Short swords

[MatthewVanitas]

@Daniel Flory: have you handled their Waki at all? If not, any educated guess as to whether those proportions would provide better balance?

I'm sticking with my Mini Griptilian for the time being (dang, I love that knife), but I do want to keep my options open.

Oh, and this sub-forum finally motivated me to dig up my receipt so I can mail my Chive in for warranty repairs.

What with all the "ka-blaam" this and "tac-reload" that, I'd forgotten about the sharp things in life...

 

[wheelgunslinger]

Same here, Matt.

 

[MatthewVanitas]

The forgetting, or the sending the Chive in for warranty?

Neat little thing, the Chive. Just the speed-safe action suddenly conked out one day. It's clean, no damage to it, just suddenly turned into a standard pocketknife, which it does perfectly well too.

Perhaps Kershaw didn't factor the "opening/closing the Chive 483 times per day as an idle O/C habit" into the engineering. They certainly should have, that little sucker is addictive. I was on active-duty then, so coworkers weren't so bugged by it; back in college now, not sure peers would be as understanding, so I'll save some spring wear.

Dragging thread back on topic: I'd say those Ontario look pretty good for the price, so far as short swords go. If the Bud-K isn't worth getting, the Ontario seems to be the leading shortsword for the lower-budget set.

-MV

 

[mrmeval]

You could ask the fellow at http://www.sharppointythings.com/ he's a member of THR and is forging me fully functional pre-Christian Gladius Hispaniensis aka Mainz pattern Gladius.

He's knowlegable about bladed weapons, his specialty is
crafting early knives of the Viking and Medieval era.

I was just skimming the net, looking for information on short swords. By the term, I mean bladed weapons (either double or single-edged) of intermediate length, longer than daggers and bowie knives, yet shorter than your standard sword. Historical examples that spring to mind are the Roman Gladius and Spatha, and to a lesser extent the Greek copis (and subsequent Kukuri in Nepal).

...

Mike

 

[Soap]

@Daniel Flory: have you handled their Waki at all? If not, any educated guess as to whether those proportions would provide better balance?

I have never handled the waki...although the blade is 5" shorter, the handle is 3" shorter as well. I would expect that the balance would be poor but not as poor as the katana version. I think there are better choices out there for a utility chopper (a machete or kukri) or for a long fighting blade (kukri or high quality bowie).

 

[mrmeval]

Ontario Sword of the Blackwind.

http://www.cristosblades.com/swordsSC.php

Seems to be based on a WWI design. Ontario Part# ONBW-S4

Good memory there.

Ontario Knife makes some very long combat blades that are similar to these.

 

[hso]

Be careful of any SLO that is marked 'stainless'. If they aren't just waiting to snap on impact it's because they are 420-J and then they won't hold an edge. If they are 'stainless' and will hold an edge don't whack them on anything because they probably will snap.

 

[Soap]

Be careful of any SLO that is marked 'stainless'. If they aren't just waiting to snap on impact it's because they are 420-J and then they won't hold an edge. If they are 'stainless' and will hold an edge don't whack them on anything because they probably will snap.

+1

 

[Steelcore]

How about a machete?Can be bought in most hardware stores for less than $15.easy to sharpen.Its not like your going to be facing an armored knight with it.gangbangers in Nova have been chopping each other up with them the last few years.

 

[mrmeval]

Yep. I don't think I'd want to take my hand made pre-Christian Mainz pattern Gladius out to the field except as a recreator in Roman armor.

Still a sword is a sword and a tool is a tool. If I really needed a sword I'd use it.

How about a machete?Can be bought in most hardware stores for less than $15.easy to sharpen.Its not like your going to be facing an armored knight with it.gangbangers in Nova have been chopping each other up with them the last few years.

 

[mrmeval]

Member of THR Mike Williamson http://www.sharppointythings.com can offer some advice. Click on his email.

It's a purchase I've idly considered in the past but put on the backburner.

Is there any decent wakizashi, not a toy, but not tricked out with lacquer, inlay, and other cost-adding doodads?

That is to say, a wakizashi that's a well-shaped piece of decent quality steel with a comfortable grip?



-MV

 

[mrmeval]

He's almost done with the pre-Christian Mainz pattern Gladius I ordered custom. He can order a wide range of blades from wall decorations to Cadillac slicers.

Our own MadMike is also a custom bladesmith. Send him a PM or e-mail him through his site for suggestions and info.

 

[Dr.Rob]

http://www.swordsofhonor.com/russiankindjal1.html

always liked the looks of this...

 

[KriegHund]

The only short sword i own is an aluminum one i made.

Its nice because its extremely light and while the edge is sharp enough to cut, it leaves ragged cuts.

DO NOT buy stainless steel long blades and use it on solid objects!

Knives, fine, its short enought and thick enough it aint gonna snap. Long, thin swords will snap violently.

http://www.swordsofhonor.com/russiankindjal1.html

always liked the looks of this...

Thats very cool, like a cross between a sabre and broadsword.

 

[ecos]

ever see the home shopping network(or was it qvc?) video clip where those two twits were talking about how superb the stainless sword they had was and the guy LIGHTLY smacked it on a wood table and it broke in half? i about died laughing.

they must have really butchered that steel to have it snap that easily. i use both stainless and carbon steels and while carbon is the choice of long blades a stainless blade shouldnt break hitting it that lightly.

 

[Soap]

ever see the home shopping network(or was it qvc?) video clip where those two twits were talking about how superb the stainless sword they had was and the guy LIGHTLY smacked it on a wood table and it broke in half? i about died laughing.

they must have really butchered that steel to have it snap that easily. i use both stainless and carbon steels and while carbon is the choice of long blades a stainless blade shouldnt break hitting it that lightly.

For those that haven't seen it just type in "HSN Sword" in Yahoo's video search. I was surprised it broke so easily but if it was a rat-tail with a terrible heat treat I can see it happening with little stress on the blade.

 

[KriegHund]

Along that note, Always look for full, thick tangs.

I especially like the tangs that are merely the sword blank continued down without sharpening, and is sandwhiched between the handle.

 

[LegendaryItaliano]

For those that haven't seen it just type in "HSN Sword" in Yahoo's video search. I was surprised it broke so easily but if it was a rat-tail with a terrible heat treat I can see it happening with little stress on the blade.

Here is the link: http://www.jokaroo.com/funnyvideos/katana.html


As you can see whether or not the blade is full tang has NOTHING to do with the injury.

Full tang cheap SS swords are NO safer than rat tail blades. :banghead:

Lets all say it together people.

STAINLESS STEEL SWORDS BAD!!!

Repeat 1000 times

 

[Soap]

Legendary Italiano- I agree that the length of the tang doesn't matter, but rat-tail also refers to the width of the tang where it meets the blade. I have a feeling this "sword" had a fairly narrow one. Regardless it is hilarious to watch!

 

[LegendaryItaliano]

Legendary Italiano- I agree that the length of the tang doesn't matter, but rat-tail also refers to the width of the tang where it meets the blade. I have a feeling this "sword" had a fairly narrow one. Regardless it is hilarious to watch!

I would probably have to agree with you Daniel. It looks similar to this blade
http://forums.swordforum.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=43606

Pretty interesting article, I wish more young people read it before they went out trying to cut trees in half with katanas bought from the local flea market.

 

[Soap]

I couldn't agree more! I have a PPK that I use for informal tameshigiri. Thanks for posting that link, I had not seen it disassembled before.

 

[LegendaryItaliano]

I couldn't agree more! I have a PPK that I use for informal tameshigiri. Thanks for posting that link, I had not seen it disassembled before.

Ahhh...good ole PPK. I attended a toyama ryu demonstration and the instructor supplied the PPK for first timers. Worked very well as they are pretty decent for the money spent. One student bent it on a HALF of a mat because he had no hasuji to speak of and basically got the blade sideways somehow on impact. It was a small bend so the instructor set the kissaki on a piece of wood and bent it back with his foot. On the second attempt, the same student put so much force into the cut (embarassed from the first attempt) he was unable to slow momentum before the kissaki hit concrete. All you heard from the others was Ooooooo.....damn!!
Thats good stuff, I love to watch first timers.

 

[hso]

Legendary Italiano- I agree that the length of the tang doesn't matter, but rat-tail also refers to the width of the tang where it meets the blade. I have a feeling this "sword" had a fairly narrow one. Regardless it is hilarious to watch!

Daniel,

440 series stainless is not very shock tollerant and will snap (especially bad when heat treated improperly). That's why LI says "stainless bad".

I watched a kid stick the tip into the floor on an overly enthusiastic cut. It just stuck there and when he tried to yank it out snapped the tip off. You wanna hear a group of folks groan that'll do it.