I've been looking at your swords since they came out - too sad you haven't got a dealer in the EU. Damn you, Brexit. Some day I will get my grubby little hands on them though and I am looking forward to that. :)
Nice interview and definitely agree that next on the shopping list is a replica for demonstrations. With regard to the discussion on sword rings, there is a clear reference for their use in How a Man Shall Be Armed for a knight's sidearm: "And then his short swerde upon the lyfte side in a rounde rynge all nakid to pulle it oute lightli".
Lovely talk! Tod is such a key nexus in the weave of RUclips reenactment and HEMA. Great to see the two of you! And that Castillon just sends shivers of nostalgia down my back. Iconic!
Broken scabbard reminds me of the picture of three guys talking, I think it's a Dürer, with one of them having his sword in a broken scabbard with the tip poking out
Inetersting discussion, and a great colab between two of my favorite youtubers! Looking forwards to seeing the longsword and the fantasy thing from Tod. I have a clipped pointed falchion from him and it is the best. I also have a pair of daggers(quillion and rondel), which are super neat!
despite that the Wakefield hanger is a transitional design between the medieval falchion and the post medieval backsword it seems to be more thrust oriented than both of them
Yeah, you don't get distal taper on a reanactment sword, matter how beefy the edge. In a way, it's LESS safe in that you are hitting someone with more weight at the tip. I wonder if an I-beam type of construction could be viable.
Great video, although i disagree that people would take off their scabbards …because the sword was not your primary weapon, so in battle you would be fighting with a spear or lance or poleaxe and you would have your sword in scabbard if you need it, however if you took it off before the fight you wouldnt have a sword for backup…. I mean in 18th and 19th centuries they always wore scabbards cause again your primary weapon was a gun so the scabbard needed to be worn otherwise you have no sword. The only place were that could be possible is a duel maybe.
This is a little out of the scope of this (otherwise nice!) video. So it’s sort of an addendum to the comment that Zac makes in passing about carrying swords, and therefore scabbards, when mounted (i.e. on horseback, obviously). Zac touches on the rider not wishing to slap his/her trusty mount on the flank with his/her scabbard; as everybody can probably comprehend, this could potentially trigger the horse into instinctively concluding: “I’m being attacked by wolves (or something)!!!”… 😱 This is conceivably pretty much why the Japanese bushi (“samurai”), from ca. the 12th century onwards (possibly earlier), when mounted, traditionally would wear their swords (originally; the tachi) cutting edge down. This in a fashion so that the tsuka (hilt) was noticeable lower-hanging than the tip of the blade - and consequently, the end of the saya (scabbard). This considerably minimized the risk of your scabbard hitting your horse. 👏🏻 This old method of carrying the long(er) sword (daitō), notably, did not so much facilitate the fast-drawing techniques (iaijutsu), of the general art of Japanese swordsmanship (kenjutsu), that were developed later for the uchi-gatana - i.e. from the latter part (15th and 16th century) of the Sengoku Jidai and further developed and refined throughout the Edo period. However, the practice of wearing the long(er) sword “tachi-style” was widely maintained throughout the medieval and feudal eras of Japan, when the warrior was mounted - or when in armor, especially for those of higher rank. Apart from being seen as ‘traditional’, it is likely that the understanding that ‘you really should avoid annoying your mount’ carried over to subsequent generations. 😉
Thanks for the opportunity Zac- a nice chat through
If only you and your team would also do blunt swords for reenactment but with the feel of a real sword. There'd for sure be a market for that :-)
I've been looking at your swords since they came out - too sad you haven't got a dealer in the EU. Damn you, Brexit. Some day I will get my grubby little hands on them though and I am looking forward to that. :)
Nice interview and definitely agree that next on the shopping list is a replica for demonstrations. With regard to the discussion on sword rings, there is a clear reference for their use in How a Man Shall Be Armed for a knight's sidearm: "And then his short swerde upon the lyfte side in a rounde rynge all nakid to pulle it oute lightli".
Lovely talk! Tod is such a key nexus in the weave of RUclips reenactment and HEMA. Great to see the two of you! And that Castillon just sends shivers of nostalgia down my back. Iconic!
Todd's work is always top quality. Now I feel the need for yet another sword....
Broken scabbard reminds me of the picture of three guys talking, I think it's a Dürer, with one of them having his sword in a broken scabbard with the tip poking out
Also it is outdated model of sword for the time of painting/meeting occuring.
I could listen to Tod talk about his blades all day, great impromptu interview Zac 👍👍
Inetersting discussion, and a great colab between two of my favorite youtubers! Looking forwards to seeing the longsword and the fantasy thing from Tod. I have a clipped pointed falchion from him and it is the best. I also have a pair of daggers(quillion and rondel), which are super neat!
Heard the people in harness walking past, be nice to see them, have them discuss their kit; if possible.
Loved the talk, and loved the swords!
An excellent discussion. Thanks Zac.
Always great to see an interview with Tod! Nice work, Zac!
imagine later period industrialised people applying German manufactured blades on medieval style hilts for a nostalgic/ classic look
Epic collab!
despite that the Wakefield hanger is a transitional design between the medieval falchion and the post medieval backsword it seems to be more thrust oriented than both of them
Yeah, you don't get distal taper on a reanactment sword, matter how beefy the edge. In a way, it's LESS safe in that you are hitting someone with more weight at the tip. I wonder if an I-beam type of construction could be viable.
There are several companies making HEMA feders with more nearly correct profiles with reasonably accurate weight and balance.
Yes, but not ok for reenactment.
interesting, clearly an appease the algorithm comment
Tbf modern reenactment swords are a lot lighter than he makes out, most of the modern ones nowadays are about on par with their historical equivalent.
I think he was referring to the balance being the problem not just the weight. My own sword for reenactment is about 1kg and it’s very unwieldy
Great video, although i disagree that people would take off their scabbards …because the sword was not your primary weapon, so in battle you would be fighting with a spear or lance or poleaxe and you would have your sword in scabbard if you need it, however if you took it off before the fight you wouldnt have a sword for backup…. I mean in 18th and 19th centuries they always wore scabbards cause again your primary weapon was a gun so the scabbard needed to be worn otherwise you have no sword. The only place were that could be possible is a duel maybe.
We meant removing it once you'd drawn your sword. Some setups seem like they are designed to accommodate this. Others less so.
This is a little out of the scope of this (otherwise nice!) video. So it’s sort of an addendum to the comment that Zac makes in passing about carrying swords, and therefore scabbards, when mounted (i.e. on horseback, obviously).
Zac touches on the rider not wishing to slap his/her trusty mount on the flank with his/her scabbard; as everybody can probably comprehend, this could potentially trigger the horse into instinctively concluding: “I’m being attacked by wolves (or something)!!!”… 😱
This is conceivably pretty much why the Japanese bushi (“samurai”), from ca. the 12th century onwards (possibly earlier), when mounted, traditionally would wear their swords (originally; the tachi) cutting edge down.
This in a fashion so that the tsuka (hilt) was noticeable lower-hanging than the tip of the blade - and consequently, the end of the saya (scabbard). This considerably minimized the risk of your scabbard hitting your horse. 👏🏻
This old method of carrying the long(er) sword (daitō), notably, did not so much facilitate the fast-drawing techniques (iaijutsu), of the general art of Japanese swordsmanship (kenjutsu), that were developed later for the uchi-gatana - i.e. from the latter part (15th and 16th century) of the Sengoku Jidai and further developed and refined throughout the Edo period.
However, the practice of wearing the long(er) sword “tachi-style” was widely maintained throughout the medieval and feudal eras of Japan, when the warrior was mounted - or when in armor, especially for those of higher rank.
Apart from being seen as ‘traditional’, it is likely that the understanding that ‘you really should avoid annoying your mount’ carried over to subsequent generations. 😉
Knuckle bow may not be for protection.
What are you thinking it's for instead?