So, I've been trying to google about these weapons, and only sensible looking stuff was old videos on youtube.
Are these weapons legit?
What's their history?
Do they even have any?
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So, I've been trying to google about these weapons, and only sensible looking stuff was old videos on youtube.
Are these weapons legit?
What's their history?
Do they even have any?
Chain whips can certainly mess people up and would be more useful/practical than the others, but not something you're likely to ever get away with using in real life.Quote:
Originally Posted by Paliandro
Meteor hammers and the like I would not imagine using for anything other than a metal rock you can throw at someone from behind a hiding place and then get back without running after it. All the intricate loop-the-loop stuff is probably a waste of time.
You might enjoy the experiment of thinking of more areas of use than just a duel or a battle. Think centuries of bandits, resistance movements, assassinations and the like.Quote:
Originally Posted by LFJ
Rope dart and meteor hammars can be rolled up and concealed on your person or in an innocuous looking shrubbery and have good range. Fast strike at distance from stealth/surprise, recover weapon, get away. They also might be used by someone not necessarily expecting to get away alive, someone who couldn't have sneaked into a gathering with a spear or cutlass.
The loop the loop stuff looks like it's there to develop very fluent facility with controlling and launching the weapon. That kind of overkill training could make all the difference in an actual situation if you want to have high velocity and changeable possible direction of launch with the hammar. You "throw" the rock by looping it like a sling first. It also might seem less solipsistic and introverted in a chaotic situation where someone wants to wreak havoc and spread panic, especially among non-soldiers; it's a space clearer... no normal people want to be close to the "loop the loop stuff"... it screams keep away! clear a path and get the VIP out. Or make a massive distraction while something else gets done. And it's something you can pull out of your pocket. Just tossing some possibilities out. Obviously these have been outpaced by history. Bawang probably has a book explaining it. I don't train or own any of these, just by way of a disclaimer.
Yeah. That's kinda what I was thinking. I'd probably just throw the thing like a rock and pop the guy, then pull it back and get. :DQuote:
Originally Posted by rett2
I dunno. I think I could get a more powerful and accurate strike just throwing it like a baseball pitch.Quote:
The loop the loop stuff looks like it's there to develop very fluent facility with controlling and launching the weapon. That kind of overkill training could make all the difference in an actual situation if you want to have high velocity and changeable possible direction of launch with the hammar. You "throw" the rock by looping it like a sling first.
Maybe. I think I'd prefer the chain whip to do that, since it can change directions more easily and stay swinging around me in good control as I run with it.Quote:
It also might seem less solipsistic and introverted in a chaotic situation where someone wants to wreak havoc and spread panic, especially among non-soldiers; it's a space clearer... no normal people want to be close to the "loop the loop stuff"... clear a path and get the VIP out.
Good question.
The Slingshot was as major a weapon in ancient battles as a bow and arrow and is the real precursor to the gun, so I like the idea of making a reusable sling with it @rett.
I don't know on this one, but I will say my initial thought is generally everyday rural tools. If you trained with them all day why not make a weapon out of them, its the first thing at hand when attacked by bandits trying to steal your livestock. You may be out farming or grazing and thats what you have with you.
So I don't know but I can offer a random opinion;
Meteor hammer: A device used for knocking down fruit in high trees or wasp nests or birds nests etc. Or perhaps modified from a weighted lasso used with livestock. Maybe a grappling hook for all sorts of use depending on the local environment. If you had mastered it, it can be a weapon.
Chain Whip: Some old chain whips I have seen are on the end of a short staff. It can be used the same way but the staff gives you adjustable length. I am thinking modified from a whip used with livestock, or perhaps some sort of threshing device. Or maybe foliage clearing device.
Some interesting posts so far.
Of the three weapons that OP mentioned, the only one I've had any (limited) experience with myself is the rope dart. The more difficult/complex loop de loop stuff is good for hand/eye/body coordination. I learned part of a routine in Taiwan, mostly for the fun of it. After almost getting hit in the eye with it, I started using an aluminum Kubotan knockoff on the end of the rope. I eventually gave it up altogether. I don't particularly like the flexible weapons.
I don't personally see much actual practicality as a weapon, even with a heavy, sharp-tipped dart. As mentioned, any actual use as a weapon would have to be very simple and direct.
My second Mantis teacher in Taiwan really liked the flexible weapons like the 7 or 9-section steel whip, the rope dart and the 3-section staff. He was amazing with them, still the best person at performing with those weapons that I have ever seen. However, I never saw him practice them in a combative context.
I never got very good with Chain Whip, but I'm confident I could still use one very effectively in a fight. All those fancy spins and such teach coordination, just like with any weapon, but I wouldn't need that to crack someone on the noggin with a chain whip. It certainly helps. But it's like those people who can fight but can't do forms - I could fight with a Chain Whip but I can't do a form with it. The simple strikes are simple. A chain is a very easy weapon to use actually, as long as you keep it simple. The fancy stuff is cool though.
Rope Dart is another matter entirely. I took a workshop with it decades ago, and figured out a few tricks, but never got proficient with it. I suppose I could use that in a fight, not nearly as effectively as a Chain Whip, but it wouldn't be totally useless.
Well sure, since we all have practice of overhand throws from sports in school.:) Slings are difficult to control – I’ve tried – so yeah they take practice = kung fu. But you can sling away a heavy object faster than you can throw or shot-put it, which could have made it worth the effort.Quote:
Originally Posted by LFJ
Some of these odder weapons may have very old histories... like going back to prehistoric hunter gatherer societies. Who would believe the boomerang?
If real, the origin may have been a weapon resembling this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAWN4vpz3K4
That's a slinging motion, even if the arms are doing the job of a length of rope. Of course I'm just speculating.