[Russ Ellis]

[Jean Thibodeau]

Gavin;

Very good points and very entertaining as well.

[Hank Reinhardt]

No Dachi's were used more than you might think. Temple swords were usually those that had highly decorated hilts and sheaths, usually ivory. No Dachi were were rather efective battle weapons, ranking close to yaris and naganatas. A large number of Japanese woodcuts show them being used in battle.

[Jonathan Blair]

I'm sure that in the thirteenth century, firearms were considered by many to be "exotic" weapons. Against a man trained in the use of the longbow, a man using a handgonne was outgunned. Nowadays, their modern decendents are commonplace and easier to use. It's all about context and familiarity.

[Felix Wang]

Gavin, excellent post!

I would add one more class of exotic weapon, which has already been mentioned in other posts - the weapon is a modern fantasy, and was never used at all.

In your first class, there is the Abyssinian shotel, which seems to have been a sword designed precisely to reach around a large shield. The second class includes a number of "bright ideas" which didn't really work well. One of my favorites is the gun-shield (Tudor English, I believe). The idea of protecting yourself while shooting the other guy is appealing, but I suspect wasn't really practical.

In re weapons that are exotic because they are foreign: the nodachi is a good case, I think an Asian observer might think a zweihander to be exotic. The Mesoamerican maquahuitl is exotic to us, but in the absence of steel a wooden blade with obsidian worked quite well.

Pictueres of the Kiribati (aka Gilbert Islands) shark tooth sword: http://www.janeresture.com/kiriwars/main.htm with some interesting armour, and http://www.tribalmania.com/SHARKTOOTSWORDMARSHALL.htm (and this one's for sale, too!)

[Hisham Gaballa]

[Gavin Kisebach]

Actually Hisham, it was the thread on war mallets that I first heard that bit o' wit.

On the topic of Near Eastern and Asian weapons, I think these are plenty of widely accepted "standard" weapons, from the kris to the khopesh, the katana, the yari, et al.You could call the nunchakus "exotic", but most everyone I know, including people who would fall asleep at a sword convention, know exactly what they are. I don't think its simply a case of "Non-European" weapons being held up as bizarre or exotic. Reference the funky ceremonial polarms in the Doges Palace vs. a shamshir. Granted most people on the street would call a shamshir by the wrong name, but next to these badboys, its downright mundane. BTW thanks to Alex B. for that pic.

While I'm blathering, thanks to Hisham for all the insight into near eastern arms and armor. I greatly enjoy your posts, and have gained a lot of respect for that aspect of arms. OK thats off topic, but thanks anyway, I never knew how much I didn't know.

[Elling Polden]

As previously mentioned, the purpose of the statement is to remind people not to get to enthusiastic about the combat abilities of "unusaual" weaponry.
For instance, a Sashmir isn't "unusual"; it was standard armament for about 1/3 of the world.
But it would apply to the Pata as it is a weapon that saw pretty limited use.
So "unusual" or "exotic" would refer to how much they where used, not where they come from

Guns are a example by its survival. Through battlefield use they proved effective, survived and evolved.
Some designs, such as the Duck's foot, or combination firearms, stayed uncommon. If they where fiendishly effective, they would probably be more common...

[Gavin Kisebach]

Ahhh the Ducks Foot. I'd love a pic of that one.

[Gavin Kisebach]

Ooh Ooh this is cool. This is an exotic weapon. Downside is the liability.

[Anton de Vries]

[Alexander Hinman]

A weapon that fits into Gavin's C category is a crossbow I remember seeing in a Canadian museum (Perhaps the Canadian War Museum, I am not certain). It was taken from a Nazi soldier who had fashioned it out of a bed frame and the springs, wounded (or killed?) an enemy soldier before being captured. Sadly, I can't find any images of it, or even any documentation.

[Bob Burns]

Thanks Gavin! Those are some cool looking polearms!

Bob

[Gavin Kisebach]

[Craig Peters]

Hank,

Apparently, at least one name for the shark tooth sword is the Koa sword: http://www.tikimaster.com/product/KOA27
And, there's also an alleged 19th century specimen for sale if you've got $1,500. It probably beats robbing a museum: http://www.tribalmania.com/SHARKTOOTSWORDMARSHALL.htm