When the Going Gets Rough … Last exit infight: I've managed to seize Emil's Dane-Axe but... “Never wrestle a wrestler!” That’s what Emil said to me after he sent me flying through the air during a practice fight at Ribe VikingeCenter this autumn—or should I say fall? Of course, he was right. Grappling should be part of any swordfighter’s repertoire. Alas, despite Cornelius’ best efforts at Dimicator Schola to improve my poor wrestling skills, I am definitely more adept at keeping my opponent...
9 days ago • 2 min read
Do Left-Handers Form a Consistent Minority Throughout History? The pommel of this type XVI sword displays a clockwise offset, optimal for left-handed use. And if so, why? These intriguing questions lie at the heart of a new research project currently being initiated by Dr. Tim Simon, a philosopher and neurobiologist from the University of Trient. The study will specifically, though not exclusively, explore the relevance of left-handedness in antagonistic and duelling contexts, where it is...
16 days ago • 2 min read
Escape, Adapt, Overcome Dear fellow sword enthusiasts, researchers, and history fans, First of all, Cornelius and I would like to express our gratitude to all the practitioners of historical sword-fighting who have enrolled in our latest online course, Counterbound!. Your positive reception and feedback have been incredibly encouraging, and we are excited to continue our work on the upcoming I.33 course, which will focus on Cover Against Secunda and Tertia Custodia. Our course Counterbound!...
23 days ago • 2 min read
Master Timing, Dominate the Fight Principles govern all that happens in martial arts Dear Fellow Sword Fighters, If you’re like me—a mere mortal—mastering timing is key to success in sword-fighting. But most medieval treatises don’t address it. A coherent theory of timing (tempo) doesn’t emerge until the Renaissance. However, the rules of tempo always apply, whether we recognise them or not. Our new online course, Counterbound!, offers a concise, practical introduction to timing/tempo,...
25 days ago • 1 min read
This Concept Won Me Many Fights Title image of our latest course “Counterbound!” Dear Fellow Students of the Art of Combat, Cornelius Berthold and I are thrilled to announce the launch of a brand-new sword-fighting online course. We’re particularly proud of this little gem. At the recent Berlin Buckler Bouts, I personally applied its strategies with repeated success—it truly works! This new online course equips you with the tools to escape compromised positions and turn the fight back in your...
29 days ago • 1 min read
New Course Release Tomorrow! Janis (right) seizes the advantage—will I manage to break free? Dear fellow martial artists and sword enthusiasts, Every fencer faces the critical moment when a blade bind turns against them. Your opponent has gained control, and your chance to counter appears to have slipped away. But in combat, there’s no room for resignation. Orange is counterbinding while Blue fails to counter in time This new online course, created by Cornelius Berthold and me, equips you...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Long Blades of the 13th and 14th Centuries Sword W 886 from the inventory of the DHM in Berlin Hello sword enthusiasts, I’m excited to announce a new addition to my shop: a full-size illustration of an Oakeshott Type XII sword that I examined at the Deutsches Historisches Museum. This sword has a familiar shape and features the characteristic copper alloy pommel quite common with this type, which was popular during the 13th and 14th centuries. Long, light and responsive a sword This specimen...
about 1 month ago • 4 min read
No More Blind Bargains Dear fellow sword enthusiasts, researchers, and history fans, When I announced the launch of my online shop for full-size sword drawings last week, some readers rightfully pointed out that the preview images were blurred and the descriptions were too brief. I completely agree—this is far from helpful. I wouldn’t want to buy a pig in a poke either! I’ve passed on your suggestions to the Patreon team, who may enable customisation of the automated blur in the future. In...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Weapons from the Bronze Age to the Renaissance My illustration of the Late Slavic sword from Klüss Dear fellow sword enthusiasts, researchers, and martial artists, Of all the books on swords on my shelves, few contain carefully crafted true-to-scale illustrations, let alone comprehensive stats. Such information is hard to come by, and that’s part of the reason why, for over 20 years now, I’ve gathered this data and made tracings of original swords. A pattern-welded sword from the Warnow River...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read