|
Post by Timo Nieminen on Dec 14, 2015 6:03:21 GMT
Ditto. Never seen one being worn, just posed with in-hand.
|
|
|
Post by Vincent Dolan on Dec 14, 2015 7:41:05 GMT
Vincent, I agree that it isn't as difficult if you manipulate the scabbard - but IMO one should be able to do at least a moderately smooth draw with one hand. Love the ring/hook idea. I have a vertebra that would hold that hook perfect :D True, though I've never actually understood the need for a one-handed draw from the back when, at least with swords, the first thing anyone seems to do (and I know I do so almost unconsciously) before drawing their sword is to grab the scabbard with their off hand to stabilize it; if you do it with a hip mounted scabbard, why wouldn't you do it with a back mounted one? As for the ring/hook idea, it's actually something that was inspired by the Dragon Slayer from the manga, Berserk, and one I intend to use in a novel of mine, just in far more realistic proportions; I've also considered a type of blade rest near the opposite hip to keep it at an angle instead of hanging straight down, though that has more to do with the fact that I think it looks cooler that way than any practical purposes except maybe keeping the blade out of the way of the legs. That said, I actually completely forgot that I do indeed have a scabbard quite similar to the Talion's scabbard; the scabbard the Hanwei Practical Dao comes with is very closely fitted to the blade, which gets wider near the tip. In order to facilitate drawing it, the scabbard has a slot that runs down the spine side of the blade (the side that would be facing up if worn at the hip), only actually covering the last 8-9" of its 28" blade. As such, you could easily wear it on your back and I can even draw it without raising my hand over my head (you really only need to draw it up about 3-4" and then draw to the side to clear the blade). The main downsides of this particular scabbard is resheathing the sword (because of the design, if you're not extra careful in resheathing it, the really thin, narrow tip could impact the metal reinforcement of the slot and get bent) and the fact that, because the slot is on the spine rather than the flat like Talion's, the blade could potentially slip out of the scabbard if you move too quickly; however, the scabbard does hold it in fairly tightly and such a thing could easily be remedied by a loose leather strap (loose enough to not impede a one handed draw, but tight enough to prevent the sword from falling out).
|
|
|
Post by Draven on Dec 14, 2015 8:37:14 GMT
True, though I've never actually understood the need for a one-handed draw from the back when, at least with swords, the first thing anyone seems to do (and I know I do so almost unconsciously) before drawing their sword is to grab the scabbard with their off hand to stabilize it; if you do it with a hip mounted scabbard, why wouldn't you do it with a back mounted one? True, but that's a matter of convenience as much as anything - most hip scabbards you can draw one handed if you have to and that's the killer - if you require a two handed draw and your left hand is injured or otherwise engaged, you'd be unable to get your sword. Naturally that's not a problem for those of us that don't carry a sword for self defense - but thinking about it practically! As for the ring/hook idea, it's actually something that was inspired by the Dragon Slayer from the manga, Berserk, and one I intend to use in a novel of mine, just in far more realistic proportions; I've also considered a type of blade rest near the opposite hip to keep it at an angle instead of hanging straight down, though that has more to do with the fact that I think it looks cooler that way than any practical purposes except maybe keeping the blade out of the way of the legs. I should've made clearer, when I made the vertebra comment I wasn't trying to be a jerk, I'm just sarcastic by nature and it sprang into my head! lol The idea of hanging a sword sans-scabbard isn't without precedent - I believe chinese soldiers used to carry the dao with just a sling over their back. It was essentially inaccessible without removing it entirely IIRC and entirely unprotected, but it worked. Another movie that features back scabbards (or back carry, at least) was Troy - if I recall rightly, Achilles (when not in battle/armor) had his sword over his back just held by a sling around the grip and the tip of the blade, no scabbard or anything. Given that it was a short sword, it would probably be a fairly unimpeded draw as grabbing the handle would pull the tip free of the sling. I don't think the shot of him drawing it from that position was clear enough to see. That said, I actually completely forgot that I do indeed have a scabbard quite similar to the Talion's scabbard; the scabbard the Hanwei Practical Dao comes with is very closely fitted to the blade, which gets wider near the tip. In order to facilitate drawing it, the scabbard has a slot that runs down the spine side of the blade (the side that would be facing up if worn at the hip), only actually covering the last 8-9" of its 28" blade. As such, you could easily wear it on your back and I can even draw it without raising my hand over my head (you really only need to draw it up about 3-4" and then draw to the side to clear the blade). The main downsides of this particular scabbard is resheathing the sword (because of the design, if you're not extra careful in resheathing it, the really thin, narrow tip could impact the metal reinforcement of the slot and get bent) and the fact that, because the slot is on the spine rather than the flat like Talion's, the blade could potentially slip out of the scabbard if you move too quickly; however, the scabbard does hold it in fairly tightly and such a thing could easily be remedied by a loose leather strap (loose enough to not impede a one handed draw, but tight enough to prevent the sword from falling out). As a matter of curiosity, have you tried drawing it from the back? A slot on the side could have advantages - it would offer more protection to the blade from the elements, for example. Hard to get past the difficulty resheathing, though.
|
|
|
Post by Vincent Dolan on Dec 14, 2015 9:48:45 GMT
As a matter of curiosity, have you tried drawing it from the back? A slot on the side could have advantages - it would offer more protection to the blade from the elements, for example. Hard to get past the difficulty resheathing, though. I have, actually; that's why I brought it up. As I said, I can draw the blade without lifting my hand over my head. And through a bit of testing, I found you can resheath the blade without removing the scabbard from your back, by using your off hand to guide the tip of the blade into the bottom of the slot; the scabbard's own rigidity would then guide the rest of the sword into the sheath. However, doing so one-handed would probably be next to impossible.
|
|