As said above, to be able to choose the right weapon, first we must determine the specifications of the scenario. For sake of this discussion I imagine a world exactly the same as our contemporary world, that just every kind of missile weapons just vanished or banned or fell out of fashion one day and people started openly carrying and using bladed weapons again. In that case most violence is to be expected either in the sidewalks of crowded cities, or narrow back alleys; or indoors of modern buildings which have low sealing and narrow corridors and lots of furniture and stuff. I also assume there are no armour.

For outdoors I would carry a spear, a pollaxe or partizan type poleweapon that is not taller than me which have both thrusting and cutting abilities. Because it is of average height of a person, it wouldn't be too much of a trouble once get used to it. People used to carry staffs and walking sticks all the time until recent times. And it's thrusting from a relatively safe distance is a great advantage while fighting on a narrow street or corridors of a modern building.

For indoors, movement limitations will determine the weapon. As fellow sword enthusiasts, I'm sure you have tried to swing a sword in your homes at least once. I know from experience (gained by damaging some furniture) that it is not a good idea. Forget about a rapier or a long sword, even an average length sword or saber would be hard to use. So, what you need is a short sword or long dagger type of blade that you can cut and thrust with and carry on your person. Every culture has its own version(bowie knives, kodachis, daggers, kukris, kindjals, qaddaras etc.) so you can choose the one you like most.

I would agree with the ease of carry issue were we only speaking about common men at arms and archers. However, even nobles and royals like Henry V, El Cid, etc., often carried single handers. They possessed the manpower to carry whatever they wished, yet they as often as not preferred single handers, even when fighting on foot, and when two handers of whatever contemporary Oakeshott type were available. That indicates a preference for the handiness and effectiveness of an arming sword of whatever era, in many circumstances. And, since nobles and royals often had the time to choose their kit before combat, well..

I'm not saying that the longsword wasn't effective. It was, whether a XIIA, XIIIA or later near-Renaissance sword. It just wasn't the end all and be all, especially in a home defense situation like the the thread starter posited.

Quote:

Again, if combat effectiveness was all that mattered, it would all be spears and other polearms.

Except that late medieval and Renaissance longswords were used with great effect to decapitate polearms, rendering them ineffective. For every weapon there is a counter. I think that's really the lesson of this discussion. None of us are really right and none of us are really wrong. Combat effectiveness depends upon skill, and upon bringing the right weapon to the right battlefield at the right time. Having said that, I'll take a single handed sword and shield in most circumstances, but a longsword in a few others. It all depends.

Maybe something that WAS actually designed for that sort of situation in mind ? The Dutch " Kelewang" short cutlass - or what's made today and sold as the US M1917 cutlass ?. Fairly short, with a decent shell guard for hand protection and not too expensive
ColdSteel make a version ( http://www.coldsteel.com/Product/88CS/1917_CUTLASS.aspx) as do several others. I don't know who makes the best quality, or most historically correct one though.

There's one thing to consider in the sort of situation you envision. To most of us (Westerners), a machete is a TOOL , meant for tool-like jobs. - whereas a sword is a WEAPON, meant for one obvious job - hurting fellow humans. To Westerners, seeing a WEAPON produces a different reaction to seeing a tool. A weapon has a deeper physcological effect. You MAY get by, legally with carrying and using a tool for self defence. However a weapon is a whole different kettle of fish. In Third World countries, things may be different again. In the Third World, to the locals, the Tool vs Weapon distinction may be blurrier.

http://jodysamson.com/images/swords/7-11-05/c...tlass1.jpg actually i think ive found my sword...
that is SWORD, for a more general purpose carry, id say a nice big seax, or a regular latin style machete with a decent handguard.

you could get one of the beasts from here http://www.swordsoftheeast.com/ they have a small selection of smaller weapons http://www.swordsoftheeast.com/orientalandcane.aspx

I agree, Type X.
Big, beefy hacker.

I also like the Mac bible godenak

[ Linked Image ]
BKS webiste

Lots of choices, but I think the pulwar is the right one.
[ Linked Image ]

Considering that machetes are used in areas for crimes because they tend to be the best tool readily available, I'd probably go with a nice walking stick or cane, something that is easy to deploy and gives you the advantage of distance. I'm fairly certain an English gentleman from the late 16th century might have a said a word or two on the matter.

“The Short staffe is the best weapon against all manner of weapons.”

Most crimes are those of opportunity, committed when the victim(s) is least prepared. If someone is going to attack you with a machete, they will do so before you ever have the chance to respond. That directly from behind or perpendicularly. You'd never have the time to draw something out of its sheath to deploy in time to respond.

Just like carrying a firearm today, the best tool against being a victim of violent crime is being aware of your surroundings and not making yourself an easy target.

So, personally speaking, given the disparity of laws regarding the carry and use of bladed weapons around the world, I would suggest that there are few swords or machetes that would serve you well.

I have, however, never had anyone raise an eye to a walking stick or cane. Even a 6 or 7' long one.

Falchion anyday. We live on the age of guns so I believe than any melee weapon has to be concelable and be able to be used quickly because a person with sees you and recognizes you as a threat worth eliminating, you will probably be shot full of holes before you can use your weapon.A Falchion, since it just has a flat crossguard and relative flat pommel, and a shorter one janed sword, can be conceled underneath clothing. Some falchions match machetes in profile shape so your probably use one as light machete for cutting brush, your lawn, carving meat, fairely well without much blade inquiry.Most people nowdays don't wear armour around with them or carry shields, and modern clothing is pretty insubstantial so I think a stiff diamond or lenticular double edged weapon would be a bit unecessary. I imagine using a montante would be pain to use and carry indoors. Staffs are great because they are pretty much legal everywhere but you grab then pretty safety even without a firm grip. From what I've read, the most common two handed modern meleed weapons are bats, pipes, clubs etc and most bats I've seen aren't made very long because they made to hit a ball and be easy to carry and load in a car, not outrange a attacker with, so like almost anysingle handed sword should outrange knives, be equal or longer ranged than machetes, and equal or outrange bats.

I'd go for a Falchion, as well. Thrusts are possible, cuts or chops to disable offending hands, short enough to be carried. Here's one I'm having made right now:

I'd go with something with a complex hilt, a medium size blade and optimized for the trust...

I think something like the A&A Town Guard would be the better choice... Its long enough to have a reach advantage vs a machete, and not to long to be unusable in close quarters, also the hilt gives a lot better protection that I'd gladly take...

P. D. I live in a third world country that has had some of the "bladed weapon" troubles before... XD