The high tales of adventures from the Cimmerian Conan the barbarian have delighted and kept both readers and movie goers on the edge of their seats for decades. Helped in no small part by Arnold Schwarzenegger being the perfect specimen for the role (though according to the original writings of Robert E. Howard, Conan was not so muscle bound but lithe and strong like a panther)..
Regardless of which version you prefer, the legend of Conan the Barbarian continues to inspire fans and collectors worldwide, with the Atlantean sword standing as a symbol of his might and heroism. For those looking to own a piece of this epic legacy, two notable creators have stepped forward with impressive renditions of this iconic weapon: first Windlass Steelcrafts and now the Black Dragon Forge.
Windlass Steelcrafts’ Atlantean Swords
Windlass Steelcrafts has crafted the officially licensed replicas, are high-quality, battle-ready pieces. Made with meticulous attention to detail, these swords feature intricate designs and durable construction. Though there have been minor quality control issues reported, these swords remain a popular choice for their overall craftsmanship and aesthetic appeal and are screen accurate. A scabbard is sold separately for $150 price of the sword itself is $474.95 (with the added expense of licensing fees).
Black Dragon Forge’s Atlantean Swords
In collaboration with Black Dragon Forge, we present two exceptional but unlicensed versions of the Atlantean sword:.
Monotempered 1095 Carbon Steel Version:
Clean Lines and Brown Wax Cord Wrap: Ensuring both durability and a secure grip.
Solid Brass Fittings: Adding authenticity to the design. Most screen accurate of the two.
Optional Scabbard: A barbaric synth fur covered, leather braided scabbard available for an additional $50.
Unique and Durable Steel: Each blade showcases a one-of-a-kind pattern.
Brown Cotton Cord Handle: Traditional and comfortable grip.
Artistic Craftsmanship: Enhances both the blade’s strength and beauty.
Both versions from Black Dragon Forge are lighter, at around 4.5 lbs, compared to the 8 lb official version, providing better balance without sacrificing quality. Plus, they come with FREE worldwide shipping.
And if you are a true Conan fan like me, you might also like the ‘Cimmerian Sword’ by the Black Dragon Forge with more Hyborian era swords coming down the line very soon!
From medieval to fantasy, renaissance to modern, now Swordier is expanding into some fantastic Chinese swords from history, myth and legend!
GREEN DESTINY SWORD
When the first replicas of the original Green Destiny sword came out, they were all junky stainless steel wallhangers. But now that the movie has achieved cult status and has fans all over the world looking for a REAL battle ready version, the search is over! With a pattern welded, razor sharp 1095 carbon steel blade, full tang and all steel fittings, it ticks every box – including price at just $399.95.
Previously made by Forge Direct and costing $900 thanks to our previous partners in the project, Ronin Katana, whose secret inflation of the wholesale pricing lined his pockets but shortchanged SBG and our customers. Swordier brought this beautiful blade back for us exclusively – and it looks even BETTER than the work of Ronins forge, plus it’s less than half price at $429.95..!
This was a sword that I was REALLY sad to see go when we closed down Forge Direct Chinese. But like the Sword of the Heavens, Swordier brought it back for us – and also like the Sword of the Heavens – they did a truly stellar job and took it to the next level, but for just $499.95.
So nice to have a decent selection of quality Dao again!
For the last few months we have been quietly working behind the scenes curating what we feel is the very best line up of swords from one of our personal favorite sword makers, Windlass Steelcrafts of India.
While we loved their swords at first sight some 20 years ago, we never really stocked them because at the time they all came unsharpened, and the sharpening service left a lot to be desired – plus it was really hard to know what they reliably had in stock,
Well, all that changed in the early 2020s – now their stock levels are super clear, their latest models factory sharp and the overall quality level – to say it has stepped up is an understatement.
So we are more than proud to fill out several new sections with their high QC ISO 9001 state of the art facility where each and every sword gets the full British stress test before receiving the holographic seal of approval.
So without any more fan boy rambling (I really love their brand philosophy, and if you are the official military sword suppliers to armies all around the world since 1943, you gotta be doing something right!) here are the categories, and one or two of my personal favorite pics from each one..
One quick thing to note though:
EVERY SWORD HAS FREE SHIPPING!
Plus you get a free gift from the accessories section with every sword purchase!
So with that out of the way, let’s take a look at the goodies, starting with none other than:
Yes, they have the officially licensed BATTLE READY replicas in stock – from the Fathers Sword to my favorite, the Atlantean and even Valeria’s sword. Great value, but unfortunately the scabbards (which are really well made) do cost a little extra and must be purchased separately.
MY FAV: The Atlantean Sword
It’s a faithful replica, though heavy as heck so that maybe only Arnie could actually wield it easily in combat. But it’s the real deal with full tang and a sharpened, 1080 monotempered blade.
Windlass has made countless medieval swords over the years, and now that we have joined up with them we may be working to bring some of the best ones back for some limited runs…! But in the meantime, they sure have stepped up their game..
Many are still sub $300 even with scabbards, but one of their nicer new ones that showcases just how far Windlass have come is the Faithkeeper Templar Sword:
FAITHKEEPER – Sword of the Knights Templar
The detail is stunning, and you know with a spring tempered 1080 carbon steel sharpened blade, it’s ornate but sure is no ornament. Comes with a matching dagger too. Until not so recently, you would pay the full price just for such a scabbard alone..
But my personal favorite, the Ulfberht Viking Sword – still crazy good value for under $300 SHIPPED..
This section isn’t as big as it was in years previously, but Windlass know how to make a really nice rapier, among other later period swords. But the one in here I like the most, isn’t actually a rapier and is a bit hard to categorize as it was late medieval, Renaissance and even exists into the modern era..
Try cutting with one and you will understand..
A dedicated Saber section will be coming soon, though it doesn’t really fit there either. Honestly, it is in a league of its own.. And man, these swords are FUN!!!
Shields and Other Medieval Weapons
What use is an arming sword without a shield? Well, it’s still good – but the sword and shield combo has proved effective since time immorial, so we added a bunch of high quality shields from huge Roman Scutum, to knightly kite shields, Celtic targes, bucklers and a few Viking shields for good measure. But my favorite, well, the Axes and the Maces always make me kind of wince when I look at them. But the thing I like the most from this section is a new series from Windlass called ‘Asgard Creations’ which are the coolest Viking style gift box ideas I have ever seen!
You get a functional and stylish hand axe, raven themed dagger – both in tempered 1055 carbon steel – and a lovely display box making it one of the coolest gifts – either for a friend or more selfishly, the Christmas present you wished you got instead of those well meaning but oh so wrong gifts that need to be returned…
Windlass started making the official Kukri knives for the Gukra regiments since 1943 and continue making them to this day. And the best part is, these Kukri are NOT replicas, these are the same ones issues to the Gurka – and have several variants, from officers Kukri, the the Assam Rifle specialists, general issue Kukri and a massive giant of a thing with a blade longer than freaking Katana pictured below (that is 30″ of blade with a two handed grip handle!).
But they also make historical and fantasy knives, from Scottish Sgian Dubh to the sleek fantasy blade ‘Ravens Claw’ and with so many decades of experience behind them and trusted by militaries all over the world, you know they know their knives like the back of their hand!
The ‘other’ category, from cool items we picked out such as mini Conan swords, pendants, and cleaning gear essentials. And for a limited only, if you order any sword you can get anything in this category for FREE!
Just add a sword to the cart, and you will see the following message at the top of the page:
Just click that link, pick out what you like from the page and it will show up as $0 in your cart (it will still show the price when you are browsing, but when you add it to the cart, its’ free).
There’s some really cool stuff there, so have fun!
Got to love this mini letter opener, though the Viking Mug and Universal Wall hanger is kind of handy too.
We will be adding more swords and categories over the coming weeks and months, including military sabers, more training gear and more product lines, so stay tuned!
Like many fans, I got excited when I heard that Raven Forge in the UK got the go ahead to make an official replica of Altaïr’s Longsword from the Assassins Creed series. The price seemed excellent, and the initial pictures looked gorgeous (click here for their press release)
But the devil is in the details as they say, and my heart sank when I realized that instead of making it a real sword like Raven Forge is more than capable of, it was a scabbard-less stainless steel wall hanger with zinc alloy fittings…
Once again, fans who wanted a real replica with presence instead of a mere ornament, were forced to fork out thousands, wait years and take their chances on a custom made fan sword.. But with our recent collaboration with the Black Dragon Forge, we decided to change that and make a REAL version with full tang, monotempered 1095 carbon steel and tough, solid steel fittings while still ensuring it was stunning to behold yet deadly in the hand..
I am quite proud of the results – it’s a big sword with a blade neatly 36″ long (overall length is 4′) and is only $129 more than the stainless steel SLO (Sword Like Object) – and that even includes FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING!
So if you are a true fan of Assassins Creed, or just like a super cool looking fantasy Longsword, we have you covered!
We hope everyone enjoyed a joyful Christmas, full of festive cheer and time well-spent with loved ones. As we transition into the New Year, we wanted to inform you that while our shippers are taking a well-deserved break until January, we remain open for business, albeit with a reduced crew.
Exciting Updates for Project X and Forge Direct
We’re thrilled to share some major updates for Project X and Forge Direct. Recently, on October 23rd, Project X parted ways with “Ronin Katana” due to some unfortunate business practices on their end. If you missed the details, you can catch up here
To keep it brief, the separation revealed that SBG wasn’t receiving its fair share (or rather, Ronin was taking way more than their fair share) which caused us to (unwittingly) not be able to offer as much value as was actually possible for both Project X and Forge Direct offerings. While this was a tough lesson in trust, it has paved the way for a significant transformation.
The New and Improved Project X Soshu Kitae (Version 4.0)
The first noticeable enhancement in Project X swords is the expanded range of fittings and customization options.
OLD FITTING SELECTION
NEW FITTING SELECTION
Previously, we charged extra for elite fitting sets and saya, with custom Katana prices ranging from $1,150 to $1,405. Now, EVERYTHING is included at one flat, low price without any additional charges.
The new selection is a substantial upgrade. All premium options, once subject to extra fees, are now part of the package. The blade quality has also been enhanced, maintaining the exceptional standards you expect from Project X.
Lead times have been drastically reduced from 8-10 weeks to just 4-6 weeks. And for those who seek the utmost in customization, the price has dropped significantly. Previously, with all premium options, the cost could reach $1,405. Now, you get everything for just $999.95 for the Katana and $879.95 for the Wakizashi or Ko Katana, including FREE worldwide shipping.
But the evolution doesn’t stop there. The Project X offshoot, Forge Direct Japanese, has been streamlined and integrated under the Project X umbrella. This alignment brings uniformity in fittings and options, with some distinct differences:
The blade material: Master Smith Forged T10 Tool Steel instead of Soshu Kitae
The lead time: 3-4 weeks instead of two months
The price: Previously $840 to $1,095, now just $699.95 for the Katana and $599.95 for the Wakizashi or Ko Katana
There has to be a catch, and here it is: the Lunar New Year Holiday is approaching, which means our forge will pause operations just as we launch these revamped swords. While the timing is less than ideal and lead times will temporarily revert to the old schedule, we assure you that the wait will be worth it. The quality and craftsmanship of these swords will reflect the dedication and fresh energy of our Master Smiths when they return from their break.
