As a long time sword enthusiast with a sizable collection of hand-made pieces, this legislation saddens me. Quite apart from the fact that I disagree with the fundamental philosophy behind the ban and the laughable notion that it will result in less people being injured by each other; it's important to remember that crappy replicas are a starting point for many who become serious about swords. Not every sword enthusiast is a martial artist or an antique collector. Plenty of people recognise the artisry and craftsmanship inherent in the sword-making art. They watch movies, buy crap, and then the best of them start to research that crap. They realise they still haven't held a real sword, and a proportion of them become the people who support the true sword making industry.
I bought a couple of horrible 'replicas' in my teens. Those in the community refer to them as 'sword-like objects'. They're not swords. They're typically constructed with a little rat-tail tang (the portion of the blade which extends into the grip) which is welded on to a chunk of stainless steel. These tangs frequently snap if the blade is subjected to minimal stress - even a swing can cause the blade to fly out of the hilt. The stainless steel used in the blade is also too brittle, and proper balance and geometry don't even factor into the design. Even with a full tang, blades will snap. Breakage is very common when these things are used for anything but display. Yet they are are often sold sharp, and should probably be banned because poor construction makes them dangerous. But not because they're swords.
The smart thing to do would be to make
sharp sword-like objects that are dangerously brittle and liable to cause injury illegal. Crappy replicas are fine as long as they're safe - and there are plenty of loosely martial arts grade swords that can be bought online for a couple of hundred dollars if a criminal really wants to circumvent the new laws. Google Hanwei or Cheness.
More hurdles placed in the way of budding collectors and the demonization of swords as nothing more than unnecessary and dangerous when in the hands of the general public will hurt craftsmen - people who work in a very niche industry to produce unique works of art that will exist for generations. Collectors, western martial artists, eastern martial artists and historians are mostly protected and will continue to support these artists, and this is a very good thing. But people with a vague interest in swords who don't move in any of the enthusiast circles will find it even harder to break in, and that can only damage an industry already on the very periphery of modern culture.
Japanese smiths are protected by their government, and their work is easy to find online. Here are some links for anyone interested in looking at swords made by a small handful of western sword makers.
Ollin Sword Design- Aside from being shockingly skilled at free-hand grinding and paying meticulous attention to detail, Mark is also a lifelong gamer. His work is an eclectic mix of the historical and the contemporary.
Castle Keep - Rob is a Scottish bladesmith who will probably feel the knock-on effects of this ban more than most. His focus in on historical recreation, and his basket-hilts are particularly fantastic.
Jake Powning - Jake does amazing work with pattern-welded steel. These are high end art swords.
