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Brett White
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 Posted: Sun 21 Feb, 2010 4:46 pm Post subject: |
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Would you consider a new design of sword along the lines of the Lady Vivamus?
http://www.albion-swords.com/swords-limited.htm
It doesn't sound like historical accuracy is going to be an issue, so why not just design what you see as being the perfect sword. Something that can do most all of the jobs that are required of it. If you need fantasy sword ideas, can I suggest Fable Blades.
http://www.fableblades.com/index.html
Have a look and use a combination of whatever you like to make something new. If you do end up designing your own, can you send me a description of it? I like original designs, if it's ok with you I'll probably have it made.
"My sword has deus vault engraved on the blade, his has sharp end toward enemy." -Ash a secret history.
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Brett White
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| Posted: Sun 21 Feb, 2010 5:14 pm Post subject: |
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| Christopher H wrote: | Sword and axe?
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What is that out of?
"My sword has deus vault engraved on the blade, his has sharp end toward enemy." -Ash a secret history.
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Christopher H
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Benjamin H. Abbott
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| Posted: Sun 21 Feb, 2010 6:12 pm Post subject: |
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People carried sword/rapier and dagger for civilian self-defense. The combination was everywhere in the sixteenth century. While wearing and drawing two weapons might be a little cumbersome for an assassin, it's quite plausible in that context.
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Colt Reeves
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| Posted: Sun 21 Feb, 2010 9:48 pm Post subject: |
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Fable Blades huh? Interesting work, though I sort of wonder about his pricing scheme. If it is under 20 inches it is around $200, but bigger stuff is all over $1000? I guess forging a bigger blade really is harder than it looks. I had heard the effort went up exponentially, which makes sense.
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Artis Aboltins
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| Posted: Mon 22 Feb, 2010 2:31 am Post subject: |
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| Colt Reeves wrote: | | Fable Blades huh? Interesting work, though I sort of wonder about his pricing scheme. If it is under 20 inches it is around $200, but bigger stuff is all over $1000? I guess forging a bigger blade really is harder than it looks. I had heard the effort went up exponentially, which makes sense. |
It is so indeed - the longer the blade, the more intricate itš geometry, the higher the difficulty of making it. And it increases rather sharply after a certain length. Peronally, I do not care too much about some of the more "outlandish" designs Mr. Olszowy have created, but I have to admire the skill that went into the crafting them.
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Christopher H
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| Posted: Mon 22 Feb, 2010 2:58 am Post subject: |
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If I recall correctly, Brenno uses stock removal for his blades... that's a heck of a lot of metal to remove for a longsword!
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R Ashby
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| Posted: Mon 22 Feb, 2010 3:58 am Post subject: |
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Lady Vivamus- funny you mention that- I keep looking at that recreation- simple and elegant.
I'm also debating creating my own. Maybe even a short polearm of some sort.
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Nathan F
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| Posted: Mon 22 Feb, 2010 11:14 am Post subject: |
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i agree on the weapon needing to be versatile as she needs to move about if going on adventures if i recall the only reason conan carried a big sword was because he carried nothing else.
as for assains not being well armoured the actual ninja armour that remains offers great protection from head to toe as its a mix of maille and lam style bits of leather and plate.
plus we need to remember this character ma have grown up with an affinity with a certain style or type of weapon which many of us have and that can influence you lots.
most western combatants rarely used dual weapons although they did just not hugely mainly due to the armour of the day that being said in Asia it was very common even in a battlefield context.
as for fantasy swords its nice to keep it a bit real so you can picture it and so can your readers.
also my advice get onto the folks over at arma or the hema alliance they will give you good advice on weapon use as well as there being a good many women fighters there to and many of whom use longswords for some reason the myth of them being stupidly heavy still prevails.
and will this woman have set attire and armour etc?
also you taking a liking to anything yet would be nice to see what direction your leaning so we can help more.
for here starts war carrion birds sing, and grey wolves howl
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R Ashby
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| Posted: Mon 22 Feb, 2010 12:33 pm Post subject: |
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| Nathan F wrote: | i agree on the weapon needing to be versatile as she needs to move about if going on adventures if i recall the only reason conan carried a big sword was because he carried nothing else.
as for assains not being well armoured the actual ninja armour that remains offers great protection from head to toe as its a mix of maille and lam style bits of leather and plate.
plus we need to remember this character ma have grown up with an affinity with a certain style or type of weapon which many of us have and that can influence you lots.
most western combatants rarely used dual weapons although they did just not hugely mainly due to the armour of the day that being said in Asia it was very common even in a battlefield context.
as for fantasy swords its nice to keep it a bit real so you can picture it and so can your readers.
also my advice get onto the folks over at arma or the hema alliance they will give you good advice on weapon use as well as there being a good many women fighters there to and many of whom use longswords for some reason the myth of them being stupidly heavy still prevails.
and will this woman have set attire and armour etc?
also you taking a liking to anything yet would be nice to see what direction your leaning so we can help more. |
Thanks for the leads! I've had a look at rthose sites, and have read their article sections exrtensively, but it might pay to join their forums as well. I think I may be needing more advice as time goes by. As for what I've seen so far, and where my preferences lay, here's the swords/weapons I've considered, in no order of preference:
-bastard sword (Oakeshott Type XVIII) with throwing knives/daggers
-bastard sword with hand axe (for armour)
-bastard sword with a pair of stilettos for close-in work
The bastard sword to be used as a primary weapon above.
-Messer (hand and a half) with the same range of weapons above
-walloon, side sword or cut-and-thrust sword with the weapons listed above
-messer or walloon (or similar cut-and-thrust sword) with a buckler.
-fantasy sword- something either like the Lady Vivamus, or more akin to a messer with a barb on the back blade that can be used to pry open armour.
-fantasy pole arm- cross between a naginata and a pole axe, or maybe a naginata with a hook for pulling open armour/ catching feet, around four-five foot long, with a sidesword for closer-in work.
Or- the M1A1 Tank Version: Hand-and-a-half sword, axe, stiletto AND throwing knives.
As for armour, she'll wear lamellar armour, protecting her chest and shoulders, a light helm, bracers and greaves.
Her training was originally with a sidesword, and then with a range of swords, but particularly with the katana, but I'm not too concerned about her being restrained by training- in the story she is a "gifted" combatant, and while she has her preferences, she can turn her hand at anything really. It needs to be somewhat realistic, but it is still fantasy. No big two-handers though! LOL
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Dan Howard
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| Posted: Mon 22 Feb, 2010 3:13 pm Post subject: |
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| Nathan F wrote: | | as for assains not being well armoured the actual ninja armour that remains offers great protection from head to toe as its a mix of maille and lam style bits of leather and plate. . |
Does anyone have photos of this armour?
Does anyone have evidence to suggest that it was actually worn by a "ninja"?
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Nat Lamb
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| Posted: Mon 22 Feb, 2010 3:55 pm Post subject: |
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Dan, we have been over this before.
With Ninja, lack of evidence is the BEST evidence.
BTW, in the R.E. Joward Conan books, the big guy is most often armed with a knife. That being said, he changes equipment and armour quite readily, in "Beyond Thunder River" (title is an aproxamition, my books are stored away atm) he is running around in a maille shirt and using a hatchet, mostly for scrub clearing duties. In other stories he tends to use whatever weapon is in common usage in the area, though he did seem fond of the "khyber knife". Not 100% sure that was what it was called in the stories, but I seem to remember a recent thread on this forum about similar, real word equivalent weapons (long knife, "T" section spine to re-enforce, popular in the 'stans, one of the images posted was of Tristrums sword from "Starlight")
Worth remembering that with Conan the ethos was "wear bugger all armour and rely on yourself, if you are a true Cimmerian, you will survive. If not...Good riddnce!"
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R Ashby
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| Posted: Mon 22 Feb, 2010 10:06 pm Post subject: |
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| Nat Lamb wrote: | Dan, we have been over this before.
With Ninja, lack of evidence is the BEST evidence.
BTW, in the R.E. Joward Conan books, the big guy is most often armed with a knife. That being said, he changes equipment and armour quite readily, in "Beyond Thunder River" (title is an aproxamition, my books are stored away atm) he is running around in a maille shirt and using a hatchet, mostly for scrub clearing duties. In other stories he tends to use whatever weapon is in common usage in the area, though he did seem fond of the "khyber knife". Not 100% sure that was what it was called in the stories, but I seem to remember a recent thread on this forum about similar, real word equivalent weapons (long knife, "T" section spine to re-enforce, popular in the 'stans, one of the images posted was of Tristrums sword from "Starlight")
Worth remembering that with Conan the ethos was "wear bugger all armour and rely on yourself, if you are a true Cimmerian, you will survive. If not...Good riddnce!" |
Well, in all honesty- having a realistic character would mean that she would trade up weapons for different scenarios. I guess I could give her an armoury of sorts, with the following:
-pole arm and/or spear
-bow with range of arrows
-hand-and-half sword
-cut-and-thrust sword
-axe
daggers/throwing knives
She could take what she wanted from it. Or she could also just change weapons as the stories progress- the first story involved the katana, the second a hand-and-a-half, and so on.
Heck, maybe she should collect weapons- she was exposed to a wide range of weapoins during her training.
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Christopher H
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| Posted: Thu 04 Mar, 2010 4:25 pm Post subject: |
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Oh! Found a better shot by accident!
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R Ashby
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| Posted: Sat 06 Mar, 2010 4:06 am Post subject: |
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that was a pretty exceptionally cool movie!
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Benjamin H. Abbott
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| Posted: Tue 09 Mar, 2010 6:28 am Post subject: |
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As far as historical assassins go, I just read Special Operations in the Age of Chivalry, 1100-1550 by Yuval Noah Harari. He provides a fascinating account of the Nizari and the success of their strategy. They used daggers exclusively, managing to kill even armored leaders protected by bodyguards.
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Isaac H.
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| Posted: Sat 28 Aug, 2010 10:13 pm Post subject: |
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This whole discussion about wanting a sword that has length,as well as both cutting and thrusting power totally makes me think of my Hanwei Dark Sentinel sword.It actually is fantasy in design and seems taylor made for this purpose.Have you considered a sword like that?
Wounds of flesh a surgeons skill may heal...
But wounded honor is only cured with steel.
We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.
Each of us should please his neighbor for his good ,to build him up.
Romans 15:1-2
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R Ashby
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| Posted: Mon 30 Aug, 2010 1:46 am Post subject: |
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I went with am Oakeshott Type XVII hand-and-a-half sword, but I did look at the Hanwei sword, and two-handed sabres.
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This is a standard topic
