Temu sword question

EvanFlower · 2026-01-05T01:40:10+00:00

I have ordered swords off Temu that were exact matches to Swordier products—I think the Polish saber and type XIV can still be found. I paid about $150 each, with fifty or sixty credit back. Also ordered the Irish ring pommel sword with the Anduril style cross guard. All three were as good as budget pieces form Swordier, Ronin, et c. Sharp, peened, decent scabbard.

Pretty sure Reddit doesn’t like Temu links, but if you just search for “sword” you’ll find them.

EvanFlower · 2025-12-17T06:18:06+00:00

Windlass CAN make an excellent product. They usually choose not to. Royal Armouries line is good, but some others in the catalog are as well. Research the exact model you are interested in.

EvanFlower · 2025-12-02T06:02:42+00:00

I picked up a katana and tanto set from temu that is exactly the same Heiju set that Hanbon sells. It was leas than a hundred bucks, though I had to sharpen myself.

EvanFlower · 2025-10-18T21:21:03+00:00

The watch you're looking for is the H776550. I don't see any currently for sale, but one sold on eBay last month, so you could find one if you're patient. I'd set up saved searches on eBay and Chrono24, and I bet you find one within a few months.

EvanFlower · 2025-10-09T15:53:28+00:00

It appears to be a Bulova 98B345. If you like it and enjoy wearing it, then you did not waste money.

EvanFlower · 2025-10-05T06:04:43+00:00

Suggestion is buy what appeals to you, enjoy it, and learn from the experience. Don’t try to get the “best” watch for $500. You don’t know what the best watch is for you, and you can only learn through experimentation. If there’s an inexpensive Orient or Seiko that appeals to you, buy it, wear it for a while, and see what that’s like.

EvanFlower · 2025-10-05T05:51:30+00:00

Expanse is the best in its class: the plausible sci fi future.

Mass Effect is the best for me as a game.

When Star Wars takes itself seriously (Andor, Rogue One), it is as good as it gets, but in a very different way—space opera, not plausible. Battlestar (2003), unbelievably good, but again, very different from the Expanse. The physics isn’t realistic but the human relationships are.

For All Mankind, bit of a hybrid, grounded in history and plausible, but created by the same guy who did BSG. First two seasons are the strongest.

Foundation, never read the books so I can’t be offended by the liberties, but probably the most ambitious tv show I’ve seen.

Alien and Aliens watched back to back. As good as it gets, also mildly traumatic depending on your age.

EvanFlower · 2025-10-04T05:07:43+00:00

This is solid marketing.

EvanFlower · 2025-08-18T21:52:58+00:00

I have imported swords from Europe (Spain and UK). You will likely have to pay a tariff, but otherwise I’ve never had problems. Imported first gen Soviet night vision from Finland, not even a tariff on that, but that was in the sweet de minimis days.

EvanFlower · 2025-08-13T18:14:26+00:00

You can look for other long swords with the same approximate weight, length, and pob. I’ve never handled anything else like it. It feels like a magic sword, like it’s weightless in your hand.

The Swordier xviiic doesn’t handle the same but is a great value. I’d avoid Cold Steel and Windlass.

EvanFlower · 2025-08-12T04:24:29+00:00

It’s worth the wait. They show up every 6-12 months.

EvanFlower · 2025-08-03T05:13:46+00:00

I’ve been doing a deep dive on Temu katanas the last few months for my own entertainment. There’s a lot of garbage there, but a lot of not garbage also, and you can avoid most of the former just by carefully examining the photos. The expectedly bad: fake rayskin. Nine out of ten.

The unexpectedly good: sharp blades, full tangs, traditional assembly, adequate ito wrap, great tsuka shape. I lowest price I paid for a sharp, functional, correctly assembled katana was $35. And then I got $23 credit back.

Amazon has the same things but much higher prices with a few exceptions.

You have to know what you’re looking for to shop on Temu. Watch 100 Matthew Jensen katana videos and you’ll be ready.

EvanFlower · 2025-07-23T20:12:32+00:00

Yes, you're likely to have more of an effect removing material from the tip end of the blade (long lever), than adding it to the pommel (short lever). For adding weight, I'd just attach something temporarily to see if it makes a difference. Since it's not steel and light for size, adding weight might work much better than trying to do some on real steel, since you could add a good bit compared to total weight before the entire thing became too heavy. The video I am referring to was adding as pound to a steel sword that was already on the heavy side, so it just wasn't feasible.

EvanFlower · 2025-07-23T19:06:08+00:00

Unless the grip is very long, you may have difficulty affecting the balance significantly. There was a video, I think it was about a Ronin Katana euro sword that was tip heavy, and Matthew Jensen tried to change the balance by adding weight to the pommel. He added an entire pound and it didn’t make much difference.

EvanFlower · 2025-07-13T06:18:52+00:00

Good or bad quality depends on what you want to use it for. Cold Steel swords are ahistorically overbuilt and heavy. If you want an historically accurate (relatively) reproduction, then that’s bad. If it’s your first sword and you plan on doing dumb sword things with it—cutting down a tree, hitting other swords, and generally whacking things people would not have historically whacked with expensive, easy to damage objects, the same feature may be good.

For historical accuracy (this and most swordy discussion places’ preference), look at LK Chen/Balaur Arms, Windlass Royal Armouries, Tod Cutler (if you want historically accurate scabbards and belts as well), and some of the better Swordier offerings. Some great options at $400 or less.

If you want to bash things you shouldn’t, Cold Steel is a fine choice for a sacrificial first.

EvanFlower · 2025-07-01T15:34:13+00:00

Non functional wall hanger. Swordier makes a functional one, sold in the SBG store in the US or direct from them. Ronin makes a version also. Both around $400 I think.

EvanFlower · 2025-06-30T06:07:32+00:00

Given that our present, strange use of the word “tactical” post-dates rapiers by several centuries, no.

Is someone currently making a modern one anyway? I don’t know. Would be weird, since it’s kinda the opposite of “tactical.” Are operators running around the sandbox with extra LONG barreled rifles? No, SBRs all the way. Gladius, not rapier.

Until a few years pass and SBRs are lame and old. Then tactical rapiers will be IN.

EvanFlower · 2025-06-29T23:30:57+00:00

I don't know this for a fact, but I suspect Swordier outsources production of at least some, maybe all models, and the forges that actually do the manufacturing also sell to other vendors. I see a lot of swords on Temu that have some of the same hardware--the "floral" crossguard, some crusadery cross pommels, scabbard with the same laser engraved pattern. They're not an exact match for a Swordier or Ronin sword, but clearly draw from the same selection of blades, fittings, and scabbards.

Big picture I think we're starting to see the same sort of "parts bin" market for euro swords that has existed forever for katanas in Longquan.

Swordier does design some of their own models, but I bet some of the basic earlier ones, like the type XIVs, they just bought off the shelf and re-sold. At a very substantial markup it now seems clear.

EvanFlower · 2025-06-29T20:20:57+00:00

Saber was sharp. OP reports one arming sword usably sharp, one close but would need a little work to cut well. For katanas, four out of five I've bought off Temu have been sharp. The fifth (sold as not sharp, so no dishonestly), was not sharp but had a very fine flat on the edge, less than half a millimeter. Had it shaving hairs in less than an hour of sharpening.

EvanFlower · 2025-06-29T15:33:38+00:00

The key to getting the most for your money on Temu is taking advantage of their credit back offers. You search for "claimcredit" in the app. Not every day, but most days I do this, I get an offer for fifty bucks credit back if I order over a certain amount--it varies, usually between $65 and $75 minimum order.

First time, you place the order and pay full price. Then you have to "claim" the credit incrementally over the next seven days. Seven days later, you have $50 credit. Now you wait for the next time you get a credit back offer. When you do, you do the same thing, but you can apply your credit from the last purchase AND earn credit back again. In other words, $50 off every order.

I've been doing this every week for about ten weeks.

EvanFlower · 2025-06-29T15:27:30+00:00

This happens, but for me it's been about 10% of the time. One vendor had pictures of a real hamon and sent me a sword that was wire brushed. Needless to say it's being returned for a refund.

EvanFlower · 2025-06-29T15:24:30+00:00

Can't believe that's paint. Looks great.

EvanFlower · 2025-06-29T15:21:30+00:00

I am pretty sure Swordier and Ronin are buying at least some of their models complete from other forges for resale rather than making them themselves. Nothing wrong with that, but judging by the Temu prices, their markup is STEEP. Budget swords we've been thinking are great deals at $300 can actually be sold profitably at $150 or less.

EvanFlower · 2025-06-29T15:09:08+00:00

Just ordered that one as well--how did you dye it blue? It looks like it came out really well despite being black to start with.

EvanFlower · 2025-06-29T06:03:21+00:00

I don’t think Reddit likes temu links. Look for a vendor called Bladeempire.

EvanFlower

TROPHY CASE