The Roman Legions were one of history’s most innovative military forces.  It was the Romans who created the idea of the professional army, organized it into separate units each with an identity, and crafted unit tactics that would emphasize unit discipline and training to maximum effect.  Roman legions had a uniformity to them to rapidly train troops effectively and equip them in such a way that would make it easier for them to be resupplied since every other legion had basically the same gear.  Each Roman legionnaire had the same kind of sword, notably the Gladius, unlike their enemies who often had a relative mish-mash of swords, spears, and other gear that made resupply and sustainment of troops in the field problematic.  To this end, Roman armor had to be standardized in a way that would account for the sheer variety of sizes and shapes of the men who would become legionnaires.  The Lorica Segmenta in Stainless Steel is an example of this philosophy.  This armor was highly protective of the shoulders, chest and abdomen, was light and flexible as suited Roman fighting techniques, and most importantly it was adaptable.  It could be given to another legionnaire and be fitted to him with little time and fuss, making equipping the legions easier to accomplish.  This innovation and others, such as the concept of total warfare and building roads, would make Rome the titular ruler of Europe for centuries.  The concepts and techniques developed by the Romans are applied and used by modern militaries around the world today. 

There’s been a lot of romanticism about the ninja in the west.  Lone assassins who dress in black wearing black masks killing with quick and lethal efficiency impresses the western motif in lone assailants succeeding with skill and weapons on their own against many.  To the Japanese, the ninja was something to be reviled; a boogey-man who was a hired killer, a man or woman of very low status who killed men and women of very high status.  It upset samurai sensibilities that a creature of such common stock could be trained to kill other samurai warriors.  Our modern ideas of the ninja have been clouded by that romanticism to the point that a lot of what we actually know seems to defy understanding.  Take ninja weapons, for instance.  Most such weapons really are more to distract and dissuade attack than to be of use.  The shiruken, or throwing stars, are not particularly reliable, and the weapons they do have were meant to be carried singly, with few back-ups if any, and were surprisingly simple and cheap.  The kama, or sickle, such as this set of Kamas – Set of Two – Unsharpened Steel Blades are actually farm implements used to harvest rice and grain.  Swords were expensive even for ninja, and it was best to go into an operation with something that was both lethal and disposable.  If you lost it, you didn’t feel bad about it.  Such weapons give us a different picture of these mystical warriors as men and women who used their minds more than sheer muscle and exotic weaponry to accomplish their missions, and are a steady reminder that the victor doesn’t always go to the one with the best weapons. 

Every great nation has ambitious men who bring about such changes that it unifies their nations under one particular sovereign, even if it never ends up being them personally.  Otto von Bismark united the lands that were known as the Holy Roman Empire and Prussia into one united Germany in the latter 19^th Century.  In the United States, arguably this would be both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, who would both unite a nation under the American flag.  During the Sengoku period of Japan in the 16^th Century, Oda Nobunaga of the Owari province would set into motion a series of conquests that would eventually unite Japan under the Tokugawa shoganate and bring peace to his nation that would last more than two hundred years.  Though he conquered a third of Japan, he would not live to see his dream fulfilled, but his ambition would set the stage for Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyesu to eventually finish what he started.  The Masahiro “Oda Nobunaga” Authentic Samurai Sword is a tribute to the man who would lead his forces against the likes of Takeda Shingen to finally bring Japan under one Shogun.  This is a handmade sword that is quite real and quite sharp, with a ray skin handle wrapped with silk, complete with a tsuba hilt that features a portrait of Nobunaga holding a sword over his shoulder.  Swords such as these are excellent for any collector to have on display, and would most certainly draw envy from associates who see it. 

In the debate about which swords in history are the best, most often what you might hear is that the Japanese katana or the European Renaissance Rapier comes out on top.  However, there is something to be said for a great, big sword.  One swing of a nearly five-foot blade will put almost any opponent down regardless of how well protected he might be.  Nobody wants to be hit by a sword, but there are gradations and there is something menacing about a guy with a big weapon who’s got a bit more reach than you by virtue of that weapon.  Such swords, such as the Cold Steel Two-Handed Greatsword, were particularly meant for knights to use against other cavalry.  A grip just above the handle allowed the wielder to use the weapon more as a pike to take advantage of its length against attacking horsemen.  They could serve as a primary weapon along with other knight swords that a noble or man-at-arms would possess on his person.  The intimidation factor alone would be enough for most potential opponents to consider twice before making a move, and that’s more than enough for any sword collector to want a greatsword in his collection.  So while the katana and rapier are undeniably more beautiful, and quite effective in design, a greatsword is quite a manly weapon, enough to stir that masculine vibe that makes any man want to do big and daring things.  If you ever have that debate again, just point to your greatsword, and ask just what would you, personally, take into battle, if you could choose only one?

Handmade swords are naturally special swords that have been produced after long hours of hard labor and dedicated craftsmanship. All the details in handmade swords are very complex, generally, and it will take superior craftsmanship to execute the design to perfection. Each handmade sword takes days of focused labor to be produced, sometimes days, sometimes even weeks or months. Depending on the complexity of the design and the capability of the sword maker, one handmade sword can be produced by tens or by hundreds, but the really complex ones will probably be produced in a very limited mode.  That is why, handmade swords are generally more expensive than its factory-made counterparts. The Handmade Samurai Katana – Black – 40.5 Inches is a good example of a quality handmade sword that bears a complicated design. While it may be just a replica, it is very authentic-looking and the proportions are of such accuracy that the whole thing really looks like a real katana sword. The katana is probably one of the most widely recognized swords in the world. It has a blunt end and it is most famous for being seen on the widescreen in many action movies such as Kill Bill. Most Japanese action films will make use of the katana, and even some hara kiri scenes are done with a katana. The katana cuts in one clean, swift stroke and therefore it is a very nice tool to collect. And next to a real katana, there are replica swords like the Handmade Samurai Katana – Black – 40.5 Inches that are so much alike their real counterparts.

Spears and swords may be thought of as very traditional weapons, and as such, may not be a match to more modern weapons such as guns and other explosive devices. This may be generally true, but not if the spear in question is the Cold Samburu Spear. This very special sword may not be one of the more famous fantasy swords but it has its own unique abilities that cannot be matched by any other weapon. Its origin is the fearsome Kenyan Samburu Tribe, and it is acknowledged all over the world as one of the deadliest spears known to men. After all, this particular tribe from which the Cold Samburu Spears originates is very much feared, and very few people dare walk the grounds of this tribe in Kenya. The same fear is inspired by the Cold Samburu Spear. No wonder it is touted as the spear that can kill more efficiently than gun. Perhaps it is the amazing speed at which the spear can be thrown and wielded that makes it so deadly, or perhaps it is the accuracy of its hit that makes it a truly fearsome and respected weapon. The Cold Samburu Spear weighs less than a kilo at two pounds, and it is not very lengthy either. It only stands at a height or length of seven inches. Yet these features are enough for this might spear to be the best and the most deadly of all. It is never the size that mattered, anyway, it is the accuracy of the delivery of output expected, and the Cold Samburu Spear certainly brings it on.

The youth nowadays certainly define “play” much differently than the youth of decades past. In the past, say three to four decades ago, play was defined as a time spent among peers and friends, making use of available tools that are found in their immediate vicinity. They may play hide and seek around the house or in the park, or play tag in the playground, or some Frisbee or hopscotch, depending on the weather and on the preference of players. Two decades ago, the advent of technology-based games came and the youth has forgotten these street-based games. The usual playtime is now composed of a session with Mario and his brothers at the family computer, or of an hour or two playing a Gameboy or a Game And Watch. During these times, as well, there came many animation series and this resulted to role-playing among kids and teens. Kids and teens chose their favorite animation group, and each player is assigned a character to portray. These are probably the first few attempts of the youth at costume playing, or cosplay as it is more popularly known nowadays.  Today, there seems to be a marriage between the two types of play, but at the same time, some new things are introduced to the concept of play, making it a far cry from the old games played by the kids and teens. Nowadays there is wide role playing, or cosplay, but tools are required to play these effectively. Swords, fantasy swords and other weapons are special elements of the cosplay, like the Cold Steel 1796 Light Cavalry Saber Sword. But the important thing is that the creativity of the child is encouraged with these cosplays.

Boys will always be boys, so they say, and there may be truth to this saying. Boys never outgrow some of their stuff and even if they get married, have sons of their own, or be heads of companies, there will always be a little boy hiding within the grownup man. Take for example action figures. As little boys, they want these action figures to play with, and they may just be simple action figures made of plastic or perhaps rubber. As they grow older and with more means, they now start buying action figures perhaps made of resin or some other special material which makes it more expensive. Definitely they do not buy these action figures to play with, but instead they display it in a place of honor. Their usual reasons are that they will pass it on to their sons but in reality, they have still not outgrown their liking for their beloved action figures. There will always be toys for big boys, even for computer geeks and for power men who decide on multimillion dollar deals on a daily basis. Boys will always be boys and because of this they will always want toys like swords or  handmade swords like the very beautiful Handmade Samurai Katana – Black – 40.5 Inches. Naturally, they would want this to be displayed, not to be played on, but there is still that little boy within the adult who is just so happy for the purchase. Why? Because boys will definitely always be boys.