Twokinds ARCHIVE Forums

Ok I have a question, I am heading to a sword fighting tournament, in it we use real metal swords with blunted edges and a few pads to prevent broken ribs/skulls. I use either a single longsword or with a smaller sword in my left hand. Which one should I use, I have a ton of different kinds of swords but I can only take one set and I cant seem to decide. I have a like a week to choose, so please I would like to hear your opinions. On a side note we don't use shields.

Are the poll choices up there the colors of the blades or the hilts?

Or both?

And can we get pictures?

The choices are for the blades, ill see if i can get some pics up, but no promises.

Assuming you're not trying ot injur anyone, I'd go for the smallest, quickest sword you have.

It it's a tournament, I'm assuming there will be competition. If you're competing against others, you want to have any advantage you can get your hands on -- no pun intended.

The only two parameters I would consider would be length and weight. While aesthetics are nice, they play absolutely no part in how well you preform. Assuming all of your weapons are of the same (or very similar) lengths, you want to choose the lightest one possible. A couple milliseconds shaved off your thrust could be very helpful -- especially if your opponent is just as skilled as yourself.

I've never used swords as an art such as this, but I've played enough sports to know that even such a minuscule advantage as that could easily mean a victory over a defeat -- this would be the same theory in a fist fight or racquetball. A lighter weapon would also allow you to swing it with greater force than a heavier weapon, delivering potentially more damage into your opponents sword arm.

The other parameter I mentioned was length. I suppose this would be more of a personal preference than anything else, but it's a tough call. You could choose a lighter, potentially more agile and powerful blade, or you could choose one with a longer reach. In the minuscule amount of spear work I've done at my brother's dojo, I can tell you for a fact that the longer weapon could easily gain an advantage over a smaller one.

I can't give a definite answer without more information on the blades, but if the pads are applied directly onto the blade (as opposed to light armor worn by yourself), then you would have to decide whether the added weight (and horrible aerodynamics) would affect a lighter blade so much that the missing weight would be indiscernible, then you would want to use a longer blade.

Or maybe I'm just full of it. Who knows.

Also, what style are you practicing? The only sword form that has really made an influence over here would be Kendo.

in a sword fight you need speed more that strength in take lass that a pund of presser with a sword to cut some one.

rely on speed not strength

Well the competition I'm going to only has like a total of 40 people participating in it. Still small, as for the pads they are worn on the person. Each sword type has to match up with a length requirement for its class, like longwords have to be 3 feet long, only a deviation max of 2 inches is allowed. While short swords are 2 feet and daggers are 1 foot or less. As for the materials they are made from thats really up to a persons preference. For they style I practice its kinda mix of the basic rapier attack with the defense of an archers dagger style, or I go with a single sword which i hold in reverse so i can always stay on the outside of my opponents attacks, I guess I fight a little more on the defensive side.

AH! Sword fighting! What are you apart of that has sword fighting tournaments? Some sort of martial arts? Or...just a random sword fighting tournament that some group started? I would love to do something like this. As for sword type...The only thing that could give me ANYTHING to go by are weighted steel and lightweight titanium. The rest are just colors. Any special properties? It all depends on your preferences I guess. Lightweight would move faster and it would be easier to recover from something, but be easier to have its' strikes deflected. Weighted would have the opposite affect. Slower, harder to recover, but better for blocking and hitting. Keep in mind that I have no idea what I'm talking about. I also dont know what holding a sword in reverse means. I love sword fighting, but I've never had any form of training. I've only practiced with sponge covered daitos against my friends...but they kinda suck.

Then definitely go for your lightest blade. I'm not going to pretend to know the style of fighting, but this just seems like the most logical choice. Functionality over aesthetics.

The titanium blade sounds the most effective. It's durable, flexible, and light weight. What more could you ask for?

It is best to choose a blade you know how to weild. They say to take the lightest but some people cant weild it because they treat it like a stick and break it. So go with something sturdy.

In a sword fight the best thing is thinking
think about what the opponent is about to do then use that against him

I would call titanium pretty sturdy. Stronger and lighter than steel-- that whole thing.

I really don't see why the color matters. I pay more to the weight and feel of the sword. Also to have like a bright red ribbon on the bottom of the hilt is useful. The chinese used it as a distraction and allowed them to get easier hits in.

get the biggest sword and remove his head from the body :twisted: