Interesting thread, going to have to read all of it later. I enjoy swords, have a black belt in Kumdo, really miss cutting in particular, once you get your technique down it is VERY addicting.
I've started taking archery lessons on Sundays. Just using a recurve bow with a measly 50lb draw weight at the moment. There's a place nearby that does warbow shooting in the summer... I definitely see myself progressing to a traditional yew bow with a monstrous draw weight. Sadly, winter here means short days and crazy winds coming in off the Atlantic.
Measly 50 lb draw weight? A friend let me try his 40 lb longbow once. That convinced me I'd never be much of an archer.
Sarge the trick is to draw with the muscles in the mid back (rhomboids & traps) rather than pulling with the arm. I'm more in the market for something like this 170lb warbow: Also, I want one of these:
That's a good-looking broadsword. Is Thibaud Pascual the manufacturer? I'm not familiar with that name. If it's good steel and well-tempered, you could have a lot fun at cutting practice with that blade.
Sarge, yep, he's a swordsmith based in France. His facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Thibaud-Pa...dsmith-183643078324660/?hc_ref=PAGES_TIMELINE That one's based on a rusted old broadsword found in Lubeck (sorry - forgot the alt-key combination for an umlaut u):
After a quick scan of his FB page I have a good feeling about his blades. Dimensions and weights are good, and it looks like he really does temper them. I don't know if those are top-of-the-line swords or not, but they're definitely a big step up from the cheap things that hang on the walls of restaurants with delusions of grandeur.
Yeah, if/when I get one I want something that won't break in a fight. Need to do a lot more research before I part with money, though.
Pretty stuff! I used to have a lovely custom-hilted epée made by an outfit called Popinjay's. It had a green leather and gold wire grip and a brass philodendron leaf on the handguard. The thing was $140, including the blade, which was very competitive with Triplette's unadorned epées at the time. I lost it in a complicated series of events involving multiple moves. I still miss it.
@Sarge Dang Sarge, I've got so many. I've got most of the Highlander replicas, a lot of movie/tv replicas, a ton of decorative swords and several actual "battle ready" swords. And a few hand made ones. I collect a lot of weapons. Knives, swords, guns, etc. As for pictures, when I get home, I'm sure I can take some.
I'm most interested in the battle-ready blades. Others are what I refer to as SLO's: Sword-Like Objects. Also known as wall-hangers. They look nice mounted up there, but I want something useful.
I visited an old friend today and found out he does battle re-enactment. It's more history-geek than combat oriented but - even so - I think I might join him next time he takes part in one. He and I trained at the same gym in London but he's recently moved to this part of the country (about 60 miles from me). It's always really odd encountering people you've only ever seen in the gym in another environment.
Except those parts where they block with the edge of the blade. Though Conan's sword had that thicker piece above the handle.
Which one was it where he fights Wilt Chamberlain? The funny thing is the finishing move Arnold uses there is actually from a boat oar fighting move.
Some swords are OK to block with the edge. Most medieval broadswords did not have razor edges, which would be ruined if they tried to chop through steel armor. "Chisel edge" is the term used for most broadsword blade edges, and they'd only get minor nicks from edge parries. And with an edge parry, the force is absorbed by the entire width of the blade (2 inches or so) instead of the thickness of the blade (about 1/8 of an inch).
They taught us blocking-with-the-edge moves in Iaido, including one where you deliberately get your sword edge stuck into your opponent's sword edge. That keeps their blade occupied while you move in to do something violent, like kick them. My favorite swordplay movie is Rob Roy . . . the final battle is so awesome.
