Re: The Sword of Samwise (Museum Collection) Review and Photos

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The normal Stings, along with pretty much all the other LOTR blades were manufactured in Taiwan (don't say China to the Taiwanese!) I think Steel Servant merely got a little confused there, because as pointed out, the MC blades were the only ones made in Spain.

By the way, I said LOTR blades because the helms were outsourced to Windlass Steelcrafts, and I think those got made in Pakistan, of all places.

Sorry that this thread got totally derailed, Ed. Just give the word and I can place all these posts in a new thread if you want. :|
This Space for Rent

Re: The Sword of Samwise (Museum Collection) Review and Photos

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So how about that there Sam's Sword?

Consider this thread re-railed! :thumbs_up

Seriously, though, what is everyone's opinion on this piece? Is it an MC or nothing piece, or is the unlimited tolerable? For me, I don't much like the MC swords, mostly just because I'm a geek and like consistency...so if I -were- to buy either of these it'd be the unlimited.

If I were inclined to purchase Sam's sword, is the Unlimited acceptable to folks who own/have seen it?

Re: The Sword of Samwise (Museum Collection) Review and Photos

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I think if I ever buy Sam's sword, and if there are any left by then, it will be the MC version. Why? Well, for one, even though it is MC, its presentation is still consistent with the previous unlimited blades from UC, and that appeases the OCD part of me that I share with Guardian Wolf. In other words, since I don't own MC Sting or MC Glamdring, owning MC Sam wouldn't make it stick out like a sore thumb. :thumbs_up

Secondly, the MC version of Sam's sword is the only one I consider faithful enough to the movie prop because it looked worn and beat up in the movie. The unlimited version is simply a theoretical item for me, kinda like if they released the sword of the Witch-king again but made it all nice and shiny like back in the day it was first forged. Make sense?
This Space for Rent

Re: The Sword of Samwise (Museum Collection) Review and Photos

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I really like the MC samwise sword. It definitely fits in with the MC Sting (if you choose to display it that way) and I think it gives the sword more character as opposed to the non-MC version. While I agree the quality isn't that of the MC Sting or Glamdring, it isn't meant to be, this is Samwise afterall and only die-hard collectors would probably purchase it.

I think if you're going to bother purchasing Sword of Samwise you might as well spend that little extra $$$ and get the MC edition.

Re: The Sword of Samwise (Museum Collection) Review and Photos

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:crazy: I stand corrected. The MC's come from Spain. Hope I didn't ruin your day, ed.

I am not very up to date on the MC versions. The Samwise is my first one. I was not in a position to get my hands on any of the original MC versions. Now, what you CAN find are sooo e xp ensive.

My point was that immediately after UC filed bankruptcy, they could not pay for or take possession of any current orders from vendors that were in transit, even from Spain. It is possible that someone purchased a final lot of the MC Stings that were shipped from Spain and the cases (from Taiwan) never were shipped, or even produced.

Sorry for helping add to the derailment.

Congratulations aegornid!
Last edited by Steel Servant on Tue Dec 08, 2009 5:28 am, edited 2 times in total.
When you get to hell, tell them I sent you! Then apologize on my behalf for the inconvenience!

Re: The Sword of Samwise (Museum Collection) Review and Photos

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You didn't ruin my day, friend.

Windlass = India. And I can swear MC Sting's cabinet had gold oval sticker
"Made in China" on the back (I'm not at home to check it), not "Taiwan"
where other swords and plaques at that time were produced.

No need to intervene, Val, the talk is again about Samwise!

But guys... why are you all so glued to what the package says. "MC" is
simply commercial trick, this thing is just another regular sword from the
series.

This edition of 600 should be called "Finished Edition", since it has that final
level of screen authenticity (weathering effects), unlike the unlimited run
(which can only be described as "theoretical", as Valkrist said).

Re: The Sword of Samwise (Museum Collection) Review and Photos

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I think Ed has turned another... after going through this thread and seeing the pics.... and looking at pics of the non-MC version... I think I'm gonna have to go find me an MC Samwise sword.

I'm not really excited about it right now... but at a run of only 600... I have a feeling if I don't get it relatively soon... I'll be mad at myself in a few years when they'll all gone except for a handfull on ebay for 3 times the price.

Museum Collection Sword of Samwise

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Well, I didn't get the job I applied for. That depressing "Sorry, you haven't been successful this time" e-mail really gets you down, doesn't it? In times like these, women buy shoes. I, however, buy a sword.

Image


So why buy this one? I don't have Boromir's sword, Eowyn's or Theoden's Herugrim, all three of which I'd probably rate higher than this. Well I suppose the main reason for choosing this one was that it's easier to hide from the girlfriend. Also, I hadn't seen any of my regular dealers in the UK selling this, so I jumped on the chance to own one of the 600 limited pieces, as I didn't want to miss my chance like I did with Shards and the LE Anduril.
I know a lot of people aren't interested in Sam's Sword at all. I personally was surprised at the rather "meh" attitude towards it. Granted, the regular version sucks, why was that even made in the first place? There should have only been one version made - this one. The true movie replica.

Let's start off with the price. Despite being hobbit-sized, this is the most e xp ensive LOTR weapon I've bought. Coming in at £203 including postage, I can't say I agree with the price, but knowing that with only 600 (and limited time) available, I had to go for it. I don't give a crap about it being part of the "museum collection", to me, it's just another item in the LOTR range, and that makes it overpriced. This should've been £130-ish like Sting.

Next up, the weathering. I'm far from an e xp ert on swords, and this is my first "weathered weapon". I like the effect, looks much better than the pictures I've seen of the rather plain looking regular version. The only way of making it look less 'deliberately weathered' would be to chuck it around for a bit and bury it for few hundred years, but I think I'd much rather have it now ;)
What I do like is the distressed leather wrapping on the handle. Not sure how the regular version feels, but I really like the feel of the soft, worn down leather.

Image


For the record, mine was number 321 (Dusty Bin!)...but I have to wonder...if this is a limited edition of 600 pieces, why is it numbered 0321? What's the purpose of that 0? Bizarre I tells ya.

Image


I have to say though, despite the price, I really do love this sword.

Awesomeness: 4/5
Value for Money: 2/5

Overall (does the math): 3/5
http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/3443/sam1w.jpg

Re: Museum Collection Sword of Samwise

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Hello Guff,
Welcome. There is another thread for this topic, but I can totally appreciate your review. Nice pics, and feedback. I'm sure I will pick this blade up sooner or later, but I still have other items that I want prior. I like your reasoning for buying this sword, "being easier to hide from your girlfriend". LOL! Good stuff. :thumbs_up

By the way...is your avatar a picture of a Steve "Crocodile Hunter" Erwin action figure with broccoli on it's lapel?

I'm also going to add this smilie to this post: :talk: ...just because I have never used it before.
Last edited by Rough666 on Thu Mar 25, 2010 5:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Head of the Department of Evil, Canadian Division.

"All that Longbottom gave me the munchies."

Re: The Sword of Samwise (Museum Collection) Review and Photos

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I'm a bit late reading this one, but great review ED209. You pretty much nailed all the good and bad points I found with it. Overall I thought it came out great. Just a few things that bugged me about it, but probably not the stuff you guys would notice.

Not sure why UC has an extra zero in the number, but I know this was originally going to be limited to 1200-1500 pieces, so when they cut it down to 600 somebody probably forgot to alter the numbering in the laser marking machine. That kind of thing happens when dealing with non English speaking factories. That's also the reason the COAs are not numbered. I suggested to UC that they never let their factory attempt to match serial numbers on anything. They never get it right, so it is better to let the customer write it in.

Oh, and the Lyon/Lyons spellings on the old UC COAs were not UCs doing. That is how New Line said it should be spelled. We questioned it, but in the end we had to go with what they said. Same thing happened with the One Ring poem on those early LOTR COAs. We pointed out the poem they had in their 1999 licensing packed was wrong. We were told that is what was "approved" by New Line so that is what we were to use. It's was a bit frustrating, but eventually they let us correct it. New Line is no more now (over 600 people were fired), so I hope the folks at Warner Brothers don't have those problems if UC gets the Hobbit license.
KRDS

Re: The Sword of Samwise (Museum Collection) Review and Photos

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Hey folks!

First off... great review and nice pics!

Are there any close up pictures available of the unlimited version of Sam's sword? I haven't been able to find any.

I'm very torn between which version to get... I'm not too crazy about the pitting and aged appearance of the sword even though this is how it appears in the movie. Even though it isn't an elven sword, I seem to be drawn in by the leaf-shaped blade.

If you recall an older post I created back in 2008, “Weapon ideas for upcoming Hobbit movie & LOTR prequels” I used Sam’s blade in Photoshop as a starting point for a theoretical version of Orcrist I created…. I’ve had an attraction to the blade style well before Sam’s sword was put into production and now that its available I think I’ll have to add it to the collection.

I’m leaning more toward the clean, shinny, unlimited version of Sam’s sword for a few reasons…

1. The “MC” version just doesn’t do any justice to the MC Glamdring & MC Sting I currently own. So to put on display next to my 2 gorgeous MC cases just seems like a ridiculous thought. If there is a standard UC version along with a MC version… then why do they both come with the same display plaque?

2. This may just be a matter of preference, but I think I’d rather own the version of the sword the way it was intended to look when it was first made. Clean and shinny. I know there are those out there who would prefer the pitted, corroded version but I don’t know…


3. We’re not talking Glamdring, Sting, or Anduril here… So to own the limited version of Sam’s sword just for the sake of it being a limited production doesn’t jump out to me as the others would.

If you’d like to sway my opinion, I’d love to hear some valid reasoning to pick up the MC Sam sword over unlimited version… at this point, I think I’m just more attracted to the clean looking blade. However, if the MC version is a full tang blade I may just go MC.

Any feedback is good feedback...

Thanks guys!

Re: The Sword of Samwise (Museum Collection) Review and Photos

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The MC version doesn't have any different blade construction than the unlimited, I'm afraid.

If you don't like weathered, then there's absolutely no reason for you to get the MC version- all it has are an edition number and an aged finish.

In my own personal opinion, the unlimited edition looks like it was grown in a sterile test tube and looks vile, but then I'm the guy who attacks my Ringwraith swords with sulfuric acid to give them better pitting :D
Image

Losto Caradhras, sedho, hodo, nuitho i 'ruith!

Re: The Sword of Samwise (Museum Collection) Review and Photos

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Hey thanks for the quick reply fellas!

One of my fears was that the unlimited edition would look to sterile and generic... sort of why I've been looking around for close-up images to determine my choice of action. Still, not completely sold either way... still teetering on the fence.

Anyone know of close up pics around the web? Most of what I come across are stock images.

Thanks again!

Re: The Sword of Samwise (Museum Collection) Review and Photos

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[quote=""Balrog Obliterator""]sort of why I've been looking around for close-up images to determine my choice of action. Still, not completely sold either way... still teetering on the fence.

Anyone know of close up pics around the web? Most of what I come across are stock images.[/quote]

Bal,

I've got the the UE Sam's Sword.
If you can wait a day I will post some pics.
It photographs better in natural light and it is sleepy time now, so I will do it tomorrow.

Of the MC vs the UE I prefer the UE because I like shiny too.

But I'm going to let mine go eventually, because it's not really Sam's Sword.
It was a gift and [relatively] ine xp ensive and shiny, and the friend knew I collected LOTR weapons, so they bought it for me.

The only Hobbit Swords I want, Weta never made, and those are the Daggers of Westernesse that Tom Bombadil retrieved from the Barrow Downs and gave to the Hobbits.
The ones in the FOTR movie are just that, movie swords , and really don't interest me.

But I'll be glad to post the pics if it will help you decide.

"Eternity is an awful long time, especially towards the end."

"What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing.
It also depends on what sort of person you are.” -- CSL

Re: The Sword of Samwise (Museum Collection) Review and Photos

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In the past, I've purchased several katanas that were truly old and pitted naturally over time. I just can't see myself spending that kind of money on a new sword which was made to look old. There's really no comparison between an actual weather-beaten sword and one that's trying to be... no matter how well it is pulled off.

I guess I'm odd like that but we all have our tastes and preferences I suppose. My Witchking sword was a gift from an old lady-friend of mine... Love the sword's shape and design, but was never fully thrilled with the aged look... Not that I'd prefer a shinny Witchking sword but there is just something about UC's aged sword look that just doesn't completely do it for me. I'm sure this is the reason why Jamanticus attacks his wraith blades with sulfuric acid.

If you could post some pics that would be terrific, Deimos!

Thanks again!

Re: The Sword of Samwise (Museum Collection) Review and Photos

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UC Sword of Samwise UE version:

[ATTACH]2133[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]2134[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]2135[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]2136[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH]2137[/ATTACH]
Last edited by Deimos on Sun Jun 08, 2014 8:11 am, edited 1 time in total.

"Eternity is an awful long time, especially towards the end."

"What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing.
It also depends on what sort of person you are.” -- CSL

Re: The Sword of Samwise (Museum Collection) Review and Photos

74
Thanks so much! The pics look great... still undecided unfortunately. Maybe I'll buy both and sell the one I like least, lol.
Movie Reproductions: Museum Collection Glamdring #374/1000, Blue & White Glamdring Scabbards, 2 Mini Glamdrings, Museum Collection Sting #2041/3000, Sting Scabbard, Mini Witchking Sword, House of Flying Daggers Sword of Jin & Leo, Pirate Cutlass Scimitar Sword, Pirate Cutlass Scimitar Sword (Cup Hilt),

Japanese Blades:
Naginata (Full Tang, Hand-Forged, AISI 1060 High Carbon Steel, & Wood Saya) 2 Katanas (Full Tang, Hand-Forged, AISI 1060 High Carbon Steel, & Wood Sayas) 1 Katana (Full Tang, Hand-Forged, Folded Steel & Wood Saya) 2 Shirasaya Katanas (Full Tang, Hand-Forged, Heat Tempered 1045 high carbon steel, Wood Sayas)

Re: The Sword of Samwise (Museum Collection) Review and Photos

76
[quote=""Nazgûl""]I'm allways thinking about buying one but the prices right now are pretty crazy, aren't they?
I've seen them for 125-130 bucks like from bud-k etc.
Do you think they drop even more in price and why?[/quote]

125-130 is good considering that soon the prices of the lord of the rings swords from UC will shoot up to un-realistic and stupid amounts because UC no longer manufacture them. So if you want this piece you can pay that much for it now or you can hold off but I suspsect the prices will go higher soon.

But perhaps there is another replica from the lord of the rings line you want more than this one. I'd suggest you buy what you want most otherwise you could end up regretting it
"All those moments will be lost, in time... like tears, in the rain..."

Re: The Sword of Samwise (Museum Collection) Review and Photos

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[quote=""Elvenguard13""]125-130 is good considering that soon the prices of the lord of the rings swords from UC will shoot up to un-realistic and stupid amounts because UC no longer manufacture them. So if you want this piece you can pay that much for it now or you can hold off but I suspsect the prices will go higher soon.

But perhaps there is another replica from the lord of the rings line you want more than this one. I'd suggest you buy what you want most otherwise you could end up regretting it[/quote]

I'm not too sure... Normally when a company stops producing a theme of weapons - most retailers will drop their prices to clear them out. Thus making room for newer merchandise that will sell better. On the other hand, when the "Hobbit" weapons come out...it shall generate interest to old collectors to collect missing pieces as well as to new collectors to who are starting from scratch... Either way, i agree with Elvenguard - purchase what you want now....while you still can. I'm sure most of us here have an item we all regret not picking up when we had the chance.....lol.
"Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum!"

Re: The Sword of Samwise (Museum Collection) Review and Photos

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Hi Rumtea, and welcome to Ultimate Collector's Forums. :)

I'm a little confused that you have three posts in a row asking essentially the same question. This isn't a fast moving forum like an instant message service, and it can take many hours before receiving a reply at times.

Having said, the first few runs of LOTR swords by United Cutlery were manufactured in Taiwan. Later on, and by the time the Samwise sword came out, I believe they had shifted production to mainland China.

At any rate, it should be stamped on the blade, or say somewhere on the box.
This Space for Rent

Re: The Sword of Samwise (Museum Collection) Review and Photos

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Hi Valkrist,
Thank you very much for welcoming me to the forum. I am starting my collection and I am so excited to join the forum and meet the collector all around the world.
Yes, I did make mistake for posting ;-)
I just confused about the Lord of the Rings Samwise Sword Museum Collection because I saw somewhere on the internet some one claimed that it was made in Spain. But I saw clearly on my sword that it was handcrafted in China.
I just want to understand it clearly. But whereever it make, I am very happy with my first sword because of it's outstanding quality and beauty.

Thanks,
Rumtea
[quote=""Valkrist""]Hi Rumtea, and welcome to Ultimate Collector's Forums. :)

I'm a little confused that you have three posts in a row asking essentially the same question. This isn't a fast moving forum like an instant message service, and it can take many hours before receiving a reply at times.

Having said, the first few runs of LOTR swords by United Cutlery were manufactured in Taiwan. Later on, and by the time the Samwise sword came out, I believe they had shifted production to mainland China.

At any rate, it should be stamped on the blade, or say somewhere on the box.[/quote]

Re: The Sword of Samwise (Museum Collection) Review and Photos

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Hey Rumtea,

No problems, and I see now the source of your confusion. The first two swords that United Cutlery released as part of their Museum Collection line, Glamdring and Sting, were indeed crafted in Toledo, Spain.

However, the Samwise Museum Collection version is not really on par in quality and materials used as those other two swords. The fact that it is a Museum Collection sword is actually a bit of mispresentation to us collectors because the Samwise blade is a lesser product than the other two. I personally don't consider it truly part of the Museum line, and neither do many here. The only thing that differentiates it from the regular edition Samwise is that it was artificially aged somewhat to match the look it had in the movie.

Clearly, what you heard was someone that just assumed because it was a Museum Collection sword that it had been made in Spain like the others, but I would say that that's wrong, and it was in fact made in China. Still, it is a very nice blade, and I'm glad you like yours.

I hope that clears it up for you. :thumbs_up
This Space for Rent
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