Cold Steel Gold Lion Katana

Buying swords with a curved blade length of 50cm or more

Swords with a curved blade of 50cm or more (measured in a straight line from the top of the handle to the tip of the sword) have now been added to the offensive weapons list.

This means that it is now illegal to import, buy, sell, hire & own this type of product.

If you are prosecuted for buying and/or owning an offensive weapon you can use a number of defences:

• functions carried out on behalf of the Crown or a visiting force
• making the weapon available to a museum or a gallery in certain circumstances
• theatrical performances and rehearsals of such performances
• the production of certain films
• the production of certain television programmes

Additional defences apply to swords with a curved blade of 50 cm or over in length, including those commonly known as samurai swords. These are that:

• the weapon in question was made before 1954 or was made at any other time according to traditional methods of making swords by hand*
• the weapon is to be made available for the organisation and holding a historical re-enactment or a sporting activity for which public liability insurance is held in relation to liabilities to third parties, or
• the weapon is to be made available for use in religious ceremonies

* Whilst our swords are made in the traditional manner. We may not be able to PROVE it in a court of law (because we would be heavily reliant on the supplier, who would be relying on the factory). So, if you would like to buy a sword from ourselves, you may do so online, but you must be able to prove to us you are entitled to do so based on the above defences, excluding “the weapon in question was made before 1954 or was made at any other time according to traditional methods of making swords by hand*”.

If you have any questions, please email sales@blades.co.uk.

I am legally allowed to purchase this product *