What Is Toledo Famous For? Swords!

Always fancied a handy little meat cleaver to cut short this month’s upcoming team meeting? Or a swift Samurai blade for your mother-in-law’s next visit? You’ve come to the right place. Cutting implements of all shapes, sizes and styles populate Toledo’s shop windows. The good old Romans turned the city into a major centre of  weapons manufacture and metal work two thousand years ago. No good trying to subjugate barbarians with a fistful of toothpicks, is it?!

Today, Toledo’s sharp’n’shiny wares are mostly for decoration. And for the film industry. Ever wondered about the origins of the swords, daggers and knives wielded by heroes and baddies in productions like Lord of the Rings, Conan and Xena Warrior Princess? Well, most of these props were made in Toledo. Toledo Swords Window Display

Toledo Swords Window Display

Now, if this isn't every wanna-be celebrity chef's wet dream...!

Now, if this isn’t every wanna-be celebrity chef’s wet dream…!

Even the shop dummies are armed... presumably to deter shoplifters

Even the shop dummies are armed… presumably to deter shoplifters

This jewellery shop isn't shy about the fact that the Lord Of The Rings rings were also made in Toledo

This jewellery shop isn’t shy about the fact that the Lord Of The Rings rings were also made in Toledo

15 thoughts on “What Is Toledo Famous For? Swords!

  1. gkm2011

    I brought a sword back for my brother that got lost on the plane and then took a trip around the US before finally making it to my parents’ house. It was a beautiful sword!

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  2. Jess

    Ahha. A random conversation with Monsieur this weekend about where to buy the best kitchen knives outside of Japan led to him extolling the virtues of Toledo swords. God only knows where he picked that up factoid, but pretty sure not from reading your blog… (though I knew if Ha. A random conversation with Monsieur this weekend about where to buy the best kitchen knives outside of Japan led to him extolling the virtues of Toledo swords. God only knows where he picked that up factoid, but pretty sure not from reading your blog… (though I knew if swords were still a thing, you’d have covered them 🙂 Anyway – are Toledo knives still at the cutting edge? (sorry, could not resist). Is it worth a trip there one day to get some really nice ones?

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    1. ladyofthecakes Post author

      Hello 🙂 Well, Toledo is worth a visit… and there’s certainly a fantastic number of knife shops, but is the quality really that much better than what you could get in John Lewis? I doubt it…

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      1. Leandro

        excuse-me but I’m going to Toledo this month and I would like to know the name of some shops or the main street where they are so I could take a look over their prices on internet and manage the money I will spend on my travel. That picture with the “cismeros” plaque, do you know its name ??? Thank you sooooooo much!

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      2. ladyofthecakes Post author

        Hi Leandro! Aw, I don’t know the name of this particular shop off the top of my head, but you will find LOTS of these shops in Toledo, they are all over the old town, and the prices are all pretty similar. If you’re looking for a sword or a knife, you will definitely find something. It’s the perfect month for a visit to Toledo, it won’t be too hot, nor too cold. You’ll have a good time 🙂

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  3. Nathalie

    I have been trying to find the exact adress of the Lord of the rings shop, do u happen to know it? I couldn’t find it on-line

    Thank u

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    1. ladyofthecakes Post author

      My cake consumption hasn’t gone down (had to slices this morning), but my posting frequency is in a dire state. I need a kick up the arse (thanks for that) – I’ve got two half-written ones just sitting in my draft folder!

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  4. Anonymous

    Actually, neither the Lord of the Rings swords nor the rings were made in Toledo. They were made in New Zealand. The swords were made by Peter Lyon in Weta Workshop and the rings by Jens Hansen.

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