Ten weirdest blades on the planet?

fearn · 30th April 2009, 03:24 AM

In the Parang Pandit thread, I made an off-hand remark about the pandit being "definitely one of the 10 weirdest blades on the planet."

Migueldiaz asked what the other nine are.

This of course stopped me, because I was just making a rhetorical comment, and I don't actually have a list of 10 weirdest blades.

But why should that stop anyone?

So, here's the topic for this list: what do you consider the ten weirdest blades on the planet, and why?

Let's limit this a bit. First off, civility is important. This isn't about politics, and sometimes a sword is just a sword.

Second point: let's limit this to "standard" weapons, by which I mean that we should focus on blades associated with particular groups and built for particular reasons, rather than one-off pieces of art that are both goofy and non-functional.

That said, here are some candidates for the Ten Weirdest Blades list:

1. The parang pandit (link). Reason it's weird? Tip to grip: These are choppers, but where most blades have some sort of a functional tip, the pandit's tip is strictly ornamental. It's there as a weight to tune the placement of the sweet spot. Also, it's got that weird bend, and then the handle is square and metal. Makes my palms blister just thinking about it, and I wonder how tough the dayaks' hands were to use these things. Let's not forget the hair decorations on the blade. Then, rather than having a pommel to keep your hand from sliding off, it has this little, useless ivory ornament, and you're evidently supposed to hook a finger on the cross-piece to hold onto the blade.
Overall? Weird.

2. The garo milam (link, picture 7). This is another all-metal sword, and it's oddly similar to the Pandit, right down to being held by a cross-piece. Both are pretty distinctive. Why people go in for all-steel blades in the tropics is certainly puzzling.

3. The European estoc (wikipedia link). Okay, a 1.3 meter-long, triangular, sharpened prybar with a sword hilt? These swords were designed in an attempt to strengthen a sword to pierce plate armor. Didn't work that well. What's weird about the estoc is that no other culture went in for such super-heavy armor as did late medieval Europe. This led to some specialized, armor-piercing weapons that really haven't been seen anywhere else, most notably the estoc.

Who's next?

F

KuKulzA28 · 30th April 2009, 04:14 AM

Well I'd say the Katar and the pata would be up there in weird/unique... I mean a handle perpendicular to the blade edge? wow

The urumi flexible whip/sword could be a candidate too...

Emanuel · 30th April 2009, 06:00 AM

African throwing knives !!!!!

Here's a Mbanja knife from Luc Lefebvre's site Weirdest, freakiest, most vicious-looking things on the planet.

Some of the Indian Zulfiqar/sosoun-pata/serrated blades are pretty crazy too, as well as the old South Indian flamboyant swords.

Emanuel

KuKulzA28 · 30th April 2009, 06:14 AM

what about a bagh nakh? or a bagh nakh with a bichwa blade?

top that!

Lew · 30th April 2009, 06:28 AM

Got you all beat with this foot knife

Montino Bourbon · 30th April 2009, 07:13 AM

This one has a protective cover around it... I'm surprised that no one here thought of this!

And a finger knife, nasty little thing to keep hidden!

migueldiaz · 30th April 2009, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LOUIEBLADES

Got you all beat with this foot knife

Thanks Lew

I suppose those arrows in the foot knife would be the equivalent of the "Front toward enemy" [idiot-proofing] sign on a modern claymore mine?

fearn · 30th April 2009, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LOUIEBLADES

Got you all beat with this foot knife

No elephant sword, Louie?

And here I left off one of my favorites, "the" te unun from Kiribati, Stone's "tebutje." (since te is equivalent to the, "the te unun" is redundant). For those who don't know it, it's one of those neat shark-tooth "swords" from the former Gilbert Islands. Not exactly bladed, unless you count shark's teeth as blades. Then it's got lots of blades.

Glad you're enjoying this Miguel. I'm interested in seeing what pops up next.
F

migueldiaz · 30th April 2009, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fearn

In the Parang Pandit thread, I made an off-hand remark about the pandit being "definitely one of the 10 weirdest blades on the planet."

Migueldiaz asked what the other nine are.

This of course stopped me, because I was just making a rhetorical comment, and I don't actually have a list of 10 weirdest blades.

Thanks Fearn for starting this thread

I sure am glad that you're not like MI-3's Mr. Brassel (Laurence Fishburne) who gets upset

in such situations: "Mr. Musgrave, please don't interrupt me when I'm asking rhetorical questions."

All these weird blades posted so far are surely interesting to say the least.

And the zulfigar is one mean looking blade. You know if you're in trouble if your opponent happens to be wielding one ...

Haven't seen most of these blades before, thus thanks a lot for all the posts!

asomotif · 30th April 2009, 11:45 PM

Certainly somewhere in the top 10 :

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ght=sock+sword

The deadly sock sword

Another one that would still rank in my top 10 : The keris...
Personally I still find the indonesian keris a weird weapon.
Althought it is historically embeded in our country (The Netherlands)
Logic as a weapon are far to be found in the keris.
No hand guard, not symetric, waivy, becomming smaller, thinner and more brittle over the years due to warangan.

I know there are all kinds of reasons why a keris is as it is, but still.

30th April 2009, 03:24 AM	#1
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	Ten weirdest blades on the planet? In the Parang Pandit thread, I made an off-hand remark about the pandit being "definitely one of the 10 weirdest blades on the planet." Migueldiaz asked what the other nine are. This of course stopped me, because I was just making a rhetorical comment, and I don't actually have a list of 10 weirdest blades. But why should that stop anyone? So, here's the topic for this list: what do you consider the ten weirdest blades on the planet, and why? Let's limit this a bit. First off, civility is important. This isn't about politics, and sometimes a sword is just a sword. Second point: let's limit this to "standard" weapons, by which I mean that we should focus on blades associated with particular groups and built for particular reasons, rather than one-off pieces of art that are both goofy and non-functional. That said, here are some candidates for the Ten Weirdest Blades list: 1. The parang pandit (link). Reason it's weird? Tip to grip: These are choppers, but where most blades have some sort of a functional tip, the pandit's tip is strictly ornamental. It's there as a weight to tune the placement of the sweet spot. Also, it's got that weird bend, and then the handle is square and metal. Makes my palms blister just thinking about it, and I wonder how tough the dayaks' hands were to use these things. Let's not forget the hair decorations on the blade. Then, rather than having a pommel to keep your hand from sliding off, it has this little, useless ivory ornament, and you're evidently supposed to hook a finger on the cross-piece to hold onto the blade. Overall? Weird. 2. The garo milam (link, picture 7). This is another all-metal sword, and it's oddly similar to the Pandit, right down to being held by a cross-piece. Both are pretty distinctive. Why people go in for all-steel blades in the tropics is certainly puzzling. 3. The European estoc (wikipedia link). Okay, a 1.3 meter-long, triangular, sharpened prybar with a sword hilt? These swords were designed in an attempt to strengthen a sword to pierce plate armor. Didn't work that well. What's weird about the estoc is that no other culture went in for such super-heavy armor as did late medieval Europe. This led to some specialized, armor-piercing weapons that really haven't been seen anywhere else, most notably the estoc. Who's next? F Last edited by fearn; 30th April 2009 at 03:42 AM.

30th April 2009, 06:00 AM	#3
Emanuel Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,242	African throwing knives !!!!! Here's a Mbanja knife from Luc Lefebvre's site Weirdest, freakiest, most vicious-looking things on the planet. Some of the Indian Zulfiqar/sosoun-pata/serrated blades are pretty crazy too, as well as the old South Indian flamboyant swords. Emanuel Last edited by Manolo; 30th April 2009 at 06:19 AM.

30th April 2009, 06:28 AM	#5
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Got you all beat with this foot knife Attached Images

30th April 2009, 07:13 AM	#6
Montino Bourbon Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Santa Barbara, California Posts: 301	A wrist knife of the Turkana tribe This one has a protective cover around it... I'm surprised that no one here thought of this! And a finger knife, nasty little thing to keep hidden! Attached Images

30th April 2009, 11:45 PM	#10
asomotif Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 2,225	The Deadly Sock Sword Certainly somewhere in the top 10 : http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ght=sock+sword The deadly sock sword Another one that would still rank in my top 10 : The keris... Personally I still find the indonesian keris a weird weapon. Althought it is historically embeded in our country (The Netherlands) Logic as a weapon are far to be found in the keris. No hand guard, not symetric, waivy, becomming smaller, thinner and more brittle over the years due to warangan. I know there are all kinds of reasons why a keris is as it is, but still. Attached Images Last edited by asomotif; 1st May 2009 at 07:52 AM.

30th April 2009, 04:14 AM	#2
KuKulzA28 Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: between work and sleep Posts: 731	Well I'd say the Katar and the pata would be up there in weird/unique... I mean a handle perpendicular to the blade edge? wow The urumi flexible whip/sword could be a candidate too...

30th April 2009, 06:14 AM	#4
KuKulzA28 Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: between work and sleep Posts: 731	what about a bagh nakh? or a bagh nakh with a bichwa blade? top that!