Today we watch Dr. Nathan Clough get electrocuted for science, er, kind of... Shock knives are a martial arts training tool that uses a taser-like electrical current to simulate being cut with a sharp, edged weapon.
Arms and Armor sharp Koln Messer
As makers of both blunt and sharp edged historical weapons we wanted to experiment and see if these tools could usefully expand our understanding of historical European martial arts. We try a couple of plays from Italian historical dagger fighting sources that rely on edge contact to manipulate your opponent's limbs.
Fiore de Liberi's first master of dagger
These are plays that can be difficult to accomplish in sparring with blunt weapons due to the lack of compulsion that derives from edge-on contact. Let's just say that these things smart, and that using them can help impart respect for the art. Enjoy watching Nathan get zapped.
Check out all of our historical daggers here.
In case you are feeling masochistic, these are the shock knives in the video.
Be warned, they hurt, are not adjustable, and we make no claims as to the advisability of tasing your friends.
As always, our swords and other weapons are entirely made by us, by hand, at our shop in Minneapolis, MN. Sword blades are hand ground of 6150 carbon steel, hardened and tempered to 50-52 Rockwell. All of our products are made to look, feel, and function just like the historical originals on which they are based. Arms & Armor is dedicated to quality and authenticity. For over four decades we have worked with museums, collectors, and scholars around the world to develop a deep understanding of European weapons; knowledge we use to make products that exemplify the finest qualities of the very best historic pieces. When we select historic items to reproduce, being pretty isn't enough, they have to move with grace and beauty, and beg to be used when in the hand. These are pieces that feel as good as they look, and that work as well as they feel. Our mission is to craft items that recreate the look, feel, and function of the best historic originals.
Nathan Clough, Ph.D. is President of Arms and Armor and a member of the governing board of The Oakeshott Institute. He is a historical martial artist and a former university professor of cultural geography. He has given presentations on historical arms at many HEMA events including Longpoint and Combatcon, and presented scholarly papers at, among others, The International Congress on Medieval Studies.
Craig Johnson is the Production Manager of Arms and Armor and Secretary of The Oakeshott Institute. He has taught and published on the history of arms, armor and western martial arts for over 30 years. He has lectured at several schools and Universities, WMAW, HEMAC, 4W, and ICMS at Kalamazoo. His experiences include iron smelting, jousting, theatrical combat instruction and choreography, historical research, European martial arts and crafting weapons and armor since 1985