Consulting Swordsman
Guy Windsor Happy New Year! and what better way to kick off 2019 than by stealing your opponent’s sword? Continuing on from last week… If you’re coming late to the party, you should start here (where I explain what this project is all about, describe my decision making in the transcription and translation, and so on.) F21r … Read more
Merry Christmas! In an unprecedented fit of organisation, this post was actually uploaded about two weeks ago, so don’t worry, I’m not working today, I’m opening presents, cooking an unfeasibly large amount of food, and probably already stuck into a bottle of wine. I hope you’re having a great day. But I decided on posting … Read more
One very good question that has come up in the comments on my Fiore Translation project, is why focus on the Getty MS? It’s the manuscript that’s had the most attention, the most work done on it. Why not focus on the Pisani Dossi, the Morgan, or the Florius? In case you are new to … Read more
Continuing on from last week with the Sword in One Hand: Folio 20v, first two plays: This is where the rubber meets the road: the first sword on sword action of the book! Personally I love the dagger stuff too, but pretty much everyone comes to class for the SWORDS! Recall the situation: the Master … Read more
It’s that take-stock time of year, and 2018 has been a monster. I’ve spent a lot of time this year producing finished products, starting with: The Theory and Practice of Historical Martial Arts The Art of Sword Fighting in Earnest I started both of these books in 2015, so I didn’t write them this year, but … Read more
Approximately every 365 days there falls a date celebrated for many things, but in my household principally as the anniversary of my birth. Yes, you have anticipated me: it was my birthday. As is delightfully customary, I was showered with gifts, chief among them a tome that has, quite simply, changed my life. How to … Read more
If you use Amazon (and most people do), then you may have noticed that they have changed the “Also Boughts” section on the product pages. It used to be a pretty reliable way of seeing what other people, who like the same things you do, have found interesting enough to buy. It also worked as … Read more
Volume 2 of the new Rapier Workbook series is back from layout, and looking pretty spiffy. It will be going to the printers next week. Huzzah! Volume 2 won’t be so useful if you don’t already have volume 1. You can get beautifully printed copies from the distributor here, or buy the print files to … Read more
Good writing advice often includes ‘get rid of all unnecessary words’. The awesome Zinsser says as much in his must-read On Writing Well, and he’s right. But one can go too far. Why is it that editors these days, especially the ones that live in your own head, want to pare everything down to the … Read more
I’m a footwork and body mechanics obssessive. Relaxed, graceful, movement is what it’s all about. My body is 50x heavier than my sword. The sword is only a tiny proportion of the sword/swordsperson combination. It’s the tip of the spear. So it makes sense to put a lot of work into getting the shaft of … Read more