09-12-2005, 04:53 AM
(This post was last modified: 09-12-2005, 06:52 AM by Rhydderch Hael.)
All this talk of projectile weaponry leaves me with the feeling that I'm in the wrong damned age.
I just spent this afternoon cleaning and polishing out the blades of my two swords. The brand-new and pricier model had three spots of light discolouration on the bevel and edge that had to be Flitz-ed out, a problem that does not show up in my older weapon. I think it has to do with the differing blade compositions (new sword is 1075 steel, old one is 5160) with the trace chromium in the 5160 offering a far more forgiveable resistance. Here in the desert, the stuff is rather low-maintenence. The 1075 of the new sword, however, appears to warrant good monthly attention. Which, by the way, is no more demanding than any other sword owner in favorable climate conditions has to put up with.
As to home defense, the longsword is... not the best way to go about it. But there's no getting around the destructive power (against anything within five feet of your person, that is) by either the cut or the thrust. Swords are the reason why men in the Middle Ages thought it was a good idea to wrap their bodies in fifty pounds of iron.
I received some texts on basic German longsword instruction this week, and while it cannot replace the usefulness of live instruction, at least I now know my ochs from my pflug, so to speak. ;)
Okay, so I don't have a Glock and probably couldn't turn a tin can over at twenty pacesâ but I've learned how to "press the hands", a cute little euphemism about how you can give an assailant the oppurtunity to pull off a highly realistic Cap'n Hook getup every Halloween fortwith (it's why we have gauntlets, babyâthere were no Harleys in the Middle Ages).
I just spent this afternoon cleaning and polishing out the blades of my two swords. The brand-new and pricier model had three spots of light discolouration on the bevel and edge that had to be Flitz-ed out, a problem that does not show up in my older weapon. I think it has to do with the differing blade compositions (new sword is 1075 steel, old one is 5160) with the trace chromium in the 5160 offering a far more forgiveable resistance. Here in the desert, the stuff is rather low-maintenence. The 1075 of the new sword, however, appears to warrant good monthly attention. Which, by the way, is no more demanding than any other sword owner in favorable climate conditions has to put up with.
As to home defense, the longsword is... not the best way to go about it. But there's no getting around the destructive power (against anything within five feet of your person, that is) by either the cut or the thrust. Swords are the reason why men in the Middle Ages thought it was a good idea to wrap their bodies in fifty pounds of iron.
I received some texts on basic German longsword instruction this week, and while it cannot replace the usefulness of live instruction, at least I now know my ochs from my pflug, so to speak. ;)
Okay, so I don't have a Glock and probably couldn't turn a tin can over at twenty pacesâ but I've learned how to "press the hands", a cute little euphemism about how you can give an assailant the oppurtunity to pull off a highly realistic Cap'n Hook getup every Halloween fortwith (it's why we have gauntlets, babyâthere were no Harleys in the Middle Ages).
Political Correctness is the idea that you can foster tolerance in a diverse world through the intolerance of anything that strays from a clinical standard.