Swords are fun (huge images).

[BreweryYardRat]

I just hosted the pictures of this one tonight (haven't been home and been able to find the camera since I got it in January):





Replica of a Spanish Celtic short sword, the falcata. Medium quality. It's speculated that the falcata may be a descendant of the Greek kopis/machiara.

Edit: I was mistaken-it's completely unrelated to the Egyptian/Canaanite khopesh-just a vague design similarity.

[idgiehkt]

1. Now I wanna know

how a sword can be both Spanish and Celtic, because I'm confused. Plus this thread is making me wonder where Haruka is.

[BreweryYardRat]

3. Spain had a high population of Celts during Greek and Roman times.

Celtic in the historical context doesn't just mean Irish/Scottish/Welsh. The ancient Greeks applied the word "Keltoi," from which we derive "Celtic," to any light-skinned tribe, if I'm not mistaken.

The Spanish we see today are the result of two thousand years plus of the Spanish Celts interbreeding with Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, and Moors.

[Solon]

2. You have a much fancier sword than I do, really cool...

Here's mine:





Mine is just a plain Irish Longsword.

[BreweryYardRat]

4. I've always liked those cocked hat pommels.

Is your replica from MRL too?

[Solon]

5. A Museum replica? I don't know...

Given its not fancy or anything, I bought it at a Renaissance fair, of all things, my buddy dragged me there, saying it was really cool. I like the fact that its not a machined, stainless steel sword, but one actually made by a weaponsmith.

[BreweryYardRat]

6. MRL is hardly museum artifact replica quality, despite the company name.

Medium-grade (like mine) on some pieces, to poor quality on others. Medium to budget pricing, too.

And you've got good taste, since you didn't get some stainless steel piece of crap.

I don't suppose you recall the smith's/company's name, do you? If you do, I could do some research, see whether or not you got a good deal. How much did you pay?

[Solon]

8. I don't really remember the company's name...

I paid about 100 bucks for it, which even I thought was cheap, but for a sword that was so plain, I figured it was reasonable. At the Renaissance fair I went to, the sword was in a vertical wooden stands with many other types of swords, a Roman Gladius, a Claymore that I had difficulty lifting out of the damned thing, and when I put in on the floor, tip down, it was as tall as me, 5'10 or so. That was a big sword, but 300 bucks, I was like, no thank you! :)

I mean, the people I bought it from didn't even have a box for it, they gave me a scabbard, and I literally strapped it to my belt and carried it around like I was a swordsman, with a peacetie, of course. But in a T-Shirt and Blue Jeans! Oddly enough, only at a Renaissance fair is that normal. :)

The thing is, its solidly build, you can't rattle this thing if you wanted to, the pommel is solid steel, but the sword itself is surprisingly balanced, even I, a neophyte at these things, was able to swing it around with a surprisingly amount of control. At least I was able to actually have it in my hands before I bought it, unfortunately, due to the fact that others could handle it, the thing had fingerprints ETCHED into the blade, so, when I brought it home, I immediately looked up how to clean a sword blade like this, since its high carbon steel, and spent a good 3 hours cleaning it, mostly with WD40.

[BreweryYardRat]

9. kick for the afternoon crowd

[BreweryYardRat]

13. One last kick.

[sammythecat]

7. Swords are definitely most cool

Nice pictures there :thumbsup:

[uppityperson]

10. Very nice. Looks like my Kuhkris, except for handle

That is a nice sword. Edited to add picture I found online. I have 1 sword length and 2 shorter foot long ones like this.

[Evoman]

11. Some pics of SOME of my swords (if I were richer, I would be a collector)

[RedStateShame]

12. Does anybody else remember the "precious sword" commercials?

I believe it was for a catalog, and the announcer said something to the extent of "Have your precious sword!" in a Connery-ish voice, and the "w" in sword was pronounced. I don't see that ad any more. Did I just hallucinate it?