Troper Fencing Academy

OR you might need an exorcism.

Rigo: I'm thinking about the technology levels.

Would there be the technology needed to make high quality swords?

Well, I am not exactly familiar with metalwork, but if people several centuries ago could do it post apocalyptic people will probably manage it on their own in time. Speically if the knowledge survived.

Also worth nothing, there would be a lot of leftover steel people could probably salvage and turn into shiny swords.

From memory a number of current smiths started off using car spring steels for their blades.

Before steel, swords were made from Iron, before iron it was bronze, before bronze it was other metals like copper. Yes swords could still exist but expect the shape, quality, and durability to vary depending on materials available.

edited 22nd Mar '14 6:13:39 AM by TuefelHundenIV

In regards to the 'Wax On, Wax Off' trope, what if you ask the instructor what the tasks and you get no answer. Should you keep doing it despite being bored, anxious, etc.?

I also get the 'zomg handgun always and forever' people. Seems to me that a sword is more versatile than a handgun, although less effective as a pure killing implement. Yes, a sword is a lethal weapon within its range, but it also can be used as a parrying tool, an aid in levering an opponent (well, not so much if you're using a katana, but still), a tripping or bludgeoning tool (think pommel or crossguard/tsuba), etc. With a handgun, pretty much your only options are to a) fire the weapon or b) pistol-whip the fucker. If you've gotten to the point of drawing that gun, you should have made up your mind for option A.

edit: meh.

edited 23rd Mar '14 11:32:35 AM by lordGacek

tomoe: Comparing a sword to a hand gun in that context doesn't fit well. It would more comparable to compare hand gun to knife or dagger. Small one handed weapons. Various long arms have some of the same capability as you described. Even without a bayonet you can use a long arm to leverage an opponent, parry, and bludgeon an opponent. Add a bayonet and you have a melee weapon that can also shoot.

Touche. I shouldn't post when I'm sleep-deprived

@GAP

INCOMING RANT.

Let me tell you an old story, about kung fu. One good day a young man joined a group of trainees that were seeking to learn kung fu from a master. The master looked at them all and assigned them different exercises. To our trainee, which we shall name Gao, he led to a room which was empty safe for a big urn that was full of water. And he told them to use his palms and slap the water, as hard as he could. Every day.

Gao felt cheated, but this was a master, so he obeyed. Day after day, Gao struck the water, while his fellow trainees moved on to learn the first forms of the style.

One night, during dinner, Gao could not take it anymore. He exploded at the master, demanding to know why he was kept hitting the water while everyone else learned kung fu. In his anger, he struck the table he was sitting on, and it broke neatly in two.

The end.

Cool story, bro. No, really.

So I just found out that my university actually has a kendo club. Neat! Unfortunately, the time clashes with my wrestling club practices, so...oh well.

Now, if it was a Kali or German fencing class, I would have definitely reconsidered.

That is good story although I wonder if that means you shouldn't be discuaraged when you don't see any result immediately?

It means be patient and trust your teacher. Its very confusian.

I guess that makes otherwise most people would had lost their patience.

edited 4th Apr '14 11:08:23 PM by GAP

This was rather neat. What was really neat is that truly high grade crucible steel was not a common thing Europe and trade with East brought some of the only sources of it to Europe. A smith crafts a Ulfberht style sword. These rare high quality steel swords took multiple days to make just one.

This guy makes his own ingot in a crucible found in the area of the Volga river trade route in what is now the Middle East. He then hammers it out, draws it out, does a hammer and weld inlay, and polishes it. It is a very nice looking blade.

From that show these swords showed up in a specific time period from shortly after the opening of the Volga trade route and disappeared after it was closed. So many historians think the Vikings didn't make the steel themselves because they have not found any Crucible Kilns in Europe for that time frame but instead traded and imported it from the Volga Trade Route.

Really neat documentary.

Well, the tale pretty much makes the reader understand that the teacher is wise enough to know the student is a hothead, and is trying to teach the guy patience. Its one of the hardest things to teach.

Watching it laterz. By the way, did the Vikings have two handed swords?

By the way. HOLY SHIT JUST LOOK AT THIS COLLECTION.

http://www.armorymarek.com/

EDIT. Guys, you are gonna feel so jelly. I just killed a fly that was resting on my bed with a single bokken shot. It didn't have time to move, it kinda just exploded. First try. Next time I am gonna try my accuracy with one hand.

edited 6th Apr '14 2:04:35 AM by ElRigo

And thus begins the legend...of Rigo the Fly Slasher.

Rigo. If you haven't yet watch it DO EET!

-watches-

The katana? Exagerated? BITCH IN CAN CUT A TANK IN HALF WITH IT, ITS THE BEST SWORD EVER.

Now, seriously, great documentary, but I still don't know if vikings used two handed swords. It kinda seems counter intuitive, since they were partial to shields. If I was a viking I would probably go Sword+axe.

I'd be surprised if they did, considering that their swords had no cross-guards and were designed for sword and shield combat (ie they rely on their shields to protect their sword hand).

Went to a thrift shop the other day and plan to go back in a couple of days. I saw a daisho set for $40 - took a look and it's definitely proper weaponry. I shall take pictures if the swords are still there and I can purchase them.

Did you get a look at the tang?

Couldn't look at the tang, I'd have had to disassemble the sword for that or fuck around with the wrapping to remove the menuki to check for a retaining peg. That said, I did draw the katana to test the balance and I could tell there was definitely weight in the hilt, unlike a lot of the wallhangers I've seen. Seriously, I once had a Connor Mac Leod replica katana. The little red decorative pieces fell out of both sides of the hilt and there was just a hole straight through. No tang to speak of.

edited 19th Apr '14 10:55:28 PM by TomoeMichieru

I know asked this before but when you ask them to hit and you make fun of them for not being able to do it to inspire them to it harder, what is it called? I know its mean but it is necessary to learn how to fight but still what is it called again?