General What does your Blade look like?

[Spinward Scout]

I thought this might be fun. Similar to the question about Grav Bikes...

What does your Blade look like?

I'd go with something like this. A half-length Katana. But with a better handle..

 

[Black Vulmea]

 

[Condottiere]

I'd go with a sharpened machete.

Looks like a tool, slices like a chopper.

 

[Diveguy]

While I know it's got the historical canon, I've NEVER cared for the basket hilt on the blade... So, seeing alternative ideas is satisfying.

 

[willtron3030]

The blade(s) extend about 36cm, rather than 25cm. And a 2D-ish hilt.

 

[Diveguy]

View attachment 6375
The blade(s) extend about 36cm, rather than 25cm. And a 2D-ish hilt.

I could accept these as more reasonable... the grip and guard are sensibly functional, while not being obtrusive. More of a chopping blade than thrusting, and that front end is going to build some momentum. Definitely fits the motif of "Blade as a weapon" rather than fulfilling a utilitarian knife role. Thanks!

 

[Quint]

I always saw it, in the classic description, as being akin to a WWI trench knife.

D.

 

[RossWinn]

IMTU: The "cutlass" is actually a sword straight blade similar to the wakizashi. The blade is 50-60cm in length, the handle 30cm for a total of 90cm or less.

 

[willtron3030]

I always saw it, in the classic description, as being akin to a WWI trench knife.

D.

That feels right. like an undersized gladius or spatha, with better metallurgy. The blade was one of Dumarest's weapons of choice in the books, and the LBB depiction confused me a little. "A basket hilt? How could he carry that in his boot?"

 

[casquilho]

I know this makes me odd, but I always pictured the "blade" as a group of weapons with similar function or use but various overall shapes and styles. For me, "blade" was like "sword", not just a single specific weapon. But that was just me and the movies in my head.

 

[whulorigan]

I'd go with a sharpened machete.

Looks like a tool, slices like a chopper.

Slight modification: I rather like the Ancient Iberian Falcata (= Makhaira / Kopis with the back edge sharpened along the first 3rd of its length).

 

[whulorigan]

I'd go with something like this. A half-length Katana. But with a better handle..

View attachment 6365

This is my close second choice.

 

[Condottiere]

Style over substance.

 

[whulorigan]

I know this makes me odd, but I always pictured the "blade" as a group of weapons with similar function or use but various overall shapes and styles. For me, "blade" was like "sword", not just a single specific weapon. But that was just me and the movies in my head.

I don't think that makes you odd at all. I don't think "Blade" as a group-class is any more odd than "Sword" or "Dagger" or "Knife" as a group-class.

And as mentioned in another thread, "Broadsword" is just plain wrong as the name of its group-class ("Greatsword" or "Twohand Sword" or "Heavysword" (?) or (maybe) "Longsword" - perhaps . . . ).

And "Foil" is definitely wrong for those editions that use the term (which is a practice weapon whose blade/tip has been blunted or "foiled") - It is a Rapier / Smallsword / Tuck / Bilbo.

 

[whartung]

Gonna go out on a limb and posit that when MWM was thinking about a Blade, he was thinking about a KA-BAR knife.

 

[Quint]

Gonna go out on a limb and posit that when MWM was thinking about a Blade, he was thinking about a KA-BAR knife.

Not when it included a basket hilt... I'm trying to remember if that matches the description of a Dumarest weapon, but I simply can't remember and don't feel like unboxing the books I have from the basement.

D.

 

[infojunky]

Gonna go out on a limb and posit that when MWM was thinking about a Blade, he was thinking about a KA-BAR knife.

Machete is always what I have thought.

 

[Condottiere]

I thought something closer to a Bowie Knife.

 

[Badenov]

I thought something closer to a Bowie Knife.

I now feel compelled to include this.

 

[Condottiere]

Mars model.