CuChullain Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 The "blood grooves" you are talking about are called fullers and they are not blood grooves but to lighten the sword. The blood groove thing is a myth. I like the one on the left, personally, because I'm a sucker for classic swords. It's an example of the classic Zweihander, as evidenced by the long grip and the extra leather wrapping near the base of the blade. You see, this wrapping could be used as an elongated grip, in situations where you would need more leverage to swing the blade. also, while I forget the technical term for them, the two large grooves in the blade allowed blood to flow more freely when an opponent was stabbed, ensuring a swifter demise. The Zweihander was actually a very important weapon in German history, most notable for its association with the Landsknechte. The Landsknechte were a group of German mercenaries, famous for both their needlessly complicated clothing and impressive knowledge of weaponry. The main weapon associated with the Lansknechte is the Katzbalger, which is a type of short, wide, and impressively sturdy sword that was used to great effect by these mercenaries, and became something of a status symbol during peacetime. However, an exceptionally skilled, trusted, or expendable Landsknecht could be offered double pay in order to go to the front lines using a Zweihander. Those who accepted were, appropriately, called Doppelsoldners, meaning, you guessed it, Double-Soldiers. It's all rather fascinating if you ask me. The other two are your standard issue fantasy riff-raff, probably trying to pass themselves off as a scimitar and a male without a father sword, though not especially convincingly. Call me crazy, but I'll take a realistic weapon with an interesting history of flimsy fantasy fare any day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadowace Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 Umm you don't have to get specific. Myth's are usually formed off something that actually happened anyways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickythecat Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 The "blood grooves" you are talking about are called fullers and they are not blood grooves but to lighten the sword. The blood groove thing is a myth. I like the one on the left, personally, because I'm a sucker for classic swords. It's an example of the classic Zweihander, as evidenced by the long grip and the extra leather wrapping near the base of the blade. You see, this wrapping could be used as an elongated grip, in situations where you would need more leverage to swing the blade. also, while I forget the technical term for them, the two large grooves in the blade allowed blood to flow more freely when an opponent was stabbed, ensuring a swifter demise. The Zweihander was actually a very important weapon in German history, most notable for its association with the Landsknechte. The Landsknechte were a group of German mercenaries, famous for both their needlessly complicated clothing and impressive knowledge of weaponry. The main weapon associated with the Lansknechte is the Katzbalger, which is a type of short, wide, and impressively sturdy sword that was used to great effect by these mercenaries, and became something of a status symbol during peacetime. However, an exceptionally skilled, trusted, or expendable Landsknecht could be offered double pay in order to go to the front lines using a Zweihander. Those who accepted were, appropriately, called Doppelsoldners, meaning, you guessed it, Double-Soldiers. It's all rather fascinating if you ask me. The other two are your standard issue fantasy riff-raff, probably trying to pass themselves off as a scimitar and a male without a father sword, though not especially convincingly. Call me crazy, but I'll take a realistic weapon with an interesting history of flimsy fantasy fare any day.Oh! Alright, that actually makes a lot more since, for a lot of reasons! Thanks for the info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CuChullain Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 Would you rather me be vague? ;) Myths are formed from what people _believed_ happened. Like individuals rising from the dead. Doesn't mean it actually happened. Calling it a blood groove takes away a useful and factual piece of info, it lightens and strengthens the blade, and replaces it with a fantasy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadowace Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 Still myth's are formed from what actually happened. But are deeply deprived of the truth. So they are really far fetched but they are still formed off of what has happened before. And maybe blood grooves were made for both reasons eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickythecat Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 Fair enough. Most myths have some elements of truth to them... but in this case, I think CuChullain is right. First of all, blood grooves would be largely unnecessary on a weapon as large and heavy as the Zweihander, since such a weapon would be more than capable of letting blood on its own. On the other hand, what WOULD be necessary for such a weapon would be any possible way to make it lighter. If I were to guess, I'd say that the origin of the "Blood Grooves" myth is more knightly boasting than scientific fact. I mean think about it: You're a Landsknecht, and somebody asks you about the grooves in your sword. Do you want to say that they're there to make it lighter, in turn making yourself sound a bit weaker? "Oh, so Konrad needs a lighter sword, I see how it is!" Or would you rather impress them with a bit of intimidating fiction? "Oh, so Konrad has modified his sword to make it more deadly! Truely a fearsome knight!" Any mercenary worth his salt would know the answer to that one. Knight's legends about with tales of people carrying weapons of unlikely size and dimentions, because it makes them sound stronger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadowace Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 Actually I'd boast about having a faster weaker weapon. I don't go for strength, I go for speed. Yeah they may have an awesome strong sword. But by the time they get it ready to swing I'd already have plenty of blows in them with my sword. That's why I choose daggers... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jroin Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 Well, I have never seen "Blood grooves" on (hystoticly acurate) Zweihanders anny way..., I have seen then on One-halfhand swords (male without a father swords), most Midevel short swords, Dagers and ofcourse Fantasy swords (But there are also a lot of fantasy swords that are composed of two blades, so these don't need a "Blood groove"). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CuChullain Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 You are of course allowed to believe what you want, but they weren't made for both reasons. Military stuff is purely functional. Weight is a big deal when you are swinging a weapon around. The fuller strengthens the blade by giving it an arch and more surface area and lightens by removing metal. It's as simple as that, but have it your way if you like. Edit: A quick twist of the blade inside the body would let blood flow more freely and do more damage if you were stabbing. Many swords that have fullers are slashing swords. Weight is not good on a slashing weapon. Even (some?) katanas have a fuller. Edit2: Ask yourself why you would need fullers on a slashing sword. How would it help? Still myth's are formed from what actually happened. But are deeply deprived of the truth. So they are really far fetched but they are still formed off of what has happened before. And maybe blood grooves were made for both reasons eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadowace Posted August 9, 2008 Share Posted August 9, 2008 Can we get back on topic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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