Reviewer Profile: Sean (Shadowhowler)
Nov 9, 2010 2:27:52 GMT
Post by Sean (Shadowhowler) on Nov 9, 2010 2:27:52 GMT
Sean O. Stevens
Age - 40
Grovetown, GA USA
Collecting Since: I started collecting weapons around age 15-16. At that time I collected martial arts weapons... Bo, Jo, Sai, Kama, Jian swords. I was practicing Kung Fu, Judo and Kenpo at the time... and even tho we had only barely touched on weapons, I was enamored with them. Later I added a Katana or two to my collection, even tho I had no training in them. At this point I loved martial arts movies and Samurai and my interest in weapons was growing well beyond what I was actually learning to use.
I went threw some tough times and ended up selling off almost all of my collection... then about 9 years ago I started collecting again... but this time I went all over the globe with my interests... long and short European swords, Chinese swords, Katana, anything I found interesting I started grabbing if I could afford it. Sometimes even when I could not.
Why I Collect: I have a love of hand held weapons and of warrior cultures. It hearkens back to an earlier time for me... a time that, I'm sure, is VERY overly romanticized in my mind.
Knights, Samurai, Romans, Celts, Vikings, Mongols... ALL warriors of the past are interesting to me. I find something noble and courageous about old warrior cultures, tho I am not so foolish as to be blind to their faults.
Its very hard to put into words... but the weapons I am most experienced and trained with don't hold all that much allure for me... maybe because they are too familiar? I have little practical experience with swords (except for fencing with my father) and yet I find swords to be such a pure embodiment of the warrior ideal... that I can't help wanting examples of them from all over the world.
My Collection: I am constantly buying new swords and selling/trading old swords... so my collection keeps changing. I'll try to update the list as often as I can.
Oni Forge Ryu (With Custom tsuka, itomaki and saya by Frank The Bunny)
Musasshi Black Bamboo Katana
Kris Cutlery Katana 29 with custom saya and itomaki from Frank the Bunny.
Fable Blades Fox Spirit Jian (With Natural Wood Scabbard from Maz)
BKS Anchor Cutlass (Custom CSS Scabbard)
Albion Maximilian With Scabbard by Crusader Monk
Darksword Armory Ranger Sword with custom scabbard
Albion Poitiers with Valiant Armory Scabbard
Albion Mercenary with Scabbard
Kukri House Salyan
Odinblades Mini Silvia with scabbard
Customized H/T Bastard Sword with Scabbard
Tinker WarSword with scabbard
There are a few other odd bits here and there... knives, hand axes, swords of unknown origin.



















My Wish List: Oh my goodness... where to start?
Odinblade/Longship PeaceMaker, Steerboard, Ringare, many customs.
Albion Brescia Spadona, Principe, Yoeman, Caithness, Chieftain
A&A Type L Fighting Axe, Danish Axe, German Bastard Sword, Writhen Rapier and Dagger
Atrim Tac Short Sword, Long Sword and Phat Bastard
Del Tin Gothic Hand and a Half, 13th Century Falchion
Hanwei Tactical Katana, Waki, and Tanto
Rob Miller Irish Viking Sword, Suontaka Sword
Howard Clark Katana
And of course my 'inspiration' swords... a Conan Atlantian and a Highlander Duncan Katana.
About My Reviews: I have no illusions about being as knowledgeable when it comes to swords as some of the other members... However, I think the majority of our members here at SBG are more like myself... passionate and interested in swords, but with little to know formal training in them and lacking the funds to own and handle the really high end weapons. After all, that's sort of the whole IDEA behind SBG, finding a way to still collect swords that will do more then just hang on your while when you don't have gobs of cash.
I have now had the chance, in the past 9 years, to have well over 300+ swords pass threw my hands. I've been able to cut with and handle and examine many swords ranging in price from $50 to $2,000. I like to think of myself as an 'informed amateur' at this point. My reviews are written from that perspective, with an eye toward value for your sword buying dollar.
I'm not a history buff or hard core reenactor, nor am I a trained martial artist (at least not when it comes to swords)... I'm just a passionate collector who LOVES swords of all kinds, from Scimitars to Long Swords. I don't collect anything I won't use, I enjoy backyard style cutting with my swords. I tend to be drawn to blades that are attractive and interesting to me, and my interest are varied.
I'm a HUGE fan of honest, impartial reviews... SBG helped me to much more quickly learn how to avoid crappy fake swords and what to look for in a good blade... and I very much hope to give back at least some of what I have gained from this community.
Review List:
Albion Maximilian
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=16630
Windlass Spartacus Arena Sword
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=20847
Yeshua's sword custom XVIIIb
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=20720
Traditional Filipino Weapons Chinese Jian
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8977
Hanwei Solingen Rapier
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=99
Bushido Raijin Folded Steel Katana
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=103
CAS/Hanwei Celtic Sword
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=98
Valiant Armoury Signature Bristol Sword
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=95
Hanwei Raptor Shobu Katana
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=101
Huawei Swords (Ebay) Side by Side review
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=102
Fable Blades Elven Saber and Dirk
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=93
Fable Blades Fox Jian
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=92
BKS/SBG Bastard Sword Leafblade & Strightblade
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=91
Tinker Type XII Sword
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=94
Odinblads Xa
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8150
Odinblades Green Leaf Bastard Sword
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8206
Fable Blades 'Shadowfang'
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8312
Odinblades Longship Line Verrimus
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=9240
Odinblades Longship Line Landlord
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=9381
Odinblades Longship Line Steerboard
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=9380
Odinblades Longship Line Morrigan
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=9214
Odinblade Longship Ringare Prototype
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=18551&p=224722#p224722
Albion Dane
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=10133
Atrim Tac Willoleaf Saber
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8926
Atrim ArchAngel Falchion
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8907
Darksword Armory Gothic Two Handed Sword
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=21210
Age - 40
Grovetown, GA USA
Collecting Since: I started collecting weapons around age 15-16. At that time I collected martial arts weapons... Bo, Jo, Sai, Kama, Jian swords. I was practicing Kung Fu, Judo and Kenpo at the time... and even tho we had only barely touched on weapons, I was enamored with them. Later I added a Katana or two to my collection, even tho I had no training in them. At this point I loved martial arts movies and Samurai and my interest in weapons was growing well beyond what I was actually learning to use.
I went threw some tough times and ended up selling off almost all of my collection... then about 9 years ago I started collecting again... but this time I went all over the globe with my interests... long and short European swords, Chinese swords, Katana, anything I found interesting I started grabbing if I could afford it. Sometimes even when I could not.

Why I Collect: I have a love of hand held weapons and of warrior cultures. It hearkens back to an earlier time for me... a time that, I'm sure, is VERY overly romanticized in my mind.

Its very hard to put into words... but the weapons I am most experienced and trained with don't hold all that much allure for me... maybe because they are too familiar? I have little practical experience with swords (except for fencing with my father) and yet I find swords to be such a pure embodiment of the warrior ideal... that I can't help wanting examples of them from all over the world.
My Collection: I am constantly buying new swords and selling/trading old swords... so my collection keeps changing. I'll try to update the list as often as I can.
Oni Forge Ryu (With Custom tsuka, itomaki and saya by Frank The Bunny)
Musasshi Black Bamboo Katana
Kris Cutlery Katana 29 with custom saya and itomaki from Frank the Bunny.
Fable Blades Fox Spirit Jian (With Natural Wood Scabbard from Maz)
BKS Anchor Cutlass (Custom CSS Scabbard)
Albion Maximilian With Scabbard by Crusader Monk
Darksword Armory Ranger Sword with custom scabbard
Albion Poitiers with Valiant Armory Scabbard
Albion Mercenary with Scabbard
Kukri House Salyan
Odinblades Mini Silvia with scabbard
Customized H/T Bastard Sword with Scabbard
Tinker WarSword with scabbard
There are a few other odd bits here and there... knives, hand axes, swords of unknown origin.



















My Wish List: Oh my goodness... where to start?
Odinblade/Longship PeaceMaker, Steerboard, Ringare, many customs.
Albion Brescia Spadona, Principe, Yoeman, Caithness, Chieftain
A&A Type L Fighting Axe, Danish Axe, German Bastard Sword, Writhen Rapier and Dagger
Atrim Tac Short Sword, Long Sword and Phat Bastard
Del Tin Gothic Hand and a Half, 13th Century Falchion
Hanwei Tactical Katana, Waki, and Tanto
Rob Miller Irish Viking Sword, Suontaka Sword
Howard Clark Katana
And of course my 'inspiration' swords... a Conan Atlantian and a Highlander Duncan Katana.
About My Reviews: I have no illusions about being as knowledgeable when it comes to swords as some of the other members... However, I think the majority of our members here at SBG are more like myself... passionate and interested in swords, but with little to know formal training in them and lacking the funds to own and handle the really high end weapons. After all, that's sort of the whole IDEA behind SBG, finding a way to still collect swords that will do more then just hang on your while when you don't have gobs of cash.
I have now had the chance, in the past 9 years, to have well over 300+ swords pass threw my hands. I've been able to cut with and handle and examine many swords ranging in price from $50 to $2,000. I like to think of myself as an 'informed amateur' at this point. My reviews are written from that perspective, with an eye toward value for your sword buying dollar.
I'm not a history buff or hard core reenactor, nor am I a trained martial artist (at least not when it comes to swords)... I'm just a passionate collector who LOVES swords of all kinds, from Scimitars to Long Swords. I don't collect anything I won't use, I enjoy backyard style cutting with my swords. I tend to be drawn to blades that are attractive and interesting to me, and my interest are varied.
I'm a HUGE fan of honest, impartial reviews... SBG helped me to much more quickly learn how to avoid crappy fake swords and what to look for in a good blade... and I very much hope to give back at least some of what I have gained from this community.
Review List:
Albion Maximilian
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=16630
Windlass Spartacus Arena Sword
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=20847
Yeshua's sword custom XVIIIb
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=20720
Traditional Filipino Weapons Chinese Jian
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8977
Hanwei Solingen Rapier
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=99
Bushido Raijin Folded Steel Katana
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=103
CAS/Hanwei Celtic Sword
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=98
Valiant Armoury Signature Bristol Sword
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=95
Hanwei Raptor Shobu Katana
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=101
Huawei Swords (Ebay) Side by Side review
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=102
Fable Blades Elven Saber and Dirk
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=93
Fable Blades Fox Jian
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=92
BKS/SBG Bastard Sword Leafblade & Strightblade
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=91
Tinker Type XII Sword
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=94
Odinblads Xa
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8150
Odinblades Green Leaf Bastard Sword
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8206
Fable Blades 'Shadowfang'
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8312
Odinblades Longship Line Verrimus
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=9240
Odinblades Longship Line Landlord
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=9381
Odinblades Longship Line Steerboard
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=9380
Odinblades Longship Line Morrigan
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=9214
Odinblade Longship Ringare Prototype
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=18551&p=224722#p224722
Albion Dane
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=10133
Atrim Tac Willoleaf Saber
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8926
Atrim ArchAngel Falchion
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8907
Darksword Armory Gothic Two Handed Sword
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=21210