Early Swordsmanship blogs on Shirespace

[R.D.Metcalf]

I'm currently writing a blog series entitled 'Early Swordsmanship' regarding the use of the Early Medieval/ "viking" sword if anyone wishes to contribute comments or co-write, offer their expertise etc. please visit my Shirespace page a leave your thought in the comment area of my blog.

So far I have written an intro to the Early sword and rambled a bit on gripping the sword and basic cutting mechanics citing some combat relevent examples as to why such might important. My blogs do assume a familiarity with the German tradition.

I invite all WMA enthusiasts to post their thoughts as I feel putting forth our experiences and opinions as a community is the only way we will ever have a chance to recreate such a fragmented tradition. Granted I realize we will never know specifics but I believe we can get close basing our knowledge in the periods for which we do have documentation and applying that knowledge to the earlier era.

I've long held the deep conviction that early swordsmanship was every bit as refined and evolved as later traditions, frankly the lighter armour of the period would add weight to that hypothesis...Survival would demand.

http://community.shirespace.com/TwoSwords

Thanks in advance to any and all contributors

[R.D.Metcalf]

By the by, I'm also planning some longsword articles as well if anyone wants to collaborate we could post both here and on the rangers blog at shirespace. If anyone is interested dont be shy, we are all students and all thoughts, opinions, musings and experiences would be welcome

[Eric C]

I would LOVE to help out!!! It's just that I have no swordsmanship experience yet.
But I'm hoping to start working on that soon.

[R.D.Metcalf]

Everyone is welcome, whenever your ready feel free to jump in.

[Greg]

I'm working through some dagger techniques with the knife I got through the MRL Deal of the Day, so I'll get back to you with some input shortly.

[R.D.Metcalf]

Sounds great!

[dwayne davis]

Perhaps even some sword tecniques utilizing the hand ax in the off hand in place of the sheild.

[Greg]

Does anyone who's spent any time going through i:33 agree that a hand axe/hatchet/tomahawk could be used similarly in place of the buckler for 'the bind' and other means of protecting the sword hand, as well as offensively? I haven't spent enough time in i:33 to really understand it...it's a little hard to follow without a partner to work through it with, considering the wording and all.

In other news, for those who are working on some techniques, here's something I'm planning on making a variation on soon for training work:

http://www.truefork.org/DragonPreservat ... uckler.php

Look around that page's links on the left. Lots of good pics on interpretations of Talhoffer's Dagger techniques.

[R.D.Metcalf]

I've done some experiments with my axe and sword. And the conclusion I've come to is that it does have some utility in limited scenarios.

The initial guard I adopted with these weapons was left foot leading with the sword chambered in Vom tag and the axe in pflug, because the axe has no guard defensive actions are limited to cutting into your adverseries weapon while passing in with an oberhau with the sword.

I've also dropped the axe into a hanging guard, what Silver called Bastard Guardant to ward a blow or thrust again while attacking with the sword to the high line.

In Kreig at the bind provided your adversary is armed single, that is he only has a sword you can do alot of damage to the lowline with your axe again this presupposes he has nothing to parry you with and doesnt wind at the sword.

In my own experiments these actions are reliant on an aggressive opponent, and Ringeck warns about the consequences of relying too
much on defense. So the axe and sword combination become much like English Broadsword in that you advance under guard and rely heavily on being able to parry. the actions are also more linear than I personally like and while much has been made of "hooking" with the axe. I've found this to be dangerous, first because from the bind your man can wind and thrust you through the shoulder/back as you lean in to hew with the axe,slipping the leg and outreaching you, because of the length of the weapon. Second if he disengages your sword he can strike your exposed arm again by outreaching your lowline attack.

However, on the subject of double armed fighting I have found one great method that does work well to prevent a larger man from grappling you in longsword bouts as well as for getting out of binds quickly, with what I call a "backyard berserkr", keep a small knife/dagger simulator. Bind hard at the sword, the average backyard berserkr will meet force with force, and their ox like strength is amazing, now draw your knife/dagger with your left and slice his wrists and any other openings hes forgotten while trying to bulldoze his way over you, if he drops his sword to grapple in kreig so much the better, slice him

The words of Christ to Judas at the last supper apply here: "That thou doest...Do it quickly" This technique may seem like cheating...and it technically is...but always remember this little rhyme:
"Goodness is no virtue, when some (blank) is trying to hurt you"

[Mirimaran]

"Goodness is no virtue, when some (blank) is trying to hurt you"

For some reason, I want to see that in needlepoint

LOVE that dagger defense idea! Makes the idea of wearing bracers or some sort of wrist protection all the more important. Must look for some nice curved piece of death to carry now....

Thanks for the tip and enjoying the posts!

[R.D.Metcalf]

Thanks, Ken. I came up with that in freeplay because wrestling at the sword is not my a strongpoint for me. While the Ringen/wrestlings look easy and they are with a cooperative opponent, a resisting opponent is going to be a different tale. If anyone saw Dave Rawlings sparring with Terry Schappert (SP) on the history channels 'Warrior' episode you'll notice Dave did not manage to throw Terry, had Terry started hitting him with the pommel of his weapon/ fist or had a knife/dagger he would've "killed" Dave, IMO. I would never thrown my sword away to wrestle, especially to wrestle special forces veteran. I'm not trying to armchair quarterback, because I really enjoy watching Dave in action, but I thought this bout was a good way to show the possibilities and to show that size does matter, some guys just aint goin' down without massive trauma.


just as aside Dave is a great martial artist check out boars tooth fight school for his I.33 dvds and training swords.

In case you havent guessed, Dave Rawlins is one of my WMA heros!

[dwayne davis]

You know, i am no expert by any means of the word when it comes to swordsmanship. but i do experience allot of modern hand 2 hand fighting in my line of work. i can tell you for a fact that R.D. 's motto has more merrit than most can imagen. when two people are involved in an altercation especialy when it is life and death, the only thing you are worried about is putting them down as quickly as you can. because the longer you hang in that fight the more chances you have of being seriously hurt or killed.

I have seen men die fron a knife in the artery of the leg, just as fast as one in the throat. ( just my injection of reality. perhaps out of place, but offered for informational benefitt)