So you want to buy a sword, but what is it you are looking for?  Something for sparring?  Something for hanging on the wall?  Something from a series you like?  Something that resonates inside when you hold it?  As a longtime collector and practitioner of sword-based martial arts, lets talk about things like where to get a sword that you can trust your life to in a simulated fight, quality vs cost for reproductions, and what to do if you want to take the plunge into owning a piece of history.