9
votes
Is there a modern technology for constructing a katana?
This is more of an aside than a full answer (but too long and with links not well handled by comments), but it is worth noting that the traditional Katanas evolved in a region where the naturally ...
- 610
9
votes
Accepted
What is "Direct Penetration" from The Book of Five Rings book of Water?
The following translations (by Victor Harris and Thomas Cleary) instead translate the phrase as "Direct Communication":
The spirit of "Direct Communication" is how the true Way of ...
- 10.9k
9
votes
Accepted
Do women have any advantages in sword fighting
There's basically two factors here that matter.
Height and Reach
Reach matters with melee weapons, however... it matters most when you're fighting with similar weapons. Since your context is ...
- 8,533
8
votes
Does anyone actually fight with two katana simultaneously?
The book of five rings, written by Miyamoto Musashi around 1645, advocates two-sword fencing style (nitōjutsu): that is, wielding both katana and wakizashi.
He does, however, states that you should ...
7
votes
Do Any Eastern Arts Use a Shield?
Shields were used historically in Chinese martial arts, made of woven stems such as rattan, or wood covered in leather, in various sizes and designs.
In Shaolin Kung-Fu, a round rattan shield (...
- 218
7
votes
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Does anyone actually fight with two katana simultaneously?
There are a few forms in Tenshinsho-den Katori Shinto ryu. I know they exist, but was not able to progress to that level in my local school. Here is a link to a video of the style. https://www.youtube....
- 134
7
votes
Are "stage combat" swords fine for HEMA training/bouting?
The reason steel feders are so widely used in HEMA is due to them being able to be used safely in partner drills, especially at higher intensity .
Stage combat swords miss the rolled tip and bending ...
- 91
6
votes
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Left handed Japanese sword techniques
Upon seeing that all the newbies in the class were right-handed, my Kendo sensei told us the following: "I'm sorry everyone but, in Kendo, everyone is left-handed."
We really thought it was weird, ...
- 2,247
6
votes
Does anyone actually fight with two katana simultaneously?
Yes. Contrary to what the average "expert" on swords and Japanese swordsmanship will tell you online (along with their obligatory mentions to Miyamoto Musashi who everyone obligatorily must ...
- 131
6
votes
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Is there a modern technology for constructing a katana?
This 2007 interview with Dr. Rick Vinci, a Stanford-trained materials scientist and engineer at Lehigh University, by NOVA does a good job of describing both the materials science and engineering of ...
- 13.6k
6
votes
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Why do federschwerten have a schilt, when longswords don't?
According to this site, the schilt is a safety thing, to route a blocked blade away from the fingers. Non-training weapons generally don't have them because, being larger and heavier, they already ...
- 10.9k
5
votes
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Buying My First Metal Sword (HEMA)
If you are in the US want to buy your first steel sword either sharp or blunt, my suggestion is to take a look at HEMA Supplies, a US-based importer and reseller of Peter Regenyei's swords that seem ...
5
votes
Accepted
Is a triple-sworded style viable against one or dual wielding sword oppenents?
First of all, please no. Just don't.
And no, it will not be effective. Even given that there are some people that can tow trains by ropes in their teeth, you cannot clench your jaw enough to be able ...
- 4,520
5
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Gloves for longsword sparring
This is a cost analysis (kinda) answer1.
What would being injured cost you? Do you have medical insurance/free health care? Would a broken hand/finger(s) mean you would be effectively unable to ...
5
votes
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Defending legs with a sword
The same source text you're quoting mentions the use of Uberlauffen or overrunning as defense against low threats. The idea is to use a Scheitelhau (or a similarly executed thrust) to strike before ...
- 166
5
votes
Accepted
Purpose of non-sword hand movements
Chinese Swordsmanship, by Scott Rodell refers to that hand position as "sword talisman". The illustrations of the sword talisman used for strikes. (Mr. Rodell has an international reputation as a ...
- 3,465
5
votes
Why do federschwerten have a schilt, when longswords don't?
First of all, this isn't universal: there are sharp swords with a flared ricasso (schilt) and feders without.
"Feder" is very much a modern term, and broadly just means a longsword foil ...
5
votes
Japanese Short Sword Kata
First, don't drill anything you haven't been taught in person by a good teacher. You can learn a lot watching videos, but videos don't give you feedback and correction. I'm worried that you'll be ...
- 17.3k
5
votes
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Does blade flex have any function beyond durability?
In most cases, sword flex is only for the sake of durability and excessive flexibility is likely to interfere with doing proper damage with your blade. A major exception is the urumi, or "whip ...
- 10.9k
4
votes
Chinese Dadao info?
There's been some pretty good scholarship and interest in the Dadao recently. There's a few forms or methods which have managed to be incorporated/carried along with various forms of kung fu - here's ...
- 8,533
4
votes
Is there a modern technology for constructing a katana?
Not only can it be done, but it has been done and you can watch it:
https://www.youtube.com/results?q=man%20at%20arms%20katana&sm=1
In the TV show "Man at arms, reforged", when they do katanas, ...
- 241
4
votes
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Choice of a sword for HEMA
You should really be asking your club, rather than here. If you have just started training then you should not even be using a full weight sword. Safety and strength aside, your joints (and connecting ...
- 330
4
votes
What Resources Are There For Knife And Sword Rights Activism In The USA?
What a coincidence. I recently stumbled upon a video of a young sort of guy in Arizona by the name of Kairo Seijuro who seems to have attained a high degree of skill in classical kenjutsu. He was in ...
- 17.3k
4
votes
Why do chinese martial arts sometimes move the sword around the neck?
The movement serves several purposes:
A blocking motion
This is used with single edge blades as you keep the back of the blade against the body, usually contacting around the shoulder blades. Any ...
- 8,533
4
votes
Why do chinese martial arts sometimes move the sword around the neck?
One reason it's done in that specific way is that dao were an infantry weapon and pulling in tight around you like that reduces the chance of you cutting the guys beside you in a formation or a melee. ...
- 494
4
votes
Do women have any advantages in sword fighting
Not really no…
The winner in a fight is generally the one with the more skill. And skill can be acquired regardless of gender. The nature vs nurture debate might rage here saying that some people ...
4
votes
Defending legs with a sword
From a non-HEMA perspective: you want to minimize the time it takes to defend the current attack, while maintaining a position that can still adapt for your own attacks or to defend potential future ...
- 13.6k
4
votes
Defending legs with a sword
If we think about things completely in the abstract, slipping the leg while striking the head is a better option: because you're attacking and defending in the same motion it is virtually impossible ...
4
votes
Accepted
Is "Jogo do Pau" (stickfighting) derived from longsword fighting?
Most certainly not.
This article on Jogo do Pau specifically tells a story of how stick fighting naturally evolved in rural areas as it is both a useful thing to have in general in the wilderness as ...
- 5,825
3
votes
Is there a modern technology for constructing a katana?
http://www.wired.com/2001/02/dragonslayer/
Wired magazine published this article, about the advances of modern science in metallurgy, and how a professor and his team demonstrated this by forging a (...
- 131
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible