This thread has nothing to do with guns.

YES; I see potential there.

Swords are good!

One handed? Two handed? Bastard swords? Oriental or medieval?

The spatha is dangerous.
Your hand coud get hurt.
There 's not much of a hilt.





David

Katana is probably best.

I love your poem David.

The tip of the blade
cuts quick through the silk screen on
the Night of the sword

ART will be served.





David

Haikus are easy
But sometimes they don't make sense
Refrigerator

So, listen, haiku
involves words lined up in space.
Please don't knock haiku.

The Romans stuck with the bronze gladius for centuries and centuries, because it suited their tactical doctrine. However, a long sword was not an anachronism. For example, when Caesar invaded Gaul, the Kelts were using long swords (their metallurgy, by the way, was superior to that of the Romans).

Ah!

I was never sure if they favored a short sword because of tactics and tight formations, or if the metallurgy dictated the tactics.

Well, their metallurgy was poor in comparison to the Kelts--but they favored the gladius for reasons of tactical doctrine. Because they moved in closely packed ranks, if their line was broken, it was far easier to weild the gladius. When Caesar fought the Kelts in Gaul, and they were rushed by them, weilding long swords, they would press forward to inhibit their enemies use of the long sword. The gladius was in use from the foundation of the city (alleged to have been 754 BCE) until well into the fifth century CE--more than 1200 years. The gladius was made from bronze, and you can hammer bronze to repair the edge without heating it up. Bronze also does not easily corrode. From point of view of maintenance, too, the gladius was superior

Two handed Wallace