A fictional axe: is it real-world based?

fearn · 27th August 2005, 02:02 AM

I was thinking Kora too, Ferguson. Beat me to it.

If you want to go beyond Nepal, it could also be based on the Woodsman's Pal. These are quite handy little choppers.

F

Flavio · 27th August 2005, 11:36 AM

Ok, ok, I know that Bade of the Immortal is a manga
(a GREAT Manga!) and is placed in Japan, but maybe Mr. Samura leaf through some books or he have seen on the web some pictures of these african knives (see pics attached). They come from Cameroon (Boumali and Gbaya tribes). You know contamination is one of the most important factor for fantasy

and the shape is very similar

lordraphael · 27th August 2005, 12:56 PM

I have to admit I'm a little confused by the shapes of these weapons...

Which side is the "striking edge" in a Kora?
And in an African knive, when wielded as a weapon?

* A clueless Raffaele *

Ferguson · 27th August 2005, 09:12 PM

On a kora, the concave shaped edge is the striking side. Not sure about the African weapons shown.

Steve

lordraphael · 2nd September 2005, 03:15 PM

I'm sorry I'm still bothering everybody...

About the (fictional) axe shown in picture (link somewhere above), I'm trying to translate a piece of Japanese text which literally appears to say it's a "ONE-something AXE", or a "SINGLE-something AXE"... or a "ONE FOLD -something AXE", or even more literally a "ONE/SINGLE/ONE-FOLD STRIKE AXE"... All of which doesn't really make any sense to me.
I thought it might just mean "one-edged", but then I discovered the Japanese usually say it another way.
The way it says "one" is a word normally reserved for counting thin, sheet-like items (such as paper, leaves, etc.)
The wording is similar to an expression which means "carved from a single piece" (of wood, etc) - an expression also used when speaking of knives, but I don't know what it really means about a knife.

Help me out and get a free cup of coffee (next time you get by my place, here in Italy)!

____
Raffaele

Mark · 2nd September 2005, 03:29 PM

Hi Raffaele,

I doubt that I can help, but I tried the link anyway, and it appears to be dead.

Mark

VANDOO · 2nd September 2005, 04:29 PM

DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA AS TO THE SIZE OF THIS AXE? IF IT IS FAIRLY LARGE IT WOULD APPEAR TO HAVE A GRIP DESIGNED FOR TWO HANDS. THE ONE SIDE WOULD ACT AS A BLADE WITH THE SIMULAR TYPE STRIKE AS A PHILIPPINE PANABAS OR IF STRIKING WITH THE PICK LIKE END THE STRIKE WOULD PIERCE ARMOR OR PERHAPS COULD BE USED TO PULL SOMEONE OFF BALANCE OR HOOK A SHIELD. THE BACK EDGE COULD BE USED FOR A MACE OR CLUB TYPE OF STRIKE. THE HANDLE FORM ALSO LOOKS MORE PRIMATIVE THAN NORMAL JAPANESE WEAPONS, REMINDS ME OF SOME HANDLES MADE FROM A HUMAN FEMUR.

PERSONALLY I DOUBT THAT IT IS BASED ON A TYPE OF JAPANESE WEAPON UNLESS IT WAS SOME TYPE OF TOOL MODIFIED INTO A MAKESHIFT WEAPON. IF THAT IT IS THE CASE IT WOULD PROBABLY BE ONE OF A KIND, WHICH IS A DEVICE OFTEN USED IN STORY TELLING THE HERO ALWAYS HAS SOME STRANGE WEAPON DIFFERENT THAN EVERYONE ELSE AND CANNOT BE DEFEATED. THESE KIND OF THINGS ARE INTERESTING BUT MANY TIMES WERE NOT REAL BUT LEGENDARY WEAPONS.
THE SECOND LINK HE PUT IN IS STILL WORKING IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT IT MARK.

27th August 2005, 11:36 AM	#2
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Ok, ok, I know that Bade of the Immortal is a manga (a GREAT Manga!) and is placed in Japan, but maybe Mr. Samura leaf through some books or he have seen on the web some pictures of these african knives (see pics attached). They come from Cameroon (Boumali and Gbaya tribes). You know contamination is one of the most important factor for fantasy and the shape is very similar Attached Images

2nd September 2005, 03:15 PM	#5
lordraphael Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Italy Posts: 7	I still need help with the axe... I'm sorry I'm still bothering everybody... About the (fictional) axe shown in picture (link somewhere above), I'm trying to translate a piece of Japanese text which literally appears to say it's a "ONE-something AXE", or a "SINGLE-something AXE"... or a "ONE FOLD -something AXE", or even more literally a "ONE/SINGLE/ONE-FOLD STRIKE AXE"... All of which doesn't really make any sense to me. I thought it might just mean "one-edged", but then I discovered the Japanese usually say it another way. The way it says "one" is a word normally reserved for counting thin, sheet-like items (such as paper, leaves, etc.) The wording is similar to an expression which means "carved from a single piece" (of wood, etc) - an expression also used when speaking of knives, but I don't know what it really means about a knife. Help me out and get a free cup of coffee (next time you get by my place, here in Italy)! ____ Raffaele

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27th August 2005, 02:02 AM	#1
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	I was thinking Kora too, Ferguson. Beat me to it. If you want to go beyond Nepal, it could also be based on the Woodsman's Pal. These are quite handy little choppers. F

27th August 2005, 12:56 PM	#3
lordraphael Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Italy Posts: 7	I have to admit I'm a little confused by the shapes of these weapons... Which side is the "striking edge" in a Kora? And in an African knive, when wielded as a weapon? * A clueless Raffaele *

27th August 2005, 09:12 PM	#4
Ferguson Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kernersville, NC, USA Posts: 793	On a kora, the concave shaped edge is the striking side. Not sure about the African weapons shown. Steve

2nd September 2005, 03:29 PM	#6
Mark Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 987	Hi Raffaele, I doubt that I can help, but I tried the link anyway, and it appears to be dead. Mark

2nd September 2005, 04:29 PM	#7
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA AS TO THE SIZE OF THIS AXE? IF IT IS FAIRLY LARGE IT WOULD APPEAR TO HAVE A GRIP DESIGNED FOR TWO HANDS. THE ONE SIDE WOULD ACT AS A BLADE WITH THE SIMULAR TYPE STRIKE AS A PHILIPPINE PANABAS OR IF STRIKING WITH THE PICK LIKE END THE STRIKE WOULD PIERCE ARMOR OR PERHAPS COULD BE USED TO PULL SOMEONE OFF BALANCE OR HOOK A SHIELD. THE BACK EDGE COULD BE USED FOR A MACE OR CLUB TYPE OF STRIKE. THE HANDLE FORM ALSO LOOKS MORE PRIMATIVE THAN NORMAL JAPANESE WEAPONS, REMINDS ME OF SOME HANDLES MADE FROM A HUMAN FEMUR. PERSONALLY I DOUBT THAT IT IS BASED ON A TYPE OF JAPANESE WEAPON UNLESS IT WAS SOME TYPE OF TOOL MODIFIED INTO A MAKESHIFT WEAPON. IF THAT IT IS THE CASE IT WOULD PROBABLY BE ONE OF A KIND, WHICH IS A DEVICE OFTEN USED IN STORY TELLING THE HERO ALWAYS HAS SOME STRANGE WEAPON DIFFERENT THAN EVERYONE ELSE AND CANNOT BE DEFEATED. THESE KIND OF THINGS ARE INTERESTING BUT MANY TIMES WERE NOT REAL BUT LEGENDARY WEAPONS. THE SECOND LINK HE PUT IN IS STILL WORKING IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT IT MARK.