How do cutting tests work?

For all swords we sell, the product description and details specify whether the blade is sharp, semi-sharp or battle-ready (blunt).

How do cutting tests work?

For a cutting test, you always need a sharp blade. You can also buy a semi-sharp sword and sharpen the blade yourself or have it sharpened by a professional. Keep in mind that mechanical sharpening can affect the tempering of the steel, as the steel is heated during the sharpening process.

How quickly a sword becomes dull and how suitable it is for cutting tests depends on the quality of the steel and the tempering. We recommend swords with a hardness of 50 - 52 HRC and a steel quality of 1065 or 1095 carbon steel.

Brands such as Kingston Arms, Cold Steel, and Hanwei generally work with these higher quality carbon steel types, making their swords suitable for frequent cutting tests.

Click here for our collection of swords