Top 52 Sword Brands and Companies You Can Trust in 2023

Sword manufacturers, commonly referred to as sword brands, encompass companies, groups, or individual swordsmiths that concentrate on the artistry of crafting bladed weapons. Each sword company is unique, varying in its focus on functionality, distinct historical or fantastical designs, and above all?quality.

Some sword companies draw on a rich history and vast experience focusing on traditional sword crafting techniques. Others are renowned for crafting decorative and highly intricate blades, while others leverage modern mono-steel technologies to produce high-quality, cutting-edge weapons. However, it is worth noting that not all sword companies are created equal, and on the other end of this specter, there are sword companies that produce cheap replicas not meant to last. 

In this article, we will introduce some of the most reputable sword companies you can trust when purchasing a sword and offer guidance when making your final decision.

Before Buying a Sword

Before buying a sword, one of the most important things to consider is to ensure it’s been crafted by a reliable sword company that manufactures authentic, well-made weapons. When looking through various markets, be cognisant that the website or vendor has one of the mentioned sword brands below. If they do not feature some of these brands, their products are likely outsourced from large companies focused on producing quantity over quality. 

Consider including our sword guidebook in your research to better understand the sword’s functionality, quality, durability, and historical authenticity. If you’re set on purchasing one but are unsure of the selection process, our sword-buying guide can be a good starting point.

Best 52 Sword Manufacturers

Sword Company	Logo
1. Paul Chen Hanwei Paul Chen Hanwei is one of the biggest sword makers in the industry. With a record of historically accurate and functional swords that began in 1991 in Taiwan, they have more than 350 employees. Their sword-making skills have expanded to include Chinese, Japanese, European, and otherworldly designs. • Price: $100 – $3500 • Sword Designs – Chinese, Japanese, European
2. Kingston Arms Kingston Arms is one of the leading producers of high-quality functional, training European swords. They offer durable and authentic blade designs that can be used for cutting tests or HEMA training practices. With over 20 years of sword-making experience, Kingston Arms manufactures historical armor sets and fittings that can be mounted with blunted or sharp blades. • Price: $250 – $550 • Sword Designs: European
3. Z-Sey Swords Z-Sey Swords is a sword manufacturing brand focusing entirely on creating high-end Japanese-styled swords. Based in China, they have over 20 years of experience creating functional and high-quality blades. Z-Sey Swords create exclusive blades and fittings with tremendous effort, time, and close attention to detail. • Price: $800 – $10.000 • Sword Designs: Japanese
4. Legacy Arms Generation 2 With a focus on historically accurate sword designs that have stood the test of time, Legacy Arms Generation 2 has been creating functional swords since before 2013. The quality of their swords and knives is not only superb for cutting but also affordable. • Price: $100 – $550 • Sword Designs: European
5. Citadel Knives and Swords With a  humble start in 1999 Cambodia, Citadel quickly became one of the largest and most renowned sword brands. They specialize in creating functional, historically accurate swords using high-quality steel and fittings. Though Citadel’s swords are limited in style, the company also offers survival knives. • Price: $2000 – $3000 • Sword Designs – Japanese, Survival Knives
6. Dragon King High-quality and historically authentic sword designs are what Dragon King strives for. They have more than 20 years of sword-making experience, making them one of the most renowned Katana producers in the world. With great attention to detail in the production of their blades and  intricate art designs on their fittings, Dragon King offers functional and cutting-edge weapons with fantastic decorative pieces. • Price: $450 – $1500 • Sword Designs: Japanese, Chinese, Cane Swords
7. APOC Swords APOC Swords offer blades designed by the renowned sword machinist Angus Trim and are constructed by the high-quality Dragon King brand. These blades follow historical design patterns while effectively addressing the modern era. APOC swords traditionally come in black with versatile molle compatible scabbards and blades. APOC prides themselves on being weapons for “plague, natural disaster, mass hysteria, nuclear fallout, zombies, alien invasion or mankind’s inevitable A.I. war.”  • Price: $100 – $300 • Sword Designs: Modern and Tactical Swords based on historical designs
8. Dragon Sword Based in Longquan, China, since 1998, Dragon Sword offers high-quality Japanese Swords that can be used for effective cuttings tests. With more than 20 workers in their forges, Dragon Sword follows traditional folding, lamination, and tempering patterns to bring authentic blades to life.  From the summer of 2023, Z-Sey Swords have authorized their stock to Dragon Sword for higher quality and faster production of the blades, which has led to similar types of fittings and blades. Dragon Sword has been creating Japanese-styled swords loosely based on Z-Sey Swords but on the lower end of the price point. • Price: $80 – $2300 • Sword Designs: Japanese
9. Ronin Katana Also based in the Longquan mountain region, Ronin Katana specializes in creating functional?deadly in cuttings tests? high-quality Japanese-style Katana swords using 1060 carbon steel. These historically accurate products are affordable and great for beginners. • Price: $50 – $950 • Sword Designs: Japanese, Chinese
10. JKOO Sword Jkoo Sword is a sword producer based in the birthplace of Chinese swords, the Longquan mountain region. They have been creating high-quality entry-level swords since 2006 and feature many different designs by following traditional Chinese methods such as San-mai lamination, Chinese tamahagane steel, and even Damascus Steel. • Price: $120 – $2000 • Sword Designs: Chinese, Japanese
11. Thaitsuki Swords Thaitsuki started creating their swords in Taiwan in 1999 before relocating to China in 2010, where they have created Japanese Swords with great attention to quality and detail ever since. Most of their swords are traditionally folded with over 1000 layers, have high-quality steel fittings with true jihada patterns, and are custom-made. • Price:  • Sword Designs: Japanese
12. Red Dragon Armoury A sword company based in Northern Wales, Red Dragon Armoury has been creating historically accurate European swords since 2006. Their products, found in various martial art fencing guides, are renowned for their high-quality synthetic steel. Red Dragon’s training swords have been used in HEMA (historical European martial art) sword sparring. • Price: $50 – $250 • Sword Designs: European
13. LK Chen LK Chen is a famous Chinese sword brand that focuses on creating direct and historically accurate Chinese dao and jian blades from various eras. Their exceptional detail and craftsmanship follow patterns on blades found in early Chinese art as far back as the Han Dynasty. Their swords are fully functional and can be used for cutting tests. • Price: $250 – $600 • Sword Designs: Chinese, European
14. Windlass Windlass is one of the oldest sword companies in the industry, starting in India in 1943. Their blade designs range from European historical authentic to those with fantastical elements. As one of the biggest producers of decorative and functional swords, Windlass remains the biggest supplier of many military saber swords worldwide. • Price: $50 – $850 • Sword Designs:
15. Arms & Armor Having been founded by historian and sword enthusiast Christopher Poor, Arms and Armor has been creating authentic European swords since 1982. Their blades are direct replicas of real swords found in excavations and have been praised by historian and sword scholar Ewart Oakeshott. • Price: $500 – $1500 • Sword Designs: European
16. Cold Steel Cold Steel are highly popular thanks to their self-titled YouTube series where they demonstrate just how deadly their swords can be. They construct various swords from many historical regions. Their factories based in both India and China are primarily focused on functional high-carbon steel. Still, some of their products are decorative Damascus blades • Price: $60 – $1000 • Sword Designs: European, Indian, Japanese, Chinese, Middle Eastern
17. Albion Swords Albion Swords have been in the sword-making business since 1999, and their motto is History in Your Hands. They focus on recreating historically accurate sword designs found from excavations or medieval art to be as functional and deadly as they were. In contrast to this, Albion Swords also produces sparring HEMA practice blades as well. • Price: $600 – $1800 • Sword Designs: European
18. Darksword Armoury Founded in 1996 by lifelong sword enthusiast Eyal Azerad, Darksword Armoury has over 20 years of experience making historically authentic European-bladed weaponry. Most of Darksword Armoury’s blades are medieval and can be used for effective cutting practice tests and HEMA sparring. • Price: $300 – $1100 • Sword Designs: European
19. Ottoman Swords Ottoman Swords, based in Turkey, focuses entirely on Middle Eastern swords which they have been creating since 2002. Some of their functional and decorative blades are direct replicas of those found in early Turkish history, possibly as early as the time of the Prophet Muhammad. Today’s swords are purely decorative and even embroidered with over 20 carats of gold.  • Price: $150 – $3000 • Sword Designs: Middle Eastern
20. Angus Trim Angus Trim, often known as Gus Trim Swords, are hand-made by the well-recognized Angus Trim, one of the founders of Albion Swords. His swords have an exceptional level of detail. While not exact replicas of historical swords, they are built as modern examples of what a fine-engineered medieval and Renaissance sword should be. Trim’s swords are one of the best-selling battle-ready blades on the market, with one belonging to historian Eward Oakeshott. • Price: $1000 – $1500 • Sword Designs: European
21. Balaur Arms Balaur Arms is a company developed by sword distributor Kult of Athena and has been producing high-quality functional, yet affordable blades since 2018. Having experience in re-selling more than 1000 swords, Balaur Arms have taken the most desirable aspects of the blades to produce historically accurate deadly swords that can be used for cutting tests. • Price: $150 – $500 • Sword Designs: European, Japanese
22. Blade Culture International Blade Culture International has been making swords since 2013, but their foundation team members have worked under several different names for more than 30 years prior. They specialize in making functional and carbon Philipino swords and offer a wide range of Asian and European knives and swords that can be used for training. • Price: $100 – $1000 • Sword Designs: Filipino, Japanese, Chinese, European
23. Del Tin Armi Antiche Based in Italy, Del Tin Armi Antiche has been creating historically accurate European sword designs since 1965. Each blade design has been excavated in various sites and placed in museums. Because the company motto is Safety First, their swords are not functional and battle ready, although they can be sharpened by personal order. These decorative blades are perfect for a sword collection and have been featured in multiple Hollywood movies, such as Robin Hood, the Three Musketeers, and Braveheart. • Price: $300 – $1000 • Sword Designs: European
24. Deepeeka Swords Since the 1980s, Deepeeka sword company has been creating historically authentic swords that can be used for cutting or reenactment purposes. Their primary focus is on ancient swords, starting from the Egyptian Khopesh through late medieval two-handed blades. Most of their blades are made for decorative purposes; however, they can be ordered sharpened upon request.  • Price: $80 – $800 • Sword Designs: European
25. Musashi Swords Musashi Swords is a Chinese company specializing in creating affordable Japanese blades. They began creating swords in 2008 and use different types of carbon steel to make their blades functional for cutting tests. Their collection comes in platinum, gold, silver, Miyamoto levels, and possibly Chinese tamahagane steel. • Price: $100 – $8000 • Sword Designs: Japanese
26. Motohara Evolution Blades Motohara Evolution Blades hold a solid reputation in the sword community for creating some of the best Katana blades on the market. Their swordsmiths are based in South Korea and specialize in creating functional, high-quality swords with individually made koshirae fittings. Their swords pass through multiple quality control checks in Korea, and the United States, and their blades are tested on Japanese tatami mats. • Price: $300 – $1000 • Sword Designs: Japanese
27. Kingdom of Arms With a focus on historically accurate swords that can cut equally as well as they did in the past, Kingdom of Arms specializes in creating high-quality functional blades. Their swordsmiths are based in the Philippines and have a history of collaboration with Blade Culture International, which gave them experience in a high level of craftsmanship. • Price: $100 – $800 • Sword Designs: European
28. Masahiro and Ryumon Swords Masahiro Ryumon is the choice for many beginner sword enthusiasts who want an affordable yet functional sword for cutting tests. They are based in the Longquan region of China and create affordable Japanese swords made of high-carbon steel that can sometimes be folded traditionally.  Masahiro Ryumon does not produce their blades but instead brands them. The manufacturers of the weapons are quality swordsmiths from Longquan. • Price: $80 – $500 • Sword Designs: Japanese
29. Valiant Armoury Valiant Armoury is a sword manufacturer brand based in the United States in Texas. Their motto is Bringing History Alive in Steel. They have been making high-quality and historically authentic European blades since 2006. The blades are crafted in China, while the rest of the fittings and scabbards are manufactured at the Texas headquarters. Their catalog is rich with functional, battle-ready swords that will excel in cutting tests. • Price: $1200 – $1800 • Sword Designs: European
30. Scorpion Swords Scorpion Swords started in 2006 as a family-owned business that quickly rose through the ranks thanks to their high-quality functional knives and swords seen on The History Channel’s reality series, Top Shot. Their swords catalog is based on historical authentic designs, while some are inspired by blades seen in modern media. If you want to test a true battle-ready fantasy blade, consider Scorpion Swords products. • Price: $150 – $400 • Sword Designs: Modern and Tactical, Fantasy Battle-Ready
31. Ryujin Sword Ryujin Swords specializes in creating high-quality custom and pre-made Japanese swords. Ryujin Swords is brought by the co-founders of Musashi Swords and hold the reputation for one of the fastest shipping times in the market. Their prices are affordable while being created with high-quality carbon and tool steel blades. • Price: $200 – $800 • Sword Designs: Japanese
32. Art Gladius Art Gladius is a sword brand based in Toledo, Spain, a region known for crafting some of the best steel in European antiquity. Having experience since 1986, Art Gladius specializes in creating historically authentic reproductions of European swords and armor with a high manufacturing level and great attention to detail. The majority of their blades are stainless steel and made for decorative purposes. • Price: $50 – $250 • Sword Designs:
33. Universal Swords A very popular sword brand, thanks to their 19th-century high-quality military sabers, is Universal Swords. They offer a wide range of sabers and bayonets that were featured throughout history ranging from the battlefields of India to France. Sometimes crafted with Damascus steel, Universal Swords’ sabers come in various straight, curved, basket-hilted, or D-guard-hilted shapes. • Price: $50 – $950 • Sword Designs: Military Sabers from around the world
34. Landsknecht Emporium Landsknecht Emporium is named after the German mercenary pikemen who brought chaos to battlefields across Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries. The company’s motto is, We Sell Violence & Violence Accessories, following the mindset of the mercenaries. Landsknect Emporium has been selling real, functional, and deadly European swords since 2016 that have excelled in the destruction of many cutting practice targets. • Price: $300 – $1000 • Sword Designs: European
35. United Cutlery United Cutlery is a sword brand specializing in creating functional fantasy, modern and tactical swords. Their selection ranges from blades seen in The Lord of the Rings to modern Japanese-style swords to European historically authentic and modified versions. • Price: $80 – $700 • Sword Designs: Fantasy Functional Swords, Modern and Tactical, European
36. Epic Armoury Epic Armoury is a sword-manufacturing brand that started in 2008 as a cosplay gearset forge to satisfy their LARP needs. They have been creating swords that accompany historical reenactment outfits. Their swords are based on historical blades with some fantastical elements. Epic Armoury holds the highest reputation for having some of the industry’s best quality reenactment and decorative swords. • Price: $50 – $300 • Sword Designs: Fantasy and Historical LARP Swords
37. Tod Cutler and Tod’s Workshop Tod Cutler and Tod’s Workshop are sword brands that hold a motto of Crafting Everyday History. They offer functional European authentic historical medieval sword products with fine details. Their functional blades are separated into replicas ranging up to $4000, and those that are semi-sharpened are useful in HEMA practice. • Price: $400 – $4000 • Sword Designs: European
38. Krieger Armoury This United States based company was founded in Bloomington, Indiana in 2020. What began as a passion project in 2017, Krieger Armoury is focused on making high-quality swords that can be used for HEMA training and, if sharpened, cutting practice. Their catalog is limited in selection to a small number of swords, but the attention to detail and handling functionality makes them highly popular.  • Price: $350 – $500 • Sword Designs: European
39. Bugei Swords Bugei Swords is a manufacturer that has been creating high-quality Katana swords since 1993, with roughly 30 years of experience in Japanese swordsmithing. They are associated with some of the best brands in the market, such as Hanwei and Cas Iberia, and continue to make a limited number of high-quality functional Japanese blades.  • Price: &700 – $2500 • Sword Designs: Japanese
40. Baladay Swords Baladay Swords focuses on manufacturing high-quality unsharpened stainless steel blades that can be used for various types of training. They focus on flexible Middle Eastern swords, such as curved scimitars associated with belly dancing and the Chinese style of Wushu martial arts.  • Price: $50 – $160 • Sword Designs: Middle Eastern Decorative
41. Valiriyan Steel Valiriyan Steel is the official manufacturer and licensed sword crop producer for George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones. Since 2006, Valiriyan Steel has created the most accurate fantasy swords seen wielded by Game of Throne’s characters. Valerian Steel is also licensed for other fantasy series, broadening its catalog of decorative and stainless steel swords. • Price: $200 – $550 • Sword Designs: Fantasy Decorative
42. Dynasty Forge Dynasty Forge has made high-quality functional Japanese, Chinese, and European-style swords since 2003. Their blades are based on historically accurate designs seen in art and fighting manuals and are crafted using traditional methods. Most of their swords are battle ready and functional to be used on cutting test practice targets. • Price: $200 – $3000 • Sword Designs: Japanese, Chinese, European
43. Tinker Pearce Michael Tinker Pearce, who has studied medieval swords for over 30 years, is one of the leading sword producers of European blades used for functional cutting tests. Pearce also designs blunt-type blades to be used effectively for sparring. His swords are developed to meet the needs of all HEMA practitioners and European sword enthusiasts by having high-quality authentic blades that handle superbly. • Price: $300 – $1600 • Sword Designs: European, Training and Battle Ready Swords
44. Traditional Filipino Weapons Traditional Filipino Weapons specialize in creating different products needed for martial arts practice, including high-quality swords. Their collection is mostly focused on Northern and Southern Philipino blades. They also manufacture weapons similar to those used by the Irogot Tribes that can be used for cutting or practice in the Thai Krabi Krabong marital art. • Price: $200 – $400 • Sword Designs: Filipino
45. Street Forge Armoury Street Forge Armory is a rare sword brand specializing in functional, high-quality, authentic African types of blades. The design behind every sword is crafted using extensive research, and their blades can be used for decorative purposes, sparring, and training in HAMA (historical African martial arts). • Price: $150 – $500 • Sword Designs: African
46. Forge Direct Based in Longquan, the historical birthplace region of many Asian swords, Forge Direct manufactures high-quality Japanese and Chinese swords. Their functional blades are made to be tested on tameshigiri training mats. Their swords are custom-made upon request.  • Price: $1000 – $2000 • Sword Designs: Japanese, Chinese
47. Hanbon Forge Hanbone Forge is a sword distributor and manufacturer based in Longquan, China. They offer a high collection of functional Japanese-styled swords and a smaller choice of Chinese-designed blades that are made to be effective for cutting practice.  • Price: $80 – $1400 • Sword Designs: Japanese, Chinese, Fantasy
48. Skyjiro Forge Skyjiro Forge is a sword manufacturer that has been creating high-quality Japanese-style swords for over 20 years. They offer high-end blades and fittings crafted with traditional tamahagane steel. Skyjiro’s catalog is filled with functional cutting blades and collector-style limited swords that range in price. • Price: $500 – $4700 • Sword Designs: Japanese
49. Ex – Gurkha Khukuri House (EGKH) The EGKH, or the Ex Gurkha Khukuri House, is a sword brand that’s been creating functional deadly knives and blades for over two decades. They are based in Nepal and are the official supplier of Khukri short swords to the United States Marine Corps, the Nepali Army, as well as the British and Indian Gurkha units. They offer a selection of functional short swords and larger, decorative historical South East Asian blades. • Price: $50 – $1000 • Sword Designs: Khukri, Functional Short Swords, South East Asian
50. Shree Amritsar Shree Amritsar Sword is one of the leading sword brands in India. Their experience extends to more than 10 years ago with a starting passion and desire to provide the finest and most versatile choices of Indian Swords. Their swords are elegantly handmade, some even by following traditional methods. Their focus is quality and even offer traditionally made old Damascus and Wootz Steel that is also known as Faulaad. • Price: $70 – $2800 • Sword Designs: Indian Swords
51. Ryan Sword Ryan Sword is a Chinese sword brand located in the historical birthplace of Chinese Swords – Longquan. This brand consists of many forges and workshops that focuses on creating functional and quality blades. They offer a personal choice for the sword’s fittings, colors, blade materials, sheath types as well as many options for historical or modern fantastical sword designs. • Price: $110 – $2000 • Sword Designs: Chinese, Japanese, European, Fantasy Swords
52. SwordBuy Based in Turkey, SwordBuy produces various types of historical sword designs, primarily focusing on those crafted in the Middle East. Their blades can be crafted to be effective for cutting tests, while some are highly decorated with various inscriptions and Damascus types of steel. • Price: $150 – $850 • Sword Designs: Middle Eastern, European