“Who was the first who forged the deadly blade?
Of rugged steel his savage soul was made!” – Tibullus

Swords Gone By

A shopping mall in a city where I attended College had two primary attractions: a Borders Bookstore and a movie theatre. For me and my group of friends, there was one other store that kept us coming back: a Golf and Gift Shop. It was full of kitschy little do-dads, trinkets, and ridiculous impractical golf gear (as well as legit clubs and bags), but we didn’t care much about Golf. We came for the swords.

I often wonder how a golf shop got into the sword business. They were mostly fantasy blades, and in retrospect I would bet a lot were half-tang and unlikely to stand up to actual combat. But we didn’t care about that. They looked cool, and they ignited our imaginations. We probably drove the shop-keepers nuts because we were always looking but never buying. Being a broke commuting college student, my money was tied up in truck payments, gasoline, and books.

However, there was a time when a sword was considered a much wiser and sounder investment than any book or vehicle. But for the Medieval warrior with the luxury of choosing, the question remained – what kind of sword should they wield?