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Post by bluetrain on Apr 26, 2017 21:30:53 GMT
Ignoring the questionable premise, I only have three swords to choose from and only one is actually useable and not a dress sword. It's a Cold Steel small sword. Some choice, huh?
If you had a homestead, why would you leave and where would you go?
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Ifrit
Member
More edgy than a double edge sword
Posts: 3,284
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Post by Ifrit on Apr 26, 2017 22:27:03 GMT
Ignoring the questionable premise, I only have three swords to choose from and only one is actually useable and not a dress sword. It's a Cold Steel small sword. Some choice, huh? If you had a homestead, why would you leave and where would you go? To the woods so elements and/or wild animals can kill me. Why be comfy in a house when you can be cold in the woods? Jokes aside you got a good point. Unless your family owns a camp, that is 😎
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Post by Verity on Apr 26, 2017 23:56:53 GMT
Three words: under-house bunker.
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Post by Cosmoline on Apr 27, 2017 0:04:54 GMT
Ignoring the questionable premise, I only have three swords to choose from and only one is actually useable and not a dress sword. It's a Cold Steel small sword. Some choice, huh? If you had a homestead, why would you leave and where would you go? I actually really like the CS small sword. Of course I'm not versed in 18th century sword fighting, but as a thrusting weapon it's pretty nice. And historical accuracy aside, theirs is stiff enough to work as a spear if you attach it to a pole.
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Post by bluetrain on Apr 27, 2017 11:35:52 GMT
There was a man by the name of Sasha Siemel from Latvia who hunted jaguars in South America as a professional hunter. He was armed with a spear. But he also carried a Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum (pre-war). He must have been good at it because he lived to be 80 years old. He bought a farm outside of Philadelphia (where else?) in the 1940s and lived there with his family the rest of his life but he continued to work as a guide.
No mention of his having a sword.
If I had more choices of swords, I probably wouldn't pick the C.S. smallsword. I'm not quite sure what I would pick instead but it would probably be a Cold Steel sword just the same, most likely either an MAA Arming Sword or the very similar MAA Norman Sword. I say that in spite of having expressed a preference somewhere for a Japanese NCO sword but Cold Steel doesn't offer such a thing. Their samurai swords are okay, I guess, but they're expensive and still not quite the same. The English backsword is appealing to me, also, but comments here have not been encouraging.
Whatever it is, it has to be just one sword. My social rank prevents me from carrying two swords. Of course, there are Cold Steel MAA daggers and they don't count.
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Zen_Hydra
Moderator
Born with a heart full of neutrality
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Post by Zen_Hydra on Apr 27, 2017 16:50:22 GMT
Maybe someone should put together one of these post-apocalyptic thought exercises, but instead of a hard limit on a given number of items there is a limit on weight and bulkiness.
For example, what weapons would you carry as part of your kit in a situation where firearms are no longer an option and you had to be able to carry (and perhaps fight with it) on your person?
So, no pack animals and all of it (wo)man portable, while keeping in mind you may be ambushed with only enough time to drop a pack (or similar) and take a defensive stance.
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Post by AndiTheBarvarian on Apr 27, 2017 17:41:00 GMT
No fixed weight limit because different people can carry different weights. We had other "what is the best survival tool for fighting" threads already. The civilisation breakdown szenario should give a reason to carry a sword as a weapon and having no gun/ammo store around. No guns because of the S in SBG. There are many countries where most people have no guns at home. (ok, probably no swords too, but here in the forum...) If you prefer a real battleaxe, that's ok for once.
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pgandy
Moderator
Senior Forumite
Posts: 10,296
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Post by pgandy on Apr 27, 2017 17:43:02 GMT
... all of it (wo)man portable... Stupid me! Why didn’t I think of that? I’ll just pack Hazel with all leaving me fresh to fight.
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ChrisA
Member
Senior Forumite
Posts: 1,240
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Post by ChrisA on Apr 27, 2017 17:48:45 GMT
... There are many countries where most people have no guns at home. .... But...but....WHY???
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Post by AndiTheBarvarian on Apr 27, 2017 17:53:03 GMT
Those who emigrated to the US took all with them!
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Post by Verity on Apr 27, 2017 17:54:15 GMT
Those who emigrated to the US took all with them! :D I hear Switzerland still has a few...
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Post by howler on Apr 29, 2017 5:26:38 GMT
Ignoring the questionable premise, I only have three swords to choose from and only one is actually useable and not a dress sword. It's a Cold Steel small sword. Some choice, huh? If you had a homestead, why would you leave and where would you go? I actually really like the CS small sword. Of course I'm not versed in 18th century sword fighting, but as a thrusting weapon it's pretty nice. And historical accuracy aside, theirs is stiff enough to work as a spear if you attach it to a pole. The great weakness of large swords is their relative impracticality as tools. Add to this the weight you must bear, assuming your humping it any large distances, and one would be quite mad in having one. The only real appeal of the CS small sword is its weight (that of a large knife), at less than 24oz (less than the Natchez). But the Natchez would make an excellent wilderness tool, while the small sword...a lunatics fireplace poker (imagine lugging around a pound and a half fireplace poker when there are sticks all around).
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Post by seriouslee on Apr 29, 2017 10:20:24 GMT
Meh A 2 lb weight is nothing.
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Post by howler on Apr 29, 2017 21:17:38 GMT
Meh A 2 lb weight is nothing. Well, I now know who to invite (and lug the beer ) on the next long distance hiking trip. Really, if your going any great distances with a blade of significant mass it would be a long knife (think bowie) or small axe (think heavy tomahawk) that will give you utilitarian ability (used 99.99999999...you get the idea...percent of the time) in addition to self defense. This is why native Americans and settlers (before firearms were sufficiently quick and reliable) weren't tromping around N America with 2 lb. or greater "one trick ponies".
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Post by AndiTheBarvarian on Apr 29, 2017 21:46:51 GMT
No survival tool contest! 2 lb is some real weight for a sword besides tools, clothes, food, water in my scenario (premise). 4 lb is for Conan! Do you want to fight with a bowie against a small sword? Interesting question!!! (drink)
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Ifrit
Member
More edgy than a double edge sword
Posts: 3,284
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Post by Ifrit on Apr 29, 2017 22:04:01 GMT
Why not both a bowie and a small sword? Would make an excellent pair for duel wielding, and the bowie can be used as a tool. Wouldn't be too heavy with a proper harness either, even in long distances.
I made myself a harness that consists of a belt and two straps that go over the shoulders. This bears weight evenly pretty efficiently.
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Post by AndiTheBarvarian on Apr 29, 2017 22:05:47 GMT
Ok, if the bowie is in your toolbox A D-guard bowie a little bit more like a shield?
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Ifrit
Member
More edgy than a double edge sword
Posts: 3,284
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Post by Ifrit on Apr 29, 2017 22:06:51 GMT
Ok, if the bowie is in your toolbox I got a kukri and a sabre lol. Close enough And a bladed weapon with a handguard counts as a shield in my book. They are all I have, so I would have to make do
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Post by Cosmoline on Apr 30, 2017 1:16:12 GMT
I actually really like the CS small sword. Of course I'm not versed in 18th century sword fighting, but as a thrusting weapon it's pretty nice. And historical accuracy aside, theirs is stiff enough to work as a spear if you attach it to a pole. The great weakness of large swords is their relative impracticality as tools. Add to this the weight you must bear, assuming your humping it any large distances, and one would be quite mad in having one. The only real appeal of the CS small sword is its weight (that of a large knife), at less than 24oz (less than the Natchez). But the Natchez would make an excellent wilderness tool, while the small sword...a lunatics fireplace poker (imagine lugging around a pound and a half fireplace poker when there are sticks all around). Well are we talking about multipurpose tools or swords?
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Post by howler on Apr 30, 2017 19:36:39 GMT
No survival tool contest! 2 lb is some real weight for a sword besides tools, clothes, food, water in my scenario (premise). 4 lb is for Conan! Do you want to fight with a bowie against a small sword? Interesting question!!! (drink) Small sword would win, but then again, the beauty of the small sword is that you have the bowie in the other hand (or visa versa...or versa visa). Small sword is GREAT for ease of carry around town, as is the bowie, though the bowie is clearly more concealable. Bladed weapon should really be utilitarian if your humping it, with that extra weight going to the beer (drink)...burp.
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