Swords

[Kristoffer]

good sites

[GeneChing]

...right now, Chinese steel is some of the best for the cheapest on the international market. Most of the European forges that are still extant have moved into modern fencing or modern military swords. The Japanese sword market has been way overpriced since WWII - still some excellant stuff, but too expensive really. Chinese steel has seen a steady improvement in the last decade. Dragon Well forge has been putting out some really nice steel, and finally, finally, their fittings are begining to come up to snuff too. Hanwei forge is putting out top quality Chinese and Japanese swords and they are actually based in Taiwan. I'd guess they are using steel imported from the mainland, since I doubt Taiwan has that much resource left, being an island.

[Kempo Guy]

Hanwei forge do put out some decent stuff (for the money).

From what I understand they use rail steel on some of their lower end stuff. When purchasing a lower end sword from them you suffer in quality in the mountings (tsuba, menuki etc.) and obviously the steel is of lesser quality. This is apparent in the lack of "hada" (grain pattern) in the sword. These swords are really only good as a wallhanger and not suitable for practice (i.e. can be dangerous).

They use Swedish powdered steel in their higher end Japanese style swords (don't know about the other types). These are forge folded blades with a really apparent hada. Pretty nice work.

FWIW, I have used several swords from Hanwei (mostly from Bugei Trading) and have found the balance and feel to be quite different from sword to sword (within the same model), so it seems as no two swords are exactly alike.

I apologize for using the bandwidth as the above is a little off topic.

KG

[GeneChing]

Could NOT resist posting this. I guess that if you are in the Air Force, you fly jets and if you fly jets, you don't really need swords.

These are the Air Force swords that look like they belong in a video game
By Eric Milzarski
Nov. 08, 09:11 AM

Everyone in the military (including the Air Force) scratches their heads over why ridiculous and over-sized swords are given to high ranking Air Force officers. The real reason is rooted in tradition and a dash of silliness.
U.S. Air Force NCOs honor officers who have made significant contributions to the enlisted corps by inducting them into the Order of the Sword. The keeper of the Air Force Master Sword, the Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force, bestows the honored officers with a sword of their own, fitting to their duty.


That’s right. The Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force has his very own actual Master Sword.

According to the Air Force’s claim: “The original order of the sword was patterned after two orders of chivalry founded during the Middle Ages in Europe: the (British) Royal Order of the Sword and the Swedish Military Order of the Sword, still in existence today. In 1522, King Gustavus I of Sweden ordered the noblemen commissioned by him to appoint officers to serve him, and these people became known as the non-commissioned officers.”
Eagle-eyed historians would poke holes in many of those claims. The Brits don’t have an Order of the Sword. The Sweds didn’t have one until 1748, which is way later than what is considered the Middle Ages — and they haven’t inducted anyone since 1975. The Romans already had a form of an NCO, France’s King Charles VII helped form corporals a century earlier than Gustavus I, and Baron Von Steuben helped finalize the American NCO Corps as we know it with the “Blue Book” for the Colonial Army, so, yeah, there are some holes in this origin story.


By video game logic, those Senior Airmen shouldn’t be high enough level to equip that sword.

As for the current Air Force Order of the Sword, the inductee is chosen by the enlisted airmen on a strictly confidential matter. Having roughly 50,000 airmen keeping a secret is nearly impossible, so the decision is made by the 15 senior most enlisted. Because of this, seven consecutive 4-star commanders of the United States Air Forces in Europe were placed into the order.
But it’s the design of sword that draws the most attention. The over-the-top pageantry that goes into the design is a source of entertainment and jest all around the military.


So it has +15 lightning damage because he was the Deputy Commander of the U.S. Strategic Command? Got it.

[GeneChing]

(Credit: Alamy)

The enduring fascination with legendary swords
From Game of Thrones to Beowulf, we have long been fascinated by ancient blades. Quinn Hargitai explores literature’s love-affair with these deadly weapons.
By Quinn Hargitai
4 April 2019

Arthur had Excalibur. Bilbo had Sting. Arya Stark has her Needle. In many ways these blades have become just as iconic as their owners, which begs the question: why - in a modern world in which such ancient arms have become virtually obsolete - do swords still have the power to inspire such awe?

Ever since its publication in 1949, Joseph Campbell’s Hero With A Thousand Faces has had scholars holding literature’s most recognisable heroes up to the light, searching for shared patterns and traits indicative of the ‘hero’s journey’. While most of the scrutiny has revolved around the heroes themselves, the legendary swords they wielded have managed to carve just as memorable a place in the hearts of readers.


(Credit: Alamy)
Arya Stark wields the small but mighty Needle, a gift from Jon Snow (Credit: Alamy)

Looking at A Song of Ice and Fire, this generation’s favoured fantasy epic perhaps better known through its TV counterpart Game of Thrones, we see author George RR Martin has eagerly taken up the torch in literature’s blade-filled canon. From Ned Stark’s giant greatsword Ice to the prophesied flaming Lightbringer, Martin has provided fans with a veritable storm of swords to obsess over. Now with the eighth and final series fast approaching, there’s good reason to believe that some of the more notable blades will play a pivotal role in the battles to come.

The mystical secrets of Valyrian steel being lost to time harkens to longstanding, archaic mythologies

As astute Game of Thrones fans already know, while there are countless swords shown throughout the series, only a handful are deemed significant enough to be given a name. Blades of Valyrian Steel - like Jon Snow’s Longclaw, Brienne of Tarth’s Oathkeeper, and Samwell Tarly’s Heartsbane - have stood out in the series for their exquisite forging, eternally sharp edges and their function as status symbols. Though a seemingly superfluous detail, the showrunners have made a special point of noting all the times these blades have changed hands over the course of the series; some have been melted down and reforged, stolen, or given as tokens of loyalty. As Valyrian steel was found to be one of the few substances capable of killing White Walkers, keeping track of who has a blade made from it has taken on a new gravitas in the final season now that hordes of undead have finally breached the Wall and begun their unholy campaign against the people of Westeros.


(Credit: Alamy)

The secret of how to forge Valyrian steel, one of the only materials capable of killing White Walkers, has been lost to time (Credit: Alamy)
While it would seem prudent to simply forge more blades of Valyrian steel, the forging methods of these blades were regrettably lost following the Doom of Valyria, a mysterious apocalyptic event reminiscent of the drowning of Atlantis. Though Martin is oft lauded for his defiance of the genre’s typical tropes, the mystical secrets of Valyrian steel being lost to time harkens back to longstanding, archaic mythologies.

The proclivity for the ancient, the belief that relics of bygone ages are superior to those of the present day, has long been a recurring theme in epic literature. In the Lord of the Rings series, JRR Tolkien makes it clear that all the best blades – Narsil, Sting, and Glamdring – were forged by the Elves of the First Age, thousands of years prior to the story’s main events.


Gandalf’s Glamdring was forged by Elves of the First Age; it’s one of many ancient swords littering literature (Credit: Alamy)

But the trend doesn’t start there. Going back to Beowulf, one of the earliest works of the English language, one can see the same convention at work. In the climactic battle against the monstrous mother of Grendel, Beowulf finds he is only able to cut through her otherwise impervious hide with the aid of an ancient sword he finds hanging on the wall. When the sword’s hilt is later appraised, we learn its engravings date it back to a time when a race of “giants” were destroyed by a raging flood.

So why such a fondness for all things ancient? Wouldn’t one expect sword-forging techniques to improve over time, thus making newer blades better? Why do so many of these epics portray ancient relics as vastly superior to their the modern-day counterparts? The answer may lie in Anglo-Saxon history.

Swords and status

After the downfall of Rome, the Anglo-Saxons found themselves living in a world brimming with remnants of the empire’s former glory. In Old English texts, early Anglo-Saxon writers often referred to these marvellous remains as euld enta geweorc, or ‘the old work of giants’.

A sword’s ability to endure over time is not merely a mythical convention

The superiority of these older swords reflects a perception that older times were filled with a magic that has waned as civilisation has progressed; they are relics serving as a testament to a mythical world lost to time. The inhabitants of Westeros view the remnants of Valyria in much the same way the Anglo-Saxons looked upon the ruins of Rome.


There is an inextricable link between sword and status (Credit: Alamy)

A sword’s ability to endure over time is not merely a mythical convention, however. Compared to cruder weapons like spears and axes, swords typically required a more skilled blacksmith to forge them, meaning that they were often built to last. In addition to being more expensive to produce, swords also required a greater deal of training to wield properly, meaning they were often reserved for higher military ranks or those of an elevated social class.

The result was that one’s sword and status were inextricably linked. And so it has also been in literature: King Arthur’s drawing of the sword from the stone marked him as the rightful king of Britain. Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom’s ability to produce the sword of Godric Gryffindor from the Sorting Hat identify them as ‘true Gryffindors’. These swords tend to have minds of their own, choosing only to present themselves to those deemed worthy enough to bear them.


Neville Longbottom’s ability to produce the Sword of Gryffindor during the Battle of Hogwarts showed he was a ‘true Gryffindor’ (Credit: Alamy)

On knife edge

Enter: Lightbringer, Game of Thrones’ most mysterious and elusive mythical blade. In the final series, Lightbringer is set to play a critical role because its appearance will identify Game of Thrones’ prophesied hero, the ‘Prince that was Promised’, just as the sword in the stone identified Arthur. Though it’s remained conspicuously absent over the course of five books and seven TV series, we’ve managed to learn a great deal about the blade through the Red Priestess Melisandre who describes it as a burning sword that will be drawn from the flame by Westeros’s true hero.

A blade of fire signifies more than mere status, but a power imbued by a divine force

The notion that Lightbringer will be a sword of fire adds an even deeper layer of allusion. We’ve seen flaming swords appear in tales from sources as old as the Bible; after Adam and Eve are expelled from paradise, the gates of Eden are guarded by an angel brandishing a flaming sword. The sword of fire has reappeared in mythologies since, the most similar to Lightbringer perhaps being the blade Dyrnwyn from medieval Welsh traditions, which was fabled to ignite in a dazzling display only when clasped by its rightful owner. If Lightbringer is to follow this particular convention, perhaps we’ve already seen it on screen – but simply not yet in the hands of its rightful owner.

In each case, a blade of fire signifies more than mere status, but a power imbued by a divine force. To wield such a sword shows that the warrior is backed by some deity. Lightbringer is no exception, as we can assume its rightful owner will be the chosen one of R’hllor, the Lord of Light.


George RR Martin has provided fans with a veritable storm of swords to obsess over (Credit: Alamy)
Whether it is because of its ties to status, harkening to times long passed, or representation of the divine, the sword has managed to endure as one of humanity’s most treasured symbols. Even now that swords’ real-world use has diminished, we still flock to tales of brave heroes taking up a blade and slaying beasts in a far-off land. What’s more, the swords of modern stories like Game of Thrones still enchant us with the same mystical properties of those written about thousands of years ago. Just as Joseph Campbell argued that there is only one hero with many faces, perhaps there is just one sword with many hilts – a single blade destined to entrance us over and over again, century after century.

I love swords.

[GeneChing]

‘Burly’ Disneyland visitor pulls Excalibur from Sword in the Stone


The Sword in the Stone sits in front of King Arthur Carousel. The attraction is based on the Merlin, King Arthur and Excalibur. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

By BRADY MACDONALD | bmacdonald@scng.com |
PUBLISHED: January 18, 2020 at 6:33 am | UPDATED: January 20, 2020 at 3:14 pm

A “burly” and “buff dude” known only as Sam removed the Sword in the Stone before stunned visitors at Disneyland in a feat legend holds can only be accomplished by the new king.

All hail King Samuel the Burly, first of his name, king of Fantasyland, lord of the Magic Kingdoms and protector of the Happiest Realm on Earth.

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A guest was able to pull a prop version of the legendary Excalibur sword from an anvil next to King Arthur Carousel in Fantasyland, according to Disneyland cast members. Disneyland officials could not confirm the incident.

Disneyland’s Excalibur sword was first reported missing from the stone on Jan. 12 by WDW News Today. A follow-up story the next day reported the sword had mysteriously returned and included an eyewitness account of how Excalibur had been pulled from its resting place by the new king of Disneyland.

A close adviser to the new King of Disneyland told WDW News Today that “my friend Sam” broke the sword during a visit on Jan. 8.

“He literally ripped it out,” an eyewitness told WDW News Today. “It was his first time at Disney and he’s a pretty buff dude. I told him if he pulled it out he’d win a prize and he just used brute force I guess.”

Disneyland employees took the “broken and jagged” Excalibur and taped over the hole in the anvil to keep visitors from cutting their fingers on the broken blade of the sword, according to the eyewitness.

Another eyewitness told WDW News Today they watched a “very burly man” remove the sword from the stone.

“At first it seemed as if he had pulled it out, but a (cast member) quickly came over (because) he had in fact broken it,” the second eyewitness said.

The Disneyland Excalibur pays tribute to “The Sword in the Stone,” a 1963 Disney animated movie. The adaption of the classic fable centers on the legend of Excalibur, a sword with an inscription proclaiming whoever removes it will be the new king.

Merlin the Magician hosts a show in Fantasyland where visitors are invited to pull the sword from the stone. Typically a strong-looking adult fails to remove the sword before a small child is able to accomplish the feat. Throughout the rest of the day, visitors pose for photos with the immovable sword.

Disneyland’s Sword in the Stone will likely be behind construction walls soon when King Arthur Carousel undergoes an extensive renovation.

I hope burly dude got to keep it. He should at least get some sort of prize, like lifetime comp tix or at least a cool custom mouse ear hat.

[GeneChing]

Aspiring King Arthur Rips Disneyland's Excalibur From Its Stone, Breaks It Immediately
Julie Muncy
Yesterday 2:45PM


Arthur and the sword.
Image: Disney

Disneyland’s Excalibur attraction, featuring the famed kingly sword in an anvil, is normally a chance for the park’s visitors to be reminded of The Sword in the Stone. You know, the way-underrated Disney version of the Arthur story, where the chosen one gets to pull the sword out and proceed on his way to the kingdom? Except, you’re not supposed to pull the sword out of the Disneyland version, not since 2006 when an attraction designed around that conceit was discontinued.

But somebody did. Because sometimes the call of destiny is too powerful to ignore.

As reported by the Orange County Register in a story that’s been updated throughout the month, Excalibur was first reported as missing from its anvil home near the King Arthur Carousel on January 12th. As it turns out, a few days before, an intrepid aspiring ruler of the kingdoms of Great Britain took it. According to eyewitnesses, a man identified only as Sam decided, upon his visit to Disneyland, to take what was his.

“He literally ripped it out,” one eyewitness said. “It was his first time at Disney and he’s a pretty buff dude. I told him if he pulled it out he’d win a prize and he just used brute force I guess.”

That sword, however, hadn’t been removed in many years and was not in particularly good shape. It broke immediately, and Disneyland employees reportedly took the broken sword fragment off the man’s hands, covering the opening on the anvil (which still contained sword shards) with duct tape.

Another eyewitness summed it up thusly: “At first it seemed as if he had pulled it out, but a [cast member] quickly came over [because] he had in fact broken it.”


So it seems Excalibur has gone the way of Anduril, the sword that was broken. One day, perhaps, Excalibur shall be reforged, and Sam of Disneyland might take up his place as a great king. Perfect timing, too, as I hear the United Kingdom is actually short of some royalty right now. Maybe the broken sword is a metaphor for Brexit.

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Julie Muncy
io9 Weekend Editor. Videogame writer at other places. Queer nerd girl.

How the heck did burly dude escape the park with that sword? I thought they had survellaince everywhere.