as Spock would say, "fascinating." But with a capital "F."
Interesting to note the feeling that the sword is more than a sword, that it is personified, and I note a corrolary to other sword infused cultures. I was once instructed in the sword etiquette or a sword ritual of Jamaica, and I have the machette still. a lot of it has to do with giving the blade "soul" or also the word "life" was used. mostly it was about how to tune the blade to the user. It's ugly, and it bears 6 notches in the pommel, each for a life. There is a way to tune the sword for it's use, a war machette or other, but the distinction was not made clear to me because when I was asked why I wanted it I said I wanted it for protection. So I was told anyway this machette had some kills, and I don't know if it is because I was told that or if it is true, but you can look at it and get a weird feeling sometimes. I've went for it a few times but god's honest truth is I don't know if I could ever really bring myself to use it on someone, because I've also used it like it's last owner did, to chop up trees. Seeing what it can do to that basically makes you realize you have to be serous as a heart attack to use it. This kind of machette is preferred because of the saying attached to it, "no bone can stop it." I guess with the lighter machettes, called cutlass, a bone might stop the blade. Looking through the testimony of the Rwandan genocide that may be superstition or just a machismo saying. But if memory serves I may have put some info up about it here, but if I can not find it in this cavernous web site, lol, and all props and respect to the Dark Lord Cod for making it cavernous, I'll try and find my notes.
I think that one vid is slightly misleading in that Japanese sword construction wasn't exactly unique...there is a forum actually where you can view some really stunning swords and learn about their techniques and construction.
Also, I have had a mahuatl made for me, an azteca sword, the last time I was in Mexico City I met some indians outside the major temple and asked if anyone knew how to make one. If you ever saw one, it is a section of wood with pieces of obsidian inserted to make the "blade." According to Cortez' soldiers, a good whack from one could take off the head of a horse, quite a danger to the Spanish. There is a whole methodology to make one, which I regret to not having been a part of to document it but I will when I get back. Since it seems likely that that sword culture would also contain ritualistic elements I am sure there must be corrolaries there too.
Interesting to note the feeling that the sword is more than a sword, that it is personified, and I note a corrolary to other sword infused cultures. I was once instructed in the sword etiquette or a sword ritual of Jamaica, and I have the machette still. a lot of it has to do with giving the blade "soul" or also the word "life" was used. mostly it was about how to tune the blade to the user. It's ugly, and it bears 6 notches in the pommel, each for a life. There is a way to tune the sword for it's use, a war machette or other, but the distinction was not made clear to me because when I was asked why I wanted it I said I wanted it for protection. So I was told anyway this machette had some kills, and I don't know if it is because I was told that or if it is true, but you can look at it and get a weird feeling sometimes. I've went for it a few times but god's honest truth is I don't know if I could ever really bring myself to use it on someone, because I've also used it like it's last owner did, to chop up trees. Seeing what it can do to that basically makes you realize you have to be serous as a heart attack to use it. This kind of machette is preferred because of the saying attached to it, "no bone can stop it." I guess with the lighter machettes, called cutlass, a bone might stop the blade. Looking through the testimony of the Rwandan genocide that may be superstition or just a machismo saying. But if memory serves I may have put some info up about it here, but if I can not find it in this cavernous web site, lol, and all props and respect to the Dark Lord Cod for making it cavernous, I'll try and find my notes.
I think that one vid is slightly misleading in that Japanese sword construction wasn't exactly unique...there is a forum actually where you can view some really stunning swords and learn about their techniques and construction.
Also, I have had a mahuatl made for me, an azteca sword, the last time I was in Mexico City I met some indians outside the major temple and asked if anyone knew how to make one. If you ever saw one, it is a section of wood with pieces of obsidian inserted to make the "blade." According to Cortez' soldiers, a good whack from one could take off the head of a horse, quite a danger to the Spanish. There is a whole methodology to make one, which I regret to not having been a part of to document it but I will when I get back. Since it seems likely that that sword culture would also contain ritualistic elements I am sure there must be corrolaries there too.
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