Swords for Special Ops?

golok

golok

Joined
Oct 20, 2000
Messages
4,453
I have not heard of this before but would it be inappropriate for guys in the special forces who are operating behind enemy lines to carry swords with them?

Not those long ones but long enough to achieve the objective, so to speak.

Of course, a knife would do just as well but then a sword has some great possibilities. Just thinking aloud.
 
I'm not so sure. Knives are good for most applications but even better is that nifty little toy the .22 auto silenced firing subsonic rounds for close up yucky stuff.
 
I think that the special unit of the Filipino Marines, the Force Recon, is trained in Pekiti-Tirsia Kali to prepare them for Guerilla warfare and jungle combat. Because experience showed that fire arms are not offering sufficient protection in Guerilla warfare in the jungle or cities, the Ginunting (a short sword) has been added to the equipment of the Force Recon. The soldiers of the Force Recon are learning the use of the Ginunting for close combat and also the methods of Pekiti-Tirsia Kali for countering disarming attempts (weapon retention) and also the methods for empty hands fight against knife and the strategies and tactics for empty hands close quarter combat against fire arms.

From: http://www.pekiti-tirsia.net/cur9807.htm

Johan
 
Canadian knife maker Wally Hayes makes a blade he calls his Tactical Wakizashi. I think his biggest customers are JTF, our Canadian special forces. I think the blade is 18" or shorter. Exactly what you described!
 
Some of them may or may not have issued machetes with them, or at the very least camp axes and bayonets.
 
At least according to Cold Steel, the Russian "Spetznaz" (or something like that!) recieved combat training in the use of the small shovel they carried. Unelegant, but effective.
A popular weapon with our own forces as well, at least with my experience in barracks brawls....
 
Hello Crayola,

Your description of Wally Hayes' tactical wakizashi is fascinating to say the least. Anybody got a picture of that nice looking 18in blade?
 
What about 1/4" thick ATS-34 Wakizashi? A 18" blade is good but I'd have to put a guard on my version, and canvas micarta handels.

Do ya'll think that would stand up?
 
I don't love ATS 34. If you want something incredibly tough and don't mind preventing rust, try 3V. JSP uses A2, I think. Wally Hayes' 1084 is apparently super tough, but that's a Master's work.
I'm not disagreeing, but why do you need a guard? Is it as a bladecatcher?
 
One thing a guard is nice for is keeping your hand from slipping down onto the blade.
 
Oh :) [I guess it could also be used for leverage]
That's also a matter of technique.
It's another blade that worries me more ie, the other guy's technique :)
 
One tactic that is common to almost all forms of sword fighting is to attack the hands. A tsuba is not so much a "sword catcher" as it is a STOP to prevent the opponent from simply sliding his blade down yours and lopping off a thumb and a finger or two. The idea obviously being, "If you can't hold the sword, you can't fight with it."

In a sword on sword fight, your hands are the body parts most likely to be hit. They're out there in the middle of things and they are the body part closest to the opponent. Even with a pappenheimer hilt, good quality, leather gauntlets, and a rule stating that hand hits score no points, (for the sake of safety) I've still managed to acquire a few interesting scars on the backs of my hands.

Guards and tsubas are worth their weight in gold when facing another sword.

Tactically speaking, the modern soldier armed with a sword is unlikely to ever face another swordsman, so the usefullness of a guard is probably negligable, but then so is the sword itself.

If I had to pick a "tactical sword" to carry into a modern combat environment, it would most likely be a good quality machete.
A good machete is a great tool that makes a good weapon when needed.
or
A machete makes a decent sword, a sword makes a lousy machete.
 
Okay, Ken, I will second that.

I always have that nagging feeling that the machete was a "mean machine" in combat but couldn't gather the courage to come outright to say it.

Glad you have said it, Ken.
 
golok,
Having spent a great deal of time in Central America, I've developed a lot of respect for the machete in the hands of someone who knows how to use one.

I've seen roughly 20 Central American men, with nothing but machetes, clear a 200 yard free fire zone in two days. (For the price of one C-ration meal per man per day!)

I've seen three Central American soldiers turn a live cow into half a dozen wheel barrels full of well butchered beef in about 20 minutes.

I've seen other things done with machetes that are probably better left unmentioned.

The machete, is an excellent tool and weapon. It may not the most glamorous blade swinging, but it's <b>brutally</b> effective.

(None of these comments are directed at the U.S. Issue machete!)
 
Just what exactly were you doing down there in Central America Ken if you do not mind me asking?
 
Ken, what's wrong with the U.S. issue machete? I'm quite sure Ontario supplies them. I don't think Ontario would make an especially bad machete.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top