Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 29, 2012 16:31:44 GMT
I remember holding a katana for the first time and I instantly felt lethal. The energy coursing through my veins made me feel invincible, but then I forgot the feeling when I put it down. I have a very short attention span.
I was never really interested in swords until I tried to make my own a month ago. It was just a bronze casting project I had to do for school. When I decided to cast a sickle sword, I researched the history and the techniques, as well as the engineering that goes into making such a weapon. It really takes knowledge to appreciate it. To be honest, I think I lost interest again…
So, I’m really curious how most people become interested in swords. Were there any specific events in your life? Feel free to share.
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Post by William Swiger on Dec 29, 2012 16:51:53 GMT
Highlander - seriously. :-)
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Post by Rifleman Lizard on Dec 29, 2012 17:02:19 GMT
Mostly travelling, history books and the old BBC television documentaries.
European and Japanese histories were both built by arms and armour. Curiosity took over when I learned that the longbow didn't win the battle of Agincourt, or how effective skirmishers armed with bollock daggers were at fighting noble knights in expensive full plate.
Curiosity is at the heart of education. For me, lethality has nothing to do the hobby. It's all about the history.
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Post by Springs on Dec 29, 2012 17:14:34 GMT
I'm a bit of a history buff, so liking swords is a bit of an extension of that.
Mainly though, watching movies and video games growing up. I also have a habit of collecting things too.
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Post by Voltan on Dec 29, 2012 18:27:23 GMT
Three movies when I was a kid---Hawk The Slayer, Excalibur, and Sword Of The Valiant.
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Post by wnydel on Dec 29, 2012 18:37:28 GMT
Movies when I was a kid. I was a huge Chuck Norris fan and then got into other martial arts movies besides his too. I can't remember a specific movie that did it, if any of them, I just remember seeing swords in some of the movies. But then I started taking karate and the karate magazines sold weapons and swords. i got into both, but could never afford the swords. Not that my parents wanted me to have one at that age anyway. Then many years went by and a few years ago I got a Budk catalog in the mail and I ordered one, then a few more, then found this forum and started buying better and better ones...and now I am addicted...
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Post by Rafael on Dec 30, 2012 4:50:14 GMT
The old Conan movie and the "riddle of steel". And He-man. Lol
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Lunaman
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Posts: 3,974
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Post by Lunaman on Dec 30, 2012 5:26:18 GMT
First film I ever saw was the Princess Bride; first books I ever read were abridged stories of King Arthur. Swords have factored deep in my imagination my whole life.
My father had a pair of swords than were given to him after he'd done a great favor to someone that he never spoke about and they were kept high in his room out of reach, some magical adult things that he owned. So I always knew it was possible and acceptable to own swords once you were a responsible grown-up, and they fascinated me. Years later when he moved he asked me to be in charge of transporting and setting up his swords since I knew far more about them than he did. It was humbling and I felt honored, then gave a surprised laugh to myself when I finally was able to examine them. They weren't sharp, they were training iaito, and not of particularly impressive quality. But they meant very much to both of us. Still do.
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Post by BIGGORILLAINK on Dec 30, 2012 6:21:32 GMT
John boorman excalibur for sure the green lighting and music made the sword seem so magical and deadly. That's what started it for me followed by Beastmaster and Conan of course.
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Post by Maynar on Dec 30, 2012 7:01:22 GMT
I always had a fascination with edged weapons/tools as a youngster but it was something I suppressed, not sure why. Then one day about four years ago my wife showed me a flyer from a liquidation place that had opened recently. The blades illustrated were stainless wall hangers, but it got me motivated enough to go and check it out. They had a couple of Musashi lines, the Bamboo 1060 and a Wind Dragon TH with fakey hamon, which I immediately purchased. Still have it, actually. Highlander and Conan figured into the history, for sure along with all the other Hollywood sword heroes. But I never went forward with it until I saw that cheeseball flyer one Saturday afternoon. Something clicked, I was hooked, and the journey began.
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Post by feral on Dec 30, 2012 7:13:40 GMT
She-Ra, He-Man, The Thundercats, Red Sonja, Conan, Highlander, Excalibur, the Beastmaster, stories about Arthur and Camelot, every medieval fantasy I could get my hands on, stories from celtic and viking myth and legend, stories from the bible, and bad childhood experiences.
Early on I became defensive and skittish and developed an affinity for knives and swords and it stayed with me into college, a very unlikely career, halfway across the world and now college again and likely til I die. If there is one thing I've ever been passionate about in life it's been living by the sword.
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Uhlan
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Post by Uhlan on Dec 30, 2012 9:48:50 GMT
History. I collect archeological artefacts, antiquarian books and manuscripts, just anything realy that is antique,handcrafted and beautiful and tickles my fancy. Swords are a sort of archetype and as such nested deep within us I think. The sword and the pen are what made us. The first time I was in awe of a sword was when my mother took me to my first movie as a treat after a long day spent at diverse Ladies outfitters in the city, where I was to be silent and was supposed to sit still and in general behave myself during long fitting sessions, with all kinds of staff and floormanagers flitting about her. She liked this, most women do I am told, but I most surely did not. So, off to the Cinema we went. Be advised that attending to a Cinema performance was not something a Lady Of Good Standing was supposed to do. Parlour maides yes, her employers not realy. So it was extra special and a secret kind of affair. I bet she had a secret crush on Charlton Heston, for it was he who starred in El Cid. Ofcourse she told me she came to see Sophia Loren, but I had this feeling....little pots have big ears. The scene which was absolute, extra special and for me, as a little boy, the definition of awesomness was where El Cid, having won the duel with the bad guy, planted his sword in this persons inert body, the sound of steel crushing through mail and then the close up of said sword slowly going back and fort, back and fort. Extra Super Galactic Awesomness!
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Post by KentsOkay on Dec 30, 2012 18:10:19 GMT
Star Wars, Arthurian legend, Narnia, Ivanhoe, Hobbit, and later LOTR.
They have an aura of authority and responsibility to them, coupled with deadly beauty.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 30, 2012 22:33:48 GMT
I'd have to say, books - loved all things medieval, even the Bible has storys about swords in it; Hobbit/Lord, even pirate stuff - heh, we even used to do those "choose your own adventure" books in middle school!
Movies - Star Wars and Conan (seeing Arnold wield that blade on the big screen was life-altering, seriously)
handling Machetes at a young age, and then
firearms. Yes, firearms - before guns, a blade was it. Holding a blade is a much more visceral experience than firing a gun - they are both fun in their own way, but the blade is much more....personal.
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Post by mlpfan on Dec 30, 2012 23:36:04 GMT
I have loved swords pretty much forever . I had a WW2 japanese officers katana and a ww1 japanese calvery saber but i sold them cause i needed the money years ago. at least i sold at the top of the market, i could buy them back for about 30 percent less now.
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Post by Warlokk on Dec 31, 2012 2:06:10 GMT
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, 1982, 6th grade. I wasn't allowed to see Conan till a few years later, and that pretty much sealed the deal, but I have to say AD&D was what first sparked my interest in medieval weapons and armor. It just took a really long time till I was finally able to own the real thing.
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Post by Dave Kelly on Dec 31, 2012 2:32:26 GMT
Well, I mean, it WAS Errol Flynn and Tyrone Power first; but Aunt Peg and mom thought this was cute. Baby brother and me thought the stiff rod like plastic blades were just great for flagellating the hell out of each other... :mrgreen:
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 31, 2012 4:25:08 GMT
Hey Dave, I noticed the box on the couch, the "Zorro Fencing Set"! See what happens when you start them off young! The rest is history... The beginning of a lifelong passion and an amazingly mindblowing Dave Kelly sword collection!
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George
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Post by George on Dec 31, 2012 4:31:37 GMT
Yeh i was the same as Dave sorta, we used to build swords and shield as kids, me and my mates. They were and still are today into Celtic and Viking weapons. So my dad had a huge metal and wood workshop, we build some pretty awesome weapons and had at it. A few cuts and bruises and Nek Minnit im an adult and still really into it.
Now for me its all Japanese History that ropes me in (mainly due to the fact i 'was' a huge Anime fan when i was a teenager, i say was as now ive learnt about the real history and culture, anime seems to out there for me now), my mate is still ha huge Viking fan, i actually got him a Hanwei Tinker for his wedding gift.
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Post by Deepbluedave on Dec 31, 2012 7:31:31 GMT
I would have to say John Carter, read the books nearly 35 years ago, then went on to read any book with a fantasy theme, its what got me started and is what I go back to to relax.
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