Sliding weights

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by kronckew

we should be using angular (rotational) momentum, the blades COP and the length from the COP (varies with weight movement) to the centrum (elbow or shoulder? depends on how you are cutting). reducing the radius increases the velocity but maintains angular momentum, which doesn't change unless acted on by an outside force.
================================================

That is all well and good kronckew but the trials on the sliding weight sword somewhere in the North of England in the early 19thC came to a very abrupt conclusion; The sword was hollow and half filled with Mercury. The proving ground was on a small bridge over a brisk fast flowing stream...It is said that the swordsman was the local blacksmith who on giving the test weapon a hefty swing was instantly off balanced, the great sword throwing him over the parapet of the bridge into the water below.

[Roland_M]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

That is all well and good kronckew but the trials on the sliding weight sword somewhere in the North of England in the early 19thC came to a very abrupt conclusion; The sword was hollow and half filled with Mercury. The proving ground was on a small bridge over a brisk fast flowing stream...It is said that the swordsman was the local blacksmith who on giving the test weapon a hefty swing was instantly off balanced, the great sword throwing him over the parapet of the bridge into the water below.

That is the sliding weight? A movable weight inside the blade to increase the momentum of lightweight blades? From the fighting point of view, that is ridiculous.

The strongest man in the world in the early 20th century filled his barbell with mercury. But his aim was to make the barbell unusable for other strong man's. He demonstrated this often on stage in a competition, but it was just a cheap trick.

Roland

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Roland_M

That is the sliding weight? A movable weight inside the blade to increase the momentum of lightweight blades? From the fighting point of view, that is ridiculous.

The strongest man in the world in the early 20th century filled his barbell with mercury. But his aim was to make the barbell unusable for other strong man's. He demonstrated this often on stage in a competition, but it was just a cheap trick.

Roland

Yes it is ridiculous, however, I bumped into a peculiar reference in the Met Museum of Art archives about hollow swords and it appears that swords were actually made by "The Hollow Sword Blade Company" with a hollow blade filled with mercury so that the weight on thrusting was transferred down the blade to the tip therefor giving extra weight to the momentum...

To source this reference simply tap into web search Swords From The Dresden Armoury from which I Quote "One learns, for example, of the Hollow Sword Blade Company which was chartered for the professed purpose of making hollow swords with running mercury inclosed to gravitate to the point when a blow was struck and so increase the weight and momentum of the stroke". Unquote. Or follow the link http://www.jstor.org/stable/3255703?...n_tab_contents

[kronckew]

there is something called the 'free surface effect' that has serious influences on stability. basically of you have a wide square shape ship, it can be very stable about it's centre of gravity. a push down on one side and the hull weight on the other side keeps it from tipping. add just a bit of water (or mercury) and the slightest movement can cause the fluid to abruptly and uncontrollably run to the lower side, overbalancing the ship and causing a permanent list. it's why ships have longitudinal as well as transverse bulkheads (partitions) to ameliorate the sloshing. and you can pump from one side to the other to balance the ship if one side has more fluid than another.

fernando, don't have anything european without re-researching, but i did have a asian drawing where chinese soldiers with overly long anti-equine swords were paired up to draw each others sabres more quickly. it did mention the individual could pull the blade out in stages by grasping the blade (carefully) part way each time he pulled out a bit. not the best way if set upon suddenly, but i guess OK for a more controlled and traditional gentlemanly duel, tho in the cases seconds (or servants) were in attendance to assist anyway. i think it's posted here somewhere. asuspect i was thinking about a shakespearian passage where one of the principals called out to his servant to hand him his rapier which was discussed on another forum.

aha! found a small version of the drawing for unscabbarding miao dao.