[Zach Stambaugh]

it has gotten zero. the caption is "A Katana Question"

[Zach Stambaugh]

it must have been an uninteresting question then. no reflection on the preferences of the forum.

I love this site. I am still quite impressed by the diversity, quality and hands on knowledge of he members.

how do you people afford all of this cool stuff?

also,how can you afford to run this site?

[Andrew Winston]

[Zach Stambaugh]

thanx for the info. i would have thanked you earlier, but I have been AFK for about a1.5 Mo.

[Randy Filipovic]

Well said. It's good to read about different periods and cultures without having to find a specific sub forum.I have my favourite eras but that doesn't mean I'm not interested in others.
I'm always happy to read anything related to armour and swords.

[Roy Lindus]

Thirty plus{nearer forty} years happy with tunnel vision on Japanese weapons, then visited Russia.......what great stuff. Off to China............Oh dear!, what great stuff. Germany,Spain...................what great stuff.

Now I am not sure what the hell I like but am committed to Japan, even saw some Kris that made my mouth water.

Dontcha just luv collecting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Bob Burns]

Though I am among the newest here at myArmoury as well as being a collector, I have made a very serious initial plunge of several thousand dollars into what for me is the greatest hobby a person could have! My initial investment in weaponry, except for two economical items, has been entirely with Arms & Armor and it may well stay that way as my collection grows. I just can't say enough good things about A&A.
Anyway, back to the topic here, I am most grateful for this website and am going to join as a "premier member", this is a wonderful website that you founders have created for us and I am most appreciative.
I received so many warm welcomes by so many class act people, I must say I was very impressed indeed! This made me feel that I am among friends, friends who share the same passion as I do, a passion in something that others just do not understand.
I come out of two spectrums that both touch upon the interest of weapons and armor of history. I was recently medically forced out of karate after having earned my black belt in karate, due to back problems. The other interest I come from is genealogy. I spent thousands and thousands of hours for several years tracing the spider web ancestry of my maternal roots. I found several links to European Nobility. Two lineages going back to Longshanks (the most recent King in my known ancestry).
These weapons and armor are part of yours and mine heritage and that to me is very important and spiritual. Another interest of mine is that I am a history buff, especially into the not so popular facts of history that the mainstream does not teach or want to acknowledge. This includes the pre ancient history of the world.

So I have several pre-existing interests that link into this fascinating hobby that we all share. The least I can do is to become a "Premier Member" of your magnificent website!

I am deeply grateful for myArmoury.com

Happy Collecting,


Bob

[Hank Reinhardt]

I am interested in all of them. The only one that I am not really fond of happen to be the javanese kreris, which I think is hyped even more than the katana. I even like shark toothed swords!

[John Marciano]

Heck, it was this forum that got me to realize that Japanese swords weren't these god-like weapons while European blades weren't rusty hunks of junk.

[Nathan Robinson]

[Thomas McDonald]

Indeed, geography does not play favorites :-) Mac

[Hank Reinhardt]

One quick note about katanas.They are far from being super blades, but good ones have some really incredible fuirniture. Very fine and beauitifully made. Personally, I am only interested in the effectiveness of a sword, but I will cheerfully give them the excellence of their deocration. When you look at a lot of old original European swords, you will find that many of them are not that precise in their manufacture. Oten you will see cross guards that are slightly off, maybe pommels that are not fully centered, and even blades that are not fully symetrical. And these are frequently weapons made for higher up. It used to bother me early on, I wanted the perfect sword. Now I want one that works really well. Somehow I feel that no one ever complained that he was being killed with a sword that wasn't perfect. As for Patas. Many many patas have thin and very flexible blades. In the past seveal people called them dancing swords, feelign that they were not fitted for war do the the thiness of the blade. Having seen some practitioners slice limes in half being held under the foot of an assistant, I think they woudl be pretty damn effective. In a museum in Agra (I think, will check on it later) there were two that were fairly thick in the blade. They would work well as thrusting weapons, but the thin bladed ones wouldn't do so well.

[Hank Reinhardt]

I agree wholeheartedly.I am in love with all of them, Up to and particularly including clubs.Not the kind you join, but the kind you use to beat people over the head. About the only one I don't care for are the Javanese Keris. Blade and tangs are just too flimsy.
If any of you get get a change to get to the Ethnograpic Museum in NY (Brooklyn, as a Southern Boy I have trouble keeping them straight) Check out the Oceanic section. There isa truly beautiful curved wooden sword. The striking area has been grooved, and sharks' teeth have been glued, and wired, in place. A most ferocious looking weapon. I confess to a natural, but highly frowned up urge. But I couldn't figure out how to break the glass and sneak it out of the building. Oh to be the Khakhan!