Gangs Of New York

[kannonfyre]

I saw Gangs of New York some time ago and apart from it being an excellent epic about gang warfare, I found some of the weapon combos used pretty interesting. These are.....

1)Broadsword.....(used by Amsterdam Vallon's father)
2)Sharpened spikes mounted on the front of boots
3)Steel claws tied to hands (used by a character called "crazy katie"??)
4)Wooden club topped with iron
5)Meat cleaver and throwing knife (used by Bill the Butcher)
6)Tomahawk and boot knife (used by Amsterdam Vallon)

Would anyone care to comment about the wisdom or practicality of the weapon selections above?
Additionally, I feel that the meat cleaver + throwing knife and tomahawk + boot knife combinations both complement each other (i.e. throw the knife and then attack with the cleaver or stick the 'hawk deep into someone's chest, draw the boot knife and slash his guts). Does anyone own or carry complementary hand weapons? Care to share your experiences on what works and what does not?

 

[Ol' Badger]

Could this movie be anti-gun??? When they (Gangs) were setting the rules (For a Fight?) the question came up on guns. Amsterdam Vallon said no guns and Bill the Butcher said good boy. What kind of dumby doesnt want a gun in a knife fight? Besides, I liked Bill the Butcher. He disliked the Irish Face it. Its the only thing left that the PC Police will let you do.

 

[Don Gwinn]

A prohibition on guns and pride in using hand-to-hand melee weapons seems to be a long-standing tradition among street gangs of all types. Who knows why? Maybe because their fighting is so tied to pride and dominance.

Of course, the gangs that converted into big businesses with the drug trade are different.

 

[kannonfyre]

Maybe it's the hollywood bias against guns at work.....

Anyway, any comments on the weapon combinations seen in the film? Have any of y'all carried two hand weapons at any time?

 

[Ol' Badger]

kannonfyre

Just the one I was born with

 

[JShirley]

A lot of troops armed with manual weapons in the past had a distance weapon, and then a shorter-ranged weapon in case the enemy got inside their primary (for instance, a spear and a short sword).

I personally like a 3 or 4 foot stick as a weapon that will let you keep a little distance, and give the option of nonlethal defensive force. This can be combined with a quality pocketknife.