Jared Smith wrote: |
I consider the Munich to be very docile. I can execute my poor zwerchau technique as fast (actually faster) with it as I can with any other sword I have been lucky enough to use and test cut with. The leverage afforded by the long grip undoubtedly influences my impression of the sword.
My point, in such a case, is that the guard is probably not very close to the location where the wielder's perception of handling traits are likely to be derived. I suspect the relevant location is nearer to the center of the two handed grip. This line of reasoning could be all wrong, but similarly for one handed grip I would expect the most relevant location would be closer to the center of the one handed grip (roughly 2" down along the grip from the guard, rather than right at the guard.) As far as harmonics go, I think Vincent has already stated that they do not vary as greatly within a well designed tang and grip. Balance and inertia are still fully relevant relative to where one holds the sword though, rather than at the centerline of the guard. My "nit pick" here is that CoP is relative to where you define it. In any practical engineering calculation, CoP is defined relative to some location where a motor, gear, or possibly a wrist muscle (such as center of hand grip area on a baseball bat..actually dictated by an ASME standard for giving CoP of bats) applies a torque to make something rotate. There are an infinite number of them for any object. If you hold a blade for a "murder stroke", there is a completely new CoP for that application located down somewhere near the guard, and it depends upon where you grasped the blade. Vibrational nodes are not the whole story here either. They do matter, but you can probably relate to the concept of a baseball bat being gripped in the "wrong location" with resulting hand shock, even though it was an o.k. bat. Everything is relative to where you hold or pivot a rotating object when discussing CoP. I consider most forum participants here to be quite sharp mentally, and capable of estimating rough rotational characteristics of swords with greatly similar geometries and grips (using only CoB/CoP and weight) regardless of where CoP has been defined. However, if you want to compare two swords where the grips are drastically different, blades similar, now the true perception in actual handling might be much harder to predict using the guard as a reference point for CoP. |
Hi Jared
This is one of those times where subjective terms, and the different way we handle the same language doesn't come thru on this text medium. Part of this is the word docile..... from my perspective, maybe I'd use the term subtle, but since I've never handled a Munich, I don't know. And in a subject like this, answering when you aren't sure precisely what the other is refering to, can create more misunderstanding than anything else.......
I suspect though, that my answer would be I wouldn't change a thing. If you want the long handle for leverage, either "in the cut" or for winding, then changing that for one reason would defeat the first purpose {leverage in handling}....
Everything works together. If you aim for six different features, like five, and dislike the sixth, then you have to decide to live with it, or compromise something else. By the time you get the sixth where you want it, likely the 2nd and fourth are off.....
If your asking about where to place the nodes....... its not really a decision based on where one would like them. Its a decision based on the best place for the sword....... ie, if you pull the handle node to the center of the handle, you're likely going to screw up the "harmonics", and possibly wind up with a sharp tuning fork, instead of a sword. Some of these things are rather limited to the blade geometry, tang geometry, etc. There are nominal positions for these things, and they might not always make sense from a controlling perspective, but from a "natural", or "nominal" perspective they do.
You can "pull" nodes, and likely pivot points, by adding weight to the pommel....... I wouldn't do it, but that's just one swordmaker's opinion....... and I've become a bit of a contrarian these days...........
I make swords from a performance standpoint...... and my interpretation of how to get there isn't always the same as those leading the "discussion" these days.......You might ask Peter the same question........
{minor exageration {sp}, "sharp tuning fork"}