Engraved Sword w/snakeskin,lizard skin Scabbard

tom hyle · 25th March 2005, 07:39 AM

I must say, that if you're basing that on thinness and flatness, I don't think those are valid bases for nonfightingness in an African sword; fairly typically (though far from universally) the African has prefferred the quickness and lightness of a thin sword, which also cuts more deeply more easily, though not so well thru anything hard, of course, like bone or armour. Again, takouba I've seen are typically much like this. I know this isn't a takouba; just making a cross-example. Also, of course, one saves on metal, but I truly think that's an over-cited motivation. I think they wanted them like that, for valid martial arts reasons; one encounters this in China, too, in a way; that the better the swordsman the more precise the angular control, the more shockless the parries, the thinner, lighter, faster the sword can be. I think it's an old "real" blade; the dress I'm not sure about, especially the leather-covered parts; I, too feel something "wrong" but I can't put my finger on it. The blade closely reminds me of those on the weird Africishly etched "giant kinzhals"?

25th March 2005, 07:39 AM	#4
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	I must say, that if you're basing that on thinness and flatness, I don't think those are valid bases for nonfightingness in an African sword; fairly typically (though far from universally) the African has prefferred the quickness and lightness of a thin sword, which also cuts more deeply more easily, though not so well thru anything hard, of course, like bone or armour. Again, takouba I've seen are typically much like this. I know this isn't a takouba; just making a cross-example. Also, of course, one saves on metal, but I truly think that's an over-cited motivation. I think they wanted them like that, for valid martial arts reasons; one encounters this in China, too, in a way; that the better the swordsman the more precise the angular control, the more shockless the parries, the thinner, lighter, faster the sword can be. I think it's an old "real" blade; the dress I'm not sure about, especially the leather-covered parts; I, too feel something "wrong" but I can't put my finger on it. The blade closely reminds me of those on the weird Africishly etched "giant kinzhals"?