Marto sword of the dragon (collarless)? anyone got one?

Yea I know, I talked to the Albion guys about it. They just had so many upsets and setbacks that it was just too much for them. It was a big undertaking for sure.
 
yeh its truely sad that those gorgeous jose de braga handles will be "lost" for all eternity for us Highlander fans
 
I bought one of the collared Martos years ago and just dremeled off the metal piece. The original neck (with scalloped design) is still underneath but there is a little space of about 1mm that will need to be filled in.

Kind regards,
Magnoli
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Indy Magnoli @ Feb 27 2007, 08:02 PM) [snapback]1428216[/snapback]</div>
I bought one of the collared Martos years ago and just dremeled off the metal piece. The original neck (with scalloped design) is still underneath but there is a little space of about 1mm that will need to be filled in.

Kind regards,
Magnoli
[/b]



hmmmm thats not a bad idea.........hmmm
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Indy Magnoli @ Feb 27 2007, 08:02 PM) [snapback]1428216[/snapback]</div>
I bought one of the collared Martos years ago and just dremeled off the metal piece. The original neck (with scalloped design) is still underneath but there is a little space of about 1mm that will need to be filled in.

Kind regards,
Magnoli
[/b]


any way you could post some pictures of what it looks like after you removed the collar and what did you fill the space with?
 
Here it is... a bit scarred, though, from use. :ninja

dragonsword1.jpg

dragonsword2.jpg


I don't remember where I got the extra bit from, but it was a rubbery peice of plastic in the right thickness and color, I just had to cut it to shape and add a little of aging to it.

Kind regards,
Magnoli
 
Wow, pretty nice. I think that I prefer it with the copper band, but since all I can afford is a cheap knock off it doesn't really matter which I like more.
 
Hehehe ok now I have to pull out my Marto Conner and Duncan to check mine as well....

I've had them since before the TV series.... it was technically the first prop replicas I ever purchased.. Hehehe now I've too large of a sword and prop collection..... besides all of my other hobbies....ugggh..
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ryan @ Feb 28 2007, 03:46 PM) [snapback]1428764[/snapback]</div>
Wow, pretty nice. I think that I prefer it with the copper band, but since all I can afford is a cheap knock off it doesn't really matter which I like more.
[/b]


well now now now........ as a collector, i guess my "preference" really doesnt even come into play.....
it has more to do with trying to get all the different versions....... i have my musashis which are the seaon one prop....... i have the collared version which was sporatically in season 4 till 6.... maybe earlier....

im also working on getting versions of the Connor katanas..... i have a prop made "mentors katana" which is dead on to the highlander 2 prop......... i have the production used MOLD to the highlander 2 hilt (still gotta get a handle poured from it) and i have to find a highlander 3 replica.

the Albion swords WERE nice yes........... BUT they were not really replicas by any means, but rather idealized interpretations....
 
Yes, getting all the versions is a different story. I'm nowhere near ready to be getting all the variations - far to cost prohibitive, and there are other, higher priority things on my want list. I'd like to have one Duncan sword right now, that's a nice balance of accuracy and cost. After that, probably a nice Connor sword.
Anyone know where I can get a nice, fairly accurate sword for $100? Can I even expect to get a reasonably accurate sword for that price?
 
Ah, an old favourite.

I just found the website for Sal D'Aquila's replicas, and wow, those swords are gorgeous. I would like to know what the difference is between the Chen Bushido blades and the Practical Plus blades if anyone has that information.

They also have listed a Connor Replica, which looks pretty good. The only other decent one I saw was by FilmSwords, but that was prohibitively expensive and orders for that are now closed.

Be seeing you,

Magnus Darcrider
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Magnus Darcrider @ Feb 28 2007, 10:55 PM) [snapback]1429035[/snapback]</div>
Ah, an old favourite.

I just found the website for Sal D'Aquila's replicas, and wow, those swords are gorgeous. I would like to know what the difference is between the Chen Bushido blades and the Practical Plus blades if anyone has that information.

They also have listed a Connor Replica, which looks pretty good. The only other decent one I saw was by FilmSwords, but that was prohibitively expensive and orders for that are now closed.

Be seeing you,

Magnus Darcrider
[/b]


the "bushido" blades use Paul Chens Bushido blade as a base and are folded steel showing a Hada grain pattern in the steel. The practical plus blade is mono steel AKA non folded......
The Bushidos are just a nicer blade altogether thus the price difference.
The new connor like sword ha has is the result of a collaborative effort between he and I and a unnamed prop collector friend of ours...... it is not 100% accurate to ANY one Connor sword, but thats the point.... its more of an "inspired by" peice...... i had the pleasure of reviewing the prototype of that sword and its a very gorgeous sword...
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(David Stokes @ Feb 28 2007, 10:31 PM) [snapback]1429066[/snapback]</div>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Magnus Darcrider @ Feb 28 2007, 10:55 PM) [snapback]1429035[/snapback]
Ah, an old favourite.

I just found the website for Sal D'Aquila's replicas, and wow, those swords are gorgeous. I would like to know what the difference is between the Chen Bushido blades and the Practical Plus blades if anyone has that information.

They also have listed a Connor Replica, which looks pretty good. The only other decent one I saw was by FilmSwords, but that was prohibitively expensive and orders for that are now closed.

Be seeing you,

Magnus Darcrider
[/b]


the "bushido" blades use Paul Chens Bushido blade as a base and are folded steel showing a Hada grain pattern in the steel. The practical plus blade is mono steel AKA non folded......
The Bushidos are just a nicer blade altogether thus the price difference.
The new connor like sword ha has is the result of a collaborative effort between he and I and a unnamed prop collector friend of ours...... it is not 100% accurate to ANY one Connor sword, but thats the point.... its more of an "inspired by" peice...... i had the pleasure of reviewing the prototype of that sword and its a very gorgeous sword...
[/b][/quote]

I thought the new Connor katana used the same dragon sculpt as The Mentor's Katana and thus leaned more towards the H1 in terms of accuracy. I'd like to purchase this sword one day and I'd like a few questions answered before I start saving: 1. Can you order it without the black weathering/texturing on the hilt? It just looks wrong IMO. 2. Can one order it to have the main tsuka body rotated in relation to the dragon head and blade to make it match better with the other Connor katanas out there? 3. Can one add their own brass screw without hurting the overall function of the sword? Thanks in advance for answering.
 
im not going to be able to answer all of those questions, i think you should shoot a quick email to Sal about those questions

but what i CAN answer is about the head........ it is a head thats based off the Mentors katana sculpt..... JUST the head.... the "tail" part was resculpted and the head was modified a bit from the original mentors katana sculpt.
basically what im saying is that if you buy a Mentors Katana and Sals new katana you will have two totally different and unique swords.....
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Hitogiri @ Mar 1 2007, 01:10 PM) [snapback]1429366[/snapback]</div>
Sal's swords are quite nice pieces, I hope to score atleast a Musashi one of these days.
[/b]


Your right...... Im so glad he is offering them with the Bushido blades now because the handles are so dang nice that they need a blade of equal ... um "nice-ness" to compliment them.... :)
 
CRAP...

I just found out there is a THIRD version of the SOTD....

apparently it HAS the collar, but the collar is cast in plastic just like the handle...
so that means there are now 3 versions...

the collarless version with scallops.....

the plastic collared version

the bronze collared version....

in several season 3 highlander episodes you can CLEARLY see the collar and it is NOT metal... its white like the handle.... i even spoke with a friend of mine who has seen one of these swords in person......Now the question is...... is this plastic collar molded in or sepverate?
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(David Stokes @ Mar 17 2007, 07:42 PM) [snapback]1442284[/snapback]</div>
CRAP...

I just found out there is a THIRD version of the SOTD....

apparently it HAS the collar, but the collar is cast in plastic just like the handle...
so that means there are now 3 versions...

the collarless version with scallops.....

the plastic collared version

the bronze collared version....

in several season 3 highlander episodes you can CLEARLY see the collar and it is NOT metal... its white like the handle.... i even spoke with a friend of mine who has seen one of these swords in person......Now the question is...... is this plastic collar molded in or sepverate?
[/b]

In a vast majority of episodes in which Adrian used a bronze-collared Dragon Headed Katana, the bronze collar was covered up with white adhesive medical (cloth) tape. There is not a white plastic-collared version.

BTW, I own an original collarless Marto DHK - during the time that the DHK was being readied, the stage combat group I helped found (the ShadowPlayers Stage Combat Group in Raleigh, NC) was sponsored by Marto USA and we received a few of the DHK's before they were released to the public. We were the ones who discovered that the dragonhead shattered/cracked/broke when an object of sufficient resistance was struck by the blade due to the design and construction of the tang sleeve molded into the handle.

BTW - have you ever seen pics of the scabbard that was supposed to match and accompany Duncan's DHK? I have the (or one of the) prototypes, and had it autographed by Adrian at Gathering I in Denver, CO, Oct.'94. It's a textured burgundy with black leather detailing near the top, with bronze accents, black cording, and a bronze set of kozuka/kogai. I could post pics if you're interested...
 
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