swords?

redwing00 · Jul 30, 2004

Drifter Bob, may I have your email address, I would like to send an off topic question concerning your information on swords. (the email function on the site has been disabled by a mod)

Drifter Bob · Jul 30, 2004

Galethorn said:
I know all about real greatswords, but I didn't want to belabor less knowledgable readers, in the same way that I avoided calling light two-handers 'Longswords,' which, though it was their real name, would simply confuse a lot of those who haven't read the things I have.

My apologies, I should have realised that you obviously knew your stuff. I tend to try to emphasise the real terms though because I think, perhaps mistakenly, that it would a good thing if more RPG people knew about real weapons and terminology.

Unfortunately, I live on an island surrounded mostly by EMA on the mainland, and the closest WMA group I'm terribly interested in is on the other side of the Cascades. I am planning a road-trip to visit AEMMA next summer, however.

As for MyArmory and similar sites (Sword Forum comes to mind), you might notice me posting as Felix Thieme.

Ah, where are you, Australia? There are WMA groups there, there is even a WMA group active in Hong Kong now.

Either way, you can always buy or make a waster and fool around a little in the back yard, learning twitch cuts and such. I personally find it very theraputic, kind of like a western version of Tai Chi.

DB

Drifter Bob · Jul 30, 2004

redwing00 said:
Drifter Bob, may I have your email address, I would like to send an off topic question concerning your information on swords. (the email function on the site has been disabled by a mod)

I'll spell it out so spambots won't get it, it's cugel23 AT bellsouth dot net

DB

Galethorn · Jul 31, 2004

Drifter Bob said:
Ah, where are you, Australia? There are WMA groups there, there is even a WMA group active in Hong Kong now.

I sometimes wish I was there...but no, I'm in the US...Vashon Island, Washington, to be exact; right near seattle. It's a 20 minute ferry ride each way, not to mention the wait in line, and the traffic. Even so, I've looked into the various groups on the mainland. The only one that does WMA in seattle is focused mainly on mid-renaissance rapier, which I'm not interested in. What I'm interested in is early longsword, and the nearest group I can find is a branch of ARMA in spokane, which is about at the upper limit of how far from here I could go in a day...which would mean going to practice one afternoon would be a three day trip.

So, even without any groups near enough for me, I practice a more...practical form of swordsmanship; trash and foliage destruction. On the bright side, I'll be done with my highschool/community college education two years from now, so I may end up getting to go to 'real' scool in a town with a better WMA prescence.

Anyway, back to the topic.

Carbon steel rusts at contact to finger-grime, and even stainless steel with corrode (as opposed to oxydize) from the acid in finger prints.

Wait, no, we were talking about...uhh....something or other...

Stay in milk! Don't do school! Drink lots of drugs!

mythusmage · Jul 31, 2004

The secret of sword work is...

...to poke holes in him while keeping him from poking holes in you.

Mystery Man · Jul 31, 2004

Joshua Dyal said:
Antique swords aren't made of stainless steel. And as for Mystery Man's (and now Drifter Bob's) claim that stainless steel does rust, frankly, you're just two guys on the Internet. I'd give the following article from Scientific American a lot more credibility when they say that stainless steel, for all intents and purposes, does not rust.

Lol. OK JD, God forbid I get in your way of obsessively having to be right all the time.

Technically it is rust prohibitive, depending on how much chromium is in it, but it does rust given the right conditions. Whatever. I mean, I was only basing my info on various sights on metalurgy and my own experience. But hey, I bow to the superior intellect.

Prince of Happiness · Jul 31, 2004

My "stainless steel" silverware that I picked up at Wal-Mart when I was in the Air Force somehow has oxidized spots on it. I don't if that really adds much, but though "s***, what have I got lose?"

Krieg · Jul 31, 2004

Stainless steel does resist oxidation, but contact with sodium chloride, sulfides or previously odidized metal can induce corrosion.

edit: odidized? Oops, make that oxidized lol

Dogbrain · Jul 31, 2004

Driddle said:
I also imagine my main duelist character has developed his own pre-modern form of the "orthopedic" hilt, or so-called pistol grip, which is used very often in sport fencing. But I lack sufficient knowledge in swordmaking history to know whether such constructions were even considered in the way-back. Anyone know?

The orthopedic grip is too good to use in combat. What I mean is that it does its job far too well. It fixes the hand and grip in a single position, damaging versatility. There are advantages to having more flexibility in how you hold a weapon--if you've been taught properly. That being said, historical "finesse" swords made mostly for thrusting (rapiers, smallswords, Italian dueling swords) did have "orthopedic-like" components. I refer to the cross (aka "quillions"). If held properly, these give an amazing amount of leverage, finesse, and control, although power on the cut is sacrificed by gripping them in such a fashion. However, if one really had to cut, one could still go for the old-fashioned "out-thwart" grip. The orthopedic handle on the other hand, doesn't allow that.

Likewise, the orthopedic handle fixes the hand too well to the sword. There are times when it can be a good thing to sacrifice a strong grip for extra suppleness, like when one has to respond to someone who binds and tries to press. With the orthopedic grip, you lose everything when you loosen up and try to yield. With a traditional handle, you have a more secure grip if you are forced to try this tactic.

Orthopedic grips do what they are designed to do--work well in modern sport fencing.