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Post by Deleted on Sept 9, 2008 20:14:36 GMT
I have yet to find a Canadian dealer that sells to businesses. Im looking to buy display swords (they need to be solid/well built).
I have emailed some US manufactures, but I would like to hear from dealers. What manufactures would you go with (worthwhile for Canadian dealer in bulk sales, also provides good product and service)? Looking for various styles, fantasy swords, katana, two handed long sword, rapier.
Thanks you
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Post by Deleted on Sept 9, 2008 20:20:42 GMT
Maybe try contacting Reliks.com They're based in London, Ontario. They may be able to help.
If you just want display swords then that's a tough call...I actually don't know much about display swords lol. What is your price range per single sword, and how many are you looking for? Iaito may be another option.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 9, 2008 20:48:16 GMT
Price range for swords from $100 to $250. I did contact Reliks but they weren't to helpful. The amount probably between 10 to 20.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2008 13:51:47 GMT
In that range you might want to look at musashi swords, while thay are functional they are also geared to be display swords
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2008 14:25:11 GMT
Just curious: What sort of business is it, and what are the swords for?
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Post by Brendan Olszowy on Sept 11, 2008 14:34:48 GMT
Im looking to buy display swords (they need to be solid/well built). I'm confused. Display swords are usually NOT well built by definition. Hence they are only for display. You can see the display junk available on ebay, often for $20-40, by the thousands *HERE*Not a business I'd want to get into, purely due to the prevalence of poorly made junk available for pittance. Unless I am misunderstanding your MO? For the $100 - $250 you mention there are some pretty darn decent FUNCTIONAL swords available, which is the focus of this site. If you DO want *display-only / stainless steel / i.e. not a real sword* gear, probably the better quality gear you could look at would be from "Marto" or "Kit Rae".
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2008 17:14:19 GMT
Give Bill at On The Edge a call Ph:(519) 485-7370 or 1-877-548-6615 He has a store full of display and live blades. One of if not the biggest in-stock collections of swords and knifes in Canada. Tell him Tom told you about him, he'll treat you right.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2008 11:35:21 GMT
@ the people wondering what the swords are for
Swords are a small part of the store but pretty much anything that can go on the wall with some aesthetics is going in the store. Most of my customers will probably know very little about swords its more about the look. Im not interested in selling 10$ swords I'd prefer happy customers. Kit Rae will definitely be part of the collection. I never heard of Marto before but from a quick search they look pretty sexy, thanks for that suggestion.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2008 15:36:47 GMT
that´s a tough question; good looking wallhanger.
As stated bevore wallhangers are mainly junk. I can only tell you what I think:
If a blade is meant for cutting it will look like it is.
What I am trying to say is, if you focus on swords that are actually suitable for cutting and practice, your customers will see and appreciate that. These swords majorly are not fancy made, descent but still decorativee. BUT these swords will ALWAYS need proper treatment or else they will rust. Unless you preserve them with ren wax, if they are absoluteley for decorative purposes only
At the price range from 100 to 250 you will get something real
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Post by Brendan Olszowy on Sept 13, 2008 16:44:47 GMT
No worries, thats why we're here. Maybe if you are just selling only decorative objects however, PLEASE honor the truesword enthusiasts here by warning your clients (via an info sheet?) that those 'swords' are UNSAFE to swing or to cut with - EVER! It will help protect the frail integrity of the industry, to reduce unsafe practices, enlighten them to the difference between sword like objects (SLOs) and real swords, and may even be what keeps them alive to buy another day (hopefully from you, or me). Everyone here surely bought one or two SLOs before acually realising that they aren't real swords, but that you can buy a real sword quite affordably. I was hovering my finger over the "buy it now" button on a LOTR Glamdring when I saw it said "Rat Tail Tang construction". I held off my $ finger long enough to google "rat tail tang", What I learned changed my sword buying from that moment forth. I began to research functional swords, and the rest is history. FYI THIS is the page I found that fateful ebay day. See the rat tail tang at the bottom of the page.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2008 16:52:16 GMT
I feel that self education is the key, but many consumers don't bother with that part of the equation. It is said to hear how many people bought non-functional swords in their early days of collecting and did not know that the sword they were buying was no better than a picture.
I hope that other retailers take the time to learn about the product they sell and pass that on to their potential customers.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 16, 2008 14:31:47 GMT
CC, I don't think you want to fill your display up with decorative-only swords. A lot of people may not know the difference, but a lot do. Then you get into a situation were some know-it-all starts blabbing in your store that you should get real swords. It will be embarrassing. You can get some very decent swords in the $200 to $250 range and know that they are functional. Talk with Trueswordsman of AOV. He should be able to hook you up.
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Post by Tom K. (ianflaer) on Sept 18, 2008 13:34:27 GMT
there's always that guy that wants a fantasy sword and has no intention of cutting with it. yes, I know that guy is kinda rare but they are out there. they don't come here much, but we don't match their needs.
I think the biggest reason not to sell wall hangers is that the customer often doesn't know what they want until they get what they don't.
I would love to conduct this experement: have two stores in different but similar cities each with two selections of swords, each selection priced the same. simple but functional swords on one side, flashy but fragile wall hangers on the other side.
one store would clearly label the swords and have information available about the characteristics of each type and the other store would just display them and offer no information whatsoever.
I think the store with information would sell more functional swords and have more satisfied customers while I think the store with no info would sell more wall hangers and have less satisfied customers. In the end I think the store with the info would do better business due to customer satisfaction and that feeling effects so much more than just one type of merchandise.
what this would show, I think, is that people who want to buy a sword want to because they enjoy the mystique of the sword; the feeling of power, the tales of heroism, the whole mythology, history and wonder things once possible in a land long ago. that feeling of strength and power is a very central part of the whole deal and that is what is lacking in a wall hanger and even the completely uninitiated can usually identify that lack on some level once they hold the sword in their hands. before they swing it around some at home though, they may well look at the shiny wall hanger and be convinced that it's what they want. the sad part is when they decide to cut something (or not) as part of this initial swinging it around and it breaks and hurts them or someone else. we've all seen the home shopping TV advert where the guy gets poked by the broken bit of blade. that's the danger, right there.
wall hangers can be a fine thing but I really think the market for them is smaller than the buyers know. if you get my point.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 18, 2008 14:46:25 GMT
On the other hand I know several people with substantial collections of wall hangers. All of them are quite happy with them and know what their limitations are. They like them because they are flashy, look nice and require very little maintenance. Neither of them have any interest in using them as swords for cutting or to use them for anything other than decoration. Some people just like the looks of them.
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Post by Tom K. (ianflaer) on Sept 20, 2008 1:17:18 GMT
Neither? as in TWO? that's hardly several. Certainly there are people of this type, but I think they are the exception. I could be wrong I haven't done any market demographics studies, but this is what I think.
I would be very interested to know the real numbers though.
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