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The late Hank Reinhardt Testing Generation 2 swords on chainmail covered meat. The chainmail was cut open, with only minor cosmetic damage to the blade.
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GENERATION 2 SWORDS - NEWSFEED
July 14, 2008
The long anticipated Henry V sword by Gen2 is only DAYS away from your favorite retailers... Check out what all the fuss is about (if you are a medieval sword enthusiast, you wont want to miss out on this one)...
Click Here for The Latest News
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MAIN PRODUCT LINES
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HISTORY LIVES: The new Generation 2 Swords are replicas of actual museum pieces with the same characteristics; strong tangs and sharp hand forged tempered blades. Many of the newer models even have peened pommels (the tang runs through the pommel and is pounded flat).
Includes a large variety of medieval one handed arming swords, hand and a half swords and two handed claymores.
Click here to see the History Lives Line
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STAGE COMBAT LINE: Extremely strong blunt swords with rounded edges, these re-enactor and stage combat swords are designed for heavy, frequent usage.
Currently consisting of 2 one handed arming swords and a German hand and a half, prices vary from just $129 to $174, making them extremely affordable for the demanding re-enactor on a budget.
To see just how durable they are,
click here for a video demonstration of their Norman sword shattering a cinderblock. To keep costs down, these swords are not supplied with a scabbard.
Click here for the Stage Combat Line
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HANK REINHARDT COLLECTION: Generation 2’s most recent project, the Hank Reinhardt Collection is a series of swords based on actual antiques that were been made to the exacting specifications of the late Sword and Arms Historian, Hank Reinhardt.
The originals have either been in Hanks own collection or have been reconstructed by sketches given to him by his personal friend, the late, great sword Scholar Ewart Oakeshott.
So far, there are two swords in the collection with more on the way shortly.
Click for the Reinhard Collection
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PRO SWORD: Another new development, Gen2's Pro Sword line up have been designed to be as affordable as possible, while still offering an extremely durable and reliable product.
Currently there are only two swords in this line up, the Ranger Sword (based on the Lord of the Rings) and a functional Norman one handed arming sword. Both of these swords were retired a few years ago but have been brought back at the old price point specifically for the Pro Sword Collection with more swords to be added to this range shortly.
Prices are $180 for the Norman and $239 for the Ranger hand and a half sword respectively.
Click here for the Pro Sword Collection
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HOW THEY ARE MADE
Generation 2 swords are made the old fashioned way, by blacksmith charcoal, an anvil and a lot of hard work. In fact, the only modern technology used is the occasional wooden lathe for the handles and a grinding wheel to shape the blade.
The individual components, all of which do not include ANY synthetic materials in their construction, are made specifically for each piece – ensuring a high level of conformity and a fit and finish rare in this price range.
The blades of all Generation 2 swords are hardened by heating and then oil quenching, followed by their own proprietary tempering process.
KNOWN ISSUES
The most commonly reported issue with Generation 2 swords - from a purely historical perspective - is that the additional thickness of the blades that gives them the strength and durability they are famous for also makes them a tad heavier than their historical counterparts. However, since late 2006 their swords have been carefully lightened to closer approximate their historical counterparts and improve handling without any serious loss of durability.
Unfortunately though this process created its own problems.
From March 2007, there were a few cases of their hand and a half swords (notably the Black Prince, High Elven King Sword and Ranger Sword) suffering from a very poor temper.
Naturally, Clyde Hollis being the kind of honorable, stand up guy that he is, went back to the drawing board on these particular models, and has since fixed the issue - which was believed to have been caused by hot water during the quench (due to the time the swords were being made in the Philippines) effecting the quality of the temper due to the the thinner blades (which had never been a problem previously as the blades were much thicker).
As it stands, the most recent batches now combine the best of both worlds - much more historically accurate in terms of their handling combined with the durability Generation 2 have become famous for.
INTERVIEWS WITH GENERATION 2
Interview with Clyde Hollis, July 2006
Interview with Clyde Hollis, January 2007
HANDS ON REVIEWS
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Sword Buyers Guide.com Reviews
Reviews of Generation 2 Swords by our sister site:
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The Black Prince
Click on the image for the full review.
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Roman Gladius
Click on the image for the full review.
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Celtic Sword
Click on the image for the full review.
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Excalibur (retired)
Click on the image for the full review.
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Irish Hand and a Half
Click on the image for the full review.
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Norman Sword
Click on the image for the full review.
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Falcata
Click on the image for the full review.
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Pompeii Gladius
Click on the image for the full review.
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River Witham Viking
Click on the image for the full review.
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River Witham (2nd review)
Click on the image for the full review.
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Click on the image above to be taken to the results of some destructive testing of a Generation 2 sword.
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WHERE TO BUY
Prices for Generation 2 swords are fixed at a MSRP that does not differ between vendors to prevent price corrosion. However, a special 10% discount coupon code is available at Sword Buyers Guide.com that can be applied to all Generation 2 swords in your order, resulting in significant savings.
OTHER GENERATION 2 SWORDS STOCKISTS
The following list of retailers also stock Generation 2 swords:
Kult of Athena
NOTES: A favorite for the sword community in general, they are an especially good choice for non US Gen2 sword buyers as their shipping rates are phenomenal.
Swords of Honor
NOTES: NOTES: One of the original 5 companies stocking Generation 2 swords from the beginning. Almost all of their products are there.
Silvermane
NOTES: Another one of the original vendors with a fiercely loyal fan base. Well worth a look.
What's YOUR experience with this brand?
Do you own one of the swords made by this company? Or know any good stories or information not covered here? Share it!
What Other Visitors Have Said
Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...
A fine sword
I have brought a couple of generation 2 swords the best of which is there Celtic falcata, please note this may not be its actual name but it is the name ...
Bad expierence with the Black Prince,Lucerne and Ranger Swords
As this story has been told on the SFI and SBG forums, I'll just say that the problems my brother and I had on all three of these blades leads us to believe ...
3rd Crusade, .... a little disappointed.
Received my first Gen 2 Sword, 3rd Crusade.
I know the reputation the Gen 2 swords have for durability and strength, but I must admit I was a little ...
Sword Lover
I got my Gen 2 Black Prince sword from Arms Of Valor, by the way with the SBG coupon it was a steal at 231.00 U.S. with shipping, and let me tell you,...
nothing but good things
I've spoken with clyde a few times and he has been helpful and polite every time. I own 3 gen2 swords and they surpassed a expections what can I say they ...
Searles Bowie
Clyde,
The Searles arrived today. The photos don’t do it justice. This is THE finest Searles Bowie recreation I’ve ever seen. The Dixie Gun Works ...
My Time with The Gen2 Celtic
Hello everyone, it's me your very favorite sword collector, blogger, fanatic, the list goes on and on, that you've never met, or maybe you have, who knows,...
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Clyde Hollis' own favorite Generation 2 swords...
I hope this information on Generation 2 Swords has been helpful. To return to the Homepage from Generation 2 Swords, click here
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