What collecting actually involves

Most of the time goes to reading, comparing and handling. You study originals, pick one sword, inspect it when it arrives, and wipe and oil it every few weeks. A few terms appear in every listing. The tang is the part of the blade that runs inside the grip, and a full tang runs the whole length of it. The guard sits between blade and hand, and the pommel caps the end of the grip. A fuller is a groove that lightens the blade. The scabbard is the sheath. The point of balance is where the sword balances on a finger, measured from the guard. Carbon steel can be hardened into a working blade and rusts if neglected. Stainless steel resists rust but is brittle at sword length, so stainless swords are for display only.

A bare Japanese blade and a mounted sword resting on clear stands, in black and white — A bare blade above a mounted sword

Three ways to start

Japanese SwordsModern production katana made the traditional way, with a wrapped grip and a wooden scabbard. This is the widest and cheapest market, so quality varies the most.

Start here

Choose one plain katana in carbon steel with a blade of 27 to 29 inches, and read two independent reviews of that exact model before you order.

Sword Buyers Guide

European SwordsReproductions of medieval and Renaissance swords, from one-handed arming swords to longswords. Good ones copy the weight and balance of surviving originals.

Start here

Decide between a one-handed arming sword and a two-handed longsword, then compare the weight and balance point of three reproductions against a museum original of the same type.

myArmoury

Antique Military SwordsReal service swords, mostly from the 1800s and early 1900s, bought from dealers and auctions. Common patterns cost about the same as a good reproduction, but spotting fakes and repairs takes study.

Start here

Pick one regulation pattern, such as a US or British cavalry saber from the 1800s, and read 20 dealer listings for it before you bid. Note the markings every real one shares.

Old Swords

Open a direction to see its first step. Japanese Swords and European Swords each add a sword, its care supplies and a way to display it. Antique Military Swords adds the wax and a reference book, since the sword itself comes from a dealer or an auction.

A kneeling person in white holding a drawn katana by the grip above a wooden floor

Your first month

Tick these off as you go

What to check before you buy

Steel

Look for a named carbon steel such as 1060, 1095 or 5160 and the words heat treated or tempered. A listing that names no steel is usually hiding a soft or stainless blade.

Tang

A narrow welded rod, called a rat-tail tang, can snap at the guard. Listings for sound swords show or describe a full tang.

Weight

Most one-handed swords and katana weigh 2 to 3 pounds, and longswords 3 to 4. A sword well over that is built wrong.

Balance

A cutting sword balances roughly 3 to 6 inches in front of the guard. Farther out and it feels like a crowbar.

Temper line

The wavy line on a Japanese blade (the hamon) comes from hardening the edge. On the cheapest katana it is etched or brushed on. Reviews will say which.

Antiques

Ask for photos of the whole blade, the maker's mark, the inspection stamps and the end of the pommel. Compare them with a reference book, and buy from a dealer who guarantees authenticity in writing.

Sharp or blunt

Many reproductions are sold either way. An unsharpened blade displays the same and is safer to handle while you learn.

A longsword with a wire-wrapped grip standing point down on a rock in woodland — A longsword with a wire-wrapped grip

Read reviews before you order

Sword Buyers Guide Free hands-on reviews of production swords, sorted by type and price

Handling, oiling and storage

A short blade with an engraved pattern held against a teal backdrop — An engraved blade against a dark cloth

Hands off the steel

The salt in a fingerprint can etch a rust mark into a blade within days. Wear gloves or hold only the grip, and wipe the blade after anyone touches it.

Monthly routine

Wipe the old oil off with a clean cloth, check for orange or black spots, and wipe on a fresh coat thin enough that it does not bead or run. Do it every week or two in a humid summer.

Japanese blades

The traditional kit holds oil, wiping paper and a powder ball. Tap the powder lightly along the blade, wipe it off with the oil, then apply new oil.

Antiques

Never polish, sand or use a rust remover. Patina and original finish are most of the value. Brush off loose dirt and protect the steel and brass with wax.

Scabbards

Leather holds moisture, so do not store a sword in a leather scabbard for months. Display the two side by side.

Where to keep it

A dry room in the lived-in part of the house, never a basement, garage or outside wall. Keep a desiccant canister in any closed case.

Safety and the law

Treat every blade as sharp, including ones sold blunt. Draw and sheathe slowly with the edge turned away from the hand holding the scabbard.
Never swing a display sword. A stainless blade or a welded tang can break at the guard and send the blade across the room.
Store swords where children and guests cannot reach them, and screw wall mounts into studs, not bare drywall.

Owning

No US federal law bans owning a sword, and most sellers require the buyer to be 18. State and city rules vary, so read yours before you order.

Carrying

Many states and cities restrict carrying a sword in public, openly or concealed. Move one cased and in the trunk, and only for a reason such as a show or a repair.

Disguised blades

Sword canes are illegal to own in some states, including California and New York.

Antiques

Grips made of ivory fall under federal and state ivory laws that limit selling and shipping. Ask the dealer what the grip is made of before you buy.

Outside the US

Rules are often stricter. The UK restricts curved swords with blades of 50 cm or more, with exemptions for antiques and traditionally hand-forged blades.

What trips beginners up

Buying on looks

Listings with dragons, colored blades and movie names are almost always display pieces. A plain sword from a reviewed maker costs about the same.

Trusting the words battle ready

The phrase has no standard. Check the steel, the tang and the weight yourself.

Buying several cheap swords

One $250 sword teaches more than five at $50, and the cheap ones are hard to resell.

Expecting a bargain antique

Fakes of popular patterns are common in online auctions. Under-priced Japanese military swords and Civil War sabers are the usual traps.

Oiling too much

Excess oil runs into the scabbard and grip, where it collects dirt and swells wood.

A sword with a gilt hilt and a red enamel crest resting on a red stand — A gilt-hilted sword on a stand

Japanese swords in their scabbards on tiered racks behind glass

Where to learn more

Forums, shows, museums

Forums are where collectors check each other's purchases, and most welcome a clear photo and a question. Post a sword before you buy it and someone will usually tell you whether the price is fair. Sword and militaria shows let you handle dozens of pieces in an afternoon, which no listing can replace. Museum arms galleries show what an original's proportions look like, so visit one when you travel.

Free places to read and ask

How the kit is put together

The base kit is the handling and storage gear every collection needs, and it costs less than a tank of gas. The sword and its own care supplies sit under the direction you pick, because a katana, a longsword and an antique saber are each cleaned and displayed differently. Antique swords come from dealers, auction houses and shows, so that direction lists only the wax and the reference book you need before and after the purchase. Spend most of the budget on the sword itself. A stand and a bottle of oil do the same job at any price.

A katana with a black and gold wrapped grip and a round guard lying on a lichen-covered rock — A wrapped grip and a round guard

Stock the sword rack

Compare the options on each line, then set your tiers and check out from the rack. Clicking a card selects it there. The cloths, gloves, dehumidifier and loupe start in the kit. A sword and its own care and display gear join when you switch on Japanese Swords or European Swords, and Antique Military Swords brings the wax and a reference book.

Lint-free microfiber cloths

essential · Care supplies

Every wipe-down and every coat of oil or wax goes on with a clean, soft cloth. Paper towels shed fibers and can scratch a polished blade.

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Sword Collecting

What collecting actually involves

Three ways to start

Your first month

What to check before you buy

Handling, oiling and storage

Safety and the law

What trips beginners up

Where to learn more

How the kit is put together

Stock the sword rack

Lint-free microfiber cloths

Nitrile handling gloves

Rechargeable silica gel dehumidifier

Lighted magnifier loupe

Carbon steel katana

Japanese sword maintenance kit

Tabletop katana stand

Carbon steel medieval sword

Blade oil

Sword wall mount

Microcrystalline conservation wax

Antique sword reference book