The Zoo Annex: Sword clashing

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Sword clashing

The swords clash perfectly in the epic movie, at least to the 21st century American. If anyone from the 15th century looked at the sword clash they would laugh hard and long. The main problem was the sword clashed edge to edge. Most modern people would wonder what is wrong about blocking edge to edge?

The "myth of edge to edge" blades clashing came from the modern art of fencing where it does not matter where you hit, parry, the opponents sword. The parries of the 15th sentry would be edge on flat, with the flat usually angled blade so the sword slid off. This method reduced the force of the blow away from the sword, to ensure that the blade did not break.

If two blades meet edge to edge a deep crack would form in both blades, if the swords did not shatter. Even if the blades did not shatter their strength would be compromised and could break at any time. Even a slanted parry that caused the enemy's blade to fall away would crush your sword. A modern Italian replica-sword maker named, Fulvio Del Tin, said this on edge to edge parries: "…It is improper to bang swords edge to edge…it is better to deflect the opponent's sword. These people that perform swordfighting in the wrong way…they use swords with full strength edge to edge…I wish that in (the) future many people (will) learn how to do swordfighting correctly, instead of imitating Hollywood heroes."

Resource: The Arma http://www.thearma.org/ in the essay The Myth of Edge-On-Edge Parrying in Medieval Swordplay, By John Clements http://www.thearma.org/essays/edgemyth.htm

1 comment:

Clogging Pindle said...: Josiah, maybe you could post a video demonstrating the proper "clash" so that I could understand what you are explaining.; September 6, 2008 at 3:19 PM

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Why Zoo Annex?

WeLeCoMe to the wonderful zoo annex, home to the wild and crazy Wallis Boys, who are native to North America. We also have here a Wallis Dad, a rare breed, but also native to North America. The Wallis Boys and Wallis Dad have a keeper called Carolyn, who spends a lot of time in the cage due to the heavy maintenance and feeding needs of the Wallis Boys. This add-on to the zoo was added not a long time ago, possibly two months ago. Some say this add on is not official to the zoo, and you don't need to pay admission to see these rare creatures, well this may be true, we are named the zoo annex because of the likeness to a zoo, and how these Wallis boys are as crazy as chimps, as speedy as cheetahs (At least when food is involved.) and they are as ravenous as wolves.

Jonathan Wallis

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My dad calls it the zoo annex because we live right behind the Louisville zoo and with four boys (including my Dad) in the house (not to talk about the one Latte loving mom). Its a crazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzy place. I think the zoo is going to be put out because of us. So at this point if you are thinking "can it really be that bad?" have never lived with more then two people for more then a week. And just to give some examples of how crazy it gets. Good dinner conversations deal with, how to destroy a country, the biggest practical joke you could pull, what you could do to start WW3, how to blow up the world, the rest are to crazy for the world to keep spinning if we told you them.

Josiah Wallis

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