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Post by john1 on Mar 17, 2019 14:07:10 GMT
I’ve been doing Iaido for years, and have recently started doing tameshigiri. Which has caused me to wonder - how does the cutting performance of European Swords compare ?
Questions:
How wide should a “good” tang be ? Is is OK for the width to get narrower as it gets toward the pommel ? How far should a “good” tang stay full width ? If the width is reduced as it gets longer - is smoothly tapered significantly stronger than stepped ?
For a 2 handed European sword that is used with tactics most similar to a katana - which Okenshot types should I be looking at ? Which particular swords in the $350-$500 range would you recommend ?
For a single handed sword that is used with a round or kite shield - which Okenshot types should I be looking at ? Which particular swords in the $350-$500 range would you recommend ?
To explore sword and shield tactics - would you recommend a round or kite shield ? Are there particular ones you’d recommend in the $100 range ?
Thanks.
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Post by Silent on Mar 17, 2019 15:38:59 GMT
Legacy Arms gen 2 crusader. TEUTONIC WAR SWORD.
Katanas are sightly better for tamashigiri, because of the blade format, and regurly harder edges which perform better and more precise cutting then the European swords which are more "springy".
The wider/less thick katanas and very best at tamashigiri, like practical elite/xl.
EDIT: If you have a katana for cutting tamshigiri, I dont think buying a european style sword will perform better. If its for collection sure.
Cya
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Post by MOK on Mar 17, 2019 23:57:48 GMT
I’ve been doing Iaido for years, and have recently started doing tameshigiri. Which has caused me to wonder - how does the cutting performance of European Swords compare ? Impossible to answer. There can be a whole lot more variation between any two individual European swords, or any two Japanese swords for that matter, than there is between European and Japanese swords. The size and shape of a good tang depends entirely on the rest of the sword's design. There aren't, and cannot be, any hard and fast rules; as long as a tang is sturdy enough to withstand the stresses involved in using the sword, and the blade's overall mass distribution results in the desired handling and performance characteristics, it's good. Sharp inner corners create focal points for stress, which may cause cracks to develop over time. So slightly rounded nooks (e.g. the shoulders of the blade) and smooth tapers are preferable over sharp steps, as a rule. Not an Oakeshott type, but I'd say a two-handed "Swiss saber" or kriegsmesser would be the closest analogy: slightly curved, single-edged blades of intermediate size. Typically they'd be somewhat thinner and longer than katana, and balanced somewhat closer to the hand, but there's no major functional difference and the same basic techniques should work perfectly fine. If you're specifically looking for straight blades, though... a shortish type XIIa should be a reasonably good fit, but there are lots of other possibilities as well - most type XVI, some XVIIIa and XVIIIc, type XIX actually have a hexagonal cross-section very similar to typical katana... and so on. The Hanwei/Tinker line is actually lower than that price range, but would still be worth looking at. Kingston Arms have some quite nice items at that price. Del Tin also has some nice models. Try browsing Kult of Athena's $200-500 category and see what strikes your fancy. Historically, round and kite shields would have been used with Oakeshott types X through XIII, kite shields more toward the latter end of that range; X and XI are more of a "viking age" thing, while XII and XIII were common knightly styles. Same general recommendations as above, but also the Albion Squire Line 13th Century Knightly Sword in particular. Depends! Both can be very versatile defensive weapons. Again, round center-gripped shields are more of a viking or Anglo-Saxon thing, while kite shields would also be at home with mounted knights. Personally, though, I'd start with a buckler. They're small, affordable, convenient, surprisingly effective, can go with any sword or system from 13th to 17th Century, and there's quite a lot of period material about their use. Pair it with a handy Type XIV sword and you can't go wrong. And I honestly can't think of any other worthwhile shields you could possibly find for sale under $100.
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Post by Cosmoline on Mar 19, 2019 18:04:54 GMT
I'd suggest viking shields.com for inexpensive and durable roundshields. I covered mine with rawhide and it's been fantastic. Obviously the cheap ones are not authentic. But for sparring it doesn't matter all that much. The biggest difference I've seen is that the authentic linden ones are lighter and better balanced in the hand. More like a sword than what we'd think of as a shield. Shields should not be cumbersome. I don't know a source for later period shields that's too great. The ones on kult are generally OK apart from Dekeepna's. I have a windlass heater that works fine.
Bucklers are easy to find, though some are pretty junky and have the handle crudely attached. Most of them will work well enough for simple drills. For more specific I.33 stuff you will likely need to make your own.
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Post by elbrittania39 on Mar 19, 2019 18:24:26 GMT
Yeah the question of what cuts better really REALLY depends. From what I understand, katana are stiffer than most Euro swords and are easier to execute a good cut with even if your technique is poor. The springy Euro blades can be a bit more demanding.
i think it would be helpful to narrow down what kind of Euro sword you're interested in cutting with. Do you want something like a kriegsmesser that is similar to a katana? Or do you want something radically different like a highland broadsword? Lots of options.
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Mar 19, 2019 18:24:59 GMT
Most of the shields I see on line are overweight and don’t handle that well, but will do their job. I finally made a 5 lb. centre grip 23” round shield that handles well. I don’t think that it will take the beating that my commercial heater will take, but then that wasn’t the intent.
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Zen_Hydra
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Post by Zen_Hydra on Mar 19, 2019 20:32:53 GMT
The Oakeshott Type XVIIIc I own (an Albion Principe) cuts tatami better than any of my katana (which includes a couple antiques and shinken with specialized tameshigiri blade proportions).
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