Secrets of the Viking Sword on PBS Nova 10/10/12

[Ian Mac Pharlaine]

Hello fellow fencers. I'm most pleased to announce that the PBS series NOVA will be featuring a special episode on Viking Age combatives featuring ARMA Director John Clements and other representative members.

The following, among other features, will be expected to be presented in the program:

Speculative demos of how to fight with Viking sword and shield.

Demos of how their weapons can be gripped and manipulated to optimize cuts and thrusts and wardings.

Cutting experiments using assorted blades types on meat, maile, helms, shields, and a few other curious objects.

Examples of known historical fencing styles with other forms for contrast and comparison.

Exposure of various common clichés and erroneous assumptions about swords held by popular culture.

Commentary on misunderstanding and misconception related to historical close combat, swordplay, and the public/media obsession with katanas and kenjutsu.

Context of how and why Vikings came to be and where they eventually went.

Plus a few special surprises.

That said, be sure to mark your calenders for October 10th and be on the lookout for this most exciting program.

Regards,

IMP

[Kevin Reicks]

Very cool. I think I have fair concerns of the editing as I am sure many others do too.


Commentary on misunderstanding and misconception related to historical close combat, swordplay, and the public/media obsession with katanas and kenjutsu."



Uh oh! As soon as katanas are thrown in to the mix, you might have an editor or producer in the same mind set as the people who made the longsword vs. katana comparison with R. Lee Ermey. I don't think I need to give the link to that monstrosity In The Gunny's defense, he is a guns guy and not a swords guy. He was at the mercy of katana worshipers.

[Ian Mac Pharlaine]

Very cool. I think I have fair concerns of the editing as I am sure many others do too.


Commentary on misunderstanding and misconception related to historical close combat, swordplay, and the public/media obsession with katanas and kenjutsu."



Uh oh! As soon as katanas are thrown in to the mix, you might have an editor or producer in the same mind set as the people who made the longsword vs. katana comparison with R. Lee Ermey. I don't think I need to give the link to that monstrosity In The Gunny's defense, he is a guns guy and not a swords guy. He was at the mercy of katana worshipers.

Well, from the tests and results I have seen, they tested high quality albions and hand forged performance cutter kats side by side with proper fencing motions against fair targets, and the katana doesnt do as well as many are trained to think. Especially against armor, where it fails more often than not compared to the euro swords. Nice to see the opposite result once in a while