A blade is a blade.

Ashdown is ok, but abit outdated and has some inaccuracies. For an excellent general book on swords is Ewart Oakshotte's "Archaeology of Weapons" that goes from the beginnings up to the High Middle Ages. Very well written and still up to date. Barnes and Noble offers the Dover Trade paperback for $11.95. (http://www.bn.com)

There have been many Armour books out over the years and some reprinted from older editions (like Ashdown). Barnes and Noble has Frederick Wilkinson's "Arms and Armour" for $9.95. I have not read it but do have one of his earlier books on swords. At least it will have good photos to show you.

Sir Charles Fflolkes "The Armourer and his Craft" has been reprinted by Dover. An oversize book.

"Arms and Armour in Colonial America 1526 to 1783" by Harold Peterson is one of the best on this subject.

"Arms and Armour from the 9th to the 17th Century" by Paul Martin. Excellent photos and well written.

These last two you might have to find through an "out of print" finder.

"Arms and Armor of the Medieval Knight" by David Edge and John Paddock is an oversized book that Barnes and Noble reprinted a few years ago. You might still find a copy in a local Barnes and Noble Bookstore if not on the web.

As for Japanese Arms and Armour, there are many more still in print.

However for European Arms and Armourer, this would give you a start.

 
Being EXTREMELY new to the forum I just thought that I would jump in and try to learn something new. I am taking Iga-ryu ninjutsu, which is all eastern styled weapons play. I have a friend who is a student of European Ren. sword (I believe live play with Rapiers and Main Guache). He is of a Spanish school and is a Fencing instructor at the Southern Nevada Fencing Academy. Many time we have entered the debate on which discipline is the better. I have come to a conclusion that seems to be the common opinion shared by the other members here. Both east and west schools of thought were indicative of the time and area and they both served their purpose well. To pick which one is better is to simply pick the one that appeals to you. Kind of like picking which university to attend.
Also I would like to say that it I am really happy to enter into a dialogue with people who have such a vast knowledge of a hobby I truly enjoy. I really feel like I will learn a lot.
 

FOPoMATIC rambled on and on...

I'm back from a short vacation...
(damned rain in new england!)

Laurie:

Havn't seen you on SFO, or other forums,
glad I crossed paths with you here! I'd
not really heard of Kirby's blades untill
Recently, someone told me you & he produce
an actual sabre replica? (I've not gotten
thru all of your website.) Is this so?
According to the main page, your blades
are extremely well crafted. (the few I saw
were pricey, but you get what you pay for.)

I'd like to ask you, & all here:
Do you use any of your blades? If so, Which
ones? What styles\techniques do you practice?
Does Kirby test the blade designs, or do you
help with this?(jeez, how could you resist.?)

I currently own two Del Tins- The DT-5162
"Ferarra sword" & the DT-2161 "late 15th
century sword" (Seems like an early rapier,
being broad enough, for some cutting ability.
) Also, have a DT-2158 Zweihander, on it's
way. I also have a overly heavy CASI?
confederate cavalry sabre replica. Aside from
the sabre,(which I have some sport sabre
training) I try to use these weapons, as I
THINK they may have been used. I recently
started training Under Maestro Ramon
Martinez, but am still working my way thru
italian school foil. After becoming
proficient with this, I'll probably learn
italian school sabre. After that, I could go
Italian or french school smallsword, italian
or spanish (Destreza) school rapier (with
dagger or cloak, too.)even italian school
two handed sword. Mastering all these weapons
should take up the rest of my natural life,
but you just can't get training like this,
anywhere else.

To everyone: What blades do YOU use? How do
you practice thier use? What are the targets
of your aggresion? Who's built the most
elaborate pel? This could keep a discourse
going for awhile...

FOPoMATIC

------------------
"It is too bad that
death often results from dueling, for duels other-
wise keep up politeness
in society"- Napoleon
 
FOPoMATIC,

I'll try and answer a few of your questions. In addition to CF weapons (foil, saber and epee), which I teach, I am currently studying longsword (aka Hand and a half or war sword)and rapier. For longsword, I use a Del Tin 2160 for test cutting, but use a wooden waster for sparring and partner drills. To pracrtice rapier, I use two different simulators. I have a 35" schlager blade mounted on a cup hilt, and a 42" blade from Scottie Armories with a swept hilt. I prefer the 42" as it is closer to the actual length and weight of historical rapiers of the early 17th and late 16th centuries. I have another swept hilt on order with a 38" practice rapier blade made by Del Tin. All of the rapier blades have archery blunts attached to their tips for safety reasons. That's because the targets for my aggression are usally real people. Of course, I do use a pell made from old tires with my longsword waster, so human beings are not the only targets of my aggression.

I hope that answers some of your questions.
 
Hello Fopo

I have not been to SwordForum in quite awhile and mostly "haunt" NetSword.com's Discussion boards. Just started coming here when Bladeforum set up this new board on Swords. There aren't many Sword forum boards on the web to go to really.

The photos up on our site show some of the more ornate custom pieces we have made the last few years. I have lost count of how many swords, daggers, axes and other weapons he has made in the last 30 years I have been with him and he has been at this for 45. Unfortunately, we do not have photos of everything he has done and mostly negatives that do need to be reprinted. However these are good eyecatchers and do show what can be done.

We make simplier pieces too and there are a few up like the Scottish Baskethilts (the pair "Glasgow and Sterling Patterns", a simple quillon dagger and a single handed Medieval broadsword shown with its scabbard on a stone). Otherwise, if someone wanted a simpler version of one of the Viking swords shown....that can be done. As well as variations or something a person has seen in a book somewhere. Kirby is very versitile.


The background pages were taken from a printed catalog we used to have but otherwise never advertised. All of Kirby's customers have been from "word of mouth" all these years and most of his work has been mailorder.

The website was the idea of a long time friend who talked Kirby into advertising on the Internet and put it up for us. This was in 1996 right after we first got a computor. As for travelling, mostly this was to SCA events and a few other historical reenactment gatherings. His work has been such, travelling to RennFaires would take time away from the shop but he has sold to vendor or two on occasion who have offered pieces by him at these events.

He could probably get his name more "out there" to the new people just coming into collecting by travelling more but the word gets around and they come. The Swordmaking community (and those interested,) is a small group really and his name is well known as the first and still one of the best to have a functional sword made that feels "alive" in the hand like the originals Oakshotte speaks of.

Believe me it took many years before you started seeing "wall hangers" being replaced by good, functional weaponry. For a long time, it was either Toledo "Wall hangers" or actual pieces...no one was making or offering reproductions until the past 20 years or so when more Historical reenactment groups and RennFaires started getting more popular.
___________________________

The Vikings have a saying in the Havamál:

"Cattle die; kinsmen die, you likewise must die;
But the voice of honor never dies for him
who has earned a good name.

"Cattle die; kinsmen die; you must likewise die;
One thing I know that never dies: a dead man's reputation."
_____________________________________

This has been his idea from the beginning, to became an Historical Armourer/Weaponsmith as his life's work, to bring back the Art when it was thought long dead. In the past, we have had other swordmakers and armourers tell us it was because of his example they decided to enter the field. Now that our son has decided to take up the hammer, Kirby knows he will have more to pass along than just the mark on the pieces he makes. But that is good too.

Ramblings.....better quit now.

------------------------

P.S.

Yes, Kirby has made sabers of various types and from different periods. He does tests his blades after the tempering/annealling process and before leaving the shop. Live steel work? No, but know of others who have used his blades for it and will make blades with rebated edges.




[This message has been edited by Laurie Wise (edited 08-18-2000).]
 
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