So you have bought a beautiful new sword that you will be using for
practice, reenactments or just to complete an elaborate costume for
Halloween. Chances are, after you are finished playing with your new
sword you will want to put it somewhere where you can display it
proudly. Some people who just let their swords rest on a wall or in the
corner of a room, where the sword will probably be forgotten. This is
exactly why using a sword stand or a sword plaque is such a good
option for sword-owners.

A number of the swords we sell at Replica Power already come with
their own wall display or sword stand, but there are many others that
do not. We have made an effort to mention in the product descriptions
which swords come complete with a sword stand/sword plaque so make
sure to read carefully!

If you see that the sword you want to get does not come with a sword
stand or a sword plaque, it is not the end of the world – you can
definitely buy a quality stand or plaque for your new sword. Make sure
to visit our Sword Stands & Plaques section to get a feel of the
options available to display your sword.

The last thing you want to do to your new sword is keep it where it
will be forgotten. Your beautiful sword replicas are really meant to
be shown off in public, so whatever you do, make sure you have some
means of hanging your sword on the wall or putting it on a sword rack
(single-sword and multi-sword options are available). Have fun!

Something that puzzles first time sword-buyers to no end is the difference between decorative swords and battle ready swords. On any given website that sells swords, both decorative and battle-ready (sometimes called “functional”) swords mighty look virtually the same on a picture, so if you want to know which sword is which you have to read the product description carefully. We’ve written up some tips to help you be a better sword buyer when choosing between decorative and functional swords.

Decorative swords:
As the name suggests, decorative swords are not meant to see any live-action. Even though we all know that swords are made to hit things, unfortunately, if you hit your decorative sword against something hard chances are that it will bend or dent. Decorative blades are meant to be visually appealing – they are meant to be eye-candy for your basement or office, so their blades are not made of the material necessary to hit hard objects without bending. As such, the key words to look out for in product descriptions is “stainless steel”. Decorative swords are almost exclusively made out so stainless steel, which is relatively soft compared to other types of steel.

When it comes to decorative swords, styles vary wildly – most fantasy swords, movie swords and a large portion of medieval swords are purely decorative. The biggest advantage of a decorative sword is the low price – since decorative swords have not been strengthened for live-action, they tend to be on the lower end of the price scale.

Battle-Ready swords:
Unlike decorative swords, battle-ready swords are specifically manufactured for cutting/slashing/hitting things. Although functional swords will also bend and dent if you are not careful, they will definitely not be damaged as easily as the decorative swords. Battle-ready swords are usually used for historical re-enactments, mock battles and live-action role play. Since the metal needs to be harder, functional swords are often made of “carbon steel” or “damascus steel”, so those are the key words to look for in product descriptions. Since the blades have gone through strengthening processes, battle-ready swords tend to be more expensive than purely decorative swords, sometimes by as much as hundreds of dollars. This is why it is very important that you know beforehand what you are going to use the sword for before you buy. Are you going to use your new sword in a ceremony? Are you going to re-enact a viking battle?

If a product description is not clear and you don’t know if you are looking at a decorative sword or battle-ready sword, it is best to ask the vendor directly. If the vendor doesn’t know what you are talking about or doesn’t respond, then you should probably go to another sword store altogether. Swords are wonderful collectibles that will last you pretty much forever if you don’t do anything crazy with them. So with such a durable type of collectible it is important to know exactly what you are getting before you go out an buy a new sword. We hope this helped!