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Post by trescuinge on Mar 4, 2018 21:24:41 GMT -5
I came across this picture some time ago but never really noted the courtier's sword:
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Post by kemp on Mar 5, 2018 7:20:26 GMT -5
I came across this picture some time ago but never really noted the courtier's sword:
Looks like a Kaskara broadsword, probably depicting a scene from Sudan or Chad. That picture would make a good source for a pen and ink splash page for an opening visual in the old SSOC mag. |
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Post by Char-Vell on Mar 5, 2018 9:08:09 GMT -5
 The above comprises some swords from central and west Africa. What can you tell me about the cleaver-like blade 4th from the left. looks like the cutting edge is on the inside of the curve. |
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Post by kemp on Mar 6, 2018 3:31:25 GMT -5
The above comprises some swords from central and west Africa. What can you tell me about the cleaver-like blade 4th from the left. looks like the cutting edge is on the inside of the curve. The image was down when I responded to Char- Vell, and I had thought the reference to the club sword even though it is clearly not a cleaver. My apologies. I will still leave the information on the Congo sword, and get back to the cleaver shaped sword later. On the Congo 'Club Sword'. The inside edges are quite sharp, but the outside tip is dull. The principle area of use and origin of the 'club sword' centers around the Congo. To a certain degree it seems to meet the dual requirements of a club and sword, but probably without being specialised in the one area or the other. There is a description of this type of weapon on the Magnolia Arms series on youtube. |
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Post by kemp on Mar 6, 2018 8:58:22 GMT -5
The above comprises some swords from central and west Africa. What can you tell me about the cleaver-like blade 4th from the left. looks like the cutting edge is on the inside of the curve. The somewhat cleaver shaped blade is Ashanti from the southern part of Ghana. It is called an Akrafena sword and is used for close combat.  It was primarily a one handed sword, but sometimes two hands were used to deliver heavy blows, combat technique is thus hand and a half. The outer edge was used for cutting. Season 4 Episode 6 of Forged in Fire covers the forging of the Akrafena in one of the competitions. Check 27 min into the video. This is one of the few shows that I would pay for all the seasons. Informative and entertaining, at least for me.  |
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Post by kemp on Mar 12, 2018 14:41:49 GMT -5
A 1200 year old single edged Viking sword  |
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Post by kemp on Mar 12, 2018 14:42:25 GMT -5
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Post by kemp on Mar 13, 2018 7:54:02 GMT -5
On the subject of single edged and curved blades, here is Valeria's sword, a fantasy sword based on the movie version from Conan the Barbarian.  |
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Post by kemp on Mar 15, 2018 10:16:51 GMT -5
I have lately been watching some of the Forged in Fire episodes, and one episode had the finalists forge rapiers with elaborate guards. This made me think of some of the designs which incorporated basket hilted guards. I always associated these type of weapons with the sword and planet stories wielded by protagonists like John Carter. Here is a modern reproduction of the basket hilted broadsword by Jody Samson.  |
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Post by trescuinge on Mar 15, 2018 21:29:51 GMT -5
Like this?
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Post by kemp on Mar 16, 2018 5:45:48 GMT -5
Jody Samson actually made a replica based on the sword depicted in Frank Frazetta's painting of 'A Fighting Man of Mars'. ![]()  |
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Post by kemp on Mar 16, 2018 5:56:27 GMT -5
Like this?
The Warlord of Mars cover you provided looks very much like the basket hilted broadsword. The second sword by Jody Samson seems especially close to the sword wielded by John Carter in this FF painting.  |
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Post by Char-Vell on Mar 16, 2018 9:43:31 GMT -5
Jody Samson actually made a replica based on the sword depicted in Frank Frazetta's painting of 'A Fighting Man of Mars'. ![]() That is sweet!
I enjoyed the John Carter movie, and even liked the swords in it, but I sort of wish they'd have had some Frazetta-esque swords involved.
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Post by kemp on Mar 22, 2018 8:14:59 GMT -5
Jody Samson actually made a replica based on the sword depicted in Frank Frazetta's painting of 'A Fighting Man of Mars'. ![]() That is sweet!
I enjoyed the John Carter movie, and even liked the swords in it, but I sort of wish they'd have had some Frazetta-esque swords involved.
I myself would have preferred if John Carter was armed with the basket hilted designs. Maybe they just wanted something more 'other worldly' looking, hence the weapons used by Carter and Dejah Thoris.  John Carter should had sported a cavalry sword, something like this British 1908 blade by Wilkinson. I think this would work apart from the fact that the sword was developed decades after John Carter first ended up on Barsoom.  |
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Post by kemp on Mar 22, 2018 8:29:42 GMT -5
Watched Forged in Fire Season 2 episode 7 with the Ethiopian sickle shaped shotel sword, that reminded me of some of our discussions on the African blades. The shotel seemed to be a type of utilitarian design where the villagers could use it to harvest grain, and also as an effective cutting weapon. It was double edged, but of a curved design. The very curved sickle shape also allowed fighters to reach around an opponents shield for stabbing.  |
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