Anyone keep a sword handy near their bed?

Hey Ramstein,
Yep, we are a definate breed mein freund! I too oft times lay in bed holding and hefting a sword before I go to bed. Dang! Do you reckon people like us sword lovers are re-incarnated or something?

I practice with my sabre in the afternoons after work on a lot of days. I love the feel of it in my hand and when I wear it suspended from my Civil War military sabre belt. The other day something funny happened. I have a couple of lawn chairs sitting between two trees in my front yard. I often sit in one and read, enjoying a pretty day with a glass of some sort of refreshment and a good read.

The other day I had my sabre belt strapped on with my saber and was sitting there in my lawn chair reading my Conan book. One of my sons, 13 yrs old, came up and said, "Oh my God Dad! Please, please take that off and go put it up before everyone thinks my dad is nuts!" I told him that I had been practicing my sabre drill and had decided to sit down and drink a soda and read a while, that I did not give a good tinker's damn what people thought and what was the big deal? He was mortified and went inside. I just drew that sabre and saluted the sun with that 34" length of shining, flashing steel! Ha! Ha! Life is good!
FB
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hahaha! your'e my new hero freebooter! ;D


Rammstein, I too always seem to multitask with a sword in my left hand, (though I suppose for you it would be your right) I'm usually just leaning it on my shoulder tapping it lightly up and down.

I still live at home so my whole collection is in my room, sitting on a edge of the bed i can reach

Prac Plus Katana, Wak and Tanto, Kikuchi Yari Blade, Naginata Blade in sturdy shirasaya, Japanese WW2 officers Dirk, Japanese Kwaikin, Dynasty Forge Jumonji Yari, Jitte and some UC Black Ronin Stuff

and a hanwei oda armor, but unfortunately i dont fit into it

Guys, I recommend some other weapon then a sword...and axe, a bat, crowbar etc. The reason being is that we want to keep swords out of the news as weapons used to harm people, even in self-defense. There are already a number of politicians looking to make a name for themselves that have called for outlawing swords. I hate it that politicians rank heir progress based on how many laws they pass. I would rate them based on how many laws they abolish.

The other reason is that no mater if it is self-defense the police may take the weapon in question as evidence until the mater gets sorted out. You don't want them to take a $300 sword, let them take the $15 bat or axe.

I personal recommend a small shield and a small club. A gangster will likely have some experience with blunt and sharp weapons, but non against a shield. You will also have a better chance of defending yourself too.

Hi Jason, another thing for us to consider is that we are all good people here I think. We all have jobs, families, are educated and otherwise have a futures. If we pick up a deadly weapon, even in selfdeffence, all that is going to go through out minds. We will hesitate and that hesitation may cause us to get killed, perhaps be even having our own weapon turned against us. The fact is non of us are trained to be killers. If we use a non-leathal weapon, I believe most people will defend themselves better.

Jason, you and I as SCA figters have the added advantage of experiance. If you pick up your rattan sword, you mind will automaticaly go to tornament mode. You will do what you have been trained to do with no hesitation. Most likely you will opt to bring him down with a legshot. Straight down is exactly where he is going to go with no leg armor. If its two guys, then you have to get a little bit more serious with a headshot that will knock the first guy out and then you can deal with the other one.

When the police come they will be able to question them and know for sure they they are intruders. If the intruders are dead, the police have to consider the posibility that you all knew each other, and that this may be the result of some prior conflict. It will be a messy investigation.

In anycase Jason, I am sure you will defend yourself better with the rattan sword you have fought so many other guys with before.

I have to say this,

What you use to defend your home relies heavily on where your home is located..

good neighborhood = a bat

bad neighborhood = something that says vey clearly
"You F#^*&d up"

I have drawers in my bed frame in one of the drawers is a safe which contains my 9mm Taurus PT92 (17 round mag of serrated hollow-points)

Next to my bed against the wall is my Paul Chen Ninja
(Paul was right, IF you use a sword for home defense this is one is perfect in size and functionality)

Above my bed (and to the right for safety reasons) on the wall are 2 Kamas

I do not want to kill anyone but, I will NOT place my "wants" above my families safety. I am not clair-voyant (sp)
the intruders motives are not known to me therefore I cannot assume he means no harm, other than to get something he can sell.

to sum it up:

If you come in my home, I must assume you made the mistake of meaning harm to whats most precious to me. and that my friends is a fatal one.

This thread definitely applies to me, because with all the stuff necessary to get a gun here, a big sharp sword was the answer. Fighting inside is not a factor either, as I have 14' ceilings and huge open floor plan! I have always kept a 9" hunting knife between the matress and boxspring right under where my pillow lies, and a Worth baseball bat marked "is it WORTH it? in the corner.

The bat has never really sat right with me because it needs room as well, but i can disarm a bat fairly easily, (if I see it coming)because there's no fear of stepping inside the swing - It'll hurt, but not cut an arm off. I also like the idea of a sheild - Now I NEED one of the Hanwei Bucklers!

I think one of the main points to remember if your home ever is invaded is - "Don't chase him outside and down the street!" This turns into YOU going to jail regardless of the weapon!

Yes I thought this was something I should really tell my theapist about but I am glad to see I am not alone! I salute you oh fellows of the holy rectangle mattress!!

There's only one thing more worrying than a man with a sword...

A paranoid man with a sword!

I might buy a tazer in future but if i needed a weapon for fatal damage i would use a sykes fairbairn, love those knives. I wouldn't use a sword, even a short sword is somewhat impractical. A buckler and a short blade knife or tazer or billy club kind of deal is my preference.