What is your favorite Sword-related resource?

Ferrous Wheel

Ferrous Wheel

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May 16, 2002
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This could be a book about swords, a website, a movie, re-enactmnent, martial arts, etc. Just wondered what everyone uses as their resources when they want to learn or study about the sword.

Me, I use most of the above.

My fave book on swords (for the text) is Sir Richard Burton's Book of the sword. My fave book on swords (for pics)is Barnes&Noble's Swords and Hilt Weapons, by various authors.

Martial arts is another way I found out about swords and other objects. Also, armed and armored fighting in the european heavy styles.

How about you?

Keith
 
As far as martial arts goes, there's nothing that can take the place of an instructor (unfortunately), though sometimes it's nice to talk to others who practice to get a broader perspective.

But as far as studying swords, there's a whole lot of resources out there.

When talking to people and I want to give them a more visual idea of certain aspects of the sword, I will direct their attention to pics on Aoi Art catalog. I'll also continually refer them to Rich Stein's Japanese Sword Index or to Alan Quinn's Meiboku site. If I want to study European swords, I can look to ARMA, SFI, or here in some instances. For general browsing, it's sometimes fun to look at the ethnographic edged weapons forum or SFI. Then, for Chinese stuff...I'm normally pretty much screwed :D

For casual reading material, Sato's book, Nagayama's book, and now I just recently read Clive Sinclaire's book. Also the JSS/US publications are good reading. I guess I don't really read very often, and I don't have any books on other types of swords, but what I do have is fairly enjoyable to read, and there's some really pretty swords in Clive Sinclaire's book ;)
 
Good stuff. I'll ahve to check a few of those authors out.
For chinese weapons with god pics, I like to go to Huang Chao Dynasty Armory at

http://www.chinesearms.com/

I've gotten two late Ming dynasty spearheads here, and they're cool. lost of freaky kung-fu weapons, old ones. Beautiful and expensive swords.

Later,

Keith
 
Hi All,

My favourite sword resource is the two manuals written by Gentleman George Silver written in the late 16th Century.
"Paradoxes of Defence"
"Brief Instructions on my Paradoxes of Defence".
These two books contain the essence of an easy to learn, natural system that relies on natural body movement and is designed for the casual fencer who needs to learn to defend himself rather than a warrior.
Cheers
Stu.
 
Thanks fer sharin'. I also have czeched out Silver, and some of the other old fechtmaisters, italian and german. DiGrassi, Talhoffer, etc. Good stuff!

Keith
 
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