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Post by kemp on May 13, 2023 3:50:58 GMT -5
There are more than a few ways to skin a saber toothed tiger. I'm not a master or pretend to be an expert, but I think most of us agree some attention is needed. Don't do this. Would defo prefer the leather strop for removing the burr, but paper seems fine for testing the edge. 'Course all this assumes a steel blade. The old bronze blades blunted quite quickly though they were also easier to sharpen. They also bent easily in combat, as did the older iron blades. There's a couple of accounts in the norse sagas of warriors who had to straighten the blade with their heel during combat. Leather strops with or without compound are good, I recently stropped a burr off some wood in the backyard that had some waterstone slurry on it, but I prefer using the hard natural stone that was given to me free of charge from a Japanese bladesmith by the name of Shinichi when I bought a few of his waterstones. A plug to watanabeblade.com. That Norse account also reminds me of some of the ancient Celtic swords that were also straightened by pressing down when they bent during battle, at least by some Greek and Roman accounts. 'from the way their swords are made, as has been already explained, only the first cut takes effect; after this they at once assume the shape of a strigil, being so much bent both length-wise and side-wise that unless the men are given leisure to rest them on the ground and set them straight with the foot, the second blow is quite ineffectual.' Polybius, Of course the quality in Celtic blades varied, and the above would refer to ones made of softer iron which could not be hardened. The Celts introduced the widespread use of iron in Europe. www.roman-britain.co.uk/the-celts-and-celtic-life/celtic-arms-armor/
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Post by kemp on May 13, 2023 6:48:54 GMT -5
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Post by kemp on May 13, 2023 6:50:44 GMT -5
'The bronze and iron swords of the early Celts of the Halstatt period were similar in design. There was a period when both were used for the same time. The stronger iron weapons were used by elite troops. Hallstatt swords could be very big and long, suggesting they were mainly used as slashing weapons, although they also had a definite sword point so would have been able to be used for piercing attacks. Towards the end of the Hallstatt period, around 600–500BC, swords were replaced with short daggers. The La Tene culture reintroduced the sword as the Celts spread over their vast range, having conquered most of Europe at their height, their warriors developed different styles of warfare. In Spain, they became master swordsmen accustomed to up-close combat with their short swords. In southern Gaul they developed impressive armour and preferred long swords. Some swords in the late La Tene period often had rounded points that allowed only slashing attacks.' There is historical evidence that such swords were sometimes referred to as 'broad swords' by certain contemporaries. " they carry long broad-swords which are hung on chains of iron or bronze and are worn along the right flank." Diodorus Siculus www.roman-britain.co.uk/the-celts-and-celtic-life/celtic-arms-armor/
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Post by kemp on May 13, 2023 6:56:04 GMT -5
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Post by Von K on May 13, 2023 19:47:19 GMT -5
Thanks for the infos kemp!
Re the broadsword argument I agree with your stance.
Imho Polybius is exaggerating somewhat in his commentary about the Celtic blades but probably not by too great a deal.
Those old Celtic leaf bladed bronze swords must have been things of beauty if the modern casted and burnished bronze replicas are anything to go by.
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Post by kemp on Jun 7, 2023 20:32:25 GMT -5
I would choose the Father's sword over the Atlantean, although the Atlantean gets most of the limelight.
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Post by kemp on Jun 7, 2023 21:06:49 GMT -5
The followup video from scholagladiatoria.
Interesting in that he mentions that Valeria's sword is similar to a Chinese Dao.
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Post by Von K on Jun 7, 2023 21:39:27 GMT -5
I would choose the Father's sword over the Atlantean, although the Atlantean gets most of the limelight. Thanks kemp! Two great vids there and I concur with the preference for the father's blade over the Atlantean. Much closer to the kind of sword REH's original Conan might have preferred too. I would add - especially in light of the fact that the breaking of the father's blade was prompted by it's symbolic thematic role in the narrative rather than any potential weakness in manufacture compared with the Atlantean. I'd tend to agree with his points about Valeria's sword too. And I would also add that those kinds of blades though lighter can still deal devastating blows in the right circumstances (ref the 1796 pattern light cavalry sabre) esp with the double handed grip and the slight curve and weighting towards the tip that the Valeria blade has.
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Post by kemp on Jun 10, 2023 2:37:51 GMT -5
I would choose the Father's sword over the Atlantean, although the Atlantean gets most of the limelight. Thanks kemp! Two great vids there and I concur with the preference for the father's blade over the Atlantean. Much closer to the kind of sword REH's original Conan might have preferred too. I would add - especially in light of the fact that the breaking of the father's blade was prompted by it's symbolic thematic role in the narrative rather than any potential weakness in manufacture compared with the Atlantean. I'd tend to agree with his points about Valeria's sword too. And I would also add that those kinds of blades though lighter can still deal devastating blows in the right circumstances (ref the 1796 pattern light cavalry sabre) esp with the double handed grip and the slight curve and weighting towards the tip that the Valeria blade has. I know what you mean. Also reminds me of the European messer, kind of a European two handed sabre type blade from the late middle ages, and of course the Beastmaster sword is of a similar type.
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Post by Von K on Jun 11, 2023 17:37:47 GMT -5
Thanks kemp! Two great vids there and I concur with the preference for the father's blade over the Atlantean. Much closer to the kind of sword REH's original Conan might have preferred too. I would add - especially in light of the fact that the breaking of the father's blade was prompted by it's symbolic thematic role in the narrative rather than any potential weakness in manufacture compared with the Atlantean. I'd tend to agree with his points about Valeria's sword too. And I would also add that those kinds of blades though lighter can still deal devastating blows in the right circumstances (ref the 1796 pattern light cavalry sabre) esp with the double handed grip and the slight curve and weighting towards the tip that the Valeria blade has. I know what you mean. Also reminds me of the European messer, kind of a European two handed sabre type blade from the late middle ages, and of course the Beastmaster sword is of a similar type. Thanks kemp, I'd never heard of the messer. Gonna have to look that one up. Also have to thank you for introducing us to Matt Easton's scholagladatoria vids. Been binging quite a few of his vids recently.
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Post by kemp on Jun 14, 2023 19:16:19 GMT -5
The UK is even worse than Australia when it comes to banning things, and that includes edged weapons.
These bans only effect honest people, people who are genuine collectors, historical martial artists and enthusiasts, and those who just want an effective self defence weapon. Myself, I love the history, art and techniques utilised to make age old combat weapons.
As for the criminals, they can get creative when it comes to makeshift weaponry, so much can be done with a little industrial tape, kitchen knives, screwdrivers and handles from available sources such as hockey sticks.
Of course these el cheapo weapons make for quick zombie apocalypse weapons when nothing else is available, especially if your kitchen knife has been heat treated well.
Like Skallagrim said, information purposes only.
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Post by Von K on Jun 15, 2023 15:43:03 GMT -5
Scholagladiatora has a couple of recent vids up on a related topic too - a proposed new UK bill to ban machetes. His conclusion was the same - that criminals will simply ignore laws or find workarounds.
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Post by kemp on Jul 4, 2023 19:31:58 GMT -5
How Barbarians Took Down Rome: Their Wicked Weapons Francisca throwing axe
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Post by Von K on Jul 5, 2023 19:16:28 GMT -5
How Barbarians Took Down Rome: Their Wicked Weapons Francisca throwing axe Good vid kemp, enjoyed watching it though it was of course, like most overviews, necessarily a little brief and general in it's treatment of each weapon. I had the Turanians using those Hun tactics against a Zamoran army in one of my Conan fanfics. I posted that extract from it here on the forum seven years ago in one of the posts of the following thread: swordsofreh.proboards.com/thread/229/heroes-villains-age-add-characters
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Post by kemp on Jul 6, 2023 8:43:13 GMT -5
How Barbarians Took Down Rome: Their Wicked Weapons Francisca throwing axe Good vid kemp, enjoyed watching it though it was of course, like most overviews, necessarily a little brief and general in it's treatment of each weapon. I had the Turanians using those Hun tactics against a Zamoran army in one of my Conan fanfics. I posted that extract from it here on the forum seven years ago in one of the posts of the following thread: swordsofreh.proboards.com/thread/229/heroes-villains-age-add-charactersYes, just a quick breakdown with that video, but I know what you mean in terms of Hun tactics in relation to Turanians and Hyrkanians in general, 'plains with his mobile force of horse archers, constantly harassing them with a hellish rain of arrows, and then withdrawing in a cloud of dust when Zavas sought to respond with his heavier cavalry....' I have always associated the recurve bow and horsemanship with those eastern steppe barbarians.
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