[Ben Potter]

I have been interested in flexible swords lately (the post about the Urumi was interesting) and I was wondering what other types of flexible swords are out there.

I have seen some videos of Chinese MA swords that looked like normal swords (both jian and dao) but were very flexible(mostly at the tip it seemed).

[Bennison N]

Ben,

Those Chinese ones you mentioned are for the practice of wushu, and for use in wushu competitions. They're very light, move very fast and make for stunning display. They're not for fighting with, just for performing set forms.

[JE Sarge]

I found this quote on another site dating from 2006:

"There is some historical European precedent - I handled an old sword in Spain (maybe 18th century?), the blade of which was made up of many short segments - perfectly flexible in a belt. When drawn, the segments locked together to form a fairly stiff blade, certainly capable of thrusting."

Unfortunately, I can't find a way to send the poster of the quote a message. I have never heard or read of such; the flexisword is entirely new to me. I am researching this further to see if it is some sort of wild claim, imagination, a tourist junk collectible, or it were a real item of antiquity.

Also a contemporary version out aptly called a belt sword....www.beltsword.com - but it is some new fantasy sword type stuff with no basis in antiquity.

[Bennison N]

JE,

I've seen one of those flexi-swords before... on a video game. "Soulcalibur 4" on XBox 360. One of the female characters uses one.