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BASTARD SWORD

Bastard swords were developed as a form of long-sword in the mid-1400's. This type of sword had specially shaped grips for one or two hands and usually had side-rings and finger rings to protect the hand. Bastard swords also had a more tapered, narrowly pointed blade. This unique sword is also called a Hand-and-a-Half sword. Originally a European sword, the Bastard Sword was used into the late 14th and 15th centuries by knights and men-at-arms alike. Interestingly enough, the executioner's sword of the 16th century was inspired by the Bastard Sword design. The strong and fearless Swiss and Germans originally carried these early weapons, although Bastard Swords soon became popular in other regions the British Isles and Europe. The Blade is around 2" wide and 42" long Overall This style of sword was much used by the German man at arms of the late 15th century. It is depicted in many illustrations of knights from the late 15th and early 16th centuries, "A Knight, Death and the Devil" by Albrecht Dürer being one of the most famous. In fact many of Dürer's Knights carry such a sword. The Bastard Sword receives its interesting name from its design. The length of the blade was not much longer than that of a simple long sword, yet one could hold the weapon in two hands (the grip fit about one and a half hands). Basically, the sword couldn't really be categorized as either a one or two-handed weapon, making it a bastard as far as swords are concerned

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BOLTS

A quarrel is the technical term for a crossbow bolt. Since a quarrel is not just an arrow, the bolts have different characteristics. They fall at the same rate, independent of the speed of flight. An arrow, in contrast depends on gaining lift in flight, Lift consists of the sum of all the aerodynamic forces normal to the direction of the external airflow and are made so the balance point is about 9% of the length forward of the center point if the arrow. This is called "point plaining". Crossbows of medieval and renaissance design were very inefficient devices. Modern tests indicate that armour-piercing bolts, while heavier than war arrows, achieved about the same velocity (130-40 fps) from a 700 lb. draw crossbow as an arrow did from an 80 lb. draw longbow. The initial velocity imparted to a crossbow bolt is governed by the velocity of the bow tips as the bolt and string part company. Despite their heavy draw weights, medieval laths were too massive to accelerate rapidly. This was made worse by short draw lengths, which reduced the time available for the tips to accelerate. In addition, the massive bowstrings required for such heavy draw weights robbed energy from the bolt. Balanced against these faults is the higher ballistic coefficient of the short, heavy crossbow bolt, as compared with an arrow. This meant that crossbows often could shoot further and hit harder than hand bows.

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BROADSWORD

The term "broadsword" seems to have originated in the 17th century, referring to a double-edged military sword, with a complex hilt. The now popular misnomer "broadsword" is a term for medieval blades that actually originated with Victorian collectors in the early 19th century. The term is popularly used by museum curators, collectors, and fight directors alike.
Some common characteristics of broadswords include a straight, wide, double-edged blade that is designed for cutting, but is capable of piercing armour. It tends to have a simple hilt and a pommel to counterbalance the blade. The most common form of the broadsword is actually the bastard sword.
The typical knight was something far from what he is portrayed as in modern fantasy. He was rude, crude, and vulgar. And usually he was encased in metal. Chain mail, plate mail, and all other suits of armour. To kill him, one typically used two blades -- a broadsword to bash the opponent to the ground, and a dagger that was hammered through the fallen warrior's visor with the hilt of the broadsword. This set the pattern for blade combat for centuries to come.
These two heavy blades became lighter as people began to realize how silly all that extra metal was. By taking off his armour, a man became faster, and could often defeat his more heavily armoured foe. However, if you went up against a warrior who had also left his armour at home, you were both on even ground again. Without the armour to protect your hide, you needed to be able to use your sword not only to kill, but also to defend. This began the era of finesse, when swords became lighter and faster. Blades got thinner to the point of edgeless ness -- there wasn't enough blade to put an edge on. The dual blade fighting style was still used at first. The broadsword became a smaller bastard sword or one-handed, and the dagger became a poniard. Later, the dagger was dispensed with, and the rapier and light saber came into its own.

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CLUB

Earlier than the spear was the development of the simple club. A heavy rod weapon used to bludgeon an opponent. Effective clubs were made from the ball root of a tree. The ball root develops when the root system of a tree hangs over a stream bank in such a way as to expose the roots and cause them to grow at an angle. This weapon is literally used to bludgeon (club) victims into submission and come in varying shaped and sizes (a chair leg could be considered a club) there are many different types and looks of clubs around the world. Native American clubs are also made from the roots of trees and were designed to look like the hip and leg bones of a human.

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DAGGER/DIRK

The dagger is short bladed, held in one hand, and while used primarily for thrusting, many would also cut in the manner of a domestic knife. One of the basic ways to kill or wound is to stab. The dagger is the simplest stabbing weapon.
The dagger is a short stabbing knife, ostensibly the diminutive of the sword, though in ancient and medieval times the distinction between a long dagger and a short sword was often obscure. From approximately 1300 the European dagger was consistently differentiated from the sword; in the 16th century a school of fencing developed in which a specially designed dagger with a large guard was held in the left hand and used for parrying. A wide variety of hilt and metal blade shapes are found in daggers from all parts of the world. Types very in accordance with their function, how they are worn and the technology of each society. Daggers very in length from around 15 cm (6 inches) to 50 cm (20 inches). At the longer end of the scale, the dagger begins to blend with the short sword.

Its convenient size made the dagger inconspicuous to wear and easy to draw, giving it advantages over the sword in many situations. The types include the wavy-bladed Malayan kris, the short, curved kukri used by the Gurkhas, the Hindu katar with its flat triangular blade, as well as innumerable others.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary a "dirk" is a kind of long dagger, especially of the Scottish Highlands, and is derived from the word "durk", this term being of unknown origin. The Encyclopaedia Britannica describes the dirk as a Scottish, general-purpose fighting knife that rose to popularity among the working classes during the 17th and 18th centuries. The weapon probably evolved from the earlier ballock or kidney knife. The hilt and blade became progressively longer during the two centuries up to 1850, from which date is no longer used except for ceremonial purposes.

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DOUBLE FLAIL

Originating from a threshing tool, the flail as a weapon that took several forms. The piece illustrated here was made to be used in by two hands while fighting on foot and was also called a Dire flail. This highly gothic example of a hand flail shows the brutish aspects off medieval weapons. The unique links of the chain are sculpted with two rows of spikes on their outer edge. The right angle links also allow for a sinuous flow of the head and chain when in motion. The grip is topped by a ring and butted by a turned finial. Use of this weapon resembled the three sectional staff.

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FALCHIAN

Toledo, Spain has forged some of the most spectacular and devastating arms in the world. The extraordinary hardness and superior quality of Toledo's steel has proved itself amongst European armies and expert swordsmen. Kings from all parts of the world had swords forged in Toledo.
The origin of Toledo swords dates back to more than 2,000 years ago, in the 5th century B.C. where Iberian blacksmiths were already forging swords known as Falchian (falcate in Spanish). These swords contained an iron blade inside and a special design that increased the bluntness of the slash. These swords were chosen by Hannibal for his army and later adopted by the Roman legions.
It is not easy to make such an exceptional weapon: hard steel and high contents of carbon and soft steel must be simultaneously forged at very high temperatures to achieve a superior weapon. As the fame of Toledo swords grew, forgeries appeared as well. Nothing could equal Toledan steel, however, and swords hailing from Toledo were sure to be of highest quality.

San Fernando the III was a great swordsman from Toledo, Spain. The son of King Alphonse IX of Leon and Queen Berenguela of Castilla, Fernando unified both kingdoms under his crown and also conquered Sevillla and Cordoba. His son, Alphonse, also supposedly possessed his father’s great sword skills. In one of his books, Alphonse emphasized four values that each swordsman should bear: Good sense, Strength, Prudence, and Justice.

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FLAIL (HEAVY/LIGHT)

The flail was a deadly medieval age weapon used in military warfare, however many flails were also used to administer punishment for crimes against the state and church. Also called Holy Water Sprinklers, this deadly medieval weapon was also used to administer punishment for crimes against state and church. One of its most famous users was the Spanish inquisition.

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GLAIVE

Essentially an 18” butcher knife on a 6 - 7’ pole, the Glaive (Glafe) was an axe like pole arm with a broad flat blade with an arched cutting edge narrowing to a point. . Used mainly as a herald's weapon, after the middle of the 16th century the Glaive became purely a decorative weapon. The blunt side of the blade often had a hook or a crescent shaped smaller blade and the base of blade also had two triangular blades to help prevent an enemies weapon sliding off the main blade and up the shaft. A broad-bladed, single-edged pole arm.

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GUISARME

Also called the gisarme or bisarme. A medieval European pole arm used predominantly between the 11th and 15th centuries, the guisarme had a long curved bladed edged on the concave side, with a slender spear point opposite it. The guisarme could be used to thrust at an oncoming opponent, slash, and even topple a rider (in the hands of an expert).

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HAND CROSSBOW

Sporting crossbows of the 17th to 19th centuries were used for formal target competitions and hunting. Aperture sights and set triggers were usually present on target crossbows. Bow irons and similar fittings for securing the lath replaced the sinew bridle. Hand crossbows became popular for small game hunting and informal target shooting, using a double bowstring with a leather pouch to launch a lead, clay or stone balls. The barrelled crossbow or slur bow also shot round balls, using a conventional bowstring and a tubular barrel.
The crossbow was (and in some cases still is) a popular hunting weapon in Southern Asia and parts of Africa. The construction used in both areas is similar in that a relatively weak wood lath is mounted to a straight stock with a bolt track. The latch is simply a notch in the stock; the trigger is a peg that is pushes the string out of the notch from below. On some examples, the stock is horizontally split for part of its length, so that pressing the two halves together pushes the trigger peg upward. Since bolts from these crossbows have little kinetic energy, they are invariably poisoned. Bolts are slivers of hardwood or bamboo, usually with simple leaf fletchings.

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HEAVY CROSSBOW

The crossbow goes back at least as far as the sixth century BC in China, though bows and arrows were used for hunting (and probably for war) as early as Palaeolithic times. The Romans knew of the crossbow but its use was not widespread in Europe until the end of the first millennium. It was supposed to have come to or been reintroduced to Britain with William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. For the next century at least armies all over the continent had crossbowmen. Pope Innocent II called the crossbowman’s skill a ‘deadly art, hated by God’.
A crossbow had a wooden stock, with the bow – which could be made of wood, iron or steel – crossing it. The string was pulled back by a lever, then the bolt or quarrel was laid in a groove on the top of the stock and the trigger was pulled. The crossbow could fire as far as 350–400 yards (much further than the longbow) but the rate of fire was slow. It was easier to use than the longbow, which eventually replaced it from the thirteenth century. The advantage of the longbow was that it was able to fire many more shots – as many as six or seven other arrows could be shot from it while the first arrow was still in the air.
By Richard I's time, crossbows were probably made of a composite of horn, wood and tendon to stop them being so liable to break or warp. The bow was coated with glue or skin covered with varnish to keep the damp out and to keep the inside soft and pliable. The bow would have been strung by hand. There was a rounded strip of wood along the top, which had two or three notches at different depths to rest the thumb, which could then be lined up with an upright edge of the head of the bolt, which formed the front and back sight.
Richard I’s army had both crossbows and longbows. Richard encouraged the use of the crossbow but it would have been used more by small groups of elite guards. Ironically, Richard died from the consequence of being shot by a crossbow bolt at Chalus Castle near Limoges. When the bolt was removed from his left shoulder, gangrene set in. King John (1167–1216) had crossbowmen in his garrisons, though one of the clauses of the Magna Carta sought to banish all foreign crossbowmen.
By the end of the thirteenth century use of the crossbow had declined – it was being replaced by the longbow. At the Battle of Agincourt (1415) only a relative handful of the soldiers were crossbowmen while there were as many as 5,000 longbow men. However, in Europe, the crossbow continued to be the preferred weapon until the end of the fifteenth century.
The most common latch mechanism was a rotating nut of bone, ivory or antler. To achieve greater power, massive "composite" laths made from sinew, horn or baleen, and wood came into use; these were shorter and much stiffer than earlier wood laths. As draw weights increased, new methods and devices for spanning had to be employed, which included the cord and pulley, belt claw, "goat's foot", bending lever, cranequin and windlass. Steel laths later provided even greater power. Spanning devices made reloading a slow process compared with hand bows. Crossbows were more useful for hunting and siege craft than in open battle, where their slow rate of fire was a serious handicap.

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Javelin

Egyptian Natives could cast this with amazing accuracy at a distance of 30 to 50 yards. The Greeks and Romans attached a leather thong to the centre of their javelins.
It was called a "Amentum". A warrior placed his forefinger in the amentum. This accelerated the speed of the cast.
The Melanesian islanders used an accelerator also, but this type remained in the throwers hand. For without the "Ounkp", an enemy could not cast it back at him.
A javelin was carried as the main strike weapon (hasta) of the Romans It was approximately six feet long with a leaf shaped spearhead made of iron. Not initially intended for throwing it was a stabbing and thrusting weapon. Smaller javelin (laceae) was used for throwing and a quiver of these would be slung over the saddle horn for the cavalryman to withdraw as necessary. Javelin throwing (due to its Greco-roman origins) is an Olympic game.

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KATAR

This knuckle-duster type weapon is used for close range fighting. Some warriors would carry this weapon to clean up when a wounded attacker goes down. Older warriors would carry this weapon because of its lightweight. This weapon has two possible origins. One lies in the idea that it was used on board fishing boats while pulling the net in so the net would not cut into the hand. The other was the use of a horseshoe simply put into the hand and used to punch with. The first one was made out of wood while the other was made, of course, out of metal. These weapons employ blocking, striking, grabbing, and joint locking.

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LANCE (HEAVY/LIGHT)

The lance is a pole weapon based on the pattern of the spear but adapted for mounted combat. The lance is perhaps most known as one of the foremost weapons used by european knights, but the use of lances were spread throughout the old world wherever mounts were available.
A lance is also the name given by some paleontologists to the light flexible spears thrown by spear throwers. In Europe, lances for jousting were much different from the weapons used in war. In jousting lances, the tips would be blunt and the center of the lance could be designed to be hollow, in order for it to break on impact. In war, lances were much more like ordinary spears, long and balanced for one handed use.
Jousting is a competition between two knights on horse-back, wherein each knight tries to knock the other off his mount. Jousting was popular in medieval times, although it is still performed in Renaissance fairs. The knghts are each equipped with three weapons; a lance, a one handed sword, and a rondel. When one knight knocks the other off of his mount, he is declared the winner of the round. If both knights are knocked off their mounts at the same time, it is considered a tie; they then engage in sword combat, and the last standing is victorious. The knights usually jousted in a best out of three situation. The reward of the tournament was the hand of his choice of lady.
Modern-day jousting competitions feature riders on horseback attempting to thread a lance through a ring.

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LONGSPEAR

The man at arms a Term used in the middle ages to describe mounted soldiers (latin homines ad arma), sometimes including all such troops, but more often to define a category of mounted soldier one step below the Knight, the group of men sometimes know as the esquire. The most common weapon of this kind of soldier during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance was the spear. Spears were commonly used for many of the same reasons as axes (ease of construction, affordable).
A spear is made of two parts, a shaft and a tip. The shaft is normally made from wood, sometimes with a handgrip and can vary in length depending on the use (a shorter shaft is more common for throwing spears). The tip of a spear is made from steel, either hammered on or riveted to the shaft. Tips can be designed purely for thrusting or they can have a large leaf blade that allows for cutting. Some- times the tips can even have multiple points and blades.

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LONGSWORD

A medieval sword was called a "sword," a "short sword" or an "arming sword." Medieval swords consisted of two types: a short sword with a pointed end that was used with one hand and a heavy two-handed sword with a rounded end. The best blades were made by the Arabs in Damascus and Toledo, Spain during the middle Ages.
The typical form of medieval swords was a single hand weapon used for hacking, shearing cuts and limited thrusting. Over time, the medieval sword became more tapered and rigid to accommodate thrusting. Also a series of protective rings were added to the hilt to protect the hand. This led to the birth of the "side sword," also known as the "cut and thrust".
This highly personal weapon attained symbolic importance; surrendering one's sword could mean submission. A custom developed where taking a warrior's sword and breaking the blade when he was dismissed from service in disgrace arose because a sword is the mark of an officer and a gentleman. During the Crusades and afterwards, the sword was often used to symbolize the Cross because of its shape. The sword is now obsolete as a weapon and is carried in some military units for decorative purposes for ceremonies
In construction the blade is the length of steel that forms the sword (which can be further broken down into 6 parts). The hilt is the handle of the sword and is usually made from leather, wire or wood. The guard is the metal piece that keeps an opponent's sword from sliding over the hilt and cutting your hand. Last but not least, the pommel is the end of the sword that the hilt is on. Pommels are usually larger than the hilt and help to keep the sword from sliding out of your hand

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MACE

Maces are one of the human race's oldest weapons. These crude and simple weapons can be traced back to the stone-topped club. Medieval maces are actually metal versions of clubs and evolved into the symbols of kings and popes alike, as sceptres.
The medieval mace was an armour-fighting weapon that developed from a steel ball on a wooden handle to an all steel war club. Medieval maces are also symbols of power from ancient times.
Light weight and easy to use with one hand, the mace was a favourite symbol among clerics. A strike from a medieval mace can knock the wind out of the enemy and give more time to strike back before they can strike back. Used for quick attacks a mace can keep enemies on the defensive during a battle.

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MORNING STAR

The morning star is a medieval weapon that consists of a spiked ball on the end of a chain attached to a pole. It is a derivative of the mace.
A combatant would swing the ball on the pole around his head and attempt to strike his opponent with it, often with deadly force.
Sometimes, instead of one large spiked ball, the pole was attached with 3 spiked metal balls connected in chains. This modification is called "flail". The flail was most used in the 13th century to the 15th century.

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PICK

Since well into ' BC', man has fashioned horn and bone into tools, household ware, jewellery and weapons.
As far back as 18000 BC man apparently busied himself carving ivory - presumably after he had chased, captured and eaten the host animal.
Later on in the course of man's development he would use antlers as knives, arrow heads as well as picks (or pick axes) eventually the pick axe was to be so important that a modern army man was rarely without his entrenching tool (shovel) or pick-mattock for breaking ground and digging foxholes.

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POLEARM

A pole weapon is a close combat weapon with the main fighting part of the weapon placed on the end of a long shaft, typically of wood. The use of pole weapons is very old, and the first spears date to the stone age. The purpose of using pole weapons is to either increase angular momentum, and thus striking power, when the weapon is swung, or extending reach. Pole weapons are relatively cheap and simple to make, and they were fairly easy for most people to use effectively as they were often derived from hunting or agricultural tools.
Spears were probably first used as hunting weapons, either for thrusting or for throwing; the ability to strike the prey from a relatively safe distance no doubt appealing to the hunters. It was likely recognized almost immediately that they were also most useful against predators and other humans.
Massed men carrying pole weapons with pointed tips (spears, pikes, etc.) were recognized fairly early in the history of organized warfare as effective military units. On defense the men holding the spears were hard to reach; on the attack, as in the Macedonian phalanx, they were devastating to those units which could not get out of the way.
With the advent of armored fighters, especially cavalry, pole weapons frequently combined the spearpoint (for thrusting) with an axe- or hammer-head (for a swinging strike which could pierce or break armor).
Pole weapons include the spear, the lance, the halberd, the pike, the naginata, the scythe, the poleax, the bill, the long war hammer and many, many more.
Pole weapons have largely been superseded by firearms. However, the bayonet attachment for a modern assault rifle can still be regarded as a form of pole weapon.

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QUARTERSTAFF

The art of the English quarterstaff, once used throughout England as a method of self-defense, is now extinct. The art of using the quarterstaff passed into oblivion with the advent of modern warfare early in the 20th century, with the Boy Scouts being the last-known practitioners.
As a means of self-defense the quarterstaff was once held in high esteem, especially in the rural districts of old England. Common folk, unable to afford expensive weapons, were well versed in the art. The weapon was used among the populace for settling brawls as well as for self-defense. And its use became a popular sport. Annual com- petitions were held at local festivals, where both nobleman and commoner could compete and win honours. Prizes were awarded to the champions of the day, usually netting the winner livestock or small purses of coins.
Because of its simple nature and the need of only basic skills, the quarterstaff was readily taught at the many martial art schools of "fence" found throughout the Middle Ages. These schools taught the fundamental elements of foot soldiery, self-defense and the use of weapons, much as do the local karate schools of today.
Tales of valour concerning the use of the quarterstaff as an instrument of self-defense are found throughout English folklore. The legendary outlaw hero Robin Hood, who purportedly was expert at the longbow and quarterstaff as well as at wrestling, is the focus of some better-known tales.
Of the many ballads written about him, one tells of his valiant battle with Arthur-a-Bland. Both men, using quart- terstaffs more than eight feet long, struggled for more than two hours, dealing such heavy blows that "all the wood rang with every bang."
Another tale concerning Robin Hood tells of his encounter with Little John. Both men, again using stout quarterstaffs, contested the right of way on a log over the local creek. The contest ended when Little John, an accomplished quarterstaff expert, turned the tables on Robin Hood by knocking him into the creek. Both men became fast friends, and the rest of their adventures are now legendary.
One of the most stirring tales in English quarterstaff history occurred November 15, 1625, at Sherries, Spain. A gentleman named Peecke, from Tavystock in Devonshire, pitted his quarterstaff skills against three experts with rapiers and poniards (a type of dagger) in the presence of Spanish royalty. In the match that followed, Peecke defeated all three opponents, which attested to his expertise, but also to the effectiveness of his quarterstaff art.

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RANSEUR

The ranseur, the "hilted pole arm", is essentially a spear with a hilt. The hilt served primarily to block opponent’s weapons, and possibly trap the weapon for disarming. The hilt was sometimes also used secondarily as an alternate way to attack. The hilt often hooked backwards also, so that it could be used as a hook. The ranseur was probably an all around better weapon than the guisarme (another French pole arm).

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RAPIER

These super-light, super-fast swords are what one pictures when one envisions the great European swordsmen. Dancing back and forth, blades moving too fast for the eye to follow, this was the ultimate in "artful" fighting. A gentleman needn't even break a sweat, if he was good enough. He could stand still and keep his enemy at arm's length. While one could be brutal and imposing with a broadsword, it took one of these lighter blades to be "suave". This is of course fictional and a romanticised view. Contrary to popular belief, rapier combat was not a gentleman's affair. Kicks and punches were common and it frequently ended in grappling with both combatants drawing their daggers and stabbing each other to death. Historically, rapiers were often used in combination with a buckler or a dagger in the off hand. These bucklers often feature a prominent spike and come in a wider variety of shapes than the older bucklers used with a single-handed sword.
A Rapier consists of a blade, quillons, a guard, a handle and a pommel. The blade is generally a steel rod with a sharpened tip and not really a sharp edged blade as such. Quillons extend from the sides of the guard and are used mostly for binding and controlling the opponent's blade. Guard styles are quite varied but fall into three main categories; cup, shell and cage. Rapier handles are held with one or two fingers wrapped over the guard and the thumb running along the length of the blade.

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REPEATING CROSSBOW

Another type of crossbow used by the Chinese since at least 210 B.C. was a repeating design with a gravity-fed box magazine! The magazine was situated above the bolt track. When the lever at the rear of the crossbow was first raised and then lowered, the box moved forward, caught the string in a wooden recess and drew it to full cock, dropped a bolt into the track and released the string. These crossbows were neither powerful nor accurate, but they could launch a bolt every second or two until the magazine emptied. Poison was usually smeared on the points to increase their lethality.
In 1307 AD William Tell refused to bow towards a hat placed on a pole as a sign of imperial power and was ordered to shoot an apple off of his son's head. (He was known as an expert crossbowman.) He succeeded in shooting the apple, leaving his son untouched. It was also said that he had another crossbow bolt hidden and, if he had failed to shoot the apple and had killed his own son, he would have quickly reloaded in order to kill the official who had ordered him to shoot the apple off of his son's head.
In 1346 AD The French army included crossbow men. Their crossbows were fitted with cranks used to draw back the bowstrings. During the Battle of Crecy, Edward III of England led his army against the French. The French were defeated when the previous day's rain weakened their bowstrings, which misfired or snapped completely during battle. The English had kept their bowstrings dry by putting them under their helmets during the rain.

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SAP

The "Palm Sap" was a cylinder of lead encased in leather and had a strap so you could secure it in your palm with the strap going around the back of your hand. Police Officers used to simply love these types of Saps because when used in front of other "Tough Guys," it looks like someone being knocked out by being slapped open handed. If the Officer kept the "secret" well, he would develop a reputation on the street of being able to knock someone out by slapping him or her upside the head. The best way they were used was in a crowd of people causing trouble.
The Blackjack (another version of the sap). Was a miniature 'Jack that had a grommet placed in the leather on the end. You could hit someone with your keys in your hand. Most were only about 4 or 5 inches long.

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SCIMITAR

Fencing originated as the practice of swordsmanship to prepare men for duels and warfare. A fencing match is depicted on an Egyptian temple that dates to about 1190 B.C. and the ancient Babylonians, Greeks, Persians, and Romans all had some form of fencing.
The use of armour during the middle Ages made swordsmanship virtually obsolete. The broadsword was used against armour, but only as a crude hacking device requiring sheer strength rather than skill. By making armour obsolete, the development of firearms ironically brought swordplay back into prominence during the 15th century. Soldiers once again had to acquire some skill with the sword, and fencing also emerged as a pastime for gentlemen. Fencing master’s organized guilds, which taught various moves to initiates while protecting them as trade secrets from outsiders.
The swords of that period were rather heavy, and cutting the opponent with the edge was emphasized. Further, since the sword was frequently a weapon of defense against thieves, tactics included wrestling holds and tricks designed to disarm or immobilize the opponent to set him up for the killing blow.
Fencing as an exercise based on speed and skill began when the longer, lighter rapier was developed in Italy during the 16th century. Because of the rapier's length, opponents had to fight at a distance and quick but controlled lunges, attacking the enemy with the point of the sword, replaced cruder hacking techniques. But the rapier wasn't a good defensive weapon, so the fencer often had to use his gauntleted left hand to parry his opponent's thrusts.
Under Louis XIV in France, a change in fashion led to a new kind of sword. The rapier simply didn't go well with brocaded jackets, breeches, and silk stockings; so French courtiers began wearing a shorter sword. The court sword, as it was known, turned out to be an excellent weapon for fencing because it was both lighter and stronger than the rapier, so it could be used for defense as well as offence. As a result, the modern one-handed fencing technique developed, with the left hand and arm used primarily for balance.
A special version of the court sword, the foil, was developed for practice. Meanwhile, another type of sword, the colichemarde, had been created for duelling. The blade had a triangular cross-section, with slightly concave sides to reduce weight without reducing strength. The colichemarde evolved into the modern epee.
The third of the fencing weapons, the saber, was introduced into Europe in the late 18th century as an adaptation of the Turkish scimitar, used by the Hungarian cavalry. It was so effective that other armies began using it and another variation, the cutlass, became a standard naval weapon.
The saber was originally a very heavy, curved sword, but a lighter, more easily wielded weapon with only a slight bend was developed in Italy late in the 19th century for duelling and fencing. The modern fencing weapon is straight, like the foil and epee, but it still has one cutting edge, which can be used to make hits on an opponent.

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SCYTHE

Chariots became less popular by the beginning of the last millennium BC as improvements in cavalry took over, but they did not disappear completely. Some armies continued to use them and they remained a symbol of prestige. To make chariots more effective and fearsome, scythe blades were attached to the axles. As the chariot moved, the blades rotated through the air. The Persians attempted to use Scythe Chariots against Alexander the Great, but the weapon made little impression on the disciplined phalanxes. The famous Scythe Chariot of Queen Boudicca, that led the primitive British against the more advanced Roman legions, never actually existed, i.e. she had a chariot but it had no blades and was useless on any terrain that wasn't flat. Blades were pretty ineffectual in any case. The myth about troops getting their legs hacked off by passing scythe chariots is mainly just that, a myth - in reality this was far too tricky a manoeuvre to execute in the heat of battle. If it did happen it would be more luck than judgement, and sooner or later either the blade, the wheel, or both, would snap. The enemy would normally get run down by the horse, the weight of the chariot, or both; or get stabbed, cut down or shot by the soldier on the chariot's platform. Should the blades or the wheels try to chew through too thick a barrier or hit a solid obstacle the effect would be very likely to tip the chariot, in much the same way as a train that has been derailed. Therefore, despite the romantic notions that are held to this day about them, the fundamental strength of the chariot was, in fact, psychological - only people with status rode them, which subconsciously enforced respect. Experienced troops, however, soon learned to take them out by killing the horses, and also knew they could not negotiate higher ground.

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SHORT SPEAR

The spear does not fit comfortably into either the close combat class or the projectile type of weapons. It could be either. During the Old and Middle Kingdom of Egypt's Dynastic period, it typically consisted of a pointed blade made of copper or flint that was attached to a long wooden shaft by a tang. However, in the New Kingdom, bronze blades became more common, attached to the shaft by means of a socket. These conventional spears were made for throwing or thrusting, but there was also a form of spear (halberd), which was fitted with an axe blade and thus used for cutting and slashing.
The spear was used in Egypt since the earliest times for hunting larger animals, such as lions. In its form of javelin (throwing spears) it was displaced early on by the bow and arrow. Because of its greater weight, the spear was better at penetration than the arrow, but in a region where armour consisted mostly of shields, this was only a slight advantage. On the other hand, arrows were much easier to mass-produce.

In war it never gained the importance among Egyptians, which it was to have in classical Greece, where phalanxes of spear carrying citizens fought each other. During the New Kingdom it was often an auxiliary weapon of the charioteers, who were thus not left unarmed after spending all their arrows. It was also most useful in their hands when they chased down fleeing enemies stabbing them in their backs.

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SHORT SWORD

As long as there have been swords, there have been short swords. Consequently, the short swords category is one of the broadest categories. Short swords can include scimitars, sabers, rapiers, etc. and they are can be classified as a mix between daggers and long swords.
Almost universally, as culture developed the sword, the first were short manageable blades. The Roman Gladius and the English Short Sword are examples of such blades. Romans, however, immortalized the Short sword and went on to conquer most of the ancient world with shield in one hand and Short Sword in the other.
Throughout the ages, many culture adopted styles of fighting that involved these swords either by itself or as a companion to a larger sword. Interestingly, the short sword can still be found in ceremonial and military use
Overall short swords were actually a favourite among thieves. They provide good overall damage and they can be pretty quick in attacks. These swords are also fairly versatile and provide a good alternative to the slower, heavier weapons. So if you are looking for something that is not quite as cumbersome as a long-sword, then daggers are excellent to display in your home or office.

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SICKLE

Most weapons employed during the middle Ages were either developments of hunting weapons or adaptations of agricultural implements. Arms developed from simple, basic forms into more sophisticated ones as the art of warfare developed over the centuries. Weapons from the late medieval period were either far more specialized than the models from which they sprang, or else were combination weapons trying to combine the strengths of the more specialized arms. The sickle is a farming implement widely used and thus like the Chinese lian or okinawan Kama it was used for cutting things and sometimes in defense.

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SLING

The sling is a very old weapon. It is simple to make, but to be accurate it takes practice. It was made famous by the biblical account of David and Goliath. Ancient Greek armies mastered it as a weapon of war, as armies met, the Greek's hailed thousands of egg shaped projectiles on them. First the long range slings were used, then the mid-range followed by the short range. Then both armies charged with Pikes and Swords.

Also used in Rome and Throughout Europe the construction is of leather or cordage.
The sling was also found in the tombs of Egypt, where its use as a hunting weapon is well known
The first, and one of the oldest slingshot weapons in the world, the Ma'a is designed to fling different types and sizes of rocks. A warrior will fling a bigger stone high into the air onto the top of his enemy, while other warriors will fling smaller stones directly into the face or forehead of the attackers.
Hurling stones with the help of a slingshot demanded little equipment but considerable practice in order to be effective. Secondary to the bow and arrow in battle, the slingshot was rarely depicted. The first drawings date to the 20th century BC. Made of perishable materials, few ancient slingshots have survived. It relied on the impact the missile made and like most impact weapons was relegated to play a subsidiary role. In the hands of lightly armed skirmishers it was used to distract the attention of the enemy. One of its main advantages was the easy availability of ammunition in many locations. When lead became more widely available during the Late Period, sling bullets were cast. These were preferred to pebbles because of their greater weight, which made them more effective. They often bore a hallmark.

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TWO-BLADED SWORD

While the great diversity of cutting and thrusting swords around the world testify to the importance of both cutting and thrusting in fencing, there is something of a pervasive myth of a supposed "superiority" of point over edge in swordplay, and predominantly in European swordplay. Yet, with only a few minor exceptions, prior to the early 18th century there was no "cut versus thrust" debate among Western swordsmen.
Many swords of the world were in actuality compromise designs that attempted to blend and combine in one weapon those elements ideally best for slashing and stabbing. There are many, many possible design solutions. There are types of swords with straight backs yet curved edges, and others that widen toward the point but then taper sharply. In most cultures acutely pointed cut-and-thrust swords existed side by side with more dedicated cutting blades for centuries with neither replacing the other.
The thrust and cut alike were common, even fundamental fighting techniques among warrior cultures. For example, virtually every ancient people employed the thrusting spear, with many, such as the Greeks, Swiss, and Japanese, even specializing in it. When it comes to pole arms, just as with swords there are both thrust-only and cut-and-thrust versions: spears, lances and yari as opposed to halberds, glaives, and naginatas. Narrow tapered thrusting swords were actually known in ancient Crete while the Greeks themselves even developed powerful cutting swords in the convex bladed kopis. A similar weapon, the falcata, was employed by the Iberians, who are credited with developing the gladius hispanicus from which the Romans reportedly modelled their sword. The Romans, often cited as personifying the epitome of thrusting swordplay, actually stressed both cut and thrust with their wide bladed gladius and eventually adopted the longer spatha, or cutting blade. The Celts --who had excellent metallurgical skills for some 500 years --preferred wide cutting-blades, as did the later Vikings and Franks. The Saxons employed a large Bowie-like blade called the scramaseax, from which their name is derived. The curved blade of the early sabre or sable was said to have been first introduced to Eastern Europe through steppe nomads sometime by the 9th century and continued to dominate there among mounted warriors into the 20th century. In regions of ancient China two major forms of sword, one a curved cleaving weapon and the other a longer straight cut-and-thrust one developed. In both Persian and Arabia from at least the 9th century straight double-edged swords designed for cut and thrust were used for mounted combat just as much as were curved single-edge ones such as talwars and scimitars. Charlemagne's own sword of state was itself a curved single-edged cutting and thrusting blade.
Throughout most of history, though specialized thrusting swords appeared along cut-and-thrust kinds, neither cutting nor thrusting blades dominated entirely. In Western Europe by at least the 1200s more slender-pointed tapering blades were used as much as were wider parallel-edged ones. In the middle Ages specialized thrusting swords such as the estoc (tuck or stocco) were developed specifically to fight articulated plate armour by stabbing into gaps and joints with their rigid blades. Medieval fighting texts are full of warnings as to the effectiveness of the thrust and how it was "deadly as a serpent." Still, a variety of curved medieval sword forms such as the falchion, badelaire, malchus, storta, and messer were commonly used among both knights and foot soldiers in Medieval Europe (which could most all be employed in thrusting). From the early 1500s, the wide, curved Bohemian Dussack was a traditional German fencing weapon and training tool. The Japanese katana, famous for its cutting power, is actually a fairly good thrusting sword as well and such techniques were especially taught for battlefield use against armour. In North Africa, an unusual sickle-like sword, the shotel (similar to the ancient Thracian falx and sica), was even designed for hooking and thrusting behind an opponent's shield. Various tapering swords ideal for close-in stabbing were also developed in Indonesia, Malaysia, and India. Even the Zulu assegai can, in a sense, be seen as a form of long-handled thrusting sword. We might even consider such "flame bladed" swords as the Indonesian kris and the Renaissance-era flammard or flamberge as combination curved and straight edge.
In fact, whether a sword is straight or curved, tapered or wide, is not always a factor of the armour it might face or even whether it would be used mounted or on foot, but rather of the preferences and temperament of the user. Many North African swords for instance, were never intended to face heavy armours, yet vary from thin and straight to wide and curved styles.
While it is true that an original and particularly effective method of civilian foining fence (thrusting swordplay) did arise in 16th century Europe and continued to be refined and specialized into the 17th and 18th centuries, first with the gentleman's court or small sword and then the duelling epée, the belief that thrusting swords were an exclusively Renaissance "invention" is inaccurate and misleading. Even into the Renaissance, where with the advent of the rapier point fencing finally came into its own in Western Europe, cutting blades never disappeared from either the battlefield or personal self-defense (the rapier's innovative style of quick, deceptive, long-reaching stabbing attack quickly came to dominate both the urban street-fighting environment and the duelling field, but was never intended for the battlefield). Arguably nearly all-European fencing manuals prior to the 1570s are "cut and thrust" styles. As Sir Philip Sydney in 1580 advised, "use as well the blow as the thrust" and, in the words of the master George Silver in 1599, "there is no fight perfect without both blow and thrust." Nevertheless, different swords do one or the other better.
In Captain John Godfrey's 1747, A Treatise Upon The Useful Science of Defence, he explained the relative values of the cut and thrust when he argued, "I must take notice of the Superiority the Back-Sword has over the Small, in point of Use." He then adds, "But the Back-Sword, sure, must be distinguished from the other, because it is as necessary in the Army, as the other is mischievous in Quarrels, and deadly in Duels. The Small-Sword is the Call of Honour, the Back-Sword the Call of Duty." Godfrey noted the difference in function between the small sword and backsword by saying, "Sure[ly] the wide difference between killing Numbers of your Enemy in Battle, and one Man in a quarrel, ever so much in your own Defence, every calm thinking Man cannot but allow."
Into the 19th century, when armour and shields were no longer factors in combat, cavalry armies still debated what weapon was best for mounted swordplay: a saber (curved or straight), spadroon or broadsword, or else a straight-bladed thrusting weapon, with each type having its proponents swearing from experience the utility of one form over the other. Yet, despite the debate, the vast majority of military pattern swords issued by European armouries in the 19th century were curved cutting blades --often based on popular Turkish or Mameluke designs (even the modern U.S. Marine Corps' official dress sword is a semi-curved blade of this style).
Despite being eclipsed in the realm of civilian fencing by thrusting weapons ideal for single combat without armour, a tradition of cutting swordplay with sabre, backsword, and broadsword continued in Europe well into the 20th century. As the great Victorian historian of fencing, Egerton Castle, noted, "From the last third of the 17th century…the sword, as a fighting implement, becomes differentiated into two very different directions. The military weapon becomes the backsword or sabre; the walking companion and duelling weapon becomes what we now understand by the small-sword. Two utterly different kinds of fence are practised: one, that of the back-sword; the other, what we would now call foil-play." Describing the history of cutting and thrusting in historical fencing Dr. Sydney Anglo explains, "One of the most striking features - not only of the early theoretical literature but also of the actual foot-fighting - is the clear understanding of the use of thrusting with all weapons. In this respect, the ignorance of fencers prior to the mid-sixteenth century has been greatly exaggerated. The efficacy of the point had been grasped in classical times; was succinctly enunciated by Vegetius; and passed thence into the common lore of medieval combat which extolled the superiority of the "foyne" or thrust over the cut." For example, inspired by Vegetius, one 1458 source on "Knighthood and Bataille" stated, "Thrusting is better than smiting, especially at the heart." This is certainly true, but only in context --and that's the point.
In fact, many masters and fencers continued to argue for the necessity of familiarity with both the cut and the thrust, either with two specialized weapons or one capable of each. By the late 19th century, Italians such as Giuseppe Radaelli even reintroduced cutting swordplay into the realm of sport fencing. In essence then, except for civilian duelling in Europe, there has never been a true historical predominance of the cut over thrust. Differences between the two are a matter of the circumstances and conditions weapons are employed under as well as the preferences and temperaments of the fighters. Of course, thrusting was often forbidden in mock fighting contests during the Medieval and Renaissance eras precisely because, unlike edge blows, such techniques were notoriously difficult to safely control and puncture wounds were nearly impossible to treat (even today, surgeons still dread treating stab wounds more than lacerations).
It can be postulated that sword attacks with the point rely more on speed and finesse while those with the edge rely more on strength and momentum and this itself may reflect some of the prejudice that later developed between the two philosophies. Part of this prejudice lies in the simple fact that thrusting requires much less strength to make a lethal wound while an effective cut can require a powerful blow. Both require skill to use, both will kill, and both have situations where they are more practical. In the end, it was really 19th century Victorians and their 20th century sport fencer followers with their thin featherweight swords (descended from the 18th century small sword) who perpetuated a belief in a historical linear "evolution" from crude, heavier, clumsy cutting and bashing swords toward the more refined and elegant "proper" science of point fencing. But history shows that where each was used in combination, the art of defense was arguably more versatile.

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WARHAMMER

A war hammer is an archaic weapon of war intended for close combat, the design of which resembles the hammer. The war hammer consists, like the tool it resembles, of a handle and a head. The handle may be of different lengths, the longest being roughly equivalent to the halberd, and the shortest about the same as a mace. Long warhammers were pole weapons meant for use against riders, whereas short ones were used in closer quarters and from horseback. Later warhammers often had a spike on one side of the head, thus making it a more versatile weapon.
Warhammers were developed as a consequence of the ever more prevalent metal armours of the medieval battlefields during the 14th and 15th centuries. The war hammer could deal blows of tremendous force to the target, especially when mounted on a pole, and by impact alone do damage without penetrating the armour. The spike end could be used for grappling the target's armour, reins, or shield, or could be turned in the direction of the blow to pierce even heavy armour. Against mounted opponents the weapon could also be directed at the legs of the horse, toppling the armored foe to the ground where they could be dealt with.
The most famous war hammer is Mjollnir, the favourite weapon of the Norse god, Thor.

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WHIP

Whips are odd items in our society. Though we really don't use whips, they have become a regular part of speech. We say things like she really cracked the whip over me, or I'm whipped! A drill sergeant whips you into shape, and a cook whips up some supper. Thus, the meaning of the word whip means both the specific item as well as speedy or motivational actions.
Nevertheless, we generally have a good idea of what a whip looks like from pictures and movies. Indiana Jones swings across gaping chasms with his whip, while Cat Woman beats the devil out of a department store full of dummies with hers. But, as few animals are used for transportation, the general use of the whip in our society is no longer necessary. To the martial artist, however, the whip is still a viable tool, both as a weapon and a resource for skill development.
A whip is any flexible lash with a rigid handle. A common type of whip is the bullwhip or latigo. The last six inches of the whip form what is called the popper. The popper renders the snapping, cutting action of the whip. It is usually a short piece of leather. When the popper wears off from use, it is sometimes replaced with slender nylon rope or bailing wire.
The popper is the whip's payload. The handle and the braid make up the delivery system. Usually the braid is connected directly to the handle, but often they are connected through a ball bearing joint. The handle is the rigid portion of the whip that helps to control it during use. The rest of the whip is a flexible braid. This portion of the whip is called the braid because most whips, including the latigo, are made from strips of braided leather.
Proper manipulation of the handle generates a wave of energy that travels through the braid to the popper. When this energy-wave reaches the popper, the popper snaps with great speed and violence. A wave travelling fast enough will cause the popper to exceed the speed of sound and emit a sonic crack!
The whippist's objective is to put a powerful snap on a point target at the farthest distance the whip is capable of reaching. Before this is possible, however, you, the whippist must learn to control the whip. The pre-eminent principles needed to learn are accuracy and distance.

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