Greg
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Post by Greg on Dec 1, 2010 7:26:37 GMT
So, I've been thinking of designing a new modular cutting stand and was thinking about all the parts that I would need. At that time my brain decided to think back to the previous experiences I've had where I've been buying stuff for sword related purposes and had to explain why I need the things I do. I also invite the rest of you to share your stories as well, because I know we all have em. The first one that stands out in my mind was when I was buying leather at a store called "Fabric and Lace." As you can imagine, this store caters to arts and crafts people more then wanna be warriors. I'm looking at two different types of leather. I can feel that there is a difference and I go to ask one of the staff memembers if they knew what type of tanning the leather had. She was about mid 50's, maybe even 60's and looked to have had her fair share in plastic beads and yarn. Me: "Excuse me, would you happen to know if either of these are vegetable tanned?" Her: "Um... no I'm not really quite sure. I do know that we have saddle leather which is vegetable tanned, but I am not sure about these pieces. What will you be using it for?" Me: "Well, I wanted to wrap something in it. Um, like if you were to wrap a wooden box in leather and then wanted to dye it." Her: "You are wrapping a box in leather?" -she said with a slightly surprised look on her face Me: "Well, no, no exactly." Her: "Well, it would help if I knew what you were making so that I'd have a better idea what you are looking for." Me: *sigh* ... "Ok, one of my hobbies is to use modern replicas of medieval swords to slice water bottles in half. I currently have a blade that I'm putting a wooden handle on, and plan to wrap it in leather. I would also like to buy enough leather that I could wrap a wooden scabbard in the stuff so it'll match. But I need vegetable tanned leather to make sure that I don't loose my grip on the sword when I swing it." Her: "..." She honestly reacted the same way as if I would have had a sword in my hand waving it around demanding leather. You know, sort of that open mouth, furrowed eyebrow look. I finally told her that I was confident that I could work with one of the pieces, and promptly paid and left. The only other memorable time was when I was trying to find parts to build a new wall rack. I was hoping that they'd have the wooden handles and I was looking all over. The clerk had suggested a few different "simple" designs but I was insistent on wood and explained that I was going to cut them in half and make a rack to hang stuff on. "What kinda stuff?" They asked. "Swords." Then I get the other look. The other look is one where they think you are making stuff up to be humorous or difficult. I've had a couple other run ins when buying stain for a scabbard or belts for a sander. I've considered just lying to people, but then it would take half the fun out of owning a sword.  |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2010 13:25:28 GMT
Yeah...I love these places that advertise that they have a "friendly, knowledgable" sales staff.
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Post by Larry Jordan on Dec 1, 2010 15:00:15 GMT
I'm a few beads short myself and fraying a bit, too.  A few years ago the adult bible study class I was attending was studying Luke chapter 22. When we got to verses 35 and 36, it was very clear that each disciple was instructed to buy a sword (makaira), because he was going to need it. Today swords are just not part of folks everyday lifestyle--maybe a big butcher knife, but not a sword. So, stuck in this paradigm, many of my fellow classmates could not accept the statement at face value: buy a sword, and sell your cloak (an essential garment), if you need the extra money to buy one. Anticipating this opportunity that Sunday I brought in a few swords for show and tell! I wanted to illustrate in a non-threatening manner what a sword was and was not (kitchen utensil). I very carefully exhibited a CS Kopis machete (18") and my Dawson Millennium Wakizashi (21"), since these two swords were probably of comparable length to the makaira in use at the time. No one fainted, but I did get some curious stares, and a few awkward laughs. I did not pass the swords around the room as one might when doing "show-n-tell." This was not intended to introduce "religion" into the discussion, but to emphasize the fact that culturally we have moved very far from edge weapons as defensive tools. |
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Post by LittleJP on Dec 1, 2010 15:27:44 GMT
I've never really had that reaction. I went to a craft's shop one time, and was asked what I was using the wood stain for.
"Oh, just to make a replica spear." Man didn't even blink.
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Post by MEversbergII on Dec 1, 2010 17:04:39 GMT
I've had some fiercely negative reactions to sword collecting before. Someone overheard another sword lover and I talking about our collection history. Once I mentioned I owned a few actual ones (the other guy was still in his stainless wallhanger phase), someone butted in and said: "Oh, so you're going to kill me?" Was totally out of the blue and I didn't indulge him, but he seemed pretty fierce about it.
Not the only time something like that has happened, either.
M.
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Post by Ceebs on Dec 1, 2010 19:56:23 GMT
I walked into the only sword retailer in New Zealand that actually had a showroom and asked for Hanwei/Tinker swords. The guy's face took on that "stunned mullet" expression.
It was strange because they only seemed to stock hanwei products :?
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Post by nihontoman on Dec 1, 2010 20:28:40 GMT
well, what to start with? well, o.k. I'll start from the VERY beginning... I loved swords since I was like 8-10 years old and I also loved swordplay. I begged every friend of mine to play swords with me (with big ol sticks). at first they were curious about it and played along, but I took the stuff seriously... in the end no one wanted to spar with me with swords  when my parents first learned about my hobby, they were quite surprised and I got "that look" too, from them.... I have KC26 bare blade on top of my piano in the living room, and when the guests come, first thing they look at me in that strange way (man, I hate it...) some even try to touch it with bare hands (I hate that too... it's hard to vclean the blade and oil it any time someone wants to touch it...) when my friend learned that I paid about 150 for that KC kat, his face changed in a funny way, I can't even describe it... and the real pain in the $emprini is when I try to find some good wood for tsuka and saya at stores. I say I wan't wood with such and such properties and always get this one f***in question: what are you going to use it for? maybe I could be of more help... mann, it really pisses me off... but oh well, thats the fate for the swordlovers nowadays... |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 2, 2010 0:16:43 GMT
Conversation I had in a craft store this August:
Me: Do you carry synthetic sinew?
Clerk: What do you need it for?
Me: I just want to attach some stone to a piece of wood.
Clerk: What exactly is it that you're making?
Me: I'm attaching a Clovis spear point to a foreshaft. It's a stone-age process called hafting.
Clerk: What's it used for?
Me: Killing Wooly Mammoths.
Clerk: Let me show you where we keep it. Do you want a small package or a roll?
Me: Better give me a roll. Mammoths are pretty big animals.
Clerk: Can I help you with anything else?
Me: You wouldn't happen to carry any large diameter dowels? Something you could use as a spear shaft?
Clerk: Try the building supply store. That's where we sent the last caveman who came in.
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Post by Bogus on Dec 2, 2010 3:02:06 GMT
Classic. That guy is my new hero. I was on the phone with my mom the other day, and when I mentioned I had bought another sword she made a snarky reference to that actor that went nuts and killed his mother while shouting Bible verses, and general "zomg swords make you mental." This is kind of hilarious because a) my parents have a rather large collection of guns, several of which she's trained to use and b) her own husband bought a fine arming sword a few years back, meaning the "sword nut" only owns one more than the family patriarch (my two wallhangers are countered by their two 1907 pattern bayonets, i.e. rusty shortswords). I think if she does it again I'll snark back with some semprini that did something stupid with a gun and/or other random object...it's not like there's a shortage of material there. Or point her to a picture of Dave K's collection for some perspective.  |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 2, 2010 3:15:32 GMT
I was setting up a bank account that does some fancy saving thing, and at the end of the year the bank matches 10% of what I've saved right to my account up to 10% 0f $1500 (free money, sweet!). But that's not what makes this a good story. The teller was asking me "so what is there that you'd like to save for?" and my first response was "Well Albion makes a really nice sword called the Thegn that I'd like to get..."
Best. Look. Ever. It wasn't quite terror, and it wasn't quite laughter...
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Post by Deleted on Dec 2, 2010 3:44:14 GMT
That's awesome, I got a good chuckle out of that.
But never let the clerk have the last word....
As you were walking away you should have said "Thanks man and while I'm over there... there you may want to hide your wife!"
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Post by chrisperoni on Dec 2, 2010 3:59:55 GMT
One time I tried to (actually more like I let it slip) explain to someone I was looking for polish safe for a sword. the young guy at the hardware store kind of did a double take and then just pretended to ignore what I said. I went back to using examples like 'for silverware' etc.
At Metal Supermarkets (awesome store!) they are totally cool with my explanations. They aren't into swords or anything but I think they understand that I have a legitimate request for soemthing specific and rewspect that there is a reason to be asking them for a certain metal/steel. When I tell them I need 3x3x1/8 squares for sword guards they just grad some crs and cut it for me etc.
At craft stores I will say stuff like 'I need leather to wrap a wood handle' but don't say what the handle is for. Those people are just to..., what's the word, I don't want to sound offensive or rude because that's not what I'm saying, but I guess the word is... pedestrian? They just can't think abstractly about my hobby. Kind of funny considering they deal with diy'ers and crafty folk all day long.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 2, 2010 4:55:50 GMT
The generational jump in this last generation has far exceeded anything in the past.
I recall reading an article about a major university where the professors were being put in classes on how to relate to students who have never worn a wrist watch and use texting and their primary form of communication.
Even in my neighborhood, which is a fairly decent one, you feel like your talking to a brick wall with the vacant stares from children when you broach the subject of how to speak to an elder and respect....blank bored stares is what you get.
Let alone explaining the honor and discipline that a sword represents.
With each generation all that it stands for becomes further diluted it seems... :cry:
It bodes not well me thinks
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Post by SlayerofDarkness on Dec 2, 2010 5:09:57 GMT
I know... my peers horrify me with their ideals, quite frankly. Which is why most of my friends are really epic guys on a certain sword forum. Kids these days... :roll: -Slayer |
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Post by chrisperoni on Dec 2, 2010 6:27:00 GMT
Slayer you're like 17 going on 100 |
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Post by Bradleee42 on Dec 2, 2010 14:54:27 GMT
Which is a good thing, because we could so beat him up and take his lunch money. :lol:
We love ya Slayer,and all your smiley's.
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Post by SwordLord on Dec 2, 2010 19:42:53 GMT
I walked in to my local Big Lots and put 20 beach mats in a cart and proceeded to check out:
Clerk: Do you mind if I ask what you are going to do with all these beach mats?
Me: If I told you....you'd just think I was crazy.
Clerk: I have two teenage sons, anything you tell me won't surprise me.
Me: It's called Tameshigiri
Clerk: What is that?
Me: I'm going to roll them up, soak them in water and then slice and dice them with Japanese swords.
Clerk: **** dumbfounded look - no reply *****
Guess her two teenage sons hadn't prepared her for that response. The next time I went to Big Lots and bought more mats, a different clerk asked the same thing. I just told her it was for an art project.
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Post by SlayerofDarkness on Dec 2, 2010 23:52:14 GMT
Haha! Thanks, guys... I'm actually 16, but either way works, you know? And I have to mention for Brad's sake... I carry knives, not lunch money.  MUAHAHAHAHAAA! (An advantage of not going to public school- I can always have a knife on me. How I love online schooling...) Don't forget to give Jonapsega some credit, too. He's the only teenager I've found who shares many of my honor- and valor-based ideals. And he's, like, 14 days older than me. lol. (I threw in the quintessential ', like,' for society's sake. Having a teeager act COMPLETELY unlike a teenager is too freaky- I have to give you some reason to connect me with my age, like, you know? :lol: ) Swordlord- That is just too awesome.  Funny enough... I tell about everyone I meet of my hobby. I mean, not random people in the street, but anyone I get into a conversation with. I must've told around a few hundred people about my sword interest over the years, and I think one lady once was a little condescending because I was 13-14 at the time and she thought I must be too immature to have deadly weapons... and I gave a short, concise, and to the point (VERY elequent, if I do say so myself! ) speech about how I respect the weapons, train carefully, and that age has no impact whereas maturity does, since I know plenty of 20+ yr olds I wouldn't trust with a bread knife and a few teenagers I'd trust with an M-16, and... well, she backed off. Other than that one, minute, experience... I don't think ANYONE I've told has had a negative reaction. Mostly, it's a sort of apathetic indifference with a 'huh, whaddya know' overtone, whereas some people get a look of awed adoration and start telling me how awesome I am. Other guys pull out their pocket knives and hand them to me for inspection. I think I like those responses the most.... :mrgreen: Fun times. -Slayer SPELLING EDIT |
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Post by LittleJP on Dec 3, 2010 1:15:35 GMT
Sweet, I'm actually not the youngest one here then.
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Post by Maynar on Dec 3, 2010 1:58:43 GMT
While these anecdotes are all very entertaining, I must say I'm a little disappointed in my personal experience. I've only been collecting for a little over 2 years now and when hobbies come up in conversation, I mention what I'm about these days.
Without fail every time I do, the reply comes, "Cool!" With a look of a little respect and a touch of envy, I think. Questions sometimes abound which I happily indulge.
I'm sad cuz I don't have any "wide-eyed, surprised" stories to tell. Maybe it's a West Coast thing? :lol:
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MUAHAHAHAHAAA! (An advantage of not going to public school- I can always have a knife on me. How I love online schooling...)
