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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2010 3:16:12 GMT
because they are not subtle
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2010 4:08:45 GMT
Echoing what many have said, I have always been fascinated with blades ever since I was a child. My parents have always joked that as soon as I could grasp things in my hand and walk, I was always seen with a sword like stick or toy. Even as I grew up, that fascination always stayed with me, and I like to think that I still have a child-like awe of the beauty and engineering put into the development and making of all manner of knives, machetes, and swords. I love history, particularly military history and weaponry, more than probably any other subject.
They represent some of the most inventive and creative designs made in history from being a pure weapon of war to a tool for a variety of tasks. Swords and the like show that man is capable of taking something intended for war and turning it into a work of art at the same at as evidenced by swords like those out of the Migration and Viking Eras.
To me, swords can be either meant for purely practical tools of combat, works of art still capable of being used effectively in combat, or somewhere in the middle. Unfortunately for me right now, Rather than being able to afford practical yet beautifully finished swords like those from Tinker or Albion, swords, knives, etc are reserved to being mostly bare bones due to money constraints. I tend to lean more towards the practical and rugged side of swords and knives anyways, but alittle structural and leatherwork beauty never hurt as long as it doesn't mean I have to be extremely careful not to even slightly scuffle the sword considering that would defeat the purpose of a sword being primarily a tool of war.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2010 3:55:26 GMT
Because one day we will all run out of ammo, I suspect this day to come much sooner than most. I have 3 "battle Ready" Blades (more soon to come I hope) and a few wall hangers (hopefully I'll avoid more of these in the future). Also I've always loved Japanese culture and martial arts, the Katana embodies both aspects. (I also have a hand and a half sword which is my personal pick because of its heft.
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Marc Ridgeway
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"The best cost less when you buy it the first time." - Papabear
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Post by Marc Ridgeway on Apr 19, 2010 11:48:07 GMT
Mankind is separated from other life on this planet by a sense of self-awareness, and spirituality.
As such, man is drawn to symbols... from the dawn of civilization man has used totems, and symbols as icons of power, as prayers, as a focus for spirituality, a rallying call for loyalty...as a balm for the soul.
Also setting man apart is the ability to make and use tools, and to better his situation. It is a cold hard statement of truth, that the purest, most efficient tools man makes are tools of violence and warfare and death.
But these tools of violence are powerful symbols of more than violence. They are the things which early societies used to defend their homes, and kin... the tools which allowed them to conquest other lands, as necessary to some peoples survival as defending hearth and home was to others.
And of these ancient weapons, which shaped the peoples of the earth, our ancestors, none has become a more powerful symbol of the struggle of man than the sword.
More than a symbol of death and violence , as it is to many people , the sword is a symbol of nobility, of the indomitable spirit of man , and his relentless pursuit of perfection and improvement.
The very materials a sword is made of are a quest for constant improvement... stone to bronze, bronze to iron, iron to steel... The processes to make both the materials , and then the implements has been a quest for perfection as well... the best raw materials, forged to be the toughest, sharpest, most well balanced... no wonder man has bestowed magical qualities on so many ancient swords... at their best , swords are a symbol of the most magical qualities of mankind.
As the steel is forged to form the blade, so is the swordsman forged from a much more impure raw material...man. The sword as a weapon is fierce, and deadly, but innately flawed in unskilled hands. A longaxe, a spear, even a simple wooden staff all hold a large advantage facing a man with a sword, untrained in its use.
And so swordsmen forged their skills through through constant training, from the time they could raise the tip of a wooden sword from the ground... they tempered their skills in battle... some noble some ignoble... until the way to being a warrior of the sword became a way of such dedication, discipline, and sacrifice, the the sword became largely a weapon of nobility.
And eventually, the training in deadly perfection led to training in spiritual perfection as well... knights were men of God, bound by Chivalry, their swords defended right by might... ideally anyway... as the Samurai code of Bushido also forged the spirits of the men who wielded the steel.. and other codes , from other cultures.
The sword is a powerful enduring symbol of mankind's spirit of achievement, and quest for perfection.
To pick up the sword in this day and age is to do just that... the sword is no longer necessary to defend our homes, families , and way of life. It is no longer a weapon of warriors.
The person that takes up the sword today, and endeavors to learn its use, embarks on an inner journey. He makes war upon the imperfections in his heart... and seeks through discipline and dedication to hone his mind to be as sharp as the sword, and forge his spirit as true as the steel.....
This is not what drew me to swords.... but it is what keeps me. This makes them a lifelong passion, rather than a fleeting interest.
But simplest of all , I suppose , to quote Gus Trim , I collect because :
"SWORDS ARE FUN !! "
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Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2010 12:28:10 GMT
Marc, I swear I'm going to get that quote worked up into a poster one of these days. Calligraphy on true vellum parchment if I can manage it.
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