Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2009 22:01:50 GMT
You take your off-hand and grip the blade, which basically turns it into a short spear. If you are worried about the blade being sharp and cutting your hand, you can always get a blade with a ricasso (a blunt, less wide section of the blade designed for gripping during half-swording) or you can just leave the 1/3rd of the blade closest to the hilt blunt. I don't think many people cut with this section of the blade. Oh, and the swords I mentioned are all very lively in the hand; they don't weigh much either, maybe around 3 pounds, give or take a few ounces.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2009 22:04:41 GMT
Would you be confident in a weapon of that length serving your needs if you were attacked by three or four fast-moving, aggressive opponents at once? Would it have the agility move from one to the next quickly enough?
|
|
|
Post by enkidu on Aug 21, 2009 22:07:27 GMT
Like i just wrote, i would prefer something slightly longer, and as long as the balance and handling is right the recovery shouldnt be too much of a problem.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2009 22:12:04 GMT
Oh yes, a longsword that had been properly made will have handling characteristics at least as good as any katana. The three types that I mentioned probably have the best handling out of the longswords, but even the heavier, cut - orientated ones like the type XIII or XIIIa that enkidu mentioned will handle nicely. If I was fighting humans, I would prefer something like I listed, but if I was fighting zombies I would want something like enkidu listed - a good XIIIa warsword.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2009 22:14:13 GMT
Outstanding! Thank you both.
|
|
|
Post by enkidu on Aug 21, 2009 22:16:57 GMT
No problem, quite an interesting discussion... but.. where are you going on with that ? I suspect your obvious writing talent is looking for something to feed upon...
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2009 22:21:23 GMT
No problem, quite an interesting discussion... but.. where are you going on with that ? I suspect your obvious writing talent is looking for something to feed upon... Ho ho ho! Flattery will get you everywhere, of course, but don't think for a moment I'm not deadly serious. The List is the List. I fully intend for my complete Bug Out Kit to include a sword for personal defense. Zombies are a fun fiction, but the proverbial feces does happen. Plus, weapons are cool. (I am an equal opportunity weapon lover.) My objective here is exactly as stated in that first post: to determine what swords in modern production would make the best self-defense companions in a "survival" situation, be it wilderness or urban, so that I can then go buy the sucker and have it if I need it. Addendum to Enkidu and Kenyon: I like the fact that you've talked about half-swording, because I think one of the ideal features of a survival weapon is versatility, such as in a sword which can change its effective length and balance depending on how it is handled. On the Asian side, I am attracted to the Ko Katana concept, of a full-length weapon in which an extra portion of that length is taken up by the hilt (what was it, tsuka? tsuba? One of those). A high grip lets it play like a short sword, a low grip gives it the reach and radial tip velocity of a long sword. The fact that a European longsword can be designed to perform the same trick intrigues me greatly.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2009 22:22:56 GMT
I'm glad that I am not the only one who noticed his obvious writing skill. Maybe he wants information for a book, in which case, I want to know what the title will be, and how I can acquire it.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2009 22:23:08 GMT
Since I was waiting for Tinker's Type XIIIa to be at KOA in the September time frame, and now there is a Great Sword of War there which is a Type XIII, what is the difference between a Type XIIIa and a Type XIII BTW, good choice for a battle blade
|
|
|
Post by enkidu on Aug 21, 2009 22:26:29 GMT
There was a zombie thread in the cafe section a while ago, you might find something there also.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2009 22:28:05 GMT
I quite agree. The Katana design has a long and thoroughly acknowledged history of success. That said, I'm not one to discount modern wisdom. If modern steel chemistry, forging techniques, or geometry have improvements to offer--or can make the same capabilities available at lower cost and with greater ruggedness--then I am game to hear about it. What I like most about the Katana, for survival purposes, is the overall shape. It has a cutting curve, but not so much so that it can't also be used to thrust. And on the thrust, it's long, narrow profile allows deep, easy penetration. Once the kissaki penetrates, the rest of the weapon can follow. The trade-off, of course, is that long, thin objects tend to bend or break. Modern steelcraft seems to have a lot to offer in countering that, though. Voila!! /index.cgi?board=swordreviews&action=display&thread=11645&page=1Not as long as a katana, but I feel it has advantages in the somewhat closer quarters of more common urban settings.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2009 22:30:06 GMT
According to myarmoury, the XIIIa subtype usually had a grip that was a little bit longer, as well as a longer blade. Most modern production swords called XIII and XIIIa are basically the same though, and Oakeshott did say that his categories were not inflexible. I didn't know that KOA had the GSOW's in stock, thanks for telling me. If you are planning on getting one, please do a review, because I have been trying to decide if I want the GSOW or the VA practical Longsword (304S).
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2009 22:36:56 GMT
Kenyon and Enkidu, note the addendum in my above post. Mr. West, glad you could make it, but the Rat Waki has already been entered, I'm afraid, so you don't get credit for that one. I'm sure you'll come up with something, though.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2009 22:42:48 GMT
I read your addendum, ancient. I find longswords fascinating, because there are so many possibilities that one can employ with a longsword. I would really enjoy learning proper longsword technique, but there are no schools close to my area of residence. I thought about a good katana as a survival weapon, since you wouldn't be fighting many armored opponents, but I would rather have a longsword for versatility.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2009 22:46:24 GMT
Thanks for the input, Mr. Kenyon. It goes into the equation, definitely.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2009 22:49:10 GMT
curses!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2009 22:51:41 GMT
I know, and you set the bar so high in the knife thread. I've even been recommending that people go read it. The other excellent "tactical sword" submission right now is the Angus Trim Tactical line. If you haven't seen those, check 'em out.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2009 23:17:04 GMT
According to myarmoury, the XIIIa subtype usually had a grip that was a little bit longer, as well as a longer blade. Most modern production swords called XIII and XIIIa are basically the same though, and Oakeshott did say that his categories were not inflexible. I didn't know that KOA had the GSOW's in stock, thanks for telling me. If you are planning on getting one, please do a review, because I have been trying to decide if I want the GSOW or the VA practical Longsword (304S). Jonathon, I have been brooding over the prototype of the Type XIIIa after seeing a link to video of it on this site, and have even pestered CAS/Hanwei at one point to check on it's progess. My awareness of all these great Euro swords is pretty recent, before that it was pretty much Kats, Chinese swords, and fantasy SLO's. I recently got the misnamed Hanwei Bastard Sword, which turned out to be a lot larger than a normal Bastard Sword, but I love the type. Whether I will be strong enough to weild it effectively will be seen after the summer heat here in Oklahoma yields to Fall, and I venture out to sharpen it, and cut with it. I think the GSOW will be lighter and won't be as long as the Bastard Sword
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2009 23:33:27 GMT
The GSOW is listed on swordnation as weighing around 3.11 I think, and KOA has it at 3.9 lbs. That is pretty heavy for a sword, but it is still within the historical weight for XIIIa type swords.
|
|
|
Post by enkidu on Aug 21, 2009 23:39:48 GMT
Well balanced as Tinker swords are you shouldnt worry about the weight.
|
|