Chivalry Today Podcast

Podcast Extra: Peter Johnsson on Swords

In the first part of my conversation with sword maker Peter Johnsson, we talked at length about the symbolism and cultural significance of the sword, and how it reflects both medieval and modern understandings of the ideals of chivalry. But after the show was over, we went on talking and we both realized that our discussion hadn’t really covered something that both of us found immensely interesting, which is: the proportions, specifications, and function of historical swords and their modern reproduction counterparts! So, we decided to continue our conversation, and make it available to all of my fellow sword nerds in something of a podcast extra. Now, if you’re not into the fine details of sword design, this part of the conversation may not be quite as interesting to you as the first part of my talk with Peter – although I daresay that Peter has some pretty interesting things to say about swords in history, even if you’re not into studying, collecting, and possibly even using them yourself. The topic that prompted the following discussion was the recent release of an online computational analysis tool called the Weapons Dynamics Calculator, developed by Vincent le Chevalier, an expert in both European martial arts and physics, in conjunction with Peter Johnsson. The program was created to present graphical analsys of the handling qualities of the swords that were on display in an exhibition called The Sword – Form and Thought, at the Deutchs Klingen Museum, in Solingen Germany. The illustrations that it produced are both beautiful and enlightening to anyone who has a interest in sword combat – and a catalog showing all of the swords and the dynamics illustraitons is available from the museum’s online book store. In this discussion, Peter talks about things like mass distribution, nodes of percussion, and points of rotation. Here are some graphics from the WDC website that will help you understand what those qualities are, and how Peter derives the metrics and data about sword handling and performance that results in the illustrations created by this analytical tool. Pivot points (left) are derived by gently holding the sword’s handle, and giving it a slight shake. The spot(s) where the sword naturally produces rotation will then become visible – though it takes a bit of a trained eye to spot. Vibration nodes (right) are revealed by giving the blade a light tap on the flat, and observing points at which the vibrations “cancel out.” Distribution of mass (shown in graphic form at left) indicates the “nimbleness” of the blade, or the ease with which the blade rotates around the hilt. The oval and hourglass representations (at right) give a graphic display of the linear and rotational handling qualities of the sword. With all the elements in place, a graphic representation of the sword can be produced by the calculator. This is not an assessment of a sword as “good” or “bad,” but simple a visual representation of the particular handling qualities a sword will have when put into use. [divider style=’full’] Buy the book The Sword – Form and Thought from the Deutsches Klingen Museum bookshop; Visit the website of the online Weapon Dynamics Calculator, developed by Vincent le Chevalier, in conjunction with Peter Johnsson.

Conversation With Peter Johnsson

Sword expert and designer Peter Johnsson examines the properties of a medieval artifact in a recent collaborative project with the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. There is a special place in heroic lore for those who deal in the craft of weapons – specifically, for the smiths who make swords. Far from being just a “big ol’ knife,” the sword – in legends – becomes an extension of the personality of the hero (or the villain), and as such, the man or woman who crafts such a weapon has a great deal of influence over the ideals and principles that these archetypal characters, from Roland and King Arthur, to Frodo Baggins or Harry Potter, embody in the cultures they come from. But a sword isn’t just a mythical symbol – real swords were carried by real knights and men-at-arms, who fought in real battles throughout the Middle Ages. Like those swords of legend, the weapons put to use by medieval knights reflected – in some manner – the ideals of chivalry they admired, and (at least tried to) live by. Only a small fraction of the swords carried by warriors in the Middle Ages still survive today, locked away in cabinets and display cases in both museums and private collections all over the world. And there are serious craftsmen who put their skills at the forge and anvil to use trying, as much as possible, to create modern replicas of these medieval military treasures – and certainly one of the best in that field is Swedish sword-maker Peter Johnsson (pictured, examining a medieval sword during a recent collaboration with the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art). Peter started his love of swords and sword making at the age of 8, when he got his first anvil and (with the help of his dad) hammered out his first blade. He has been studying metallurgy, design, and the art of the forge ever since, and has been fortunate enough to get up-close encounters with of hundreds of surviving medieval and Renaissance swords, in places like the New York Metropolitan Museum, the Royal Armoury in Stockholm, and Imperial Treasury in Vienna. In 1999 Peter worked as part of a team of experts creating an exact reconstruction of an early 16th century sword that was once carried by the Regent of Sweden. Sword collectors today may know Peter as the designer behind many of the sword available in the Museum, Next Generation, and Maestro Collections from Albion Swords – which are painstakingly crafted to emulate the technical specifications as well as the handling qualities of existing medieval swords. And, in January of 2017 a lucky few students of the sword will be traveling to Tannery Pond Forge in New Hampshire to take part in a 7-day workshop called Sword Reflections, coordinated by forge owner Zach Jonas, to learn the fine points of replicating a sword worthy of a prince, or a king … or a knight. Like any good craftsman, Peter Johnsson sees more than the mere use and utility of his products – he recognizes the cultural significance and the ideological symbolism behind the swords he studies, and the swords he makes. Peter joins host Scott Farrell in a conversation about the mythology and realities of medieval swords, and their use – and how the design and function of the sword reflects the philosophy of the code of chivalry. [divider style=’centered’] Peter Johnsson’s Sword Reflections workshop will be held at Tannery Pond Forge in New Hampshire, Jan. 14-20, 2017. For information about reserving a spot at the forge, check out the details on Peter’s Facebook Event Page: Sword Reflections. COMING SOON: Peter Johnsson and podcast host Scott Farrell share some thoughts on the form and function of medieval swords (and modern reproductions) in a podcast extra “for sword nerds only.” Video Extra: Below, Peter Johnsson gives a practical demonstration of how sword design leads to sword performance, in his 2016 presentation “The Use of Geometery in Sword Design,” given before the New England Bladsmiths’ Guild at the Ashokan Center in Olivebridge, New York.

Conversation With Lonnie Colson

From the drama The Walking Dead to the peppy teen comedy iZombie to the literary parody Pride And Prejudice And Zombies, the zombie apocalypse concept has become such a popular trope in today’s world that it is spilling over into just about every genre of entertainment. This year you can bet there will plenty of ghouls and zombies out on the Halloween trick or treat circuit, and the holiday is a perfect excuse to enjoy your favorite novel featuring the dead rising from their graves to feast on the brains and flesh of the living, to provide some spine-tingling seasonal chills. So, for those of us who enjoy adventures set in the Age of Chivalry, why not reach for a story that combines a zombie apocalypse with brave medieval knights in armor? Why not? Because there aren’t too many such stories around – until recently, that is. Now, everyone (including the Chivalry Today production staff) who think that zombies and knights are two great things that can only be better together, can enjoy a tale of the medieval living dead in the new book The Second Great Mortality, written by first-time novelist Lonnie Colson. For those involved in the world of medieval historical reenactment, Lonnie’s name maybe a familiar one. He has consistently been one of the top competitors in the mounted hunting and skill-at-arms games at the annual Tournament Of The Phoenix invitational joust in Southern California, and he has trained in the arts of medieval and Renaissance swordsmanship with ARMA, The Chicago Swordplay Guild, and the Schola St. George. He even has a field for riding and sword-fighting practice in the backyard of his home near Dallas, Texas. As you can imagine with such a studious background, historically accurate details about arms, armor, and 15th century medieval culture feature prominently in Lonnie’s zombie book, as they would in a respected historical fiction author like Bernard Cornwell or Sharon Kay Penman. But amongst all the battles against the forces of the undead, is there anything of the code of chivalry to be found in this medieval horror novel? If modern zombie stories force us to confront the thin veneer of 21st century civility and ethics as society falls apart, what might we learn about medieval honor and chivalry in the same situation? In the spirit of the Halloween season, Lonnie Colson joins host Scott Farrell for a conversation about knights, chivalry, and The Second Great Mortality. Learn more about Lonnie Colson’s background, interests, and continued writing projects – and get the schedule of his upcoming book-signing appearances – at his author website.

Conversation With Devon Boorman

Historical sword-combat instructor Devon Boorman was asked to give an inspirational talk at a TED Conference. His presentation drew upon the historical values of confidence, prowess, and humility – ideals of the code of chivalry! In this conversation, he describes the process of bringing historical ideals of honor to the TED stage. TED Talks are all the rage today – luminaries of all sorts have appeared on stage at “technology, entertainment, and design conferences” held all around the world, including Bill Clinton, Filmmaker James Cameron, Rev. Billy Graham, Stephen Hawking, Malcolm Gladwell, Julian Assange, and Bill Gates – all to present their talks, focusing on their own fields of expertise as a means of sharing their passion, their vision, and their inspiration – in 18 minutes or less! In fact, it might be said that no trend, no fashion, no movement can really “hit it big” today until it’s been presented in a TED Talk. But in all the archives of more than 30,000 live presentations (with the marginal exception of one about conquering fear and the art of sword-swallowing) only a single TED Talk involves sword work on stage, and that was presented at the 2016 Vancouver TED-X Conference, and was given by Devon Boorman. Mr. Boorman is the co-founder and director of Vancouver’s Academie Duello, and has studied and taught medieval and Renaissance martial arts all over the world. He has won more than 40 European martial arts competitions, and has worked as a fight choreographer and stuntperson on stage and screen. He teaches combat with rapier, longsword, spear and other historical weaponry in a 6000 sq ft facility, and he leads a team of more than 30 instructors, working with more than 2000 new and repeat students every year. But though his presentation was titled Swordplay and the Lost Art of Knighthood what Devon brought to the TED stage wasn’t a talk about the latest interpretations of Fiore or Capo Ferro – but rather his own thoughts about inspiration, mastery, courage, and the power of physical movement. Mr. Boorman joins host Scott Farrell in a conversation about the challenges of bringing the ideals of chivalry to a TED Conference (who might know little to nothing about the historical practice of swordsmanship, and the code of honor that went along with it) as part of his talk about movement and mastery.

Discussing Rules For A Knight By Ethan Hawke

Here is a little detour from our usual podcast format: In this episode we had hoped to bring listeners an interview with author Ethan Hawke – the same Ethan Hawke you maybe familiar with from his work on screen in films like Gattica, Dead Poet’s Society, and even the title role of Hamlet, as well as plenty of other movie and TV productions. You see, when Mr. Hawke is not acting, directing, or producing, he is also a writer, and his latest book is entitled Rules For A Knight. It definitely caught our interest as the perfect sort of book for an episode of our show. We invited Mr. Hawke to join us for a conversation about his set of knightly rules, but his publicist informed us – not surprisingly – a notable Hollywood star promoting a new book from a major New York publisher was a bit too busy to fit the Chivalry Today podcast into his interview schedule. But who knows? Perhaps once the initial publicity dies down, and Mr. Hawke wraps up the nationwide appearance tour he is doing in conjunction with the book’s release, he’ll find a bit of time to join us here to give us his thoughts on chivalry in the modern world. Until then, we hope you enjoy our look at Ethan Hawke’s book on the virtues of chivalry and personal thoughts on living an honorable life in a timeless way: Rules For A Knight. [divider style=’centered’] Read the interview Ethan Hawke Explains His Thing For Knights in The New Yorker; Below, watch Ethan Hawke’s interview with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show: