Category Archives: Industry News and Happenings

New Dragon Dao MK II and other BIG changes going on over at Forge Direct & Project X

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We have a tried a LOT of unique traditional Chinese sword designs over the years. But it would seem that as the industry has slowed down and lost momentum for high end Chinese swords (and honestly, who can blame them, some of the entry level stuff is pretty darned good!) – the time has come to more or less settle on the designs that will define the brand.

So quietly over the last few weeks and months, we have been re-organizing Forge Direct Chinese – bringing back two new blades, and getting rid of almost all the others until we have the best of the best, those blades that customers send us in glowing reviews time after time.

‘Swords’ such as the ‘Boar Killing Spear’ (technically a short hafted blade with extra long handle):

BOAR KILLING SPEAR IS BACK

And then at the Elite end, the complex Windsteel laminated folded blade and stunning fittings of the Monkey King sword (and with this one, if you need to ask how much it is, then you can’t afford it):

RETURN OF THE MONKEY KING

And then, one final hurrah on two swords before they go before the end of the month – the NEW Four Beasts Jian and the Dragon Tiger Jian. Maybe it was the economy, maybe people just didn’t like them – but they are on crazy discount pricing over on the HOT SPECIALS section until the end of the month, after which they join the sword graveyard in the sky..

And if that was not enough, at the end of the month we are also discontinuing our Project X Elite high polish Choji Katana and it will be sold off at Forge Direct levels until the end of the month.

It’s pretty crazy how the sword industry often doesn’t actually buy what it says it really wants – but either way, they aren’t many of these in the world so if you want a truly unique blade before its too late in a few days time, you had better put that custom order together quick quick..

Hi Polish Katana
Hi Polish Wakizashi

And FINALLY (told you there was a lot of Forge Direct and Project X news going on right now) – we are proud to announce what might well be the last addition to the Forge Direct family.. The Dragon Dao Mk II!

Unlike the limited edition of 20pcs (that ran for around $1800 or so) – the simplified but hardly ‘stripped back’ version of the Dragon Dao is available all year long, looks as mean as hell and one cut and you will be hooked for life..

Check it out and the entire brand new and we hope more permanent, stable line up over at Forge Direct today:

Forge Direct

3 Super Cool Lord of the Rings Inspired Swords at Darksword Armory

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We have been ardent supporters of Darksword Armory since the beginning. Even though their earliest swords were ‘rustic’ at best and needed refinement, refinement and Darksword fit together like a hand and gauntlet.. And man, have we seen some amazing designs and tough, no-nonsense swords over the years..

There was one in particular I ALWAYS wanted to sell, but Darksword could never keep up with demand to be able to supply it themselves, never mind offer it somewhere else, and that was their Anduril replica.. So it is with absolute DELIGHT that I am proud to offer the most recent and true to the books version Darksword have ever made!

To say that they have taken this already fantastic sword to a never level is a total understatement. From the engraved and perfectly tempered 5160 blade to the fittings, I mean even the darned quillion looks good!

Now the new Anduril is a pretty darned act to follow. By DSA might just have pulled it off with two other Tolkein inspired fully functional masterpieces..

The Gurthag, a dark elven forged blade that brought great sorrow and slaughter might make the superstitious stay away from it with a 10′ pole, but for everyone else who loves I mean looking elf sword – it’s definitely one of the nicest ones out there!

And then finally, an Elven blade that makes sense to me personally – I often felt that Arming swords and Longswords don’t really suit the Elven fighting style, to be it’s either rapier or saber depending on when fighting on foot or on horseback. So High Elven King Ringil sword very much suits that latter vision.

Fans of battle ready Fantasy swords are really spoiled for choice with these three new swords. Check them out and more at our Darksword Armory page below for their full selection:

Darksword at SBG

P.S. We are working to update all our pics of the Darksword images we have in our store over the coming days, weeks and (hopefully not) months.. The newer pics are the ones with brown backgrounds, any doubts – just ask!

One more knife completes Feyd’s twin blade fighting style..

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It would seem that straight from the get go, the blades from the Dune series were the PERFECT fit for the kind of shorter, tougher and simpler, more practical blades that the series has focused on.

First there were two house Atreides swords from Dune I:

Then hot on it’s heels. the second House Atreides blade:

All very reasonable for around $250 for blades hand made in the USA. But then came along with bad guys sword, the primary sword of Feyd-Rautha:

And so it was only a question of time before his matching paired dagger joined the line up, and here it is – the knife of Feyd-Rautha to really show off his two handed, deadly fighting style;

How it is made

As is often the case, Scorpion Swords like to show some behind the scenes of how their swords were put together. As always, it starts with a block of premium quality American sourced 1095 carbon steel, which is professionally cut to shape from a template.

6 drills are pinned as it takes shape, and it is given a rough grind and shaping before being heat treated.

Now toughs as nails and refined with further edge grinding, the 6 pins are inserted and the whole thing epoxied into place so that it is effectively become one almost indestructible piece.

Finally it is sharpened to perfection, 3 extra brass pins inserted from both sides for even greater overall strength and durability, the wooden handle is wrapped in off white leather and..

Viola! The matching dagger becomes real, available by itself for $249.99 or paired with the short sword to master Feyd’s intimidating fighting style..

Get it here exclusively at SBG

3 day flash closeout sale on 4 APOC items..

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For the most part, I love the APOC series. I mean, designed by Angus Smith and covering so many unique and different blade styles that there is something to love for everyone. Especially when they are all so reasonably priced to begin with but the 9260 tempered steel can do, well, can do stuff like this:

However, there are four designs that no longer just ‘sit right’ with me. So I am making them available for one last time to anyone who they DO sit right with at the best closeout bargain sale price possible.

CHOP HOUSE KNIFE – Was $159

NOW $99.95

It’s kind of based on a cross between a Chinese Dao and a meat cleaver, but the cannibalistic connotation for this one is just a bit too much.. I get it, in hard times two legged meat is a tempting addition to the menu, but with a blade dedicated to this – it’s just a bit too gruesome and so we are discounting it down from $159 down to $99.95.

And next up, the axes – I added these as a bonus ages ago and never bothered to take them down, but while historical axes are great at SBG, I think tactical ones are just a tad too much..

So here’s the deals:

DOUBLE MUKK – Was $109.00

NOW $69.95

BARRENS PACK AXE – Was $99.00

NOW $64.95

HUNDR HATCHET – Was $89.00

NOW $59.95

So enjoy these final deals while they remain, all will be removed from the store midnight.

NO LONGER AVAILABLE

APOC Deal of the month – 3pc Daisho Discount Extraordinaire!

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This one isn’t an August ‘flash sale’ – this one is all month long, assuming stocks last that it (and while they are pretty well stocked, this deal is so good it could end up being too popular for its own good).

It took me a long time to decide to go for this deal because we are effectively offering free shipping and a WHOPPING discount on the complete APOC ‘Japanese’ series, the Katana, the Wakizashi and the Tanto (plus all their sheaths and accessories) that our margins are paper, paper thin..

But we love to give you guys a deal like this from time to time, and as long as we don’t lose too much money doing it – well, here it is – the ultimate APOC deal, the APOC Daisho Discount Extraordinaire!

BUY IT HERE

That’s right, you get all three of the Japanese style blades in the set (normally $543 plus shipping) for $329 shipped free to your door..

No catches, no special tricks, and brand new stock – it is simply one of the best deals of 2024.

Check it out right at the top of our HOT SPECIALS page today – like we said, we are pretty well stocked this deal makes me nervous how cheap it is, so it might be slim pickings as the month goes on.

HOT SPECIALS

DEAL NO LONGER AVAILABLE