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Mameluke Sword
- Thread starter ERAUpilot
- Start date
If you value money, don't get your sword engraved. You'll never be able to sell it.
I bought a Marine Shoppe sword. The balsa-wood lining inside the scabbard started peeling out, which I rectified with uber-glue. I guess this means Marine Shoppe swords suck.
I imagine that the serial number they are referring to is the Uniform Board certification number. Several vendors who sell their swords online have the certification number from the uniform board. You are absolutely correct that you do not want to purchase a sword without the certification number on it.
oops, Carno beat me to it
I got commissioned almost 8 years ago and used my sword for the first time (outside TBS) 3 days ago for my buddies wedding. I've never had, nor heard of, a sword inspection. If they're doing that at TBS now, save your money and take the hit for having a cheap, crappy sword..... chances are you'll never use it after TBS anyway, especially in the aviation community. If you do use it, it will be for someone's wedding and no one will care what your sword looks like. It took us a half hour just to figure out how to properly hook the thing up to our sam brown belts. Not to mention re-teaching ourselves enough sword drill so we didn't kill the bride trying to do a sword arch. Buy the cheapest one you can find but avoid EBay etc etc.... at least buy at the exchange or somewhere else that has approved USMC swords.
On another note..... avoid buying the full compliment of uniform items if you can. I wore my Service Alpha's for the first time 4 months ago when I checked in here. You don't need 3 long sleeved khaki shirts and 3 short sleeved, 2 pair of Service pants etc etc or whatever TBS is saying all officers should have. I pretty much have one of each uniform item minus the tanker jacket and all weather coat (never had a need for those). Keep in mind that this may change depending on you MOS. In aviation, I've worn a flight suit 99% of the time since starting flight school. If you're an Adj, JAG etc, you may have more need for multiple uniform items.
Also, in January of 2003, my house burned downed when I was at the RAG..... burned up everything I owned. Get renters insurance, it's about $150-200 per year. Get a fire proof safe and put all your uniforms reciepts in it. It would suck to have to buy all the uniforms again out of your pocket. Luckily, I was covered.
On another note..... avoid buying the full compliment of uniform items if you can. I wore my Service Alpha's for the first time 4 months ago when I checked in here. You don't need 3 long sleeved khaki shirts and 3 short sleeved, 2 pair of Service pants etc etc or whatever TBS is saying all officers should have. I pretty much have one of each uniform item minus the tanker jacket and all weather coat (never had a need for those). Keep in mind that this may change depending on you MOS. In aviation, I've worn a flight suit 99% of the time since starting flight school. If you're an Adj, JAG etc, you may have more need for multiple uniform items.
Also, in January of 2003, my house burned downed when I was at the RAG..... burned up everything I owned. Get renters insurance, it's about $150-200 per year. Get a fire proof safe and put all your uniforms reciepts in it. It would suck to have to buy all the uniforms again out of your pocket. Luckily, I was covered.
So, do some people buy used swords, and is that a good or bad way to go? Seems like something where you should know the person and not do via the interweb.
I'm done with TBS, so I'll sell you mine. I'll just have to borrow it if I ever need it again.