Do Fullers Make Feders Take a Set?
In a completely non-intuitive trick of physics, adding a fuller to a feder actually makes the sword more likely to take a permanent set. Let’s have a look!
Physics
Degrees of Freedom
A degree of freedom is the number of directions in which something is free to move. You may be thinking of the three directions, but in this case you would be thinking wrong. The maximum number of degrees of freedom of a rigid body is six.
Brittle vs Ductile and Swords in Freezers
Things get more brittle when they get cold. But why?
Do Swords Really Wear Out?
Does HEMA gear really wear out? You may be surprised to hear the answer isn’t necessarily yes…
It’s Not “All in the Hips”
A colloquialism associated with generating power is “it’s all in the hips”, but this is a little bit misleading, as the hips themselves aren’t really the source of the power.
There is no horizontal zwerchau cutting plane!
That’s right, you heard me. Geometry forbids keeping your edge in line while the tip is below the hands.
Batting a cut out of the way – a.k.a. “How You Cut Your Hand Open”
I know it sounds ridiculous, but I have come across someone who thought they could bat a cut out of the way by hitting the backside of the blade with their hand…
Force, Deceleration, and how to stab through a tank.
It was the first two words that got you hooked, right?
Why Do Polearms Hurt?
The short answer to everything is always F = ma. For the longer answer, read the article.
Rust: Know your enemy
“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.” Maybe this quote from the Art of War might not be the most applicable excerpt, but regardless you could always stand to learn a bit.