I know this is a thread on swords, but just to quickly clear up the thing about Gimli's axes, He carried two throwing axes in side holsters, like guns, one short one handed ax he used as a walking stick, a two handed fighting ax (double bladed)across his back, and a second single bladed fighting ax that had a longer handle, which made it easier to control by giving it slightly more balance.

In refrence to the spelling about axes, I think you spell it singularly, ax, and pluraly, axes.

I stil think a dirk is the coolest form of sword since it is smaller and easier to control, and since I have a smaller figure, I probably would be unable to weild a larger sword.

If you are looking for something that is silent and deadly, look no further than throwing knives. They are small, arodynamic, and perfectly balanced for throwing. [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img]

Another *small* person who loves dirks! [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img] .

As for the power of weapons, the maker of the weapon gives it its power as well as the matterial, forging technic, etc..., but those are all really part of what the maker makes it. The maker gives the power and the weilder uses it. For example, Narsil would have done Frodo little good, he couldn't used its power. Elendil and latter Isuldur on the other hand could. If they had used just any sword, though, they would not have been able to do the things they did, like say, cutting off the ring.

Salocin, I think you are quite right. A lot goes in to being able to weild a blade effectivly, but I think that takent is also required. I mean, if Aragorn did not know how weild a blade, the sword reforged would have done him no good.

I've always liked dirks because they just seem like the thing for me. Since I'm not too strong [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img]
I cannot handle many of the larger swords, or an ax, or a bow and arrow, it is very difficult for me to pull the string taut (I hope that's the right spelling) enough to shot it any decent distance.

I think that all of the characters were very strong in phisical strenght to be able to weild such weapons, I also think they must have had a lot of practice.

I'd like to also pull things slightly to the side. I have a dear friend who enjoys the various methods of fighting. At some point a long while back, I mentioned that I'd always wanted a hand and a half sword, and he responded that an axe would be better any day.

Now, I know an extreme little about medieval weapons (the most I can do is name a few :\). I tried once to find an article that would explain the advantages and disadvantages of blades, but never found it. I'd like to ask what you informed people think. I understand it'd be whoever's more skilled, but is there anything more than that between a sword and an axe?

Thats why I gave the example of a powerful sword doing Frodo no good.

ahh... my old thread is back from the grave!

nice diagram of the sword, i really enjoyed it.

of course now that i'm into making my own stuff, i'm preparing to make my first bladed weapon!

now nobody freak out about safety and me losing fingers and making a menace to society
of myself or anything, i know what i'm doing!

One Axe,

You might be interested in the discussions on this forum: The Arador Library

I find the Arador website very interesting, and the forum pretty informative at times (but beware, there are some gross errors both on the site and in the forum).

yes, very interesting....

A little scent of Harry Potter there? [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Would it be possible for the swords to all be bound to a certain fate like humans? I've seen it with Andúril, but not with many others. Can the swords of the wielder suffer the same doom as it's owner?

Suilad,

Anuion

Hi Swordsters, [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

I was looking through HoME 8 the other day (he said smugly) and found Denethor describing Pippin's Barrow-sword as a sax. Obviously this description didn't make the 'cut', but perhaps that was due to JRRT fearing that people would be unfamiliar with the term.

As I'm sure you know, a sax was a heavy single edged short-ish sword favoured by the early Saxons (thus the name) and later used by others eg. Vikings. It was designed for cutting rather than stabbing, but I'd guess it would stab quite effectively too.

here's a picture of a reconstruction of a Viking sax

http://www.jloose.com/siteimages/sax6.5.02.jpg