Back in February (I believe it was), I ordered the German Branch Sword from Arms & Armour, a Minneapolis-based purveyor of excellent reproductions of historical weaponry. I also arranged for it to be shipped straight to Tritonworks of Alabama for the scabbard and sword-belt.
The sword is absolutely beautiful—it far exceeds my expectations. It can be swung with one or both hands, but works best with a two-handed grip. Although I’ve yet to perform any cutting drills with it, I believe that it will cut very well indeed. My one disappointment is that the pommel screws on, but there is a full tang inside the grip, so this is not as bad as it might seem. I’d recommend this sword to any collector.
The scabbard is superb; Russ Ellis did an amazing job with
it. There are a few slight flaws, but that's to be expected with a
handmade piece. The decorative elements are very pretty: I chose an owl
accent (because my last name means owl
, an owl is in my arms and
is a kind of badge for me), and Russ even managed to make the scabbard
fittings reminiscent of owls’ faces. It’s a true work of
art.
Here are some (rather heavily processed) pictures of my newest toy: