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Post by Neovenetar on Oct 23, 2011 13:00:19 GMT
Boom, here is my tactical sword. Simple, effective and makes a good machete.
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Post by Vincent Dolan on Oct 23, 2011 13:34:11 GMT
It's technically not tactical in the "stripped down bare essentials" manner, but it'll do everything you need it to. Presenting the Jack-of-All-Trades Sword Mk. II (Jack Sword or Mk. II for short): The full info can be found here in my design thread, but the skinny is this: Overall length of 34", blade length of 27", with a 4" grip, it's a great hand-and-a-half short sword for all situations and just about all uses (no, you can't use it to baton through wood; that's what a freaking hatchets for, you lunatics :lol: ). Both furniture and blade have been blued to resist rusting while the d-guard provides more protection than a regular cross or tsuba, but without the restrictions of a full or half basket.
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Post by Neovenetar on Oct 23, 2011 17:29:13 GMT
That blueing is a bit...... well........ blue!
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Post by MOK on Oct 23, 2011 19:48:02 GMT
Looks just like something Cold Steel might add to their machete line-up. Probably call it the Dadao Machete. That blueing is a bit teal. PS. Mind you, if there really exists a way to make steel that shade, I wanna know. 'Cos it'd look totally fabulous. No joke!
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Post by Neovenetar on Oct 23, 2011 20:48:43 GMT
oooh teal! check out the fancy colours man! XD
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Post by Sir Tre on Oct 24, 2011 0:51:10 GMT
i like the fox jian that brenno made for sean
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Post by Neovenetar on Oct 24, 2011 6:52:19 GMT
Yeah I liked that one too, very elegant but functional.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 24, 2011 9:56:47 GMT
hmmm I want somethine like this shape, but a bit longer handle and blade 2" more on blade and 1" on handle. I would like to have it balanced close to the hilt if that makes sense.... I'm not a fan on the pommel want it a bit streamlined.with the S handgaurd found on da dao would be nice . Are their any dao handle that point up hilt or is their only straight or down curved? I know the picture is just a tinfoil trainer but I like the length and shape its not thin above the handguard like the oxtail dao.
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Post by Neovenetar on Oct 24, 2011 18:33:43 GMT
That sword looks so........ Yeah I know what you mean, not exactly a good example picture though
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Post by Deleted on Oct 24, 2011 20:31:29 GMT
yeah their arn't that many good examples, 3... I wish their was something like that pic, then again maybe it has some flaws but their do have butterfly daos.... maybe I'll ask scorpion swords to make one and see how that goes. OH here is a good one I guess, I can't open it up for a bigger picture www.chinesearms.com/
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Post by Vincent Dolan on Oct 24, 2011 20:57:23 GMT
I must ask: why? Nothing against Chris, the man does some fine work, but why go the custom route (and Scorpion Swords would probably run you around 4-600$ or so) when both Cold Steel offers butterfly knives of their own for half the price? See here and here.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 25, 2011 1:21:41 GMT
Well those are nice and fine and probably get the job done. But I would like to own a duan dao, also maybe engrave something, but i didn't want to mention engrave since its a not really "tactical".
I think a tactical sword should be a good chopper and thruster that's semi light and easy to handle. Hense the suggestion of that tinfoil duan dao, (the S handgaurd was just for giggles cuz i like teh looks and the butterfly pair is pretty similar shape )
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Post by Vincent Dolan on Oct 25, 2011 2:40:49 GMT
A tactical sword should be a good chopper and thruster, but if you think that tinfoil dao fits the bill, you have a lot more to learn about swords. No offense; however, that thing is a toy. It's meant strictly for forms practice. Oh, it'll cut and cut well because of how thin it is, but a proper thrust will have that thing wobbling all over the place; you couldn't pierce a water balloon with that thing unless you did it really slowly. And don't even think of trying to parry with it. You might as well try and parry with tissue paper. If you want a dao to your specs, talk to Garret of Jin-shi; he does custom Chinese swords. Or, if you don't want spend the time and money on a custom, look into the Hanwei Oxtail Dao. 210$ at Edge Fair; a fair price for something that was discontinued years ago. The POB is 3" closer than the Practical and it doesn't have that completely useless sheath.
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Post by Neovenetar on Oct 25, 2011 6:49:58 GMT
You know I think they've brought it back into production, I remember seeing it somewhere....
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Post by Deleted on Oct 25, 2011 7:55:39 GMT
I never suggested a tinfoil dao lol. That was the only "duan dao" shaped pic i could find ( could use MSPaint or do a crappy edit but I didn't want to look a 12 year old). I think a duan dao would be fit the bill on the tactical terms than a regular size,
That Ox tail sounds good.Thank you for the link! I'm going to add that, I want to have a dao and jian collection.
Yeah jin shi would do an excellent job. They made a duan jian, don't see that many.
At the moment I was looking at SSK&B site looking at his khopesh for kicks, and they did custom work and i just said that.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 25, 2011 16:43:49 GMT
As much as I dig swords, I don't think that's what I'd recommend given the scenario. I'd go for a mace, like the one reviewed in this thread. As others have pointed out, swords and spears take a decent bit of training to use effectively. A mace, on the other hand, is not only simpler to manufacture, it's generally far more intuitive for an untrained user, and less likely to end up injuring its wielder due to misuse (though that's always a possibility with any tool/weapon.)
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Post by MOK on Oct 25, 2011 17:31:22 GMT
Well, how about an ax? Since what we have is huge piles of 5mm sheet metal, maces would actually be quite a bit more complicated to make than blades...
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Post by Deleted on Oct 25, 2011 18:15:31 GMT
We've also got a fully stocked, abandoned Home Depot. If we were going for axes we wouldn't have to build any, we could just raid the HD for their hatchet stock, or even their machetes if you prefer a sword-like blade. Likewise, I'd probably just press plumbing pipe into service to create the major portions of the maces--I personally love the flanged designs and believe they'd be more effective, but in a pinch just getting something heavy in people's hands that can be used to cave in skulls would more than do the trick.
The more I think about it, the more it seems to me you'd be better off pressing weapon-like tools into use as weapons, rather than trying to purpose-build something. There's plenty of historical precedent suggesting that such an approach is the more efficient one, whenever possible.
With that said, this thread does have me trying to figure out what I'd want for a personal tactical weapon given an apocalyptic event and a need for self-defense. I think I'd want two weapons--something with a little bit of reach, like the short spear discussed earlier, and something for more close-in fighting, though I'm torn on that one. Aesthetically I'd prefer a Japanese blade, but I have far more experience with European blades, so I'd probably be far more effective with one of those. Now, I do have one question: why do so many tactical sword concepts seem to lack significant guards? From my (admittedly limited) experience, a good, solid guard can make a significant difference in the defensive value of a sword. Am I just thinking about this wrong given my Markland* experience?
* For those not familiar with Markland, think SCA only generally earlier in period and more peasant-y.
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Post by MOK on Oct 26, 2011 1:57:00 GMT
A larger, more complex guard would increase the weight significantly, as well as make the manufacturing process a lot more complicated and potentially get in the way in carry and deployment. Anything that prevents a) your hand from slipping onto your blade and b) a parried blade from slipping off the blade onto your hand should be perfectly adequate for the stated intents and purposes of these weapons (and item b is of debatable importance, at that).
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2011 5:32:57 GMT
multi tool weapon would be reduce weight, but you rely on that so the blade has to be good thick yet light and nearly understandable lol.
Does such thing exist in the real world?
About the handgaurd thing, I think i would like mine to have one, yes it does make it more complex that it should be but how i see it as a boost psychologically, much like helmets, they may not always stop a bullet (if it does then hope you don't have a massive headache or dent in your head) but gives some people feeling of safety or "power" or whatever.
Then again it may look too "mall ninja" sometimes.
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