Real Swords

  The Samurai are often romanticized as mystical warriors who lived for honor and defended the common people. But the modern-day myth obscures their true nature: Samurai were an elite fighting force who did monstrous things to maintain a twisted form of feudalism. The samurai class was a hereditary group of soldiers and scholars who served the warrior monarchs of Japan's clans.  Samurai warriors were trained in martial arts and philosophy but also studied poetry and other arts. They were considered a separate caste from the common folk, who were called peasants. The origin of the samurai can be traced to the Yamato period (ca. 300 BC - ca. AD 660) when political power shifted from imperial families to regional warlords known as "daimyos." These regional leaders established their own domains, which served as local governments within the Yamato state.  The samurai became part of these domains' militaries and developed estates for storing weapons and supplies that suppor...

  The term sword is an old word derived from several different Germanic words that basically translated to "sharp sword. The sword has a long history of being used in battle but the modern katana is considered the epitome of what a sword should be. The sword is a weapon typically used to cut objects and has been used in battle for many centuries.  Swords have been used since early times--about 10,000 BC--and are still widely wielded in battle around the world. Originally, cheap swords were mostly associated with infantry combat but later evolved into weapons used by warriors of all classes on horseback as well as foot soldiers with shields.   This weapon has a pointed metal head with sharp edges on one or both sides of the blade and can be used as a slashing or thrusting weapon. Swords are classified in three ways: broadsword, longsword, and rapier. Broadswords are utilized as slashing weapons and were often placed over the shoulder for greater convenience despite the bu...

  A bastard sword is a type of European sword in which the blade is angled so that it's nearly perpendicular to the hilt. This makes it a devastating weapon on foot, with its uniquely sharp point and weight-forward balance giving it some of the best cutting power available.  The term " bastard sword ", however, more often refers to the lower-quality swords made during this period and those poorly crafted or forged by nonprofessionals. This sword was primarily used by foot soldiers but was also popular among cavalry troops who charged into battle with their swords drawn and ready to strike down their foes. Features of Bastard Swords A bastard sword (also called a hand-and-a-half sword, or hand sword) is a type of European sword characterized as having a blade measuring between 25 and 40 inches from crossguard to point. Almost always asymmetrical in profile, the blades are relatively long but somewhat lightweight. Typical swords would weigh around 2 pounds. The grip typical...