Dr Kat, I both love and enjoy the breadth of your curiosity and knowledge. It's so interesting, entertaining and educational. Thankyou most sincerely xx
People are commenting on how foolish it is to expect someone to be afraid of a 1 1/2" blade. Please remember that terrorists took down an airliner with box cutters. I'm curious, however, about a Belgian designing a weapon and calling it an "Apache". Were American dime novels about the Wild West being translated into foreign languages? The Apaches did have a reputation in the US, but I was surprised about it's being transported to Europe.
I've never heard of this weapon. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. The world of the past is far more fascinating than any of us non-historians can imagine.
I would agree that this is a very poor firearm. With regard to the knife and revolver, I would suggest that the gun could be have been discharged in conjuction with the action of stabbing. This would remove any need to aim the gun. The point blank discharge of the weapon into a victims chest, or back may have increased its lethality when added with being stabbed simultaneously. Research has shown that most civilian and law enforcement shootings end within the firing of three shots. The idea is to force a disengagement, not necessarily to cause a fatal outcome. I contend this weapon was designed with self defence in mind for the civilian market. Dr Kat, can I just say how much I enjoy your channel. Your lecture style is extremely fluid and professional. It is refreshing to see academic content that is both engaging and informative. This is an amazing way to bring history to a generation of people who have lost the ability to read. We live in a visual and virtual word where people need to hear and see. Three years ago, I got evolved with living history. This is an area of history many academics scorn. One of my areas of study is the early modern period, but the American Civil War and Gen. Robert E. Lee is my guilty pleasure. I read hundreds of accounts about the noise and smell of battle, but it was not until I fired a real cannon and musket that I could appreciate what the noise of sixty cannons, or one hundred muskets may have sounded like like, the amount of smoke, the smell of gun powder and sheer force of the weapons. I have delivered a number of ACW lectures where I allow the audience to handle the uniforms and equipment of ACW soldiers. This gives people the opportunity to ask questions and affords me an opening to engage with the public about c19 medical practices, personal hygiene, diet, what it was like to wear the uniforms and fight during the ACW. For a social historian like me this is an absolute joy. I am passionate about history and I would love others to experience the joy learning about the past too. You are using TH-cam to share academic, university standard lectures with the general public and I think this is amazing. Thanks for all your hard work and please keep your content coming.
From Emile Andre's "L'art de se defendre dan la rue avec et sans armes" (?1898, certainly by 1904) "The use of a revolver, the “joker” as it is styled in slang, is not beyond the custom of Apache gang members. Fortunately these gentlemen generally carry cheap firearms which lack accuracy, and which misfire when brought to bear. Felix culpa! This is to be welcomed because it pricks their conscience (in a manner of speaking, evidently!) and are thus less likely to commit murder than the news states or even come close the levels the news claims, where we always appear to live on the brink of widowhood. Though during the brawls between gangs which occur in the course of their various activities, which is often when they turn their “jokers” on their colleagues, they have double the interest in having inaccurate weapons so as not to kill each other..." (Translation mine- remainder here: hitandnotbehit.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/selfdefence_andre_ptc11.pdf)
Very interesting, but I wonder how the term Apache came to apply to a French street gang... Actually, I'd be interested in a video on period street gangs in general.
The weapon in question seems to be a less than effective descendant of an earlier device, a short sword with a concealed one-shot pistol at its hilt. The blade is of similar design, a so-called Flamberg, which wavy shape is meant to increase the cutting surface and to cause maximum damage when used for stabbing.
I think if someone came up to me with that contraption I would laugh. 1 1/2” length blade to its knife. I guess if they were a surgeon, but it’s not that sharp.
Being familiar with weapons I must say I would not be alarmed by this one. Just looking at it would assure me I was in no immediate danger, and its wielder wasn't much of a threat either..
The gang that is credited with creating the weapon was compared to the 'savagery' of the Apache tribe as it was seen from the 19th century viewpoint by the media and adopted it as their own
Dr Kat, I both love and enjoy the breadth of your curiosity and knowledge. It's so interesting, entertaining and educational. Thankyou most sincerely xx
People are commenting on how foolish it is to expect someone to be afraid of a 1 1/2" blade. Please remember that terrorists took down an airliner with box cutters. I'm curious, however, about a Belgian designing a weapon and calling it an "Apache". Were American dime novels about the Wild West being translated into foreign languages? The Apaches did have a reputation in the US, but I was surprised about it's being transported to Europe.
Oh my... It looks so very steampunk, doesn't it? Like something from the old "Wild Wild West" TV show (or from the movie).
Thanks for educating me. I had never heard of this
I've never heard of this weapon. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. The world of the past is far more fascinating than any of us non-historians can imagine.
As always, fabulous.
I would agree that this is a very poor firearm. With regard to the knife and revolver, I would suggest that the gun could be have been discharged in conjuction with the action of stabbing. This would remove any need to aim the gun. The point blank discharge of the weapon into a victims chest, or back may have increased its lethality when added with being stabbed simultaneously. Research has shown that most civilian and law enforcement shootings end within the firing of three shots. The idea is to force a disengagement, not necessarily to cause a fatal outcome. I contend this weapon was designed with self defence in mind for the civilian market.
Dr Kat, can I just say how much I enjoy your channel. Your lecture style is extremely fluid and professional. It is refreshing to see academic content that is both engaging and informative. This is an amazing way to bring history to a generation of people who have lost the ability to read. We live in a visual and virtual word where people need to hear and see. Three years ago, I got evolved with living history. This is an area of history many academics scorn. One of my areas of study is the early modern period, but the American Civil War and Gen. Robert E. Lee is my guilty pleasure. I read hundreds of accounts about the noise and smell of battle, but it was not until I fired a real cannon and musket that I could appreciate what the noise of sixty cannons, or one hundred muskets may have sounded like like, the amount of smoke, the smell of gun powder and sheer force of the weapons. I have delivered a number of ACW lectures where I allow the audience to handle the uniforms and equipment of ACW soldiers. This gives people the opportunity to ask questions and affords me an opening to engage with the public about c19 medical practices, personal hygiene, diet, what it was like to wear the uniforms and fight during the ACW. For a social historian like me this is an absolute joy. I am passionate about history and I would love others to experience the joy learning about the past too. You are using TH-cam to share academic, university standard lectures with the general public and I think this is amazing.
Thanks for all your hard work and please keep your content coming.
Id like to see a video on Sheffield and the history of knife making,Thank you for all you do!
Thanks. En su época. Un arma maravillosa
From Emile Andre's "L'art de se defendre dan la rue avec et sans armes" (?1898, certainly by 1904)
"The use of a revolver, the “joker” as it is styled in slang, is not beyond the
custom of Apache gang members.
Fortunately these gentlemen generally carry cheap firearms which lack accuracy, and which misfire when brought to bear. Felix culpa! This is to be welcomed because it pricks their conscience (in a manner of speaking, evidently!) and are thus less likely to commit murder than the news states or even come close the levels the news claims, where we always appear to live on the brink of widowhood.
Though during the brawls between gangs which occur in the course of their various activities, which is often when they turn their “jokers” on their colleagues, they have double the interest in having inaccurate weapons so as not to kill each other..."
(Translation mine- remainder here: hitandnotbehit.files.wordpress.com/2017/09/selfdefence_andre_ptc11.pdf)
Very interesting, but I wonder how the term Apache came to apply to a French street gang... Actually, I'd be interested in a video on period street gangs in general.
Many Peoples liked Red Indians .
The weapon in question seems to be a less than effective descendant of an earlier device, a short sword with a concealed one-shot pistol at its hilt. The blade is of similar design, a so-called Flamberg, which wavy shape is meant to increase the cutting surface and to cause maximum damage when used for stabbing.
For some reason, this makes me wonder if the term Vatican Cameos was ever really used. If so, can we trace the origin?
I think if someone came up to me with that contraption I would laugh. 1 1/2” length blade to its knife. I guess if they were a surgeon, but it’s not that sharp.
Being familiar with weapons I must say I would not be alarmed by this one. Just looking
at it would assure me I was in no immediate danger, and its wielder wasn't much of a threat either..
Maybe no Firearm should be underestimated .
wonder how many people were accidentally shot with this?
Why does it have this name? Why "Apache?"
The gang that is credited with creating the weapon was compared to the 'savagery' of the Apache tribe as it was seen from the 19th century viewpoint by the media and adopted it as their own