Looking for Functional Clam Shell Rapier Battle Ready Sword

Finding a battle ready sword can be a real tasking experience. Most retailers usually sell display swords. The type of swords that are designed for the collector. While display swords are less dangerous than Battle ready swords, you shouldn't take it as a license to be careless when handling them.

Battle ready swords on the other hand can actually be used in battle and combat. Hence the name - Battle Ready Swords. One battle ready sword that will make a great addition to your collection is the Functional Clam Shell Rapier Battle Ready Sword.


Functional Clam Shell Rapier Battle ready sword by Mariano Zamorano of Toledo Spain is a hand forged replica reproduction of a 16th century rapier sword.

This fully functional combat ready rapier sword was painstakingly hand made with a hand forged carbon steel blade. The double hand clam guard, quillons , knuckle-guard, wire wrapped grip and pommel trimmings are made by hand in iron by the world famous, fifth generation, Toledo Spain swordsmith Mariano Zamorano.

Bearing the famous "MZ" trademark, this limited production sword is a prized collectible for the discriminating collector.

This fully functional rapier sword is tailored to meet the demands of re-enactment and stage combat.

Damascened Templar Knight Sword by Marto of Toledo Spain

Presenting the Damascened Templar Knight Sword by Marto of Toledo Spain

There are battle ready swords and there are BATTLE READY SWORDS!

The Damascened Templar Knight Sword is steeped in history and was an integral companion to knights of old who were engaged in crusades as well as protecting and defending their lands.

The Templars: Monks - Soldiers: Guardians of the Faith, Guardians of the Holy Land, and Guardians of the Pilgrims.

The Templar order, of religious and military character, was founded in Jerusalem in the year 1118 by nine crusader knights. with the official denomination of "Order of the Poor Knight of Christ".

Later they were known by the "Knight of Solomon's Temple" (Templar) denomination after establishing themselves in King Solomon's ancient temple. The Pope Inocencio II recognized the order of the Templar in the year 1139.

The stamp of the Templar, emblem of the order; is two knights mounted on the same horse (representing the duel vocation of the order - religious and military) with the inscription in Latin "sigilum militum Xpisti" - (Stamp of Christ's militia).

How to Win a Sword Fight

History of the Samurai Sword

By John Moxly

The samurai sword, also known as the katana, is a Japanese sword that typically has a curved single-edge blade longer than 23 inches and a long grip. The samurai sword has a rich history dating back from ancient Japan; it gained its popularity among waring clans in 12th century Japan and has traditionally been associated with an elite group of Japanese swordsman.

Origin of the term Samurai

The word samurai comes from the Japanese word 'saburau,' which means 'to serve.' The term originated as early as A.D. 702 and described highly-trained imperial guards who were loyal to the emperor.

History of the Samurai People

The samurai quickly rose to the status of elite swordsman and as early as the 12th century had established themselves as the knights of Japan. Between the 12th century and the 16th century, the samurai were active in a number of armed clashes, insurrections and battles over control of Japan.

The samurai were treated with great reverence and through the 17th century could legally kill any common person who did not show them sufficient respect. They lived by their own moral code, called Bushido, which deemed a death by enemy to be dishonorable; for this reason, the Samurai would often commit suicide if death on the battlefield appeared unavoidable.

Influence of Samurai on World War II

The era of the samurai people faded during the 19th century due to Western influences and the increased popularity of guns as a battlefield weapon. By World War II, modern militarism had swept through Japan and the iconic Samurai, with his trademark ponytail and sword, ceased to exist.

However, the tenets of the samurai people lived on into the modern era. Japanese forces during WW II were infamous for their intense loyalty, which led to them to engage in kamikaze missions and other acts of self-sacrifice to protect the Japanese state.

Construction of the Samurai Sword

One of the distinctions of the samurai sword was its effectiveness as a weapon for both slashing and piercing in the battlefield. This versatility was due to its construction, which involved two different kinds of steel.

The construction of a samurai sword takes place over approximately 6 months. The process begins with iron-bearing sand and charcoal being heated to temperatures of up 2,500 Fahrenheit in order to form a high-quality steel called 'tamahagane.'

From there, the sword is sent to a swordsmith who continues to forge the blade by heating, cooling and hammering it into the classic samurai shape. This is an intensive process and up to a third of swords will be damaged before they are finished.

After the swordsmith successfully forms the sword, it is passed on to a sword polisher, who will spend weeks honing the sword's edge by rubbing it with a number of grinding stones. These stones can be worth up to $1,000 and have often been passed down from prior generations.

Lastly, the sword's handle will be adorned with leather, gold, stones or other decor, before it is returned to the swordsmith for one last viewing in order to be deemed worthy for a samurai warrior. In general, over 15 different men will be involved in the creation of one samurai sword.

John Moxly has spent more than 30 years working as a writer in various facets of the outdoors and survival industries. He is an avid knife collector and buys all of his samurai swords from Knife Depot.

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By Paul Southren


You'd think that the term "battle ready sword" would be pretty much self explanatory wouldn't you?
Unfortunately, many of the swords being described as "battle ready" are anything but. And to quote Adrian Ko from Sword Forum International, "a lot of these swords I wouldn't want to take into battle even if they were strapped to a M-16. And even then I'd be worried!"

Don't let that put you off though. You'll find that there are actually some pretty good swords to be found in this broad category, IF you know what to look for.

The first thing you need to look for in a truly "functional" sword is the type of steel it is made from. To keep it simple, 99% of all real battle ready swords are made from properly heat treated high carbon steel.

Stainless steel swords are a big no no. Why? Well basically, stainless steel is great for making knives. But any stainless steel blade over 12" in length tends to become brittle, which is clearly not the kind of thing you want for a "battle ready sword." So steer well away from sales pitches that describe "fully functional stainless steel blade"!
There really is no such thing...
The second thing to look out for is the swords handle, or more specifically the tang (the bit of metal which attaches the sword to the handle).

Most cheap "wall hanger" swords have what is known as a rat tail tang, in other words the tang is just a thin bit of metal welded to the sword blade. Rat tail tangs are a major cause of a sword breaking when swung through the air, and can be extremely dangerous, creating what sword enthusiasts refer to as a "helicopter". (very scary stuff when this happens, trust me!)

What you should be looking for is a sword that has a "full tang", in other words a tang that has been forged as part of the sword, not tacked on afterwards...

Finally, it's also important to consider a swords overall weight and balance.

Contrary to popular belief, a heavy sword is NOT a good sword. Historically, nearly all swords weighed under 3lbs, and this was because to reach maximum speed and deliver the most powerful blow, they needed to be relatively light and well balanced. So swords over 3lbs should be viewed with a very cautious and suspicious eye.

Of course, it's not always possible to see immediately in a swords description if it has all these essential characteristics. So if you see a sword being described as "battle ready" or functional, but aren't sure if it really has all the above characteristics - either ASK the seller what kind of steel the sword is made from, how it has been heat treated, what kind of tang it has or how much it weighs, or look for another listing that does.

Otherwise, you'll probably end up with a sword that snaps in half the first time you swing it really hard, or worse still, shatters into shards of steel when you try and hack up a cardboard box...

For more information on choosing a good battle ready sword, as well as some easy ways to find them, including reviews and tests of some of the most affordable yet high quality blades on the market, check out my website http://sword-buyers-guide.com

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Traditional Making of a Samurai Sword