Category Archives: Paul’s Rants

Occasional outbursts or information leaks that the community may or may not find amusing. Mostly just for the editors stress relief or to get something off my chest that is bothering me..!

Go Big or Go Home: The Last Chance to Secure Swords at 2024 Prices Ahead of Tariffs and Trade War..

By | | , ,
Leave a comment

Introduction
The sword market is facing a seismic shift. With new tariffs on Chinese imports set to take effect on May 2, prices are expected to skyrocket by 30-54% on all incoming shipments. If you’ve ever considered expanding your collection or stocking up, this is your last chance to do so before the price surge.

What’s Happening?
The U.S. government has imposed new tariffs on Chinese imports, with rates reaching 54% on swords and all other imported items.

This means that all swords arriving after May 2 will be subject to these increased costs, leading to inevitable price hikes. Additionally, any ‘direct from the forge’ orders—including Project X, Black Dragon Forge, and Swordier—will face delays and additional tariff charges for U.S. customers.


Why Act Now?

  1. Prices are locked at 2024 rates until May 2—after that, expect significant increases.
  2. Stock is limited—once current inventory is gone, restocking will come at a much higher cost.
  3. Tariff-related delays—ordering now ensures faster delivery before the new regulations take effect.

Final Call: Go Big or Go Home

This isn’t just another price adjustment—it’s a fundamental shift in the sword market. Whether you’re a collector, a practitioner, or a reseller, now is the time to secure your swords before the tariffs take effect. Once May 2 arrives, the value of swords will go through the roof.

Don’t wait—shop now and lock in 2024 prices while you still can.

SBG Sword Store

Dum, dum, dum, dum..!

By | | , ,
Leave a comment

No, it’s not a drum roll – it’s the quiet sound of an idiot listing the wrong swords to the wrong pages and deals.

Originally the idea was to offer a crazy $299 deal on the Dragon King Seasonal series until Valentines day (because let’s be honest, unless it’s a flower sword, it probably won’t sell well).

I was surprised they were not selling well when most everything else was – and so after royally stuffing it up, the deal gets extended until the end of the month..

As Kano from the Mortal remake would say in his strong Aussie accent “f**k’n oops!”

Sorry guys! Too busy getting ready for what’s coming NEXT…! Seriously, this year is just warming up..

The Frustrating Saga of Buying Swords Internationally…

By | | ,
Leave a comment

Until 2019, the world was a much friendlier place for sword enthusiasts outside the USA. Back then, there were plenty of third-party services that made it relatively easy to order swords and have them shipped to your home country. These services were a godsend for collectors, re-enactors, martial artists, and anyone else with a passion for swords.

But then, things took a turn for the worse. Swords started getting singled out, and not in a good way. Suddenly, shipping swords internationally became a nightmare. Many US-based sword stores stopped shipping overseas due to concerns about fraud, shipping restrictions, and the hassle of additional paperwork. Even carriers flat out refused to carry swords for no legitimate reason other than they could.

For those of us living outside the USA, this meant dealing with massive local markups on a severely limited selection of swords. We were forced to resign ourselves to paying exorbitant prices for inferior products because it was just easier and sometimes the only way to get our hands on a decent sword.

Mail forwarders, which were originally designed to help US expats and digital nomads receive their mail and packages from the USA, became our only hope. These services provided us with a US address, allowing us to order swords directly from American sellers. However, even these forwarders started showing disdain for their sword-collecting customers. Many prohibited sharp objects and weapons. Even scissors or heaven forbid, shears or gardening equipment..

The situation is changing all the time, and it’s hard to keep up with the latest restrictions and hoops we need to jump through. It’s frustrating to see how something as simple as buying a sword has become so complicated and expensive for those of us outside the USA.

So, to all the sword enthusiasts out there, I say: stay strong, keep searching, and don’t give up. We deserve better than this!

  • Paul Southren (/end rant)