Guys,
I do not collect these weapons and do not have a bone in the fight.
I agree with Cyclura99 that the only definition of a
real sword is the one that was made for it's intended purpose: fighting. some have other definitions and I shall be the last person to talk them out of their misconceptions: collecting is such an idiosyncratic business that there is a place in it for every craze. If some people collect freshly-printed stamps, why would I argue with somebody collecting 50 year old swords? I try to collect really old swords as defined above. I do not always succeed, though
since the "forces of evil" often outsmart me to the point of embarrassement, but each and all of us have been fooled. The price of learning....
On the other hand, I suggest that a big part of the fun of collecting is exchange of information, and here I am firmly in Bill's corner. Even though we all compete to a degree, I have seen a lot of cooperation and selflessness among the Forumites. That what makes this Forum pleasant. I would be uncomfortable withholding true information from a Forumite who asked for advice, even though this info might help him to outbid me in the future. We often mention politeness of our dscussions as a sine qua non. This Forum allows a lot of berth for jokes (occasionally off color) and for a "no holds barred" approach. However, attempts to humiliate a fellow Forumite are something we all should avoid.
My 5 cents worth (before the inflation and taxes
)