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Post by antoine99 on Jan 26, 2018 5:26:46 GMT
It is a medical fact, leave an impaled in place until the subject is in a proper medical facility. It plugs the hole reducing the haemorrhaging. I have no idea the number of times I’ve seen in the movies that the victim is run through with whatever and someone comes to his aid, pulls whatever out, and the victim is immediately better. BS. That is a good way to finish a job someone else started. Well, in Steve Irwin's case as mentioned above, didn't the barb pierce his heart, so he was dead almost immediately anyway, regardless? Maybe he just died very slightly faster? Otherwise I agree that if someone with a sword in his gut tried to chase me he'd just make it many times worse with all the movement.
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Post by antoine99 on Jan 26, 2018 3:00:42 GMT
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Post by antoine99 on Jan 25, 2018 23:22:50 GMT
That's probably a pretty good idea. I'd imagine it's be difficult to run down and catch someone if you had a sword sticking out of your gut.... Definitely! Wouldn't that also greatly increase the amount of blood loss though, since the heart rate will increase and more blood will be pumping, and by extension, being lost? I would think so.
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Post by antoine99 on Jan 25, 2018 21:54:33 GMT
A good machete but ugly as hell. There were two of this type with a bit different length, also the sheath. I got mine from a store with the shorter blade and the longer sheath and had to rework it a bit. Perhaps this is the reason for the two sheaths? If your talking about the Two Handed Kat, I really don't know if it is a good machete, though it appears to have some reach and leverage capabilities, and you can stab somewhat. Some people mod the handle due to the wider grip, or shorten it to their liking. I think the sheaths are the same, and that they are just getting ride of them due to discontinuing the model (I think), so I'll have to check on the shorter length thing. Really, it is just a cheap sword that you can swing at stuff and not care too much, so I think it will excel in that capacity anyway. Yeah, that type of blade doesn't appeal to me, but even I was tempted by the price, lol
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Post by antoine99 on Jan 25, 2018 20:49:10 GMT
Ending the fight quickly, you've got basically three options - flee, remove their psychological willingness to attack, and remove their physiological ability to attack. You saw screw it, and run. Fight's over. You make him unwilling to want to attack. Plenty of stories of people who saw they had no shot due to whatever factor - intimidating stature, absolute lack of openings, etc. We've all probably been there and known or noticed someone we just did not want to screw with. Maybe we've even been that person. Removing ability to fight, some things are just absolutely reliable to fall back on. If you damage the spinal column, it's game over. He might fight through a gutshot, or a nasty gash in the arm or chest, but you cannot will limbs to work when the spinal cord can't send or receive signals. He cannot stand on a leg that is structurally compromised. Yeah, honestly, I think if I struck a gutshot and I had a backup weapon, being inexperienced, I'd leave my sword in the person and run like Hell if it was 1 on 1 combat. I think if he chased me, the bleeding would become more severe, so basically I can just wait it out.
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Post by antoine99 on Jan 25, 2018 5:17:56 GMT
I simply must point out that CS Special Projects still has that Christmas sale going on for about a week more featuring the Katana machete (24" blade, 40" overall, 2.8mm thick) and TWO sheaths for $16...that's SIXTEEN FREAKING DOLLARS! I got one...should have purchased more as gifts and such. You could do far worse than having this thing under your bed, as it is quite the self defense bang for the buck. Seriously? I've never heard of that, I'll check it out, thanks! You mean here? www.ltspecpro.com/Category/68_1/Christmas_Sale.aspx
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Post by antoine99 on Jan 25, 2018 2:18:53 GMT
So I assume the maintenance is non-existent, at least until the finish rubs off? Maybe just rub the blade with alcohol and dry once every few days? I'm just asking for future reference and education, I'm not worrying about a $10 item, lol I’ve heard many complaints about the black finish. It’s not the prettiest but does not bother me in the least. It is both durable and effective. Apply oil or some other rust preventative regularly. As for the sticker, I always leave them in place, and I understand they are hard to remove. As for the glue residue, Goo Gone should take care of that and is easy to find. That worked like a champ on my CS tomahawk. People would regularly complain about the edge on CS Chinese machetes, but I haven’t heard much concerning the African production. The ones I’ve received all have had a good serviceable edge, not that I didn’t touch them up a little. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever received a machete of any type that had a super edge, most were functional for the intended job. That never bothered me as I always put on one that was to my liking in reference to angle and if the blade was thick enough I’d change to a convex edge. Well the edge is serviceable yes. The sticker was hard to remove so I wet it which made it easier. I suppose I can just use the same gun&reel cloth I use on my gladius. Thanks!
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Post by antoine99 on Jan 25, 2018 1:00:24 GMT
It just arrived today; I'm amazed that something like this would only cost $10 (plus $10 shipping). It is actually much better and better looking than I was hoping for. The standard color even looks fine. It doesn't have a great edge though, I tried some paper cutting and it didn't get anywhere (the point is nasty though). It's a bit heavier/meatier and longer than I expected too, which is great. It's not historically accurate (polypropylene handle ), but in my opinion at least it looks great. I'd like to sharpen it somehow once I research that a bit. There's a bunch of glue leftover from the bloody sticker but I assume between cleanings that will rub away. It has that blackened anti-rust finish which is pretty ugly but I'll just leave that on. So I assume the maintenance is non-existent, at least until the finish rubs off? Maybe just rub the blade with alcohol and dry once every few days? I'm just asking for future reference and education, I'm not worrying about a $10 item, lol
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Post by antoine99 on Jan 25, 2018 0:49:29 GMT
I wonder if a gladiator has a slightly larger belly to protect his organs, if he would be cut whereas a skinny person would have been missed completely? Ha technically that would be a possible scenario. However i would guess that same cut inflicted on the fat guy would be relatively shallow Yeah definitely
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Post by antoine99 on Jan 24, 2018 23:14:35 GMT
Afaik they usually had one dead gladiator in five fights = one of ten fighters. Real gladiators I mean, not execution games etc. Of course too fat to stab has negative side effects. But a little bit of fat between skin and muscles helped surviving the injuries, I guess it protects bigger blood vessels or helps surviving the first days. I wonder if a gladiator has a slightly larger belly to protect his organs, if he would be cut whereas a skinny person would have been missed completely?
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Post by antoine99 on Jan 23, 2018 20:38:49 GMT
Thanks everyone, lots of amazing (and gruesome) information! Indeed the medical aspect of these times scares me, I think I'd be too scared to even get a wound treated.
Got a cold? Welp let's get that arm off.
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Post by antoine99 on Jan 23, 2018 7:14:49 GMT
Wow, great info, thanks
Weapons can get stuck in opponents after a thrust? That's gruesome. I thought one way in, one way out
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Post by antoine99 on Jan 23, 2018 3:38:00 GMT
Hey everyone I was just wondering about the severity of injuries from combat either in duels or in battle, where they are actually trying to kill each other, not just win the fight and walk away. I'm no doctor, but I assume if you run someone through the torso with a sword, they are as good as dead. However, will they immediately stop fighting, or would they have the presence of mind and adrenaline to continue fighting even for another few seconds? I've heard of machete fights that got extremely bloody but they kept fighting due to adrenaline (no, I don't plan on looking up those videos). It seems to me that once you have your weapon inside someone's center of mass you are somewhat open for a counterattack even if you withdraw it quickly. Sure you'd kill the person but you might end up dead yourself. Obviously something like decapitation would work right away so I'm not talking about that. I guess slashes to certain areas on the arm to render it useless would be good, but I would think that if they are actively fighting you and constantly moving, hitting that area would be pretty hard. What are your thoughts? Combat would naturally involve armor and make this less of an issue I guess but I'm still wondering. Right now my understanding is that with equal skill, a swordfight is an awful, bloody encounter for both parties. Much like a knife fight on the streets today. Nobody really "wins" that much. Thanks
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Post by antoine99 on Jan 20, 2018 21:02:15 GMT
A kopis will be heavier. My Windlass falcata weights in at almost 3 lbs, which stands to reason as they were designed to break wooden shields and smash metal helmets. Working machetes are for weed whacking and typically of 2 mm steel. The guy carrying them all day for work would probably not appreciate the extra weight of a sword. Military and survival machetes are often heavier and have distal taper, like the Martindale golok 2 or various parangs and golocks from Condor. browse www.machetespecialists.com. to see different designs. Wow, 3 lbs, the only one who's weight I really noticed was one from KoA at about 2.5 lbs. The only thing I've held so far is my gladius at 1 lb 15 ounces. I guess you would get used to it.
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Post by antoine99 on Jan 20, 2018 20:13:11 GMT
Thank you everyone! I didn't realize historical Kopiseseseses were so light. I thought they'd be heavier to allow a more powerful chop or something. But on the videos I've seen with this thing it seems very nimble and easy to use, so. Good point about the anti-slip finish, I suppose I'd end up ruining the functionality. Thanks again all EDIT: Yeah I just really like the shape of the blade, my main problem is how thin the blade is. Even though it does seem to have a mean point on it, I doubt something that thin would work very well for thrusting. And in the videos I've seen of people reviewing it, it can actually take a beating, chopping into wood and stuff. I'm not even going to use this thing for yardwork or anything, just as a kind of novelty thing to have, but that can absolutely be used as a weapon in an emergency. But for $10 I definitely will not complain. I love cheap, functional budget things. Also about that "fighting machete", that's pretty interesting. Seems like the lines can be blurred. Even as a tool a guard seems like a good idea.
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Post by antoine99 on Jan 19, 2018 20:50:19 GMT
Hey everyone! I came across this CS kopis-style machete for $10, and I thought it looked really interesting for that price so I ordered it. But the handle in my opinion is pretty ugly. So I think I'd like to paint it to give it like a dark brown wood kind of look. The handle material is polypropylene and it I doubt it will look that good but for $10 I'll pretty much be happy no matter what happens. I saw some reviews on this thing, and it held up to wood chopping, even if it flexes a lot due to how thin the blade is, so at least it seems durable. www.coldsteel.com/kopis-machete-with-sheath.htmlAny advice? Like a wood finish or something? If you can't tell by now, I know nothing about paint Basically I just want to know what type of paint to use. Thanks Also, what makes something a "machete" as opposed to something else? I know there are different machetes for light/medium/heavy work, and this one is 2mm thick, which is very thin. Is it up for interpretation? I know in this case at least, a real kopis would be MUCH thicker and heavier. This one is clearly closer to a machete/tool than a sword. So if it's meant as a tool for clearing grass/weeds and stuff, it's basically a machete? And if a "machete" was designed for fighting, does that mean it's no longer a "machete"?
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Post by antoine99 on Jan 18, 2018 20:31:32 GMT
My forearms feel like they actually got a workout. Does anyone have any tips to avoid wrist problems during swings? I'm pretty sure I'm swinging and thrusting properly, but I'd hate to wait until it's too late and then ask. I'm not actually hitting anything, just practicing cutting and thrusting. Thanks for all the tips again everyone! Well nobody actually knows for sure how to use a true gladius. But if we use general sword handling rules, they should help. First off go slow to start and try to keep a good blade angle throughout your movements whether you're doing covering blows or just straight ones. Don't "swing" so much as punch and get the blade moving first not last. It should keep a pretty linear course with the blade in front of the hand on contact esp. when you're learning. So keep your hand moving forward towards the target (and do always have a mental target even if you're cutting air). Then let the blade follow its arc gently, without taxing your shoulder. If you look at good cutters on youtube whether JSA or HEMA their muscles are not straining. Don't rely on wrist muscles much if at all. They will tire quickly. And do pay attention to pain--it's usually a sign your form is off. For thrusts I learned the "ready aim fire" method where you get the sword in the thrusting guard, extend and step or push with the hips. I was taught to avoid a thrust that just pushes with the bicep. Thrusts work best when the body is behind the sword--even more so than cuts. I'd say get or make a basic padded pell to hit with your trainer, too. I rigged a simple poplar pole on a stand and wrapped it with some foam. And of course get some kind of training if you can. Thanks, I'll keep that in mind. I was trying to remain stationary while thrusting like I'm staying in formation, but I never thought to twist into it with my hips. I'm very surprised how sore my arms are, that thing is only just over a pound and my arms are completely exhausted. I can barely hold a bottle of oil. Of course I spent a lot of time with it over the past two days. While researching CS trainers to buy I came across a CS kopis-style machete for $10...So naturally...It would be a crime NOT to buy it. I mean for that price even if it's a piece of garbage, I can't complain. I know CS can be hit or miss, but I like the odds in this case. I liked the look, classic Greek, the handle is big and fugly but whatever. Maybe I can paint it with some dark brown wood stain or something. I know it's not really a "battle" weapon since it's basically just a thin machete (I think it's 2mm thick).
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Post by antoine99 on Jan 18, 2018 4:55:55 GMT
Does anyone have any tips to avoid wrist problems during swings? I'm pretty sure I'm swinging and thrusting properly, but I'd hate to wait until it's too late and then ask. I'm not actually hitting anything, just practicing cutting and thrusting. Slice rather than chop, powered from the core/shoulder. Move your elbow and wrist together with the sword, with the hand and pommel leading the motion. If you can flow smoothly from one cut to the next, there should be no excessive strain on your wrist. If you do need to stop the sword at the end of the cut ASAP (e.g., to transition into a fleeting opportunity for a thrust, the sword is moving mostly towards your hand, and the guard will push into your hand and stop the sword without wrist strain (unlike stopping a rotating-about-the-wrist chop). The easy way to make sure you do this is to have a grip short enough so you have that snug fit noted above between guard and pommel. Thank you, I'll try to shorten the grip with something
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Post by antoine99 on Jan 17, 2018 22:21:17 GMT
A proper gladius should have a handle that is short enough to ensure a snug fit of your hand between the pommel and the cross guard. That is true, I just received it today. It's built like a tank (but I'm no expert so don't quote me on that), but the handle seems a bit big compared to my real one. On the real one, as you say, it's a nice snug fit, but on the practice one there's some room. I guess I could try wrapping a bunch of duct tape on it or whatever, it doesn't bother me that much anyway. However, I really like it. As soon as I got it, before I even realized, I'd spent about two hours practicing with it. It's not quite as heavy as the real one, but it can do some damage. It's so much fun practicing with this thing with confidence rather than the real one worrying I'll injure myself, so I never actually legitimately swung my real one. My forearms feel like they actually got a workout. Does anyone have any tips to avoid wrist problems during swings? I'm pretty sure I'm swinging and thrusting properly, but I'd hate to wait until it's too late and then ask. I'm not actually hitting anything, just practicing cutting and thrusting. Thanks for all the tips again everyone!
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Post by antoine99 on Jan 14, 2018 3:48:12 GMT
Thanks!
Makes sense. I didn't realize that they trained with lighter weapons. I always thought that if I trained and got good with a heavier weapon, using a real one would be easier. I suppose it's mostly just for building muscle like you said.
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