From the pictures I've seen, the point of the blade and the hilt seem to align(maybe the point is a touch below the line with the hilt) this would make a thrust not to akward.....I could see a viscous groin thrust or turning the wrist do a matador like downword thrust to the hollow of the throat or between collarbone and shoulder.
I have a friend who does a lot of middle easterndancing and loves to incorporate weapons into his dance (he is a knight in the society and one of the toughest s.o.b's I know, so he can dance all he wants :D )and I was talkingf about making a pair of these for his act...would 3/16" plate be about the right thickness? I'd go 1/4" but it would mean a lot of stock removal for what would be a prototype....I'm more worried about getting the balance and the blade angle right for basically is the equivilent of a wushu weapon(stage weapon) and later on try to make a pell whacker.
Please, oh please....If you cast a bronze one, show pics....hell tape it and put it on youtube! I love how bronze can be hammer hardend....A friend who runs knotwolf armory(sca and dress helms) whipped out a bunch of bronze and brass hand sickles with deer bone or antler handles for gifts to a bunch of celt'o'phile women at pennsic war.....it was amazing how tough a edge you can beat into one(not to mention hammering is "how" you sharpen bronze).
Another question just popped up....how do bronze weapons feel when they strike something? Would it be more "dead" in the hand or do they vibrate like a steel weapon?