I've been looking for this program since it debuted and finally caught it tonight on the Military History Channel.

I have to say that I was impressed by the quality of the production. Mike Loades did an excellent job of presenting the European medieval sword in a very professional and academic manner. I've usually been very disappointed in the weapons related programs presented on the History Channel. This one was a nice change of pace.

Mr. Loades gave an excellent overview of the longswords use, ala Hans Talhoffer. A nice presentation was given illustrating pattern welding manufacture and it's reasons for being. It was also nice to see quality equipment being used instead of the normal cheap trash that these programs normally display. The lowest quality swords used were Del Tins and these were used for blunt sparring demonstrations. Proper wooden wasters were also used for the training sessions as well. Several very nice swords from Raven Arms were used, both in a cut & thrust test as well as a bash-a-helmet-test. The helmet that was chosen for the test looked to be of equal quality to the swords, and it was painful to watch such a nice example being damaged. One thing that impressed me was the fact that, after these tests were completed, Mr. Loades was quick to point out that they did not serve as definitive proof of anything but were simply done as a broad reference. That one point was a breath of fresh air when compared to the attitudes of far too many academics and practitioners in the field.

I really couldn't find fault with the program, in fact, I'd say that it was the best television program I've seen on the subject.

ohh well i missed it again. i caught the tail end of that program when it first aired. it looked great. he also has done some really good sword and buckler demonstrations. cant wait till it airs again!!!!! all in all the whole series has been great.

Caught it about two weeks ago and was really impressed :D

This is the type of quality presentation we've all been waiting for. I hope programs like this can open some new doors for the western martial arts community as well.

Anyone know what swords Mike tested during the program? I'm going to quess that they were from Raven ;)


What's funny and sad is that when we (ARMA) conducted such tests we were condemmed for it :evil:

So the name of the show was: "Weapons that made Britain: The Sword"

I will have to check it out. Thank God for Tivio

I to have been disapointed in the shoddy academics used on the Hitler Channel, I mean History Channel. Some time it seems like they take a point in history and say ok what is the most hairbrained theory we can find on this subject and then they present that theory as fact. Arrrgh....

Some men yell at the TV during sports programs... me I yell at the History Channel. :wtf:

On Sunday I saw "Weapons that made Britain: Armour". I had similar feeling that the program was great. Many misconceptions were dispelled, and it was worth it just to see the Wallace collection basinet being put on a person (Mike Loades is a lucky @#$#) .

I found only two minor disagreements with the literature:

1. A famous effigy with straps on the side showing under the surcoat was claimed that these buckles represented a "coat of armour" with steel plates. Claude Blair actually contends that at the time of the effigy (~1330) there was no indication of steel plates being used in this manner and he actually argues that this is a boiled leather cuirass. Further more the protection was not part of the surcoat, (poncho style) as was the case with most coat of armour protection. A minor disagreement none the less.

2. The impression was given that most complete sets of armour were custom made for the individual. There is A LOT of evidence that suggests the opposite: that armour was mass produced. Yes, many important folks DID have their armour tailored specifically for them, but that does not seem to have been the rule. This was not Mike Loades'es mistake but a curator's overly enthusiastic explanation about certain armour pieces. A minor but misleading statement.

Other than that the program was superb. It explained mail, heat treatment, armour weights, etc......Very nice and a pleasant surprize.

Now I must see the "WTMB: sword"

Alexi

Just checked the tv listings and it looks like the show will air again tonight @ midnight EST.

Bill

I got to see a series of them one morning some time back.

I believe there were Sword, Armor, Sheld, Longbow, and perhaps some other versions (foggy memory) of the show that the History channel ran back to back to back. I was loaded on painkillers post surgery so I don't rember all of what they talked about, overload at that moment.

These are running on History International, too, on Sunday evenings at 7:00 and 11:00 PM CST. I've seen (and taped!) the shows on Armour, Shield, Lance and Longbow. All are outstanding. Can't wait to see the sword program. I'm not sure what they're going to do after that. Axe? SMLE? Haggis? Maggie Thatcher?

Sean Flynt wrote:

Quote:

Maggie Thatcher?

:lol: :lol: :lol:

I saw it a few months ago on the history channel and was really impressed, i would love to get this thing on dvd, it was great. i was wondering if anyone else had seen it, glad i wasn't the only one. :D

If somebody find out if it can be orderd in some way on DVD, please inform us!! Didn´t see it and would very much like to see it...

Martin

I second that request: Finding it and related programs on DVD would be great as I am "Cable challenged" No cable ! And our cable companies don't always have what we want up here due to T.V. "Government Regulators" deciding for us what specialty channels we can get.

Protecting our culture from to much foreign (U.S.) content! (Sarcasm intended ........ LOL. )