Weapons: The Tiger Claw
The
tiger claw is one of the most fierce hand weapons ever created for
use against an un-armored opponent. From India, its proper name is
the bagh
nakh (references to it as the wagh nakh also exist). The bagh nakh
consists of a metal bar with three to five sharp, curved blades extending
from the
base of the bar. The pinkie and forefingers slip through the rings,
allowing the wielder to grasp the bar firmly in the palm. The term
tiger claw is
appropriate because a strike from the bagh nakh closely replicates
the attack of such an animal. Small and easily concealed, the bagh
nakh has long
been a favorite weapon of assassins and thieves throughout India and
the middle east. Skill in wielding the bagh nakh comes not so much
from sword
fighting as much as it does from close-quarters, hand to hand combat
-- brawling, you might say (hint hint). While not terribly effective
against an
armored opponent, the bagh nakh is devastating against flesh and clothing-clad
opponents.