lunedì 15 febbraio 2010

What Sword Making Entails

What Sword Making Entails

 Many people love swords and they cannot help but admire them with emotion and passion.  In the market today, you are sure to find a wide variety of swords that have been made by machines and also by craftsmen by hand.  They are used for many things including decorations, collection, fighting and the like.  Since they can present danger, it is important for people to handle them with care and not use them to destroy others.  They make for excellent home pieces which can decorate offices as well.  But have you ever wondered how they are made or what goes into making them?

 Experts in this field are always flowing with ideas and there are so many issues to be considered when producing the items.  The following is just a highlight of some of the aspects that go into creating a masterpiece that can be admired by people.  It is vital to note that swords that are designed carefully by craftsmen and made by hand will cost more and will be of greater value.  As opposed to those made by machines, the originals will have more value.  It is important to know the distinctions so that you can know how the products came to be.

 As we consider the steps that go into creating swords, let us look at the definition of a sword.  It is a piece of metal that has been sharpened usually handled by a hilt which is usually on the end of the object.  There are many things that go into creating these pieces and many aspects must be considered.  Design of the sword will be considered first because it is a crucial part of the creation.  The next step will involve selecting the stock and this is a crucial step.  Then, forging and sharpening of the blade will come to play so as to achieve that final look that will give the product its meaning.

 Annealing the steel is the next step which will include normalizing it to achieve the right look.  At this point, experts will seek to add the edge so that it can take form as it is supposed to.  The final part will involve adding the hilt.   The guard is also called the hilt as stated above and some people will call it the pommel.  There are many methods that can be employed to achieve the result desired.  This is the highlight of the most important step that will be necessary to come up with a masterpiece.  There are many other things that experts will consider to ensure that all is flawless when producing the swords.

The Ninja Sword Is A Very Specialized Weapon

The Ninja Sword Is A Very Specialized Weapon

 It is a common myth that the Ninja and Samurai were similar warriors and that both fought the same way – but the fact of the matter is that they were very different in their way of fighting and in the swords they used.  The Samurai were famous for their swords which were made from the best high carbon steel and forged by a process that could take months and which could only be done by a small group of expert blacksmiths and sword makers.  These superbly balanced swords with edges so sharp they could easily sever limbs even through armor were available only the Samurai class of warriors and less respected Ninjas were not allowed to use them.

 Not that this made a great difference to the Ninja, the samurai type of sword was not suitable to the way they fought.  At 24 inches in length, the Ninja sword was considerably shorter than the Samurai one which was usually between 30 to 36 inches long; Ninja swords were also made form a lower quality steel.  The Ninja sword was not used for cutting and slashing like the Samurai sword, but as a stabbing weapon.

 The short Ninja sword was a much easier weapon to handle at close quarters and since it was used to stab, it was the sharpness of the tip than was important and not how long it was or how sharp the cutting edge; so the lower quality steel made no difference to how effective it was as a weapon.  The Ninja were a socially inferior class to the Samurai and could not afford the long, curved and very expensive swords of the Samurai but whether the Ninja sword developed as a cheaper alternative to the Samurai one and the distinctive Ninja style evolved to suit the sword or the other way around is not clear.  What is clear is that even though the Ninja sword may have been technically inferior to the Samurai one, they were great guerilla warriors who were able to use their swords with great effect and in ways that the Samurai one could not have been used.

 There are many legends and myths about the Ninja sword and, knowing the innovative techniques the Ninja used, quite a few of them may be true – like the one about the scabbards being longer than the swords to leave space to hide other small weapons.  Another interesting story is that the short strong blades could be jammed into the ground and the Ninja could then stand on the handle to get extra height for getting over obstacles.  One of the most interesting stories is that of scabbards where the end was removable so that it could be used as a snorkel when the Ninja needed to remain hidden below the water.  Whatever may be the truth to these and other tales, the fact remains that in the Ninja’s hands, his short sword was a very effective and deadly weapon.

Simple Guide to make a Wooden Sword

Simple Guide to make a Wooden Sword

 A wooden sword is a replicate of the real sword and it is prepared from wood, and these swords are utilized in many martial arts training.  Wooden swords are normally prepared with good quality woods such as hickory or impact-grade oak, as these timbers provide good strength.  Wooden swords can also made at home and it is sure a rewarding work, and making of a wooden sword is limited to the individual’s imagination.  This article deals with the making of wooden sword with step-by-step illustration.

 The initial step is to investigate the advancement of the sword and it is a best idea to get some details from the past.  It is very important to know the parts of the sword such as blades, guard, and hilt where blade is the cutting edge, guard is the shield for sword wielder’s hand and hilt is a handle.   The next step is to plan and design, as before beginning any work, planning holds the key part.  The design should include the features of the sword and how it fits for the purpose.  Before finalizing the design, a lot of rough drafts should be drawn and select the wood that suits the purpose.  For example, balsa wood can be utilized to prepare a wooden sword for ornamental purposes.

 After deciding the final design, it’s time to cut the lumber to suit the design, and power tools can be used to cut the fine design.  First, big pieces of the design should be made and worked further to make it smaller to fit the design, and be more cautious while working with the wood as the mistake cannot be corrected that easily.  Initially, perfect finish is not needed, it can be refined later.  Now, it’s time to assemble the sword correctly and one has to make sure that every parts fit properly.

 The cut pieces can be connected by several methods such as glue, metal fasteners, and doweling.  Glue is the most comfortable method, metal fasteners are ridges, and doweling is a protective way to link joints.  After finishing the sword, now it’s time to focus on its appearance to give a sensational finish.  Initially, sword should be sand properly to remove the rough edges and then the sword can be painted or stained with respect to individual’s taste.  There are various options available such as oil stains, lacquer, water-based stains, and paint.  Oil stains offers rich beauty, lacquer offers protective finish, water-based stains are comfortable to apply, and paint is the more expressive way to finish the sword.

Reverse Blade Swords – A Safe Training Option

Reverse Blade Swords – A Safe Training Option

 The sword, a long piece of metal with one or both sides sharpened to a cutting edge is one of the oldest weapons known to man and its use has been recorded from the earliest known wars.  Reverse blade swords differ from the conventional swords because, as the name implies, the cutting and blunt edges of the sword are interchanged.  With a traditional sword, the side that is used to strike the opponent is the sharp side – the idea is to cut and injure the opponent.  With reverse blade swords, the side which strikes the opponent is the blunt one and besides pain and bruising, little in the way of serious injury is likely to occur.

 Using reverse blade swords for training purposes allows the trainee to hone his sword fighting skills with risking any injury to the person he is practicing with.  Reverse blade swords can be of any design and duplicate the shape, weight and look of various types of swords – the only difference is that the cutting edge is reversed.  The Sakaba swords of ancient Japan are the first recorded instances of reverse blade swords being used.  The term Sakaba does not refer to any particular type of word but to the fact that the cutting edge is reversed.

 Sakaba swords were used in not just sword training but for all types of martial arts.  Their popularity was due to the fact that using a reverse blade sword allowed the learner to use a sword that was almost the real thing and gain proficiency in its use without risking serious injury to other trainees he was practicing with.  Although unlikely to cause serious injury during training, these swords were still hard and heavy enough to cause painful blows and bruising, which was enough to make trainees take seriously the art of avoiding the blows.  It is thought that these swords may also have been used in real combat situations – where the warrior wanted to disable his enemy and capture him without inflicting life threatening injury.

 Today, reverse blades swords are returning to popularity and one reason in the growing popularity of Japanese anime that feature historically inaccurate depictions of Ninja and Samurai warriors who use reverse blade swords to engage in non lethal combat.  Also, modern safety concerns make the use of the swords the best option of those who want to learn swordsmanship as part of their martial arts training.

Purchasing Your Own Ancient Swords on the Internet

Purchasing Your Own Ancient Swords on the Internet

 Finding the right places online to purchase things like ancient swords can be a job in itself.  It is true that there are plenty of free resources, tools and other things to help you find the right things on the Internet but that isn’t always fool proof.  The trouble with purchasing things like ancient swords from websites you aren’t familiar with is the fact that you could end up losing a lot of money.   There is always one good tip however, which is price as a real ancient sword is going to cost a lot more money than a fake one.

 In most cases people spend a lot of time saving up for these expensive, important things that they want.  The worst thing that could happen is to purchase something you think is real only to end up finding out that it is some kind of replica.  In order to make sure this kind of thing doesn’t happen to you, it’s important to understand what kind of offers are out there, and out of those, which ones are legitimate.  In order to do this, you simply need to be aware that it’s important to shop around and to see what offers there are on the Internet but it’s also important to follow up on the offers to make sure they’re legitimate.

 There are a few ways you can go about doing this and they can all be done from the comfort of your own home.  The first thing to do is to head over to the online BBB in order to find any information pertaining to companies and websites you are interested in.  Check to see if any complaints have been made or if any inquiries are open.  It’s probably the best idea to skip a company that has any kind of record you aren’t comfortable with, in other words always follow your gut.

 If the BBB checks out alright, it’s time to look into consumer reviews of the company.  After all one of the biggest indicators of customer satisfaction comes straight from the horse’s mouth.  This is important as consumers can shed a lot of insight on a website or company, although these reviews should never hold full stock in your choice.  Make sure you are aware of what the return policy is when you purchase the ancient sword and whether any guarantees are in place for your newly acquired item.  After doing your due diligence you should be able to find, purchase and enjoy exactly what you’re looking for in your new ancient sword.

Pointers To Getting Swords For Sale

Pointers To Getting Swords For Sale

 Many are the reasons for which people search for excellent swords.  These objects will come with several uses and it is vital that you know what they are for.  First though, it is important to keep in mind that swords can be weapons that can actually be used to kill and for this reason need to be handled with care.  Some of these swords have featured in movies and others are used for decoration purposes.  These kinds of swords are usually not the real deal because they are made out of materials that differ from those that make real swords.

 Most importantly, swords are collected by collectors who actually get them to enhance their personal collections.  This role is certainly better than causing harm to people while using them as weapons.  With this in mind, it is vital for you to find only the best deals you can find.  Consequently, this article is going to shed light on the top tips that you can employ.  For your collections you need to get only those swords that will offer you great value without drying your pockets.  Swords can be made out of different materials.

 Some of the cheapest designs in swords are those that have been crafted out of wood.  However, you have to consider what you want in a sword and if it fits your purpose, it will be worth getting.  Apart from wood, they can be made out of stainless steel.  True or real swords will not be made from stainless steel and these ones will mainly be used as decorating agents to make walls and spaces look great.  Apart from the materials used, the design of the products will matter greatly to determine the kind of swords produced.

 Aluminium is a metal that can be cut easily and for this reason, many swords are made from it.  Again when buying, you should know that real swords are not made from aluminium.  The true swords in the market are made out of carbon or flexible steel.  The material has been seen to have great strength and flexibility which makes for extraordinary sword products.  With the above information, you can learn how to determine the price of swords.  With steel, there are many grades that can be used to produce the products and it is vital that you know which grade of steel makes the swords you wish to get.

Pointers For Training Swords

Pointers For Training Swords

 The memorable happenings regarding swords of the past have played a major part in providing inspiration to many who now want to acquire the skill and knowledge of sword fighting.  The modern society is redefining this art as more and more people seek to learn and get the training they need to become experts.  There are skills that you must have to excel in this art and this article will seek to explore these basics.  The training in swords is undertaken by experts who have the right experience to impart the right knowledge to learners.  One of the basic and major lessons to learn with this art is that sword fighting is a reserve for self defence and this is basically the bottom line.

 Many times, people who are training swords will want to show off and feel like they are playing different roles for a contest.  It is really all about the right dedication and training hard so that you can achieve the goal which is to acquire vital skills.  It is serious business that will benefit you and probably change your life for the better.  Whatever you do, do not forget that the approach should be defence only.  Sparring which is sometimes called free play is an important element to this training.  It is vital that you look for partners that are better than you so that you can sharpen your swordsmanship.

 This will ensure that you compete with the best to keep you on toes and anything less will just not do you justice as you seek to excel in this competitive training.  Just like the people in the past used to do it, practices like fencing and training for it are not a one time thing.  It is something continuous and maybe a hobby.  This way, it does much more that sharpen your skills and abilities and this should be emulated for greatness.  You need to uphold the right consistency and this is a sure way to win in this regard.  In case where you need to defend yourself, you can trust your abilities.

 Swordsmanship is graced with a variety of methods that can be used to execute a play.  For this reason, you need to train with the variety of methods and not settle for one style that can compromise or underestimate your capabilities.  For this reason, there is great importance to train with people who actually know the art and have mastered it so that you can become a professional or expert.  There are other tips that can go a long way in making you better and helping you acquire vital skills but with the above, you should be in a position to command respect in swordsmanship.