Throwing Discs or Chakrum

[redvenom]

I seem to have read somewhere that these weapons originated in India. Anybody have any further info on just how effective it was or how it was employed?

Cheers
Andrew Limsk

 

[wolvesclaw]

The thing I found most amazing about Xena's chakram was sometimes it would hit the bad guys in the jaw, knocking them out. Other times it would slice right thru solid rock like butter. Hmmm, have to find out her sharpening technique.

 

[BruiseLeee]

Probably a dull spot on the blade.

 

[redvenom]

Good one

I guess in Xena's version there is a switch where you can set it to "Cut Stuff" or "Knock Out Bad Guys" or "Hover and make clucking noises"

Actually I saw it in the manga comic Crying Freeman. But I tried searching for more info on the actual weapon and gave up after 10 or so pages of Xena sites...

Andrew Limsk

Originally posted by BruiseLeee
Probably a dull spot on the blade.

 

[Bill Martino]

I "think" my guru told me the name and notion is derived from "chakma", energy centers in the body. If I recall correctly we have 7 -- or was it 11?

 

[beoram]

Originally posted by Bill Martino
I "think" my guru told me the name and notion is derived from "chakma", energy centers in the body. If I recall correctly we have 7 -- or was it 11?

chakra is the name for the energy-centres of the body, I don't recall how many there are.

actually chakra just means 'circle, wheel, disc', that's why it's used for a number of different things.

B.

 

[Bill Martino]

See what you degenerate into after 15 years of selling khukuris? Chakra is absolutely correct.

 

[beoram]

Originally posted by Bill Martino
See what you degenerate into after 15 years of selling khukuris? Chakra is absolutely correct.

 

[Bobwhite]

My brother can throw a frisbee so it will about take your fingers off. He is acurate too, can nail you in the head from 25 yards easy. If a chakrum is metal and sharp and a frisbee is plastic, that is a big difference in impact. So I guess in the hands of some one who can use it it would be effective. No idea about history of either chakrum or frisbee.

 

[Cougar Allen]

... gave up after 10 or so pages of Xena sites...

Searching the net is an art; there are people who make a good living because they're good at it ... but you don't have to be a pro to type in chakma NOT xenia ... or use http://www.google.com/advanced_search?safe=off&as_occt=any&as_dt=i&as_qdr=all&lr=lang_en&hl=en

 

[Walosi]

...SHAME!!! SHAME!!! MORE SHAME!!!
Next, you'll edit Kareena

 

[MauiRob]

Don't know about Chakras or Chakrams, but my friend and I used to throw small table saw blades at trees and targets. We got so we could hit chest sized target really well and sink it(blade) into a tree 2-3 inches.

 

[Bill Martino]

I'd rather use a star or disc than a throwing knife because you don't have to worry about making it "stick."

 

[Walosi]

Originally posted by Bill Martino
I'd rather use a star or disc than a throwing knife because you don't have to worry about making it "stick."

And...being a world-class salesman, Uncle loves to make that stuff stick

 

[spence]

I used to play the saw-blade game, too.

Andrew: Stone's book on arms (old, out of print, but very good)has a piece on chakram with several pictures, IIRC. I don't have it with me, but I believe he describes the method of throwing them. If you'd like, I could post an excerpt from the material over the coming weekend.

S.

 

[Raven's Beak]

Is a traditional weapon of the Sikhs of India. It is thrown by being whirled around on the finger (the inside is not sharp). It is also sometimes reffered to as a quoit(sp?). Seems like it would be difficult to use, but they must have had a technique. The Sikh martial arts are reffered to as Gatka.

http://www.sikhi.demon.co.uk/gatka.htm

here is another informative site-

http://www.gatka.de/


hope this is helpful

Pat Mc

 

[Berkley]

Here is a site that (commendably with credit to the original source) repeats much of the information from Stone's Glossary of Arms and Armor, while adding a little romantic embellishment.

 

[Bill Martino]

Thanks for links.

 

[redvenom]

Thanks all, for the links and help. That's the HI cantina: Always enlightening and outrageously entertaining...

Andrew Limsk

 

[mPisi]

Those links were very good, especially the Gatka society. They even have a pic of a nice katar on their weapons page Weapons Page.

I could really go for a HI khanda, kinda like the present tarwar, but seemingly a bit shorter with a single-hand hilt and guard. Also an interesting spike protruding from the pommel which they say both guards the forearm and can be used for a two-handed grip. Make the khanda a bit pointier and it would be a Roman gladius with a handguard, something I always wondered why they didn't do. Manufacturing complexity I guess. I do really like that diamond cross section and two sharpened edges...


Scot, whose brief acquaintence with HIKV has changed his reference system so that 18" knives are normal and real swords would not be so silly anymore...