The Armoury Roundtable

Rapier's Delight
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Discover the world of swords, armor, and history. In each episode, host Gabriele Culot sits down with passionate individuals from various walks of life who share a passion for swords, stories, and military history. From dedicated collectors and renowned academics to skilled HEMA practitioners and master swordsmiths, people approach swords for a variety of reasons, and in a variety of different ways. Each new episode explores one of these unique approaches. Together, we'll explore the craftsmanship, lore, and cultural significance behind weapons of the past, using them as a starting point to get a better understanding of long-gone worlds. Subscribe to Rapier's Delight on YouTube for videos about antique swords, sword maintenance, and other history topics.

Episodes

  1. Ep.12 - Medieval Single-Edged Swords: A Conversation With James G. Elmslie

    08/02/2025

    Ep.12 - Medieval Single-Edged Swords: A Conversation With James G. Elmslie

    Single-edged medieval swords are a long-underrepresented weapon category in the history of combat and warfare. This may be due to aesthetic preferences, to the availability of extant examples, or even to the complexity of their categorization. The winds, however, are changing, and with the rise of HEMA and a new interest in niche aspects of medieval life, falchions and messers are returning to some level of prominence. The guest of today's Armoury Roundtable episode is the legendary James G. Elmslie, sword community veteran, swordmaker, and the author of the Elmslie typology, which sets out to categorize this elusive type of medieval weapon. In this episode, James and host Gabriele Culot discuss messers, falchions, they value of sowrd typologies, and much more.

    2h 13m
  2. Ep.11: The Evolution of Chinese Swords and Weapons: A Historical Journey - With Keith Seeley

    06/26/2025

    Ep.11: The Evolution of Chinese Swords and Weapons: A Historical Journey - With Keith Seeley

    Keith Seeley researches the weapons and martial arts of early modern China. His master's degree in history informs his approach to contextualizing and deciphering military treatises and manuals from the late Ming to mid Qing dynasties. His primary weapon of study is the yaodao or single-handed saber, which served as the mainstay military sidearm and civilian self-defense tool throughout this historical period. In this episode, Keith and host Gabriele Culot dive head-first into a long and distinguished history of combat and martial arts, and into a lineage of weapons that is as interesting as it is often overlooked outside of China.

    2h 6m
  3. Ep 10: How Details in Antique Swords Can Influence Modern Sword Fighting - With Roland Warzecha (Dimicator)

    06/03/2025

    Ep 10: How Details in Antique Swords Can Influence Modern Sword Fighting - With Roland Warzecha (Dimicator)

    Roland Warzecha is a world-renowned expert in historical swordsmanship, with 25 years of martial arts practice under his belt. He has also been a devoted re-enactor since the 1990s. His primary focus of research is medieval sword and buckler combat as outlined in MS I.33, for which he and his fellow instructor/researcher Cornelius Berthold have developed dedicated online courses which you can find here: https://dimicator.teachable.com/p/home Roland is well-known for exploring sword and shield fighting that predates the Fechtbücher (fencing manuals), such as close combat of the Viking Age and the High Middle Ages. He regularly examines associated weaponry in collections worldwide. Find a continuously growing number of sword documentations here: https://www.patreon.com/dimicator/shop?redirect=true Supported by international scholars and museums, he has published the results of his research in scholarly journals and books and has lectured at specialist conferences. As a long-term martial artist and swordsman, he has taught sword fighting across the globe. A key element of his training curriculum is the regular practice with sharp weapons. In this episode, Roland and I dive into his study and analysis of original antique swords, discover the small details that showcase the mastery of the craft of bladesmiths from the early Middle Ages, and discuss how these learnings influence Roland's approach to practice and his understanding of combat in the past. For additional resources and to learn more about Roland’s work, visit the Dimicator website: https://dimicator.com/ While you are there, you are welcome to sign up for his newsletter. To read more and to support his work, visit his Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/Dimicator

    2h 6m
  4. Ep 9: Damaged Goodies: What Battlefield Damage to Antique Weapons Teaches Us - With James Hester

    05/29/2025

    Ep 9: Damaged Goodies: What Battlefield Damage to Antique Weapons Teaches Us - With James Hester

    Having trained with swords and other medieval arms in a stage combat context since the age of fifteen while performing in fight shows throughout the New England Renaissance Festival circuit, James Hester encountered early pioneers of Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) and began studying the works of medieval and Renaissance masters. His path then led him to academia and education, working at the Higgins Armory and other museums before journeying to England to complete an MA in Medieval Studies. He subsequently joined the Royal Armouries Museum, where he progressed over five years to become Curator of Tower Collections at the Tower of London. In 2015, James was awarded the Arms & Armour Heritage Trust Studentship to pursue a PhD focusing on late medieval martial arts at the University of Southampton, which he successfully completed in 2018. Alongside his academic pursuits, James has undertaken in-depth study and practice of diverse traditions, including Wudang Taijiquan and Internal Arts, Zen, European and Asian Philosophy, the Ars Memoriae, and meditation. These explorations have enriched his personal practice and broadened it from the pursuit of an interest into a comprehensive way of living. In this episode, James and host Gabriele Culot discuss his studies, focusing especially on his research into historical damage to antique weapons and armour, and what the signs of battles from the past can teach modern HEMA practitioners. Find James' writing and work on his Patreon:   / museumcercamon

    2h 10m
  5. Episode 8: Discovering the Unique Swords of Medieval Ireland - With Maxime Chouinard

    05/19/2025

    Episode 8: Discovering the Unique Swords of Medieval Ireland - With Maxime Chouinard

    Maxime started training HEMA and kenjutsu in 2002, and has been teaching since 2009. He now teaches sabre and Irish stick at BAHFF, in Ottawa, Canada. He has taught workshops and seminars in Canada, USA, Ireland, Mexico, France, and Norway, mainly in Antrim Bata and sabre fencing. He also publishes regular articles on his blog Hema misfits on the history and practice of martial arts and antique swords. In his daily life, Maxime works for Parks Canada, where he supervises the national collection of artifacts. He holds a BA in Archaeology from Laval University, and a Master's in Cultural Heritage from Deakin University, and is trained as a Historical Weapons Supervisor with Parks Canada. He has also worked with several other museums on sword-related projects, including the Musée de l'Armée in Paris. In today's live stream, host Gabriele Culot and Maxime discuss a topic that is part of Maxime's interest, and a little-known branch of the international sword taxonomy, and historical martial arts: Medieval Irish swords. So join us as we explore the fields of heather and get to know the Irish Kerns, and their role in the context of medieval politics and warfare.

    2h 14m
  6. Episode 7: History or Sport? The Future of HEMA, With Federico Malagutti

    05/05/2025

    Episode 7: History or Sport? The Future of HEMA, With Federico Malagutti

    Fererico Malagutti is an Italian HEMA fencer, instructor, and martial artist. With over a decade of experience in swordsmanship, with a special interest in late medieval fencing, Federico is one of the preeminent voices in modern HEMA, sharing his skills and thoughts on YouTube. In this stream, Federico discusses HEMA and history, the commonalities and differences between sword training in the past and in the present, what these mean for the future of HEMA, and a lot more with host Gabriele Culot.

    2h 14m

  7. 04/22/2025

    Episode 6: The Aesthetics of Armoured Fighting: Sparring, Duels, and the Beauty of the Fight, With Dequitem

    Dequitem is an armoured fighter who focuses on showcasing non-choreographed fights in his videos. His goal is to display historical fighting techniques in the context that most closely resembles how they would have been practiced in historical times. This leads to clashes fought at full speed and power in an effort to survive rather than score points. This approach leads to a better understanding of fighting techniques and learnings that may not be as evident in a more modern sports-like context. In addition to this focus on technique, Dequitem puts a lot of effort into the aesthetics of the background, choosing historically plausible locations and turning sparring and dueling videos into cinematic works of art. In this live stream, Dequitem discusses all these aspects with host Gabriele Culot. Make sure to follow and support Dequitem on: YouTube:  / @dequitem -Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user/membersh... -Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dequitem/?h... Website: https://www.hema-deathcorps-unicorns....

    2h 6m

  8. 04/15/2025

    Episode 5: Traditional Sword-Making in Modern-Day Italy: With Giovanni Sartori

    Giovanni Sartori is a bladesmith and swordmaker from Bassano del Grappa, in Italy. His work centers around recreating weapons that are authentic not only in terms of measurements and proportions but also in terms of materials and processes. This holistic approach to swordmaking has led to his work being displayed in several museums, including the Deutsches Klingenmuseum in Solingen. In today's chat, Giovanni discusses his approach to studying and making swords with host Gabriele Culot, and dives into the world of Medieval and early modern bladesmithing in Northern Italy. To learn more about Giovanni and his work, make sure to visit his current project, Fusina Feraro: https://www.fusinaferaro.com/

    2h 8m
  9. Episode 4: When Art and History Come Together - The Swords of Eric Estlund, of Winter Cutlery

    04/02/2025

    Episode 4: When Art and History Come Together - The Swords of Eric Estlund, of Winter Cutlery

    Eric Estlund is a custom bike maker turned swordsmith. He focuses on crafting high-end swords (and knives), basing his work on extant examples of antique swords while ensuring he also imbues his work with his own creative vision. With an educational background in art and an interest in fencing, that comes as no surprise. In today's episode of The Armoury Roundtable, Eric talks about his philosophy in swordmaking, how he approaches research, the challenges of adapting objects of the past to the modern world, and much more, with host Gabriele Culot. Make sure to check out his work at: https://www.wintercutlery.com/ And follow him on IG/ FB: @wintercutlery

    1h 43m
  10. Episode 3: Are Historical Swords and Modern Reproductions Comparable? With Julian Ronneberger and Cyrill Hamm

    04/02/2025

    Episode 3: Are Historical Swords and Modern Reproductions Comparable? With Julian Ronneberger and Cyrill Hamm

    Some sword lovers handle antiques, other handle reproductions, others use them in HEMA training and sparring. But how many have handled authentic antiques and can tell the differences between them and modern reproductions? This group of lucky people is not huge, but if we narrow our focus down to medieval and renaissance swords, the cohort shrinks further, and there are not many who can claim to have first hand experience with both worlds. Yet, this experience is incredibly important. How can modern swords be accurate reproductions of originals if the antiques are not available? And how do deviations from the antiques affect modern use? How do they impact HEMA sparring and, perhaps, our understanding of historical fencing? Can a bad reproduction have a butterfly effect that messes with our understanding of the past? In today's live stream, host Gabriele Culot asks all these questions, and more, to two of the lucky few who have the full sword experience. Julian Ronneberger is a member of the Spadone Project, conducts autonomous research, and is a HEMA trainer based in Zurich, Switzerland. Learn more about Julian's work with the Spadone Project: https://thespadoneproject.com/ Cyrill Hamm is a bladesmith and HEMA trainer, also from the Zurich area. Check out Cyrill's work here: https://www.messerschmiedehamm.ch/

    1h 54m
  11. Episode 2: Sword Measuring, Chinese Swords, and More, With Dlatrex Swords

    03/17/2025

    Episode 2: Sword Measuring, Chinese Swords, and More, With Dlatrex Swords

    In the second episode of sword-related conversations on this channel, host Gabriele Culot talks to Andy from Dlatrex Swords. Andy is a well-respected figure in the sword community and is involved in many of its aspects, from researching historical accounts of sword use to measuring sword metrics and charting them. Make sure to follow him at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkgmqo6KbzdA4jAuQlSuF3w Here are the links to the topics we mentioned in the video, at least the ones I can remember... r/swords subreddit https://www.reddit.com/r/SWORDS/ Swords Discord server https://discord.gg/DJC9paGZ Bronze Age Swords YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@BronzeAgeSwords Weapons Dynamics computer https://subcaelo.net/ensis/dynamics-computer/

    1h 51m
  12. Episode 1: Discovering giant swords with Niccolò M. Menozzi of "The Spadone Project"

    03/17/2025

    Episode 1: Discovering giant swords with Niccolò M. Menozzi of "The Spadone Project"

    Niccolò M. Menozzi is the founder and coordinator of the Spadone Project. This research endeavor aims to better understand one of the most iconic weapons of the 16th Century: The Spadone (or Montante, or Zweihander). In the past years, Niccolò and his team have been busy researching and stuying documents, iconography, and extant examples of these iconic swords, of which much is still not well known. Join the conversation between Niccolò and host Gabriele Culot, and learn more about the spadone, and about The Spadone Project.

    1h 33m
  • 12 Episodes

About

Discover the world of swords, armor, and history. In each episode, host Gabriele Culot sits down with passionate individuals from various walks of life who share a passion for swords, stories, and military history. From dedicated collectors and renowned academics to skilled HEMA practitioners and master swordsmiths, people approach swords for a variety of reasons, and in a variety of different ways. Each new episode explores one of these unique approaches. Together, we'll explore the craftsmanship, lore, and cultural significance behind weapons of the past, using them as a starting point to get a better understanding of long-gone worlds. Subscribe to Rapier's Delight on YouTube for videos about antique swords, sword maintenance, and other history topics.

Information

  • Creator
    Rapier's Delight
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    12
  • Rating
    Clean
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    The Armoury Roundtable