New to swords

I think it was the thread at SFI that was an eye opener for most (the thread now removed). Someone practicing at home with a shinken that managed to spear and slice their left arm while returning the sword to the saya. (noto?)

In my own case and with my least expensive sword, that same sword became my most expensive. Despite coaching and steel capped boots, I ended up off balance and managed to get the point of a Hanwei practical katana under the steel cap of my left foot and between two toes. It could have been much worse. Insurance did not cover the expense. I will forever be reminded by those that have returned to an annual event since 2003. In another moment, neglecting the bare sharp medieval sword hanging on the wall and it attacked me while reaching for a guitar. It leapt off the wall and skated down the back of my right hand. More recently still, slicing a finger with a twoo hundred year old American militia sword while packing for a show.

Dial back to the 1960s and other Darwism, putting a camp axe into my right ankle while skeet splitting kindling. ;)

A brake check is definitely a good thing.

Cheers

GC
 
Hooray injuries! I think many people start out learning the hard way. Some even survive it. While it's certainly ideal to demonstrate patience, I find it hard to discourage people, and, really, to what end? You may think you're being all magnanimous and protecting the life of the new person, but I, for one, think that some encouragement would go very well with the cautionary advice.

Has the sword forum really devolved into a bunch of naysayers? The way you make it sound, I'd be scared to even walk out the door in the morning. I mean, every time you get in the car you're running a much more serious risk of getting killed than you do just cutting some bottles in the backyard or whatever. Every time you walk in the park, a meteorite could come from nowhere and strike you dead. A mugger could hurt you. You could cut yourself flipping open your folding knife. Egads, people. You cannot and should not go through life being scared of every thing. Yes, overcutting is a pretty serious concern with sword work, and having that control is important. E.g., don't get the blade anywhere near the ground if you're going to play with sharp stuff, until you've learned control, and even then, be careful. That's a pretty easy thing to say and to understand. Heck, just be careful any time you're using a weapon at all. Invest in some lessons if you actually want to learn to use the sword, and don't think that YouTube videos will cut it. They won't, and that course presents its own tangible perils. If you just want to collect and occasionally cut something silly in the backyard for the entertainment of friends, have at it. That's as legitimate a purpose in the modern world as any other, I suppose. Just make sure you respect the weapon, or you WILL pay for it in blood, and how much is entirely up to chance.
 
You guys are talking about 1000$+ dollar swords, and telling this guy he needs to spend more, and I'm sitting here thinking that 300 is a good price for a CS katana!
 
I used folding knives long before locking mechanisms existed. I've never cut myself badly with a folder.

I have many large fixed blades. Some are choppers. I've never cut myself with them.

I can use a chefs knife better than most tv chefs. I've never cut myself badly with a large or small kitchen knife.

I've used axes, hatchets and saws of all kinds. Again, no bloody accidents.

I probably cut almost a million cardboard boxes in my younger years. I could top a box in less than a second and a half over and over again with a razor blade. Never cut myself badly.

Why?

It's not luck, I can tell you that.

Every implement learned started off slowly and carefully. speed and precision followed in good time.

Swords will be no different.

I'm not the least bit scared of them. I will respect them greatly, just like every other deadly weapon I have used.

BTW, now that this thread got derailed, did I mention that I am getting my first swords?

I can t wait!
 
syco1138 said:
You guys are talking about 1000$+ dollar swords, and telling this guy he needs to spend more, and I'm sitting here thinking that 300 is a good price for a CS katana!
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Yea, it probably is a good price, and it handles like a sharpened prybar and won't hold an edge for beans.

I encourage you to buy one and have fun.

(That was for you, Crimsonfalcon07)

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Good man, STeven. For what it's worth, I agree with pretty much all the advice you've put out there. But it's great to get a *little* positivity out there, even if it's for something as poorly done as the CS katana. But, who am I to fault them for their katana-like objects, I suppose. I'm working on one of my own.

bearcut, I'm glad to see you're planning on taking some care. We get a lot of people in here looking for their first sword who have very little common sense. They think that katana are unbreakable, but should only cost 100 bucks, and that they know everything about them from watching <insert movie title here>. It's pretty rare to have someone with a little more common sense, particularly when they demonstrate the lack of patience that hallmarks many knife aficionados. Swords are a different game than knives, and I have to say, I pity your pocketbook. That's part of why I am working on learning how to make my own :)
 
A sword should be fun and exciting to own, it should heighten your senses, center and inspire your imagination.
 
crimsonfalcon07 said:
Good man, STeven. For what it's worth, I agree with pretty much all the advice you've put out there. But it's great to get a *little* positivity out there, even if it's for something as poorly done as the CS katana. But, who am I to fault them for their katana-like objects, I suppose. I'm working on one of my own.
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If I hadn't seen so many accidents even from true experts, I'd be a lot more positive and "sunny" about my general disposition concerning swords.

I've seen practitioners with over 10 years of serious practice put IAITO(for those that don't know what that it, it is a practice "sword" made out of aluminum alloy and not sharpened at all) into their arms doing waza, and stab the web of skin between their thumbs and forefingers doing noto....yeah swords are a different game.

Tell you what, man. I'll pipe down unless it is a serious practitioner and let the rest of you handle the newbie questions.....it'll be more fun for everyone that way. It's supposed to be fun....fun until someone loses a limb, or eye, or kills an innocent bystander doing something very stupid.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Mecha said:
A sword should be fun and exciting to own, it should heighten your senses, center and inspire your imagination.
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Right on!

Hanwei Tinker Pearce Sharpened Longsword and Rawlings synthetic longsword inbound.
 
The Hanwei Tinkers are good deals-as are the replacement blades:
All three of these were built from Paul Chen/Hanwei longsword blades-the cut & thrust and the wu jian have been cut down.
The wu jian is probably my favorite of the three, and the one I'd grab to actually fight with if the yanmao dao I forged was not an option.
The Rawlings poly swords are pretty cool too-they slide a lot like steel (which is creepy at first but great for training)
 
Been looking at some HEMA videos.
It's really interesting watching the geometry involved in the parrying movements and such.
I did not know this was so similar to many eastern martial arts, i.e. escrima, wing chun, etc.

Facinating stuff.

Glad to hear that the Rawlings synthetics have a good following.
 
crimsonfalcon07 said:
Good man, STeven. For what it's worth, I agree with pretty much all the advice you've put out there. But it's great to get a *little* positivity out there, even if it's for something as poorly done as the CS katana. But, who am I to fault them for their katana-like objects, I suppose. I'm working on one of my own.

bearcut, I'm glad to see you're planning on taking some care. We get a lot of people in here looking for their first sword who have very little common sense. They think that katana are unbreakable, but should only cost 100 bucks, and that they know everything about them from watching <insert movie title here>. It's pretty rare to have someone with a little more common sense, particularly when they demonstrate the lack of patience that hallmarks many knife aficionados. Swords are a different game than knives, and I have to say, I pity your pocketbook. That's part of why I am working on learning how to make my own :)
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What's so bad about the CS katana? Also, I'm not a katana cultist, I think that 80% of the time any katana will lose out to a solid flail or mace and any sword will lose out 100% of the time to firearms.
 
The merit and measure of a sword is best compared over time with many similar blades. Perhaps what Steve is getting at re the Cold Steel swords are the softness of the blade which will require more upkeep than some others over time. There are softer bladed swords and historic western medieval swords even softer. The other aspect of ungainliness compared to others is only realized through repetition and again, comparing to many like it.

I own and handle a lot of old early modern western swords. Some are quite doggy in the way they handle, despite very similar proportions. Some I love to handle and even cut with. Others, although quite capable in all regards are simply not my first choice of drawing a sword from the racks. I had bought a reproduction saber specifically to cut with and more recently replaced it with a two hundred year old sword. The older sword is larger and half a pound lighter.

As to non-ballistic comparisons ;) there are some great older discussions on polearm vs dagger, cut vs thrust, samurai vs knight, viking vs pirate, etc ad nauseum. They usually render down to the most apt practitioner. Western swordsmanship is anything but obscure and like any other martial arts, videos never a replacement for hands on study. I could toss out a dozen treatise I read and simulate in solo practice but have learned more in hours of practical tutorial. Like anything else, one will get out of a study what they put into it. Self training isn't more than a basic start and quite often counterproductive. We have two arms and two legs attached to a torso. Motions are limited (in the grand scheme of things) so there are a lot of similarities, measure for measure, distance for distance across cultural boundaries and timelines.

There really isn't anything wrong with scattergunning an interest and purchase of swords but the hobby and interest will either wane or progress with the realization some of the early purchases may have been better thought out. For what I spent on some, I would be happier now to have charted a better path. In selling now in depreciation, I have to hope I enjoyed them when they first arrived. Some have moved on to new homes but I still enjoy my first modern made sword ( i researched the market and my wants for several years).

Enjoy

GC
 
Very well put, GC. This type of experience, wisdom, and expression are much appreciated - everywhere. Mike
 
The sword is like a fast car. Everyone warns you to be careful, to not crash and burn, and wreck anyone else's day while you're at it. Of course you're gonna hit the gas, do a burnout, learn to control the power, and you're unlikely to attend "racing classes" first. Once you become accustomed to the thrill of the new power, you start to notice the subtleties of the machine. Often you realize that despite the high horsepower, the suspension geometry sucks, the brakes are too weak, the balance is wrong. These types of cars are dangerous, lose control and get crashed a lot, or they get upgraded or replaced by a better machine. A poor quality, clunky-balanced sword is one to be wary of.
 
bearcut said:
Been looking at some HEMA videos.
It's really interesting watching the geometry involved in the parrying movements and such.
I did not know this was so similar to many eastern martial arts, i.e. escrima, wing chun, etc.

Facinating stuff.

Glad to hear that the Rawlings synthetics have a good following.
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It's worth looking around for some HEMA folks in your area. I've never been a hand & a half/Talhoffer guy (more of a George Silver Shorte Sharpe Sworde type) but they're pretty nice folks and they're usually pretty serious about recreating the art (it's important to remember that that's what they're doing-it's not an unbroken combative tradition)
The Hanwei tinkers are soft compared to a custom sword, but I haven't seen anybody break one doing anything remotely sensible with them, the blades are replaceable, and dull training blades/wasters are available as well to fit the hilt
Which is not a bad option-saves wear & tear on the scenery
 
Mecha said:
The sword is like a fast car. Everyone warns you to be careful, to not crash and burn, and wreck anyone else's day while you're at it. Of course you're gonna hit the gas, do a burnout, learn to control the power, and you're unlikely to attend "racing classes" first. Once you become accustomed to the thrill of the new power, you start to notice the subtleties of the machine. Often you realize that despite the high horsepower, the suspension geometry sucks, the brakes are too weak, the balance is wrong. These types of cars are dangerous, lose control and get crashed a lot, or they get upgraded or replaced by a better machine. A poor quality, clunky-balanced sword is one to be wary of.
Click to expand...

Can we all just pray Justin Beiber buys a sword, then? :D The turd already wrecked a Lamborghini Aventador, maybe we'll get lucky and he'll behead himself, or do irreverisble damage to his vocal cords.
 
kaotikross said:
Can we all just pray Justin Beiber buys a sword, then? :D The turd already wrecked a Lamborghini Aventador, maybe we'll get lucky and he'll behead himself, or do irreverisble damage to his vocal cords.
Click to expand...

Nobel peace prize, headed your way!
 
Well, I will soon be up to 5 swords and 3 training swords.

I've got a Black Prince and a Claymore on the way.

This isn't any more expensive than buying several nice knives at the same time.

It's a lot more fun now too. I was really getting tired of the same old ti-framelock clones coming out lately. There really isn't very much new in the knife scene anymore.
 
I miss my BP but I get visitation rights from time to time. Another A&A has gone back and forth between myself and a friend twice now. I still have my German Bastard as my biggie. My bp has/had bronze fittings and from an era when the price was half what it is now. I hope you enjoy it. They are a stiff stout sword that can still cut a bit but are tricky in that respect. A target I had used aside from mats was a bottle filled with .50 lead balls then stuffed in a leather boot.

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The new daddy redid the grip in royal blue and buffed the broze shiny. I had always preferred it dull. My other lost A&A son also bronze with Duke of Urbino fittings on their Edward III blade. That one now also modified with a longer grip. it used to be a beastly thing (I liked it like that) and now works better with two hands. That one has always been an outstanding cutter on quite heavy targets.

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Cheers

GC
 
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