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Post by swordfriend on Jun 10, 2023 2:48:06 GMT
I want to say messer, but it's just a long knife...
Here they fight with Messer.
God help them.
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Post by AndiTheBarvarian on Jun 10, 2023 5:50:55 GMT
Some thoughts: Single-handed sword or a bigger one? I prefer single handed for the reason of weight and agility. Two-handed swords have their pros in certain situations but in general a sword should be usable with just one hand I think. Longer grip would be ok as long as the blade is light enough. My Hanwei tak kat is very well balanced and one of my best swords. Sabers are nice but I prefer infantry sabers over cavalry sabers due to weight/nimbleness and straighter blade. Not much difference to a longer langes Messer or a shorter grosses messer. I like some hand protection and as said before I find the US 1840/1860 Cav saber hilts very attractive, better than their french aunties. I also like straight blades better than curved ones, even if there's not much difference with infantry sabers. A spadroon or a light pallash blade on a 1860 hilt may be a very good sword. Or a Jian blade. My CS Marines NCO saber is also one of my best swords, with a straight blade it could be #1. This remembers me a bit of the Lady Vivamus original idea, Heinlein's I mean.
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Post by toddstratton1 on Jun 10, 2023 6:11:29 GMT
Some thoughts: Single-handed sword or a bigger one? I prefer single handed for the reason of weight and agility. Two-handed swords have their pros in certain situations but in general a sword should be usable with just one hand I think. Longer grip would be ok as long as the blade is light enough. My Hanwei tak kat is very well balanced and one of my best swords. Sabers are nice but I prefer infantry sabers over cavalry sabers due to weight/nimbleness and straighter blade. Not much difference to a longer langes Messer or a shorter grosses messer. I like some hand protection and as said before I find the US 1840/1860 Cav saber hilts very attractive, better than their french aunties. I also like straight blades better than curved ones, even if there's not much difference with infantry sabers. A spadroon or a light pallash blade on a 1860 hilt may be a very good sword. Or a Jian blade. My CS Marines NCO saber is also one of my best swords, with a straight blade it could be #1. This remembers me a bit of the Lady Vivamus original idea, Heinlein's I mean. I was just mentioning the other day to someone how I really like the two handed older style Jians. But those are meant to be two handed. I think arming swords are awesome. Especially with a shield. But I find longswords to be more versatile and useful in more ways. A bastard sword that you could handle with one hand as needed would be a nice in between. Or a really well balanced longer blade that is nimble also in one hand. Arming swords will always be better in one hand than any other hybrid though. I only have experience with Japanese, Medieval European, and some much older Chinese style swords though. So can't talk much on anything else. Messers and kreigsnessers are awesome too as are falchions. But ice never even held one aside from the Albion Vassal
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Post by AndiTheBarvarian on Jun 10, 2023 6:26:05 GMT
As long as the blade is of "single hand weight" a longer grip is ok, just the bigger bastard swords are too heavy for my taste. Katana are nice too but I also like the lighter straighter "infantry" ones better than the cavalry tachi or the big matt cutter/dotanuki ones. Somehow I like messers, kats, dao and sabers but not falchions, dunno why (pellius can have them all ).
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Post by mrstabby on Jun 10, 2023 9:03:01 GMT
I only have useable single-handed swords so far, I am really bad at using two hands. I just can't get it right, probably because my back is stiff as a steel plate. I like the chinese swords very much, Jian and Dao. Very light, very nimble, but still very powerful. I have made the first cuts with my Gale Wind yesterday and I was really surprised how much force there is in that fine blade. Cutting with my Windlass XIV is much harder for example, less forgiving. It also needs to be much sharper to get good cuts, the Gale Wind came bottle cutting sharp out the box. I have a Windlass Type X blade that feels pretty good too, similar to the Jian in weight and lenth. I haven't had the chance to sharpen it yet, it looks similar to the Cold Steel Norman Sword. I have been looking for a Bastard/Hand-and-a-half sword, but most are too heavy for my taste as well. They seem to be the same weight as a substancially longer two-handed sword. I'd like something I can use both single and two handed, the Jian works for that, but I am still looking for a bastard or long sword I like. I like the Tinker Fullered Bastard, but I have herad of quality issues there. I also really want a long sword for my collection too, from what I have seen I like the Windlass Roven, I think my garden isn't big enough to train with that monster though. There isn't really any specific era or make of sword I prefer, I like nimble, single-handed swords. Blades shorter than 55cm/23" don't feel satisfying to me for some reason. I haven't had any exposure to katanas or sabres for 15 years, and back then I didn't like them. For the Katanas it was the weight distribution, for the sabres the grip (the sabres were from the late 1800s I think, not reproductions). There is much more choice now though.
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Post by tomtx on Jun 10, 2023 11:14:28 GMT
I put in an order for the Burgundian last month so I hope I get to say the same thing about it as well when the time comes.
My favorite Albion one-hander was the Kingmaker, and it IS really nice. But I recently received the Burgundian I ordered (after 20 months) and it is even better. The hexagonal grip is more secure, and the pommel allows freer wrist movement. The end result is that the Burgundian feels like it becomes part of my arm, whereas the Kingmaker is not quite so effortless to maneuver. It's funny that the Kingmaker is so much more expensive than the Burgundian, considering they have the same blade and that the pommel and guard of the Burgundian seem like they would take more work, but anyway... I think you won't be disappointed.
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Post by skelley on Jun 10, 2023 13:10:19 GMT
I was just mentioning the other day to someone how I really like the two handed older style Jians. But those are meant to be two handed. I think arming swords are awesome. Especially with a shield. But I find longswords to be more versatile and useful in more ways. A bastard sword that you could handle with one hand as needed would be a nice in between. Or a really well balanced longer blade that is nimble also in one hand. Arming swords will always be better in one hand than any other hybrid though. I only have experience with Japanese, Medieval European, and some much older Chinese style swords though. So can't talk much on anything else. Messers and kreigsnessers are awesome too as are falchions. But ice never even held one aside from the Albion Vassal That versatility is what made me love the longsword when I first got into the hobby growing up. That and the scent stopper pommels. I hated the look of wheel pommels when I was young and every arming sword had them! But now I love them, go figure! They can be stylish, they don't get in the way of my wrist like I thought they would and I can grip them just as easily on a longsword as I can with a scent stopper. Speaking of Chinese swords, have you handled the Silver Swallow Miao Dao from LK Chen? You still need two hands because of the long handle but the sheer lightness for its size is stunning. If I ever was in an unarmored duel, that would be my first choice I think. Thanks for the input tomtx. Just a year and half to go...
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Post by nddave on Jun 12, 2023 20:30:41 GMT
My personal opinion as far as the best versed and all around designed sword?
Type XVIIIa with a Style 7 guard and Type T.5 Pommel.
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Post by Matthew.Jensen on Jun 14, 2023 13:08:13 GMT
It depends on all the things. What is the best knife? Car? Food? It depends on the situation, context, and your preferences as much as your mood.
I had a Honda Civic for a while, I bought it for $600 and it lasted me five years. It was great for parking in small spots, great gas milage, and even fun to drive. Parts were also cheap and it was easy to work on. But it was terrible at towing a skid loader. It was not fast. No shock that a $600 car was not in great shape so it was a bit drab in the looks department. Still perfect car for a someone needing something cheap to own and driving to work in a city area. semprini car for someone needing much else.
Swords are not all that different. They were made for different peoples doing different things. There is an element of style, familiarity, personal preference, intended use. Your particular blend of use vs preference is going to answer the question "what is the best sword, for me?"
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Post by AndiTheBarvarian on Jun 14, 2023 14:32:21 GMT
And that's what we want to hear of you!
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pgandy
Moderator
Senior Forumite
Posts: 10,296
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Post by pgandy on Jun 14, 2023 14:41:19 GMT
And that's what we want to hear of you! :) I think he realizes that wasn’t the best question and is hiding.
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Post by mrstabby on Jun 14, 2023 14:48:13 GMT
A sword might be better for a specific job, that does not mean it is nice to use. Like a .700 Nitro Express rifle might kill everything you want it to, but I don't think you want to shoot it more than a few times a day. Firstly for the price per shot, secondly because your shoulder will hurt.
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Post by AndiTheBarvarian on Jun 14, 2023 14:59:34 GMT
It hasn't to be a sword that you own, also an idea of a best sword is ok. Take one of yours and improve it. Like my Marines NCO light pallash with 1860 guard!
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LeMal
Member
Posts: 1,108
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Post by LeMal on Jun 14, 2023 16:08:57 GMT
Maybe this'll help garner responses. Imagine that (yes yes yes, "the horror") you could only, for the rest of your life, own only ONE sword. (Because, absolutely, all is context--but I'll reference what I said earlier about it being, optimal or not, the one you carry; from price, convenience of carry, cultural or legal restrictions, whatever, imagine you can only "afford" one.)
Three variations of the question.
If it had to be one whittled down from your current collection, which one?
If it does or did physically exist, historical, modern production or custom, which one?
If it hasn't or doesn't exist, but is still a physically possible design, which one?
There is/are your answer(s) to what you'd consider "best."
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Post by treeslicer on Jun 14, 2023 16:50:22 GMT
Maybe this'll help garner responses. Imagine that (yes yes yes, "the horror") you could only, for the rest of your life, own only ONE sword. (Because, absolutely, all is context--but I'll reference what I said earlier about it being, optimal or not, the one you carry; from price, convenience of carry, cultural or legal restrictions, whatever, imagine you can only "afford" one.) Three variations of the question. If it had to be one whittled down from your current collection, which one? If it does or did physically exist, historical, modern production or custom, which one? If it hasn't or doesn't exist, but is still a physically possible design, which one? There is/are your answer(s) to what you'd consider "best." Put it that way, unquestionably this one. Maybe the perfect Naked and Afraid blade . DH cut-and-thrust Katipunan bolo, 21 inch blade, weighs about a pound, hand-forged from a Toyota laminated truck spring. It's an acceptable compromise of several abilities, fits mine like a glove, and as close to indestructible as anything available:
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Post by pellius on Jun 14, 2023 16:59:49 GMT
Per LeMal’s criteria, I would still go with the ‘67 Swissie.
Also, imho, the best knife is the 1898 Argentine Artillery Bolo. The best car is the Datsun 240Z. The porterhouse (rare of course) is the best food.
🙂
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Post by mrstabby on Jun 14, 2023 17:32:24 GMT
Still going with the Jian for now. Maybe we could add another dimension? What was the worst sword you ever held/had? For me it has to be the United Cutlery Honshu Broadsword, only held it, didn't buy one. Felt like wielding rebar. It was 1,8kg/4# for a 85cm/33" blade length, and I also disliked the grip material, a definate no from me.
EDIT: This was 2 years ago
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Post by vegah on Jun 14, 2023 17:56:49 GMT
My first thought was "lightsaber". Which lead to thoughts about other fictional swords... Thundarr's Sunsword, Excalibur, Samurai Jack's katana.
But as far my collection, I've only got 2 functional swords, so it'd have to be my Dynasty Forge Bushi 1095. While I haven't cut with it yet, it's both prettier and more nimble than the Musha, so it's the one for me.
In a perfect world, sticking with a katana as personal choice (assuming no lightsaber), I'd ultimately like something folded from a known, reputable smith.
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Post by AndiTheBarvarian on Jun 14, 2023 18:49:35 GMT
Maybe this'll help garner responses. Imagine that (yes yes yes, "the horror") you could only, for the rest of your life, own only ONE sword. (Because, absolutely, all is context--but I'll reference what I said earlier about it being, optimal or not, the one you carry; from price, convenience of carry, cultural or legal restrictions, whatever, imagine you can only "afford" one.) Three variations of the question. If it had to be one whittled down from your current collection, which one? If it does or did physically exist, historical, modern production or custom, which one? If it hasn't or doesn't exist, but is still a physically possible design, which one? There is/are your answer(s) to what you'd consider "best." Yup, and of course post it here!
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Post by fayebarca on Jun 14, 2023 20:24:14 GMT
Maybe this'll help garner responses. Imagine that (yes yes yes, "the horror") you could only, for the rest of your life, own only ONE sword. (Because, absolutely, all is context--but I'll reference what I said earlier about it being, optimal or not, the one you carry; from price, convenience of carry, cultural or legal restrictions, whatever, imagine you can only "afford" one.) Three variations of the question. If it had to be one whittled down from your current collection, which one? If it does or did physically exist, historical, modern production or custom, which one? If it hasn't or doesn't exist, but is still a physically possible design, which one? There is/are your answer(s) to what you'd consider "best." I’d pick my Valiant Armoury Strasbourg. Cuts beautifully on account of the Angus Trim design, has a wicked XVIIIb point, and isn’t so long as to become cumbersome if carrying is considered. I’ve got a bias where I prefer handling in two hands, but it also manages to be nimble enough to handle well in one hand if needed. Probably my best piece for the hypothetical since it does so well in so many categories I’d consider. Plus, it’s a very handsome piece thanks to VA.
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