2006-02-10 19:35:36.668326+00 by Dan Lyke 4 comments
Interesting. What did historical swords weigh? (via Antigravitas) Less than you'd think and, perhaps surprisingly, with a different idea of balance than most modern attempts at reproductions.
[ related topics: History Cool Technology ]
comments in ascending chronological order (reverse):
#Comment Re: made: 2006-02-10 21:47:43.813321+00 by: ziffle
You know I was just this morning wondering - 'what did old swords weigh?'
#Comment Re: made: 2006-02-10 21:58:33.268491+00 by: Dan Lyke
Grins. I think it ties back to the discussions of obseity and nutrition. I mean, if those old knights were winging around 6 lb swords, why that says completely different things about how fit they were than if they were just smacking each other about with 2 lb chopsticks...
#Comment Re: made: 2006-02-11 15:41:12.029914+00 by: meuon
As I perused the article. I feel like I've just been to Chattacon the night I was hanging out with the SCCA folks, whove been discussing the finer points of ancient renaissance sword play, vs the Klingon edged weapons. When Rob shows up, all 200+ pounds of solid iron ex- US marine sword fighting champion (and active combat), who also fights SCCA tourneys (and wins), it digressed into an alcohol induzed haze of sword fighting minutia. Best line: Until you've actually killed someone with an edged weapon, you're just wacking off.
Lots of that going on in that article as well.
#Comment Re: made: 2006-02-11 18:05:27.719405+00 by: petronius
What a lot of this shows is that elder technologies were as sophisticated as ours, albeit with muscle power. I suspect the guys dragging blocks for the pyramids understood the management of muscle labor better than anyone live today. Like when the overseer yells "Pull!" you don't all yank the rope but I suspect each row begins a little after the one in front, so a wave of effort flows down the ropes instead of one burst of power. THe best scene in that 10 commandments movie is when the architects wave colored flags to indicate which crew starts pulling on the obelisk. I suspect that's how they actually did it. It would take us a long time to redevelop the skills if needed.