Ow!

[keladeekadys]

I just fell down the stairs. Well more slipped and bounced on my arse and clonked my knee against the metal spindles.

The biggest casualty...I broke the Blade DvD boxes I was carrying...hopefully the discs are ok.

Comments

[evelynlela]

Hi, I read your comment on Maya's LJ and you mentioned knowing a lot about swords. I want to know a lot about swords. So I was thinking we could be friends. ... I realize that I have randomly come to your journal and asked to take advantage of your knowledge, but I like to be honest, and sometimes, well it's just one of those days.

[keladeekadys]

Hey no problem, always glad to make new friends, esp if they are interested in swords :)

Hmm not sure I would say I know alot about swords, but they are something I like...mainly western medieval ones...I used to study medieval combat as a Western Martial Art before the classes got a bit too expensive.

But anything you want to know about I'm more than happy to help with, swordsman by night, librarian by day, so by one of those methods I should be able to get some information of use.

[evelynlela]

I'm very interested in swords, only I have no knowledge to back this interest and buy mainly ornamental ones which is somehow wrong because they are made for a purpose and that, plus the shiny aesthetics, is what draws me to them.
Oh wicked, you are a librarian they know everything, except for the fact that I talk too much I would try to become one, but the rules about quiet have never been easy to follow.

[keladeekadys]

What type of swords do you buy? And I'm guessing you aren't in the UK, we've had a real clamp down in laws about "bladed weapons" recently, not all of them are sense making either...if you have a curved blade under 18 inches, thats fine. Over, no that offensive... and that sort of thing.

Technically I'm not a librarian, by being wholey unqualified. However, I've almost clocked up 10 years working in the library service...which considering i'm only 26 isn't bad. And sadly the days of quiet libraries are well and truely long gone! Bustling places full of noise we are now. Until we get tired and kick all the kids off the computers and out on the streets that is ;)

[evelynlela]

Ornamental, not sharp and I have no means to sharpen them. One is a giant fantasy sword that is meant to be on my wall but lives under my bed due to the weakness of the wall, there are four of those basic Japanese style swords and a fancy, although useless, dagger, everything else qualifies as a letter opener or a pocket knife.
Still as a librarian I would like to enforce the notion of quiet, just as when I worked as the museum collections assistant I repressed the desire to strangle people who touched the artifacts.

[keladeekadys]

Well, swords don't need to be sharp to be useful.

Basically, training blades fall into three catergories. Wooden swords - heavier, good for learning technique, generally you are looking to be using these at 75% speed.

Foam, much lighter and whippier, good for building speed in stringing moves together, looking to use at about 125% speed.

Which leads to metal, that you use at 100% speed. Although the metals I have aren't particularly sharp. Tbh, swords don't really need to be. A lot of the damage they did in medieval battles and the like wasn't from cutting but concussive impact damage. If someone is in plate armour or chain, you aren't likely to cut them. But a 3 foot length of metal swinging into your shoulder is still likely to dislocate or break it, thereby making the arm useless.

Hmm yes, medieval combat, such a nice and plesant world...