![]() |
|
![]() |
#1 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,247
|
![]()
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 02:42 AM. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#2 |
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... |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#3 |
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 05:19 AM. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#4 |
Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: between work and sleep
Posts: 731
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#5 |
(deceased)
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: East Coast USA
Posts: 3,191
|
![]()
Got you all beat with this foot knife
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#6 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Santa Barbara, California
Posts: 301
|
![]()
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! |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#7 | |
Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Manila, Phils.
Posts: 1,042
|
![]() Quote:
![]() 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? ![]() |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#8 | |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,247
|
![]() Quote:
![]() 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 |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#9 | |
Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Manila, Phils.
Posts: 1,042
|
![]() Quote:
![]() I sure am glad that you're not like MI-3's Mr. Brassel (Laurence Fishburne) who gets upset ![]() ![]() 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! |
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
#10 |
Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: The Netherlands
Posts: 2,224
|
![]()
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. ![]() Last edited by asomotif; 1st May 2009 at 06:52 AM. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|
|