Is there such a thing as a belt sword?

golok

golok

Joined
Oct 20, 2000
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I recall watching a Chinese movie once. It showed in one scene, the hero pulled out his belt and it transformed into a flexible sword, which he used to great effect.

Is there such a weapon in the ancient Chinese sword arsenal?

I know there are many different kinds of weapons as far as the Chinese are concerned. I am curious about this particular one.
 
I do not know about a chinese version but there is an Indian "sword" that is a flexible coiled weapon. It is called something like a "razor sword" or something. I will look it up when I get home.
 
I believe I saw one in the Jackie Chan movie "Shanghai Noon". As to getting them, I have no idea. I remember trying to get a wrist extending Tai Chi sword in the 80s and breaking it within 2 days. Best $150 I ever spent.
 
*banging head against moniter*

Ah DAMN what is that thing called?

Triton, I've seen the "sword" you're talking about. Looks like two or three coils of strapping metal all coiled up and IIRC, extends with your forward "swing" and then wraps around your opponent, doing supposedly massive damage as you withdraw and the sharp edges are pulled around the body like unwinding a yo-yo.

I always wondered how much it would hurt if the other guy ducked and you found yourself looking at 6 or 9 feet of suddenly recoiling razor sharp spring!
:D

Please let me know what it's called when you find it, this one's going to keep me up nights!
 
Curses! Ken you are exactly right in your description and worst of all I can not find the bloody book. Now the search begins...
 
One hint;
Sir Richard Burton's "Book of the Sword" is NO help at all.
STILL trying to find this thing!
:rolleyes:
 
Okie Dokie,
Google is a wonderful thing.

The Indian sword is a Urumi.

I started getting clues with a search using coiled swords. Various RPG sites ahd listings. Whip-swords blazed the trail to the truth.

There is mention of another weapon that consists of 24 interlockig steel plates on a silk rope that can be drawn to a rigid state by pulling the rope through the hilt. This is mentioned as an Chinese/Japanese ninja styled affair.

There are lots of results for info on Urumi Swords at Google.

Cheers

Hotspur, see? we all learned a new word today
 
Thank you sir. The way I understand it the thing is deadly in both the hands of an expert and a novice. In the hands of an expert it is deadly to his opponent, in the hands of a novice it is deadly to the novice.:)
 
I also searched by Google by "urumi", read through the result link pages. But no pix of an urumi! Only some drawings of fantasy urumi with multiple tape blade in some game site.

Can anybody post a pic, or a link to a site with a pic on it?
 
Thank you Horseclover!
An Urumi!
I'm not going to pretend I'd have eventually remembered that, thanks very much.
:D
 
Here is_an_url to a gif of_an_Urumi

kalaarmes1.gif
http://www.arts-de-combat.ovh.org/image/kalaarmes1.gif

The host site is in French (I think). Google turned this up on_an_image search.

Hotspur, a e i o y and sometimes u (right???)
<§8•)~

ps; too lazy to figure how to make it a hot link, C&P only takes a moment

pps; oh, never mind, looks like it might do it on it'''s own
 
Thanks Horseclover. I knew somebody would be able to come up with an answer!
 
Thanx, Horseclover!
I wonder which style of single / multiple blade is more popular. Single blade Urumi as conceiled carry weapon as a "belt sword" of more utilitiy for such kinda blade IMHO.

As a balisong-holic, manipulating Urumi seems quite challenging, and interesting to me.
 
Everything I have seen suggests that the Urumi has multiple blades either two or three rather then a single blade.
 
Until the inevitable registration of all tools, I have thought of a cheap and effective belt sword.

Lufkin™ and Stanley™ 25' tape measures. Granted they have only one blade but they do come with integral scabbard and removable carrying clip. I suggest the 25 footers purely on the basis of their inch wide blades. Smaller tapes could be easily dubbed pocket and neck swords. I even have a ring sword version that has a built in scale good for weights up to 6#.(this might better be classified as a ring parrying dagger)

Now remember, a 25' tape blade could be folded many times to offer many, many edges.

While not hysterically accurate, I believe this simple alternative might be a viable source for modern Urumi.

Another source for blade material would be skid strapping but I feel this would be best used only for decorative purposes due to the lack of a good spring temper.

Hotspur, only half in jest
 
Until the inevitable registration of all tools, I have thought of a cheap and effective belt sword.

Lufkin™ and Stanley™ 25' tape measures. Granted they have only one blade but they do come with integral scabbard and removable carrying clip. I suggest the 25 footers purely on the basis of their inch wide blades. Smaller tapes could be easily dubbed pocket and neck swords. I even have a ring sword version that has a built in scale good for weights up to 6#.(this might better be classified as a ring parrying dagger)

Now remember, a 25' tape blade could be folded many times to offer many, many edges.

While not hysterically accurate, I believe this simple alternative might be a viable source for modern Urumi.

Another source for blade material would be skid strapping but I feel this would be best used only for decorative purposes due to the lack of a good spring temper.

Hotspur, only half in jest
 
horseclover said:
Until the inevitable registration of all tools, I have thought of a cheap and effective belt sword.

Lufkin™ and Stanley™ 25' tape measures. Granted they have only one blade but they do come with integral scabbard and removable carrying clip. I suggest the 25 footers purely on the basis of their inch wide blades. Smaller tapes could be easily dubbed pocket and neck swords. I even have a ring sword version that has a built in scale good for weights up to 6#.(this might better be classified as a ring parrying dagger)

Now remember, a 25' tape blade could be folded many times to offer many, many edges.

While not hysterically accurate, I believe this simple alternative might be a viable source for modern Urumi.

Another source for blade material would be skid strapping but I feel this would be best used only for decorative purposes due to the lack of a good spring temper.

Hotspur, only half in jest
Click to expand...


Someone already posted that comment doodz :abnormal:
 
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