at all that is offered. This way you will also be sure that you purchase the right sword that will meet all of your expectations and requirements.

Everyone that wants to actually use a sword hands-on will need to purchase one of the many good practice swords that are out on the market. A practice sword is not always easy to recognize just from a picture on a website and so it is important to read the description and know exactly what features to look for so that you really do get the right bladed weapon for the purpose. Purchasing the wrong sword to practice with will only result in the weapon breaking shortly thereafter, which is just a waste of time and money spent.

The best way to tell if a sword is suitable for practicing with is to read the description and keep an eye out for words such as “fully functional” and “battle ready”. A fully functional or battle ready sword has a blade made of special materials that make it flexible enough to be resilient to breaking when it hits another object or is hit, whether it be another weapon or a target like a rice mat or bamboo stick. The blade of a practice sword is made using one of the many claying methods and is a combination of different strength high carbon steels. Any sword with a stainless steel blade is not a practice sword, as it will quickly break.

Once you have determined which swords are suitable to be practice swords, then it is necessary to further specify exactly what it is you are looking for. Features to keep in mind include whether you want a one or two handed sword, what handle wrapping material you prefer, the overall length of the sword and the total weight. Not choosing the right practice sword can result in bodily injury and therefore it is best to start off on the safe side and purchase a lightweight, shorter sword if you are unsure of you capabilities.

It is not hard to find a good practice sword since there are many online stores that specialize in selling bladed weapons. There are also many good brands on the market from companies that produce high quality, handmade and balanced swords which are fully functional, such as Hanwei.