Wooden weapons? Purely for the aesthetics of course

[Biker]

Don't quite know how I ended up on that page but I stumbled upon this which I thought you arty crafty types might appreciate.

HERE'S THE LINK

Some lovely looking work in there too, mostly Lord of the Rings themed stuff, but it might give you some inspiration for future projects.

 

[Man of Tanith]

Some good stuff on there Aaron.
I do wonder how you find some of the links you post though.....

 

[Biker]

Some good stuff on there Aaron.
I do wonder how you find some of the links you post though.....

Ahaaaaa, just found the tab I'd found it from. I'd typed "Knife scales" in google images and one of the thumbnails caught my attention and I just followed the white rabbit down the hole.

Anyway, glad you enjoyed seeing 'em, Sam.

 

[crosslandkelly]

Interesting stuff. Like them or not, there's no denying his carving skills.

 

[Niels]

That reminds me of my early childhood. Only our weapons weren't as nice.

 

[tomongoose]

Now I know what I'm making for my nephews this Christmas

 

[Cromm]

Ooo hobbit knives look good.

 

[Claudiasboris]

Wow some beautiful stuff there! Great craftsmanship. Good find!


Claudiasboris

 

[Bartooon]

How on earth does he carve out the sheath for the hobbit & elf knives / daggers? Looks like they are done from a solid piece of wood with no join.

I love the Mongolian bow too. I don't know if he sells them but if he does, I guessing we are talking arm & leg type prices!

 

[Dreadhead]

That reminds me of my early childhood. Only our weapons weren't as nice.

my thoughts exactly!

 

[boatman]

Best wooden weapon was the quarterstaff. At a lot of reenactments these are banned on the field while rebated steel weapons, of course, are the norm. Look up "wasters" for affordable wooden weapons that can be used for sparring. Eg. these http://www.theknightshop.co.uk/catalog/swords-wooden-waster-training-swords-c-182_264.html

 

[John Fenna]

Some nice work there ... I have a half size oak Roman Gladius - wooden blade and rope guard - that I bought just coz it looked so good!

When I have carved wooden sheaths I have used a fine bladed saw to cut along the grain of the wood, rebated the gap for the blade and carefully glued the 2 halves back together - the join is next to invisible!

 

[21st century pict]

Best wooden weapon was the quarterstaff.

Sorry Boatman but I’m going to have to argue the point a bit here Bro, for portability, cost “that’s also free” natural beauty and ascetics and sheer bludgeoning effectiveness the Shillelagh has got to be up there with the best, but then again it largely a matter of personal taste I suppose.
In the hands of trained and skilled adversaries the combat effectiveness of both weapons, offensive and defensive, would have to be on a par but if it came to a fight one on one with the Quarter staff and the Shillelagh the staff would defiantly have the distinct advantage of reach.
But purely on aesthetics reasons it's got to be the Shillelagh.
At you Sir:swordfigh
This is where I take a beating

By the way just to clarify Shillelagh AKA war club a bit, I’m talking the long shillelagh the Cudgel (walking stick length) not the short hammer type normally found on pub walls.

 

[boatman]

I might agree with you thinking of the bata and its use in faction fights coupled with the fact that I think we had one that a local hospital lost that my Grandmother was using as a walking stick. But for dealing with armoured, sword armed, people the staff wins. The club is very much neglected although it seems to have been used throughout history.

 

[boatman]

Terry brown goes into staff play in depth in his English Martial Arts. http://www.terrybrownenglishmartialarts.com/ Then there is http://www.reocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/4933/shillelagh.html this if one wants an insight into the Irish style.

 

[Goatboy]

What about Miyamoto Musashi the famous rónin who gave up using metal swords and used only wooden bokken. Bit of a hero of mine, and as ex sparing partners and one ex flatmate with a broken foot can attest wooden swords can hurt - a lot.

 

[dave53]

yes they can goatboy as i can attest to in my youth nowadays my bokken is kept by the door for easy access if ever needed regards dave

 

[21st century pict]

What about Miyamoto Musashi the famous rónin who gave up using metal swords and used only wooden bokken.

Miyamoto Musashi, generally recognized as the greatest swordsman of all time, and author of The Book of Five Rings, the man was a legend even in his own lifetime the Muhammed Ali of his day he was to fencing what Masamune was to sword making, for the want of a better word perfect.

 

[boatman]

Greatest in the context of his society perhaps but different styles mean that the bestest is difficult to agree. Can a slash from a Japanese sword beat a lunge from a rapier etc? it doesn't cover Japan but a very good video on Renaissance sword fighting is the Running Wolf production by Mike Loades http://www.amazon.co.uk/Swordfighti...F8&qid=1368032880&sr=1-2&keywords=mike+loades Then there are the works of Oakeshott on medieval and earlier weaponry and warriors particularly A Knight and His Weapons and Dark-Age Warrior. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Knight-His-...8-1&keywords=oakeshott+knight+and+his+weapons Dark Age Warrior doesn't seem to be available.

 

[21st century pict]

QUOTE=boatman;1309180]Greatest in the context of his society perhaps but different styles mean that the bestest is difficult to agree. Can a slash from a Japanese sword beat a lunge from a rapier etc?.[/QUOTE] (well that quote didn’t work)

Hi again Boatman.
First of all toshay, as I have to agree with you about context as it’s all relative.
Edge or point, speed verses power, possibly one of reasons why the Japanese beat the Mongols in fencing is the one handed Mongol sabre just got beat to one side and opened up the guard after the beat from the more powerful two handed Japanese parry. There must be a million variables “but now you mention it that’s the reason I got a Backsword and not a Broadsword to have the advantage of working off the point or the edge”, most people who buy a sword only like the sound of the word “Broadsword”. My pal in Edinburgh went in to a antique shop to buy an old Basket hilted backsword and when he said to the owner he wanted the backsword in the window the owner lost the rag and insisted it was a Broadsword even though it only had one cutting edge.
Just to throw the cat among the pigeons a bit more Musashi not only used wooden bokken he also wielded a wooden bokken in each hand against armored samurai a style which would probably just as easily fit into any renaissance school.
The man had 63 duels most against multiple opponents and that’s not counting the war’s he was in, regardless of the weapon, historical background or theatre of war Miyamoto Musashi will always be No1.
I’ve have no reason whatsoever to be bias other than I really think credit where credit due the man was an exceptionally talented swordsman and in a league of his own.