What is the Easiest Sword to Learn How to Use?

Actuall I don't believe it was "Spacifically" designed for thrusting ( the Scholar rut) but rather the point was changed to enhance the overall design. It is very effictive in thrusting but it is also very effective at cutting, it is a fairly well balanced design.
What is commanly refered to as the Bowie knife is probably the most balanced adaptive design ever created but it has taken a long time to arrive there. It does everything well.


But as I said earlier there is no such thing as a "Easy Sword" to learn regardless of it's design.
 
I suggest that anyone who believes as Bors does, that the gladius was not designed specifically for stabbing or thrusting, should take a long, hard look at the Gladius Hispaniensis, it Mainz style gladius and Fulham style gladius designs and tell me for what they were intended. Take especial note of the extended and needle sharp points on these designs. These are not primarily chopping weapons or even slicing weapons and the training given to the Roman soldiers from the earliest days of their use supports that claim. The recruit was taught to stab with it, then to slice on his way out. Chopping was to be avoided if possible as it left him open to a thrust from the enemy.
 
FullerH said:
I suggest that anyone who believes as Bors does, that the gladius was not designed specifically for stabbing or thrusting, should take a long, hard look at the Gladius Hispaniensis, it Mainz style gladius and Fulham style gladius designs and tell me for what they were intended. Take especial note of the extended and needle sharp points on these designs. These are not primarily chopping weapons or even slicing weapons and the training given to the Roman soldiers from the earliest days of their use supports that claim. The recruit was taught to stab with it, then to slice on his way out. Chopping was to be avoided if possible as it left him open to a thrust from the enemy.
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Early in our wars we uesd muzzle loaders now we use machine guns, early bombs were hand grenades dropped from bi-plaines now we use laser guided smart bombs it's called evolution. The Gladius evolved as most things do. The Romans did not develop thier style of fighting or training overnight. Not all romans fought behind a Scutum and if they became seperated from their shield they would have to change fighting styles which is why they were tought both cut and thrust.

I pulled this from Albions site I agree with the thought process.


The Greek historian Dionysus of Halicarnassus (contemporary to Emperor Augustus 63 BC-14 AD) describes Roman tactics with swords against the Gauls in the 4th C BC. Dionysus describes events that is some 300 years earlier than his own times, but we might perhaps presume that the fighting techniques he describes were not anachronistic to his own period. It is during the late 1st C BC that the Mainz type Gladius developed from the longer Gladius Hispaniensis that the Romans adopted during the Punic wars. Both the longer Gladius Hispanienis and the Mainz type gladius were effective cutting swords, even if thrusting was a favoured tactic in close formations.

...Holding their sword straight out, they would strike their opponents in the groin, pierce their sides, and drive their blows through their breasts into their vitals. And if they saw any of them keeping these parts of the body protected, they would cut the tendons of their knees or ankles and topple them to the ground roaring and biting their shields and uttering cries resembling the howling of wild beasts...
 
...Holding their sword straight out, they would strike their opponents in the groin, pierce their sides, and drive their blows through their breasts into their vitals. And if they saw any of them keeping these parts of the body protected, they would cut the tendons of their knees or ankles and topple them to the ground roaring and biting their shields and uttering cries resembling the howling of wild beasts...
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FullerH said:
I am very well aware that the gladius could be used for slicing and dicing. Livy and Polybius both refer to the horror with which the Greeks and Macedonians viewed the dismembered bodies of their troops. But my point was that the blade was designed for thrusting and that going out into the woods to chop branches is hardly good practice for its most efficient use, especially in a limited space where you cannot swing it. That is where its stabbing ability comes into play and that can only be developed by practicing at stabbing. Were I to be trying to learn how to use my Gladius Hispaniensis, I would do as the Romans did and drive a stake into my backyard and set to it as they did, practicing stabs and slashes. It might be improved by wrapping it in padding and then wrapping some sort of durable but replaceable cover around it.
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Bors, I am not trying to say that the Legions never sliced or chopped with their gladii. To do so would be to deny the history that I had already stated in the bolded portion of my post from yesterday. So, please stop trying to put words into my mouth. What I said was that the Legions were trained to attack with a stabbing motion, as noted in the bolded portion of the quote that you brought over from the Albion site.

In truth, I am not so certain that we are in such disagreement. Using my Gladius Hispaniensis as an example, I find that it would be a superb thrusting or stabbing weapon, but it would also make a wonderful chopping weapon, given the space to swing it. I have not tried it on any tree branches, thank you, as I tend not to try to damage valuable items. But its feel and the broadness of the blade, some 2.5" from the hilt down to the point at which the taper to the point begins, about 2/3 of the way, make it clear that it would, indeed, be good at chopping people.

As to learning the use of a sword, I would again agree with you that there is no sword that can be learned easily, but I think that there are some that can be learned more easily than others. I suspect that the basics of using a properly balanced shortsword would be a good deal easier to learn than the basics of using a well balanced broadsword, a katana, or a rapier. From personal experience, I can say that learning to use a smallsword properly is quite difficult as is learning to use a cavalry saber. So, perhaps we have less to argye about that it might at first appear.
 
I think your rite we are not in disagrement.
It's interesting I picked up a Qama (A distant cousin) A long time ago and put it through the paces on a piece of 3/4" plywood, at first I thought the point would breake off however, to my supprise the sword suffered no damage. The damage to the plywood was severe.

Please do not attack trees or green bamboo with your swords thats what axes and machetes are for. Instead I would suggest Tameshigiri Wara mats I cut these with my Albion Viking swords and my bowie knives and they work quite well. Rolled up news paper or packing tubes also work well.
 
I have often wondered if the Qama has its roots in the gladius as they look so very similar.
 
My recomendation would be a Chinese Dao. In ancient times in China the Jian (straight double edge sword) was used by soldiers, it was replaced by the Dao (single edge broadsword) because it required less training for them and was easier to use.

Also short greek swords are easier to handle.
 
Bugmenot...

Could you further explain your recommendations? Why would a dao require less training or be easier to use? Similarly, why do you find Greek swords easier to handle?
 
A bit more serious, regarding swords as home defense weapons;

GO WEST YOUNG MAN!

Nothing against Asian methods, but for what I suspect you want, that's spending way too much time and commitment.

Get a decent cutlass (aka "infantry hanger"')--one with BOTH cut & thrust capabilities. So-called "pirate cutlasses" with WIDE blades can be great at cutting and chopping, but they sacrifice thrusting and can be slow on the recovery. You want CARBON steel, spring tempered, blade anywhere from 18"-26" inches. Preferably you want one that has 4" or better of back edge--or a "false edge' than can be sharpened. A half-basket hilt or knucklebow hilt can both be used for in-close punching--something a dao or katana CANNOT do. Though sort of pricey, the Cold Steel replica 1917 is almost ideal--especially with the back edge razor sharp

For the basic method, I'm going to recomend (once again :eek: ) Cold Steel: Technique of Close Combat by John Styers; 1952; Paladin Press (www.paladin-press.com ) Study BOTH the knife-fighting and stick-fighting chapters--and (blantant plug) look at my article on Styers in the Tactics and Training section. It doesnt take too much effort to see how both can be adapted to the naval short saber.

HIGHLY recomended is Dwight McLemore's Bowie and Big Knife Fighting System also from Paladin Press

Lynn Thompson of Cold Steel has a DVD set about fighting with the Saber & Cutlass--havent seen it, seems way too pricy, but might be worth it--someone else would have to comment on quality
 
FullerH said:
Silliness. I said it in NetSwoed and I say it here. And, yes, I am a grumpy old man.:mad:
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Of course its silly...and I think its a hoot.

I'm old too...but perhaps not grumpy enough, eh?


Regards,


Steve
 
My suggestion would be to find a LOCAL WMA group to work with. You'll learn basics of stance and movement, but more importantly, you'll learn to think in terms of an edged weapon. A local venue is very important because you should attend a class a minimum of once a week, and if possible, to try practice sessions either alone or with fellow students This is with the okay of your instructor of course. Your instructor will be able to determine if your level of expertise is high enough for you to be safe away from his direct observation.
 
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