The Sword Defined:Posted on 05/04/2009 12:20:16 PM PDT by Notoriously Conservative
What does this have to do with conservatism? I don't know, I guess there have been conservatives that have used swords. Look, don't question it, swords are awesome, that's why.
The Sword Defined:
Sword weapon of offense and defense in personal combat, consisting of a blade with a sharp point and one or two cutting edges, set in a hilt with a handle protected by a metal case or cross guard. The sword may have developed from the dagger at the beginning of the Bronze Age. It was not, however, until the more durable iron sword was introduced in the early Iron Age that the sword became an effective weapon. Greek and Roman swords were very short, with pointed ends, and had two cutting edges. Medieval knights used two types of swords: a short sword with a pointed end that was used with one hand and a heavy two-handed sword with a rounded end. During the Middle Ages the best blades were those made by the Arabs in Damascus and Toledo. Swords were widely used in the Middle East and E Asia as well as in Europe. The scimitar, used by the Persians and Arabs, is a curved steel sword. One of the best known of the East Asian swords is the Japanese samurai sword, consisting of a curved single-edged tempered steel blade set in a long handle. As a highly personal weapon the sword attained symbolic importance; surrendering one's sword became a token of submission, and the custom of taking an officer's sword away from him and breaking the blade when he was dismissed from the service in disgrace arose because a sword is the mark of an officer and a gentleman. During the Crusades and later, the sword, because of its...
(Excerpt) Read more at notoriouslyconservative.com ...
I used to have a CSA bumper sticker: “If they outlaw guns, can we use swords?”
Now the UK has banned both.
Technically, it was a cavalry saber. The gentle arc of the blade was so that one could impale a dismounted soldier at a gallop, and easily withdraw the blade by rotating the shoulder as your horse rode by :-)
You’re right. We must read the same Patton books. I had forgotten the details.
As a young armor lieutenant, I worshipped at the Church of St. George ;-)
I’m not that into swords, unless they use nano-technology: http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/freeradicals/?p=46
I thought you lost those treasures in a boating accident years ago? :>} Have a great day!
“An imperial naval officer sword and a still very ‘sharp’ samurai sword.”
What ever you do, don’t try and “clean or touch up” the Samurai sword. Leave any rust that might be on it alone. They can be dated that way. A lot of Japanese officers took family heirlooms into the Pacific and lost them. Get it evaluated. Some of those swords turn out to be museum pieces and can be valuable.
That’s really neat.
I’m sure the stained glass window was still there.
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“as your horse rode by :-)”
Would I have been riding 2 horses double-decker or did my horse get his own mount?
[just checking in to pick on Joe]
:)
ping
I am currently making a silver hilted dagger using a blade of pattern welded steel crafted by a master American blade smith. He makes the Damascus blades for a living and has a many month waiting list. He doesn’t make swords though.
His blades will cut nails with no ill effects to the blade
They also didn’t have to worry about smacking volcanic glass blades into plate armor or mail, at least not until the Spanish arrived. Aztec and Inca armor was made of quilted cotton.
M1913 "Patton" pattern cavalry sabre.
Thanks for the tip, any ideas where I could go in Texas to have it evaluated...? Maybe wait for the next antique road show to come to town... ;-)
Thought you should be pinged to this...
Check her for more info
http://www.swordforum.com/
Also try here
http://swordforum.com/links/antiquenihonto.php
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