I would like every review post to have a certain amount of symmetry and follow a set guideline.
Time to toss in your ideas as develope this template.

Sonny

Stats: this is where people provide all the detailed measurements like length, weight, point of balance, center of percussion, thicknesses, etc.

obviously we want lots of pictures.

fittings, fit, finish: how nice the furniture is and how well it fits is important. we could include the scabbard and harness in this section or have a seperate section for that. most production swords have really plain not-worth-mentioning scabbards but here in this forum we'll be talking mostly about Your crew's work Sonny, so I think this is going to be an important section since you scabbards and harnesses are the best in the budget market.

Handling and cutting. we'll want to know how well it moves and if it is a sharp how well it cuts, so we need a section for discussing these things and posting videos.

Custom Process: since this is a custom-centric forum I think we need a section to discuss what was done to gussy up the sword. hilt wraps, risers, leather work, etc.


I'll think of more but I this seems to be a good start.

Along the same lines, I think :

Stats:
*Typology
Length-overall,blade, handle
Width- guard, blade at guard, blade at tip
Weight
Distal taper-*type, amount
*Edge geometry?
*Steel type
Construction- peened? If threaded, nut or threaded pommel? Welded tang?
PoB
CoP

*I would leave these optional

Fit
Finish
Sturdiness
Handling



If ratings need to be used I would suggest a scale of personal satisfaction
A B C D style and avoid trying to give the sword an overall grade.

I think it is more or less agreed that the stats section will contain the sword specs (needs only to define them exactly) and maybe some differences between the given and measured stats (although in hand crafted items specs may vary)

Fittings and handling also enjoy a consensus as essential chapters of the review template.

A point system regarding each section is also a nice idea.

Finaly an epilogue with some thoughts of the reviewer summing up the overall impression of the sword would be nice in my opinion

Seems to me like a point system could be taken many, many different ways. For someone used to Albions, a signature series' fit and finish could be a three or so, whereas someone without extensive experience might count it as a five.

I know that I consider my Kreig one of the best. Yes, I know there are better out there, but I've not had the chance to handle them the way I've handled my Kreig.

Stats are essential, gives us a way to compare one sword to another, apples to apples, but for most of the other things I think a simple pro/con like what's used at SBG works wonderfully.

Just my .02

Hammar

I like to encourage reviews of any sword you might want to review. Even wall-hangers, custom one-offs or discontinued swords.

Why? It all contributes to the Knowlege Base... and is invaluable for future reference. Even if a sword is discontinued, one might find one on the secondary market, or the comparison to current similar models may be useful.

While any thoughts you share are good, I'd like to share some guidelines to help you along.


Be Objective

This is the number one most important part of a review. Sometimes that new sword buzz can blind us to flaws, that really aren't acceptable.

Its best to get out of the "honeymoon period" before reviewing...but I never do...LOL. So just try to be as objective as possible... be honest but fair, report shortcomings clinically, not emotionally , but keep in mind that all production swords represent huge compromises in their construction to save cost... and be fair about any issues. I.E. ... if a sword is well wrapped , do not judge to harshly if wood shows here or there on the core... that sort of thing. If the sword is of quality construct, cosmetic issues are not crucial , and should be reported, but kept in perspective.

Provide Perspective

Please provide the reader with some perspective by which to judge you review. By that I mean, your experience level.

No-one likes to think of themselves as a newb...but lets face it...it matters. When someone experienced reads your review, they will have a different perspective than you. Also , newer folks may take high praise to heart, and spend money on a less than worthy sword. If its your first sword...say so.

As we all grow in experience, and handle an increasing variety of swords, the quality of our reviews will grow as well.

Be Thorough

Try to be as thorough as possible. Mention as much as you can about all aspects of the sword. If possible include lots of nice pictures.... hosting services like imageshack, or photobucket will help in posting pics. It is often hard to find decent pictures online.. and often pictures ARE worth 1000 words.

Heres some tips on pictures that will help people visually judge a sword. All over shots that show the whole sword and scabbard , and shots of the whole sword without the saya/scabbard.
Shots of the hilt/handle... the wrap..etc. The pommel/kashira. Any collar, or the fuchi. The guard, or tsuba. A shot down the cutting length of the blade. The tip or Kissaki, especially important on Japanese swords.

Pictures are best taken without flash... inside with indirect light, or ideally outside , when overcast if possible. Contrasting colors in the backdrop also helps. Photos can distort the image causing parallax type effect, so take them from several angles....downward , upward . straight on, from the left , and from the right.

Here's some help being thorough...

Introduction

Mention what attracted you to the sword
or why you bought it. Share first impressions , and include an attention getting first photo of the sword.

Some people like to talk about the packaging here... I don't but there is nothing wrong with it. Certainly mention it if it is remarkable though... either very bad, or very good.

Specifications

Now list details about the swords. Weight , handle length, blade length, Point of Balance, Center of Percussion, nodes , if you know what they are... etc.
Listing the manufacturers stats id fine, but they often vary, so check as many as you can , and note discrepancies.

Aesthetics and Fit and Finish

Describe the appearance of the sword, what colors, finishes, how does it flow? Talk about the fittings, the handle, the blade, the tip , and the polish. On Japanese swords also mention hamon or hada if applicable, and describe the kissaki... again , here , good photos will tell more than you ever can.

Now tell us how the sword is built..is it tight , solid, symmetrical?
Does it rattle, flex, vibrate? Does it feel sturdy and well made , or flimsy and thrown together.

Handling

Again. talk about the weight and the POB. Mention how the sword handles for the activities you use it for. If you do not practice forms... don't comment on that, instead tell us about YOUR experience. Is it tip heavy? Fast? Slow? Compare it to other swords you've handled.

Cutting

Not everyone cuts, but if you do tell us how it cut, describe your targets, etc.

Critical Section

I like to provide a critical section, especially on good swords. I call mine "The Good , The Bad, and the Ugly". This is a good time to force yourself to really nitpick the sword... find issues you wouldn't normally notice or comment on. Any imperfection, trot it out... but remember to be fair...

This section really helps to temper NSE (new sword enthusiasm) from fatally tainting a review.

Conclusion

Sum up your overall thoughts and experience with the sword and the retailer.Share your opinion... and your feelings... here you can drop the clinical , and scientific attitude from the review, and let your emotions run rampant... just describe how you feel about the whole experience. Make reccomendations...or not.


One Last thought from me...

Remember , your review may help separate people from their hard earned money. Thats quite a responsibility.

In the end, no-one is making you write a review, or forcing you to make it thorough, objective , or even truthful. You aren't trying to sell anyones swords, and ideally none is paying you to review their products.

Writing a good review is alot of work, and takes lots of preparation. A review usually takes me several hours. Even a simple one. It's a lot of hard work.

So why take the time to make a good, honest , thorough review? In the end, you are doing it for the community...to help others who share your passion , and to increase our overall knowledge base on available swords. Its for all of us. If we all do it...we all benefit.

Ehem. ^ What he said.

I think that at least the following data should be essential to any serious sword review:

Blade Length
Blade Width
blade Thickness
Handle Length
Overall Length
Mass
C.O.G. (center of gravity) or P.O.B. (Point of Balance)
Fit
Finish

Then perhaps a grading system 1-10 for each aspect of the sword such as:

Blade
Guard
Handle
Pommell
Tang Construction
Scabbard
Handling
Performance in intended style and technique

There should also be a conclusion section where any recommendations or critique could be presented. I think this is good for general guidelines.

There are alot of good suggestions here.

For me, reviews need to straddle a fine line - offering information enough to get a tenative buyer interested, but not so oversaturated with technical information to overwhelm new sword buyers. It's easy to get verbose in a review and go into such things as percussion nodes, harmonic balance, distal taper, etc - but for a new sword buyer, this makes the review go numb. Keep the review simple and to the point giving important information while conveying feel is a good idea.

In agreement with some of the above comments: I too feel that using a 1-5 or 1-10 scale is somewhat unintentionally deceptive. As experiences and tastes change, so does the opinion of a sword. What someone may have rated an 8 on a scale might end up being rated a 5 or 6 a few months later.

Additionally, comments on how a sword feels will vary greatly. For example, I am not a huge fan of Type X swords because I find them too tip heavy. If someone talks about a Type X that tracks well and is very nimble - in the back of my mind, I am thinking "Yeah right, that's a crock. No Type X is nimble." This is because I don't care for Type Xs and I find that none of them feel good because I am used to swords with less weight in the tip. So, to me, the reviewer might be wrong - and therefore giving a biased impression of a sword based on their personal opinion. Comments on feel should be backed with the users experience and preference in swords. I might want to say something like "Some people find Type Xs tip heavy, but such is a quality of the type." or "To me, the sword tracks well and is aptly nimble - though these are not qualities most people might associate with this type." - you want to leave an out for those reading the review who may not be familiar with how a Type X is supposed to perform.

Opinions on a sword are going to vastly vary. There is no denying this fact. If I just paid $2000 for a custom blade, I am going to feel like it is just absolutely awesome. However, someone else might not like the sword. That is fine as well, because everyone is entitled to an opinion. This is why reviews should be as unbiased as possible (something I myself have a hard time doing). Facts, facts, and more facts are what are needed.

Photos should be clear and detailed to give the reader a true feel of the sword from many different angles. There is a huge difference between photos taken with a cellphone or in poor lighting and those taken with a quality digital camera in proper lighting. I have done either type of photo - mainly because I run into time constraints and get in a hurry. Check out the difference in the photos below:



Shot indoors after dark on a bedspread with a flash.



Shot outdoors during daytime on a concrete floor in the shade.

The difference is obvious. One is flattering and appealing, the other is not.

Now, I am a stickler for decent photos because 80% of human stimulus comes from viewing. Photos don't have to be done by a professional - both of the above images were shot with the same $90 Sony camera at the same resolution. However, they should be done in proper lighting if at all possible. It might be a good idea to have a simple photo template/guideline, such as full, grip, guard, pommel, blade tip, 3/4 angle from above, 3/4 angle from below, macro edge shot, and makers mark (if applicable).

As far as reviews as a whole go, I am a sucker for continuity and uniformity. As long as all of the reviews follow the same guideline, I am pretty much happy.

That's my $.02...