Blogs | True Swords

Read about all things sword related here at the True Swords blog. Whether you want to know learn the history of modern katana, or how medieval swords were forged, you can learn about it here! We'll keep you up to date on all the new blades from the best sword makers like Shinwa, Musashi and even Cold Steel. There will be humor, learning and even awesome cutting demonstration videos and photos. Bookmark this page to always get the latest scoop on everything sword related.

The Arsenal of the Norse: A Guide to Viking Weapons

The Vikings, seafaring Norse warriors from Scandinavia, were not just fearsome raiders and explorers, but also skilled craftsmen and tacticians... read more

Western Sword Stances, Guards, and Techniques

Let’s not mince words. There are some right ways to hold a sword, and there are many wrong ways. Moreover, understanding the stances and guards.... read more

The Cultural Influence of the Katana in the West: From Myth to Modern Symbol

The katana, the curved and slender longsword of the Japanese samurai, has transcended its original martial function to become one of the most iconic cultural artifacts in the global imagination, especially in the West... read more

Everything You Wanted to Know About a Blackthorn Shillelagh

Ever heard of a shillelagh? That’s pronounced “shill-AY-lee” with stress on the second syllable, and it comes from Irish Gaelic.... read more

A Japanese Sword Glossary: Getting Familiar with the Terminology of a Real Samurai Sword

There are many terms associated with Japanese swords that are foreign to those who are only familiar with western sword terminology.... read more

About the Hamon of a Real Samurai Sword

If you’ve ever seen or handled a real samurai sword before - such as a katana or an odachi sword - you may be familiar with that cloudy, wavy line along the edge of the blade, which is as unique as a fingerprint, and which adds great beauty to the blade..... read more

The Proper Way to Swing a Katana: A Technical Guide

The katana, in Japanese culture, is thought to be an extension of the soul, a tool of discipline, and a symbol of honor.... read more

The Basic Uses for a Tactical Axe: A Complete Guide for Beginners

The tactical axe is one of the most versatile tools in the world of survival gear, self-defense, and utility equipment.... read more

Live Cutting Practice with Your Sword: Target Options (Plus Some Not-So-Good Ones)

So you think you’ve just gotten one of the best swords for self defense or you’re otherwise interested in live swordplay... read more

The Seax Sword: A Comprehensive History of the Blade of the Saxons

The seax sword, sometimes spelled sax, is one of the most iconic and distinctive bladed weapons of early medieval Europe.... read more

How to Identify a Real Samurai Sword

Samurai swords are in vogue, making them among the most popular patterns of swords sold on the market... read more

Katana Blade Steels: A Short Guide

The latter two will be the focus of this article, as there is a conundrum among swordsmiths that does not plague knifemakers... read more

All About the Odachi Sword, the Katana’s Larger Cousin

You’ve heard of the tanto, the wakizashi, and the katana - maybe even some more obscure elements of Japanese martial arts like naginata and yumi.... read more

Common Battle Ready Sword Patterns and Profiles

History is rich with a dizzying array of battle-ready swords and weapons from all across the globe..... read more

A Primer on Viking Swords

The Norsemen, also sometimes known as the northmen and more popularly as the Vikings, were a group of seafaring Germanic peoples that hailed from the Northern Areas of Europe - Norway, Sweden, and Scandinavia in general. ...... read more

Sting: The Legendary Blade of Frodo Baggins

The world of The Lord of the Rings is filled with legendary weapons, each with its own unique history and significance. Among them, one of the most iconic is Frodo’s sword Sting...... read more

Introducing the Definitive Ichigo Cosplay Sword

Ichigo Kurosaki, the protagonist of BLEACH, is defined by many things; his spiky red hair, his brown eyes, and his stringent adherence to a rigid code of honor that guides his fighting style..... read more

Defense Umbrellas: Security and Secrecy

You’ve heard of sword canes and shillelaghs. Now get ready to meet the best-kept self-defense secret in the industry, which offers next-level discretion paired with function and serviceability. It’s a defense umbrella, and this quick guide covers why it makes one of the best defensive weapons out there.... read more

The Swords of Tolkien’s The Hobbit

The swords featured in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit films—Glamdring, Orcrist, and Sting—are not merely weapons but deeply symbolic artifacts tied to Middle-earth’s rich history and mythology.... read more

8 Things Never to Do with Your Replica Blade Sword

Congratulations! You are now the proud owner of your first replica blade sword - and maybe it’s even a battle ready sword, which means you can actually use it for training or live cutting practice... read more

Caring for Swords and Weapons: A Basic Guide

Battle-ready swords and weapons, such as axes and maces, though they are built to high standards of quality and construction that render them suitable for training and use, require special notes for care and maintenance... read more

Safely Using and Caring for Your Axe Blade

It’s important to remember that an axe’s blade is a tool as much as a weapon, and has a lot of uses, from splitting wood to squaring timbers... read more

Four of our Top Functioning Swords

By Adelia Ladson We’re excited about this selection of functional swords. There are so many incredible swords from katanas and wakizashis to cosplay and medieval swords. Here, at True Swords, w... read more

The Top Five Mistakes People Make When Buying a Sword

By Adelia Ladson Buying a sword is an important decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly. You are investing in either a beautifully crafted weapon, a stunning display piece or a head-turning cosplay accessory. Those are so... read more

Which "The Lord of the Rings" Weapon Should You Carry?

By Adelia Ladson There are some seriously incredible weapons in "The Lord of the Rings." Each of the weapons exactly fits the character who wields it. However, there are three weapons that seem to be the most popular for p... read more

Who Used it Better?

By Adelia Ladson There are a lot of great movie scenes out there with weapon fights between characters. They make action movies exciting and some of the fights are really incredible. I was thinking about some of my favorit... read more

Ten Rules of Cosplay Etiquette

By Adelia Ladson Cosplay events can be exciting, fun and just a great way to spend a couple of days or so, whether you're a participant or guest. Sometimes all the excitement can be a little overwhelming, causing us to for... read more

Get Your Steampunk On!

Steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction and sometimes fantasy that incorporates technology and aesthetic designs inspired by 19th Century industrial steam-powered machinery. &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp-Wikipedia ... read more

The Top Six CSGO Karambit Skins

By Adelia Ladson Counter Strike: Global Offensive (CSGO) has continued to rise in popularity with gamers since it exploded onto the scene in 2012. Exciting new weapons and equipment were added in this new installment of th... read more

Top Sword Predictions for 2016

By Adelia Ladson I’ve been looking around our warehouse and our website, here, at the end of the year, and it really made me excited thinking about the New Year and what it would bring. We have so many incredible swords, n... read more

What's Your Sword IQ?

By Adelia Ladson Swords are incredible weapons, collector's items and historical artifacts. They come in all shapes and sizes, based on the era and part of the world they're from. I believe when man first picked up a sword... read more

Top Five Swords to Slay a Dragon

By Adelia Ladson Do you need to slay a dragon? If you do, you need to have a sword that you can count on to get the job done. It needs to feel balanced in your hand when you’re wielding it and have a comfortable and secure... read more

Are You Aligned With the Empire or the Rebellion?

By Adelia Ladson Is Darth Vader, the Dark Lord, your hero and mentor or is it Luke Skywalker, the Rebel hero, who you feel more akin to? The Galaxy is divided into two sides so you have to choose a side. Which side do you... read more

Five Funny Cosplay Fails

By Adelia Ladson There’s good cosplay and there’s bad cosplay. When it’s done correctly, dressing in costume to pay tribute to a favorite fictional character can be really cool. I’ve seen some incredible costumes out there... read more

What the #$!%!@ is Clay Tempering?

By Adelia Ladson Some of you out there may not know what it means when the description of one of our swords says that it has been “clay tempered.” I didn’t know either, when I first started. I mean it could have meant, as ... read more

Ten Things Bleach Fans Can't Live Without

By Adelia Ladson If you’re a hardcore Bleach fan there are just certain things you can’t live without. Here is our list of the top ten: 1. Tite Kubo The no-brainer number one on the list is Tite Kubo (author and artist... read more

Sun Tzu's Art of War is Still Relevant

By Adelia Ladson Few books have stood the test of centuries and have remained as relevant as “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu. Written by the Chinese general as a treatise on military strategy, it’s still studied and put in to pr... read more

Top Five Gift Ideas for Sword Lovers

By Adelia Ladson With the holidays approaching it’s time to start thinking about gifts. You want to get that perfect present for each of your loved ones and friends. If you have a sword lover in your family, let us make i... read more

Seven Life-Saving Sword Stories

By Adelia Ladson Now, I do not advocate using a sword as your primary home defense. The reality is that a gun has a better range and is, most of the time, quicker. I’ve also heard that, when it comes to a would-be burglar ... read more

Musashi Himself Would Carry These Swords

By Adelia Ladson Miyamoto Musashi built and left an incredible legacy in the art of swordsmanship. Much of his knowledge he imparted in his “The Book of Five Rings,” which is still required reading in many martial arts schoo... read more

You Need to Train with a Bokken

By Adelia Ladson I know that “I’m preaching to the choir” to a majority of you on this subject but I also know that there are still quite a few of you out there who really need to read this and take note. So, you bought tha... read more

Seven Things Not to Do with Your Katana

By Adelia Ladson When you spend your hard-earned money on something, generally, you take care of it and use it properly. You respect its value and consider it an investment, especially if it is a higher price ra... read more

Vampires Check this Out!

By Adelia Ladson Any Vampires out there looking for unique gifts to give or keep? Don’t despair, we have a variety of things to choose from that you will find complimentary to your nocturnal lifestyle. We’ve been told by our ... read more

Don't Fear the Grim Reaper

By Adelia Ladson The Grim Reaper as an iconic image and character has lived in popular culture for time out of mind. This image of death is depicted in art, in music and in film. If you mention “The Grim Reaper” to someone,... read more

Are You a Hobbit or an Orc?

By Adelia Ladson I know that this is a question that you’ve asked yourself and wondered, “Am I a Hobbit or an Orc?” No fear. I’m going to give you some guidelines to go by to make that decision. You can finally answer this im... read more

Did You Know That We Engrave our Knives?

By Adelia Ladson You may not know this but here at True Swords, we offer engraving on some of our items. We do it right here in our facility, so, there’s no extra wait time on receiving your item. You should definitely consid... read more

The Top Five Video Games of All Time

By Adelia Ladson After pouring through dozens of websites with top video game lists, I have come to the conclusion that these are the Top Five Video Games of all times. The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of T... read more

You Need to Get a Sword and Knife Sharpener

By Adelia Ladson Buying any item with a blade, whether it’s a knife, an axe or a sword, is an investment. Taking care of and maintaining your blade will ensure that you get the most out of your investment. A knife will serv... read more

Check Us Out on Social Media

By Adelia Ladson If you really want to be in the know on what we’ve got going on over here at True Swords, then you need to go and check out our social media sites. Find us on Face Book at Face Book and... read more

Will Video Games Eventually Kill Board Games?

By Adelia Ladson Decades ago, now, video games made their appearance in popular culture, giving the centuries-old tradition of playing board games a run for their money. In the late Seventies, somewhere between the neon lig... read more

The Legend of Zelda is a Classic

By Adelia Ladson Released in North America by Nintendo in 1987, “The Legend of Zelda” has become an American classic that has entertained generations of children and adults alike – me and my brother included. I can still ... read more

How to Carry a Katana on Your Back

By Adelia Ladson Traditionally, the Samurai class carried their katanas at their sides, held in place by their obis (sashes). The Samurai were all about presentation and their weapons were included in that. They were as m... read more

How to Buy A Samurai Sword

By Adelia Ladson Here’s just a little bit of history about the Samurai, first, before I talk about making your sword purchase. The Samurai were an aristocratic warrior class in feudal Japan. They actually carried two swor... read more

Displaying Your Sword

By Adelia Ladson Based on what kind of space you have, there are a couple of ways to display your sword or swords. You can display them with a freestanding display system or a wall-mounted display system. Both kinds of st... read more

How to Throw a Knife

By Adelia Ladson Knife throwing is an age-old pastime both as recreation and as friendly competition that has brought hours of fun to friends and families. It has become a worldwide sport with associations that sponsor co... read more

How to Clean a Samurai Sword

By Adelia Ladson This is a complete sword cleaning kit. This is a complete sword cleaning kit. If you have invested your time and money in choosing and purchasing the beautiful Samurai Sword, of your dreams,... read more

What is an OTF Knife

By Adelia Ladson For those of you who might not know, when you see a knife listed as an OTF, it stands for "out-the-front" and means that it is a knife with a blade that extends straight from the handle. The important thin... read more

Types of Blade Points

By Adelia Ladson If you've been looking for a knife and you are not a collector or connoisseur you may not know the difference between the different blade points that are available to you. When purchasing a knife, this is ... read more

Our Favorite Super Heroes

By Adelia Ladson Super Heroes have been a part of our lives since we were kids and picked up that first comic book or saw that first action-packed cartoon or live-action movie. We love them because, in a way, we want to be... read more

Putting Together the Perfect Suit of Armor

By Adelia Ladson If you really want to look impressive and authentic when participating in a Medieval cosplay event, than you should consider putting together the right collection of armor to wear. The right costuming not ... read more

What is the Difference Between Anime and Manga?

By Adelia Ladson As any connoisseur will tell you there is a big difference between Anime and Manga and don't make the mistake of getting them confused. According to Wikipedia, Anime is "a term used to refer to Japanese an... read more

In a Fight, Who Would Win? Worf or Jon Snow

By Adelia Ladson I love epic battles in movies, television or on the pages of comic books. Nothing is more exciting than two competitors fighting to the death with or without weapons causing major damage to buildings, stre... read more

Know Your Types of Swords

By Adelia Ladson Swords have slashed and thrust their way through centuries, shaping history through battles and single combat. Developing from the dagger during the Bronze Age, they have continued to change and evolve into ... read more

Types of Blade Steel

By Adelia Ladson When choosing a blade, consider the purpose you need it for and the tasks you need it to perform. Blades are made of steel but there is a variety of different "recipes" to the way the ingredients of steel ar... read more

A Katana is the Best Weapon Against a Vampire

By Adelia Ladson I read a blog the other day that took a strong stance that whatever "The Walking Dead" may portray, a katana is not the best weapon against zombies. So, it got me thinking, "What monster is the best target... read more

Damascus Steel

History of Damascus Steel The production of Damascus steel can be traced thousands of years ago to the country of India. To this day, no one knows the exact elements and heat components that ancient swordsm... read more

Villains Have the Best Weapons

By Adelia Ladson You got to love a great villain because if it wasn't for them the heroes would have no purpose in life. Along with those villains goes their weapon of choice, which is usually just as badass as they are. H... read more

United Cutlery Brings TolKien Weapons to Life

By Casey Tate Orcrist drawings and renderings. Orcrist drawings and renderings. Over the course of the past two decades, United Cutlery has brought to life a well-loved story, in vivid detail, by manufacturing... read more

Discreet Self-Defense is Important

By Adelia Ladson As a woman, self-defense is very important to me because, in society, personal attacks on women are still more prevalent than on men. This is never going to change. The most important thing is to be ready an... read more

Top Ten Movie Swords

By Adelia Ladson Listen up all of you sword collectors out there! True Swords has gathered together some of the most exceptional movie replica swords that you will ever see in one location. You will not find the variety in... read more

Here Are Some Creative Uses for Ninja Throwing Stars

By Adelia Ladson We all know that throwing stars were an important weapon in a ninja's arsenal but I believe that their value is totally underestimated, as I have found a variety of uses for them apart from taking down a b... read more

Ninja Weapons and Tools of the Trade

By Adelia Ladson Images like this one portray the ninja as dressing in all-black. Images like this one portray the ninja as dressing in all-black. During the 15th century in feudal Japan, the ninja became a pr... read more

Sword Canes: You Need to Own One

By Adelia Ladson The sword cane or swordstick , as it has been called in the past, really became a popular fashion accessory for gentlemen during the 18th and 19th centuries in Europe. This was because it was becoming pol... read more

Why Own a Handmade Sword: Benefits of Hand Crafted Weapons

Sure, we love swords! We love playing with them, cutting stuff up, and plain old putting them up on the display shelf. Through movies and TV shows, we have seen hero-brandishing swords in epic duels carried out in spectacula... read more

Ten Cool Swords You Wished You Owned

You've finally got your own place (well...renting counts). It's newish and awesome and all yours. You realize you have no furniture. “What's the best thing I can get to make my home look awesome!?” you ask yourself. “A sword!... read more

Why 'Bleach' is the Best Anime Ever

“Bleach” is fantastic. You, smartass that you are, probably guessed I'd say something like that based on the title! Hang on a second, you think to yourself, what makes “Bleach” so special? I mean... It's alright, but the best... read more

Top 10 reasons You Know You Are an Anime Fan

If you do any of these things on a regular basis then chances are you like anime...a lot. Anime captures the imagination of thousands of people across the world. Anime captures the imagination of thousands of people... read more

Zippo is an American Icon

By Adelia Ladson Take out your Zippo and really look at it. (If you don't have one, this is the perfect excuse to treat yourself.) Do you realize that you are holding an American icon in your hand? The Vietnam Era Zi... read more

The Top Five Swords

Nobody knows swords like True Swords, and we are proud to be the premier retailer of the world’s best selection of top-quality swords. We like any sword we can get our hands on, but there are a few sword makers that stand out... read more

Top Weapons to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse

When faced with imminent danger, our brains have two default reactions: fight or flight. The ultimate goal is survival and longevity. All bets are off when an army of zombies overrun your neighborhood; in that scenario we hav... read more

How to Use a Tactical Tomahawk Axe

Being a versatile tool, the tomahawk axe has been consistently used for self-defense, warfare, camping, excavation and other utility applications. To appreciate and understand how to use a tactical Tomahawk Axe it is imperati... read more

Top 5 Weapons from Sword Art Online

Kirito and Asuna Kirito and Asuna You wake up one morning and instead of being in your bed, you are standing at the base of Aincrad. The only way to make it back home is to fight your way through... Sound familiar? ... read more

How To Hunt With A Spear

Straight off the bat, the spear has been man’s best friend for centuries! Well, maybe the spear and man’s canine companion. However, man has used the spear for as long as half a million years. Earliest usage of the spear can ... read more

Wakizashi Sword History

Japanese samurai shown wearing Wakizashi swords. Japanese samurai shown wearing Wakizashi swords. Traditionally carried by the samurai class of feudal Japan, the wakizashi has a long history and noteworthy presence i... read more