In rec.sport.fencing on Thu, 26 Aug 2004 13:42:24 -0400
Trim Plus Expert <trimplus@bellnet.ca> wrote:
> Hi all,
> I am looking for a smallsword, I heard that coldsteel offer some but I doubt
> about the quality of the product. I never purchased anything on the net as I
> don't really thrust what I havn't had the chance to see for myself. And
> where I am from it's very hard to find a sword that has better to do than
> hanging on a wall and not staring to much in case it breaks. I am not really
> knowledgable about quality products as I havn't the chance to hold many
> quality swords. I hope someone can help me.
How much money do you have, and what do you want to do with the sword?
If you want to fence with it, then get one made for that, which means
usually a double-wide epee with smallsword furniture.
You could email Maestro Ramon Martinez
(
http://www.martinez-destreza.com) and ask what he uses to teach
smallsword. There's also links to suppliers there, you can find what
they've got.
As far as makers go, if you can't afford custom, then you can't really
go wrong with Del Tin. Hanwei/PaulChen has got a lot better in the last
couple of years, and is considerably cheaper than Del Tin. I think
Darkwood have some early smallsword furniture, and you could mount it on
one of the short Del Tin rapier blades for something reasonably close to
late 16thC early 17th smallsword.
Zebee