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One of the things I've repeatedly encountered among sword enthusiasts over the years is a subtle misunderstanding that all swords of a similar design and function will handle and perform in the exact same way. There is a certain assumption that because every sword strikes along the same lines and uses the same kinds of blows for the most part that differences among similar kinds are minor. But the fact is, they have distinctions in form and desig...

Geometry is an important part of Medieval and Renaissance fencing and in the swords they employed. Knowledge of the rules of geometry permeated Western civilization for hundreds of years. It built cathedrals and castles, enabled siege weapons, and inspired everything from illuminations to sculpture and painting. It was even seen as expressing the divine. Geometry was one of the medieval Trivium, part of the artes liberales taught within the class...

I write a lot about swords. It's my job. I study them. I train with them. I collect them. I'm fascinated by them. And I know how to use them....very well. I've been able to seriously pursue this passion for over 37 years of research and practice now, with 16 years of professional teaching. It's not easy. It's a continual learning process and not without sacrifices. But, because I've had the opportunity to handle literally hundreds of antique spec...