Remember asking for some video of stuff getting cut and smashed? Good! Check this video out:
What else do you want to see? We can do videos on the subjects of previous written Real Steel articles, or we can do something completely new. Tell us what you want to see! If we like the idea and it’s practical, we may just give it a try.
What video is next? I’m thinking something “edgy.” As always, feel free to axe questions… have I offered you a Danish?
The war club, in the form of a stick, was probably the first or second weapon ever used by human beings—a rock also being on that early list. Although a stout hardwood branch can get the job done, many cultures have improved both the function and appearance of the humble bludgeon. Native Americans have given us a number of designs, ranging from all wood with a large heavy knob, to a rawhide wrapped stone on a wooden handle. The Celts gave us the burda, and the Zulu the knobkierrie.
This is Real Steel, after All…
The version of the war club featured here has a steel head, mostly because this is Real Steel, not Genuine Wood. There was no smithing involved in making this one—and just a little simple machining. It doesn’t technically meet the specs for any historical war club I’m aware of, but it’s close to a burda…
One of the many cool things about bladesmithing is that if you come up with a new design or even a twist on an older one, you get to name it. While recurves are nothing new—and even Japanese recurves have been done many ways—the overall pattern of this knife, to my knowledge, has never been done before.
Planning… or Lack Thereof
Sometimes, as with this knife, I start forging without having anything particular in mind. Part of the creative process is to think less and just do. It involves transferring control of the hands—and therefore the hammer—from the conscious, logical part of the brain to a deeper, simpler, more creative part. This part of the brain doesn’t think with words; it instead holds a cloud of concepts.
For this knife, I charged the creative part of my mind with two concepts: elegance and lethality…
At least one version of the spear is found at some point in the history of every human culture. In its simpler forms, it is easy to make, easy to learn relative to other weapons, and deadly. Early versions were a simple sharpened stick. The first improvement was fire hardening the point. Later versions had bone or antler tips, followed by flint, copper, bronze, iron, and finally steel—the metals not necessarily in that order and dependent on the region.
Melee and Missiles
Fighting spears fall into two general categories: melee and thrown. Spears intended for melee usually have a double-edged blade and a good point, for the spear must be good at cutting and thrusting. Thrown spears, including javelins, may or may not have a cutting edge(s), but the focus is on the point. The abilities to be thrown accurately and penetrate deeply, in this case, outweigh the ability to cut…
Beyond the overlooked polearms and famous straight, thrusting, and curved swords lies a major category of weapons that just as importantly deserves some mention—ranged projectile weapons. From the nameless men-at-arms shooting crossbows from castle crenellations to green-suited, do-gooding outlaws with their longbows to the swashbuckling musketeer, each has their unique place in the annals of fantasy fiction. And before anyone stomps off mumbling “guns in my fantasy” and “ruined forever,” take a deep breath for a slightly different mantra: “there’s no such thing as a perfect ranged weapon.”
The Bow
The bow is ancient history or, to be more precise, prehistory. The bow is also fairly simple, at least in theory: it’s a D-shaped spring that launches a slender, stabilized dart when it attempts to return to its natural shape. From an engineering standpoint, a bow has to have high tensile strength on the outside and compressive strength on the inside; numerous solutions have been made, all with their purposes, advantages, and drawbacks. Selfbows, made from a single piece of wood, are simple to make, hold up well in adverse conditions, but are often extremely long. Composite bows, especially recurve bows, are a blend of multiple materials, typically wood, horn, and leather, and while they are smaller for a given power—handy for horseback archery—they can be louder, and the animal glues used to join the materials can be ruined by rain or humid environments…
Remember the tetsubo?
