the word "claymore"

[Alan H]

Recently, i came across a reproduction of a "Scottish Small Sword" that was made by paul Chen....here's the link:

http://therionarms.com/reenact/therionarms_c589.html

Anybody know who/what/where/why or any other information about that weapon?

[Graham]

Graham- I have lots of info and links to good baskethilts at most price ranges. Are you looking for a specific hilt style? time period? Are you going to be using it or just to wear to Games? etc.

I was looking for something to be used for ceremonial occasions eg. presentation/piping of the haggis, and then to hang on the wall next to the el-cheapo claymore.

There are some nice ones here, I would need to buy within Australia to avoid the hassles of bringing one into the country.

I suspected there may be some doubt about the Wallace sword, the one in Stirling didn't look at all like Mel Gibson's sword

[AllenJ]

-David- heh, yeah I suppose it is me (From SFI) Grandfather Mnt. was great. Good weather and good people. I was only up there on Sat. and wished I had more time. Part of the drawback to working your clan's booth is that you don't get enough time to walk around and see everything.

Alan H- thats Scottish Court Sword is pretty much a generic European smallsword. There isn't anything particularly "Scottish" about it. It could just as easily be labled a French or English smallsword and it would not be out of place.

Smallswords are decendents of the rapier. Obviously much smaller and much lighter. They had smaller hilts and trangular cross section blades. They were 99.99% of the time used as thrust only weapons. They were duelling weapons and not intended for battlefield use. (though you will see lots of paintings of Generals and important people that didnt actually fight, wearing them on the field.) This began the downward spiral of effective sword use when we start seeing alot of smallsword schools oppening up for the upper classes. It began to become sportified and more rules and regulations were added to keep the weathy people safe. It continued to become more of a sporting activity and less of a martial art until it degenerated into what we see today as modern sport fencing. Though if you look at true smallsword technique before it became sportified, you will see that it is a very lethal and very effective method/tool for dueling.
Look here for more antique smallswords: http://www.myarmoury.com/albums/thumbnails.php?album=55

If you want to see more on how the smallsword was used, look at these period masters:
Monsieur L'Abbat, 1734, "The Art of Fencing, or, the Use of the Small Sword"

"New Method of Fencing", c.1708, by Sir William Hope

Capt. John Godfrey, 1747, "A Treatise Upon the Useful Science of Defence, Connecting the Small and Back-Sword..."

Domenico Angelo's 'l'Ecole d'Armes' of 1763

one of the easier ones to get your hands on is this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/185...806555?ie=UTF8


Graham- If you are just looking something to hang up or do a presentation with then those are fine. Obviously you can get better looking and more accurate ones, but that will up the price quite a bit. Oh, yeah, that didnt look like Mel Gibson's sword at all. For that matter I dont think ANYONE has seen a sword that looks like Mel's. Could it be that he made it up and didnt base it on historical examples?!?!?! What a shock! ;)

[AllenJ]

I failed to mention before that there is another type of Highland two-hander. near as I can tell it is also called a (CDL) but I'm not 100% on that. It has been dubbed today as a 'Clamshell Claymore', because of it's two clamshell-like guards over the hilt. It seems to have the same general weight and blade type as the other CDL's that we are more familiar with.
Heres a few antiques:
http://www.myarmoury.com/albums/disp...lbum=41&pos=69
http://www.myarmoury.com/albums/disp...lbum=41&pos=70
http://www.myarmoury.com/albums/disp...lbum=41&pos=71
http://www.myarmoury.com/albums/disp...lbum=41&pos=72
http://www.myarmoury.com/albums/disp...lbum=41&pos=73

[Colin]

Moved from "Traditional Kilts" to "Off Topic"

Interesting read, keep it coming.

[David White]

For all thats interested:
http://www.thearma.org/

[David White]

Two more good links:
Hope on smallsword-http://www.sirwilliamhope.org/Library/Hope/VadeMecum/
Page on Highland broad/backsword & targe-http://www.sirwilliamhope.org/Library/Page/

[AllenJ]

Do'h! How did I miss two of the best!? Thanks David. And yes, that link to the ARMA site is probably one of the best recources I have seen on the web for info on swords and their use.

[David White]

Hi Alan, have you started to study Page? I've just started to dabble and study Pages system. I wish someone would have posted pictures of the guards and footwork as a reference.

[AllenJ]

I've read it and stepped through some of the stuff but haven't made a serious study of it yet. The guards are pretty simple once you actually see them. I'll see if I can get some photos taken over the next day or so. Then I'll just have to figure out how to post them here

But just for discussions sake they are... (this is as a right hand fencer)
The Outside Guard- sword held with the basket out to the right side of your body with the blade angled up to the left.

The Inside Guard- reverse of Outside Guard with the basket held to the left side of your body with the blade angled up and to the right

The Hanging Guard- this is usually the most effective and commonly used guard- same as Silvers True Guardant. It is held with the basket up above your head, slightly to the right, with the blade angled down. Page teaches to keep the tip trained on your opponents chest, others teach to have it angled towards your left knee.

The St. George Guard- (I hardly EVER use this and find it not very effective) It is done by standing square to your opponent your sword held above your head, parallel to your shoulders. Page says, "is only used occasionally to stop a right down Blow aim'd at the Head of Shoulders". Personally, I'd rather take the blow in Hanging, let is deflect off to the side and counter traverse to the right rather than try and stop it completley. The Hanging guard is more in tune with older styles and theories.