Swords for Home Defense

If I didnt' have a gun, and my choices were a folding knife with a 4" blade or a sword, I'd grab the sword in a heartbeat. Rob Criswell swords are all business. No BS, just kill. Up to you! Have fun shopping!
 
Merek said:
Just to throw a kink into this discussion.....
While I would only grab a sword (3) or a knife (6 Bowies, fixed blades or daggers) because they are stashed about in strategic places, I also have a 6 foot spear with a 12" blade on the business end.
For a non-firearm armed intruder in a narrow place it makes for a helluva hard time getting past the point even in the hands of my 13 year old daughter. I've tried it. It can be parried with, thrust and withdrawn quickly, keeps the attacker at a distance and cannot be turned around easily if taken away.
I might even throw it as a distractor while I get all Modern on 'em and pump 'em full of lead.....
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Merek, I agree with you on the value of a spear, or something much like it such as a halberd or bill. It's usefulness in so many situations is why it was the primary infantry weapon for most cultures before firearms.
 
Currently I keep a short sword and a spear point at hand. When in Zimbabwe I used to keep a Glock 21 on hand with the first round loaded with black powder. I used it once as a warning shot to some guys trying to get in the house in the early hours of the morning. It provides an over whelming flash bang and smoke out of the window and a wonderful chaos effect.

For the car I carry a teargas version of pepperspray. I upgraded when a friend sprayed an intruder with pepperspray and the intruder turned around and kicked the 7 Sh1ts out of him. Lesson, what every you use has to take the guy down or get him running asap. Like a rat never, never get him angry and stupid.
 
James Green Dragon said:
Love the spear idea. IMO the thrust is superior to the cut - especially in hallways.
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In most ways, the thrust is superior to the cut.

The thrust is faster, simply because a vector moving along a radius will make it to the target faster than a vector moving around a circumference. In other words, straight is usually faster than an arc.

Further, with an arc, you need to hit the guy with the sharpened edge of the spear... if you hit him with the shaft, it's really easy for him to grab the shaft as a reflex, and now you're struggling to retain your weapon. With a thrust, you're hitting him with the fastest moving part of the shaft with the sharpest piece of it.

Swinging from side to side, even in a narrow hallway, risks opening you up too much. A thrust is well protected from most upward angles, which is another reason I recommend kneeling. (The other reason is it lowers you as a target for counterattack--he might not even see you there before you see him.)

And you can make a pretty good spear at home, with little effort. All you need is a 1-1/4" hardwood dowel, an old knife you don't need, and some baling wire.

I myself got one of those Cold Steel spears when they were only $20, about twelve years ago. Came razor sharp, with a decent shaft. I don't keep it under the bed--yet--but have certainly thought about it.
 
Originally Posted by Lion of Narnia
Because it's Japanese, THAT makes it best?????

I stand by the cutlass over ANY wakizashi as more versitile, better protected and easier to use

Cornelis Böhms said:
Dont jump to conclusions, Cutlass Pirat.
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Ok, maybe I'm a bit sensitive on this issue--I apologize. But I thought we we're all somewhat past the a priori assumption that Japanese swords were "the best". If a wakizashi is the "best indoor sword" I want to know why.
 
Watchful said:
In most ways, the thrust is superior to the cut.

The thrust is faster, simply because a vector moving along a radius will make it to the target faster than a vector moving around a circumference. In other words, straight is usually faster than an arc.
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Course as Silver (George) pointed out, most conflicts start a full step or so out of range. Under that circumstance, the cut is as fast as the thrust--because no blow can strike faster than the manuever which brings you into range.

Watchful said:
Further, with an arc, you need to hit the guy with the sharpened edge of the spear... if you hit him with the shaft, it's really easy for him to grab the shaft as a reflex, and now you're struggling to retain your weapon.
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As Marc "Animal" MacYoung so eloquently demonstrated the superiority of a sharpened sword over a baseball bat, "He (the home invader) will not be so keen on grasping the blade--unless he wants to be busted down to racoon status--you know, all that mischief and no opposable thumbs to do it"

Otherwise, Watchful has some great points here
 
Lion of Narnia said:
As Marc "Animal" MacYoung so eloquently demonstrated the superiority of a sharpened sword over a baseball bat, "He (the home invader) will not be so keen on grasping the blade--unless he wants to be busted down to racoon status--you know, all that mischief and no opposable thumbs to do it"
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That's a great quote, by the way. But I was referring to a spear against an (un)armed opponent in low light--he can reflexively grab the shaft if the edge comes at him from the side: the spear edge will often not hit him at all, but sit helplessly past his shoulder.

A sword is a fully different matter, of course, as we all recognize.

Sword-wise, whether a thrust is superior to a cut is always an ongoing argument, but the answer it quite simple: it depends on the sword. A good back sword with decent belly--like a wakizashi *or* a cutlass--will cut often as well or even better as a thrust. A rapier, on the other hand, is not going to help you on a swing: its beauty is its thrusting brilliance.

That said, I wouldn't be quick to recommend a thrust, per se, in a darkened corridor of a home. Here, a sword can make a nice, short probing swing-- and if it finds its mark, the intruder is screwed. If it doesn't find its mark, the next swing will...and for this, I recommend being on the feet to maximize the leverage, as opposed to the kneeling position I suggested for the spear.

As for the wakizashi versus cutlass debate, I've learned two things (among others): the Japanese sword is not nearly as perfect as it's generally regarded (awesome PR, though), and the cutlass is far more nasty than it looks. I'd rate them as equals for nearly all tasks. The cutlass can seem a little clumsy to the first-time user: by the second or third time, it will seem beautifully balanced in one hand. The wakizashi is good out of the box, but can be a real maintenance problem due to the specifics of care and sharpening. But this is old news, and the informed wakizashi user knows this before purchasing and is ready for it.
 
Lion of Narnia said:
Originally Posted by Lion of Narnia



Ok, maybe I'm a bit sensitive on this issue--I apologize. But I thought we we're all somewhat past the a priori assumption that Japanese swords were "the best". If a wakizashi is the "best indoor sword" I want to know why.[/QUOTE

I like Europian swords much more than Japanese and have a collection of them ( only two old katanas ) but.... a wakizashi is short and can be lightning
fast, if you now how to handle it. The "best indoor sword" is relative,
I admit.

Cor.
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Cornelis Böhms said:
Lion of Narnia said:
Originally Posted by Lion of Narnia



Ok, maybe I'm a bit sensitive on this issue--I apologize. But I thought we we're all somewhat past the a priori assumption that Japanese swords were "the best". If a wakizashi is the "best indoor sword" I want to know why.[/QUOTE

I like Europian swords much more than Japanese and have a collection of them ( only two old katanas ) but.... a wakizashi is short and can be lightning
fast, if you now how to handle it. The "best indoor sword" is relative,
I admit.

Cor.
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If you don't live in an apartment I kind of like psycho cats ;)


PO-d_kitty.gif
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I'd recomend the "Gladius" that belonged to Marv in Sin City.
The only "sword" useful in a gun fight. :D
 
Tim-Gabz said:
Currently I keep a short sword and a spear point at hand. When in Zimbabwe I used to keep a Glock 21 on hand with the first round loaded with black powder. I used it once as a warning shot to some guys trying to get in the house in the early hours of the morning. It provides an over whelming flash bang and smoke out of the window and a wonderful chaos effect.

For the car I carry a teargas version of pepperspray. I upgraded when a friend sprayed an intruder with pepperspray and the intruder turned around and kicked the 7 Sh1ts out of him. Lesson, what every you use has to take the guy down or get him running asap. Like a rat never, never get him angry and stupid.
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1 If you did fire a warning shot then your an idiot---every cartridge fired is an expression of deadly force and is accountable for.

2 If you actually loaded black powder in a cartridge and fired in your Glock then you are incredibly lucky that it did not blow up at least on the first round and definetly on follow up rounds. Modern firearms are not designed to be fired with Black Powder ---which is an explosive---.

3 Why the hell would you not want to shoot someone with a regular bullet if they were in YOUR DAMN HOUSE and making a round just for smoke and noise makes no tactical sense---smoke things up so can conceal the bad guy more and make you deaf and smoke in eyes as well---plain stupid-- Have you ever actually fired a weapon in a house---not a situation that I would like to do again myself---hearing protection or not.

4--Yet you carry a pepperspray in your car---genius---dont frickin spray the thing in your car as you will catch it 1/2 as bad as said attacker---the only OC product i might reccomend is Foam or Gel.

Both spear, short gladius sword and shield combo sounds about right.
 
I hasve tired of the people who come on various boards and tell folks who are asking about swords and/or knives for self defense that they should got and get a firearm, be it a pistol or a shotgun or whatever. Please remember that there are places, unfortunately some even in the United States, where the possession of handguns is illegal and even the possession of long arms is severely restricted. For such people, the sword and/or knife may be the best choice for self defense. So, I suggest that you should ascertain whether the individual asking about using a sword and/or a knife for self defense is in such a situation where he or she does not have access to firearms before you begin pontificating about "taking a knife to a gunfight."
 
CULLEN3 said:
1 If you did fire a warning shot then your an idiot---every cartridge fired is an expression of deadly force and is accountable for.
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Tim-Gabz knows more about how things are done in Zimbabwe, I think. He's led a very interesting life.
 
FullerH said:
Guys, try to remember that the "Get a handgun" recommendation is not practical for everyone. Some people live in New York City or in Washington, DC, where they are illegal, and where shotguns, at least in DC, are either illegal or might as well be illegal. I suspect that there are a number of other, similar, jurisdictions. :barf:
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Fuller, this may be true... But I am pretty sure that if they cant own a gun, can they really own a sword???? I dont know for A FACT but i am pretty sure swords are illegal in the places you listed sir.
 
SlamFire said:
I have a K98 Mauser with a fixed bayonet next to my bed. Few people encounter bayonets anymore and the physiological reaction is likely to be in my benefit. If that does not cause an exodus, I can choke up on the rifle which allows maneuvering in quite tight spaces and also increases my leverage advantage. The leverage you get with two hands on a four foot rifle is quite good. If you put your body weight behind a thrust, it is not easily parried and will likely pin the target to the wall. If the bayonet gets jammed, I can chamber a round and shoot it free. But only as a last resort as a full power service round will go through every wall in the house.
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I have that EXACT SAME RIFLE! the germans made great guns.. and the mauser action CANNOT and has NEVER been beaten!!!!!! i keep my loaded Russian SKS and Mossberg 30.06 next to my bed with my Glock26 attached to the side of the boxsprings, under the bed sheetdraping over it..... got my benchmade 175 hanging over my head on the wall, so i have a few decent weapons at my disposal if i have to wake up to someone breaking into my apartment...
 
I am pretty certain that you may own and keep a sword in Washington, DC, just not go carrying it around in public without a reason such as a re-enactment or some such.
 
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