Savage Steel

Darksword Armory: Guardian vs. Carpathian Sword, The Purchase

2012-01-22T09:54:00.003-05:00

Two weapons, both alike in design and construction: full tang, incredibly strong, expertly made. So much so, choosing between the two has been the subject of my internal debate for many months now. I have come to the conclusion that when I purchase one of these two magnificent weapons it will have to be due to the excellent advice of my peers, yourselves, my brothers and sisters of the sword.

Ladies and gentlemen, the choice is before us:

GUARDIAN OR CARPATHIAN?

The Guardian

The Carpathian

Normally, when making a decision about a sword purchase, it is very simple. You see which sword catches your eye, appeals most to your honed sense of aesthetics, is constructed by the most reputable armorers for the best price and then pull the trigger. However, in the last half a year, I have been doing much more eBay selling and money saving than making any purchases.

I am getting married in July!

Anyone want to buy me one as a wedding present? LOL

Though ecstatic that another human being (my exquisite fiance) has chosen to spend their life with me (a fact that thrills me to the marrow), I have been charged with saving a nearly insurmountable cash reserve of $12,000 to pay my share of the wedding. Savings plans like that don't exactly leave inexhaustible pockets of $350 for swords.

But, once again the good Lord sees me out of the corner of his eye and watches out for my sword-buying habits. I have recently, as of November of 2011, switched jobs from a low-earning copywriter for a small-time Concierge company to commission-banking sales shark for a multinational travel conglomerate. This change in lifestyle provides me with certain perks and is exactly the reason why, my devoted readers, I have not posted in over 3 months. Also, this new gig is how I WILL be able to save the money I need. It feels good to be writing again, and even better that it is about swords.

SO LET'S GET DOWN TO IT!

The Guardian:

Jason Woodard's original design, married with Darksword Armory's meticulous creative steel innovations, inspires strong feelings of honor, righteousness, strength and mystical heroism. This amazing, full-tang fantasy sword would undoubtedly be carried, over the shoulder, by some ranger general in defiance of great evil. It is a sword every fan of the genre should own.

The breakdown:

Overall Length: 43 inches Blade length: 31 3/8 inches
Blade Material: Tempered 1060 carbon steel
Weight: 5 lb 1.6 oz
Point of Balance: 4 inches
Grip Length: 8 1/4 inches
Pommel: Peened

LET'S SEE IT IN ACTION:

Initial Impressions: Though a pound heavier than its Eastern European counterpart, this sword radiates strength and durability. It is truly a warrior's blade; less finesse (though not totally devoid of it) but much more stopping power. ALSO (ADDED BONUS) the sword can have a custom green handle wrap!

VERY TEMPTING!

THE CARPATHIAN:

Again, Jason Woodard comes through with a totally original, awe-inspiring design. The Carpathian resembles the Guardian in hilt construction but has some particularly unique differences. It is a sleek, stylish, steel individual. The pommel, for instance, resembles that of a more Norse construction, with leaf-lobed shape. This could be more useful in not losing grip on the sword.

The Breakdown:

Overall Length: 42 3/4'' Blade: 31 1/2''
Blade Material: Tempered 1060 carbon steel
Weight: 4 lb 2 oz
Point of Balance: 2 and 3/8 inches
Grip Length: 8 inches
Pommel: Peened

Initial Impressions: The Carpathian is incredibly appealing due its long, leaf-bladed, streamlined construction. Whereas the Guardian almost fails to taper down into the tang and handle; potentially making it vulnerable at the intersections between handle and blade, the Carpathian is thinner, lighter and quite tapered. This makes me believe that none of these dangerous intersections exist.

LETS SEE THIS BAD BOY IN ACTION:

FINAL (NOT REALLY) VERDICT: I believe the Guardian will be my initial purchase.

Though slightly more expensive, I believe this sword is built for the heaviest cutting and steel-on-steel combat. The tang is a small concern, but I have no doubts that Eyal and the rest of the master craftsmen at Darksword have compensated for this with the hardness potential hazard with overall durability for the blade and furniture.

The Carpathian is a beautiful finesse blade for sure and I love it. And, because it comes from the same designers, Darksword Armory, I have no doubt of its quality and durability. The only discounting factors are that the sword is a little lighter and I was never really into the whole "vampire inspired" design for my weapons. I don't know that Vlad the Impaler would carry such a weapon (though he should have) against the Turks.

LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS! THANKS ALL!

(IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO BUY ONE FOR ME AS A WEDDING GIFT. BECAUSE YOU ARE AWESOME, YOU CAN SEND IT TO MIKE TERRY, 80 MEDITERRANEAN DRIVE, WEYMOUTH, MA 02188)

East vs. West: Cinematic Showdown

2011-10-15T12:21:00.001-04:00

I am one of the people who never considered any of Netflix's recent changes to be anything more than a tiny blip on the radar.

Prices. Quickster. Stock plunges. Blockbuster's last-gasp (albeit valiant) attempt at collaboration with another aging dinosaur, the Dish Network. None of these things have made me miss an opportunity to take advantage of Netflix's savvy recommendations when it comes to the sword-swinging films that I love.

But, in indulging in these screenings, I have noticed a significant change in the geographical origin of my predominately Western/Anglicized stock: Asia.

It would seem that more and more "period epics" are coming from oversees and providing an incredible story line with plenty of action. Not be ethnocentric, but where and when did Asia get all of these amazing ideas and the cinematic clout to make it happen? Could it be their 6000 years of rich history? Yes, I'll give them that. Could it be the legacy of legendary filmmaker of all things Samurai, Akira Kurosawa? Perhaps. But while his Samurai films were groundbreaking, he never had the scope (nor the tools) to do what is being done today.

No, I think it began with main stream martial arts films such as Crouching Tiger and House of Flying Daggers.

They grabbed US movie-goers and shook them until they were like, "Huh? Asia? Whoa!"

Now, the movies earned my undivided attention were films called "Geomon" and "13 Assassins." These no doubt translated titles don't lend too much to the rich plot of the story, and may seem a little campy, but, while they cant rival the tantalizing titles of "Gladiator" and "Braveheart," their stories, scenery, and weapons (especially) more than stack up.

GOEMON: THE SWORDS OF GENERAL NOBUNAGA: A PREVIEW

Two ninja, both alike in deadly skill and cunning. One is the ward of one of Japan's greatest Shoguns, Oda Nobunaga. The other, the charge of his greatest general and Samurai, Hatori, Devil, Hanzo (stop thinking Kill Bill). One sword must become two. Two empires must become one. Interested yet? I won't give it away, suffice to say that your patience and the straining of your eyes to handle the all encompassing CGI cinematography will be rewarded, as the battle scenes are non-stop ninja badassery from the East, mixed with small bits of weapons and armor from the West, from start to finish.

13 ASSASSINS: CALCULATED REVENGE

Horror master Takashi Miike (think Audition) brings to devastating life the very splintering of the Samurai psyche. Torn between service to the empire and doing what he knows to best for its people, an aging Samurai and his "Magnificent Seven-style" band embark on what they know will be a suicide mission to rid the world of an evil (and I mean truly evil) lord.

As you would expect from any Samurai film, there is just a ton of this:

But, what sets this movie apart from other ridiculous hack and slash martial arts films are moments like "The Lane of Blades," a scene which includes a Samurai who fights in the deadly dual-wielding style of one Miyamoto Musashi (the father of all Samurai and the Book of Five Rings) to perfection, and looks an awful lot like Patrick Swayze:

Watching these two films, I become more interested in what the Asian markets are ready to offer. I look to films such as "IP MAN" and others to show me that even though stars like Jackie Chan and Jet Li have hung up their sword belts, others are ready to take up the fight and win the war for foreign imaginations (and dollars).

THE WEST AWAKE:

Still holding the belt for the greatest epics in the movie industry, and not to be outdone by their Eastern counterparts, Western cinema has put their best booted foot forward with some very impressive medieval underdogs. No, it is not that trash Robin Hood bastardization with Russel Crowe nor is it the huge budget flop-buster about a thunder god who relies more on looks and CGI than actual plot to sell the story.

The films that earn my allegiance are a sleeper that relies on gritty, hopeless, no-holds barred action with an all-star "that guy" cast, and a foreign film that begs the audience's forgiveness for Swedish subtitles with an incredible sub-plot and fantastic fight choreography.

Sword lovers, I present:

Ironclad

IRONCLAD: WELL FORGED

In the beginning, I didn't lend much credence to Ironclad's preview. Gore just for the sake of gore is never necessary in an epic. Seeing "how it really was" can be done much more tastefully than Ironclad made it seem. But, while watching this film, I started to become more involved with the characters and truly began to appreciate how much training had gone through for their roles.

Plus, the cast of characters couldn't have been more appealing, nor more delightfully inconspicuous:

Brian Cox, Uncle Argyle from Braveheart, Agamemnon from Troy, ect

Derek Jacobi, Senator from Gladiator, Vampire Overlord from Underworld, anything Shakespearean

Paul Giamatti, chubby super villain who is terrifying when he yells about Merlot

Jason Flemyng, the quintessential "that English guy" in everything

Mackenzi Crook, the skinny guy from Pirates

Vladimir Kulich, badass barbarian chieftain in the 13th Warrior

Combine well-trained actors, new and interesting medieval weaponry and fighting styles

and sound tactics about how to take an ancient keep (bombarding it with flaming boulders and digging mines to blow up the foundation), and Ironclad is surprisingly on point and definitely worth a watch.

ARN: SO MUCH MORE THAN STEEL

Canal +, a French movie studio, provides some of the best cinema on the planet. I am convinced that they have a discerning staff that actually takes the time to read and appreciate a well thought out plot. Arn: The Knight Templar, a movie based on a literary work by Jan Guillou, is no exception.

Without giving away too much, as I want you to see and appreciate it (please give the subtitles a chance), I will say that Arn has everything. Love. Hate. Hope. Division. Faith. Struggle. Scenery. Dialog. Heraldry. Tactics. Weaponry. Magnificent battle.

A Swedish monk, trained in the arts of war, is forced to join the Templars. He is respected and feared among his enemies in the holy land, while at home, and his love, are threatened and pushed to the edge. He must choose between duty to his God, and love for his people.

Albion, one of the finest sword makers in the world, seems to agree with me, as they created a line of magnificent swords directly from the film.

Their care and dedication to recreating these masterworks from the film mirrors the care and effort put into the writing of the film. For fans of the sword, Arn will become your new Braveheart because it has the courage to push the boundaries of cinema and not simply consign itself to poorly-acted hack and slash dreg. It has a shining soul to it, and draws it out inch by inch with grand design and flare.

East vs. West. Both offer amazing stories but very different cinematography. Both offer incredible weaponry, action scenes, and authentic wardrobe, but take place worlds apart. But, as you view these films, take note of the common threads of struggle, perseverance, and fortitude. They are what makes a story worth your attention and something tangible that you can take with you as the credits role.

You WERE Spartacus

2011-09-12T22:15:00.001-04:00

I would like to express my heartfelt condolences to the family of actor Andy Whitfield, 39, who played the Thracian warrior Spartacus in the hit series "Spartacus: Blood and Sand." Whitfield, unfortunately, lost his 18-month battle with Non Hodgkin’s lymphoma today. He was surrounded by his family and, sources say, went very peacefully.

Going very peacefully....unlike his enemies in Blood and Sand! When this loin cloth wearing madman wasn't bedding the hottest Roman debutantes Capua had to offer,

he was slicing himself off slabs of whoop ass (and flabby enemy meat parcels) using his quick action two-handed sword style. Bloody, gritty, fast, and awesome.

He was the alpha innovator for this series (Gods of the Arena is the prequel) and the only warrior/actor who ever made me believe that there was life beyond a shitty pilot episode.

Gladiator, we salute you!

Shipping Swords

2011-09-10T01:39:00.004-04:00

I have heard in tales across the Internet that there is a monumental shift in the way people spend their hard earned money. Most are not going out to buy the newest and greatest Apple gadget right off of the shelf. They aren't investing their money in gold and oil as people have done in previous shaky economies of yesteryear. No, their investment is in creation, in remembrance, in the genesis of life long memories through unforgettable travel to foreign, exotic locations.

Think about this. You purchase something collectible. It's beautiful. It's tangible. You can hold it, feel it. It's a showpiece. It showcases part of yourself and your soul, who you are just past the surface.

But then, after a while, it becomes something different. You change.

You take it off the wall to make room for something new. You wrap it up in noisy bubble paper, put it in the corner or under the bed. Eventually, whatever this thing was to you has completely changed and eventually collects dust in your attic, your basement, or the dark recesses under the bed. Your desire is still there, but the possessiveness ebbs away.

It's not that you're a bad person. It's not that you aren't grateful for the work that went into said thing that meant so much once upon a time. You have just outgrown whatever it is that you were holding onto, and now you are looking for something better, something that has no expiration date. The mind's escape at the office. Your now favorite story. The all impressive "yeah, I've been there. Went last year. Beautiful."

So, when Shelley, my lovely fiance (we're marrying next July), and Mr. Rob Stewart, my very best friend (getting married in less than a month) let me know that there were ways in which we NEEDED to celebrate right and proper, I knew that sacrifices for immortality had to be made. And, those transcendent experiences weren't going to pay for themselves.

Now, don't get me wrong, I have a decent paying job. But I knew all the overtime in the world wasn't going to give me what I needed. $2500 for this, $20,000 for that, trip to NYC for one last hurrah? Why not! It adds up, and fast. I knew that haste was needed and I knew that the showpieces I had collected since I was 16 years old were just collecting dust.

It wasn't easy, but I decided, as I had purchased almost all my collection from Ebay and from the SBG Swordbuyers Guide (SBG) For Sale pages, at less than market cost, that I would just sell sword back into the market.

My Global Gear Solingen Broadsword.

$100.

No big deal. I don't remember how much I paid for it before college and I didn't care. With all the money I spent on "good beer" senior year at UNH (shudder), I could afford to take a minor dip on the return.

The sword sold in a day.

There is nothing better than that message "YOU'RE ITEM SOLD!" from Ebay when you open your email. You finally have that warming streak of good luck all over and that little smile at the edge of your mouth. It's the best single malt you'll ever taste.

I was in! If selling pieces that weren't really my style to begin with, pieces that were simply collecting dust in an attic was this easy, they all had to go:

Eye of Balor Sword from Windlass Cutlery:

$131!!

12th Century Broadsword from Darksword Armory:

$223!!

VERY RARE Icingdeath Sword of Drizzt Do'Urden Windlass Cutlery

$255!!

High Elven King Sword Gen 2 (1st Edition, rare):

$296!!

Generation 2 Excalibur Sword (Very Rare, Discontinued):

$350!!!

Total Profit: $1355.00

With millions on Ebay, and thousands on SBG, it was like fishing with dynamite. Collectors, backyard cutters, man cave decorators, they all knew from the descriptions (essential!!) that my swords were the real deal.

But, with every sale, came the big question: How was I going to ship these? USPS had no boxes, and frowned upon shipping weapons (metallic wall art) across state lines. FedEx wanted and extra $20 to make me a custom box. UPS only had boxes big enough for one handers. Come on. This is America! I don't ever have to leave the house again if I don't want to, and you're telling me I can find a long cardboard box? There's got to be a better way.

So, looking for solace and an answer to my query, I posted a question to my Bretheren of Steel on the almighty Facebook and got the an overwhelming response "Just make them. Try the Home Depot."

Manna from heaven.

The place is a warehouse after all. 90 percent of their materials are home construction pieces, long, skinny plywood and plastic siding the require long heavy duty cardboard boxes that can withstand the rigors of interstate travel. Exactly what I was looking for.

"Hey, what do you guys do with the empty cardboard boxes?"

"Eh, we crush em and throw them out to be recycled."

"Mind if I grab a couple boxes from over here? You guys don't sell them (Progress Lighting Recessed Lighting Accessory, Pro-Optic T-Bar Hanger Bars boxes fit even the longest swords) by the box do you?"

"Nah, we dont. Go ahead. Knock yourself out."

Sweet!! Free shipping materials! I walked right out of that Home Depot with two perfectly sized boxes for sword shipping. The best part was, it was all free!

Later, I slapped some free newspaper (many cities have free news publications that you can use as packing fodder to keep the sword from bouncing around) inside of those boxes, slapped some packing tape around the top, and she was good to go.

Now, I will say this, if a sword does not fit, you are going to have one hell of time MAKING a box to fit the dimensions. Make sure you have the following essential materials in order to create a wider/longer/more accommodating box for any size sword:

Long sections of cardboard, approximately 5 feet in length
Plenty of extra cardboard for mistakes and packing
Two 22-yard packing tape rolls (clear or brown the best, dont use duct tape)
Standard box cutter(scissors suck on cardboard)
Free newspaper for packing
Ventilation (box making is sweaty work)
Patience (see previous point)

Yes, your house will look like this:

But when you are cruising along on your honeymoon in the Mediterranean Sea, or sharing a jail cell in New York City because your friend punched the midget at the donkey show/bachelor party, I think you'll agree that it was totally worth the mess.

The Monopoly on Sword Posts

2011-07-26T15:11:00.002-04:00

Sword related photo of the day:

Epic

The Top 10 Movie Swordfights...That You Have Never Seen!

2011-07-18T13:29:00.003-04:00

My current situation, it's not all bad. In fact, a wise person keeps telling me everything happens for a reason and maybe this change will be great. I like to believe that as well as she does. When these things happen, I am all about the silver lining. And, in my travels across the Internet looking for ways to pay bills on time, I often take little side trips for blog ideas. From these small soirees, and from the compounded learning of the wise, I give you:

THE TOP 10 MOVIE SWORD FIGHTS...THAT YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN!

If you are looking for Kill Bill, Braveheart, Gladiator, the Princess Bride, or Crouching Tiger, I invite you to hit up Google and the hundreds of movie buff websites that will show you everything that everyone else will. But, if you have a little yearning for variety and something new, the next 10 minutes or so could be very enlightening. I'll keep my opinions to a couple of sentences. Promise. Enjoy!

10) ROBIN VS. THE SHERIFF

There's just something about a geriatric James Bond taking out the guy who played Quint from Jaws (Robert Shaw) that warms my heart

9) THE SOVEREIGN'S SERVANT

Foreign film makers always take the time to try and equal up to their US counterparts. Take some notes Michael Bay

8) EL CID: CHARLTON HESTON VS. THE CHAMPION OF ARAGON

You can take Andalusia from his cold...dead...hands!

7) DUEL TO THE DEATH

Like mixing your roast beef with cap'n crunch. It's ridiculous but oh so much fun.

6) PREDATORS

Some blade combat between interstellar badasses

5) GAME OF THRONES

It's very easy to lose sight of the fact, with all of the nakedness, big speeches, feelings, and skullduggery, that Game of Thrones has some pretty epic fight scenes.

4) THE HUNTED

Self...Induced...Facelift...yikes

3) EQUILIBRIUM

What is "gun-kata??"

2) DIE ANOTHER DAY

A dapper MI:6 Irishman sword fights a North Korean despot turned English socialite...the only thing that makes sense is Madonna's corset being undone.

1) KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

Rise a knight...I think I just did

Counter Attack

2011-07-18T12:48:00.002-04:00

The economy never sends you written warning first. It's always quick. It is always remorseless. It is always so final, and it always leaves you searching for ways to "trim the fat." Sometimes its heading out to dinner, not golfing every Sunday, removing that one guilty pleasure of yours that helps you to save whatever you can in order to have "emergency cash" should something go south.

Well two weeks ago, a certain place, for personal security reasons I'm not going to say which one, announced that they were taking a certain operation, to a certain town very away from me, to which I would have to drive 4 hours a day.

Needless to say I was less than thrilled. But, in the wake of this little hiccup, I found myself doing 2 two things: putting my entire life to paper in short succinct little sentences and second looking at my daily life and making my own very tough cuts.

After approximately nine months with the Schola St. George, I had to tell them that I was going to cut back on the sword lessons that I loved so well. To save needed cash, I would need to miss more than a few lessons and they wouldn't be seeing my for some time. It was not an easy decision by any means but Charles, my Instruttore, God bless the man, was very understanding:

"We understand that family and loved one come first. If you ever want to de-stress, and come back, we can waive the floor fee. Good luck, and I will reach out to my contacts for you."

What a guy...

So now, that I am bit further than I wanted to be from the Schola, I find my transition has taken me from this:

to something more along the lines of this:

Western Martial Arts Sparring Gear

2011-05-13T23:44:00.026-04:00

My last post was in February. Most bloggers keep at it day in and day out, but with the sword industry being such a niche (to say the least) hobby/lifestyle/obsessive passion, keeping up daily becomes a bit of chore. Plus, there were some smaller things keeping my attention, I started selling things on EBay, put in a new lawn at my old house, oh, and my engagement to my beautiful girlfriend of 5 years, you know, no big deal.

But amidst all this crazy work and changes there have been some very interesting developments in the my little microcosm of steel: the graduation of from Zugadore to Compagno in the Schola St. George, and the purchase of all my vital training equipment.

While a Zugadore, these are the people who come for a few lessons, "players" really, and then decide learning the medieval forms from Fiore are not for them, can borrow equipment, it is a requirement for a Compagno, literally someone you "break bread with," a brother, to have his own swords (plural) and protective equipment. I have seen men and women come and go from this class, and shrink from this challenge, frequently, for what would seem valid reasons. If you aren't 1) serious about learning a complicated martial art, 2) don't have the extra cash to spend on lessons and equipment, then consider yourself weeded out my wayward warrior.

This class, as I am only now REALLY learning, is no joke.

My self serving sojourn (with saving for an engagement ring, I have had very few spending sprees) began back in my beginning, say January 2011, when I was told I needed to buy a wooden practice sword. I had seen them advertised on KOA and other places, but I decided to go the EBay route.

Big mistake. I thought I was getting a great deal. But, as the axiom goes, and it rings so true, "you get what you pay for." Take a look at what they sent me for the "two-for-ten" sale:

I know. Just awful. The sword is bent. It curves to the left. It's held together with tiny nails and glue, and, if the first photo is any indication, someone might have used it as a bong at one point. Totally Frankenstein's dick. I was devastated. But, in truth, I kind of deserved it.

Rather than suffer the embarrassment, I borrowed my teacher's sword again, but this time ASKED where I could go to get the good stuff. Answers all lead me here:

$95 (yes, for a wooden sword guilty) later, I had the real deal. I had the only practice sword I would ever need. I was thrilled. See what I mean:

Sleek. Stylish. STRAIGHT AS AN ARROW. This thing was something a man could be proud to bring to battle (mock). So, as I practiced, learned Elephant Plays, Poste, and the medieval forms and counters of Fiore, I began to plan out the rest of my gear and how I would set aside the cash.

You cannot, as stipulated in the by-laws of the Schola, practice with just a wooden sword and a smile. You need the following at least to begin to spar:

Helmet
Gloves
Gambeson (think big padded sword sweater to protect your vitals)
Gorget (what is a "Gorget"??)
Nice pair of medieval Nikes (optional but optimal)
Synthetic Sparring Sword (to prevent serious injury. The kiss of a cherry wood sword to the head sucks!)

Now, for someone who holds down a decent job (and pays decent bills) these items wouldn't seem to be too much of strain on the wallet right? Well, as honed as my bargain hunting skills are (thanks mom), there comes a point where a man says "Leave the shopping to the mad women at Marshalls, lets just get this done."

You're the boss:

$85

$45

$115

$60

$95

$80

Oh, and to tie it all together, it is best to buy a sword bag too to carry your weapons:

$60

And that's it for the Sparring Set...$700 later. I think I will be OK as soon as the debit card and my PayPal account stop smoking. Then comes the Steel Set...I cant even imagine...

But, this is nothing new to the world of Western Martial Arts. In the Middle Ages, only the wealthiest nobles could become knights. It wasn't because their incredible bravery and man-prowess was greater than the common mud man, working to support his lack of contraception, no, it was because he could afford it. The medieval knight had to pay for horse, armor, sword, squire, lance, secondary weapons (axe, mace, etc), food, lodgings, gifts, tournament entries, weapons master's training, jousting trainers, horse trainers, and a host of other things that made him the PGA all star of 15th Century Europe. If he did well, he might win a purse, but nothing close to paying all of his expenses. That came from daddy, and then, eventually, when daddy died, he held the purse strings.

Course, they did get all the medieval trim for all their spending. My fiance doesn't bother to let people know I am "warrior."

For all my nickel and diming in this post, I love it. Money is nothing but numbers on a page. It can be taken away so easily and there is always a way to make more.

But, what you earn, yourself, through sacrifice, effort, and devotion, cant be weighed. It can't be bought. Most importantly, it can NEVER be taken away.

Fiore Liberi's Flower of Battle

2011-02-18T15:14:00.048-05:00

The experience of last Thursday's class (Feb 10) was the core, heart, and soul of Fiore's transcendence into the modern age. So much more than a warm and heartfelt hello to new students, and a luke warm rerun through all of the Fiore elements to date, this class THE medieval schooling of the sword. The other Zugadore, that is snot-nosed recruits (but we try) weren't able to attend. Whatever their reasoning, I was not overly concerned.

One after another, they showed up: Charles, our Intrusttore, Noah, Senior Scholaro Swordsman, and owner of full knightly harness (sword, armor, the works), and Sean Delany, Senior Compagno of the SSG Boston. To put it in perspective, and not to sound like a girl gone back stage at American Idol, it would be like a night of crime fighting with Batman, Wolverine, Jesus, and Thor, Norse God of Thunder. That's right, justice and titties everywhere! Ha Za!

Yeah, just like that..or something...

The point is, I was studying under the direct tutelage of the masters (we frown upon that term at the SSG because no one can ever really be "master") of the school. There was no frilly nonsense this time. It was all business.

Charles and I had a little Q + A session:

"What poste would you take if I did this (standing in a Tuta Porte Di Ferro)?" he asked

"I would do...this??" said I rather sheepishly whilst throwing my sword awkwardly in front of my body. I had NO idea what stance to awkwardly launch myself into.

I knew it was a test and I blew it. But, I can't really be tested on things I havent learned yet. Right? Turns out, Fiore Liberi had a number of counter-poste for each of the 12 that would give one combatant the upper hand, or at least not sacrifice his position (and subsequently, his life). I was amazed to learn this at first, but then I remebered this was a sophisticated medieval martial art not some spur of the moment sorority pillow fight.

In the "Flower of Battle," Fiore's manuscript, there are excellent illustrations for rookies to follow and learn from. These planned actions, reactions, counters to the reactions, are the corner stones of Fiore's form.

Counterstrike: Mission Accomplished.

It was now time to discover the animal within. And before you get all weird with visions of "Spartacus: Gods of the Arena" - type shenannigans, Fiore developed what are known as the "Animal Virtues" to determine the strengths of each swordsman

The Lynx - A master of strategy, your counters will be perfectly timed and perfectly calculated. Your tool is the compass.
The Tiger - You are lightning fast. Your hands move as quickly as your thoughts and your sword clashes against armor, sword, and flesh in one long glorious note of battle. Your tool is the arrow.
The Elephant - Your legs are unshakeable. Your form is perfect. You are the rock and armies break themselves on you like water. You are the immovable object and keep. Your tool is the tower.
The Lion - You are a beast! You have the heart and courage to overcome any obstacle with great fervor and energy. You take the fight to your opponent with no regard for death, only victory. You could die at any moment, and in that moment, your life as a warrior would be complete. Your tool is the heart.

I was baffled. I was awe struck. I had heard of signs and symbols before of course, the Chinese zodiac, astrological signs, ect, but never in regard to the sword! What a rush!

The lion. No doubt about it. I was born under the Leo sign. All my life, I have always jumped head long into adversity (sometimes not really thinking it through).

"The Lion!" I piped. "I'm definitely the lion."

"Soon, with our help, you will come to be all four," said Charles with more solemnity than I expected.

Really? Was I a knight templar at that moment? Yes! Was I a samurai sitting with the 47 Ronin? Hellz yeah! Was I at Thermopylae at that one second in time? Aaaa ooo!!! That Miagi-magic was all mine that night. I never could have imagined such a Thursday in Watertown, MA.

A Fond Farewell

2011-02-10T14:59:00.009-05:00

Last Thursday’s (Feb. 3) class was interesting because we shifted gears to an entirely new weapon. It was Jarkko’s, one of our senior member's, last night with us in the US until he went off to Switzerland forever where his knowledge of weapons and combat would be utterly wasted on the indigenous population. Coincidently, his weapon of choice is the poleaxe.

Described by Charles and Jarkko as “two swords at once” this gigantic two handed weapon was a splendid mash-up of ass kickery that used a crushing combination of hammer or axe head (sometimes both), sharp, pointed spike, and 6 feet of wooden staff. It was widely used in Europe during the 13th to 16th centuries to overcome the obstacle of heavy plate armor. Infantry needed something to crush the steel shell of mounted knights in heavy plate and not get their heads knocked in at the same time. Naturally, this was the way to go.

The sword didnt have the reach or the stopping power. The spear was meh, ok, but not scary enough to make a noble soak his codpiece. The Pattons of the day figured “What’s more badass than an axe, a hammer, and a spike mounted on top of 6, 8, 10 feet of hard wood?” This thing was the Swiss army knife of disgruntled medieval Europe.

Plus, Fiore was a big fan. So, we learned.

The experience was entertaining but nothing like the sword. The weapon itself was more cumbersome, unbalanced (I feel), and slower than the sword but more effective for shock-and-awe swings. More reminiscent of the standard issue for inept guards with no name tags, the poleaxe was used more as defensive, unlearned weapon, with little style, and looked pretty in formations. It was and is a blunt instrument meant to attack at a distance, unlike the finesse and acquired skill of a sword that's used to out maneuver your opponent. I’ll wager it gave the sword wielder a run for his money, but it's doubtful that it took ages to master.

After a lot of sneaky, hockey-style hooking moves, fake downward chops, delicious homemade cookies (for the bon voyage party), and running through the poste of the poleaxe, the night was drawing to a close. It was time to say our farewells to Jarkko with a warm handshake and a team photo.

Saying my goodbyes, I didn’t really to know what to think. I didn’t really know my Finnish friend (if he can be called that) too well, but first impressions and the four weeks he spent as one of my teachers told me he was a good guy and well on his way to being a master of the sword. I know that his absence robs us Zugadore (beginners) of vital Fiore teachings and interpretations, and that’s never a good thing. But, much as it tends to do, life continues, and others take the place where they must.

Hopefully, I will be among them...

Recapp

2011-01-23T10:21:00.012-05:00

Thursday's class was a rehash of everything we have learned up to this point. I was very happy to see all of the familiar faces at the Schola Meeting (Charles, Jarkko, Matty, and Spencer) but we had some new people too. I'd like to think that the two new guys were there because of the blog, but with eight followers so far it's pretty hard to tell.

However they got there, Sean and Jeramie were the two newest additions to SSG Boston, and a welcome one at that. When you first enter the training grounds of the school, it can be pretty daunting. Charles is an excellent Instruttore, but he tends to move rather fast in his teachings; throwing all kinds of medieval Italian at you, dagger moves, poste, Elephant Plays, the works. If you can sit tight for the first few hours then you can learn the sword.

For myself, I liked the addition of the new guys because it gave me the opportunity to dive into the training with them one-on-one. At one point, Charles said to me and Matt that we should go over the basic stances and movements with them. This was my fourth week and I was getting to instruct two new Zugadore! The experience was excellent! If you can teach someone else, then you're an authority. You can practice, you can wrote memorize all you want, but unless you can teach, how do you really know you know? You know?

With Jarkko, a high-ranking Scholaro and knowledgeable teacher, leaving the country forever in a month, I can only imagine that, should I learn enough, I will be able to teach more and become an important element to practice. At least, I am hoping to fill that role.

At the end of the recapp, which was mostly dagger plays and some sword poste, we played a game. One person would try, at a walk, to get a prize at the other end of the room. The only problem with getting to this prize, were the three other people with (wooden) daggers waiting to "kill you." Oh, and did I mention these people were slow moving, bloodthirsty zombies? Getting to the prize meant disarming, through means of one of the Dagga Plays, 3 people at once, more than once, and learning a real word defensive skill.

Every new student of the sword should get to be a zombie at least once.

The Student

2011-01-17T18:16:00.030-05:00

Last Thursday night was one of the most difficult lessons so far in the training.

Having not learned forms and fighting since I was in my 4th grade karate class, learning the movements, and medieval Italian names for these movements, proved to be almost as painful as watching the Patriots choke in the playoffs (which also happened recently.)

My Instruttore, Charles Deily, a Math teacher by trade, was patient enough when giving instruction to myself and to Matt, the other student-swordsman (and only other person there).

"Go over the 12 poste, the 3 volte, and 6 elephant plays (slow motion sword sparring). I'll be over here working with Jarkko on Italian master moves because I'm awesome like that (it's true)."

I tried to remember in my head all that I had learned in my extensive 3 weeks of training (that's 3 lessons as we meet once a week), and translate what I thought it looked like to my oh so coordinated frame.

It was...interesting. As I went through the different poste (positions or poses) with the sword, I looked to Matt for encouragement, and honestly, for answers.

Sometimes you just feel like if you stare at your partner/classmate long enough, when you have little to no idea what you are doing, the answer will just come to you. It helped a little but more often than not it was:

"Charles, we need the 3rd poste low, 2nd poste middle..." and so on...

We eventually got the gist of them.

Low:

Tutta Porta di ferro (Full Iron Gate)

Coda Longa (Long Tail)

Dente di Zenghiaro (Boar's Tooth)

Porta di Ferro Mezzana (Half Iron Gate)

Middle:

Posta Breve (Short Stance)

Posta Longa (Long Stance)

Posta Bicorno (Two Horns)

Posta Frontale (Front Guard)

High:

Poste Di Donna (Lady's Pose)

Finestre (Window with Wrists Crossed)

Donna Soprana (High Lady's Guard)

Posta di Donna Sinestra (High Left Lady's Guard)

Then we practiced the volte (turns). These are the ways in which to turn very quickly to fight multiple enemies with the long sword. These were known to me:

Tuta Volte (full turn)

Mezza Volte (half turn)

Volte Stabile (swift power shift)

After that, we practiced the compass drills. These are a series of movements where you face all of the cardinal points (North, South, East, and West) using fancy sword-guy footwork. Then, in very Kevin Bacon fashion, you use more spinning foot movements to face the intermediate directions (Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, Southeast).

At this point, my head was so crammed with movements and poste that I didn't even notice when we lined up for Elephant plays....

Each practice is 2.5 hours long. In that time, you get to hold a sword (righteous) and cram as much medieval Italian formations into your brain as possible. It is exciting, it is difficult, and it is worth it.

Once you learn all 296 plays, movements, poste, ect, you will be a Maestro and a bad ass with a broom handle. I look forward to the challenge.

"F*ck Yeah!"

2011-01-09T19:25:00.013-05:00

That was me last Thursday night.

I had just blocked a wooden great sword, a baseball bat on steroids, being swung at my head as fast as it could go. It struck the cross piece of my wooden practice sword and its momentum died quicker than Carrot Top at the Apollo.

We separated from combat and the very first thing out of my mouth was: F*UCK YEAH! I couldn't help it. It felt amazing. What a rush! I think I was born for this kind of combat.

I have joined the Schola St. George, the sword school from my previous post. Last week was my third week at the SSG Boston and so far it is amazing. Please rest assured, it is not LARP'ing.

Many of you have expressed some concern that I am running around dressed as an elf, or some such thing, throwing fake lightning at people. I am not. Good for them if that's what they're into, but not me.

I feel like there has been some disconnect between myself, my blog, and the people (though few) who read it on the regular. I want it to be more personal. I want people to come on the journey with me while I try to learn a sword art from the 14th century. That is why I have enrolled. I can research and write all I want, but without actually DOING it, I could never call myself "an authority."

So, I am putting my body on the line, cash into someone else's wallet, and my thoughts to the ether of the web, so you all can know and appreciate the effort, time, and dedication it takes to really apply yourself to something, learn a skill, and become a more evolved (and hopefully better) individual.

And because you were so good and read all the way to the end, I present:

CONAN THE MUSICAL!!

Schola St. George: Chivalry: Alive and Well

2010-11-23T22:34:00.046-05:00

"Thwack"

The two combatants come together with a echoing report. Solid, sharp, it tells of the strength and purpose in each swing.

"Thwack!"

The swords hit home against head and torso, arm and shoulder. Neither opponent slows, but circles the other with precise steps. Recalling practiced movements, each searches for an opening, searches for that one strike that could give them the edge.

"THWACK!!"

Time!

The battle is ended. The two separate with a salute.

This trial of arms does not take place on the ancient sands of the arena, nor across the smooth stones of a temple's training grounds. The swords are not weapons of death. The arena is a gymnasium in the heart of Watertown, Massachusetts. The two-handed synthetic practice swords are capped with red rubber. This is the combat of the students of the Boston Chapter of the Schola St. George.

This Boston branch of the Schola St. George is school of medieval mixed martial arts and artists who use the teachings of the 14th Century Italian Grand Battle Master Fiore Liberi and his manuscript (the third oldest medieval fighting manuscript in existence) "The Flower of Battle," to train in the ways of the L'Arte di Armizare (Western fighting arts).

"Fiore's work really shows an entire system, from unarmed grappling up through mounted combat, complete with cross-references," said Charles Deily, Instructor at the SSG Boston. "As a teacher, I'm amazed by the pedagogy of his works, and shocked by the efficiency, though I shouldn't be. I've played with other systems (German, Japanese, modern fencing) but L'Arte d'Armizare really seems to speak to me."

In 2006, Deily sought out other members of the European martial arts community over the Internet. He came upon the home page of the Schola St. George and found their training style and their interpretation of Western Martial Arts to be the right fit. Convincing a few of his colleagues to “play with him,” SSG Boston was born.

Under the tutelage of Deily and others, the students of SSG Boston focus on a very specific curriculum from “The Flower of Battle:”

Studying these arts students attain the skills they need to rise in the rankings of the school.

Compagni (Beginner)
Scolaro (Student)
Magistro or Instruttore (Teacher or Master)

But like any martial art, the journey to Magistro (Master) take takes years of practice and perseverance. The tests are difficult and sometimes dangerous, as Deily has reported occasional wrenched arms and a hairline fractures, but what students get in return is not only a mastery of a deadly martial art but also the mastery of themselves.

“I've learned a lot about myself doing this,” said Deily. “It’s not just how bodies move and attack, but how lines of strength and lines of weakness relate, how to train calmly to deal with stress, how minor adjustments can make the difference between something failing and succeeding, and how to just be a better person.”

As students transform themselves into warriors through Western Martial Arts, they attribute their improvements to the essence of what is known as the chivalric code. In ancient days of the medieval knights of Europe, the chivalric code was a set of moral standards that a warrior would live by while he developed his dexterity in arms. Chivalry embodied the ability to steer dangerous people toward a social good through ideals such as courtesy, generosity, and valor. The SSG Boston encourages its students to develop their own code of combat through fair fighting, control of their weapons, and diligent study of not only the form and movements, but the language of Fiore as well.

But not everything at the SSG Boston is grueling martial training and tests, semi-hazardous swordplay, and knightly lessons. The members of the SSG Boston know how to have a great time both in and out of the gym. They spend nights out with one another, become friends, and form bonds that can often only fighters-in-training can know.

“Fiore uses the word "Compagno" (companion) for your training partner, which is literally someone you'd share bread with, and we try to think of our partners positively,” said Deily. “We do hang out together, often over dinner, or an evening resting and rehydrating our tired bones. I usually feel at home with people from other Schola groups as they are like-minded people, in less than five minutes. But having successfully tested with someone else just increases that bond.”

The SSG Boston invites everyone, men and women, to come be a part of the experience. Lessons cost $10.00 per session, $35.00 annual dues, with loaner equipment available for the first few lessons. Meetings are held every Thursday night from 7:00pm to 9:45pm at 57 Stanley Avenue, Watertown, MA, 02472 and at various times on Saturday mornings at Robbins Farm on 53 Eastern Avenue, Arlington MA.

Next time someone says chivalry is dead, tell them “No, it’s living in Watertown at the Schola St. George.”

Higgins Armory Museum: Ale and Mail

2010-10-16T13:57:00.044-04:00

On September 25, 2010, a wonderful thing happened to me that I never could have imagined. No, it wasn't winning any lottery, nor some promotion at work, nor getting to jam out on stage with the boys from Aerosmith (yes, they are STILL touring). No, it was something more magnificent. The Higgins Armory Museum in Worcester, MA had their 10th Annual Festival of Ale!

As soon as I heard of this glorious event, I purchased a ticket. No friends asked to go, no checking on other plans, no thoughts of how much the tickets cost, just "thank you for your purchase." I was in. Alone, with someone else, I was in. Sweet.

So you all don't think I am some kind of lush or some LARP kid who has to talk up his killer alternate persona

I'm going to shed a little light on what the Higgins Armory means to me. When I was a sprout of about 5 years old, I picked up my first toy swords and went into my back yard to play. Oh what times I had. This naturally evolved into my obsession with action figures, when I learned you could exchange money for useless pieces of plastic, and had them ALL. My favorites were small toy metallic knights that could ONLY be purchased at rare times in very rare places. Higgins Armory was one of those spots (the other was the Keller House in NH).

So, as most good fathers will do, mine took me to Higgins bi-monthly to spend his hard earned cash on things I could potentially swallow and end my own life with.

Thanks pop!

My love for the sword, warriors, and all things martial grew exponentially every time and I knew Higgins would always be one of the most righteous places I could go to celebrate my nerd-dom without fear of reprisal. So yeah, I'm Old School.

When we arrived, my friend Brendan, a right and honorable gentleman with a taste for ale and adventure,

and myself, it was everything I had hoped. All 4 floors of this magnificent homage to steel were open to the public. The Great Hall was filled with beer (and weapon) connoisseurs and all the great breweries from Massachusetts and beyond were present.

Some of the All Stars included:

And many, many more.

Now, at this point in the story, I must give a word of advice. Whether it be purchasing swords, drinking at heavenly ale festivals, or anything that you enjoy, do it in moderation. This isn't the pulpit. This isn't my electronic soapbox. I'm saying that I have learned that moderation can be a great thing. No one gets too nuts. No one loses thousands. No one gets kicked out the Higgins Armory Ale Fest for trying to ride the fake horses or pull down the very real weapons on the walls or wear the real, and very expensive armor.

They make unforgettable memories:

Now, after all this, if you're still like, "Wow, these kids are huge dorks" (which is super cool of you for accepting people's diverse tastes), remember this thing was sold out, served beer all night, as much as we wanted, AND we were enjoying the event amongst fine people like our lady friend here.

What were you doing?

See you at Higgins in 2011!

A City on a Hill...Defended

2010-09-10T22:29:00.009-04:00

In 1630, a Puritanical preacher by the name of John Winthrop called Massachusetts, and more specifically Boston, a City on Hill. In his sermon he called for the city, and the state, and New England in general, to be a beacon for justice and serving God and all of the fun things that Puritans did.

What better way to be a beacon for justice and freedom than to train your citizenry to be jaw-dropping, saber-swinging death machines with a fanatical love for the city and a short fuse when someone mentions anything from New York.

Ah yes, my fellow Bostonians, this city is becoming a beacon. A beacon for the SWORD!!

Recently, I have done some digging on the web to find out what type of training I could find in the Bay State for the art of the sword. The results were scant at first but with a little patience, some quick prayers to whatever sack-whacking vikings landed here before here was here, and some reserved space in the Google archives, I am now proud to present Massachusetts, the State of the Sword!

For those of you who live on the South Shore...(ok nevermind, beyond the Gas Tanks might as well be the gulag from Mad Max)..for those of you who live near to 93 or route 3 south, your training will be aided by masters from the Far East. There are 2 schools that have come to prominence that will teach you the sacred and ancient art of Wielding a Tree Branch/Golf Club/Wiffle Ball Bat Against Frat Brothers because your G/F Couldn't Keep Her Trap Shut About Leaning During Beer Pong.

Sword Master Martial Arts

Boston Shufukai Kendo

These two schools of martial arts training draw on the ancient sword techniques of the Far East and educate their students on the discipline, strength, and honor that is found not only in the study of the sword but also in the spirit.

Sword Master Martial Arts is located at 582 Washington Street in Quincy and costs about $75.00 a month. You can learn sword fighting techniques that were developed in China thousands of years ago such as the beautiful, the deadly Jian Tai Chi Sword Fighting.

Knowing this sword technique in ancient China was to know harmony (and to know you have a shotgun in a pillow fight). It was to be able to move fluidly through the world around you in order to defend your home, your family, and your honor with great skill. Chinese sword techniques were passed down from generation to generation, from master to student, and the greatest masters trained royalty such as the emperors and their sons. That same prowess can be yours.

Boston Shufukai Kendo is even further east and while I am not going to say which sword style is better, because this is America and everyone gets a medal, I will tell you, as I have before in blog posts, that the study of Kendo, the Samurai, and Bushido makes we want to curl up under the bed weeping in fright with my hands covering my ears.

Located at the Boston Higashi School Gym at 800 North Main Street in Randolph, MA, this Samurai training school is going to set you back just a bit more with a annual federation fee $60, annual insurance fee $50, and a monthly dojo fee of $15 (for cleaning up all of the salty tears and pungent trails of urine your enemies leave behind). They will teach you the art of Kendo, or Japanese fencing; divulging the secrets of one of the deadliest martial arts known to man.

"But Mike," you say "I am a hipster and cant leave Boston. I have way too much going on, what with all those PBR Tall Boys chilling in my fridge and my friend's obscure band playing for free tonight in Cambridge!"

Alright, keep your quasi-ironic t-shirt on. There's hope for you too. A Korean master, not quite from China, not as far east as Japan, just right, is coming to Boston to learn your undeserving Western A the art of the sword. Shim Gum Do Sword Training , a mixture of deadly sword techniques and deep Zen meditative studies, is setting up shop in a temple in Brighton. Your master is none other than the inventor of the "Mind Sword Path" Chang Sik Kim, a 60-year-old Korean Zen master who made his name in the 1960's and 70's slicing up evil ninja's, saving poor peasants from oni demons, and slapping around blondes whilst flicking his epic moustachio

Under his tutelage you will learn sword techniques with what are called Bokken. These practice swords are made of wood so you don't slice Aunt B in half at your first exhibition. You will learn the basics of the sword, open hand fighting, deep meditative techniques to help you find your hidden dragon, and finally needlepoint.

(Wait..)

In the final formative training sessions from your Zen Master, you will be bestowed with the honor of fighting with a handmade Korean steel blade similar to a Japanese katana.

Upon completion of this stage, and your training, you can drive around openly proclaiming your love for Justin Bieber and Kesha with the windows down and the music blaring. Go get em tiger.

The Shim Gum Do Sword Training will take place at 203 Chestnut Hill Avenue in Brighton, MA and will cost approximately $110.00 a month. A small price to pay for the smiting of one's enemies.

For those of you living in Boston looking to "Get Medieval on someone's ass" there is the Schola St. George, a school dedicated to the learning of Western Medieval Sword Techniques, hand-to-hand fighting, and microwave cookery. Sadly, their website is having some kind of Internet mental breakdown and refuses to come out of it's room. We will leave some cookies by the door and go turn on Gladiator until they are ready to talk about it.

Schola St. George

Dueling Dragons

2010-08-19T23:40:00.016-04:00

Girlfriend is gone to Newport, RI for the evening. I have the whole place, more importantly the TV, to myself. I didnt even mean to watch it. I saw it on the guide, it looked like it would be alright before sleep, and I am THRILLED I did.

From Alpharetta, GA in the US, his name is Kalman Csoka.

He is two-time champion in his specialty, the adult classic weapons routine. Tonight, he grabbed his third title and, man, he earned it.

But, enough talk about how insanely amazing my new 25-year old idol is with twin swords; doing ridiculous tricks. Let's take a look:

You know what, that's only one sword. No big deal, right? We want the big tricks. We want savage cats like Miyamoto Musashi who handles the twin tigers; slashing lesser martial fodder to tiny chunks of little samurai.

Seek and ye shall find brothers and sisters. Take a look at the champ in action:

Armored Ninjas

2010-06-26T00:41:00.032-04:00

Samurai. The word means "to serve." In any function, in any scenario, in any way the Emperor or the lord of their daimyo, their clan, asked them too, these noble and savage swordsman, these elite warriors of feudal Japan, would obey. Their one life's purpose was the dedication to perfection. Their training was disciplined and precise. Their focus, unwavering. These men, would train their minds, bodies, even their very souls in Bushido, the way of the warrior. Solemn, dignified, noble, and very deadly, the Samurai were at the right hands of every ruler of the island of Japan until it's modernization, and eventual outlawing of the wearing of swords and the Samurai code, in the late 1870's. Theirs is a rich and vibrant history of savage warfare and unyielding honor.

To this day, many modern and major businesses in Japan still utilize the teachings of Bushido and the Samurai to ens till a fearlessness, honor, calm, and at times even ruthlessness, in their executives. But what is the code of the Samurai? To what personal goals do they aspire? The seven main virtues of the code of Bushido, which every Samurai, every true Samurai, not Ronin (masterless Samurais and outcasts) thieves calling themselves true Samurai, would adopt are:

Justice

Courage

Benevolence

Respect

Honesty

Honor

Loyalty

The Samurai based everyday of their lives on these principles, but coupled with their incredible fearlessness and fighting prowess. There is a translated text, "Bushido: The Way of the Samurai, that is written by Minoru Tanaka.

This book is a translation of the "Hagakure" or "Hidden Behind the Leaves (the secret thoughts)" of Tsunetomo Yamamoto, a legendary Samurai from the 1700's. Within its pages, you will find not only the explanation of Bushido, but the Samurai perspective on all aspects of life from death ("Always choose death, every morning. Die anew everyday and that way you can free your mind of the troubles of life and serve your master and lord"), to "Yes Men," ("They, obedient "yes men," will always fall behind their colleagues. A man should be strong and full of vitality in his choices."), dreams ("Dreams are the expression of your inner most person."), victory in battle ("Cut down the gods if they stand with your enemy"), even how to stop from yawning ("Stroke your forehead to prevent from yawning. If not that, then lap the inside of your lips with your tongue.If you yawn in someones face it will look silly and foolish.")

This book, like the Samurai themselves, takes careful measure of many of the major social and physical aspects of daily life and produces expert ways in which to overcome them and live by their code.

But aside from the great philosophies of wizened Samurai like Yamamoto, the Samurai's daily life consisted of some of the most rigorous and intricate martial training known to man. These were the upper caste warrior elite of Japan; charged with the protection of the life of their lord. Failure through weak training was not an option. If they brought any dishonor to either themselves or their names, they would KILL themselves on the spot using a process they called Harakiri or Sepuku.

The Samurai were masters of Kendo, "The Way of the Sword," Judo, Aikido, Kung Fu, Karate, and Tae Kwon Do. They were as deadly with their hands as with their razor sharp swords and trained thoroughly everyday in order that they may hone their fighting skills and reflexes to perfect precision.

(As a student and lover of the sword and the martial arts, I have located a Kendo Club here in Massachusetts in which to learn the marvelous art: South Shore Kendo and Swordmaster Martial Arts at 582 Washington Street in Quincy, MA)

Now, aside from the fierce fighting discipline of the Samurai in hand to hand combat, one of the greatest, if not the greatest legacy of the Samurai are their fabulous swords. These works of the highest magnitude of craftsmanship were the Samurai's most prized possession. It was the extension of his arm's fighting ability and the essence of his very soul. A Samurai's sword was brought to the birthing chamber for his first draw of air and laid to rest with him at the moment of his last. Swords were passed down from father to son as heirlooms of strength and power and a symbol of the nobility, divine inspiration, and an ultimate weapon to uphold the Samurai Code.

The finest examples of these weapons that I have had the privilege to witness was an exhibition at the British Museum when I was a lad of 20 summers. A girlfriend at the time and I had just ended our tenure as a couple in London; leaving me to view these amazing treasures in my own time. Awwww!

Stop that! Be like a Samurai and do not weep for my pain. She hated the sword (God forbid!) and would not have gone in either case. But, I went and what I saw was no less than epic.

There were three major styles of the sword in Japan: Koto (Old Swords)(794-1185)

, Shinto (New Swords)(Approximately 1600),

and Shinshinto (New-new Swords)(1750-1852)

I wanted to kneel. I wanted to stay there forever marveling at the way man had used his hands to create something so graceful, so light, and yet so sharp and deadly. When you consider the forging techniques of each one of these harbingers of death, you cannot help but feel awe. Japanese swordsmiths, though some slight aesthetic elements have changed, as have the strength of the metals and alloys used in the forging process, have been adopting the same methods for forging as their ancestors did in ancient days.

It's Discovery and They Have British Accents So You Know It's Super Educational. I'll Let The Video Speak For The Forging Process

The pieces of the sword are then constructed to form the whole of the sword,

and the Samurai would be ready for battle

The Japanese Katana is one of the world's strongest and most elegant weapons. But, it pales in comparison to two of the deadliest Samurai (and human) weapons of all: the Samurai's mind and the hand that wields the sword. Nowhere is this more evident than in the legend of Japan's most renowned swordsman, Miyamoto Musashi. As the story goes, Musashi, who is now known as the "Sword Saint" in Japan, lived under the rule of Tokugawa Ieyasu. He was an unmatched fighter and by the time he was 28 years old, he had defeated and killed over 60 Samurai in one-on-one combat and fought in war 6 times. His sword was so deadly that Ronin, as well as feudal lords, would seek him out to make their names great by his death. None ever succeeded.

On one such occasion the great Samurai swordsman Sasaki Kojiro challenged Musashi to a duel on a deserted island. But, when the time for the duel came, 8:00am, Musashi was not there. An emissary was sent to find Musashi, and the man stumbled upon the Samurai happily snoring away in his room. Wakened by the nervous attendant, Musashi got up, without washing, and went to the boat that would take him to his duel. Along the way, he fashioned a bokken, or wooden sword, from an extra oar and gave no more heed to his opponent.

Infuriated at the young upstart for being late, and for coming unwashed and seemingly unprepared, Kojiro angrily threw his scabbard into the water that surrounded the island.

"You see," said Musashi "I have already won. No man who thinks he will win would dare to throw away his scabbard, the resting place for his weapon." Kojiro, overcome by his rage at this point flew at Musashi with a vicious overhead chop. His enemy, blinded by this brilliant psychological tactic, Musashi blocked the descending blade and sidestepped the warrior easily. Musashi then raised his bokken oar and smashed Kojiro hard in the head.

Kojiro's blood stained the peaceful waters. Musashi bowed to the stunned onlookers and then rowed slowly away in his boat.

The cunning of Musashi, his reluctance to stand on ceremony to gain the advantage, and his deadly skill with his hands, no matter what they were holding, won him the day. The true Samurai spirit lives in the man, and the sword becomes a living extension of that skill.

In modern Japan, and worldwide, the spirit of the Japanese Samurai lives on through the martial training and self discipline of dedicated students. The living steel, forged by masters taught in the ancient traditions, lives on through collectors and devoted students of the blade. The prices for such weapons can range from $60.00 to approximately $14,000.00, depending on the craftsmanship of the weapon.

There are a multitude of US and Japanese vendors, all located and well priced at your favorite vendor and mine, Kult of Athena. But more than that, there are men who embody the heart and soul of the Katana. Men like Kiyochika Kanehama. Kanehama is the real Hattori Hanzo (played by Sonny Chiba in the Kill Bill movies).

(It is a common misconception that Hattori Hanzo was or is a real swordsmith on the island of Okinawa. In reality, Hanzo (Chiba) is one of two things: Pure Hollywood or the fictional embodyment of the character of Hattori "Devil" Hanzo, a Japanese Samurai in the late 1500's.Whatever the case, Chiba's role was superb in Hollywood, and Kanehama fills it perfectly in the real world.)

Whether on film or on the islands of Okinawa, whether made of wood or of the finest hammer-folded steel, whether in the hands of a young boy from Fukushima city in the Tohoku region of Japan (where original Katana, Ko-Katana, Wakizashi, and Tanto blades are created), or a young boy from Illinois receiving an amazing Christmas gift, the spirit of the Samurai and the Samurai sword lives on. The pride and valor of these noble warriors echoes through the ages and beckons us to stand and face evil and injustice with a steady heart and strong shining steel.

Red Cliff

2010-05-09T00:30:00.047-04:00

John Woo, one of the most famous directors of some of the best action films in the industry such as Face Off and Mission Impossible II, has completed his masterpiece. He has created his sword swinging, hard fighting, en masse theatre of death opus. "Red Cliff" is one of the most sohpisticated, well written, well produced films I have ever seen. Some have equated it as the Chinese Lord of the Rings, and I would tend to agree.

This film, while it can be a bit cheesy at times, with exaggerated death scenes and fantasy action, hits every warrior nail on the head. From the beginning of the film there is non stop action, and I mean nonstop.

Emporer: Go kill those rebels
Prime Minister: Consider it done.

That's about as much back story as the audience gets before armies start tearing into each other like a 1980's Raider's fan fight in Oakland. But unlike our neighbors to the far west, our Chinese cast of characters in the Far East, such as Shido Nakamura

The katana swinging Samurai champion in Jet Li's Fearless,

Tony Leung Chiu Wai, who was a character named Broken Sword in "Hero",

and also the most interesting, smartest, and deadliest warrior on the field in Red Cliff, the passive yet amazingly deadly Takeshi Kaneshiro from The House of Flying Daggers,

conduct their savage strife with precision, honed skill (not to mention weapons), brilliant tactics, and above all else honor. But all run on sentences aside, the movie and the action are brilliant not just because of the fight scenes but because of the meticulous attention to detail that John Woo gave to recreating the authenticity of the battles of the Southern Kingdoms of Imperial China on the Yangtze River.

I believe at one point in the film they make reference to "The Art of War," the quintessential textbook to victory that should adorn every man's bookshelf.

Red Cliff adorns its soldiers in the armor, weapons, and equipment of the age with amazing accuracy. During this period, the Han Dynasty, around 208 B.C., foot soldiers and cavalry wore something of a lamellar armor, a number of linked metal plates which would cover their torsos, and helmets, usually made of iron.

This design was lightweight and maneuverable, yet strong and resistant to give the soldier more protection.

Their weapons, and this is my favorite part, as I have been looking into the fabulous construction of these blades for sometime, were for the most part Chinese Han swords,

straight spears,

and a particularly nasty weapon used with surprising efficiency, the Sickle Spear.

(Of course, as in any military hierarchy, the higher you went up the chain of command, the more elaborate the weapons and armor would become.)

The Han soliders used these weapons, and others such as their knowledge of wind patterns, the stars, fire ships, female sex, and link between human nature and the nature of music, in order to create this cinematic masterpiece. Fans of massive, and not so massive (as their are a number of raiding and one on one fight sequences throughout the film), battle scenes, swords, Chinese war cinema, or just have 2.5 hours to kill, then I suggest firing up Netflix and taking a leap of faith on this unbelievable story.

The Spice of Life

2010-04-17T14:50:00.019-04:00

At long last! Back to the posts. Much has transpired since my last entry and I apologize to you all. My muse was on vacation. But now she is back with a swift boot to the nuts and demands my diligance. Enjoy!

Sometimes we all get a little tired (and perhaps frustrated) at the limited selection of our favorite things on the Internet. We search everyday, endlessly waiting for the newest assortment of products, be they gadests, fashion, video games, ect. More often than not, the companies we love only put out new things every 2 weeks. Sometimes, it can be as long as a month, or even several. I myself check

Dark Sword Armory

Kult of Athena

Fable Blades

Texts from Last Night

Blizzard Entertainment

World of Warcraft

every morning when I get into work. More often than not, I'm afraid, my efforts are wasted (with the exception of faithful CNN) as there is nothing new to report and all is quiet in my little microcosm.

Well I'm taking a stand on this one. After scouring the net for new products, vendors, and of course the best prices (don't drop thousands on 1 sword) for my steel swinging sojourners of 2010, I have compiled some websites that I think you will find quite sympathetic to your crusade against the mundane.

Without further adieu, I serve to you, the fruits of my labors:

Sword Buyers Guide (The Best)

Age of Chivalry Armory

Albion Armory

Armor Class

Blade Art

Blade Art II

Blade Matrix

Bright Blades

Bugei Sword

Bushido Swords

By The Sword

Cashen Blades

Christian Fletcher

Door Country Forge

Elwell and Del Tin

The Scabbard and the Deadliest and Most Beautiful Wind and Tunder Katana

Dark Knight Armory

Odin Blades

May your searches be fruitful and your swords never dull!

Vikings: A Bit Further Than Minnesota

2010-02-26T22:27:00.070-05:00

After many months and long toil, I have arrived at my new home east and a little north in Massachusetts. I moved up from the south with all of my my possessions, from the shores of the sea, and the road has not been easy. However, with my Newfound surroundings I am very satisfied and I know that my new life here will be just as amazing, if not better than the last.

As I write these words, and recollect my travels throughout our great state, I realize that my wanderings pale in comparrison with those of one of the greatest warrior cultures ever to tremble the ground before their enemies: The Vikings.

From as far back as 700 AD these terrifying Northmen, from a region with winter weather that would make New England look like Southern France in the summertime, would sail down in their dragon ships and raid the coasts of Ireland, England, Scotland, France, and even cities on the Mediterranean in search of glory.

They had the ultimate freedom if their courage, will, and skills on the hard north Atlantic would hold them on the hard seas. The Vikings had kings and chieftains; the chieftains had eldest sons to carry on their names and keep their borders well protected. But what of the others? Common men? Youngest sons? Daughters? What did their lives amount to? They sought foreign, sunny shores (and to these beserkers of the Finland, Sweden, Norway, and other northern lands where there is no sun 10 months out of the year, England was a sunny shore) to bring them fortune, power, weapons, women, and strength. They believed that to further your station in the world, you had to literally go out and take it.

In their conquests, the Vikings became great kings, amassed mountains of gold and goods, stolen or won in combat, and pushed their influence even to the lands of the Baltic Sea and Greece. Their mark has been left all over history even to the shores of North America. Leif Erikson and his band were said to have found Northern Canada and Newfoundland hundreds of years before Columbus ever sailed.

During the Crusades, converted Viking warriors sailed to the rock of Gibralta and to Jerusalem and helped to repel the Saracen hordes in the name of their new Christ god. They helped to spread His word, Scandanavian culture, and great fear to their enemies. History claims them as maurauders and barbarians, but they were noble warriors with a great and powerful name in the north.

The Viking culture gives the industry of arms and armor so much to work with, that many a smith and master forger have recreated some of the most famous blades of legend and other more original pieces that will someday earn their own place in the epic story of steel.

The Albion Thegn Sword (Left)

and

the Valiant Armory Hedemark Sword (Right) are only two weapons in a nearly endless flow of creative steel that can best sum up the weapons of the Vikings. Many other armorers, such as Dark Sword Armory, Cold Steel, and Hanwei make excellent Viking Swords that fall into what is called Wheeler's Configuration of Viking Swords

Many of the best pieces of Viking steel can be found at dealers such as Kult of Athena(my personal favorite), Sword Buyers Guide, and even a very new and kick ass vendor,The Scabbard.

But, aside from the sword, Vikings utilized their great skills to wield more ferocious and less delicate weapons. Spear and axe were less expensive than a full made sword and were carried into battle just as often.

Also, the vikings very appearance, his winged helm (there was never any historical proof the rediculous horned pieces of modern fiction and overzealous NFL fans), and set beserker vizage that made the viking the terror of the ancient world. One of the greatest examples of their armored craftsmanship was the Mask of the Sutton Hoo.

The original was found in a rich boat burial in Sutton Hoo, England and is believed to have belonged to the 7th century Anglo-Saxon king Redwald.

The Vikings, the sea bound Hell's Angels of antiquity, were skilled sailors, riders, raiders, and kings. They were the strongest of the strong and sang their history, of battles won and lost,their gods, and the unquenchable thirst for freedom of the body and spirit, in great halls of their fathers or halls of their own making.

They have been featured in literature, and Deadliest Warrior. They have their everlasting place in the hearts of warriors from the dark ages to the present and have aided to shape the world of the sword, the stuff of legend, and the unknown corners of the map.

The Reason

2010-01-31T14:26:00.008-05:00

Last night, I had some friends over for a last hoorah in my place before I move to a new one. It was amazing. There was good food, good drink, and games galor. One of the highlights of my evening, though, and I wish I had taken a movie of it, is when a friend of mine grabbed the LOTR Boromir sword from UC, featured at Kult of Athena, and rode a baby carriage into an old Christmas wreath, thoroughly impaling it to the laughter of all. While handling weapons in a manner such as this is irresponsible, and I do not espouse to anything but the highest respect for sharp steel, the enjoyment and the love of swords and their uses was present.

That is what I believe is one of the best things about owning and handling swords is. It is the enjoyment, the awe, the intrigue of holding something so beautiful, so hard, so functional, and this works with men and women, in your hand and appreciating and loving it wholly. People should be so lucky with each other.

Signing off until my next steel inspired rant.

Oh, before I forget! Fable Blades has put out some gorgeous new items for you to see based on the Lord of the Rings weapons. There are some,Felarof Swordthat have never been seen before, replica or other wise! Take a look!

Broad Swords

2010-01-16T23:51:00.129-05:00

Let's face it. Women with swords are hot. It's a simple fact of life for any man watching, reading, or otherwise indulging in the edged arts. And so, in honor of these examples of edged estrogenical eradicators, and the warm reception of this blog from my female family members, friends, friend's girlfriends, and just for the sheer viewing pleasure of it all, I give to you, THE TOP TEN HOTTEST WOMEN OF THE SWORD!!!

1) href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_G0-5yykJ9yo/S1KdYJMypbI/AAAAAAAAAE0/waVOXeJ9elU/s1600-h/xena-warrior-princess.jpg"target="_blank"> XENA WARRIOR PRINCESS: Tell me I am wrong. Nowhere in TV or film will you find a woman who epitomizes the sword more, and has such a rabid fan following waiting for that tell tale "shhwwing" of her sword than Xena. Tall, dark hair, deadly dangerous, icy blue eyes, leather battle gear, a deadly Frisbee, endless enthusiasm for killing all peoples and things not Greek are just some of the many reasons why Xena, played by Lucy Lawless (who hasn't done or needed to do a thing since Xena) is unequivocally number one of the list of top 10. She's got the ability to make Hercules look like a mama's boy, and the willingness to hop into a hot bath with her trusty side kick (Episode:"A Day in the Life", instantly made me all man forever)

after a long day of yelling and running around the Peloponnesus. Number 1 hands down. Ladies, if you feel like dressing up for the enjoyment of all, you can pick up her gear here.

2)href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_G0-5yykJ9yo/S1KqjgjHBII/AAAAAAAAAF8/xL6qWEGVO9k/s1600-h/killbill2.jpg"target="_blank" BEATRIX KIDDO, UMA THURMAN FROM KILL BILL: Tarentino changed the game with this character. Classically trained in deadly martial arts from a wise and hilariously over the top 1970's Kung Fu Master, beautiful, smart, speaks fluent Japanese, dressed in Bruce Lee's outfit from Game of Death,

and wielding the finest sword ever made by a man, that man being the Hatori Hanzo, descendant of the real samurai "Devil Hanzo", I'd say Uma Thurman takes 2nd place pretty easy. She's got style when she takes out the Deadly Vipers and her bloody rampage is just old fashioned fun to watch. Everyone loves a hero. But, secretly, every loves an anti-hero even more. She got killed trying to run from a past of murder that caught up with her and now she's going to grab her fine steel and take some revenge. Oh, and then she watches cartoons with her 5 year old daughter. To find the fabulous works of art made by master Japanese sword smiths, check out the various reviews by my boys at the Sword Buyers Guide, to get some idea of the best ones. There are so many makers and schools of Japanese sword making that choosing the right one is almost as difficult as picking up Go Go Yubari.

3) MICHELLE YEOH: This silver fox of the Chinese silver screen gets a special place on my list because she is deadly, beautiful, and has one of the best sword fighting scenes I have ever had the privilege of witnessing. The first time, and I think you will agree, when Zhang Zi Yi swept her hand out across the temple floor to the weapons rack behind Yeoh and said "pick one, I'll wait" and she came back with that two handed beauty, I was hooked. This 47-year old cougar has some claws, kids, and if she is making more sword flicks anytime soon, you know I am right there at the edge of my seat waiting for more magical moments in metallic mayhem. To find some excellent WuShu Swords and other fine Chinese weaponry used in many of the films that come from the East, I would check out Swords of the Eastfor some of the best blades anywhere.

4) KRISTANNA LOKEN: You may remember her from Maxim and the Terminator (dont we all), but I remember her best for the role she played in the modern adaptation of the Germanic saga "The Nibelungenlied" in a film in SyFy called The Dragon King. Now, while this film was low budget, the adapted story was solid and the forging process of Nothung, Siegfried's sword, was incredible. Loken made her start in the Terminator film and then came swinging away with two axes in awesome fight scenes and right onto this list. Whether some remember her for her role in Terminator 3, or others for Bloodrayne, or even simply for this photo

she'll always be Brunhild to me.

5) KATE BECKINSALE, SELENE, UNDERWORLD: Now, just so we are all clear, she is a vampire. I will give you that. Some might think it's cliche for me to place one of the children of the night on the top ten list, and you would be right. With the rash of "Twilight-esque" lame ass love stories, I feel Selene makes it because not only was her movie (first one only and the second one to a smaller extent) pretty far from anything done with vampires before; pitting them against their werewolf body guards, but they still made it kind of sexy without all the "oh lets cry about immortality and being skinny" vampire nonsense. There was a rugged sword fight in the sewer wherein a vampire lord got his head sliced in half after breaking a werewolf's neck with one hand, and still had the wherewithal to draw out concealed daggers from his sleeves to keep going (before his head slides apart).

I just feel that any lady who can make all that look as good as she does throughout the whole film deserves to be on the list. Viktor's sword from Underworld is available, though not functional, HERE

6) DEADLY LITTLE MIHO, SIN CITY:

What more can be said? She's deadly, she's little, and she's Miho. Well, I guess if you havent seen Sin City (why you havent, I have no clue cause it's amazing) I guess I can fill you in. See, Iron Jack Rafferty, a cop (Benicio Del Torro), and his meat head crew were in the wrong part of Old Town messing with the wrong girls. They werent pleased that a lady of the night told them to get lost. They grabbed her, of course and that's when DEADLY LITTLE MIHO got to live up to her name. I wont give any more of the scene away, sufficed to say that this little lady got down with two samurai swords, a flying leap, and a throwing star that resembled some kind of Tibetan good luck charm. Top 10 easy.

7) OREN ISHII, LUCY LIU, KILL BILL: Yakuza Boss. Samurai. Assassin. 5 foot 3. All this and not even Japanese. This half American (USA!!) half Chinese warrior dispatches her enemies at dinner parties with her fabulous Hanzo sword and doesnt bat an eyelash. She's deadly. She's brutal. And, apparently, it snows just for her out in her Zen garden. She likes drinking, friends (all 88 of them), and the way of the Samurai. She's got a sidekick named Johhny Mo. What is not to like about this woman? The murder and crime? Yeah ok, but in the tea house, I bet she's a hoot. Dynamite and easily in the top 10.

8) MONICA BELLUCCI, BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF:
I must admit, I got a little selfish with this one. Besides my wonderful, gorgeous, stunning, smart, funny, talented (forgiving), girlfriend, Monica Bellucci is IT. Her use of the blade as a Papal Assassin in Brotherhood of the Wolf, an amazing French film made by Canal +, is limited. However, for all the limited screen time they get her weapons are deadly and satisfying. Whether its performing the coupe de grace on the villian with a dagger, or finely severing the windpipe of a very annoying and very deserving evil gypsy woman,(who gets the most amazing character in the whole movie murdered, UGH! women!) her acting and fighting skills are undeniable. She has also been in many other movies such the Matrix , Shoot Em Up, , and Bram Stoker's Dracula

She's a badass and my favorite. And when she says "Encoree" in Italian in the film, try to tell me she wouldnt be on any guy's top ten anything.

9) JOANNE WHALLEY, SORSHA, WILLOW: Kid's movie. Kid's crush. Got to give it up to the old school crush and remember the roots. She is a huge reason why I have always loved swords and that movie wouldnt have been half as entertaining nor Val Kilmer half as righteous had he not got the girl. To this day, that is one of the most passionate kisses I have seen in a film. Also, she's a firey headed rebel with a wicked serrated sword. I was talking to a friend the other day (ALL THANKS CHRIS-O!) and he mentioned how much scarier serrated edges would be on a blade. Have to agree and her sword is one of the only ones I have ever seen in a movie with a spiked and serrated blade.
Plus, that movie gave jobs to almost every midget in Hollywood. Give respect where respect is due.

10) BRIDGETTE NIELSON, RED SONJA: If you are a fan of swords then you know the Conan films. We, as sword collectors, spend a good deal of time searching for Marto and Albion Conan Replicas because they go for almost $3000.00 a piece. Now, if you know so much about these things, you are also going to know about Red Sonja.
It was a film from back in the day that was cheesy and terrible, yet unbridaled sword swinging throughout and it was excellent! Governator Schwarzenegger is in it and he doesnt take any prisoners in this thing at all. It was the height of Nielson's short movie career and she swung that steel around like the best of them! MMMM MMM. I suggest for any fan of the sword, you see this movie at least once if for nothing else then her running her hands over 20 swords in the opening of the film and picking one of the most kick ass pieces I think I have ever seen.

Before I'm out I would like to leave some honorable mentions for ladies of the sword who didnt quite make it:

Eowyn, Lord of the Rings
Sandahl Bergman, Valeria, Conan the Barbarian
GoGo Yubari, Kill Bill
Justice, The Statue
Athena, Goddess of Wisdom and War
Daryl Hannah, Elle Driver
Zhang Ziyi, House of Flying Daggers
Rhona Mitra, Rise of the Lycans
Rosamund Pike, Die Another Day

One Post to Rule Them All

2010-01-08T23:27:00.064-05:00

Like any fan of the blade, I am quite partial to the works of master author and philologist J.R.R Tolkien. Tolkien, for anyone reading this who has not heard his name mentioned by Western martial arts experts, forge masters who have used his creations as their paramount inspiration, or Hollywood Actors who have made careers, Viggo Mortensen, or Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings Trilogy,

is the master behind the writings involved with The Lord of The Rings.

Now, this post is not pertaining to these works, as I could go on for pages about the philosophies, wisdom, and entertainment found therein, no. This post is to illustrate the power and inspiration this author and his works have had on the world and works of the sword.

The recreations of the works from the pages of Tolkien range from the extremely shoddy $40.00 swords found on Ebay and other sights looking to make a buck, to hand crafted, hand forged and detailed replicas costing as much as the dreaded engagement ring purchase.

The former are the ones to steer clear of. These bastard children of the rat tail tang mentality have, in my opinion, a very small part to play in the world of the sword. They serve as an uneducated beginning. They serve as a prototype for the genuine desire to possess a truly strong and balanced weapon and they are to be looked at as a bauble and then eventually discarded or given to someone who is just starting their journey in pursuit of the Savage Steel.

While a sword like this looks similar to the real movie prop made by the fine crafts people at the WETA Workshop , the armorers for movies such as The Lord of the Rings, Narnia, The Last Samurai, Guillermo del Toro's Hell Boy, and others, they do not possess 1/10 of the craftsmanship or the soul that WETA can produce.

Often times, they all possess the same characteristics:

Rat Tail Tang Construction: Where the blade is spot welded to the a thin cylindrical tang and then threaded into the cheap wooden handle.

Quasi-detailing that resembles the actual weapon but anyone looking at pictures side by side will know which is the superior with no prior knowledge

And finally, 440 Stainless Steel. Unlike high carbon steel or Damascus Steel, which has better flexibility, hardened edges, better resistance to rust and weathering, 440 Stainless is garden variety steel and should not be considered an excellent metal by any means.

These characteristics can be a terrible combination for any sword collector and can even lead to grave injury when your precious 440 decides to do this.

What you should be looking at, first of all, is what you want to get for your hard earned cash. When working with such a money maker like the Lord of the Rings, sword makers have the whole candy shop for you to choose from. They offer everything from the "Halfling Froto Sword" garbage from above, to magnificent pieces from United Cutlery

Now Extinct Museum Glamdring

to unbelievably strong pieces from Generation 2 (The Ranger and The Elven King Sword), Dark Sword Armory (The Ranger *DISCONTINUED*, Faramir Sword, Boromir Sword *DISCONTINUED* and an incredibly strong Samwise and Anduril!)

The latter are the pieces that I would recommend very highly. You all know that Darksword Armory is my favorite and in my humble opinion the by far the most superior forge. Alot of people would agree. The prices are great, the quality couldn't be better, and there is free shipping and even a 10% discount on almost of all of them from the Sword Buyers Manufacturer Store for members.

Now, for the customer who deals in the incredibly rare piece or replica from the Lord of the Rings literature, there are pieces out there that can accommodate. These pieces are from forgers at the top of their profession who not looking to sell wall hangers. They know their stuff is so good and so worth the money (albeit overpriced) that they dont even bother to show the pricing half of the time. Ladies and gentlemen, after much searching, both online and through my own sword collecting soul, I give to you the holy grails of the Lord of the Rings replicas. Enjoy!

Raven Armory

Fable Blades

Odin Blades

Mad Dwarf Workshop

If you can afford those boys then drop the name of my blog when you make a purchase and give this servant of the steel a little extra holiday cheer to bring in the new year.

All in all, people know that we are out there. We, the quasi-nerds of the sword world, are anxiously awaiting the return of Kult of Athena and the newest, best, and brightest the sword world has to offer us for new takes on the chosen weapons of some of our favorite heroes from literature and film.

I will leave you now with a sense, again, of authenticity. Just so you know, if somehow you do not already, that I share your fierce love of LOTR swords and have dropped serious coin in the past when they were at the height of their popularity with a personal photo of my collection taken only days ago.

'We will make them fear the Chamber of Marzarbul!' he said grimly, feeling the edge of his sword Anduril.(Lord of the Rings, Fellowship, page 324)

Epic Combat

2009-12-19T00:03:00.070-05:00

In honor of the movie Gladiator, no not the wonderful Russel Crowe sword epic about honor an truth, but rather one of the greatest, if not the greatest B films of all time with Cuba Gooding Jr. and the legendary Brian Dennehy, I have tonight composed a special exhibition for all of my loyal followers. Tonight, we will have a steel on steel match up between two of the finest challengers in my collection: The Global Gear Solingen and the dreaded slicer champion, The EYE OF BALOORR!.

At first glance, the swords seem evenly matched. Both blades are made of high quality steel; both have attractive fittings; and both, I know from personal experience, fit very comfortably in the hand and make a very thrilling woosh sound when slicing the air.

Now wait, let's take this fight, in the style of Gladiator, into account by comparing the attributes of the two swords.

The Solingen:

Weight: 2 pounds (for the sake of argument)

Blade Length: 32.1 inches

Fear Factor When Swung Like a Crazed Viking: Scary, but no wet ankles

The Eye of Balor:

Weight: 2.6 pounds

Blade Length: 30 inches

Fear Factor When Swung Like a Crazed Viking: I would say terrifying, especially if someone caught a look at the cats like Sauron eyeball looking at them from the hilt before it was drawn

SCHWING!!! THE SWORDS ARE OUT OF THEIR SCABBARDS!!

The fight is on! The clang of steel against steel reverberates off of the walls of the corridor as these monsters go at it. Each delivers solid hits on the other. Making dents, dings, and small nicks. The warriors are dead tired, their comrades fallen around them. Only one goes on to claim all kinds of goodies from the others camp (gold, women, other fine swords, other assorted iPod like gadgets). They know its all or nothing.

Rawwrrr! (They charge)

There is a scarping, sheering sound that splits the air! The hardened high carbon blade of the Eye of Balor has gone straight through the softened, albeit more flexible, spring blade of the Solingen (and subsequently the warrior's dome piece) and he carries on to claim sweet booty.

WINNER: The terror of the ancient Celts (as was told in their myths), the super sexy and super dangerous Eye O' Balor. Brian Dennehy, you are the Solingen.

VICTORIOUS!!

Templar Steel

2009-12-08T22:25:00.034-05:00

This modern replica of a 12th century medieval monster is the biggest baddest blade in my humble collection. Produced by Darksword Armory, one of the best, if not the best, sword forges in the modern market, and sold by Kult of Athena, my personal favorite, this weapon is heavy and devastating. Weighing in at a very impressive 4lbs 7.5 ounces, it would have taken a giant to swing this sword around on the battlefield.

The tang of the blade extends deep into the handle in a marvelously functional full tang array and is peened into the pommel of the sword for extra stability. What I enjoy about the model that I own, as I purchased it long ago, is that the pommel itself is one complete piece of steel. I don't not think I would be able to take this sword apart even if I wanted to and I love that.

The present models of this sword have newer, more durable handle wrap materials, and the nut can be removed out of the pommel with a slight application of elbow grease and a freed up Sunday afternoon. Now, that is not to say that this amazing weapon is any less strong because of the new construction, universe apart from it. It just means that Darksword wanted to make the repair and disassembly easier for their customers' sake. God bless those boys.

Practically speaking this blade is unstoppable. I can't imagine what it would do to light armor, horse, or shield with a strong hand and room to swing. I have split heavy logs as easily as the sharpest axe, embedding it into deep into the stump, and there have been no dings or scratches of any kind, no aesthetic marring of any kind, on the blade. It is tempered carbon steel, incredibly strong, and well balanced (at 5 inches from the guard) provided you have a nice adrenaline rush (as all sword enthusiasts should have) when you hold it.

What makes this incredible piece of steel special is that it evokes the ancient days of the Templar Knights crusading in the Holy Land. They protected pilgrims on their sacred road and upheld the code of their faith using sword almost exactly like this. Along the blade, within the fuller, there is the Latin phrase "Militaris Templi" along with the cross of the Templar Knights and, of course, the stamp of Dark Sword Armory.

Overall, with the edge placed on this sword thanks to the good people at
New England Sharpening Co. Inc., the closest and most accommodating sword sharpeners near Boston, MA, this weapon is my pride and joy. I would trust it in battle and it's going to look very scary and impressive on daddy's wall of steel when being showed to my daughter's first boyfriend.

To read more about the Templar Knights and the Crusades, consult "Dungeon, Fire, and Sword" by John. J Robinson.

Gen 2 Excalibur

2009-12-05T00:33:00.028-05:00

The very first "real sword" that I ever purchased is the, now collector's item, Brass Excalibur from Generation 2 and Kult of Athena. This amazing weapon is nothing fancy at all but I can say with confidence, that it is one of the better and most favored pieces in my collection.

The grip of the sword is easily a two hander wrapped in a wire mesh down to the bottom of the handle.

Once taking hold of this weapon, you will notice that it is extremely light and balanced. The cross piece is solid brass as is the peened circular pommel. The tang is full and travels down the full length of the handle for added stability.

The blade, shining bright with a little WD40, extends approximately 3 feet from the cross piece and is as beautiful as it is functional.

You must remember to respect the sword at all times when handling it and caring for it. This sword can go through ANYTHING! The steel will slice right through it's wielder's hand as easily as anything else. It does not love you. I, through unfortunate experience, and lack of attention while cleaning this sword, was treated to a beautiful view of the bone in my right index finger after it ran down the sharpened edge.

Finally, the blade comes to a sharpened point on both sides of the blade in the typical fashion of the medieval broadsword. The toughness of this marvelous weapon cannot be questioned and the solid construction from peened tang, meaning that the threaded end of the forged steel is welded into place in the circular "cap" of the bottom of the sword, to sharpened tip makes this sword one of the strongest produced by Generation 2.

All beaters, swords that can be beaten against the toughest surfaces and not have a scratch on them, the veritable Chuck Liddels of the sword world, should be made like this one: high carbon steel blade for added toughness.

I will leave you with an excellent display of this bygone force of the steel era from our brother in arms Paul Southren of Sword Buyers Guide.com

Excal Demo

The Hoard

2009-12-04T23:37:00.020-05:00

When reading a blog about any subject, you want to know one thing: what makes this author think he has any right to talk about, and make me read, what he is writing about? Where does his experience come from? This solid question has not escaped me. So, in the spirit of being a firm believer in the functionality of all things, not just the written word or the sword, I will divulge and analyze the various pieces in my personal collection, the attributes and detriments of each piece, and prove to you, my faithful readership, that I have, at least, the experience and the true love, for all steeled tools of war.

In my youth, my impulsive, and often uneducated beginnings, I will admit I was a complete spendthrift when it came to the purchase of a sword. I received my first blade at the age of 16 years. A rat tail tang decorative claymore that was given to me by my parents as a Christmas gift.

I handled this weapon once. And, despite it shabby construction, awkward weight, and balance, and misshapen blade, I was instantly hooked into the world of weapons for good.

Over the years and the paychecks, I built for myself a small collection of different weapons; choosing at random the swords that looked the "coolest"; baffling my parents and siblings, and yes impressing a few of my cousins and friends with my collection. A good start. To this day, I still know all of my pieces and can still recall all of their origins. However, I know that if it ever really came down to it, I know I would probably be better off using foul language or just plain running like a little girl than depend on the often over priced rat tail tang construction of the dreaded eBay special.

The one point that I hope you will come away with from this post, and I appreciate your kind attention in reading it, is that you must be precise and selective in your choice of a sword. In ancient warrior cultures, the sword was an extension of the warrior. It was the self discipline, self worth, confidence, personal artistic expression, and often times, the trusted friend and defender manifested in strong steel. Homes, families, honor, livelihoods, and even nations were defended by sharpened steel. If the blade was flimsy, inferior, or was tempered poorly, the warrior would surely fall and all he held dear would come to an often horrible and violent end.

In modern days, the days of guns, where any fool can be just as deadly and dangerous as any other, there is little point in choosing the right steel. However, for those of us who still carry the tradition and real love for the sword, the right choice can distinguish and define us as collectors and as disciples of the blade.

Choose well. Stay alive.

The Riddle of Steel

2009-11-28T00:35:00.002-05:00

Mounds of Metal

2009-11-27T23:23:00.005-05:00

The idea of the sword is fascinating. The art of the construction, the process of forging, the realization of purpose in battle, and the noble ideals that lie behind man's most beautiful and most deadly creation are just some of the irresistible attributes that people are drawn to through this ancient and awe-inspiring art form. In the early stages of this blog, I aim to familiarize you, the life long devotees of the savage steel, with my life long admiration and devotion to the sword through information, images, audio and video. I also aim to bring to light many of the hundreds of amazing sword smiths, forgers, art works, and hidden treasures of the world of the sword. Along the way, I hope to share my intimate knowledge of what I consider to be, the finest works of steel available on the modern market and hopefully get you hooked into the aesthetic, as well as the functional, beauty of man's most excellent weapon.