Slinging.org Forum - Favorite Hand to hand weapon

beaverbutt8 Ex Member	Re: Favorite Hand to hand weapon Reply #15 - Nov 6^th, 2005 at 9:40pm no. More like a big strong guy, with 20lbs of boiled leather or scale mail. Usually axes weren't quite as heavy as 25lbs, a few were though. The normal weight would probably be in the 10 - 15 range
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Tint Interfector Viris Spurii Past Moderator Offline Posts: 2348 Hong Kong Gender:	Re: Favorite Hand to hand weapon Reply #16 - Nov 6^th, 2005 at 10:01pm Wouldn't a person get tired very quickly swinging that thing?
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MammotHunter

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Re: Favorite Hand to hand weapon
Reply #17 - Nov 7^th, 2005 at 9:06am

Yeah, anything over about 5 lbs becomes cumbersome for anyone but an experienced or well conditioned fighter. I'm a big guy (about 1.8 metres and 230 lbs) but after swinging my claymore sword around for anymore than a couple minutes, and my forearms are feeling it something fierce! Most maces, flails, clubs etc. things to be used with one hand, didn't get much above about 2-3 lbs, because of stamina problems. This is also partly why so many ancient battles were so short in duration; nobody wants to be swinging a 15 lb axe around for 2 hours.
Anyhow, my favourite hand to hand weapon would be a kopis/falcata. It's got the lightness and manoeuverability of a sword, with the chopping power of a finely honed axe. In some tests, it actually outperformed a katana in cutting ability, and it fits my fighting style perfectly. Close up, hacking and slashing.

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Curious Aardvark

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Re: Favorite Hand to hand weapon
Reply #18 - Nov 7^th, 2005 at 10:14am

I could swing it :-) With the armour - there are certain advantages to being bear shaped and mostly muscle.
And bear in mind if it was your personal weapon you'd train with it till it felt light. But realistically that's too heavy. Not only that, it uses too much metal - wasteful.
I like the choice of weapon, but I'd got for a 3 foot handle with at most an 8lb head (6-7 should do it).
This I could use one handed if need be but very fast 2 handed.

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slingbadger

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Re: Favorite Hand to hand weapon
Reply #19 - Nov 7^th, 2005 at 11:55am

My favorite hand weapon (and I do have one) is my Celtic leaf blade sword. Just a little over 2 feet long, with a blade shaped like an elongated elm leaf. The extra weight at the end packs a punch. I've sank it into a stump without much effort.
I also have a tool that I keep in my car for winter. Its a mini mattock. It has a curved blade, and two prongs on the other side. Its great for digging out the car from the snow. It comes in handy when I camp too. Would make a hell of a combat weapon.

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beaverbutt8

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Re: Favorite Hand to hand weapon
Reply #20 - Nov 7^th, 2005 at 2:16pm

Quote:

Yeah, anything over about 5 lbs becomes cumbersome for anyone but an experienced or well conditioned fighter. I'm a big guy (about 1.8 metres and 230 lbs) but after swinging my claymore sword around for anymore than a couple minutes, and my forearms are feeling it something fierce! Most maces, flails, clubs etc. things to be used with one hand, didn't get much above about 2-3 lbs, because of stamina problems. This is also partly why so many ancient battles were so short in duration; nobody wants to be swinging a 15 lb axe around for 2 hours.
Anyhow, my favourite hand to hand weapon would be a kopis/falcata. It's got the lightness and manoeuverability of a sword, with the chopping power of a finely honed axe. In some tests, it actually outperformed a katana in cutting ability, and it fits my fighting style perfectly. Close up, hacking and slashing.

Fair enough. If i was fighting for several hours, i'd probably take this. A medium sized, one handed axe, with a spike on the back - not unlike those used for murdering hapless people on horror movies Tongue

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longshot Novicius Offline I love Slinging.org! Posts: 1	Re: Favorite Hand to hand weapon Reply #21 - Nov 7^th, 2005 at 2:18pm Hi all I'm new here but I would have tosay that my favourite weapon is the one closest to hand when I need it rock stick knife axe gun etc. longshot
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Æthelbera Interfector Viris Spurii Offline Resident Cavegirl Posts: 1135 grieving- august 13th/09 :( Gender:	Re: Favorite Hand to hand weapon Reply #22 - Nov 7^th, 2005 at 2:25pm Things like claymores and bastard swords. I love the sheer size and weight of the claymore, exaggeration of warrior valiance. I would prefer something with 1076 pattern wielded steel and leather hilt.
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Douglas_The_Black Interfector Viris Spurii Offline Hakkaa päälle! Posts: 3491 Salineville Ohio Gender:	Re: Favorite Hand to hand weapon Reply #23 - Nov 7^th, 2005 at 2:55pm swords, and i mean all swords where not very heavy at all. If you have a very heavy sword its ether badly made or just for show. http://www.thearma.org/essays/weights.htm great site by the way, a little hard to read but still good. http://www.thehaca.com/essays.htm
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Curious Aardvark Forum Moderation Offline Taller than the average Dwarf Posts: 13965 Midlands England Gender:	Re: Favorite Hand to hand weapon Reply #24 - Nov 10^th, 2005 at 8:11am And the important thing to remember about a 2 handed weapons is that if you get injured you should always be able to use it one handed. That's the real beauty of a mid weight long handled axe or a bastar* sword.
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S_ALLEN

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Re: Favorite Hand to hand weapon
Reply #25 - Nov 11^th, 2005 at 1:14am

most swords fell into the 2-5lb range even two handers almost never topped out at more than that...sword fights did not last all day or even for hours generally a few minutes at most, my favorite close combat weapon is a good heavy walking stick. If you're talking swords the gladius is one of the best weapons ever made. Knife a kukri

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lobohunter Interfector Viris Spurii Offline where be a rock and a string there be a sling Posts: 1985 Cottage Grove or Gender:	Re: Favorite Hand to hand weapon Reply #26 - Nov 11^th, 2005 at 2:04am three pound cross peam hammer and a sling. I but a simple man
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Smudge Senior Member Offline Sticks and stones WILL brake your bones. Posts: 334 everywhere Gender:	Re: Favorite Hand to hand weapon Reply #27 - Nov 11^th, 2005 at 9:12am I have heard tales of the gurkas in Nepal using a large, 2ft kukri to cut the heads off of cattle in one stroke. I think that it is two handed and slightly less curvy than the knives, but this kukri-sword would really bring the pain to any one who got in the way of its momentum.
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bigkahuna

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Re: Favorite Hand to hand weapon
Reply #28 - Nov 11^th, 2005 at 12:02pm

Hey Smudge. Yes this is true. On certain religious holiday the Gurkha Regiments do sacrifice a steer or ox. The act is done with an oversize kukri handled by a specially chosen man from the regiment. If he takes the head off in one clean cut it means good fortune for the regiment for the coming year. If he messes up he is scorned and chased around by his comrade who throw the blood of the steer at him and generally make his life miserable.

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bigkahuna past-moderator Offline Posts: 3894 Delaware, USA Gender:	Re: Favorite Hand to hand weapon Reply #29 - Nov 11^th, 2005 at 12:03pm My favorite hand to hand weapon would be Jackie Chan as my bodyguard.
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