h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I too am a sword enthusiast, I have even studied the art of fencing.
And I was wondering...
How can I forge myself a sword?

There used to be a nifty gadget that allowed you to make them. Alas, it no longer functions, so I can't do new ones. I can however shamelessly copy/paste the hex code on an existing one, so I'll do yours in a minute.

I'm something of a sword enthusiast myself, as you may have gleaned from my page I'd love to take up medieval martial arts, but the only ones are on the other side of the country, so I'm forced to limit myself to theoretical study and talking about it with a guy who has done it for some time and the usual animé fanboys who think the japanese style is superior to anything else. Even with my limited knowledge based on one or two lessons I can usually change their minds though

I was thinking of taking up fencing, but at the moment board work takes up most of my time. One of my mates does it, but she managed to get a concussion fencing, so she's out of it for the moment.

I've seen both styles, and I'd have to say that the Japanese style looks much better on paper, or in a well choreographed dramatic scene of a movie.

Last Saturday I got into the discussion with a mate about it, he does all kinds of japanese sports, it ended with us making attacks at each other and showing our various reactions based on the different styles. He was impressed, to say the least. He eventually admitted it was simply a matter of who moved and fought fastest who'd win.

And to be honest, the european style is based more on bludgeoning, but not as much as people would have you think. I've seen re-enactment based on medieval 'fechtbücher', and that looks pretty elegant too.

Medieval fencing is a lot like bludgeoning, but I can move a broadsword fast enough to protect me.

If you were comparing modern or renaissance fencing to kendo then there is no contest. European fencing is by far the fastest.

Ah! Not you to!

Bludgeoning is all in the arms. Medieval martial arts is simply legwork, the strength comes from stepping in with one foot and following through with the sword. It's not how fast can you move the sword, it's how fast can you move YOU!

Besides, a good longsword fighter has an edge, because his reach is far greater than that of a japanese fighter.

That's what I meant. It can be hack and slash, unless you do it correctly. I have used a broadsword many times, but not a longsword, that may loose its advantage because a katana can be used much quicker. It depends on the position that you are already in. Some are easier to flow out of or into.

Actually, because of the way a longsword is held, and the techniques you use it with, a katana is not that much faster than a longsword. A longsword makes excellent use of leverage, and since it relies on force rather than sharpness, it's much harder to block, especially with a katana, since they're made of comparatively low-grade steel they're more likely to snap if you block sideways-on.

Ah, I see your point. I remember now that the grip is much larger than the two hands that hold it. that can make a big difference in the leverage. Thats something you don't have with a bastard sword, or hand and a half if you prefer.(thats usually what I used)

I'm using the historical terminology.

By longsword, I mean a sword that can be wielded one-handedly, but has a hilt long enough to accommodate two. It's usually held two-handed, with one hand near the guard, and the other on the pommel, giving you great leverage. It's also known as a greatsword, hand-and-a-half sword or bastard sword.

The direct predecessor is what most people think of as a longsword, but is officially called a arming sword, with a hilt exactly large enough for one hand, even though you can use it two-handedly.

I was thinking the longsword was more along the lines of a blade longer than one meter.

Now that we fixed that up. The bastard sword would work wonderfully, except in some (incredibly rare) circumstances(which usually occur because someone did something incredibly stupid).

Stupidity has lost many a war. almost as much as pride, I suspect. That's what led to the conclusion that the most skilled fighter would win, not the better technique.

Often a person wielding a sword for the first time can win a battle with a person who has practiced.

True, the trained guy isn't expecting a mad charge accompanied by screams and wild swings. He's caught off-guard.

The one time I fenced I scored a hit on a seasoned fencer simply by charging recklessly and lunging madly

That's how I started, then I began to learn by sitting back and defending. If you can parry, you can learn the attacks much easier, and you know when to use them.

If at some time I take up fencing, the first thing I'll need to do is try to control my reflexes: the moment something comes at me, I tend to react on instinct.

That's a good thing, provided that you react the proper way. Bouts can become lightning quick when both people have reflex reactions to attacks.

I'd have to temper my reflexes first, so I actually have some control over what I do. The way it is now, I'd swing madly at a feint and leave my defence wide open.

Ah. I did that too at the begining, but I was one of the lucky lefties and they didn't know how to react to anything that I did.

I'm mostly left-handed, but with fencing right-handed was more intuitive. 's odd, because writing is easier left-handed, and I had to turn around the strings on my guitar because I kept grabbing it the wrong way.