Now I finally had an opportunity to watch this video. I would definitely agree with your interpretation of the regular pommel strike as opposed to actual half-swording in the context of that situation. It's possible that it's indeed referring to grabbing the blade but just raising it up and striking with the pommel could just as well mean what you suggested, and it's definitely quicker.

@Thrand11

9 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching Skallagrim and yes that is what I thought and seems to be a good assumption when considering the time period and fighting style of the time.

I am looking forward to watching all of your videos...I am a historian and have been "called" back to study the Viking era...I studied them as a kid...now I have time again to start a new adventure!

@Thrand11

9 жыл бұрын

:D

great !!!

@Thrand11

9 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

Thx for covering the use of a sword with both hands, Thrand. :D

@Thrand11

9 жыл бұрын

No Problem! I knew it had been requested :D

I'm very sure the saga describes the Bud Spencer-style pommel strike. That's why the target is a boy, just the right height to hit on the weak spot on top of the skull.

@Thrand11

5 жыл бұрын

Agreed

lol the helmed (or helmet?) at 5:25 looks like one from a german shop as backenhaube mit visir. i was thinking to buy it, its nice to see it tested.

Newcomer to the channel, liking what I see so far guys keep it up

@Thrand11

9 жыл бұрын

Thank You and we plan on it and keep making it better and better.

@StalwartShinobi

9 жыл бұрын

More pig heads would be good ;)

@Thrand11

9 жыл бұрын

Callum Uchiha We do them every now and then, they make good Tamales as well after testing :D

@jovonsmith233

6 жыл бұрын

Stalwart Shinobi it's fake bro they have no idea it's all fake I like Vikings

When half-swording, grip the flats. You can hold the blade without even touching the edges that way. Thrusting while half-swording gives better point control and more power due to it reducing blade flex. We also have several medieval depcitions of half-swording and pommel strikes while gripping the blade of a messer: kzread.info/dash/bejne/ZWynuMaxZ9HgmLQ.html

@Thrand11

9 жыл бұрын

Very awesome video! after seeing that with a shorter stouter blade it does seem to be more plausible with a Viking age blade. I never said they would not do it at all. I was just stating the normal style of combat involved a shield or weapon normally with wooden haft to parry with, the blade of the sword was not commonly used to parry with against another sword. There are text that state this in the Viking era. Thanks for the excellent video.

@Thrand11

9 жыл бұрын

The blade I am using does not flex much at all though. I tried different grips on that blade and that one seemed to feel the best. I was not cut at all and the blade is very oily though if I griped more on the flat and my handed slipped wile thrusting would have got a nice cut at the least, another wards under circumstances felt better griping the edge too so it did not slip :P

@Thrand11

9 жыл бұрын

Oh by the way still going to make another video on spear grips and techniques soon as reply to you. I did like the feel of the half-sword techniques with the Viking sword I was just stating I am not sure if that is what the Sagas was referencing. Would I do it in a real situation? if I found beneficial yes and it did feel nice on the Thrust. So a good parry by garbing the blade step in thrust the neck is possibility. If it was described that way I might think that is exactly what they meant in the Saga.

@demomanchaos

9 жыл бұрын

ThegnThrand The way I grip the blade when half-swording is I pinch the blade between my fingertips and palm. I get a pretty secure grip and my hand isn't touching the edge so there isn't a chance of getting cut. I don't see it being used much by the vikings either honestly, though I am curious if half-swording would help lessen the disadvantage of facing a spearman without a shield. Can't wait to see the spear video Thrand. From my findings and looking at what other's have found, I see the power numbers going all over the place. Some do a lot better underarm, other seem to have more overarm power. I would say it is likely down to the person which grip has more power.

@Thrand11

9 жыл бұрын

demomanchaos Very possibly but going to try to explore the combat techniques and advantages as well as disadvantages to each grip and possibly figure out why every one biomechanically gets different power results erratically per individual :D

The lanyard is a pretty good idea, stuff can happen in a battle, maybe it's raining or you're charging a beach from your long boat and your hand got wet or even blood from your enemies running down the handle could make you lose your grip. Really the only modern version I've seen of that is how Thor holds Mjolnir in the Marvel comics and films. Also put your finger above the guard on a sword that doesn't have a ricasso and you're going to lose some skin. That pommel strike is also kind of interesting, in a way it's kind of a feint, your opponent is expecting you are winding back for a sword strike and you strike him quickly with the pommel.

@Thrand11

9 жыл бұрын

Very true blood from battle can cause a weapon can fumble or slip from grasp.

I believe I saw a saga in which a man using two swords was fighting against a man with a spear and shield, using crossed blades to more effectively deflect the spear to get in close. the dual-wielder died, but as an ambidextrous HEMA practitioner with an affinity for the later Bolognese Case of Swords I think it is very much worth looking in to.

@Thrand11

9 жыл бұрын

Now that I think of it that sounds familiar. If you could see if you can remember or research the name of that Saga for me. I will make video on it if can find out which Saga it is from. I will try to find it as well!

@ianthered9283

9 жыл бұрын

ThegnThrand using two swords, one in each hand: Droplaugarsona saga, ch. 15 Grímur hafði tvö sverð því að Gaus kunni að deyfa eggjar. Grímur vó jafnt báðum höndum. Hann brá upp sverði með vinstri hendi en hjó með hinni hægri til Gauss og af fótinn fyrir ofan kné. Grímur had two swords, because Gaus knew how to blunt sword-edges. Grímur fought equally well with both hands. He raised one sword with his left hand and struck with the right at Gaus, taking off one of his legs above the knee.

@Thrand11

9 жыл бұрын

IanTheRed Thank yous so much been looking for that one! Wish I could give you two thumbs up for that one :D

I like hearing eldgrimr on the mic. :D

that beautiful helmet.....

Go get em Thrand !!!

@Thrand11

9 жыл бұрын

Ja!!!

It sounds cool man!

@Thrand11

9 жыл бұрын

It is an awesome book and I highly recommend it :D

@slingshotwarrrior8105

9 жыл бұрын

ThegnThrand I'll check it out ,any news on the Ewoks vs Na'vi test?

@Thrand11

9 жыл бұрын

SlingshotWarrrior Been working on it with Eld about concept and test to be done :P

@slingshotwarrrior8105

9 жыл бұрын

ThegnThrand I can't wait to see it!

I could see some advantage to using a support hand on the blade if the objective is to finish off an opponent who was frantically trying to block the blade in a last act of desperation. You could just drive the blade right in without the blade being easily deflected with hands, arms, etc.. A little ghoulish by today's standards, but not so much so back in the Viking golden era when it was considered disgraceful for a defeated opponent to not accept their fate.

Isn't there a passage in the Iceland saga where a warrior had to use his scabbard to kill his opponent? If so, then doing that is a viable tactic.

@Thrand11

9 жыл бұрын

Think you might be right will look it us up again :D

Cool book ( the Viking one ). Would like to have a copy for my private library.

@Thrand11

9 жыл бұрын

It is an awesome reference book to the Sagas fighting techniques and has web site to go read each saga for free.

@KowboyUSA

9 жыл бұрын

ThegnThrand Excuse my not being up to speed on this subject ( still have to watch the 4 videos leading to this one ). The book is extracted from the Sagas ( of the Icelanders? [ recorded sometime in 10th century if memory serves] )? And the book has a website of the Sagas translated into English? Many years ago I wanted to read the Sagas of Icelanders, but at that time couldn't find a translation into English. Sadly, I had to settle for reading the writings of those who had claimed they had read the Sagas. A sad substitute.

@Thrand11

9 жыл бұрын

John Ratko The book tells you which Sagas it is from and details all major events in combat and what techniques that may cross over in to the old fight manuals and treaties. If this is not the case it attempts to explain what is written with pictures and a surmise in words making it very easy to reference the Saga and what was done in each fight. It also has a web site look up and read the entire saga it came from for free.

@KowboyUSA

9 жыл бұрын

ThegnThrand I'm sold; just finished ordering it off Amazon. Says it "ships in 3-5 weeks" They must be growing the trees to make the paper to print the book.

@Thrand11

9 жыл бұрын

John Ratko I think you will be very happy with it :D

I know it's off-topic from the actual video, but is there some significance to the wheel pendant you're wearing?

@Thrand11

9 жыл бұрын

PsylomeAlpha Ja! It is an aegishjalmur or Helm of awe and is a symbol of protection reflecting ill will or emotions to the opponent or attacker. So fear would reflect back upon the enemy or workings of woe. This will make you fearless and stick fear in your enemies.

@PsylomeAlpha

9 жыл бұрын

ThegnThrand thanks for the response, and the symbol's meaning is quite interesting and cool!.

Definitely agree that the raising and striking with the back move was probably a pommel strike, I mean, it just looks more efficient, and goes with the flow in the design of the Norse sword, rather than forcing it into something weird it wasn't meant to do. When trying to decipher an ancient source like that, err on the side of efficiency. Either that, or the move was some later added chronicler bullshite to begin with! lol ;)

@Thrand11

9 жыл бұрын

:D

@PJDAltamirus0425

9 жыл бұрын

More efficient in what? In speed, I would agree with you becuase the pommel is below the hand either way. In power and range and I would firmly disagree with you, with the pommel in murder stroke position, you have all of it's mass at the point of highest acceration, giving it the highest potential for shock delievery.

@Thrand11

9 жыл бұрын

Philip Dyer The murder stoke is not a bad tactic and has very good power to defeat plate armor even. It just that I am not sure that is what the Saga is describing. In sword and round shield combat the pommel strike I showed from standard grip was more common. The Murder stroke could not be done with round shield in hand and that was the most common fighting style with sword that was known at the time.

@PJDAltamirus0425

9 жыл бұрын

Thegn thrand, why not, the sword is short enough to used in one hand, given the relatively lack of armor Vikings wore would make it overkill, I agree than the pommel was probably only use when the enemy is to close so you can't use the blade which or when you can't release the sword from it's scasbard.but I don't why you use a one handed version on the murder stroke with a one hands sword.

@Thrand11

9 жыл бұрын

Philip Dyer I assume it could work but if caught on something and was pulled out of your hand it could cut your had quite badly.

Half swording is more useful, when you have more flexible blade. Maybe with a sword with more tapering.

@Thrand11

9 жыл бұрын

True, That was why I was saying I did not see the advantage with early period arming swords in the Viking age.

they forget the viking wear fishing mail so i pierce under scale and thrust to leather

@Thrand11

9 жыл бұрын

Scale was not common in the Viking age they wore four in one chain armour riveted chain links solid every other row with heavy gambeson under it multiple layers of linen that was armour by it self. They also might have worn lammelar as well a form of scale over linen but laced to gahter in such way you can not stab under it and if you did you would be hitting gambeson. Just plain gambeson was common as well or cloth armour some times with leather over it and could stop arrows and swords as well as mail by some stories implying you had still find niches in most cases.

After watching the zgb episode had to sub andbinge watch the rest of the videos you guys have

@Thrand11

9 жыл бұрын

Thank you and I hope you enjoy them :D

My knife can cut cardboard boxes dude

oh yeah, a sword got two bad ends ;)

@Thrand11

9 жыл бұрын

Very true a pommel can make short work of an enemy just like the blade.

@althiofblaufinger

9 жыл бұрын

especially when you are to close to use the blade with enough power

@Thrand11

9 жыл бұрын

Althiof Blaufinger Very True! Ja!

@althiofblaufinger

9 жыл бұрын

its one of the first things i show a new guy at our training ;P

@Thrand11

9 жыл бұрын

:D

I'm not 'buying' it. Not in that era.

@Thrand11

8 жыл бұрын

+Iggytommy If you watch the video we are not buying it either we explain what we believe the Sagas were speaking of. The book is based on a an essay done by a modern HEMA and ARMA practitioner trying to find references to later century techniques in the Sagas we pretty much debunk the Half-Swording ideas in this video.

@Iggytommy

8 жыл бұрын

yes, i understand. my comment was meant to express i concurred. sorry for misunderstanding. many thanks for your videos.