Introduction

VANDOO · 12th June 2016, 07:10 AM

WELCOME TO THE FORUM.

AFRICA AND INDIA PROBABLY HAVE THE MOST VARIATIONS OF EDGED WEAPONS OF ALL THE COUNTRIES. MANY OF WHICH DON'T FOLLOW THE BASIC BEST FUNCTIONAL FORMS FOR KNIVES AND SWORDS. THAT MAKES THE FIELD PARTICULARLY INTERESTING AND VARIED. A GOOD PLACE TO START IN BOOKS IS "STONES GLOSSARY " IT COVERS THE LARGEST RANGE OF OF ETHNOGRAPHIC WEAPONS AND IS FUN TO READ. THERE ARE OTHER BOOKS MORE SPECIFIC TO CERTAIN TYPES AND AREAS WITH BETTER AND MORE COMPLETE INFORMATION TO GET LATER. I THINK THERE IS A OLD POST IN THE ARCHIVES LISTING GOOD REFERENCE BOOKS IF NOT THERE SHOULD BE.
AS TO AFRICAN SWORDS STILL BEING MADE OR OLD BLADES WITH NEW LESS TRADITIONAL HANDLES YES THEY ARE OUT THERE. THE THING TO DO IS LEARN WHAT TO EXPECT OF QUALITY AFRICAN WORK VERSUS SHODDY NON-TRADITIONAL WORK. AS WITH JAPANESE WEAPONS IT TAKES TIME TO LEARN BUT FROM COLLECTING JAPANESE YOU WILL RECOGNIZE QUALITY WORK YOU JUST NEED TO SEE AND HANDLE SOME GOOD AND SOME BAD AFRICAN ITEMS AND SOON YOU WILL BE UP TO SPEED. KNOWLEGE OF AFRICAN MASKS ALSO HELPS DETERMINE TRADITIONAL VS SHODDY NON-TRADITIONAL ITEMS. GOOD LUCK.

12th June 2016, 07:10 AM	#5
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	WELCOME TO THE FORUM. AFRICA AND INDIA PROBABLY HAVE THE MOST VARIATIONS OF EDGED WEAPONS OF ALL THE COUNTRIES. MANY OF WHICH DON'T FOLLOW THE BASIC BEST FUNCTIONAL FORMS FOR KNIVES AND SWORDS. THAT MAKES THE FIELD PARTICULARLY INTERESTING AND VARIED. A GOOD PLACE TO START IN BOOKS IS "STONES GLOSSARY " IT COVERS THE LARGEST RANGE OF OF ETHNOGRAPHIC WEAPONS AND IS FUN TO READ. THERE ARE OTHER BOOKS MORE SPECIFIC TO CERTAIN TYPES AND AREAS WITH BETTER AND MORE COMPLETE INFORMATION TO GET LATER. I THINK THERE IS A OLD POST IN THE ARCHIVES LISTING GOOD REFERENCE BOOKS IF NOT THERE SHOULD BE. AS TO AFRICAN SWORDS STILL BEING MADE OR OLD BLADES WITH NEW LESS TRADITIONAL HANDLES YES THEY ARE OUT THERE. THE THING TO DO IS LEARN WHAT TO EXPECT OF QUALITY AFRICAN WORK VERSUS SHODDY NON-TRADITIONAL WORK. AS WITH JAPANESE WEAPONS IT TAKES TIME TO LEARN BUT FROM COLLECTING JAPANESE YOU WILL RECOGNIZE QUALITY WORK YOU JUST NEED TO SEE AND HANDLE SOME GOOD AND SOME BAD AFRICAN ITEMS AND SOON YOU WILL BE UP TO SPEED. KNOWLEGE OF AFRICAN MASKS ALSO HELPS DETERMINE TRADITIONAL VS SHODDY NON-TRADITIONAL ITEMS. GOOD LUCK.