The "best" sword

[TNAndy]

I've long thought that the katana was probably the most effective and deadly type of sword, but I've also wondered if it could be improved by modifying it to adopt a hilt similar to the saber or cutlass, specifically having a more defensive hand guard.

I realize the katana is generally a two-handed weapon and the saber is strictly one-handed, but I wonder if a guard could be fashioned that did not interfere with the wielding of the blade. Perhaps it could have a single hand guard with an extended pommel so the non-dominant hand could enhance the speed and force of the blows the same way a katana is used.

To be sure, I am no swordsman, although I have owned a few. One I really liked was the kukri. I think it could also be improved with the addition of a quillon. I also had a reproduction saber and a double edged dagger made from a leaf spring.

Maybe I've been watching too many episodes of "Forged in Fire".

If firearms had never been invented, what blade would you choose to be your every day carry?

[Timber Wolf]

I don’t know anything about swords, but always wanted one of these: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mode...rtillery_sword. The write up describes them as “impractical for actual combat”. I don’t care though, I think one would be cool.

[easttex]

It's OK....I've watched just about every episode twice and I really like that show.

While my personal preference on swords has always been the Gladius, something like the Pioneer Sword or Chief's Cutlass might have more utility. Not too long, not too heavy, and not overly-unwieldly - but plenty long enough to get passed a knife, have plenty of leverage, and the blade's width has enough mass to resist breakage.

Or such are my thoughts.

[Trypcil]

The 'Eagle' Kukri is perhaps a development of the original fighting machete - might be the best out there depending on where you are, and if the other has a cutlass, sabre or a rapier style weapon with a greater reach, well good luck.
The Gladius is a jabbing/smashing weapon, which the Romans used in formation behind shields - little reach for close quarters - thus it's horses for courses - each course requires a different blade - much as with a firearm.
The material and point of balance with any blade is paramount, weight also - relative to the strength of the user. Wielding a heavy blade might be exhausting, and the point of balance if to far forward makes the blade difficult to parry.
CQ, you are better off with a short blade, the katana can be had short - it's really what you as the user can wield, rather than what is best - its what is best for you, the rest is quality of materials - stainless steel, as I am sure you know is crap for a sword, spring type steel is fine for most uses - after that it starts to get expensive! I would suggest a quality Cutlass and Kukri(which are available with quillion or D bracket) but when you modify a sword beyond it design, much will be upset in its usability!

[Redoubt]

Ive been looking for a nice Kukuri from Nepal for a while.
But if I had a choice of sword I think Id have to go with this instead.


Winkler makes amazing edge weapons.

https://www.knifeart.com/wiwibiaxe.html

[Black Blade]

I have a couple decent cutters that I use for Tameshigiri ... here is one I had made a few years ago. Slightly nontraditional but very good (gold inlay, engraved blade, leather wrapped tsuba, etc):

[Nomad, 2nd]

Katanas can be used one handed.
Miyamoto Musashi used 2 at once.


https://www.way-of-the-samurai.com/H...-ichi-ryu.html


Some of the hand and a half/bastard swords... Things which were controllable, and you could kill with the point.... But you could still hack with.

After that sword evolutionary point firearms became common and swords became decoration, easy to carry like small swords, sword canes etc.
That was the height of the art.

Romans were almost impossible to beat in a unit, but a single one would be relatively easy to beat given the limitations of length

[Riversidesports]

There are a variety of Sword cultures

Yes Katana are impressive works of art and highly effective in their particular martial school

A likely equally effective martial school though, possibly better is Arnis also known as Escrima. These are the martial arts of the Phillipines and are highly orientated toward Sword play.
The main problem I have with the Japanese art was that it was actually extremely ritualized combat practiced by a very narrow sliver of their society
The Samurai really were not even that "honorable", they were a class unto themselves that raped and murdered the unarmed with impunity

In the Philippines it was quite a bit different, even the wimmins were armed
Smaller Barong or delicate Punal. Even today in rural areas most folks have a Barong, often carry it.

Kukri was brought up. They really are more of a Nepalese Multi Tool than a dedicated weapon. The Philippine equalvant would be a standard Field Barong and again a multi purpose thing.
Then you have Battle Barongs
20+ inch razor sharp leaf pattern blades, generally of a thinner profile to better cleave through bone. They balance well in the hand and rely on dynamics similar to the Kurkri, they just do it better in my opinion.

The other item is the Kries sword
Standard Kries are in the 25" or less range however the traditional form of Battle Kries often runs 40 inches plus of wavy bladed razor like cutting edge
The quality of workmanship on 19th century and older examples is every bit as good as anything from the Japans. Laminated native forged Carbon Steel, Sterling Silver mounted with either wood or in some cases Ivory pommels
No Tsuba, the blades are forged to function as guards with ornate file work towards the base to catch enemy blades

There are a multitude of different edged weapons patterns in those islands but those are the primary one in Arnis
my opinion again, the best are vintage examples from prior to 1900
much like early Japanese blades where most of it ended up elsewhere this is even more true of the Philippines where the old school pieces mostly ended up in America as war booty from the Great Philippine Insurection which led me to my personal interest as a youngster. MN sent a mess of volunteers to the Islands, quite a few seemed to have returned with Trophys and they had no respect at all until the last maybe ten or twenty years

Anyways a top shelf 19th Century Battle Baron or Kries is still a fraction of the going rate for a similar Katana. I'll see if I can figure out a photohost and post some pix up if anyone may be interested

Thing is early on the Islanders started building tourist grade crap for American GIs. This happened real big time in the 20s right on forward to our ouster from Clark AFB and Subic Naval Station...you have to know what you are looking at.

Understand there are native forges on both Cebu and particularly Mindanao that produce decent quality Barong and Kries, couple dealers are online but it's better to just go there and have a master fit you up a personal order
was a forge in Davao, there are several in North Cotabato in Muzzie country that are true artisans

There are old accounts of the Philippine War where Warriors would run through American Army camps cutting our boys quite literally in half
Yes Samurai could do that with Katana, this was being done by farmer Warriors, often through the collarbone and exiting between the legs.

I'll go just a bit further on this...

A bunch of peoples got all Katana crazy after Highlander hit the Silver Screen
it had the same effect on Katana valuation that Dirty Harry had on S&W M29s
How Japanese swords were so superior to everything else
That's just complete bullshit

Not saying the Japanese work wasn't superb
what I am stating is incredible blades were being forged early on even in Celtic and Viking Europe
I have an older research book that's an Oxford study on early Briton sword making. What they did was examine extant examples using X ray and discovered the bulk of them had been folded hundreds of times and often fitted with higher carbon edges built around a mild core...talking in some cases prior to the 10th Century

Norway & Sweden have done similar work with identical results
it just wasn't cost effective for common troops

Toledo Steel was incredible
Have an early Spanish Bilboa. No later than the 1500s, what Cortez would have carried into Mexico. It's an incredible grade of spring steel, bends easily and returns

Have two early Damascus blades. One is Arab out of the 1300s, the other no later than the 1500s per folks far better at this than I that examined them
Up until EBAY I had a pile of earlier High End Arabic blades. I unloaded most online to buyers in SA, Yemen, Syria, etc in the late 90s and mostly because Arabic Swords were designed for use from Horseback.

Japanese Swords started that way
The earliest were Tachi, a much longer Katana for Horse use
When they broke they were reground, eventually that became semi standardized at around twenty six inches as the Katana

Wakazashi was a much shorter Sword intended for wealthy but non Samurai. Merchants & lesser nobility
Many are highly decorative, male Jewelry and most often were not the product of salvaging a War blade

Peasants/serfs were always barred weapons, possession was immediate death. This ended up leading to alternative weapons arts such as the application of the Rice Fail in Okinawa which evolved into the Nunchaku

There's some incredible history that's worth study as it currently relates to Elites/Enforcers & the general public in all that historically
As far as weapons styles understand they mostly had varied purpose/intent in combat

[Riversidesports]

Originally Posted by Trypcil

The 'Eagle' Kukri is perhaps a development of the original fighting machete - might be the best out there depending on where you are, and if the other has a cutlass, sabre or a rapier style weapon with a greater reach, well good luck.
The Gladius is a jabbing/smashing weapon, which the Romans used in formation behind shields - little reach for close quarters - thus it's horses for courses - each course requires a different blade - much as with a firearm.
The material and point of balance with any blade is paramount, weight also - relative to the strength of the user. Wielding a heavy blade might be exhausting, and the point of balance if to far forward makes the blade difficult to parry.
CQ, you are better off with a short blade, the katana can be had short - it's really what you as the user can wield, rather than what is best - its what is best for you, the rest is quality of materials - stainless steel, as I am sure you know is crap for a sword, spring type steel is fine for most uses - after that it starts to get expensive! I would suggest a quality Cutlass and Kukri(which are available with quillion or D bracket) but when you modify a sword beyond it design, much will be upset in its usability!

A few points to remember

Full time Warriors historically were fed far better from birth than those who were not War Fighters. This had a serious impact in the Middle as well as the Far East.
I have two friends who were adopted as babies from the Philippines
both those guys are six footers. Both hunted down their island families, their brothers are around 5'5
Exact same genetics. The difference was childhood nutrition

The Japans were awful for this by the way
some children were raised on high protien diets, the vast majority never were and actually still are not resulting in smaller framed folks
Used to know a major Japanese imperial collector in Canada, guy had just dozens and dozens of Sword, Armor, etc. Years ago he pointed out the sizes of his armor collection...yeah they were built for taller folks, well fed War Fighters

Same in China
Peasants were scrawny

something else
Swords historically were never all thick and heavy, neither were battle axe particularly after the development of armor
Owned a couple Headsman axe used in execution. They ran a thick and very heavy head. Both were Germanic & I doubt they were ever all that sharp

Well Steel Swords
I have a Celtic Bronze example from England that's beefy, easily pre Roman
you just can not do thin with Red Bronze, I would either bend or indeed break

Quite a few so-called Viking Axe heads came out of the Baltics
they are not fighting Axe heads which again are extremely thin in profile

Unfortunately very little has survived the environment
in the Oxford study besides Xray work on mostly complete blades they sliced up broken bits, acid etched the faces and ran them under an Electron microscope to establish how they were being forged from, well...Bog Iron

most just can't get their heads around that it may take a ton or two of bog mud to create a damn Sword. A Sword was worth more than it's weight in pure Gold in Barbarian Europe and as such a precious commodity it was constantly being recycled.

for example the Sutton Hoo Sword's value was not in it's jewel encrusted Gold mountings but in it's hand forged Steel blade

[Mebsuta]

Originally Posted by TNAndy

If firearms had never been invented, what blade would you choose to be your every day carry?

If I actually had to carry something like a sword for personal defense every day, I might use the toughest and most durable bokken or hanbo I could find.

[Riversidesports]

Originally Posted by Mebsuta

If I actually had to carry something like a sword for personal defense every day, I might use the toughest and most durable bokken or hanbo I could find.

that's only because you are a known Crackhead

even a Bokken is seen as a deadly weapon in most jurisdictions Mets
It's like getting lit up over a squirt gun Crackhead.

[gunplumber]

Originally Posted by Timber Wolf

I don’t know anything about swords, but always wanted one of these: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mode...rtillery_sword. The write up describes them as “impractical for actual combat”. I don’t care though, I think one would be cool.

Not sure why they'd call it impractical. It is also my favorite sword. It is better for close quarters where a longer blade would get hung up. Served the Romans well.

[Mebsuta]

Originally Posted by Riversidesports

that's only because you are a known Crackhead

even a Bokken is seen as a deadly weapon in most jurisdictions Mets
It's like getting lit up over a squirt gun Crackhead.

Nah it's cuz I don't like seeing people missing body parts.

[gunplumber]

Originally Posted by Redoubt

Ive been looking for a nice Kukuri from Nepal for a while.
https://www.knifeart.com/wiwibiaxe.html

Just order one. I ordered two Afghan models about 10 years ago, as it made more sense with shipping. Delivered in a couple weeks by DHL.

They are decorative to me. From a practical perspective, a cheap bolo machete gets far more actual use. Traditional or not, their grips suck.

[xerzes]

While you don't bring a sword to a gun fight, i really do love the Japanese way of the blade. their fighting style and the spiritual practice and calmness behind it all. Y'all got me feeling like Kenshi

[Trypcil]

That American gunners Gladius used during the civil war(artillery) was never really a fighting blade - it is infact a copy, a rendition of the French 1816 cabbage cutter, and was really never used in combat, more of a utility blade - a wood chopper/smasher/ even a 'subgun' as it were, more than likely, as firearms were the force of the day - so essentially a hold back from earlier romantic days.
The Cutlass, is probably the best all round blade style, part sabre and part Gladius. For most, I would say it's the best blade for general useage - it can be more than a fighting weapon, it can be a utility blade also(in a pinch). Developed from the sabre, but shorter and typically proportionally heavier - it can thrust , parry and smash, works in CQs and is easy to manage, use and carry - ask any Pirate! There are many variants of the cutlass, of weight, balance and length, it's solid, offers hand protection and is simple in construction - blade metal is always the important factor, in part will decide price.
Original Jap swords are fine, typically the process is akin to the damascus process - due to the poor ore sources, they are originally a composite metal blade. The quality is a result of skill in combining the various iron/steels derived from the primative smelt process - essentially modern blades in the Jap style are a single metal type - excepting the hi-end swords that are still constructed from steels made in the old style.
The Sabre(a horsers sword), is perhaps a European variant of the Katana, via Hungary. The blade offers cutting and chopping styles - Sabres, depending on curve were more slicing/slashing, the bend cuts deeper and also allows stabbing(depending on variant) - but off the horse generally results in a straighter blade, eventually evolving into the Cutlass!

Each sword type has a different fighting style associated with type. As a consequence of the evolution of firearms, swords became more dainty, lighter, becoming more of a dueling, or ceremonial mechanism - an attribute of the gentry, of the times! - for the ordinary man, the Cutlass is the easiest to use, if balanced!

[Timber Wolf]

Originally Posted by xerzes

While you don't bring a sword to a gun fight,

If I find myself actually having to use a sword (machete, axe, hoe, pointy stick) to defend home and hearth, I will supplement it with my best “crazed wack-job killer” face and some particularly ugly and down right rude harsh language for the most dramatic effect.

[Bawana jim]

I don't know exactly what I would pick. Back in the world of swords men trained in their use as it was their primary close up weapon. Men now days don't train with swords and hope their own talent will get them through a fight.

If I wanted a last ditch weapon with a blade I would probably pick a really big bowie knife. Keep the fight indoors where a sword weilder doesn't have room to swing. Swords are great outdoors, you can build power in a swing. Just a point of view.

[TNAndy]

Originally Posted by Riversidesports

There are a variety of Sword cultures....
Smaller Barong ....

When I first searched for "Barong" all the images were of ornate shirts. Then I found this:
https://www.traditionalfilipinoweapons.com/
The belly on the barong pictured there looks a lot like my stomach--a little too rounded for my liking.

Lots of very cool swords and knives pictured there. Dunno if they are just for show or not, but the prices seem fairly reasonable.

Originally Posted by Riversidesports

A few points to remember

Full time Warriors historically were fed far better....

I'm sure.

But what I'm thinking is this is a what-if discussion. (In the real world, firearms do exist and most warriors are not routinely trained in hand-to-hand sharp-and-pointy anymore.) Assuming all other variables are equal for both opponents--well fed, well trained and highly experienced with their blades--what sword would be likely to win most of the time?

[TNAndy]

Originally Posted by gunplumber

Not sure why they'd call it impractical. It is also my favorite sword. It is better for close quarters where a longer blade would get hung up. Served the Romans well.

Wait... What? I'm not on your ignore list anymore?

The length of the artillery sword is about the same as the gladius, but these swords look quite different to me. The artillery sword is mostly straight except for the pointed tip where the gladius widens from the tip to about midway, then narrows toward the hilt.

One down-side to the Roman gladius was they were not made of steel. They didn't know how to make steel, so the gladius had a tendency to bend.

Also, as was mentioned above, the gladius was most effective when employed through the gaps in a shield wall and even more effective when there were pikemen behind the first few ranks of footmen. I think this strategy, alongside organization and discipline was how Rome became the Roman Empire.

[Bawana jim]

Forced to chose it would be a Cutlas.

"A*cutlass*is a short, broad*sabre*or slashing*sword, with a straight or slightly curved*blade*sharpened on the cutting edge, and a*hilt*often featuring a solid cupped or*basket-shaped*guard. It was a common naval weapon during the early*Age of Sail."


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutlass

[Whydah]

I have two traditional Nepal kukuris. One has a water buffalo handle while the second was outfitted more in a 'Desert Storm' configuration with a wooden handle. Both are fine blades and razor sharp. The wooden handled kukuri wanted to slip forward in your hand when chopping. I talked a friend to make and install a different handle. It now sports a homemade macarta handle, and it made a world of difference in how the blade now functions.

My Dad was on Iwo Jima, and as he told it he had a beautiful Japanese sword as a war trophy he was bringing home. As he described it, it was a few rungs above the normal Jap army blade. Japan had surrendered and requested swords having religious meaning be returned to them. Dad's trophy was confiscated. (Probably on some officer's den wall!)

[Bawana jim]

Some years back I bought a Japanese military sword from WWII, just to hang on the wall.It's the only sword I own.

[Trypcil]

Wydyah - does your wooden handled Kukri have the ridge in the middle? The purpose of that is, if your grip is correct - the ridge will fit between the middle and ring finger, thats why it is there - so you don't get a slide slice to the hand. Also the Kukri is primarily a chop/slash/mash style of weapon - tho' they are also a jabber - jabbing is perhaps the first stroke, followed by the chop. I have a No1 at 101/2" blade, handle in Buffalo - the Eagle variants do have a quillion of sorts to prevent the hand slice. This variety has both the ridge and cross! https://www.etsy.com/listing/7207799...kaAhFCEALw_wcB

I recommend anyone interested to get a 'genuine' Nepalese made blade, made by locals for the military. They are also available in longer lengths I have handled a 40" Kukri - too heavy for me, they are available in many sizes from tiny to huge.
And the Romans did have Iron - very expensive of course, they weren't privy tho' to the skills the Egyptians/Persians had - Tuts famous dagger, was made from meteorite! Roman Iron(wootz steel came from India), was for the rich! As Riverside' says the ore was from ferrous sands typically - the Indian/Chinese/ Japanese perfected the process, later the Damascus method became the force rigeur - upto Toledo steel which was Arab in origin, but in Spain!

[Riversidesports]

Originally Posted by Trypcil

Wydyah - does your wooden handled Kukri have the ridge in the middle? The purpose of that is, if your grip is correct - the ridge will fit between the middle and ring finger, thats why it is there - so you don't get a slide slice to the hand. Also the Kukri is primarily a chop/slash/mash style of weapon - tho' they are also a jabber - jabbing is perhaps the first stroke, followed by the chop. I have a No1 at 101/2" blade, handle in Buffalo - the Eagle variants do have a quillion of sorts to prevent the hand slice. This variety has both the ridge and cross! https://www.etsy.com/listing/7207799...kaAhFCEALw_wcB

I recommend anyone interested to get a 'genuine' Nepalese made blade, made by locals for the military. They are also available in longer lengths I have handled a 40" Kukri - too heavy for me, they are available in many sizes from tiny to huge.
And the Romans did have Iron - very expensive of course, they weren't privy tho' to the skills the Egyptians/Persians had - Tuts famous dagger, was made from meteorite! Roman Iron(wootz steel came from India), was for the rich! As Riverside' says the ore was from ferrous sands typically - the Indian/Chinese/ Japanese perfected the process, later the Damascus method became the force rigeur - upto Toledo steel which was Arab in origin, but in Spain!

Want a traditional military Kukri ?
Atlanta Cutlery still has piles of them that came in with the IMA buy out of the Palace in Nepal in both the later English spec as well as the much larger Long Leaf of the 19th century
These are ORIGINAL, not tourist builds & remain very reasonable for what they are.

Romans had tons of Iron, it was pretty cheap too
Barbarian Iron was largely derived from Bog dirt, incredibly low grade "ore"
Japan it was the ribbon of Black beach sand that wimmins and children harvested for the furnace/forge along the shorelines, mostly by bamboo tweezers a few granuales of Magnatite at a time
Same in the Phillipines

Africa had insanely Iron rich soil in Benin
They were smelting it before Caucasians were

The narrative on the origin of the Iron involved in Tut's two daggers has changed some rather recently with the discovery of both mines and furnaces well before that period in the Sinai
Plenty of debate over it all, many classical schooled Egyptolgists types seem extremely resistant but apparently there was a very early Iron kingdom there

Something to remember is classical Greek writers referred to Africa as the Land of Iron

other interesting points:

recent bronze age artifact studies have proven the source of the Tin was England based on Tin ingots recovered in ancient shipwreaks in the Med
The Copper sources were varied but it seems likely ancient Euros were involved in the mining of raw Native sources along the western Great Lakes
Tens of thousands of tons of raw native Copper seem to have been mined here...Where did it go ?

https://www.amusingplanet.com/2018/1...-boulders.html

When I was young Pops & I used to field hunt for nuggets, back in the 70s they were dead coomon while Native Copper culture items have ALWAYS been rare

anyways Atlanta has solid original Kukris as well as bare blades
the blades are like around $50 a pop and they carry replacement handles dirt cheap

scroll down to get to the vintage antique ones which really are not much more than reproductions:

https://www.atlantacutlery.com/search?q=kukri

[Whydah]

Originally Posted by Trypcil

Wydyah - does your wooden handled Kukri have the ridge in the middle? The purpose of that is, if your grip is correct - the ridge will fit between the middle and ring finger, thats why it is there - so you don't get a slide slice to the hand. Also the Kukri is primarily a chop/slash/mash style of weapon - tho' they are also a jabber - jabbing is perhaps the first stroke, followed by the chop. I have a No1 at 101/2" blade, handle in Buffalo - the Eagle variants do have a quillion of sorts to prevent the hand slice. This variety has both the ridge and cross! https://www.etsy.com/listing/7207799...kaAhFCEALw_wcB

I recommend anyone interested to get a 'genuine' Nepalese made blade, made by locals for the military. They are also available in longer lengths I have handled a 40" Kukri - too heavy for me, they are available in many sizes from tiny to huge.
And the Romans did have Iron - very expensive of course, they weren't privy tho' to the skills the Egyptians/Persians had - Tuts famous dagger, was made from meteorite! Roman Iron(wootz steel came from India), was for the rich! As Riverside' says the ore was from ferrous sands typically - the Indian/Chinese/ Japanese perfected the process, later the Damascus method became the force rigeur - upto Toledo steel which was Arab in origin, but in Spain!

No cross guard ever on the wooden handled one I have. The new handle has a swell on the bottom fitting the hand perfectly and keeping everything safe and in its place. I contacted a sheath maker who made an excellent leather sheath for my Black Jack 125 about doing a leather sheath for the kukuri. Currently the sheath is wood covered in a desert tan canvas.
I read a news article a while back about some thugs robbing passengers riding on a train somewhere over there who were attacked by an older passenger armed with a kurkuri. He did a number on the thugs in the confines of the rail car!

[Black Blade]

Two of my best "cutters" ...

[NFADLR]

Found this.

[garandguy10]

The "best" sword is the sword you are holding when you really need to be holding a sword...

[raubvogel]

No Cossack swords? I guess they charged enemies with angry wagging fingers.

[starbuck]

I like the old roman or greek style swords. There was an ancient katana at a local museum I saw. I was impressed by the sharpness of the lines on the blade. Like a 400 year old giant razor. I've never seen anything like it. Its not the most practical but if I needed to use a blade on someone I think I'd take the corn knife. Go with what your comfortable with.

[raubvogel]

IMHO, the best sword is the one you are comfortable and efficient with.

[Bawana jim]

Originally Posted by raubvogel

IMHO, the best sword is the one you are comfortable and efficient with.

Probably true but nobody practices with a sword.

[bill3542]

I have a Philippine Bolo that was made from a truck spring. the hand grip appears to be animal horn, brass tang and about 5 and 1/2 inches long. The blade has a double curve at the top along with being thick, heavy and coming to a point.

length of the blade is close to 15 inches and appears well made in the Lahot pattern. it's seen some use and yes it's sharp as hell.

The elderly gentleman who give it to me said it came from Mindanao in the late 1950s, my biggest gripe is these people must have small hands, the grip could be about 25% larger.

It also came with a hand stitched leather sheath that's coming apart with age.

[NFADLR]

Love the sign..

[SWOHFAL]

Originally Posted by raubvogel

No Cossack swords? I guess they charged enemies with angry wagging fingers.

[SWOHFAL]

Originally Posted by Bawana jim

Forced to chose it would be a Cutlas.

"A*cutlass*is a short, broad*sabre*or slashing*sword, with a straight or slightly curved*blade*sharpened on the cutting edge, and a*hilt*often featuring a solid cupped or*basket-shaped*guard. It was a common naval weapon during the early*Age of Sail."


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutlass

Cold Steel has a good one, but it is heavy.

[Tak]

Isn't the choice of sword highly dependent upon the type of enemy one would face?

Given that in the modern era, one is not very likely to face an armored opponent, a sword that allows one to strike and recover quickly would see the most advantageous to have.

[Uriah Lee]

For the price point, Cold Steel's German Langes Messer (or Long Knife), presents itself as a fine one handed fighting weapon. It's short length makes it short enough for fast handling, yet be very effective for a slashing or thrusting attack. The Grosse Messer on the other hand is a two handed, longer fighting blade. Granted, Cold Steel isn't noted as the best sword smith out there. But considering the price, they do make a decent blade for someone looking for something more than just a wall hanger.

[Riversidesports]

Originally Posted by bill3542

I have a Philippine Bolo that was made from a truck spring. the hand grip appears to be animal horn, brass tang and about 5 and 1/2 inches long. The blade has a double curve at the top along with being thick, heavy and coming to a point.

length of the blade is close to 15 inches and appears well made in the Lahot pattern. it's seen some use and yes it's sharp as hell.

The elderly gentleman who give it to me said it came from Mindanao in the late 1950s, my biggest gripe is these people must have small hands, the grip could be about 25% larger.

It also came with a hand stitched leather sheath that's coming apart with age.

That sounds right for age.

Philippinos are not born small, lack of nutrition makes them that way

Early 19th century blades fit my plus Six foot hand
Tourist blades are much smaller for smaller peoples

I personally know two who were adopted as babies, both are over six foot tall
all childhood nutrition

I'll try to do a pic this weekend with my hand so folks can gauge what size of folks the Warriors actually were using several very early examples
I'm roughly six two
tourist items are indeed quite a bit smaller in grip

[0302]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SNiDoYrIyhc

Swords are geh

[hueyville]

A sword never runs out of ammo so has its place but I would prefer a medium size Stihl chainsaw with longest bar and chain can put on it.

[TNAndy]

I'm thinking a basket hilt like this or similar to this:


...could be mated with a katana. Or perhaps even this:


This sword is from the movie "300". It's not historical, but it does have the forward weight and angle similar to the kukri. It would be effective both thrusting and slashing like a katana. Once again, I'd extend the grip so the sword could be used two handed. With the additional weight of the extended pommel and the basket hilt, that could help balance the sword. I probably would not extend the basket to protect the hand gripping the pommel. I think it might get in the way of the ability to get different grip postions.