Japanese Swords Antique Shanghai China
Collecting swords is an exciting way to discover world history, or feed your interest in fantasy worlds. However, sword collecting is not something that you should jump into without the proper preparation.
Well made swords and authentic antique swords can cost a lot of money, and require care and maintenance in order to keep their value and attractiveness. A sound knowledge of what you want to collect and what items are available will also help protect you from falling victim to one of the many scams that unfortunately routinely make their way around the internet.
Why do you want to collect swords?
There are two main classes of swords that you can collect, each attractive to different people based on their reasons for getting into sword collecting.
The first class of swords that you can collect is historical swords. Of course, this category covers an extremely wide range of swords; indeed, evidence of swords has been found as far back as 2000 B.C.E. in the Bronze Age. That being said, there are a few popular categories that collectors often concentrate on. Inspired by stories of chivalry, medieval swords, from long swords to broad swords to fencing swords, are always popular among collectors. Another growing historical category is Japanese samurai swords or katana swords. The most important thing to keep in mind when you are dealing with historical swords is whether you are dealing with an actual antique, or a replica. This is not to say there is something wrong with replicas. Indeed, many replicas are made with a high level of skill and can prove to be a valuable addition to your collection. However, it is important that the replicas are advertised as such; there is nothing to be gained by buying a replica when what you think you are buying is an antique.
The second class of swords that you can collect is fantasy swords. These are swords that are not rooted in an historical basis, but spring from the imagination of designers inspired by fantasy fiction. Fantasy swords often feature dragon or other similar motifs, or even stylized futuristic weapons.
Caring for your sword collection
The best thing you can do for your sword collection is to put it away in a display case where you can control the temperature and humidity. Of course, that is not an option for most collections. For most sword collectors, as long as you do not live in an area with high humidity, your swords will be fine mounted on a wall.
The biggest thing to watch out for is rust. Fortunately, there are a few basic steps you can take to help prevent your swords from rusting. Most importantly, do not let anyone touch the blades. This is not just a safety issue. The oils on people’s hands can eat away at the metal. If your sword has to be handled, be sure to wipe it down afterwards. You can help prevent rust by wiping down your sword blades on a regular basis with a clear non-organic oil. This will help prevent moisture from reaching the blade and give it an attractive sheen.
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