Sword happenings

Mecha

Titanium Bladesmith
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Dec 27, 2013
Messages
9,882
An interesting sword story came my way recently.

Straight from the horse's mouth, a sword was pulled on a bus in a suburb area of Portland, OR. The bus was cruising along when a young fellow in a trench coat got on board. Soon after the bus came to speed, a few fellows began to physically accost the nerdy individual in the trench coat. All of a sudden, out of nowhere, "like it was the Highander," the fellow pulled out a huge katana "out of nowhere." The bus came to a stop, and everyone stampeded out of the bus, including over the top of the disabled lady who related this story to me.

The police stopped by, and the sword-wielder eventually went down in a hail of rubber bullets and was tazed with no casualties. It never ended up in the news, and here is no news record of it ever happening!

It makes me wonder about public sword happenings.

This "cringey weeaboo" sword instance comes to mind. Captured on film:



Any crazy sword happenings lately?
 
I honestly can't remember when I heard about it or where, but this one story sticks out. I believe it happened in Canada where this couple(man and wife/girlfriend) would storm into someone's house with a giant broadsword and proclaim that the house was now theirs. He said it was his right to take it with force because it was the Viking way. Supposedly the couple followed the Asatru religion and since the Vikings looted and plundered with force, they did the same. They were arrested some time later, not before "plundering" a few more houses and cars, haha.

It kind of cracked me up when I read the article which is why i still remember so much, though this was a few years ago.
 
Lol. Awesome.

I don't really get how introducing a Katana to a fist fight is helping things much. Good thing buddy had a 5 step plan. Things went well though and everyone disengaged so I guess it worked.

Atleast no one was drunk enough to rush straight at him, although I think one guy tried to grab his sword at one point.

Still what was the plan if they didn't back down? Start killing them? Would it have made the news if he had drawn a gun or a knife instead?

Who knows.
 
Viking plunderers, good one McFeeli.

There was another sword happening in Portland a few years back. Some drug-addled blithering idiot dressed as an elf used his sword to attack a car right in downtown. He thought the car was a demonic dragon and that he was saving the USA from doom. As you can see from the interview, this oxygen thief doesn't need to be playing with swords!

http://www.vocativ.com/underworld/crime/exclusive-interview-elf-dropped-acid-jousted-car/
 
The light rail incident was some time ago. All one has to do to find past stories is spend a dime's worth of intellect searching. While not the lowest form of sword discussion, it comes close. Start at the legal section here and plug in the term sword.

What such topics generally do not speak well of sword ownership should be self evident. Sword Buyers Guide forum sections typically has at least two concurrently running threads on swords for defense and offense. The current (and past) events threads less frequent but end up in the same place as swords being used as weapons. Fostering blades as weapons does no one any good in the eye of the law and law makers.

"but that's what they were designed for!"

Exactly ;) Tell all your neighbors that, and that you collect blades to kill or maim others.

"but it's for self defense!"

Uh huh. Good luck with that.

Cheers

Grumpy Glen
 
The actor who played the original Red Power Ranger killed his roomate with a Katana.

Guess he ate his bag of chips for the last time.
 
True, Horseclover, it's not a very good subject. I was mostly talking about public incidents with random weirdos, more than actual sword violence and fighting.
 
Hey, Springfield Armory is one of the BF sponsors. I should just button my lip but as the years have gone by doing the public displays, my act has become more and more classified as weird and potentially violent. Part of my angst is being told by my landlord that I can't warehouse and appear to be a business when I am just collecting and doing research. The neighbors are split in opinion but the majority see it as potential violence. I need to move again or try to set up a non-profit org. Sucks not being able to photograph, measure and index. 20 minutes to the storage and swords packed for travel, not assessing. grrrrrrr

Grumpy Glen
 
The light rail incident was some time ago. All one has to do to find past stories is spend a dime's worth of intellect searching. While not the lowest form of sword discussion, it comes close. Start at the legal section here and plug in the term sword.

What such topics generally do not speak well of sword ownership should be self evident. Sword Buyers Guide forum sections typically has at least two concurrently running threads on swords for defense and offense. The current (and past) events threads less frequent but end up in the same place as swords being used as weapons. Fostering blades as weapons does no one any good in the eye of the law and law makers.

"but that's what they were designed for!"

Exactly ;) Tell all your neighbors that, and that you collect blades to kill or maim others.

"but it's for self defense!"

Uh huh. Good luck with that.

Cheers

Grumpy Glen
It's sad to me that you feel the need to deny that a functional sword is a weapon . And that we must fear that no weapons will be allowed us .

I use one of my katana as a weed whacker , so I guess that's OK ? ( Not a weapon )

Placating those that need to disarm private citizens is ultimately fruitless .
 
It's sad to me that you feel the need to deny that a functional sword is a weapon . And that we must fear that no weapons will be allowed us .

I use one of my katana as a weed whacker , so I guess that's OK ? ( Not a weapon )

Placating those that need to disarm private citizens is ultimately fruitless .

That is hardly the case, or my perceptions of what blades are capable of. it is how the voting public and lawmakers react to the violence and potential of mayhem. I moved to a pro 2nd amendment state, so believe me when I say weapons are not far from my mind in terms of defense but promoting swords and knives as weapons somehow produces more terror from the unarmed. Armed individuals will mostly agree a firearm is a better choice for defense. Most of the public in my state have no problem with the gun laws here but as mentioned, are getting more and more uncomfortable with the potential violence possible of nuts with blades.

How many public demonstrations and displays have you set up in a well traveled local venue? How many individuals have you spoken to in public discourse discussing collecting swords and shown just how horrifically well they can perform in cutting and piercing.

I had been a weed wacker in the past and can appreciate that. Even limbed a few branches in full view of the neighborhood with both swords and Dane axes but they already perceived me as the nut job on the block (two houses away from the chief of police). Accepted in that very yuppified town because I was limiting activity to those on private property.

I'll wait for your elucidation on how much and often you have networked with not just the voting public and directly with local politicians, as well as district attorney's and your local police force. For that matter worked with youth to foster respect and repsonsibility?

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Cheers

GC
 
That is hardly the case, or my perceptions of what blades are capable of. it is how the voting public and lawmakers react to the violence and potential of mayhem. I moved to a pro 2nd amendment state, so believe me when I say weapons are not far from my mind in terms of defense but promoting swords and knives as weapons somehow produces more terror from the unarmed. Armed individuals will mostly agree a firearm is a better choice for defense. Most of the public in my state have no problem with the gun laws here but as mentioned, are getting more and more uncomfortable with the potential violence possible of nuts with blades.

How many public demonstrations and displays have you set up in a well traveled local venue? How many individuals have you spoken to in public discourse discussing collecting swords and shown just how horrifically well they can perform in cutting and piercing.

I had been a weed wacker in the past and can appreciate that. Even limbed a few branches in full view of the neighborhood with both swords and Dane axes but they already perceived me as the nut job on the block (two houses away from the chief of police). Accepted in that very yuppified town because I was limiting activity to those on private property.

I'll wait for your elucidation on how much and often you have networked with not just the voting public and directly with local politicians, as well as district attorney's and your local police force. For that matter worked with youth to foster respect and repsonsibility?

Kp6zapj.jpg

geTTmqL.jpg


Cheers

GC
:) Hey GC ! Cheers right back to you . And my most sincere apologies for misdirecting my comments . My frustration is NOT with you . :oops:

Way back in the 70's and 80's , I was deeply involved in martial arts training and practice . Including the spiritual aspects which are mostly now not taught . I also assisted in training college students in practical SD . Later , got involved in informal training with a Sheriffs Dept personnel and others in gun retention , basic restraining holds and general unarmed fighting etc .

I'm rather passionate and serious about this type of training . To me it's potentially "life or death " . Just going thru the motions is not nearly enough . I discovered that beyond a certain level of realism of violence in training , relatively few of my students ( even the cops ) could respond appropriately . The reasons are complex and varied , but partly due to a cultural value of non-violence and harmlessness . Deep seated early childhood experiences that inhibit or exaggerate the healthy biological response to the threat of violence . Weird hypocritical cultural / religious value systems that deny the individual the right of self defense . Human beings made into sheep or the polar opposite . Imbalanced response waiting to happen . Stuff I had no way to overcome or even understand .

The idea that inappropriate violence can be controlled / eliminated by disarming the citizenry is related to the same deep ignorance and hypocrisy . Enough ranting , time for my nap ! Bah humbug . :rolleyes:

And , HECK NO . I surely do not associate in any way with politicians , lawmakers or DA's . More power to you and good luck with that cynical nest of vipers . ;)
 
There was that homeless mental patient in Seattle that was in a standoff with PD swinging a samurai sword. It was around 1996/97 I was out there visiting family. He was shot with rubber bullets and beanbags and still kept going. It went on for so long that people were cheering him on every time he withstood the shots from PD it was like a schizophrenic Rocky movie. Eventually they used a fire hose to knock him off bis feet and cuff him. It was pretty crazy at the time but we were glued the the TV.
 
Never bring a katana to a fire hose fight ! I recently saw the defenses of a ship attacked by pirates . A series of fire hoses around the ship prevented the pirates from boarding !! A ship isn't hurt by small arms fire .Only something like an RPG might have some effect.
 
Never bring a katana to a fire hose fight ! I recently saw the defenses of a ship attacked by pirates . A series of fire hoses around the ship prevented the pirates from boarding !! A ship isn't hurt by small arms fire .Only something like an RPG might have some effect.

It seems to be a constant: if random public sword-waver, than rubber bullets + fire hoses.

Who knows, maybe one day Horseclover will step out into his backyard to do some test cutting with a saber, and get blasted with a firehose! I wrap up swords when I'm transporting them or put them in a case, just to eliminate misunderstandings. :D
 
"wrap up swords " ? We fenced many schools in our area in NYC. Subways were often the best transportation. The equipment bags were pear shaped - the bottom to hold mask, uniform , etc and the long top held the swords. We got many strange looks but some interesting conversations .
Post school we would travel around but the big match was in Canada so we flew over . Canadian customs checked the contents of the first bag and was given thorough info. He started on the second bag but looked up and saw a long line of fencers and their bags .Looking a bit nervous he then quickly waved us all through !! :D
 
I can remember leaving the NY knife show 20 + years ago with a Hartsfield Katana in a sword bag swung with the strap over my back and walking around the city going to dinner etc

I can also remember as a kid waliking my neighbor hoops with 22 rifles and dead animals from our trapping route etc and no one said a word

Boy times have changed

As for the wackos brandishing swords in public

The cops should not risk themselves or innocent bystanders

They should be told to drop it and if they do not comply ..... shoot them
 
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