At least one version of the spear is found at some point in the history of every human culture. In its simpler forms, it is easy to make, easy to learn relative to other weapons, and deadly. Early versions were a simple sharpened stick. The first improvement was fire hardening the point. Later versions had […]
Real Steel: The Spear Read More »
The kwaiken is like a dagger. It’s a type of small tanto, historically carried by both men and women of the samurai class. As with the tetsu no bo (kanabo), I’m having a hard time finding a reliable translation. Kwaiken literally translates to “chest knife” or “bosom knife,” but whether or not the literal translation
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Throughout history, as armor evolved so did the weapons intended to defeat it. Plate armor was an incredible force on the battlefield, although it was expensive and relatively rare. It was to the medieval battlefield what the tank was to the WWI front lines: when first introduced it was nearly impossible to stop. Contrary to
Real Steel: The Estoc Read More »
The tetsubo is a fairly obscure but interesting weapon that almost no one had heard of until very recently. Its place in history is a bit sketchy, and it’s difficult to find reliable information on the tetsubo, also called the kanabo, but its place in Japanese mythology is solid. While I know a bit of
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The Danish axe—also called the Dane axe and the great axe—is one of the better-known Norse weapons. Although perhaps not as uniquely Norse as the bearded axe, most military history buffs and many fantasy fans can identify it accurately. The forging techniques and basic construction are very similar to the bearded axe, but both the
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Of all the bladesmithing processes, the one surrounded by the most mystery, the process that has spawned the most legend and myth, is unquestionably forge folding. Forge folding, the process that yields folded steel, is a general term to describe several different processes that different cultures have used since steel was first made. The physics
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