*This instalment of The Swordsman's Quick Guide has been included as a chapter in the author's book The Theory and Practice of Historical Martial Arts.* This book is for beginners who want to practise swordsmanship, and need to know what kind of sword to buy. It covers what to look for in safe training weapons, as well as the ideal range of length, weight and other specifications for each major European sword type, including: Falchion, Arming Sword, Longsword, Sidesword, Rapier, Backsword, and Smallsword. It also covers choosing a supplier. Guy Windsor is a professional researcher and teacher of historical European swordsmanship, and the author of several top-selling books on the subject, including The Swordsman's Companion and The Medieval Longsword.