What type of sword do you like best?

[Jib]

What sort of blade you favor and why?

Of course much will depend on what you use it for?

[Rev.Sam]

I myself find meself favorin a cutlass. Given what theatre training I have, I am used to a rapier, but a Cutlass, just has a good feel to her

[Cascabel]

I mostly like a cutlass for brandishing and making threats of bodily harm, but I like a rapier for it's elegance on dressy occasions.

"It's not what you do, but how good you look doing it that counts !!!"

>>>> Cascabel

[blackjohn]

I think we'd all be happy if we could have a batman to carry our bag of swords... "Oh Jeeves, bring me my cutlass, and look sharp while doing so!"

[William Brand]

I like a hanger, specifically a curved blade of about 24 inches. I realize this is a bit short, and it handicaps my reach while lending a certain advantage to my opponents, but I'm a brawler when it comes to sword play. I like my opponents to come in closer because I'm better at the German school of hand to hand disarming then actual sword fighting. My training has been limited and I'm pragmatic enough to know what suits me. Also, I like a sword with a good cage of steel, i.e. Scottish basket hilts, schiavonas, etc. I can't resist the urge to carry a little punching weight. If I was ever called on to actually fight someone to the death, I'm three times as likely to bludgeon my opponent to death as I am to stab or slash him.

[Salty]

ach well,

i still have a favour of a certain short cruved hanger with a iron hilt and full tang. short but lighter then most in a fight.

[callenish gunner]

We here issued two different claymore swords when I was in service; one was a dress claymore with a fairly narrow blade more for show than combat. That one was seldom actually sharpened but it also had to be highly polished at all times. The second was a broad bladed hearty blade that we were to keep sharp and well oiled and the brass basket was to be clean and polished at all times. That sword has a 28 inch blade, about 2.25 inches wide, with a brass basket hilt with the traditional red flannel linings. We were told by the old Sargent-major that those blades were all they had left on the beaches at St. Valerie, France during the Second World War when they were left there to defend the retreat of the rest of the British forces. They had been left to die or be captured with virtually no ammunition and supplies surrounded by the Nazi's. Their orders were to make a good show of it....Thousands of Scottish highlanders were captured and spent the rest of the war in prison camps. They swore they'd rather have died with their swords in hand than go down like that ever again....so we were taught and trained to use them as if our lives depended on them because they might.

We were given the choice to purchase and keep those swords upon discharge or to return them to the armory...most chose to keep theirs ...that is the most prized sword in my entire collection and I still take it out from time to time to drill with it.

[Red Cat Jenny]

WILLIAM! Stop that now..or Im going to have to go shopping for more than one!

I covet that sword your friend made.

Aye a good plain sturdy cutlass from ODF as well. Something that travels.

out of period I love the etched ceremonial swrods..things of beauty

[William Brand]

Swords are like anecdotes. You can't get through life with only one.

[Capt Thighbiter]

My favorite is my Baltimore cutlass. Made for live steel action and with a narrow blade, it's the handiest of all our naval edged weapons. Kinda partial to my sons fencing sabre too, so light and sneaky fast.

Hugh, Damn man thats a sword to be proud of!

[William Brand]

I'm especially drawn to the work of Garth Duncan. His Jacobite Chieftain is amazing. 30 troy ounces of silver on a hand-forged Fararra reproduction blade.

[blackjohn]

Swords are like anecdotes. You can't get through life with only one.

How about the afterlife... which one do you want to be buried with?

[William Brand]

Swords are like anecdotes. You can't get through life with only one.

How about the afterlife... which one do you want to be buried with?

Buried...?

I plan to go down with the ship.

[blackjohn]

Ah. I'm hoping for a nice viking funeral... burning ship pushed out into the surf...

[callenish gunner]

william that silver hilt is friggin gorgeous .....a bit impractical but fit for a king

[Red Cat Jenny]

Thats the one! thats the one I was talking about! OW! It hurts when your eyes bug out like that!!

http://www.duncan-house.com/swords/baskethilt/jacobite/

He has wonderful other pointies and non sword things as well.

and the Hangars here

http://www.olddominionforge.com/swords.html

btw..This guy has some interesting resources..just gotta scroll down

http://www.arms2armor.com/Identify/identify.htm

[William Brand]

william that silver hilt is friggin gorgeous .....a bit impractical but fit for a king

It isn't impractical. Not at all. He let me wear the original piece to the Loch Lomond Highland Games years back.

At first, I thought it to be too heavy. It hung a bit heavy off the hip, even in the baldric, but oh how misleading it was. Once drawn and in the hand it's a dream of a sword. I've never held better. The weight is so evenly distributed about the pivot of the wrist that the blade feels utterly absent. The ease of control is unsurpassed and the basket acts like a fulcrum, so that one can achieve all of the power one usually gets swinging from the shoulder, by employing the smallest flick of the wrist. The added weight of the basket only serves to create a stranger sense of weightlessness in form.

It's as functional as it is flamboyant.

[blackjohn]

and the Hangars here

http://www.olddominionforge.com/swords.html

If you had $900, you could have made GoF an offer for his.

Since my group and I are feeling so Eastern European right now (and we're talking of becoming Cossacks), I'm particularly fond of my Polish karabela.

[Red Cat Jenny]

and the Hangars here

http://www.olddominionforge.com/swords.html

If you had $900, you could have made GoF an offer for his.

Since my group and I are feeling so Eastern European right now (and we're talking of becoming Cossacks), I'm particularly fond of my Polish karabela.

Sigh yeah....$900..well theres a few other items I need first but I'm not above the price tag when I'm ready.

Cossacks eh? cool. Do you ride?

[Bart LeBaron]

Me, I'd prefer a cutlass. Perfect for brawlin' aboard ship. Nice and short. That way, when I start slashin' and hackin', I don't damage me precious ship.

[Jib]

What! No love for the small sword?

[blackjohn]

Cossacks eh? cool. Do you ride?

No, but how is this instead...

http://www.kismeta.com/diGrasse/Costume/Otto/chajka2-d.jpeg

As I understand it, our association of cossacks with horses has much to do with later eras. During our period, the cossacks were accomplished infantry and sailors too.

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

Ugly, sharp and pointy, stained with no polish, but no rust. The uglier the better. Shiny things draw attention to ya when ya don't need or want it drawn in my experience.

Bo

[theM.A.dDogge]

i agree...but they are usually talkin 'bout me!??!

[Red-Handed Jill]

I'm partial to cutlasses - I currently have a Windlass steelcraft one that has served me pretty well over the years. The smaller size allows for more speed when fighting. In an edged weapons fight, speed trumps strength every time.