Previously Loved Books

You're looking at my treasure haul from a recent used book sale.

I visit a couple of different annual used book sales. No, I won't tell you which ones. I don't need the extra competition for the prime books. Besides, one of them is closed to the general public.

I love used books. Not only can you get great stuff at discounted prices, you may chance upon an out-of-print title unavailable elsewhere.

My first stop at a sale is the sports table to look for martial arts books. Most of the time I don't find any. When I do find some, they are usually pretty crappy titles (e.g. "101 Deadliest Karate Moves"). Judging from the martial artists I know, it seems we tend to hold on to the instructional books we accumulate.

After that, I'll usually drop by the history table. Old history books are an interesting window into different interpretations of historical evidence. I always end at the science fiction / fantasy table because I can always find something there worthwhile. I'm happy working my way slowly through pulp masters from the 50's , 60's, and 70's. So while others are fighting over hardcovers or graphic novels, I'm content with old paperbacks with lurid covers. I have a collection of Robert E. Howard books and some of them are duplicate titles that I bought just for the different covers. I'm always excited to find a Howard collection of obscure stories. Just when I think I've got all his stories, I find more.

I'll sometimes go to a used book store, but not as often as I should. There's a good one in the next county over. If there's a particular title I need, I've been known to use the Internet used book services. But it feels like cheating to me. There's not thrill of the hunt or discovery of a treasure. Also, those are professional book dealers, so they know what they have, and they make you pay a premium for the books.

A Good Partner is Essential

As this video proves.

You know you want one...

Come on: admit it. You've been wanting one of these since you went to the movies on Friday night.

The Benchmade Model 42S butterfly knife. MSRP of $280.00, but available online at discounted prices. And don't worry, there's a trainer version of it too! that way you can master the fancy flipping without risking your fingers. We wouldn't want you to get a boo-boo now, would we?

I have a butterfly knife. It's stuck in the bottom of my personal toy chest. It came off some punk kid I took it away from in high school. He had the stones to attempt to intimidate me with it -- and I was just dumb enough to reach out (untrained) and snatch it away from him. I made an elaborate show of flipping it closed (a trick I picked up at summer camp... don't ask) and put it in my backpocket before walking away.

Gawd, I was stupid. Don't try this at home, kids.

Anyway, it looks very much like this -- although serrations weren't yet in vogue in the late 80's. The edge is all scratched up from the other guy's attempts to sharpen it. The handles have held up for 20 years, so they can't be die-cast metal, but who knows. I'm sure he bought it at a flea market. There is no manufacturer's stamp on it. I have yet to see any distinct advantage to a butterfly/balisong knife. They make a cool clickety-clack sound that can be intimidating if you're not used to it (or, if like I was, you're a dumbass kid), but once it is open, it's a knife. Whoppity-do.

Still, every so often, a movie comes along and showcases the butterfly knife and renews its popularity.

Black Belt Magazine Gets It Right!

I have been a habitual reader of Black Belt Magazine since the 1980's when they ran The Shadow Warrior column by Darryl Caldwell. Back then, the Internet wasn't really well known outside DARPA and Al Gore, and BBM was the leading edge in martial arts media.

Things have changed, and although BBM has tried to keep up, they haven't always been successful. Obviously, they caught onto the MMA craze and have been riding that since the mid-90's. Then, after 9/11, they plunged headfirst into so-called reality-based self defense arts (RBSD). of course, in both cases, they had been printing stories all-along. What changed was an editorial stance to actively push the topics to the forefront.

Now, however, the magazine suffers from three-way multiple personality disorder. Do they cater to traditional martial arts, MMA, or RBSD? Although I've never seen an "official" editorial stance, BBM seems to take the commercially prudent stance that all three are a continuum in a martial arts spectrum. That's fine by me, but it seems to lead to some writer or another printing an apology for (fill in the blank) at least once a month.

Also, they haven't been too discriminating in their editorial picks for what gets printed. So I've got back issues filled with BS from traditional martial artists, or trash-talking MMA fans, and of course the RBSD guys who seem to be professional paranoids. Yes, I know it's possible I'll be involved in a grenade attack... But I have better odds of hitting the lottery -- and I don't generally play.

Still, I've been fortunate enough to have a number of training partners who depended on their skills to keep themselves safe. So I have a healthy respect for RBSD-types who genuinely know their stuff. Unfortunately, BBM seemed to be promoting an RBSD instructor with a massive ego that was getting in the way of the useful information. I found myself counting the number of times the man used a personal pronoun and recommended his own (expensive) seminar series, books, and videos in the column.

But this week, I got my latest BBM, and found they had replaced the old RBSD column with a new column by Kelly McCann. I've been hearing great things about Mr. McCann for sometime now. People I respect have recommended his material to me. I finally got his basic book (see image above) a couple of months ago and devoured it. It is full of practical experience from a man who has been around the block a few times. Can he tell you how to survive a grenade attack? Oh, yes; and his credentials in that area are pretty tight. But his advice is more likely to be applicable to a bad night in the local pub. I have high hopes for this column.

Black Belt Magazine, please accept this round of applause for adding Kelly McCann to your list of columnists. I just might renew my subscription again this year now...

My Kick Ass Review; now in 1337

Awwsm, K1k4$$ rox! OMG!!!

Luz3r d00d g37z 500p3rh3r0w c4wztoom. 7r$ynz w/pu5hup5 & 134pz 4cr4wz 411eez. W3n h3 $p07z thugz j4k1n c4r he h4z f1gh7.

D00d g37z h1z @$$ k1kd! lol

H3z n0 kw177r tho. 7r4ynz mor. G37z 1n70 f1gh7 w/3 mor b1g d00dz & p027d 2 UT00b

D3n h3 h00kzup w/2 mor 500prh3rowz, B1g D4dd33 & H17Grl. H17Grl 12 h4wt! N07 sxxxy h4wt -- sh3 gotz m4d sk111z!

D3n, @11 734mup 70 f1gh7 M4f14...

Ok... someday, there will be a major critical dissection of this movie: but not today. It's so awash in geek culture references and social satire, I am still overwhelmed by it all. There is much more to this story than some kid dropping the "c-bomb."

The Big Daddy/Hit Girl relationship is a jumble of influences ranging from the campy, family friendly Adam West Batman and Robin days, to the pragmatism and sadisim of the Garth Ennis Punisher run, to the damned road to redemption walked by Lone Wolf and Cub. Some have seen a nascent "Lolita" nature to the relationship; but not me. I think those people are just looking for another perversion in this movie. Critics will endlessly argue whether or not there is genuine love and parenting in what must certainly be considered an abusive relationship...

But... WOW. For now, all I want to say is: Give us a Hit Girl spin off. That chick is a franchise in herself. And there a natural story about her constantly struggling to achieve a normal life -- heck, would she ever want a normal life?

Kudos to the Kick Ass cast and crew. You've pulled off a cult classic.

And no... I did not watch this movie for parenting tips, thank you very much...

The Viking Axe

There was a time during the Bronze Age when the axe was an extremely popular weapon. It featured prominently among the Egyptian arsenal, for example. The axe didn't require much metal, it was sturdier than a bronze sword, and it packed a wallop.

But spears took over when armed formation came into vogue. And as metallurgy advanced, swords became more prominent as status symbols among the warrior elite. And as a result, axes almost completely disappeared as purpose-made weapons of war during Late Classical times and the early Dark Ages.

But not among the Northmen. When the Vikings began raiding Europe, they re-introduced the axe to the arsenals of warriors. The Viking nations loved the axe partly for the same reasons the ancients did -- and it was cheap. The sword was far more revered in the North, but the axe was far more available. And it was a reliable weapon of terror, which was a vital component of their raids. It became a recognized symbol of the Northmen, and was practically an identifier of the Byzantine Varangian Guard.

This axe is a hand axe. The handle is about 2 1/2 feet long, roughly the same length as a sword, and it is easily handled with one hand. The head has more in common with a meat cleaver than a wood axe. It is a thinner cross-section than a modern wood axe, so it is lighter. Also, the force concentrates at a smaller point along the edge. The edge is broad, but not as long as a two-handed Danish axe. The back part of the bottom point can be used to hook shields or limbs.

I bought this axe over 10 years ago at the local Renn Fest. The artisan who made it warned me that it was wall-hanger quality. I'm not so sure... I've been foolish enough to use it roughly and hack up stuff in my backyard. The head is fine, and I've never had to replace the haft. I can't swear it will hold up in a pitched battle, but it seems pretty reliable to me. And honestly, I'm not likely to go over the side of a longship for pillaging action any time soon...

Annual Disclaimer

Occam's Broadsword has existed for a few years now. So even without really trying, a ton of information has managed to accumulate. Every now and then, I get a comment for an old post. That was one of the drivers for instituting a moderation process, so I'd know when a comment was being posted.

I received such a comment this week. The guy was upset about something I'd said two or three years ago. I went back and reviewed the post, and frankly, i don't see what the fuss was about, but obviously it was important to him.

So let's gather around for what seems to be my annual disclaimer:

Occam's Broadsword has an occasional staff of one: me. I do this for fun. The blog is for entertainment -- mostly, my own. I'm truly flattered that other find it amusing too. But essentially, the blog is my personal journal. I'm not naive. I know it's all posted to the mighty Internet, which is, in turn, connected to all things and accessible by the great, unwashed public. But I'm not actively seeking new readers or any profit from it.

Emphatically, Occam's Broadsword should not be considered a "news source." I know I make some timely announcements, and believe it or not I do make an effort to research my posts. But remember (please!): Staff of One! My research is hardly exhaustive. I make mistakes. And I can be ill-informed or misinformed. I'm happy to learn new information about topics I'm interested in, so if you know something I don't -- please post a comment.

However, there is no need to preface your comment with "Hey, dumbass..." or insult my direct parentage or heritage. Ad hominem attacks will not convince me your points are more accurate or correct. Righteous indignation is unnecessary. My prose may sometimes be snide and snarky, but only rarely am I intentionally insulting.

If for some reason you should find my humble website while doing academic research, please do not cite me as a source. I am more toxic than Wikipedia. I may point you in the proper direction, but please double check any information you find here against more reputable sources. You just don't know where anything found on Occam's Broadsword has been lying around previously.

Thank you.

Good News / Bad News

I have some good news, and I have bad news:

In case you hadn't heard, Joss Whedon will be directing (and quite probably, writing) The Avengers movie. There's rumor he's revising the Captain America script too; probably for continuity.

I think Marvel's got some big, shiny (pardon the pun) brass ones to pick him.

When Joss Whedon is great, his work is universal. When he's not great -- well, his fans still love him, but he leaves everyone else scratching their heads.

But let's all wait to see how he does. I think he'll really stretch for this...

"Avengers... assemble."

Real Deal 1/6 Scale Dioramas

My interest in 1/6th scale action figures has caused me some good-natured (and some not-so-good natured) ribbing and teasing in the past. But the fact is, the detail at this scale can be amazing.

One of the community members at 1/6 Warriors recently posted photos of the commissioned work he performed for a Special Forces training school depicting some of the skills used by the Army special operations community.

The small dioramas were installed in a conference room at the school facilities. It's all top-notch work and the detail is amazing. The HALO jumpers have drama on their side, but the work it must've taken to put together a uniform and accurate CQB stack really impresses me.

Even if the materials bring a sense of whimsy to these scenes, the subject matter is sobering. I'm sure the soldiers who get to see these up-close will appreciate the work.

Heddeby Pouch

Yes, I have been working on some other 10th Century arts and crafts while off the mats.

This is a simple pouch design I pulled off The Vikings reenactment society website. I've made several of them. All it takes is some leather scraps, heavy duty scissors, a strong hole punch, and some matching leather thong. There's speculation pouches could also be made from heavy cloth, but no remains have been found.

What did a Viking carry around in their pouch? I don't know. Their clothes didn't have pockets. Typically a large, often decorated, belt pouch was worn, and these probably went inside that to divide contents. I suspect small draw pouches were used to carry valuables for trade and commerce. On journeys, they probably carried tinder inside the pouches.


Cut a circle from the leather scrap, but be sure to leave two tabs or flaps on opposite sides of the circle. Then punch corresponding holes around the sides. You'll need a multiple of four to make the drawstring work. Why 4? I don't know, I'd love to hear a coherent explanation. Then string two thongs in opposite directions through the holes so they will cinch shut.

You can make the pouches any size and you're limited only by the size of leather you use. In the last picture, the black pouch is slightly larger than the tan one.

Morons, I'm surrounded by morons...

I hate to throw around highly technical terms, but... my desk computer went "kablooie" today. So I called IT support, who sent a technician right to my desk.

As he sat down to figure out what was wrong, he noticed my wall paper was a Japanese Olympic Judoka delivering a textbook uchimata to some also-ran from Italy. "So, how long have you been doing martial arts?"

"Oh, about 16 years straight. But I dabbled off and on for a few years before that," I said.

He launched into how a friend of his did "some kind of ninjutsu" and asked if I knew much about it.

"Yes, I have my black belt in that..." I said fearing the worst. Really, imagine the chances a computer nerd would know a ninja.

So for the next half hour or so, while he was sorting out my bits and bytes, he told me all about his kool-aid drinking friend. I mean how could I as a black belt not know that ninjas are the real deadly, because they punch, kick, throw, and master a zillion weapons! And -- whoa -- they tap into the energy of the universe through their fighting stances, which imitate the elements! (I think this was the part when the vein in my forehead started throbbing.)

What could I do? Tell him his friend is a gullible fool who needs to study his own art -- and its relationship with other arts far more deeply? I could've, but that wouldn't have been polite. No, not polite at all. And I needed my computer to work correctly...

There's really no moral to this story, no neat bowtie for the end. I just needed to share my moment of pain.

Little Lessons

My wife made fun of me brushing my teeth Monday night.

Actually, I'd just washed up, brushed my teeth, rinsed with mouthwash, and clipped my nails. "Hot date?" she asked. No, just cleaning up for jiu jitsu class.

I'm not too picky about my partners at class. I know many of them come straight from work, or have been working out in other classes before hand. So some of them arrive with a "less than fresh" scent. Still, I don't want to be "that guy," nor do I want to be the last kid picked for randori, so I try to clean up.

On another note, later that night, I was reminded of an old samurai proverb: "Under the upraised sword, hell gapes. Step in to find heaven." There are several ways to unpack that saying. There's a literal martial meaning. So long as you stand at range, the sword can cut you. Step outside the range and you are still vulnerable. But step inside the range and the cutting power is dramatically reduced, giving you a chance to react to the threat. It takes courage and skill.

There's also an interpretation that some solutions are counter-intuitive.

We were split into pairs and groups of pairs for positional drills. The purpose of the drill was for the bottom man to escape from side control. This was a beginner class, so the results were somewhat comical (it pays to be able to laugh at yourself). I watched many of the bottom grapplers lay flat out, struggling to push the top grappler off, arms flailing, everyone desperately trying to get away.

Of course, the answer is counter-intuitive, and it involves moving into the threat. The basic solution is to turn into the opponent's side control, and maneuver the knees and legs between you and the opponent.

It's a lesson well worth remembering. Winston Churchill had a similar proverb, "If you find yourself going through hell, keep going." And I think I saw an episode of 30 Rock with a similar theme...

Opening Stark Expo 2010

The opening ceremony from Stark Expo 2010...

Awesome!

I honestly don't know whether to be happy or sad that the announcement of a League of Extraordinary Gentlemen comic book, 1980's version, was just an April Fool's Day gag.

I think I'm more sad. :-(

Generation 2 Viking Saex

To continue the Viking theme... This is my 10th Century Saex made by Generation 2. A Saex (often Sax) is a large knife, or short sword, that was used by many Germanic tribes during the Migration Period of the Dark Ages, and predominantly in the British Isles and parts of Northern Europe into the 11the Century. Traditionally the Saex was a badge of the freeman in the English Kingdoms. It even makes a heroic appearance in the epic poem Beowulf when the hero uses his knife to hack apart the dragon as they both are near death. The design's hardiness and practicality endeared it to the Danish raiders who adopted it and spread it to their settlements and into the other Viking peoples.

The Saex hung more or less horizontally from the belt at the front and was kept handy. The blade rested edge upward in the scabbard. While this saex displays a more Bowie knife-like profile, many saexes had a clipped, triangular profile that makes them look half-finished to modern eyes.

It was a versatile design. There are many examples of saexes as long as swords, and also as short as a modern pocket knife. But this large knife size seems to be the most common.

There is speculation that saexes at this size were especially useful in the predominate fighting formation of the Viking era, the shield wall. In these close confines, the were quicker and more agile than a long sword, and able to deliver hacks and stabs much like the Roman Gladius of earlier generations.

Generation 2 also makes matching 10th Century sword based on a find excavated from the River Witham in England. I'm saving my lunch money to buy the sword later this year. I'm already on a waiting list with a specialist scabbard maker and I'm hoping he'll make period accurate matching scabbards for both pieces. The scabbard that comes with the Saex is pretty accurate, but the sword scabbard isn't accurate. It would be nice to have a quality, handmade set.

An exception

I generally steer clear of politics and policy issues, but in this day and age, can you avoid it completely?

I'm linking to an opinion column by Leonard Pitts. He and I don't agree on many things, but this was one thing we could agree upon.

When you're finished reading the column, please visit the Matthew Snyder website and consider donating. His dad's lawyers may be working pro bono, but there are still considerable legal expenses.

So I checked out Shugyosha Tiger...

I took a peek at our new friend Ben's blog today. And I was pretty impressed. So I've added it to the blog roll on the left.

Ben's obviously working really hard at his BJJ, and I think it can provide some inspiration on several levels. Those garage workouts look intense! I'm going to have to step it up a notch or two.

But I was really impressed with his attitude as I browsed through the posts and watched his fight video. Especially the fight video... Blogging can be hard work, but I look forward to learning more from your perspective, Ben, please keep it up.

I really wish this came in my size...

A biking shirt, but potentially the most awesome rashguard in the whole universe! But only available in small right now...

A Replica Viking Round Shield

In a burst of experimental archaeology energy, I built a replica Viking shield in February.

Okay, it isn't 100% accurate to the methods used in the 10th Century for shield construction, but it gave me a taste of how it was done, what the product was like, and I learned a few new skills.

The main body of the shield is plywood. Obviously, modern plywood was not available in the Viking Age, but the laminated construction method they used produced a similar result. The shape was easily cut with a jigsaw.

I faced the shield with heavy canvas. There is mixed evidence about real shield facing. Some surviving exemplars are bare. Others appear to have been faced with leather. Although I did find a leather supplier, I caved at the price. Many latter shields had a cloth facing, but I didn't see any reference for the Viking era. Obviously they would've had sail cloth, but I suspect any cloth would've been too valuable to be sacrificed for a shield, generally.

Anyway, the canvas was glued down with a wash of diluted white glue. When it was dry, I used artist's gesso to stiffen and prep the surface. The design was chosen from an Osprey book for some reasonable authenticity. Geometric shapes appear to have been common, but there is some debate about how elaborately they decorated their shields. I used ordinary artist's acrylics to paint.

I purchased a steel shield boss and six rivets online from the aptly named Viking Shield. They were incredibly helpful and not only sold me the parts, but answered all my questions. I asked some very basic ones too. I'm sure they were surprised I didn't hurt myself trying to make this.

The shield was sandwiched between the boss and the handle and clamped together. I then drilled guide holes for the rivets. Luckily, when I test fit the rivets, nothing had shifted and it all fit together. The two long rivets went through the handle first. These were still too long, and I cut about 3/4 of an inch off of them.

Following the advice I'd gleaned from several sources, I gently peened back all the rivet heads with a ball peen hammer. Riveting required some kind of anvil surface, something I hadn't countered on when I started construction. I procured a length of cut-down locomotive rail to use as an anvil. I have a knife-making friend of mine to thank for that. It was a little more awkward than a true anvil, but worked fine.

The final stage was nailing down the rawhide around the rim. The rawhide was reclaimed from dogchews soaked for about 30 minutes in lukewarm water. I used upholstery nails to tack it down on both sides.

I didn't time the project, but I'd guess there's 6 to 8 hours of work. You couldn't possibly do it all at once, because the glue and the paint has to dry, but it could probably all be done in a long weekend. The finished shield is about 10 pounds. Believe it or not, I think that's on the heavy side for a real shield.

Plans can be found by googling "How to make a Viking/round shield."

If you're interested, I found the websites for the re-enactment groups the Vikings and Regia Angolorum to be very informative about 10th Century crafts. There's something raw and honest about Viking Era arts and crafts, especially when you've been around computers all day.

CAS Hanwei Tactical Wakizashi

That's right, a "Tac Wak," and I'm inexplicably excited.

This is a weird, hybrid beast, and I can't discern any realistic role or requirement for the thing.

As a wakizashi, it breaks all traditional aesthetics and notions of form. It is, in a word, ugly. No self-respecting Japanese swordsman would train with such a monstrosity.

As a tactical tool, it seems equally useless. It seems too specialized for a soldiering role. I can't imagine any kind of law enforcement use. It has inherent drawbacks as a civilian self-defense tool. Consider, for example, the trouble one student found himself in when he killed a trespasser with a katana... This is trouble he might've avoided if he'd hastily armed himself with a stick, a kitchen knife, or even a handgun -- any item more reasonably acceptable.

I have heard of backcountry hikers arming themselves with large blades where either they or the park are squeamish about firearms.

And please, no zombiggeddon cracks. A wakizashi is way too short for that environment...

But despite these obstacles, it does look cool. I'm sure it will find its way onto my "list" -- just not prioritized very high. There has been a trend toward larger tactical knives, and also toward more traditional shapes. I found myself salivating over CRKT's giant Hisshou, but the price has kept me away. If I spend that much money on a blade, I'm buying a Viking sword.

But the Hanwei Tac Wak is modestly priced between $114 and $150. At that price, I'd probably send it out for a custom kydex sheath -- probably with a shoulder strap so i can make cool, over the top, ninja-style draws! Hmmm... maybe I should hold out for a tactical ko-katana, or Tac Ko Kat?