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Martial Arms
By: Haruhisa Noguchi
There are many different styles and types of Martial Arms originating all over the world. This weaponry consists in multiple varieties, ranging from simple handheld wooden implements to complex steel blades.
From advent of over 100 different edged weapon style across the Asian continent, to as many different styles from the European continent, the evolution of these Arts is continuing with new materials and technology.
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Balisong - Butterfly Knife -
Folding Filipino knife delevo{ed during the 1940's in Batangas by Perfecto de Leon
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Baston - Eskrima Stick -
Ratan or wood Fighting stick
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Bhuj - “Axe-knife” Indian single-edged knife, with the blade fixed onto an axe-like shaft, which is sometimes hollow, concealing small stiletto or dagger.
Bolo Knife - Filipino single edge large cutting blade
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Butterfly Swords - “Double Swords” Chinese single-edged sword, to cut and slash - with a hook extending guard, fitting into a single scabbard.
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Cinquedea or Cinqueda -
Italian short sword or long dagger
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Chakram -
A Punjab edged throwing weapon
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Corvo -
Chilean Curved Tipped Knife
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Cutlass - 17th - 19th century Robust Single-edged Short Sabre for slashing
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Charay - Indo-Persia knife with blades ranging from 14″ to 30″
Claymore - 15th - 17th century Scottish Highland Sword
Used for sweeping slashes and powerful thrusts
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Dao - Single-edged Chinese sword for slashing and chopping
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Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife - A Stiletto-style fighting Dagger developed in 1940 during World War II
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Falcata - Iberian Single-edged Blade
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Gladius - 300 BC – 300 AD - Primary sword of Roman foot soldiers. Double-edged for cutting and a tapered point for stabbing during thrusting
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Chinese Hook Swords (Shuānggōu - "double hooks")
Usually encountered in pairs
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Ida - African elongated leaf-shaped heavy tipped single or
double edged blade designed for cutting and hacking
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Jo - Short Staff used in the Art of Aiki-Jo.
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Kama - Okinawan fighting blade used to to cut,
slice, block and for striking
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Katar - Indian “Stabbing Blade"
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Khopesh - curved blade Egyptian sword
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Kora - Nepalese fighting sword
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North American Aztec Maquahuitl
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Navaja Sevillana - Spanish Folding Knife
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Naginatajutsu (長刀術 or 薙刀術)
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Nunchucku - traditional Okinawan weapon commonly made with wood
consisting of 2 sticks connected by a short chain or rope.
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Panabas - Filipino single-edged forward-curving profile blade with a blunt or pointed tip, primarily used for chopping or slashing.
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Smatchet - heavy, short Fighting Knife about 17 Inches - Developed during World War II.
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Sai - primarily used as a striking weapon for short jabs and bludgeoning, typically used in pairs, with varying prongs for trapping and blocking.
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Shuriken - "hidden hand blade" primarily used as a secondary weapon or distraction. Can be thrown, embedded in the ground, or used as a handheld weapon in close combat.
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Tabar - A type of battle axe from the Ottoman Empire and surrounding countries. Traditionally with 1 or 2 crescent-shaped blades with a thin light metal handle.
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Tanto - Japanese single or double edged Stabbing weapon.
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Three Sectional Staff - Constructed from, various hardwoods, rattan, bamboo or aluminum, about the length of the combatant's arm and connected by chains of rings or ball-and-socket joints.
Usable as a long, mid, or a short-range weapon, can simultaneously strike, flail, block, choke, trap, disarm and whip, with different sections of the staff acting at the same time. The chains or binding ropes can be used to entangle an opponent and their weapons.
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Tomahawk - North American ax style weapon
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Tonfa - Okinawan weapon traditionally made from oak and wielded in pairs
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Wakizashi - Short or Small Sword
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Whip Chain - Traditional Chinese multi sectional weapon
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The Yari is a type of spear used in the Arts of Sojutsu, Koryu and Jukendo It is one of the first Japanese weapons, with many different types such as the Sankaku Yari meant to penetrate armor, to the Juji Yari with a cross section used to block and strike
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Joyeuse
Charlemagne’s Personal Sword
Currently on display in the Louvre - Paris, France
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| The Sword of Attila
- Also called the Sword of God or Sword of Mars
This is the Legendary Weapon carried by - Attila the Hun
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Gorō Nyūdō Masamune
(c.1264 - 1343 AD)
Preist Masamune is widely recognized as Japan's greatest swordsmith. No exact dates are known for Masamune's life.
He is believed to have worked in Sagami Province during the last part of the Kamakura period (1288 - 1328).
An award for swordsmiths called the Masamune Prize is awarded at the Japanese Sword Making Competition. Although not awarded every year, it is presented to the swordsmith who has created exceptional work.
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Honjō Masamune
The Honjō Masamune is one of the best known of the swords created by Masamune, and is believed to be among the finest Japanese swords ever made which was passed down from one shōgun to another.
The name Honjō possibly came about due to this sword's connection to General Honjō Shigenaga who gained the sword in combat during the 16th century.The blade has a number of chips from the great battle but is still usable. Since the early 1700’s, the sword remained with the Tokugawa family, the last known owner being Tokugawa Iemasa.
At the end of World War II, Tokugawa Iemasa allegedly turned in the Honjō Masamune to a police station in Tokyo in December of 1945. Shortly thereafter in January 1946, the Mejiro police gave the sword to a unidentified individual with the Foreign Liquidations Commission of the Army Forces, Western Pacific.
The Honjō Masamune’s current location remains unknown. It is the most important of the missing Japanese swords and, it was made a Japanese National Treasure (Kokuhō) in 1939.
** The Sword pictured above is Not the Honjo Masamune.
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