Which sword would you have?

[stinkwheel]

A real sword is something I have always wanted to have. Not some shitty replica thing, I want long, pointy and sharp enough to chop someones head off with. I'm sure many other people are of the same frame of mind.

But what sort would you have, there are two I would have.

The first is a British army issue, light cavalry sabre. The workhorse of swords, Issued for nearly 200 years for the express purpose of giving Johnny foreigner a taste of cold steel (apparently, they don't like it up 'em)
https://www.uscav.com/prodinfo/images/3502.jpg

Another one I would like is an iron age pattern welded sword, just because the technology used to make them is so astounding and because it will still be sharp enough to chop your head off in 2000 years, even after being buried in the ground for centuries.
Now that's what I call steel!
https://www.tf.uni-kiel.de/matwis/amat/def_en/kap_5/illustr/pattern_welding.jpg

[phantomtek]

Excalibur would be my sword of choice, either that or a smaller dagger, they are much better and suit me more as I would rather you not know I was carrying one until you hit the bloodstained floor gasping for air out of the hole in your side.

But yeah Excalibur would be good.

https://www.aceros-de-hispania.com/image/excalibur-sword/excalibur-sword.jpg

[Nath]

Pattern welded sword (viking?).

Surely the cavalry sword wouldn't be strong enough to withstand parrying in sword fights (designed to slash from above at retreating footsoldiers). Wouldn't mind a heavy cavalry sword though, like the one Sharpe has in all the books.
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[m0l0t0v]

Hand-made Carbon steel Katana FTW.

I've even seen some huge ass Samurai sword that can cut bamboo like butter. Thie blade was like 5 feet!

Try https://www.wholesaleknives.co.uk for handmade Samurai swords or just search ebay.

I got 2 samurais sword sets, which are cheap stuff admittedly but 35 for a whole set and a stand is not bad at all considering I have seen just one sword from the same set got for 100 quid in local shops

But then again I have a passion for Samurai swords, considering I have 2 sets, a single one, a hand-made carbon steel one(sharpish, I could sharp it but haven't bothered), 2 Oak training Katanas (Bokkens). I'm also buying a ninja suit for a upcoming Halloween party. It's gonna be so awesome. It looks so proper.

[Dischord]

Buster Sword....man that thing was big.
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[Itchy]

cav sabre but maybe this ancient Roman Goth sword , which was like a heavy cav sabre but had teeth on the non sharp side so that you would block with that side , catch his sword in the teeth and break his sword by twisting your wrist.
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[Black Knight]

An authentic Katana

https://www.nihonto.ca/hasebe/index.html


Bargain at 25K!
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[tribal_tiger]

The only sword i have is the pork swork.

I'm happy with that
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[SimonB]

I would have the "Sword of Omens" this would enable to have "Sight beyond sight".

Think of Thundercats if you don't know what I'm on about.
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[Whosthedaddy]

Not really a sword, but I always liked the look of the Ghurka knife

https://www.m4040.com/Survival/Ghurka/PICTURES/Completed-Knife-and-Sheath.gif
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[map]

After a visit to the Royal Armouries in Leeds I'd have to say I'd have one made by the Japanese. You see there were lots of European swords that were hundreds of years old and looking really tatty. The Japanese stuff of the same or older vintage looks like it was made yesterday.

Having said that, for practical purposes a shorter sword offers more possibilities. The longer cavalary sword was needed so you could actually reach the foe from the horse. So a nice scramsax would be fine. Actually I suppose shorter swords are just variants like the Kukri mentioned by Whosthedaddy.
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[thx1138]

A Foil.

[0ddball]

A crossword

[MarJay]

I'd have a practical forged katana. No question.

https://www.practicalkatana.co.uk/

https://www.by-the-sword.com/acatalog/images/SH2162.jpg

I much prefer a slicing weapon to a stabbing weapon, and the katana is elegant, strong and graceful. It takes skill to wield one, and you only draw it if you intend to maim or kill.

You can in fact kill a number of opponents on the drawing stroke and have the sword back in the scabbard before their diced carcasses hit the floor.

I'd love to own one, but they are a lot of money and my girlfriend kinda has a phobia of knives and swords, so a Katana probably isn't the best thing.

I do have a blunt ninja sword that cost a tenner from ebay, but its powder coated black so if I were to sharpen it, it would look gash.

Plus the missus would notice that it was sharp...
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[MarJay]

[LustyLew]

OK, I'm really sorry to take this a little off topic, but can you be taught how to fight wit ha sword?

I'm not talking fencing here, but a proper sword.

No, I'm not going on a killing rampage, just wish to learn something totally different.

Perhaps I'm odd!

Excuse me!
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[andrea]

I'd like a Samurai

In fact i might just take a flight to Okinawa (Sp?) find Hatori Hanso and get me some japanese steel

Yes yes i watch Kill Bill way too much

[thx1138]

[WildGoose]

cool thread!

it is indeed a shame that i know nothing about swords, but this has pushed me as far as looking stuff up, which makes it more interesting than any thread we have had here in a while

for dreaming:
https://www.capcorphq.com/images/Cloud-sword.gif

ideally:
https://www.gothicfantasy.com/Swords/KE2014.jpg

because:
Claymore is a cool name
two hands always looks more business like
A favourite album cover of mine:
https://www.j-tull.co.uk/Discography/1979/jt-broadswordsml.jpg

my deeply scientific choice
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[colin1]

id have a heavy, curved blade slashing sword for use while mounted on my motorbike,

and a long, thin, light stabbing sword like the ones they use in fencing for when im on my feet (made of Maraging steel)

slashing swords are really for use on horseback, where you attack with one big strike. On your feet, stabbing weapons rule as they are lighter with a longer reach.

as no one wears armour these days, a light, long thin stabbing sword would dispatch anyone with ease
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[palmer]

New age katana type thing


Blade's sword;
https://membres.lycos.fr/zenman1/The_Sword_of_the_Day_Walker.jpg

Kill bill style;

https://www.battleorders.co.uk/acatalog/jl077b.JPG


Or a lightsabre... mmm

[flat spot]

[.....]

https://www.netcubo.com/tutimages/lightsaber_final.jpg

[MarJay]

I may at some point learn how to use these:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly_Sword

https://www.adrianpaulpeace.org/images/auctions/auction03/auc03_item17a.jpg

Its an advanced part of Wing Chun Kung Fu, but being that I'll probably have to learn the dummy form first it might not be for a few years...
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[stinkwheel]

I am lead to believe that from a practical point of view, a stabbing attack is considerably more effective than a slashing/bludgeoning one in a face-to-face sword fight. That's going by the fact that that is what the british army taught, even going to the extent of only sharpening the first 6" of their mens swords to encourage them to attack with the point.

That is also why all but one form of fencing (which originates as a form of training for sword fighting) only score hits with the point of the sword.

That sword kicks arse siggi. I want that one too. Mmmm, damascus steel.

The light cavalry sabre is designed for 'swordfighting' proper, not just from horseback it was issued to infantry and naval officers too and is still issued as the 'ceremonial' sword for most military honours. They were still being issued in WW1.

Claymores were all well and good up until the bastard Cumberland worked out how to counter them. Claymores are only useful in 'formal' battle where both armies line-up facing one another. You only get one hit with a claymore and that is the first one, they are too big and heavy to wield in a melee once the troops have engaged.

Claymores were used in a manouver called a 'Higland charge'. In short, you line up every man you have in a single file line, give them all a huge, heavy weapon (eg claymore, heavy axe, hammer) then charge at the enemy as fast as you can and kil the man in front of you with it. A direct charging attack with a claymore can't be parried or blocked, it chops through swords, shields and armour.

The massive 'shock' factor of recieving a highland charge causes the enemy to break and run, having lost their whole first, and some of their second rank. Then you go in with the knives and shields. This worked, and worked well for hundreds of years, there was no answer to it.

What Cumberland came up with is that during a highland charge, you are invincible from directly in front but left wide open to attack at an angle (both hands above your head). You also only get one chance at the attack with your troops 100% committed and spread thin. He trained his men to ignore the man in front of them and attack the man to their left by stabbing him in the ribs. Charge defeated, all over bar plundering the dead. This was the birth if the 'buddy-buddy' system and rendered claymores obsolete.