sharp pointy things

**bikercelt1** · 26th September 05, 04:07 PM

Originally Posted by jfellrath

Are your single-sticks weighted at all to be more "realistic" in weight and balance? Do they weigh the same as a genuine broadsword?

No, for our purposes the weighting is unneccessary. Balance is the same but weight is about 2/3 that of the broadsword. For drills we use hardwood dowels soaked in a mixture to make them harder and heavier. For sparring we use rattan with leather baskets, they don't weigh that much but they sting and they'll leave one hell of an impressive bruise. The weight of the broadsword isn't really the issue for our purposes and comming home with a set of bruises does wonders in developing defensive skills. The use of singlestick is historically accurate Highland sword training. If we were talking training for all day battles against large armies then the weight might be more important, but for single opponent/single bout competition, no problem.

Jamie

**Yaish** · 26th September 05, 08:44 PM

I'd be interested in meeting some ARMA people in SoCal too. I'm not too far from Iolaus either.

Right now I've got the Paul Chen practical knight, modelled after the Sir William Marshall sword. Blunt for practice and seems very good, though I've never used it. I've looked at the articles on training on ARMA but have held off so far. I dont want to train in bad habits from trying it solo, if I can rather meet with someone for actual training.

In slightly more practical stuff, I've got a whole bunch of stuff, mostly Cold Steel. Their gurhka kukri, three kukri machetes, the Bushman, one of their little neckknives (girlfriend wears that one), two small Voyagers that stay in pockets or packs, and for daily, allatime carry I have their folding Recon 1. I've also got their grivory skean du. Pretty good poker, but dont think those serrations on the blade will actually cut anything.

I also have a replica bowie purchased for me as a gift when I was at the Alamo, a flat handled cord wrapped tactical knife, and a Cold Steel Assegai. THAT thing is wickedly sharp.

**jfellrath** · 27th September 05, 05:22 AM

Originally Posted by Yaish

I'd be interested in meeting some ARMA people in SoCal too. I'm not too far from Iolaus either.

Good news for you and Iolaus - there's an unofficial group in Orange County and they'd love to have you guys join them. I have to get the guy's email address (our group e-list doesn't give email addresses out if you read the messages on the e-list as I do) but as soon as I have it I'll PM you two.

**Mike n NC** · 27th September 05, 03:25 PM

Sorry guys but I have to go to the other side of the world. Been making them longer and better than europe ever thought of. I can do much more with my training and bokken than you can with your broadswords. A Katana is just so much lighter, faster and sharper.
I own a 18c. No Dachi that I practice with about 3 times a week in addition to practice with the bokken. This little jewel weighs in at just a bit under 4 pounds, is 5' 6" in length and will easily cut through all but heavy plate armor. It is fought very low so that all the power comes from the hips instead of the arms/shoulders.

Otherwise I carry an Oldtimer with a two inch blade that serves me very well. :smile:

Mike

**yoippari** · 27th September 05, 10:54 PM

I had a big respose trying to debunk the whole "katana is better stance" but decided that it would be better to just say, no style of sword is the best, just better wielders, and NO REGIONAL STYLE IS BETTER THAN ANY OTHER. All swords are designed for one purpose or another. A 4 pound nodachi (which is a little heavy on the sword scale) is a slow unwieldly thing in close quarters compared to a grosse messer or katzbalger, while on a battle field a nodachi would have a definite advantage to someone with only a katzbalger.

I did not want this to become a sword vs sword thread but I don't like it when katana fans say their swords are better than a european style sword without reasonable basis (and this has been rehashed so many times on the internet that it isn't even funny). I just wanted to see what people on the forum liked and what involvement they have with swords, not a debate on what sword is better than another for whatever reason.

**Mike n NC** · 28th September 05, 03:19 AM

Originally Posted by yoippari

I had a big respose trying to debunk the whole "katana is better stance" but decided that it would be better to just say, no style of sword is the best, just better wielders, and NO REGIONAL STYLE IS BETTER THAN ANY OTHER. All swords are designed for one purpose or another. A 4 pound nodachi (which is a little heavy on the sword scale) is a slow unwieldly thing in close quarters compared to a grosse messer or katzbalger, while on a battle field a nodachi would have a definite advantage to someone with only a katzbalger.

I did not want this to become a sword vs sword thread but I don't like it when katana fans say their swords are better than a european style sword without reasonable basis (and this has been rehashed so many times on the internet that it isn't even funny). I just wanted to see what people on the forum liked and what involvement they have with swords, not a debate on what sword is better than another for whatever reason.

And do please note, I prefaced my comments with the word "I". This is my "opinion" (which evidently isn't welcome here) and wasn't to be taken as set in stone.

I do however find your rather sweeping attack on my comments a bit annoying. I won't trouble you with any more such rubbish.

Mike

**bubba** · 28th September 05, 05:28 AM

The European swords and the Katana are designed for entirely different fighting styles. No real comparison is possible.

**yoippari** · 28th September 05, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by Mike n NC

And do please note, I prefaced my comments with the word "I". This is my "opinion" (which evidently isn't welcome here) and wasn't to be taken as set in stone.

I do however find your rather sweeping attack on my comments a bit annoying. I won't trouble you with any more such rubbish.

Mike

I never said opinions are unwelcome or even attacked your opinion, that is what the thread is about. I said that statements such as

Been making them longer and better than europe ever thought of

are wrong in that it is a blanket statement saying, as bubba and bikercelt put it, apples are better than oranges. The phrasing of your statement, in fact your whole first paragraph, was an absolute.

Sorry guys but I have to go to the other side of the world.

= you opinion differs, ok.

Been making them longer and better than europe ever thought of. A Katana is just so much lighter, faster and sharper.

= Absolutes

I can do much more with my training and bokken than you can with your broadswords.

= may be true but you don't know that it is.

Please, make your opinion known, but don't try to say, keeping with the analogy, apples are better.

**David White** · 3rd October 05, 06:42 AM

Originally Posted by Mike n NC

Sorry guys but I have to go to the other side of the world. Been making them longer and better than europe ever thought of. I can do much more with my training and bokken than you can with your broadswords. A Katana is just so much lighter, faster and sharper.
I own a 18c. No Dachi that I practice with about 3 times a week in addition to practice with the bokken. This little jewel weighs in at just a bit under 4 pounds, is 5' 6" in length and will easily cut through all but heavy plate armor. It is fought very low so that all the power comes from the hips instead of the arms/shoulders.

Otherwise I carry an Oldtimer with a two inch blade that serves me very well. :smile:

Mike

I folks-

Some people like JSA some don't and like to train in Western style. It doesn't make one better.

The BIG mistake people make about western swords is what they have
seen in the movies-wrong!

Baskethilted Broadswords typically weighed in at under 3 pounds and
alot were in the 2.5 pound range-very, very fast and effective.

I suggest to folks wanting to learn more about swords and sword arts to
check out this following link, one of many:

www.swordforum.com

dave

**Archangel** · 3rd October 05, 12:16 PM

My, how this thread has grown since I last saw it.

I own several swords and bokkens. The swords are low quality katana copies which, I think, is best since I can play with them. Too expensive and they'd be a wall ornament, too cheap and they'd break. The bokkens are kept near the door, the live blade is beside the bed. I feel safer that way.

Some of the previous discussion ignores the application of the sword. There is no best, no secret of steel. It's all in the user's hands and skill. It doesn't take much study to see the differences in application. For example, Dread is right in his discussion of hammers. Paintings show that hammers were used in Europe and Asia against armour, not swords. Curved swords are for cavalry against ground, long swords for ground against mounted. Finer blades are for the gaps in lighter armour.

Guns level the field, in more ways than one. Even Musashi says to use a gun.