Medieval Renaissance Leather Hilt Rapier Sword

I’m giving this five stars not because it’s an overly amazing, exquisite blade—it’s not, and I understood that going in. You get what you pay for. No, I’m giving it five stars because it precisely suited what I was looking for: a sturdy, relatively low-cost practice rapier to get into swordplay, and a cosplay prop. My rapier arrived earlier today, and while I have yet to test its mettle (pun fully intended) against other blades, I did look it over closely and give it a few good swings to get the feel of it. I’m no sword expert, but it felt well-balanced in my hand (and when tested later, I found that while the blade is a little heavy, it’s really not too far off) and made a satisfying swish when swung—always important. It doesn’t even give the illusion of a cutting edge, again a plus if you’re looking for a training weapon. With that said, while the blade itself was pristine and gleaming, the basket...not so much. It’s clear it was handmade at least partially, if somewhat clumsily (several tool marks scattered over the guard), so I can’t deny there was work and care put into creating it. It doesn’t detract too much from its appearance if you’re not a stickler for detail—I am, even, and I think it’s gorgeous despite that. I suspect as well that the grip is a stiff rubber rather than leather (though comfortable nonetheless). TL;DR if you want a high-end blade, this isn’t it, but if you’re looking for a starter to study with, you’ve certainly come to the right place.

Excellent piece for any collector.