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Post by tea on Oct 23, 2015 21:31:44 GMT
Not sure if this has been covered before, as I couldn't find anything on it with the search function. I'm new to the forum, but not new to being interested in swords. I stumbled upon this site recently while researching for a new sword purchase. So, by way of introduction and a "get to know you" thread, I'll get the ball rolling with regards to the question, "how did you get interested in swords?"
For me, it started with the tales of King Arthur. One of the first set of stories I can remember my Mom reading to me as a kid was Roger Lancelyn Green's King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. Since my Mom is Welsh (born and raised and still maintains her British citizenship), she presented these tales as part of the legacy of "our people." After Green's King Arthur, I was hooked and have read many more books on Arthur and his times, fictional and historical, and many inspired by these tales. As such, my first interest in swords was in Medieval European swords like Excalibur and the swords carried by Arthur and his knights (or at least those swords as portrayed in the fiction of Green, Mallory et.al - not the Roman Spatha that any historical figure that could have been and Arthur figure would have actually carried) and my friends and I would make our own swords and armor to duel and battle throughout the fields and woods around our neighborhood (btw, one gallon plastic ice cream buckets make great helms).
In my teenage years, I started studying Tae Kwon Do and became interested in Asian style weapons. In my 20s I lived in Japan for two years and studied Aikido, Kendo and Karate, so I was able to get a little bit of formal sword training. It was in search of a good quality Katana that I stumbled upon this forum.
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Post by - on Oct 23, 2015 22:37:53 GMT
I've seen this question asked here and on other forums before, and I've never really been able to answer it. I don't really know of a time that I wasn't interested in swords.
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Post by MOK on Oct 24, 2015 1:27:51 GMT
I read a lot of fantasy back in school - LotR, Dragonlance, the Belgariad, that sort of thing - which naturally lead to playing fantasy RPGs, mostly the Finnish version of Chaosium's RuneQuest. In the mid '90s my gaming group all got into martial arts with Han Moo Do, started fooling around with LARPing and boffer swords, found out that you can buy real swords on the Internet and that there's a bunch of historical material and people studying European swordplay for real out there... and the rest is pretty much self explanatory.
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Post by tea on Oct 24, 2015 1:42:45 GMT
I read a lot of fantasy back in school - LotR, Dragonlance, the Belgariad, that sort of thing - which naturally lead to playing fantasy RPGs, mostly the Finnish version of Chaosium's RuneQuest. In the mid '90s my gaming group all got into martial arts with Han Moo Do, started fooling around with LARPing and boffer swords, found out that you can buy real swords on the Internet and that there's a bunch of historical material and people studying European swordplay for real out there... and the rest is pretty much self explanatory. Yes, LoTR when I was a kid, too. And the entire Conan series and the Horse Clans series.
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Oct 24, 2015 2:03:08 GMT
It was probably a variety of things that influenced me. The pirate films in the ‘40s and Errol Flynn’s swashbuckler movies such as “Captain Blood” may have had some influence. I remember making wooden swords from tree limbs and sticks. My working knives that doubled as weapons such as kukris and machetes, and later some Philippine knives had something to do with it. Not to forget stick fighting. I think perhaps the later had the most direct influence.
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Post by Timo Nieminen on Oct 24, 2015 3:01:21 GMT
Historical and fantasy fiction, both book and movie. Robert E. Howard's historical stories, Solomon Kane, Holland's "The Kings in Winter", MZB's "Hunters of the Red Moon", Heinlein's "Glory Road" (which has the classic question concerning whether dragon's breathe fire out both ends), Ivanhoe (1982 version), Excalibur (John Boorman). From there, on to Tolkien and D&D/AD&D. Next, armed martial arts.
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Post by disappearingone on Oct 24, 2015 5:33:40 GMT
Being an 80's kid, I grew up watching movies and cartoons that featured swords in some way. Masters of the Universe, Thundercats, Conan and Highlander to name a few. It was a fascination that I never shook off.
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Post by nddave on Oct 24, 2015 7:54:32 GMT
Same reasons pretty much as the post right above. Child of the 80's with He-Man, Willow, Ninjas, The Legend of Zelda and all the other sword themed programs, videogames and movies. Looking back it seems that almost anything cool in the 80's had swords involved.
Reflecting back now I feel it may be even more deep seeded that just childhood interest. Maybe it's inherited or maybe I'm some knightly reincarnation (if you believe in that stuff) but swords have always been a part of me if that makes any sense. Even without all the 80's influences I believe I would've been drawn to swords some way or another.
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Post by - on Oct 24, 2015 10:05:21 GMT
Reflecting back now I feel it may be even more deep seeded that just childhood interest. Maybe it's inherited or maybe I'm some knightly reincarnation (if you believe in that stuff) but swords have always been a part of me if that makes any sense. Even without all the 80's influences I believe I would've been drawn to swords some way or another. Me too, in a way. It seems like almost everyone else developed interest because of some movie or video game or something, but I was never one to really watch movies or TV or play a ton of video games. Like I said before, I don't know where my interest came from, I have just always wanted to get a sword and learn how to use it.
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mali
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Post by mali on Oct 24, 2015 13:01:27 GMT
I hate to admit it but I got into swords from watching inuyasha/other anime and playing RPGs like the Final fantasy series. I didn't buy my first sword for years after my interest developed, mostly because I was a broke student for a long time.
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Post by Gunnar Wolfgard on Oct 24, 2015 13:19:03 GMT
My love of history, swords played a major part in history. Plus movies helped fan the fires. It started at a young age for me. Notice no suction cup tip, I was customizing swords even back then. My brother was a fast healer and I never went for a kill spot.
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Oct 24, 2015 15:42:43 GMT
I forgot history. Having the various types of swords, not to forget armour, gives me a better understanding. I don't know how I overlooked that.
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Post by Croccifixio on Oct 25, 2015 13:22:06 GMT
Lots to write here, but I will simply echo and paraphrase what Peter Johnsson and David DelaGardelle said in their Arctic Fire 2013 interview:
The sword represents something different. It is a paradox: a tool of violence but a symbol of civilization. It is artful but at the same time must be supremely functional. It emanates power; power over life and death, but also inner peace, since the sword and swordsman/swordmaker must be in harmony. It can bring out the best in us, when we rise to the occasion, or the worst of us, when we wield it with evil.
In a word, it evokes something within the soul that cannot be defined, but can only be accepted, and can only be felt when holding a marvelous specimen. It is history and fantasy and glory and honor and heroism forged in magic and fire. It breathes the mythos of our age, of our ancestors, and the greatness that lies within.
Most of all, it forces you to look deep within and mirrors your soul, in such an ephemeral and simple way. When you hold the steel, you are what you choose to do with it.
Anyway, not in so many words of course, but swords are simply... What is true.
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Post by Kiyoshi on Oct 25, 2015 15:44:33 GMT
Mine gets a little personal, so forgive me if you don't like sappy stories. I never had a dad and lost my mom when I was pretty young. I lived with another part of my family who were pretty neglectful and violent. One of the kids living with us was the most violent of us all. Any time he became angry, he'd get one of the wall hangers from the collection in the parents' room and attack people with them. At first I hated swords because they gave me the scar above my left eye. I hated them because they represented violence. Later I stopped running and hoping I'd be okay and I started fighting back. Among the collection of wall hangers is a mogito that I still have to this day. It's a little bent out of shape and has a lot of cut marks, but it's still my favorite sword. Eventually they became a symbol of protection. I'd leave the house and go find these young straight trees and cut them down with a kitchen knife I sneaked out. I'd carve them into swords and swing them around. Back then I was violent and angry at everything. Why was I here if I had to live through all of this? Eventually my kenpo teacher recommended me to an iaido school. I started practicing and as I grew stronger in iai, my temper and emotions started to even out. I had bumps where I wasn't in the best place, but I always had something I could do to feel better. No matter how much I hated myself or the world, my thoughts, even for a moment would go away while I practiced. Even when I had no home, I could still find a stick and practice. No matter what family I ended up staying with, no matter if I had no electricity, no water, nothing, I still could find a stick. I started studying the philosophy of the sword. Why was something so violently used so beautiful? Why was I drawn to it so much? Why did it make me feel like it did? It reflected my own feelings of myself. Could I be so beautiful despite the violence? The studies took me to zen as swords and zen are pretty closely related. Now adays I like to think of myself and a pretty kind and upstanding person. I'd never hurt anyone and go out of my way to help others and show appreciation. My sword is no longer filled with anger but instead calm and peace. My swordsmanship either grew with me or made me grow. Either way, it's something I plan on practicing for the rest of my life. Hopefully one day my sword will be empty.
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Post by AlvaroWang on Nov 1, 2015 22:04:42 GMT
Holy mother. This is hollywood material. Nice story my friend.
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Post by LG Martial Arts on Nov 2, 2015 1:16:30 GMT
Like many people above, I too was a product of the 80's... all the usual movies/shows, but also got interested in Beowulf, LOTR, and Arthurian tales with an introduction to them from my 7th and 8th grade English teachers. Flash forward several year later, and after Conan came out, Excalibur and then Highlander hit me light a ton of bricks. The Highlander TV show was when I really started my sword collecting phase, buying several SLO's including a Marto Duncan katana. On top of movies/tv shows, I began studying martial arts in the very early 80's, starting out with JKD, and then moved on to Aikido in the late 80's... I still practice Aikido till this day, and have studied several other JMA's too, eventually leading me to my Iaido dojo when I found out that (finally) Iaido was being offered near where I live (prior to that, the closest JSA dojo was at least 4 hrs away). So, truth to tell, lots of things have led me on the path I'm on today, including my treks in the UK (England, Wales [Anglesey (Ynys Môn)], and Scotland [Glen Finnan/Loch Shiel]), plus my education in medieval English lit, and training in JMA/JSA.
I almost forgot to mention Star Wars! My younger brother and I used to have plastic lightsabers that made the "force" sound when swung around back in the 80's when Return of the Jedi came out... I always used the green one while my brother used the red one - those were fun times until we eventually wore (broke) the lightsabers out.
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Post by Kiyoshi on Nov 2, 2015 3:57:10 GMT
Holy mother. This is hollywood material. Nice story my friend. If only they'd make a movie out of a weirdo kid who spends his days reading books on weird things and practices martial arts to deal with a crappy childhood... Wait... That's totally something Hollywood would take and ruin. XD Thanks though. It's not as exciting as it sounds. A lot of dumb mistakes and failed personal relationships. I'm working on it though. I think we could all benefit from learning a thing or two like that.
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Post by nddave on Nov 2, 2015 6:33:23 GMT
Holy mother. This is hollywood material. Nice story my friend. If only they'd make a movie out of a weirdo kid who spends his days reading books on weird things and practices martial arts to deal with a crappy childhood... Wait... That's totally something Hollywood would take and ruin. XD Thanks though. It's not as exciting as it sounds. A lot of dumb mistakes and failed personal relationships. I'm working on it though. I think we could all benefit from learning a thing or two like that. The Lifetimechannel bot has already stole it.... It'll premier Dec 15th and your child self will be played by a heavy makeuped Kirk Cameron... With Tom Arnold as your whimsical martial arts instructor who not only teaches you martial discipline but the true meaning of Christmas! Sorry my wife is glued to the hallmark lifetime Christmas movies (can't believe they're on this early) and I'm stuck watching them...
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Post by Kiyoshi on Nov 2, 2015 6:40:20 GMT
Haha, that's no problem. That sounds pretty accurate. But don't forget, I'll still have that one person telling me I'll never amount to anything, but it turns out to just motivate me to prove them wrong. It'll end with a shot of a family portrait of my wife and kids that pans up to the mogito on my fireplace and a fade to black. That's all creative liberties though because I'm still in my 20s. XD
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Post by nddave on Nov 2, 2015 7:26:43 GMT
Haha, that's no problem. That sounds pretty accurate. But don't forget, I'll still have that one person telling me I'll never amount to anything, but it turns out to just motivate me to prove them wrong. It'll end with a shot of a family portrait of my wife and kids that pans up to the mogito on my fireplace and a fade to black. That's all creative liberties though because I'm still in my 20s. XD They've already cast the heckler from Happy Gilmore for that! "You will not make this cut you jackass!" Lol!!
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