Ideal Sword Design

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NuclearWinterRat1

Joined
Apr 22, 2005
Messages
238
This may sound corny but I absolutly love the spartan swords from "300". They may have been designed by a comic book artist but wow do they look intimidating and I believe they would make a useful tool under many conditions if they were made to be live blades.

Anyway, what is your ideal sword and why?
 
A large khukri, because when you're not hacking up aliens and zombies, it's a very useful brush-clearing tool.
 
khukri and katanas (samurai swords) are the two most useful I would say for sword both have a nice blade shape
 
Kukri or falchion. (speaking solely of "modern" times). blade length limit of about 15-17 inches and preferably weighs 2 lbs or less.
 
IMO, there are near ideal sword designs for specific uses. There is no one all-purpose design.

An example: A double edged broadsword with a 32" blade should give its weilder and advantage over the fighter using a 16" Kuhkri, all other things being equal. But the broadsword won't even approach the Kuhkri for usefulness around camp.

But what if the question became; What is your favorite sword and why? My favorite is my Angelsword. It is a double edged broadsword, with good distal and profile taper. It feels perfectly balanced for me. I've had it for a long time and never bought another longsword after it. I've been tempted but always stopped short of buying, feeling nothing else could be its equal. Naturally, I never found out if the feeling was accurate or not.:)
 
I prefer my khukris large. My favorite one is 21.5" long with a 14.5" blade. This may not classify it as a sword by medieval european standards , but it's about the size of many ancient swords.

That being said, precisely WHY I like is that size. I live out in the woods. The brush is THICK out here. That length gives me plenty of reach for work or self-defense without being too danged long where it would get hung up on branches.


Purely for aesthetics though, and it is a deadly blade in its own right, I loves me a good scottish basket-hilted broadsword.
 
Vorpal Blade said:
IMO, there are near ideal sword designs for specific uses. There is no one all-purpose design.

An example: A double edged broadsword with a 32" blade should give its weilder and advantage over the fighter using a 16" Kuhkri, all other things being equal. But the broadsword won't even approach the Kuhkri for usefulness around camp.
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+1 on that. There's no such thing as an ideal sword, only an ideal sword for a given situation. There are however favorite swords. I can't really decide on that either though. :)
 
My two(can't decide which I like better) favorite swords are a wakizashi with a 17 inch blade and a gladius with a slight wasp waist and a 19 inch blade. Considering that a sword is intended only as a weapon and not as a tool, I don't consider Kukri's as swords. For pure cool factor, I would have to go with a German grosse messer.
 
Favorite sword is a Scottish Claidhmhor. However, I believe the ideal is probably a Chinese Broadsword. It is small enough so maneuver easily yet, has the sweep and weight to lop in a battle.

$.02;)
 
Vorpal Blade said:
My favorite is my Angelsword. It is a double edged broadsword, with good distal and profile taper. It feels perfectly balanced for me. I've had it for a long time and never bought another longsword after it. I've been tempted but always stopped short of buying, feeling nothing else could be its equal. Naturally, I never found out if the feeling was accurate or not.:)
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All I have to say is "Angelsword??? Lucky!"
Also, is it a bright night, Angel Sword, or Avatar model? I want to hear from some one who has used the technowootz steel. I am surprised there is not more talk on here about it. You would think, when a modern manufacturer was able to recreate a legendary steel like Wootz/Bulat (and actually scientifically compare that through independent testing and comparison) that it would be more common for a topic of discussion.

You need to post a pic of your angelsword for us to drool over.
 
The biggest complaint(really only complaint other than $$) I've heard about Angelswords is the tendency for them to balance at the hilt and that seems to throw off traditional swordsmen. If it works for you, then it works.
 
tedwca said:
The biggest complaint(really only complaint other than $$) I've heard about Angelswords is the tendency for them to balance at the hilt and that seems to throw off traditional swordsmen. If it works for you, then it works.
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There are a lot of other considerations when buying a sword as well. Many people in the sword world are approaching swords from a desire to own a bit of history whether authentic or as close a reproduction as they can afford. They do this for a variety of reasons whether it be from a desire to reenact to practice Western Martial Arts or whatever. With that in mind Angelswords do not fit the bill for many consumers.
 
Bigfattyt said:
All I have to say is "Angelsword??? Lucky!"
Also, is it a bright night, Angel Sword, or Avatar model? I want to hear from some one who has used the technowootz steel. I am surprised there is not more talk on here about it. You would think, when a modern manufacturer was able to recreate a legendary steel like Wootz/Bulat (and actually scientifically compare that through independent testing and comparison) that it would be more common for a topic of discussion.

You need to post a pic of your angelsword for us to drool over.
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Does Mr. Watson actually claim his creation is "Wootz?" Doesn't he call it "techno-wootz" or something like that?
 
there is documentation on his site. I think he had his techno-wootz tested against museum samples, and an independent lab said they were identical. I think he calls it Techno wootz because it is branding. He has figured out how to recreate it scientifically, where as original wootz/bulat steel required special ore mined with the necessary impurities already in the ore. when the ore source with the correct impurities dried up, the steel disappeared, and it became mythical, magical. I believe that there are several makers now, making wootz/bulat steel. (one up side, since it was discovered thousands of years ago, I don't think anyone can patent it now)

Sorry, it took me so long to respond, I had a terrible last two weeks.

http://www.angelsword.com/steel.php
This describes the techno-wootz and says it is exactly the same. at the bottom of the 1st page, look at the second page, there are links there as well.
 
tedwca said:
The biggest complaint(really only complaint other than $$) I've heard about Angelswords is the tendency for them to balance at the hilt and that seems to throw off traditional swordsmen. If it works for you, then it works.
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From what I have heard, the ideal fighting sword is one that balances as near the hilt as possible. It makes the sword seem alive. The more blade heavy it is, the harder it is to switch directions, check a stroke etc. Everyone I have talked to says this is a plus. My viking sword is a bit blade heavy, and is a workout to swing.

Angel sword has a viking style, two handed sword with buffalo horn carved as raven stuff on it $20,000 is kinda spendy, but it looks beautiful. it is really heavy if you like that sort of thing.
 
NuclearWinterRat1 said:
This may sound corny but I absolutly love the spartan swords from "300". They may have been designed by a comic book artist but wow do they look intimidating and I believe they would make a useful tool under many conditions if they were made to be live blades.

Anyway, what is your ideal sword and why?
Click to expand...

Actually, they are a slightly stylized version of the Greek Kopis (nearly Identical to a falcata) that actually was in use at the time. Although I believe the spartans actually used a Greek sword that is the direct ancestor of the Roman Gladius).

First of all, like guys said, there is no ideal sword, just like there's no ideal knife or gun. Nothing does everything well.

Also, IMO, sword are weapons, so how well it does in camp chores should not weigh in.
With that in mind, I think the most useful sword would be a kopis/falcata design. One hell of a slasher, enough forward popint to still be a good stabber, and a nice, heavy blade that can be used to parry even weapons that are much larger than itself.

My favorite? A good highland claymore (sorry using the english spelling). Why? I'm a Scot, it's in my blood.
 
I like Bastard swords. The ability to use a sword in one hand or two hands is a big plus in the flexibility department. My favorite Bastard sword is a Katana. In the way of a one hander, I like the Shiavona.
 
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