[AWOL]

[Fred Broca]

Fu Tao

Place of Origin: China

Used by: Slice, (v1 and v7) T'Jbang, (v1 and v2) Storm Shadow, (v15, v17, v37)

The Origin of the Double Hook Sword

Posted by Oksana Zabudska on September 8, 2020

Twin Hook Sword, The hook sword, twin hooks, Fu Tao or Shuang Gou, (also known as Hu Tou Gou, [Tiger Head Hook],) is a Chinese weapon traditionally associated with northern styles of Chinese martial arts and Wushu weapons routines, but now often practiced by southern styles as well.

Reliable information on hook swords is difficult to come by. While sometimes called an ancient weapon and described as dating from the Song dynasty to Warring States or even earlier, most antique examples and artistic depictions are from the late Qing era or later, suggesting that they are actually a comparatively recent design. They were also an exclusively civilian weapon, appearing in none of the official listings of Chinese armaments. Surviving sharpened examples point to actual use as weapons, but their rarity, and the training necessary to use them, strongly suggest that they were only rarely used as such. Often used in pairs, the hooks of the weapons may be used to trap or deflect other weapons.

There are five components to the Twin Hook Sword:

The back, which is used as a regular sword.

The hook, which is used to trip enemies, catch weapons and for slashing.

The end of the hilt, which is sharpened.

The crescent guard, which is used for blocking and slashing.

The link, which is used when using a pair.

The two hooks can loosely connect, and the wielder swings one hook sword, in a way that the second is extended further out, almost six feet. While the second is in the air, the dagger upon the hilt slashes the target. In this way, the wielder can extend their reach out from three feet to six.

Routines for hook swords are taught in such northern schools as Northern Shaolin and Seven-Star Mantis, and in some schools of southern arts such as Choy Lay Fut. Modern routines for hook swords are often very flashy, and may involve techniques such as linking paired weapons and wielding them as a single long, flexible weapon. Most routines are single person. Some schools of Baguazhang also teach a similar weapon, often called "deer horn knives" or "Mandarin duck knives." These weapons typically feature a much shorter or entirely missing main hook, and instead focus on the various cutting and stabbing blades arranged around the guard. Because of the various protrusions and the high possibility for accidental hooking or stabbing, they are almost never used in sparring, and are used sparingly in two person routines. Check out our Double Hook Swords Selection at the Wudang Store. https://www.wudang-store.com/blogs/w...ble-hook-sword

Tiger Hook Swords - 4 Key Skills - Shaolin Kung Fu

Double Hook Sword v Sword

[AWOL]

[Fred Broca]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AWOL

LOL. Is that a Ninja Turtle character?

[AWOL]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fred Broca

LOL. Is that a Ninja Turtle character?

Yup. Panda Khan.

[Cobra Agent 66]

I need a carded figure of him, he's been on my watchlist for a while. Certainly not as expensive as Usagi was.

[Fred Broca]

Kalis

Overall Length: 30.1" (76.2 cm)

Blade Length: 23.6" (58.4 cm)

Edge: Sharp

Width: 5.17" - 1.6" (131.4 mm - 41.2mm)

Pommel: Integrated & Pinned

Point of Balance:* 5.8"(149.2 mm)

Grip Length: 5.3" (136.5 mm)

Blade: [5160/02 High Carbon Steel]

Country of Origin: The Philippines

Used by: The Night Creepers (v1, v4, v11, v12, v13,) Slice, (v2, v9, v12)


A kalis (Baybayin: ᜃᜎᜒ or ᜃᜎᜒᜐ᜔; Jawi script: كاليس ;Abecedario: cli, clis) is a type of double-edged Filipino sword, often with a "wavy" section. The kalis has a double-edged blade, which is commonly straight from the tip but wavy near the handle. Kalis with fully straight or fully wavy blades also exist. It is similar to the Javanese keris, but differs in that the kalis is a sword, not a dagger. It is much larger than the keris and has a straight or slightly curved hilt, making it primarily a heavy slashing weapon (in contrast to the stabbing pistol grip of the keris). - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalis


Kris

Used by: Tomax and Xamot Paoli, (the Classified Series #44 and #45,)

The kris or keris is a distinctive, asymmetrical dagger indigenous to Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, southern Thailand, and the southern Philippines. Both a weapon and spiritual object, a kris is often considered to have an essence or spiritual presence, with some blades possessing good luck and others possessing bad. Kris blades can be straight or sinuous. The blade is made from layers of different iron ores by a bladesmith, or Empu. Some blades can be made in a relatively short time, while more refined and elaborate weapons can take years or even a lifetime to complete. In a high-quality keris, the metal of the blade has been folded dozens or even hundreds of times and handled with the utmost precision. The handle and sheath are usually wood but can be made from decorative materials such as ivory or gold.

The kris spread from the island of Java to many parts of the archipelago of Indonesia, such as Sumatra, Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, South Sulawesi, Kalimantan, and to the Southeast Asian areas now known as Malaysia, Brunei, southern Philippines, southern Thailand, and Singapore. Krisses were worn every day and at special ceremonies, with heirloom blades being handed down through successive generations.

The term keris probably had a Javanese origin, though it cannot be ascertained how it came about. The term "keris" may have evolved from the old Javanese word ngeris which means "to stab" or "to pierce." Kris is a European rendering of this Javanese term.

Kris is the more frequently used term, but this pertains mainly to the Western world. The term "keris" is more popular in the native lands of the dagger, as exemplified by the title of a popular Javanese keris book entitled the Ensiklopedi Keris (Keris Encyclopedia), written by the late Babang Harsrinuksmo. Some collectors prefer keris, others kris. Other spellings used by European colonists include cryse, crise, criss, and creese.

Kris vs. Keris

The term "kris," is also loosely used to differinate between the Moro kris swords found in the Southern Philippines and the keris daggers found everywhere else in the archipelago.

The different metals used to forge the blade gives the keris its distinctive "watered" appearance. This is called pamor and is similar in concept to Damascus patterning on Indo-Persian blades and "hada" on Japanese blades.

Keris blades can be straight or sinuous. The bends of sinuous blades are called luks. Most keris have fewer than 13 luks, and the number of luks should be odd, or the keris is considered unlucky. The sinuous blade has become synonymous with the keris, especially with the popular tourist souvenirs of today. In reality, more than half of the old keris have straight blades.

Use

Functionally, the kris is not a slashing weapon like a bowie knife or other fighting knife, but rather a stabbing instrument. If a kris fighter had stealth on his side, the kris was lethal. There are many stories of a kris being made especially for killing a specific person or ethnic group of people. The wound made by a kris was terrible; the edge of the blade "danced" in the wound, and left tatters of dead flesh, which would begin to rot.

A kris has a cranked hilt, which serves as support for a stabbing strike. At the same time, it allows the strength of the wrist to be added to the pressure on the blade while slashing and cutting. Kris has no special protection for the hand, except for the broadness of the blade at the hilt, which offers some protection. In rare cases, a kris has its blade made to rotate around an axis fixed in the hilt, so that the blade could automatically turn to slip past the ribs. This innovation did not function well and adversely affected the durability of the weapon.

Yearly cleanings, required as part of the spirituality and mythology around the weapon, often left ancient blades worn and thin. In everyday life and at events, a man usually only wore one kris. Women sometimes also wore krisses, though of a smaller size than the men?s. In battle, a warrior carried three krisses: His own, one from his father-in-law, and one as a family heirloom.

In many parts of Malaysia and Indonesia, the kris was the choice weapon for execution. A specialized, called an executioner's kris, had a long, straight, slender blade. The condemned knelt before the executioner, who placed a wad of cotton or similar material on the subject?s shoulder/clavicle area. The blade was thrust through the padding, piercing the subclavian artery and the heart. Upon withdrawal, the cotton wiped the blade clean.

Spirits

The spiritual essence of the kris is its blade. Blades were considered to have a life of their own, or at least to be vessels of special powers. Krisses could be tested two ways. A series of cuts on a leaf, based on blade width and other factors, could determine if a blade was good or bad. If the owner slept with the blade under his pillow and had a bad dream, the blade was unlucky and had to be discarded. However, a blade that was bad luck for one person might not be bad for another. Harmony between the owner and the kris was critical.

It was said that some krisses helped prevent fires, death, agricultural failure, and various other problems. They could also bring good fortune, such as bountiful harvests. Krisses were also thought to have special powers. Some were rumored to be able to stand on their tips when their real names were being called by their masters. Legends tell of krisses moving of their own volition, and killing individuals at will. When making a blade, the empu could infuse into the blade any special spiritual qualities and powers the owner desired.

Because some krisses were considered sacred, and people believed they contained magical powers, specific rites needed to be completed to avoid calling down evil fates. For example, pointing a kris at someone is thought to mean that they will die soon, so in ceremonies or demonstrations where ritualized battles are fought with real krisses, the fighters perform a ritual which includes touching the point of the blade to the ground to neutralize this effect. It is also used in the Baris, a traditional dance of Bali.

Kris As a Symbol

As a spiritual and legendary weapon, the keris is commonly depicted in coats of arms and symbols. For example, it can be seen on an obverse copper-zinc-tin RM1 coin with a songket pattern in the background. The Malaya and British Borneo, 1 cent (1962) coin also depicted a pair of crossed keris dagger. - https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Kris

*Point of Balance is measured in inches from the hilt down the blade. It refers to the point on the blade where the sword achieves a perfect balance. A number of 0" would balance exactly at the guard, while a negative number will have a P.O.B. in the hilt itself. In theory a sword with a P.O.B. of 0" is perfectly balanced. In practice however, there are many reasons why you may not want this for a particular sword.

A P.O.B. of 3"- 5" usually results in a well balanced sword, but does depend on the type of sword. In general, a low P.O.B. results in good point control well suited to a thrusting blade, while a higher P.O.B. adds impact to a cleaving blade. A very high P.O.B. will result in a sword that feels heavier than it actually is and is difficult to wield.



Chiljido (a.k.a. the Seven-Branched Sword)

Length: 29.5" (74.9 cm,)

Blade length: 25.7" (74.9 cm)

Place of Origin: South Korea

Used by: The Night Creepers, (v1)

The Seven-Branched Sword (Japanese: 七支刀, Hepburn: Shichishitō) is a ceremonial sword believed to be a gift from the king of Baekje to a Yamato ruler. It is mentioned in the Nihon Shoki in the fifty-second year of the reign of the semi-mythical Empress Jingū. It is a 74.9 cm (29.5 in) long iron sword with six branch-like protrusions along the central blade. The original sword has been conserved since antiquity in the Isonokami Shrine in Nara Prefecture, Japan and is not on public display. An inscription on the side of the blade is an important source for understanding the relationships between kingdoms of the Korean peninsula and Japan in that period.

The blade of the sword is 65.5 cm and the tang is 9.4 cm long. There is no hole on the tang to fasten the sword with a hilt. The sword is broken at the top of the tang. In the past, the material was considered to be forged mild steel from the state of fracture surface, but the theory that it was cast became the mainstream through the latest research by Tsutomu Suzuki and reproduction experiment by swordsmith Kunihira Kawachi. VAs the branches appear to be quite delicate, and their functionality in melee combat doubtful, it is unlikely that the Seven-Branched Sword was used as a military weapon. Instead, it probably had a ceremonial function.

[AWOL]

Snake

[Fred Broca]

Talibong

Overall Length: 25.6" (65 cm)

Blade Length: 19.5" (49.5 cm)

Weight: 14.1 oz (399 g)

Edge: Sharp

Width: 1.5" - 1.6" (38.5 mm - 41.7 mm)

Thickness: 0.23" - 1.4" (6 mm - 3.7 mm)

Pommel: Integrated

Point of Balance: 5.3" (13.6 cm)

Grip Length: 4" (10.1 cm)

Blade: [5160/02 High Carbon Steel]

Dimensions: 25.6" (65 cm)

Country of Origin: The Philippines

Used by: The Baroness, (the Classified Series #17,) The Night Creeper, (v6) Nunchuk, (v1) Red Ninja Viper, (v1) Slice, (v4) Snake Eyes, (v6) Storm Shadow, (v6)

The Talibon or Talibong words exaggerated belly indicates its uniqueness. This sword was seen in Southern Luzon, but mostly in the Visayan region of the Philippines during the later part of the Spanish era into the early American regime. The Talibong was used mostly for combat purposes but occasionally doubled as a tool when needed for hunting and cutting up meat. This sword?s shape can cut through grass easily while hunting animals then slaughtering the game when caught.

The Talibong, in well trained hands is very formidable. The Talibong is perfectly engineered for battle purposes to make the tactical thrusting to slashing easy to handle. The Talibong is one of the major bladed weapons used in the Pekiti Tirsia Kali fighting system from the Philippines.

The handle used to be simple, more straight and ordinary until it was later modified by the Filipinos to be used more as a weapon during the later part of the Spanish occupation era. As you can see, the handle was designed to protect the fingers from getting cut during an encounter. And like many Filipino weapons, the hooked part of the handle was used so a warrior would not tire out easily during battles. Which makes it much easier to wield the Talibong as opposed to having to grab it tight during fighting; its a more relaxed way to fight for the most part.- https://www.traditionalfilipinoweapo...shop/talibong/


Arnis, also known as Kali or Eskrima/Escrima, is the national martial art of the Philippines. The three are roughly interchangeable umbrella terms for the traditional martial arts of the Philippines ("Filipino Martial Arts", or FMA), which emphasize weapon-based fighting with sticks, knives, bladed weapons, and various improvised weapons, as well as "open hand" techniques without weapons.

Name

Arnis comes from arnis, the Old Spanish for "armour" (harness is an archaic English term from same root). Arnes is also an archaic Spanish term for weapon, used as early as 1712.

Eskrima (also spelled Escrima) is a derived from the Spanish word for fencing, esgrima. Their cognate in French is escrime and is related to the English term 'skirmish'.

The name Kali is most likely derived from the pre-Hispanic Filipino term for blades and fencing, Kalis (Spanish spelling: "Calis"), documented by Ferdinand Magellan's expedition chronicler Antonio Pigafetta during their journey through the Visayas and in old Spanish to Filipino Mother Tongue dictionaries and vocabulary books dating from 1612 to the late 1800s, such as in Vocabulario de Lengua Tagala by Fr. Pedro de San Buenaventura.

Practitioners of the arts are called arnisador (male, plural arnisadores) and arnisadora (female, plural arnisadoras) for those who call theirs arnis, eskrimador (male, plural eskrimadores) or eskrimadora (female, plural eskrimadoras) for those who call their art eskrima, and kalista or mangangali for those who practise kali.

Origins

As Arnis was an art usually practised by the poor or commoner class (as opposed to nobility or warrior classes), most practitioners lacked the scholarly education to create any kind of written record. While the same can be said of many martial arts, this is especially true for Arnis because almost all of its history is anecdotal, oral or promotional. The origin of Arnis can be traced back to native "Pintados" or then "Tintadus" fighting techniques during conflicts among the various Prehispanic Filipino tribes or kingdoms, though the current form has Spanish influence from old fencing which originated in Spain in the 15th century. It has other influences as well, as settlers and traders travelling through the Malay Archipelago brought the influence of silat as well as Chinese and Indian martial arts. Some of the population still practise localized Chinese fighting methods known as kuntaw.

The most basic and common weapon in Arnis is the baston or yantok. They are typically constructed from rattan, an inexpensive stem from a type of Southeast Asian vine. Hard and durable yet lightweight, it shreds only under the worst abuse and does not splinter like wood, making it a safer training tool. This aspect makes it useful in defense against blades. Kamagong (ironwood or ebony) and bahi (heart of the palm) are sometimes used after being charred and hardened. These hardwoods are generally not used for sparring, however, as they are dense enough to cause serious injury, but traditional sparring does not include weapon to body contact. The participants are skilled enough to parry and counterstrike, showing respect in not intentionally hitting the training partner. In modern times, many Arnis practitioners have also come to wear head and hand protection while sparring with rattan sticks, or otherwise use padded bastons. Some modern schools also use sticks made out of aluminium or other metals, or modern high-impact plastics. - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnis


Escrima's signature fighting sticks

Place of Origin: The Philippines

Used by: Storm Shadow (v 15, v17,)

What is the Filipino Martial Art of Escrima?
Learn about the martial art of Escrima, also known as Arnis, including its history, styles, technique and weaponry.

There are around 200 known types of martial arts on Earth. Some, like BJJ, Karate, and Muay Thai, are well-known and are utilised by countless practitioners. However, many are underrated; either because their usage is limited to a certain region, or they?re not of much use.

Escrima belongs to the former category. It's an effective martial art that uses weapons and open-hand techniques.

So what is Escrima? Here's the gist of what you need to know about this interesting martial art!

History of Escrima

Escrima originates in the Philippines and is the country's national martial art.

Also known as Arnis and Kali, the earliest forms of this art can be traced back 3000 years. When the Spanish took over the Philippines, Escrima was used as a tool of resistance by the invaded Filipino people. The Spaniards banned its usage, but the art was still practiced in secrecy and solitude.

When the Americans took over the Philippines, they allowed Escrima again. This proved helpful in the Second World War when its practitioners (or Escrimadors) fought alongside the Allies. Escrima received a lot of respect, as the Japanese weren't able to conquer the country because of it. However, the Philippines doesn't promote it much and its mysterious nature remains.

Still, with the rise of MMA, one can find Escrima being taught all over the world, and Remy Amador Presas is considered the founder of the modern version of the sport.

Escrima Equipment

Unlike most other fighting systems, Escrimadors use a handful of equipment. One will mostly find weapons such as bastons which can be single or double. A baston is essentially a stick and Escrima uses many variations of it. Other weapons include knives, daggers, nunchakus, and poles, similar to the weapons of Ninjutsu.

Famous Escrima Practitioners

Several prominent people have practiced the art of Escrima, but none are as well-known as the legendary Bruce Lee. Lee has used the aforementioned double baston technique in his classic film "Enter the Dragon." His instructor was the legendary Daniel Arca Inosanto, who has had students such as film legend Chuck Norris and MMA legend Anderson Silva.

Denzel Washington is another actor who knows Escrima, and he has shown his skills in the film, "The Equalizer." The art has also been shown in films such as "Quantum of Solace" and "Mission: Impossible III." Famous professional wrestler and martial artist Steve Blackman is also well-versed in Escrima, and other personalities include, but aren't limited to, Lucy Liu and Forest Whittaker. - https://thesporting.blog/blog/what-i...and%20solitude.

[hardcorps]

Regarding the Ka-Bar:

OOHRAH!!! DEVIL DOG!! YUT! SEMPER FI!!

that is all, carry on