Broadsword and Singlestick: with Chapters on Quarter-Staff, Bayonet, Cudgel, Shillalah, Walking-Stick, Umbrella, and Other Weapons of Self-Defense (1581605129)
Chronic Pain / Books / Broadsword and Singlestick: with Chapters on Quarter-Staff, Bayonet, Cudgel, Shillalah, Walking-Stick, Umbrella, and Other Weapons of Self-Defense
Published in England in 1890, this fascinating book may be one of the earliest ever to discuss the use of everyday items as weapons of self-defense for, in the words of the authors, "those 'tight places' where men care nothing for rules, but only want to make the most out of that weapon which the chance of the moment has put into their hands." It contains many useful insights into effective training in armed combat and how such training relates to real-world self-defense. A must-read for anyone interested in the arts of stick work, swordplay or the no-holds-barred use of any convenient weapon, "whether he has in his hand a single stick, a cutlass, or the leg of an old chair."
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 3.5 / 5.0
Some nuggets, but confusing overall:
There were some good bits and pieces in here, and may be historically interesting, but was too confusing to be an improvement over other texts from the last half of the nineteenth century. To their credit, the authors understood that awareness of one's surroundings is more important to personal security than weapons, and said as much explicitly. With regards to fencing, I absolutely agree with a couple of their points, like the need to learn foil before sabre, and the significance of the draw cut... more info
Some nuggets, but confusing overall:
There were some good bits and pieces in here, and may be historically interesting, but was too confusing to be an improvement over other texts from the last half of the nineteenth century. To their credit, the authors understood that awareness of one's surroundings is more important to personal security than weapons, and said as much explicitly. With regards to fencing, I absolutely agree with a couple of their points, like the need to learn foil before sabre, and the significance of the draw cut... more info
Intro of british broadsword:
This reprint of an 1890 pamphlet is a welcome addition to the library of historical fencing.
Its style is livley, the authors showing the english love of fighting sport on every page. Its only fault is a partial lack of illustrations for some of the hand positions in thrusting, and the foot-shifting suggested for squad-exersise...thus, four stars.
Gear for this training I recommend:
-Hutton sabers by Hanwei or by Popinjay
-Singlesticks by Purpleheart
-"Fighting saber" DVD by... more info
Western Martial Arts from 1890 - Great Book !:
Broadsword and Singlestick was originally published in 1890, and then was brought back into print in 2006 as part of the Paladin Press section of books on western martial arts. The book consists of an introduction, followed by short chapters on the use of the (1) quarterstaff, (2) broad-sword, (3) single-stick, (4) bayonet, and (5) the cudgel, shillelagh, walking-stick, umbrella, and various accessories. 116-pages in total. Broadsword and Singlestick offers excellent historical perspective (it was... more info
Broadsword and Singlestick: with Chapters on Quarter-Staff, Bayonet, Cudgel, Shillalah, Walking-Stick, Umbrella, and Other Weapons of Self-Defense (1581605129)
