To many a modern fencer, the “weapon” in hand is no weapon at all, but an instrument of athleticism no different and more deserving of noble regard than a tennis racquet. In discussion with one who openly brings concepts of martial artistry into fencing practice, even accomplished fencers routinely ridicule any such idea as archaic […]
“‘In ferro veritas” means “in the sword is truth,’ or, more loosely translated, ‘studying the sword will smack you face-first into a lot of truths you’re not going to like.’” ~ Adam Adrian Crown, The Swordmaster’s Grimoire Every now and then, I experience the sheer delight of learning that someone whose work I respect and […]
Welcome back dear reader, and may I introduce you to this fourth chapter of In Ferro Veritas! This summer in Nova Scotia has seen an extreme escalation in highway accidents and fatalities therefrom. Along with this has come a constantly fizzling, crackling background noise of daily close calls, and it is a rarity these days for […]
Greetings gentle reader! If you’ve made it here to these latest musings without reading Chapter the First and Chapter the Second of this series, I respectfully suggest that you do that before proceeding. To the left is a photograph that I personally took last week, in the bedroom of an 82 year old woman who […]
There is a component of the population that, due to professional obligations, may be called upon to step in harm’s way at any moment, but most of us go about our lives with no intention or desire to ever do so. Yet the risk exists now, as it always has, of finding yourself in a […]
“The more I’ve studied the application of fighting arts and delivering lethality, the more I came to eschew the posturings of “toughness” and implied violence. I always laugh at the old saying that you should never fight with an old man because if he’s too old to fight, he’ll just kill you. It carries a […]
“There was a time when I was actively involved in teaching what were then, and in some circles continue to be, called “survival” courses – educational programmes intended to provide instruction in the skills necessary to live temporarily outside the shelter of “civilized” comfort. As the years went by, I came to realize that teaching […]
“The way Nature sees it, stress is the motivator for an organism to do something to relieve it. If you’re hungry, find something to eat and eat it. Thirsty? Find water. Too cold? Seek warmth. Too hot? Seek shade or some other method of mitigation. Tired? Find a way to get some rest. Sexually aroused? […]
If taking away your physical skills means taking away all of your self-defence, you ain’t got shit. You might be a great fighting instructor, but everything you have only works when most good self-defence has already failed. Also, it’s all perishable. It won’t help you if you manage to get old enough, and realize that […]
The picture at left is of a new in the package Coghlan’s Brand machete, available as I type from the outdoor sports and leisure section of your nearest Canadian Tire store for $14.99 before tax. It’s posted here merely to illustrate that the machete is an inexpensive and easily acquired item of equipment pretty much […]