Combat Commander Gladiator Sword | Full-Tang Gladius Sword | 16 5/8" Razor Sharp Blade | 1060 High Carbon Steel Roman Sword Real | TPR Rubberized Handle | Reinforced Nylon Sheath | 24" Length

This thing is awesome. I just spent a couple hours frankly abusing the blade on various stuff, including all sorts of branches, an old wooden chair, some two-by-fours and even a log—and I'm very impressed, especially for the price. It feels sturdy and cuts very well (very sharp, right out of the box), and the lightweight construction ensures smooth handling. I was concerned at first that the thin blade might not be up to heavier work, but trying it out has dismissed these worries. I bought it to replace an old machete, figuring, "what the hell, let's try something that tickles my geeky, history-buff fancy," and I feel that I made a good decision. This thing is very useful and very, very entertaining to use.The Combat Commander was great for both slicing and stabbing; it held its edge very well, and the point is still pristine (even after stabbing it right into the log a dozen times and hacking the chair to bits). It made short work of branches and cut deeply into the two-by-fours with very little effort. I'll admit that when I hacked up the seat of that old wooden chair, I had boyish fantasies of being a Roman legionary or maybe a Greek hoplite, splintering my opponents shield in battle. Like I said, this thing is lots of fun. The handle is comfortable and sturdy, the rubberized grip is secure; the lanyard hole in the middle is a bit unusual for me, but I'll probably use the smaller hole on the "pommel," which is is actually the exposed (and moderately pointy) end of the tang. The blade comes nice and sharp, with a light coating of oil. The sheath is nice and durable, and the lockdown strap holds the blade in place with impressive snugness.All in all, I am very pleased with this purchase. It promises to be a very handy, and kinda flashy tool for outdoor work and camping. And I have no doubt that it would be great for personal defense, in the unlikely event that such a thing became necessary, considering the damage it did to so much solid wood. It works like a machete and handles like a short sword, a fun, great-looking new toy for an outdoorsy person or anybody with a love a blades. I'd recommend the Combat Commander to anyone, anytime.

I purchased this sword after reading reviews for both United Cutlery and Cold Steel's "gladius" swords. First off, this sword is not in the style of the traditional Roman gladius.The blade has a nore leaf-shaped profile, making it closer to the Greek Xiphos (though this is much, much shorter) Anyways, Cold Steel's sword is nearly exaclty as to how the Roman gladius is, with a straight short blade.However, I am glad that I purchased this one, though the blade IS stainless steel (SS), it is very strong. The blade is a little thicker than a machete blade, but again, is very tough. The handle is a hard rubber but still comfortable and for those asking, the "sword" is full tang, meaning the metal of the blade extends all the way through the handle to the pommel. There is a glassbreaker on the end which is a really neat addition. The blade does come sharp, but not enough to pass the paper test (though you could sharpen it more if you want, I will).Finally, the shealth is better quality than I thought, as I expected it was nylon but unlike I expected was lined with thin plastic and reinforced at the tip. It has a snap to secure the sword in and a loop to hitch it to the belt.All in all, the United Cutlery "Combat Gladiator" sword is most definitely worth the $30 and is extremely good quality for the price. It arrived within two days of my purchase in the United Cutlery box which was in the Amazon box, the sword itself wrapped separately and secured ib the shealth- also wrapped- in the box.

I purchased this gladius copy for two resaons: price and length of the blade. I own the Cold Steel Gladius machete and found it to be a well made tool and though this one, based on the number of good reviews, would be a good companion piece. The price was about $10 less then the CS version so I thought I would take a chance.When it came, I was taken aback by the box, which did little to protect it. However, the handle and blade were wrapped in plastic to keep moisture from it, a nice touch. It came in it's sheath (more on that later).After wiping the blade down with some CLP lubricant and honing the factory edges a bit, I compared it to the CS machete side by side. The CS blade is about 2" longer and the blade was a tad bit thicker. Also, the handle material of the CS blade, while very tough, is a bit slippery.Then it was time for the 20 oz. water bottle test. One quick swing cleaved the bottle in twain, leaving the bottom half sitting .5 inches (yes, I measured) from where I had set it! In other words, it's a definite cutting blade!The United gladius has a rubberized handle that is very comfortable in the hand and has plenty of room for any hand size. It has better balance then the CS gladius, which is a lot more point heavy when you hold the two next to each other. The United blade is quick in the hand, has a very nice wasp waist blade with a nicely tapered point that penetrates deep.The sheath isn't bad but it isn't great, either. It does have a large loop to fit any width of belt and seems to be a little better constructed and designed then my CS one. For now, it will do the job until I can fashion a leather, wood or a Kydex version.I am impressed with how United Cutlery has stepped up the quality of their product line and this Combat Commander Gladius is not exception. For the price, I am very happy with it.