It started with the Wolfsbane, then the High King Sword – but the two most recent GoT inspired creations have taken it to another level..
Well, one of them has taken it to the highest level – with a one off, one time 1:1 scale replica of ‘the Iron Throne’.
Count ’em if you can, 112 blades – all 5160 Spring Steel!
Only one has and will be made, and with a $15,000 price tag, it might be a while before it finds its final home. But there can be no denying they did and amazing job of replicating it.
And then there is another sword, this time a hybrid of fact and fantasy – a sword never seen in the series, but attributed to one of the most important characters, Daenerys and called the Mother of Dragons Sword
The owner of Darksword Armory, Eyal Azerad, has travelled extensively to museums around the world and was inspired by this particular blade he saw at the Wallace Collection in London (see below, click for the full size image)
The original the design is based on
In the video below, Eyal explains how it all came about, how it feels in the hand and what made them decide on its final form.
As you can see, they pulled it off very, very well..
Just $485 with the works at the SBG Sword Store
As is always the case, the SBG Sword Store offers the best deal on this blade – normally the price is $510 for sharpening and the Deluxe scabbard plus shipping and 15% sales tax for Canadian customers. But at SBG you can get it with all the bells and whistles, no sales tax and FREE SHIPPING for just $485!
It’s always exciting to report the release of a new sword – but doubly exciting (or quadruplely exciting technically, though as far as I know that’s not actually a valid expression).. Anyway, clearly I am excited – here’s why.
The first sword is a what is commonly called a Wing Chun Butterfly Sword, they trace their lineage back around 200 years and variations were used in many Southern Chinese Kung Fu styles, such as Hung Gar, Choy Li Fut and others and were often used by revolutionary fighters and rebels, small enough to be concealed in a sleeve and often (but not always) used as a pair.
Includes Leather Sheathe and Display Box
Our version, brought to you by our good friends at Ryujin, has a differentially hardened 1095 carbon steel blade with brass handle and is one of the best made functional Butterfly Swords on the market. Normally sold for $229.99 each, order 1 for just $159.99 – or TWO or more and the price comes down to $139.99 each.
Here’s a couple of budget Katana that don’t look cheap..
Most of our swords at SBG are at the mid to high end of the market, but when we saw these basic monotempered 1045 carbon steel blades (which could be passed off as ANYTHING by some unscrupulous sellers) the overall designs and totally unique fittings, we just could not resist..
Doesn’t look half badSimple but beautiful – a classic design
First one is the most subtle, black saya with a Geisha print, blue ito – subtly painted tsuba – stylish and classy all the way.
But the second one, some might say is garish or over the top. But me, well – I love it!
There’s a lot to take in here so lets try to break it downFaux silver pleather over black rayskin with silver sageo and unique habaki Tsuba, dedicated to Miyamoto Musashi in both writing and styleAnd that saya..
It’s called the ‘Golden Dragon’ due to the Dragon on the Saya, but there is a lot to take in on this one that you probably haven’t seen on any other sword.
The blades are well tempered and have bo-hi, weighing around 2.2 -2.3lbs, so they are fast and responsive should it come to cutting. But I would think that they are instead “functional sword art” on special and available at a fraction of their true value (both are under $80!).
And finally, a classic reproduction
And finally, from one of my favorite childhood TV series and the movie – Shogun Assassin – the Dotanuki of Ogami Itto from Lone Wolf and Son.
Look closely at the clam shell tsuba..
If you haven’t seen the series or the condensed version known as ‘Shogun Assassin’ first, go see it. NOW! Here’s a few scenes that barely do it justice..
https://youtu.be/2Dcrhg5SDWA
Anyway, it was THIS series that inspired Sword Artisan Frenchie Jin from Dragon King’s interest in swords, and so he has created a faithful replica from the series down to every detail.
One inch sori, ribbed saya, even a Kozuka throwing knife concealed in the tsuba.
A tad expensive at $1,199 – naturally at SBG we have slashed the price to the bone, and you can pick it up for $779.99. Limited stock on a truly collectible blade for die hard fans of one of the best Japanese Sword Stories in Manga, TV and as a movie.
Until Project X Japanese revived itself with its new premium Soshu Kitae Laminated Custom Katana line – our premium offering for custom made Katana were the T10 blades made by the Master Smiths at a different forge. Well known for exceptional handling, effortless cutting on a wide variety of targets and excellent build quality and QC control – priced so close to the Project X blades, they are feeling the pinch (basically, this is the two best forges in Longquan with their best Katana going head to head!).
As such, we have negotiated a serious price reduction in the entire Forge Direct Katana Line and trimmed down our prices as low as they can go WITHOUT sacrificing the quality and the QC this line is known for (99% satisfaction rate!)
The Forge Direct Price Mark Downs
The Master Smith Forge Direct Katana, was $899.99 now $749.99!
Each sword in the series has been permanently marked down, and as usual, every penny of the savings are passed on to you guys. So now it’s $799.99 $699.99 for the Laminated Muramasa$899.99 $749.99 for the standard custom Katana, $999 $879.99 for the O-Katana and $699.99, $549.99 for a Wakizashi or Ko Katana (sorry, we don’t have good enough fittings available to make a decent matching Tanto as well).
The only bad news is that because some of the saya in series are considerably more ornate and expensive to make than others (Some cost us over $150), the high end ones will have to be made as optional extras.
Painstakingly hand painted, saya like this are worth close to $200. We will absorb as much of the prices of these ornate blades as possible but have to choice but to charge extra.
The good news is though is that from now on every saya will have buffalo horn components. (We would love to be able to keep these high end saya in with the price reduction, but the margins are so thin now we require an additional charge so we don’t end up losing the shirts off our backs).
In addition to lower pricing and the more custom options generally, the other major difference is lead time. From ordering to completion, the turnaround for a Forge Direct Katana is 4-6 weeks and is available almost all year round. Project X on the other hand still needs to be made in batches that only come around 3-4 times a year as they are so complicated to make that there will be a maximum of 30 swords per batch and the lead time will be 3-4 months..
So a longer wait and only available 3 times a year, but that’s what it takes these days to make the very best possible custom swords (and still quite reasonable when the waiting lists alone for some smiths is years)..
This will make choosing which custom sword to go for easier. Our very best blades take longer and a lot of patience is required – but because of what you end up with and all our quality guarantees – for those with the patience it is well worth the wait.
The ever popular Forge Direct Custom Katana on the other hand will be readily available almost all year round, has more custom options and boasts a simpler but incredibly beautiful and refined cutting blade that has to be seen in person to truly be appreciated.
And of course, with the the new price adjustments, they are several hundred dollars more affordable.
And of course, for those of you who want INSTANT gratification, there is the Ryujn Custom Katana line. All the blades and components are imported into the USA and assembled within a day or two based on what custom options you select.
The only sad news in all this is the original SBG Custom Katana series.
Started well over a decade now, they were the original custom katana concept and model we hoped more honest businesses would follow and was originally designed as a valid alternative to the rip offs and fake custom swords being offered on eBay at the time..
Well, over the years the eBay sellers have gotten craftier, stronger and bolder with their claims to the point where the truth falls on deaf ears. Our attempts to underpromise and over-deliver simply cannot continue to compete with the aggressiveness of the China based sellers who overpromise and underdeliver (sometimes shockingly so – if you haven’t already, read THIS article on some of the hi-jinks these companies get up to – every dirty trick in the book and then some).
We can’t and won’t stoop to that level of lying about the steels used or promising something which we know we can’t make. So instead of going out with a whimper we will be going out with a bang. Later this month will be the FINAL Batch of the SBG Custom Katana.
Anyone who was ever on the fence about getting one or long thought about getting a matching blade of some type but never quite got around to it, the final opportunity to do so is coming very soon.
After this final batch is done, the only swords we will continue to get from the forge are some of our stocked designs like the Black Dragon Elite and other swords of my own design like my Yakuza tribute ‘Oyabun’ Shirasaya.
One of my favorite personal designs, the Japanese Gangster inspired ‘Oyabun’ Shirasaya
So that’s the situation!
In a few days time – the prices on the Forge Direct Katana line will drop, Project X will open up the second and last batch for 2019 and as Project X orders wind up, the final hurrah on the SBG Custom Katana line will begin accordingly. So stay tuned!!
While it might be an unlucky day for some, for those of you who are into somewhat more ‘sinister’ swords you just hit the jackpot.
From now until midnight Sunday the 15th we have selected 5 of our most ‘Halloweeny, Friday the thirteenthy’ themed swords to be heavily discounted this Sunday the 15th (midnight EST).
First off, 10% off EVERY sword in the Apocalypse ready A.P.O.C. series of 9260 Spring Steel blades designed by the Legendary Gus Trim.
The A.P.O.C. Tactical Sword Series designed by Angus Trim
Already priced well under $200, from now until Sunday you can save an extra 10% off our already low prices. And remember, save even more with $15 flat rate shipping for 1-2 swords and FREE SHIPPING for 3 or more, why not collect the whole set?
And then, the most wicked looking Katana ever – the ‘Shi’ Katana by Dragon King.. With skull themed silver and black fittings as a theme, it sports a stunning T10 tool steel blade and is no mere ornament.
Black with flashes of silver (habaki, menuki, etc) never has there been such a sinister looking blade as this one.. Even zombies would run away..The skull themed iron tsuba with real silver accented toothGeometric Yokotote with high end polish and thick and juicy boshi
Normal MSRP on this one is just a few $ shy of 1K, but you can get it for just $499.99 until midnight this Sunday..
Based on Norse myths of the ‘light elves’ and the light elves in the works of J.R.R. Tolkein, the Vindaaris is a stunning fully functional fantasy sword designed by Terry Maranda who has been working closely with Darksword Armory for the last 10 years as a weapon designer, and according to his website, is one of his favorite creations to date.
Available in two versions, one a limited edition run of only 50 pcs, while large and heavy, it is balanced exactly at the Ricasso – allowing surprisingly good handling while delivering almost unstoppable blows. Below are the two versions available.
Click for a larger image
The differences between the two are subtle, with the script and fuller of the Dean Marino limited edition version running the full length of the blade.
Includes a stunning and very suitable scabbard embossed with the Elvish script and overall, is a design that any lover of fantasy swords will find very hard to resist.
Includes the advanced suspension system, belt and ornate scabbard
A few more pics, first one showing the blade without the wood core handle so you can see the thickness of the tang.
As usual, we offer the very best deal on these blades – with FREE sharpening (usually an additional $30) and FREE shipping (quite often considerably MORE than $30) plus it comes with our standard satisfaction or your money back guarantee.
