Leather Sheath Sword

Tim Simmons · 10th April 2005, 03:35 PM

I really like that

is the scabbard wrapped with copper wire?Tim

tom hyle · 10th April 2005, 06:05 PM

I don't think it's wire, but flat sheet?...hard to tell; it could be fine wire from an electric motor (a good material I see on African work; you can tell it for sure if they didn't remove the distinct half clear half red lacquery stuff electric motors coil thingies are at least often coated in; but that stuff ain't here; just brown patina, it looks like.). The long (belt?) hook on the sheath is cool.
Some might consider the sword rather similar, but I'm with you, F, and would like to elucidate. The tip is very different from the broad style of ilwoon-seme (like it?), as you say, not only in its narrow thrusting angle vs their roundish slashing (in European terms "Roman" style) tip, but also in the tip not being a widened, flattened cutting-plane; your Shi sword is basically parallell sided (except the very base), and is it sharp the whole parallel part? Just predicty-hoping

It is more a "true" cut and thrust sword, the seme more a cutting sword (a la ilwoon) with a tip that can be used for thrusting on unarmoured oponants, but ain't the greatest for it, and is more for doing a passing type cut I call tip-slashing, at which machete and seme excell, and ilwoon just makes me tear up when I see it and it's so pricey.....I could see the seme being somewhat a transitional/whatever in between sword at the edge of ilwoon(etc.) and also at the edge of true cut and thrust swords, like the Shi sword, or 'Zande broadswords, etc. Not one bit of this idea so far has really been turned toward accounting for the handles or the exact regionality/tribality/overlap of the types (broadsword and ilwoonish). This is a vague idea based on swords more than cultural geography or history, but I'm rather excited about it; please feel free to help me sew it up and fly it, or shoot holes in the wings if ye must

I'm loving talking about African cutting swords; really excites me.

Freddy · 10th April 2005, 07:38 PM

Tom, I can assure you...it's copper wire. Very thin copper wire. I tried to take some pics, but my digital camera has its limits.

In the middle of the sheath, there's a band of about 1 cm where the copper wire has been twisted. This adds a small decorative element to this sheath.

The edge of the blade is sharp on both sides, from point to handle. I could be used for slashing, but due to the thickness of the blade it's also ideal for stabbing.

tom hyle · 10th April 2005, 10:33 PM

Thanks. Love the tonfa-like sheath. When the wood was new it might've been a real decent one-use emergency sheild?

Flavio · 10th April 2005, 11:50 PM

Hello. I have a very similar short sword like the one of Freddy and i'm totally agree with him

. there is also the band of about 1 cm where the copper wire has been twisted.

tom hyle · 11th April 2005, 12:13 AM

rectangular raised medial? Nice.

Freddy · 11th April 2005, 11:21 AM

Flavio, what's the size of your sword ?

Here's another Tutsi dagger. Much smaller than the first one, with a total length of 26,5 cm. The blade is shaped like a spear point and measures 15,5 cm.

I don't know if you can see it on the pic, but the medial has the same shape as Flavio's knife.

10th April 2005, 06:05 PM	#2
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	I don't think it's wire, but flat sheet?...hard to tell; it could be fine wire from an electric motor (a good material I see on African work; you can tell it for sure if they didn't remove the distinct half clear half red lacquery stuff electric motors coil thingies are at least often coated in; but that stuff ain't here; just brown patina, it looks like.). The long (belt?) hook on the sheath is cool. Some might consider the sword rather similar, but I'm with you, F, and would like to elucidate. The tip is very different from the broad style of ilwoon-seme (like it?), as you say, not only in its narrow thrusting angle vs their roundish slashing (in European terms "Roman" style) tip, but also in the tip not being a widened, flattened cutting-plane; your Shi sword is basically parallell sided (except the very base), and is it sharp the whole parallel part? Just predicty-hoping It is more a "true" cut and thrust sword, the seme more a cutting sword (a la ilwoon) with a tip that can be used for thrusting on unarmoured oponants, but ain't the greatest for it, and is more for doing a passing type cut I call tip-slashing, at which machete and seme excell, and ilwoon just makes me tear up when I see it and it's so pricey.....I could see the seme being somewhat a transitional/whatever in between sword at the edge of ilwoon(etc.) and also at the edge of true cut and thrust swords, like the Shi sword, or 'Zande broadswords, etc. Not one bit of this idea so far has really been turned toward accounting for the handles or the exact regionality/tribality/overlap of the types (broadsword and ilwoonish). This is a vague idea based on swords more than cultural geography or history, but I'm rather excited about it; please feel free to help me sew it up and fly it, or shoot holes in the wings if ye must I'm loving talking about African cutting swords; really excites me. Last edited by tom hyle; 10th April 2005 at 06:06 PM. Reason: accuracy

10th April 2005, 11:50 PM	#5
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Hello. I have a very similar short sword like the one of Freddy and i'm totally agree with him . there is also the band of about 1 cm where the copper wire has been twisted. Attached Images

10th April 2005, 03:35 PM	#1
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,925	I really like that is the scabbard wrapped with copper wire?Tim

10th April 2005, 07:38 PM	#3
Freddy Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sint-Amandsberg (near Ghent, Belgium) Posts: 830	Tom, I can assure you...it's copper wire. Very thin copper wire. I tried to take some pics, but my digital camera has its limits. In the middle of the sheath, there's a band of about 1 cm where the copper wire has been twisted. This adds a small decorative element to this sheath. The edge of the blade is sharp on both sides, from point to handle. I could be used for slashing, but due to the thickness of the blade it's also ideal for stabbing.

10th April 2005, 10:33 PM	#4
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	Thanks. Love the tonfa-like sheath. When the wood was new it might've been a real decent one-use emergency sheild?

11th April 2005, 12:13 AM	#6
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	rectangular raised medial? Nice.

11th April 2005, 11:21 AM	#7
Freddy Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sint-Amandsberg (near Ghent, Belgium) Posts: 830	Flavio, what's the size of your sword ? Here's another Tutsi dagger. Much smaller than the first one, with a total length of 26,5 cm. The blade is shaped like a spear point and measures 15,5 cm. I don't know if you can see it on the pic, but the medial has the same shape as Flavio's knife.