Category: Weapons

Halloween Viking(ish)

Armor, Axe, The Raider

Last Halloween I dressed in my full plate armor. It was a hit in the neighborhood. I wanted to wear some of my kit again the next year, but wanted to look completely different. So I decided, instead of 15th century knight, how about 10th century Viking? I started to let my hair and beard grow for the whole year, and this was the result:

viking
viking double

This kit was again a success in my neighborhood, and also won the best costume contest at my work. Yeah, I know it’s not historically accurate. I’m fine with that, and everyone else seemed to be fine with it, too — that is, few people know historical accuracy from fantasy.

I shaved off the beard November 1st, and cut back my hair a few days later. I did really like the look of the long hair and long beard, but it’s such a bother to maintain and live with on a daily (hourly!) business. I’m now back to my normal look.

The Old Adventurer.

Greatsword

Sword ,

I have several really good swords, but this is my greatsword:

greatsword
greatsword

This magnificent beast is over 53 inches long and weighs just over 4.5 pounds. Although that’s 6 inches longer and 2 pounds heavier than my very nimble longsword, this sword doesn’t feel heavy or cumbersome. A greatsword is not meant to be a dueling weapon, nor a personal defense weapon; a greatsword is a zone control tool. There are specific mechanics for using a greatsword, and they don’t look or feel like you’re swinging a heavy hunk of metal around — it looks like a swirling helicopter blade of danger.

This sword has suede leather around the grip and ricasso. This feels good in my hands, and it’s very comfortable to wield. I chose to leave the blade edges unsharpened because I feel it would be too dangerous. It’s a big sword, which requires attention and caution when carried through a house or with other people nearby, and since I’m not going to be cutting with it (at least not until I get more practice with using it), a sharp blade would just present too much danger.

The Old Adventurer

Damascus Blade

Sword ,

This is my sword of Damascus steel:

damascus sword
damascus sword

You can click on the above image to get a little larger view of the steel pattern in the blade and crossguard. I knew of Damascus steel swords, and I really liked the way the steel patterns looked, but I never expected to buy one. Then Kult of Athena had a special sale that included this particular sword, and I jumped at the notable discount. I now have a Damascus steel sword.

The sword comes sharpened from the crafter. I haven’t cut with it, yet, but the blade feels nicely sharp, and the pointed tip feels supremely sharp. The sword is 32.5 inches long and weighs just over 3 pounds. The circular grip isn’t great for keeping edge alignment, but overall, holding it is comfortable. It’s a solid weapon, and the steel pattern makes it look almost magical. (I like to think this is my second magical sword.)

The Old Adventurer

Greataxe

Axe ,

This is more than a good axe, it’s a greataxe:

greataxe
greataxe

According to the crafter’s naming of this axe, this weapon is apparently designed after a fictional axe in the Wheel of Time book series — the axe belonging to Perrin Aybara. I know nothing about WoT or Perrin, but this greataxe isn’t fictional. Although I didn’t opt to have the blade sharpened — I have enough (maybe too many) sharp weapons — the blade tip and the back spike are pointedly sharp. The axe is overall 50 inches long and weighs over 5.5 pounds. This would be another useful implement for the Zombie Apocalypse.

This is a fun weapon to wield. It feels good in my hands, and the wide hexagonal shaft allows for easy and natural edge alignment when swinging. I haven’t tried (yet), but I imagine this would be fun to burst pumpkins or watermelons. I might have to sharpen the blade on this so I can get nice clean slices.

The Old Adventurer

Spear

Polearm ,

This is my spear:

spearhead

I already had a shaft that I was using as a makeshift quarterstaff. It’s basically just a ~6-foot wooden rod I bought at Lowe’s Home Improvement some time back. I saw this spearhead available on Kult of Athena, liked the look (with the winged lugs), and figured I could affix it to my “quarterstaff”. I had to sand down one end of the shaft to get it to fit in the base of the spearhead. The head fastens on via two screws. I added the leather strap just for extra style, and to conceal the screws. Although the edges of the spearhead are not sharpened, the point is acute enough that a good thrust will definitely penetrate an unarmored opponent. When the Zombie Apocalypse happens, this weapon will easily puncture zombie skulls.

The Old Adventurer

Lake Neuenburg Sword

Sword

This is my Lake Neuenburg Sword:

neuenburg sword
neuenburg sword

This sword caught my interest as a mystery. The original sword (on which this replica is patterned) was found in Lake Neuenburg in Switzerland. It’s a late 13th century sword, possibly belonging to a Templar, with stylized letters etched in the fuller (on both sides): +NnSD+. No one has yet figured what the letters mean. My fantasy geek brain assumes the original is a magical sword.

Aside from the mystery, it’s still a very cool sword. The blade is a little wider and shorter than my other one-handed swords. It’s overall length is 32.5 inches and it weighs slightly over 3 pounds. It feels good in my hand, and is easy to wield, but I didn’t have the blade sharpened because I already have enough sharp blades for any cutting I want to do. Besides, I can always sharpen it later.

The Old Adventurer

Warhammer

Weapons ,

This is my warhammer:

warhammer

This smashing beauty is 25 inches long and not quite 2 pounds heavy. That’s not real heavy but the steel is very solid, and the hammer edges and spike point are sharp enough that you know they’d do serious damage to whatever they strike. Unlike with a sword, where you have a long edge to strike with, you have to strike precisely with the head of this hammer/spike to hurt a target. But where a sword edge won’t cut into/through plate armor, this weapon will no doubt either transfer painful energy (with the hammer) through plate armor, or will penetrate (with the spike) into plate armor enough to draw blood. Against someone without armor, give me a sword, but against someone in armor, give me this warhammer.

The Old Adventurer

Spadona

Sword, X-Uncategorized

This is my spadona:

spadona
spadona

I already have two longswords (or a longsword and a bastard sword), but I decided I need an unsharpened sword for “public show” purposes. Specifically one to have with me on Halloween, because I’ve already decided I’m going to wear my full armor kit as my “costume”.

This sword is designed for sport combat, so it’s real steel and real sturdy (for real hitting), but with blunt edges and an unpointed tip. So although it’s still over 46 inches and over 3 pounds of metal, it should be relatively safe around people, even out of the scabbard.

The Old Adventurer

Longsword

Sword, X-Uncategorized

This is my second (and preferred) longsword:

Longsword

This is a true/full two-handed longsword (but not a “great sword”). In my previous longsword post I mentioned the other sword could be classified as a bastard sword because the grip is barely long enough for two hands. But this sword has an 8.5 inch grip — enough length for both hands with space between them (for quick pivots and leverage).

This sword is over 47 inches long, and weights only 2.5 pounds. The diamond cross-section (giving it a spine rather than a fuller, like the other sword has) makes this sword stiffer. It doesn’t cut as well as the other sword (which is my best cutting sword), but this sword pierces very well. Where the other long sword may completely sever an opponent’s arm, this one will only cut into the bone. But with the long grip matched with a stiffer blade, this sword will be easier to thrust into those gaps in an opponent’s armor. This sword feels more nimble. This is my favorite two-handed sword.

The Old Adventurer

Arming Sword #2

Sword

This is my second (and preferred) arming sword:

Arming sword
Arming sword

I found this sword before I bought my first arming sword, but this wasn’t in stock at the time. Right after getting the first, I was alerted that this one was back in stock. The specifications (length, weight, etc.) were all pretty much exactly what I wanted, so I immediately ordered this second arming sword. And I’m so glad I did.


This sword, by Balaur Arms (like my first longsword/bastard sword), is over 38 inches long, and weighs just over 2 pounds. This one-handed sword feels good in my hand, and it’s very easy to wield. It’s light, nimble, and sharp. This sword will stab as well as my rapier, and it cuts better. This is my favorite of my one-handed swords. If I had to sword fight with one hand, this is the blade I’d pick, regardless of the era. It will cut up an unarmored opponent, and it will pierce in between armor plates. This thing is deadly.


The Old Adventurer