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Post by zabazagobo on Nov 2, 2017 20:34:15 GMT
Interesting tbh,but idk where we are gonna get our 500-600 complete sword package anymore tho after he completely fazed out the remaining Chinese made blades Right, that's the tradeoff to them moving everything in-house and stepping up the quality. VA's now in A&A price range, which is kind of a bummer since the mid-range market is vanishing. The mid-range options in all types of swords seem to be shrinking year over year, everyone seems to either want to splurge $1,000 and up or spend $300 and down. Now I'm left to thinking i'll nab a Windlass rapier so I can save up for a VA Irish, otherwise between a A&A rapier and a VA longsword, my sword spending will be too high for the foreseeable future.
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Post by kalkikrosah on Nov 2, 2017 21:02:40 GMT
Interesting tbh,but idk where we are gonna get our 500-600 complete sword package anymore tho after he completely fazed out the remaining Chinese made blades Good question. It will create a rather large void in the mid-range market. Maybe someone will step up and fill the void or someone new will break out onto the market and pick up where Valiant Armory left off. Who knows?
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Post by kalkikrosah on Nov 2, 2017 21:08:41 GMT
That Irish sword, in green to boot, is seriously calling out to me. Everything about it just seems like the perfect longsword for me, not just aesthetically (which it's an absolute stunner) but the blade specs and the craftsmen behind it make it a no-brainer. Probably will aim to pick one up sometime within the next year (right after I pick up a rapier first, and maybe an aggressive wakizashi) All of those models look exceptionally nice, the attention to detail on the scabbards and the handle designs (especially the pommels) are really impressive. Valiant Armory is probably my favorite European Sword maker. It is yet to be determined if their swords are superior to an Albion, but even if they are not better than Albion they are definitely the best "bang-for-your-buck" one-stop-shop sword maker. I probably will buy something from them eventually. I just haven't decided if I want to snag one of their last generation arming swords before supply vanishes or if I will hold out to purchase this new generation of swords which are said to be of much better quality but will burn a deeper hole in my wallet. Decisions, decisions...
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Post by Faldarin on Nov 2, 2017 23:24:23 GMT
Interesting tbh,but idk where we are gonna get our 500-600 complete sword package anymore tho after he completely fazed out the remaining Chinese made blades Good question. It will create a rather large void in the mid-range market. Maybe someone will step up and fill the void or someone new will break out onto the market and pick up where Valiant Armory left off. Who knows? I imagine this means that a lot of European makers will get more business at this point. Though I remember being shocked by Sonny's quality for that price - it was probably only a matter of time. My fingers are crossed the blades are going to be good, but it will take people buying them to know for certain. I do bet it makes DSA happy, but - I personally won't go there.
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stormmaster
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Post by stormmaster on Nov 3, 2017 0:13:07 GMT
i wanna know who made the blades from china, they are really pretty good
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Post by Faldarin on Nov 3, 2017 0:33:38 GMT
i wanna know who made the blades from china, they are really pretty good This! I'm sure it's a bare blade maker... but I know a few on this forum even who would probably dress them up quite well.
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Post by kalkikrosah on Nov 3, 2017 2:27:57 GMT
Good question. It will create a rather large void in the mid-range market. Maybe someone will step up and fill the void or someone new will break out onto the market and pick up where Valiant Armory left off. Who knows? I imagine this means that a lot of European makers will get more business at this point. Though I remember being shocked by Sonny's quality for that price - it was probably only a matter of time. My fingers are crossed the blades are going to be good, but it will take people buying them to know for certain. I do bet it makes DSA happy, but - I personally won't go there. What European makers would you imagine moving in to fill this void? I can think of some obvious ones such as Del Tin and Hanwei trying to capitalize on this. But one black horse company I think may move up into the mid range market is Kingston Arms. Not a very big company but the few swords they do have out are vastly superior to anything in the same price range. The Crecy War Sword got some great reviews but the one I have my eyes on is their 13th century arming sword: www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=SM36050&name=13th+Century+Arming+Sword+%2D+Atrim+Design+%2D+Type+XIVDespite what I may have said about DSA in the past I really like the look of their swords. When I first discovered the Kult of Athena website I was highly impressed with what I saw from Dark sword armory and I still am. Their quality control faltered about a year ago but nobody who had a bad experience with them ever had a complaint about their customer service. I do think that their recent shortcomings were a hiccup and that they have taken the necessary steps to fix the problems they had in their swords. But I will still blow the whistle on DSA whenever somebody mentions them so that the potential buyer does not go make the purchase uninformed.
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Post by zabazagobo on Nov 3, 2017 2:53:14 GMT
Maybe this could be a huge opportunity for DSA to nail quality control and secure that market. That would be a cool comeback for that company that I'd really like to see.
Kingston Arms could easily proliferate, what they've made so far is pretty sweet from what I've seen. If I wanted an arming sword, I'd definitely go to them first.
I always overlook Del Tin. I shouldn't, they've been around for a while and make sweet swords.
Now back to drooling over those new VA pieces, and remembering it'll be several months before I grab one. Too many swords, too little money (and not enough time to swing them all).
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Post by Faldarin on Nov 3, 2017 4:33:07 GMT
I imagine this means that a lot of European makers will get more business at this point. Though I remember being shocked by Sonny's quality for that price - it was probably only a matter of time. My fingers are crossed the blades are going to be good, but it will take people buying them to know for certain. I do bet it makes DSA happy, but - I personally won't go there. What European makers would you imagine moving in to fill this void? I can think of some obvious ones such as Del Tin and Hanwei trying to capitalize on this. But one black horse company I think may move up into the mid range market is Kingston Arms. Not a very big company but the few swords they do have out are vastly superior to anything in the same price range. The Crecy War Sword got some great reviews but the one I have my eyes on is their 13th century arming sword: www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=SM36050&name=13th+Century+Arming+Sword+%2D+Atrim+Design+%2D+Type+XIVDespite what I may have said about DSA in the past I really like the look of their swords. When I first discovered the Kult of Athena website I was highly impressed with what I saw from Dark sword armory and I still am. Their quality control faltered about a year ago but nobody who had a bad experience with them ever had a complaint about their customer service. I do think that their recent shortcomings were a hiccup and that they have taken the necessary steps to fix the problems they had in their swords. But I will still blow the whistle on DSA whenever somebody mentions them so that the potential buyer does not go make the purchase uninformed. I meant European sword makers IN Europe. Sorry, I realize afterwards that I needed to clarify there. Like Lutel, Vladimir Cervenka and so forth. I'm talking for the middle-range costs here. There are some amazing high-end swordmakers in Europe that I've not even really explored. On DSA - I... well, let's just say I agree with you on some of the fundamentals. They just personally won't find a spot in my collection, and that's okay. Someone will appreciate them.
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LH
Member
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Post by LH on Nov 3, 2017 5:15:27 GMT
I'd really like to get the Malatesta. Why can't it be something like $200... cuz it would suck...? Well yeah I guess it would... Let's ask this the other way around. Why can't I be a millionaire?
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Post by kalkikrosah on Nov 3, 2017 15:55:00 GMT
Well yeah I guess it would... Let's ask this the other way around. Why can't I be a millionaire? Because you didn't pick the winning lottery number
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Post by kalkikrosah on Nov 3, 2017 16:02:23 GMT
What European makers would you imagine moving in to fill this void? I can think of some obvious ones such as Del Tin and Hanwei trying to capitalize on this. But one black horse company I think may move up into the mid range market is Kingston Arms. Not a very big company but the few swords they do have out are vastly superior to anything in the same price range. The Crecy War Sword got some great reviews but the one I have my eyes on is their 13th century arming sword: www.kultofathena.com/product.asp?item=SM36050&name=13th+Century+Arming+Sword+%2D+Atrim+Design+%2D+Type+XIVDespite what I may have said about DSA in the past I really like the look of their swords. When I first discovered the Kult of Athena website I was highly impressed with what I saw from Dark sword armory and I still am. Their quality control faltered about a year ago but nobody who had a bad experience with them ever had a complaint about their customer service. I do think that their recent shortcomings were a hiccup and that they have taken the necessary steps to fix the problems they had in their swords. But I will still blow the whistle on DSA whenever somebody mentions them so that the potential buyer does not go make the purchase uninformed. I meant European sword makers IN Europe. Sorry, I realize afterwards that I needed to clarify there. Like Lutel, Vladimir Cervenka and so forth. I'm talking for the middle-range costs here. There are some amazing high-end swordmakers in Europe that I've not even really explored. On DSA - I... well, let's just say I agree with you on some of the fundamentals. They just personally won't find a spot in my collection, and that's okay. Someone will appreciate them. I don't know too many European sword makers in Europe. Kult of Athena seems to omit Lutel's medieval swords. No clue why, they look rather nice. I never heard of Vladimir Cervenka until just now so I will check him out.
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Zen_Hydra
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Born with a heart full of neutrality
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Post by Zen_Hydra on Nov 3, 2017 16:25:45 GMT
You can order directly from Lutel. They ship internationally and have an English language website.
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Post by Faldarin on Nov 3, 2017 18:04:04 GMT
You can order directly from Lutel. They ship internationally and have an English language website. Just make certain you get the right Lutel... or not? Or is that still a thing? I've heard good things about Cervenka, and he has a roughly English site as well. Holg would know a TON of other European providers. Some of the less expensive ones would be around Valiant's old pricing after you figure in shipping.
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Post by Gunnar Wolfgard on Nov 6, 2017 13:49:51 GMT
I think Sonny is a smart enough business man to know you don't throw away what built your business. He may be going to high end swords but I'll bet he'll still have a line for the middle of the road. Even Albion did that with their squire line.
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ChrisA
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Senior Forumite
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Post by ChrisA on Nov 6, 2017 14:25:04 GMT
I think Sonny is a smart enough business man to know you don't throw away what built your business. He may be going to high end swords but I'll bet he'll still have a line for the middle of the road. Even Albion did that with their squire line. I agree with this. It looks like the home made blades is a different category in addition to the current offerings. I, for one, am very interested in these new blades. I also have to admit that Irish Sword in green is really nice.
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Post by Gunnar Wolfgard on Nov 6, 2017 15:56:22 GMT
Well who in their right mind would order an Irish sword in any other color but green. If you did the evil leprechauns would be paying you a visit.
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Post by Faldarin on Nov 6, 2017 16:16:00 GMT
I think Sonny is a smart enough business man to know you don't throw away what built your business. He may be going to high end swords but I'll bet he'll still have a line for the middle of the road. Even Albion did that with their squire line. I imagine this will likely be the case, unless he had a falling out with his forge. I doubt he'll offer every model with the lower end line though. This thread definitely evolved, but I don't think it went off the rails. Some good discussion here.
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Post by kalkikrosah on Nov 6, 2017 16:58:51 GMT
Well who in their right mind would order an Irish sword in any other color but green. If you did the evil leprechauns would be paying you a visit. I'm actually thinking of getting an Irish ring pommel but without the green... because nearly every one I see has green in it.
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harrybeck
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Post by harrybeck on Nov 6, 2017 17:06:37 GMT
Green isn't even the realy traditional color of Ireland, that'd be blue.
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