by WarAngel

The upsruge of inexpensive swords on the mass market has contributed to a buying frenzy by people uneducated of the capabilities of the products, enchanted and cheated by businesses using misleading information and glossy sales pitch to exaggerate their merchandise.

The consumer is attacked on various fronts. Decorative swords that cannot withstand the demands of combat pour in relentlessly from Spain, Taiwan, the Philippines, India and Pakistan are believed to be of superior performance.

In the custom swordmaking arena, some smiths rely on anything from marketing to mysticism and magic to milk collectors out of thousands of dollars for swords that can be made for a thin fraction of what they truly cost. And who does not want a one-of-a-kind sword with the properties of Excalibur? What collector doesn't fantasize of a sword that is indestructable and light? Who cannot resist "miracle metals" such as Titanium?

And thus, we hope that SWORD FORUM Magazine Online has helped you to become more "street smart" in your purchases. Within the pages of each issue, you will develop a keen sense of quality and performance that you should expect from a sword, and be able to dispell the hype and misinformation. We will do our best to enlighten and educate in a warm and friendly manner.

Hopefully this magazine has also helped raise your expectations and desire to collect real swords and. The sword industry is indeed changing, perhaps in response to the long and arduous process of our educating the sword-collecting public. In this, we all play an integral and important part. Expect the best, as swords bring out the best in us!

We hope you have enjoyed our first issue of Sword Forum Magazine Online. Our next issue will be in March of 1999.

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