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Post by Deleted on Jun 21, 2010 17:48:39 GMT
I recently made a video review of my first functional sword, a Windlass Qama. The video is mostly for my own amusement, but anyone looking for an inexpensive but useable sword may find it interesting. The Qama itself cost me $35, and with shipping and an accusharp that rose to $60. First impressions not in the video: I love the blade, and hated the hilt and grip. The scales are too small to be ergonomic, and the studs dug into my palms. I fixed the studs with a bench grinder, and it's much easier to swing now.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 21, 2010 19:08:03 GMT
Lol, funny clip man, I liked it a lot, good Agent Smith imitation About the Qama, it is a nifty little sword, one forumnite made a review a few years ago and came to similar conclusions than you (cool blade, great for cutting, very affordable, but the grip and its studs sucks). Anyway, have a well-deserved karma from me man.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 22, 2010 21:23:30 GMT
Oh, that is priceless. You just made my day with that. Thanks for that.
Also, thanks for the pronunciation of Qama. Until now, I couldn't find a single pronunciation of that freaking word, so in my mind, it's been Chama, because Kama reminds me of the Japanese weapon.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2010 2:13:14 GMT
When you hold the sword hold the sides that don't make the studs stick into your palms.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2010 3:59:54 GMT
Great video +1 from me!!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2010 6:02:19 GMT
Oh, that is priceless. You just made my day with that. Thanks for that. Also, thanks for the pronunciation of Qama. Until now, I couldn't find a single pronunciation of that freaking word, so in my mind, it's been Chama, because Kama reminds me of the Japanese weapon. lol... sorry, but I honestly have no idea how Qama is supposed to be pronounced... I was just saying it the way it looks like it should sound. You're welcome, though XD
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2010 6:04:10 GMT
When you hold the sword hold the sides that don't make the studs stick into your palms. I tried that, but didn't have the attention span to check for studs every time I drew it =P it's a little less neat to have them ground, but this isn't so important to me in such an inexpensive weapon.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2010 11:58:34 GMT
Great vid +1
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2010 13:57:27 GMT
Great video. +1
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Post by Ronin Katana on Jun 23, 2010 21:11:56 GMT
+1 from me for an interesting vid. I'll add it to my blog and send you some traffic.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2010 22:57:12 GMT
OMFG Spaceviking karma count is now the double of his post count
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Post by Cottontail Customs on Jun 25, 2010 4:16:59 GMT
how did I miss this? ? MAN! that was awesome! great video thanks and more please +!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 25, 2010 8:33:46 GMT
For half a year I haven't been logged in and just read in the forum.
Your video has some character. +1! ;D
Why produces windlass the Pompeii gladius with a ricasso and not like the Qama???
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Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2010 15:32:53 GMT
that was a great video, +1. I've looked through the description of the sword on the KOA website and it said: "Used by warriors from Persia to the Caucasus for hundreds of years, the Qama is an effective, close quarter combat knife. Made of hand forged, high carbon steel by Windlass Steelcrafts. With its long needle point on a 17 1/2'' long, double-edge blade, the Qama is a deadly close combat design that traces it's origin back to the Roman Gladius. The Qama was used by the Cossacks and Northern Persians. Considered to be the national weapon of Russian Georgia...." so, I'm Georgian, (yes the one in Caucasus) and I have seen many Georgian weapons of this style. this one has a very little resemblance of the short sword Georgians use. we, Georgians, as well as other Caucasian people used short swords called kinjal. more precisely "khanjali". this qama thing is very far from what I've seen. and we don't call it qama (well, at least here in georgia it is called khanjali...) the most noticeable difference is the blade. yeah it is short, two sided and pointy, but it is were the similarities end. it doesn't look like a khanjali to me, it looks more like a roman gladius with very plain fittings.... here's what I mean: this is the traditional georgian short sword, usually worn on belt, on the front side: khanjali in Georgia were always highly decorated (even if it was only meant for use and not for looking at it admiring) and this one is just too plain and ugly. really, I thought it was a cheap roman gladius when I first saw a pic on KOA site, but it was very strange when I read the description...
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Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2010 15:44:15 GMT
that was a great video, +1. I've looked through the description of the sword on the KOA website and it said: "Used by warriors from Persia to the Caucasus for hundreds of years, the Qama is an effective, close quarter combat knife. Made of hand forged, high carbon steel by Windlass Steelcrafts. With its long needle point on a 17 1/2'' long, double-edge blade, the Qama is a deadly close combat design that traces it's origin back to the Roman Gladius. The Qama was used by the Cossacks and Northern Persians. Considered to be the national weapon of Russian Georgia...." so, I'm Georgian, (yes the one in Caucasus) and I have seen many Georgian weapons of this style. this one has a very little resemblance of the short sword Georgians use. we, Georgians, as well as other Caucasian people used short swords called kinjal. more precisely "khanjali". this qama thing is very far from what I've seen. and we don't call it qama (well, at least here in georgia it is called khanjali...) the most noticeable difference is the blade. yeah it is short, two sided and pointy, but it is were the similarities end. it doesn't look like a khanjali to me, it looks more like a roman gladius with very plain fittings.... here's what I mean: this is the traditional georgian short sword, usually worn on belt, on the front side: khanjali in Georgia were always highly decorated (even if it was only meant for use and not for looking at it admiring) and this one is just too plain and ugly. really, I thought it was a cheap roman gladius when I first saw a pic on KOA site, but it was very strange when I read the description... Huh... Looking at these, I can't help but wonder where Windlass got *their* Kindjal design (not the Cobra Steel one on Atlanta Cutlery); the most notable difference from theirs and these pictures is actually what attracted me to it in the first place: the blade. It's double edged, but it's curved instead of straight. I love curved blades, so I've been wanting it for the longest time, but it's a bit of a shame to find out it's far from historically accurate.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2010 16:03:31 GMT
vincentdolan, no, it is a historical design, but it is very rare in Georgia.
basically a kindjal refers to a double edged short sword that has typical one handed grip. the qama falls into this category, but when I look at the pics it doesn't leave the impression of being national weapon of Georgia. every Georgian would say that it is a roman gladius.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2010 18:30:07 GMT
vincentdolan, no, it is a historical design, but it is very rare in Georgia. basically a kindjal refers to a double edged short sword that has typical one handed grip. the qama falls into this category, but when I look at the pics it doesn't leave the impression of being national weapon of Georgia. every Georgian would say that it is a roman gladius. Ah, okay. I was wondering, since most references I found of historical Kindjals called it a straight blade. It reminds me somewhat of the debate over the existence of a straight ninjato (the Hollywood ninja sword, in other words): there were straight bladed Japanese swords, especially the farther you go back; I think the middle of the 8th century is when a curved blade first appeared in Japan, but don't quote me on that as I'm no expert. Plus, there were the shikomizue (lit. prepared cane) which were cane swords before cane swords became the joke they are today, so they could be carried around without arousing suspicion. Sounds like something a shinobi would value to me. In addition, they saw a great deal of popularity after Emperor Meiji passed the edict banning swords, but I'm getting a little off topic. I'm not Georgian, but when I first saw the Qama, that was the thought I had: it's a modernized gladius. The blade looks almost identical to a Pompeii styling, but I can't recall many historical swords that had scale handles like this. Plus, from the images you posted, the kindjal's blade looks a little slenderer than that beefy Qama and the tapering to the point is more gradual instead of "boom! in your face". Luckily, that's why I like the Qama, as an inexpensive gladius with potential customization or just something to keep by the door.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 26, 2010 18:40:45 GMT
yeah, tapering is more gradual than on this qama. this is definitely a gladius, not a "Georgian national sword" or smth. like that....
about that russian kindjal. I don't know what exactly it is and it's origins, but I know I've seen something similar in museum. it has more of a Persian influence, Persians really liked curved kindjals.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 27, 2010 1:21:26 GMT
yeah, tapering is more gradual than on this qama. this is definitely a gladius, not a "Georgian national sword" or smth. like that.... about that russian kindjal. I don't know what exactly it is and it's origins, but I know I've seen something similar in museum. it has more of a Persian influence, Persians really liked curved kindjals. I had a feeling it was more Persian or at least influenced by Middle Eastern/Oriental (by which I mean all of Asia: India, China, Mongolia, Tibet, Nepal, Pakistan, etc.) since most European blades prior to the Age of Sail were straight and double edged. But strangely enough, looking at the images Kult of Athena has, I'm getting more of a Chinese vibe from it, since it's blade shape reminds me of the liuyedao or yanmaodao, but with a full second edge instead of just a sharped 7-8 inches near the tip.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 27, 2010 2:36:27 GMT
Nihontoman, its great to have a bona fide authority on(or at least someone with a real familiarity with) a blade that many of us find exotic as well as particularly beautifully deadly.
So a few questions for you. (If you don't mind...Don't mean to put you on the spot with this...) whats with the studs protruding from the handle scales that people here seem to find annoying? Is this just a traditional thing "hey this is the way its always been done so quit your sempriniin' " or is there a functional purpose that has escaped those who have commented so far?
And were all khanjali as beautifully decorated as the samples you've shared with us, or just those belonging to the "upper crust" that could afford it? Were/are there less well adorned blades used by those of lesser means? The photos you posted are all incredibly gorgeous pieces - what artistry!
Space(d)viking, you are gifted and warped and I sure hope that's not the last vid you post! +1
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