Thanks for the replies, all. I have no intention of 'fighting' with this, role playing, etc. I only wish to create a 1:1 scale model of a "regulation" highland sword. So, the most I can make it look and feel like the real thing, the happier I will be.

I've never seen one in person. I am hoping my newly-found bagpipe instructor has one, as he was in the Royal Scots. I don't think he was an officer, but he was, indeed, a piper.

The one I ordered has a brass basket. I am thinking I'll clean it up with files, etc., polish it, and nickel plate it. My son, who's a PhD Mechanical Engineer, has done some electroplating with great success.

I ordered a swatch of white buckskin for the basket lining, now I need to determine if the red is wool or silk, and source a scrap of that, along with the blue ribbon for the edge binding, etc.

For the blade there's not much I can do, save perhaps etching it with appropriate designs, logos, etc.

I'd prefer a leather-covered scabbard, but none of the inexpensive reproductions have one. I am contemplating making this modification, too.

So, a realistic model of the real thing is what I want, for display, highland dance, maybe piping some day.

Here are a couple of examples of the real thing available today (Wilkinson shut down sword making in 2005):

Crown Swords

Highland-Broadsword-3-Website.jpg

They list a price, £1400 with scabbard, which is about $1,800 USD.

Pooley Sword

Sw-l-pooley-sword-broadsword-itw3-long.jpg

I believe Pooley acquired much of Wilkinson's assets after they shut down.

Here's a very nice sword that's quite affordable, albeit several times the price of the common Indian and Pakistani repros, at $299 (on sale). I might go for this and save myself a lot of trouble:

Military Heritage Scottish Highland Regiment Officer Sword (ER II Version)

scottishbroadsword1.jpg

Cheers,

jv