Thoughts on the Doge
I am almost at that wonderful position of choosing my 7th free sword from Albion (this will be my 2nd). I keep coming back to the Doge. Now I am mostly into those big beefy bastard swords, so I am a little out of my depth here. I love the bent cross forming the knuckle guard, but I am not sure about that pommel. Would a round pommel, as on the Condotterie, be correct for a sword of this type?

I seem to remember a pic in one of Nathan's books that had an excellent color photo of this exact type of sword. As I remember it, it was striking (no pun intended).

So weigh in on you impressions of this sword.

Cheers
Dave Lannon[
Get the Doge. It's perfect. A round pommel would look horrible on this hilt.

[ Linked Image ]
I agree with Nathan. The pommel design on the Doge perfectly complements the the design of the guard, especially the knuckle-guard that runs parallel with the grip. A round or spherical pommel would turn this sword into an eye-sore. :blush: -Ted
I would appreciate it if someone will enlighten me on the purpose for the little projecting point on the blade. I seem to recall that, when Albion first announced this sword, there was no such projection. Then, based on comments from the community, added this feature.
doge
Steve-
When you've run out of energy, swinging away in battle, you would turn the sword around and open fire with the gun hidden in the handle. That projection is actually a trigger. The guard then doubles as a sight. ;)

You just want to be careful of the recoil with that blade up under your armpit :eek:

:p :p :p

Seriously, I'd like to know too... :wtf:
Steve Grisetti wrote:
I would appreciate it if someone will enlighten me on the purpose for the little projecting point on the blade.

It's a bottle-opener.
Nathan Robinson wrote:
Steve Grisetti wrote:
I would appreciate it if someone will enlighten me on the purpose for the little projecting point on the blade.

It's a bottle-opener.


And you probably know the truth too! Shame on you... :p
Actually a nose picker :p

Seriously I would guess some sort of use in parrying :?:
Yes. It's thought to be a parrying hook. Truthfully, it's effectiveness in this regard is debatable. The reason it's only present on the one side is the redundancy it would see being on the same side as the finger ring.

While having very little in common with this two hander, I have its photo on-line and it at least demonstrates what a parrying hook is:

[ Linked Image ]
Click photo for larger version
Alina Boyden wrote:
Nathan Robinson wrote:
Steve Grisetti wrote:
I would appreciate it if someone will enlighten me on the purpose for the little projecting point on the blade.

It's a bottle-opener.

And you probably know the truth too! Shame on you... :p

Nathan didn't say what type of bottle or what it would contain. I was presuming water :D . Alina must be thinking of something less flattering....

I am no fencer, but that little hook/projection does seem like it would be more effective as a bottle opener than it would be for parrying. Maybe that explains why this feature migrated from swords to Swiss army knives. A bottle opener you can carry in your pocket is a lot more practical :lol:
Steve Grisetti wrote:
Alina Boyden wrote:
Nathan Robinson wrote:
Steve Grisetti wrote:
I would appreciate it if someone will enlighten me on the purpose for the little projecting point on the blade.

It's a bottle-opener.

And you probably know the truth too! Shame on you... :p

Nathan didn't say what type of bottle or what it would contain. I was presuming water :D . Alina must be thinking of something less flattering....

I am no fencer, but that little hook/projection does seem like it would be more effective as a bottle opener than it would be for parrying. Maybe that explains why this feature migrated from swords to Swiss army knives. A bottle opener you can carry in your pocket is a lot more practical :lol:


No, I just meant shame on him for making a joke when he could have been enlightening.

Nathan - you shall reap your just reward. In a year, there will be people posting questions on this site of why they're having such a hard time opening their beers with their doges.
Quote:
Nathan - you shall reap your just reward. In a year, there will be people posting questions on this site of why they're having such a hard time opening their beers with their doges.


Silly people. Everybody knows beer comes in cans. . . ;)

Seriously, though, the hook was a design statement that brought peace to western Europe for years. See, they sent a lot of these swords to Poland along with some old scabbards. By the time the natives figured out that the blades couldn't go all the way into the scabbards, they had completely forgotten about what it was they were at war over in the first place.

. . . I do vaguely recall something, in Talhoffer I think, that refers to a technique of grasping the sword by the blade in both hands and using the hook end together with the cross to pry open locked containers of loot while sacking a city. . .

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