The Quirkyness of History

[Subdeacon Joe]

OK all you story spinners, time to go to work (yes, I do question the starting time of "The Old West," I would put it no earlier than the Missouri Compromise.  But, it still works.) :

[Subdeacon Joe]

http://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/22394-native-americans-and-katana-on-the-north-plains-frontier-1890s/

Click on the link there to get the PDF of an article about Native Americans and Japanese swords.

 

 

https://history.nebraska.gov/sites/history.nebraska.gov/files/doc/publications/NH1987Swords.pdf 

[Whiskey Hicks]

1 hour ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

OK all you story spinners, time to go to work (yes, I do question the starting time of "The Old West," I would put it no earlier than the Missouri Compromise.  But, it still works.) :

I love Victorian England, our Great West, and the Satsuma Rebellion are all my favorites.  I love a good Japanese Jidaigeki film as much as a Western too because Leone and Kurosawa showed us the similarities.

[Tennessee williams]

Y'all are too smart for me. If I can't spin Widder, or Imis, or Red Knee bumbling around and getting lost in the woods I lose my inspiration!

[Major Crimes]

Sounds like a Flashman story.

[Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438]

Ooooo...Ooooooo....

 

With the benefit of this historical photograph, clearly demonstrating that Natives carried katanas, does this mean that we can add them to our SASS outfits?

 

I can envision dozens of neat new rules, like (1.) At what angle must the scabbard hang from the belt ? (2.) Must we now incorporate the bushido code into our Rules? (3.) Can "Made in Japan" now appear on equipment and articles of clothing? (4.) Are tea and saki now correct SASS beverages?

 

So many rules, so little time!

 

Konnichi wa, Pardner!

 

LL

[J-BAR #18287]

All four go into a bar and say, “When are we?” 
 

[Subdeacon Joe]

3 hours ago, Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438 said:

(1.) At what angle must the scabbard hang from the belt ?

 

I think if it hangs from the belt it is a tachi and not a katana.  Since there seems to be no photographic evidence of this earlier type of sword being used by Plains Indians, they would not be allowed.

[Whiskey Hicks]

A Japanese dagger is called a Tanto....

[Alpo]

Would that make a Japanese sword a kemosabe?

[Rye Miles #13621]

My humble opinion is the "OLD WEST" started right after the Civil War.

[Pat Riot]

5 hours ago, Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438 said:

Ooooo...Ooooooo....

 

With the benefit of this historical photograph, clearly demonstrating that Natives carried katanas, does this mean that we can add them to our SASS outfits?

 

I can envision dozens of neat new rules, like (1.) At what angle must the scabbard hang from the belt ? (2.) Must we now incorporate the bushido code into our Rules? (3.) Can "Made in Japan" now appear on equipment and articles of clothing? (4.) Are tea and saki now correct SASS beverages?

 

So many rules, so little time!

 

Konnichi wa, Pardner!

 

LL

How long before “Gamers” find a way to make them faster and lighter?

 

You know...wimpier. 

[Subdeacon Joe]

2 hours ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

My humble opinion is the "OLD WEST" started right after the Civil War.

 

 

"Old West?"  or "Wild West?"

 

[Whiskey Hicks]

As a former Japanophile, I do know how to draw a katana from a scabbard properly.  Do I have a jump on the competition?

[Subdeacon Joe]

2 hours ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

How long before “Gamers” find a way to make them faster and lighter?

 

You know...wimpier. 

 

 

You mean Mouse Claw Blades?  

 

[Alpo]

11 minutes ago, Whiskey Hicks said:

As a former Japanophile, I do know how to draw a katana from a scabbard properly.  Do I have a jump on the competition?

Maybe in "Western Two Blade", but in main match (unless they changed this rule when I wasn't looking) fast draw is frowned upon.

 

Would you get more style points for having a genuine folded-steel blade from the 1800s, than you would for having a stamped stainless blade from BUDK?

[Whiskey Hicks]

1 minute ago, Alpo said:

Maybe in "Western Two Blade", but in main match (unless they changed this rule when I wasn't looking) fast draw is frowned upon.

 

Would you get more style points for having a genuine folded-steel blade from the 1800s, than you would for having a stamped stainless blade from BUDK?

 

Can't have any of that stamped WW2 era steel.  The Musashi Miyamoto Category requires authentic folded katana and wakazashi.

[twelve mile REB]

As a long time collector of Japanese swords both Katana and Tanto.  I don't think I would enjoy wacking steel with them. 

[Widder, SASS #59054]

On 5/24/2020 at 12:20 AM, Tennessee williams said:

Y'all are too smart for me. If I can't spin Widder, or Imis, or Red Knee bumbling around and getting lost in the woods I lose my inspiration!

 

And this is from a man (?) who thought Nunchucks was a steak that Nuns eat during a religious ceremony.

Then later, when he found out different, he used them to bust his skull and test jockey cup integrity...... 

 

..........Widder

 

 

[Ozark Huckleberry]

On 5/24/2020 at 1:48 PM, Whiskey Hicks said:

As a former Japanophile, I do know how to draw a katana from a scabbard properly.  Do I have a jump on the competition?

You mean there’s more than, ‘Pull on the handle until the blade is clear’?

[Ozark Huckleberry]

On 5/24/2020 at 2:02 PM, Alpo said:

Maybe in "Western Two Blade", but in main match (unless they changed this rule when I wasn't looking) fast draw is frowned upon.

 

Would you get more style points for having a genuine folded-steel blade from the 1800s, than you would for having a stamped stainless blade from BUDK?

That would be fine until the first, ‘WTC’ thread. 
 

Then we’d have three pages of discussion where someone would say if the SHB said ‘sword’ it couldn’t be a saber, but then someone else would say it didn’t matter because even if the SHB said swords it really meant sabers, and then someone else would say they did it such-and-such a way at their club.

 

Then PWB would weigh in, followed by a series of, ‘Yeah, but’ posts. 
 

The ROC would take it up, and after a time we’d get a ruling. 
 

Then someone would want to know how the ROC came to their decision — not to challenge it, of course, but so they could explain the call as an RO. 
 

Thanks, but let’s leave the swords out of it! 
 

To add: Oops, forgot to mention the suggestions the SHB be re-written. 

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

Please define :OLD WEST". Westward migration by Europeans Started much earlier than 1860, and didn't really get into high gear until Gold was discovered in California circa 1849. That said there was a fair degree of commerce on the West coast prior to 1803. 

The tribes had been trading across the western half for centuries, I would suppose. Dried/salted  salmon for clay pipes kinda thingy. 

[Smuteye John SASS#24774]

5 hours ago, Ozark Huckleberry said:

That would be fine until the first, ‘WTC’ thread. 
 

Then we’d have three pages of discussion where someone would say if the SHB said ‘sword’ it couldn’t be a saber, but then someone else would say it didn’t matter because even if the SHB said swords it really meant sabers, and then someone else would say they did it such-and-such a way at their club.

 

Then PWB would weigh in, followed by a series of, ‘Yeah, but’ posts. 
 

The ROC would take it up, and after a time we’d get a ruling. 
 

Then someone would want to know how the ROC came to their decision — not to challenge it, of course, but so they could explain the call as an RO. 
 

Thanks, but let’s leave the swords out of it! 
 

To add: Oops, forgot to mention the suggestions the SHB be re-written. 

You left out the guy that posts that his local club lets him ignore the rules because he's old, slow and ain't gonna win anyhow.