Okay, time to admit it: Not all swords need large guards to be good
I've realized how my personal bias affected my opinion of different swords, and it's time to set things straight. To someone who practices historical European swordsmanship (particularly longsword, baskethilt broadsword, and rapier) the lack of a protective crossguard or complex hilt may seem like a disadvantage. But many other martial arts systems are adapted to different types to swords and don't require hand protection.
It's a common mistake to judge weapons with different backgrounds based on one's own preferences and experiences, but we should be aware of it.
The swords shown in this video:
1.) Renaissance longsword by Michael "Tinker" Pearce
2.) Tang dao by Ronin
3.) Espada Y Daga by Traditional Filipino Weapons
4.) The Gaddhjalt by Albion
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What would win, a katana fan's mental image of a katana, or a sword made entirely of detachable pommels?
+Stealthwilde The infinitely sharp folded steel blade would cleave the pommels in twain, causing a catastrophic pommelsplosion that would end the universe (rightly).
+Poldovico But the katana can't end him rightly!
Christian Hawkins No but the pommelspolsion would.
nothing cam defeat a weeaboos mental image of a katana
well, I would want a sword that has an automatic pommel delivery system... and a magazine of pommels to go with it. And maybe a nice wooden stock to rest this mythical sword on shoulder to make it easier to deal with the recoil.
In weapons everything is a trade off. I personally practice Chinese martial arts and prefer the Jian which is double edged. But I would have to say that there is a lot more you can with a single edged blade that you can't do with a double edged blade than vice versa. Both of them give you different options, the main advantages to a single edged blade is that you can have the spine of the blade contact your body, which allows it to be used much closer, and allows the trunk of the body or the limbs to be used as a point of leverage. The difference in what this actually allows you to do with the blade compared to a double edged sword is much greater if you are comparing single hand swords than double hand swords. But the difference is there either way. Larger guards offer much better protection, but they are also a trade off for limiting the angles the wrist can be bend to and how easily the sword can move in the space around the body and limbs. It's literally impossible to use the more common types of medieval European double edged straight swords using Chinese double edged straight sword methods (whether we are talking about single handed or double handed swords and their respective methods). Trying would only result in disarming yourself or in a bruised and bloody wrist. The guards do give more protection, but they also result in certain movements, especially cuts with the false edge being comparably larger and slower in European swordsmanship. It also means that certain angles are limited or at least require a large adjustment in body positioning. But again it's a trade off, they don't have the hand protection that European swords offer which is a big thing as hands and wrists are among the most important targets in any style of fencing from any country. it's also a serious issue in a bind, especially against someone with a guard that does offer more protection, not to mention the other capabilities of striking, hooking, pushing, etc offered by anything solid which protrudes from a weapon. The thing about practicing a certain style and becoming use to it is that when trying a weapon that your style was not designed around you tend to notice the things you can't do much more than the things you can do. As someone who practices Chinese styles it's natural that when I pick up a medieval European straight sword the first thing I'm going to notice is that I can't hold it the way I'm used to because of the shape of the handle, I can't do any false edge cuts because of the guard, and even cutting with the front edge I have to change the angle of the wrist and as well as make larger adjustments in the arm and body. What I'm probably not going to notice is the extra hand protection, because I'm used to being very careful of how my hand is exposed and I have developed reflexes and strategies to prevent that as it's the first thing I expect someone to go for anyways. I'm also not going to notice how useful it is in a bind, because I've learned to avoid those, or at least avoid anything close to the tighter slower binds you see in European styles. If someone tries to bind with me I'm going to very quickly fold my arm to try to continue past their blade and prevent a direct bind. The only thing I might use would be the guard for some type of trapping or hooking of striking or leverage, simply because when you have practiced with enough weapons it becomes instinctive to use anything solid which sticks out at an angle in that manner. In short it's going to feel like an awkward weapon that is much less useful than a jian. But I'm sure this is exactly how it feels for a practitioner of European swordsmanship to try to use a jian.
Couldn't have said it better myself, bravo.
do you spar in your Chinese Sword style?
Yes, repeated drilling of the basic cuts, cutting practice against straw men or other targets, partner drills of fundamental techniques, and free sparring are the fundamentals of traditional swordsmanship from any country.
In a system where both swordsmen are so unprotected, fights would be so quick and so close that it seems likely that both will be injured.
***** Much love brother. :)
Who cares about the guards, the most important thing in a sword is the pommel
+Xorrin sometimes you throw the sword instead of the pommel
+Xorrin new meta, a sword without a blade, just two pommels.
Truth has been spoken
where do these pommel jokes come from? I think I missed something...
Gabriel Miranda A vid skal did on the use of pommels. Search "end them rightly" on Google. you should find it :P
AHH THE SMOOTH TRANSITION IN 2:35, MY EYES T_T
+VieneLea So slick! So silky :')
wew
+VieneLea I didn't even notice that.
+VieneLea it only burns slightly
+VieneLea It's probably one of those moments where he was in the middle of talking and fumbled his words.
I'm pretty sure "cross pollinate" is not a fancy term, but it sure as hell sounds photosynthesis.
i have to agree with your very chlorophyllic opinion.
3.1415.
+themonkeywarrior111 I mitochondria have to agree with him aswell.
+Jacob Butchko that is a powerhouse of an answer.
+Judicial78 11235813213455
Another thing about the Tang Dao that needs to be considered is the time period in which it was used. The Tang Dynasty was from 615-920, so a contemporary European sword would be a spatha or early Viking age sword. In this context, small guards are the norm rather than the exception. The Tang Dao is also a rather long blade for its time. Eventually, the Dao adopted the disc guard and was frequently used with a rattan shield on the battlefield or as a side arm. The Jian on the other hand, never got much of a guard, but was also never used on the battlefield. The Jian served more as a status symbol than a weapon. Dueling was never as popular in China as it was in other areas, so Jian evolution was not necessarily dictated by practicality. I know that the point of your video is not to compare these swords, and your point still applies regardless of whether or not the swords are in the same time period. I am just trying to provide a little more context for the Tang Dao.
+epic0wnag Thanks for the information.
Happy to help any way I can. Your channel is great btw.
+epic0wnag I would not say that the Jian was "never" used, as it was quite popular in the warring states period. It fell out of favor by the end of the Bronze Age as an actual combat weapon, though.
why does it look like a katana
Yes, the bronze Jian seem to have slipped my mind. thanks for the correction.
You know, that sword-and-shield technique you show is much more visually impressive than what we see in movies. I wish they'd use it more... or ever.
+Doctor Rabbit the film industry is no stranger to hiring trainers. sports movies do it all the time.
tvanliew67 Yep. There's a group in Hollywood that does nothing but train actors to play in football movies and also provides the extras on the field. It's likely there are also groups the do other sports training exclusively. It's probably also true with things like special ops and medical shows.
the basics you say? Like "stick em with the pointy end"
+Riot Alice While making sure they don't do the same to you. It's important to remember that.
often enough that is only a secondary priority.
Ah, I see you're a man of culture as well.
Wright805 well that doesn’t sound basic at all I think that’s a bit too advanced lol
"Do you know how to use that thing?" "Yes, pointy end goes into the other man."
As we can see katana can cut through nuke bunkers but does not have a pommel to end them rightly
My dog request where you get that pic...
Hypnotic !! *Starts unscrewing pommel*
do google reverse image search
Gardstyle35 *Pommel intensifies*
*unscrews pommel*
Your humbleness should be an inspiration to us all.
This is one of the many reason that this channel is so awesome! Thanks for recognizing that different martial arts have different tools and techniques. There are too many martial artist that are too stubborn to admit this.
With a double-edged sword you can't say: "Don't worry, I hit him with the blunt side of the blade."
+ZorroDood you still can with the flat ;)
The pommel jokes need to be ended rightly, I'm sorry
+Lord Satan But that would require a pommel to end the joke rightly.
+the internet pommel-ception
What if the pommel.joke has a pommel as well?
But all swords need a throwable pommel to be good.
+DICK DICKENS i'd prefer it come with explosive.
Sure it needs! End them rightly
Leon Fook I’d prefer pommels to explosives
@@leonelc29 grenade pommel
2:37 that cut..... smooth af
Admitting mistakes on camera makes you ever so more human :-) like it
Ah the basket hilt, my personal way of saying "fuck you" to any attacks aimed at my hands.
until you fall down and the opponent step on the hilt. whew, then you would get ended, not rightly, but close
If you fall down, you should be a dead man anyways, barring honorable disengage and the like. Hilt style should be an irrelevant factor.
Yeah, thanks KZhead/Google, you totally notified me of these replies!
I alwas liked Katanas. I really saw them to be the best swords around. When I started to watch your videos, this changed a bit. I still really like their appearance and style. But your videos were the first place to learn about the pros and cons of it. So i started to think it over and now, if I would have to choose a sword to use, I would prefer a western style double edged one to. That is how I would describe your videos. You always seem to be honest and we learn with each one you make a bit more, together with you. So don' worry when ou make mistakes. I think we all are willing to forgive them. :-)
+Sandra Gruber Thank you. :)
Thank you. I have found your videos to be always educational, and your attempts to remain unbiased (we all are, to some degree) laudable. Please keep making videos.
I would love to see a skalagrim and lindybeige collab anyone else.?
yes
+Carpet remnent I would probably watch that
+Carpet remnent indeed. Too bad they dont live closer to each other
+Carpet remnent They could do a skype conference
sure they are both great
You can't learn all martial arts? *unsubscribe*
TheReal Minus25 You can, it's just complete mastery over them all will be neigh impossible.
TheReal Minus25 You can't :( as much as I'd love to be the batman. It takes too much time and often not all are effective, that why the "Do" way is the way, jeet kun do is and example but there are also kung fu do and MMA is a Do style in itself. The Do way is taking the art, remove the art and let only what is effective as MMA does or if capable evolve what is no more effective to modern day efficency look at Shiaolin it's no longer effective cause it's MAIN goal is to keep manny opponents at bay with a bo staff or kill with a spear, on one on one a boxer could possibly have the upper hand cause straight hits while the monk will use "wider" hits cause his used to thr stick/spear etc . You cannot learn all, but you can learn the BEST from all! :)
Are you both really that dense not to notice I wasn't serious?
TheReal Minus25 you never know on the internet :)
Babbo Natale Bruce lee mastered a bunch
I'd just like to say I've been watching your vids for a few days now [ I've had a lot of off time.. :( ] & your a really good man. Your demeanor, attitude & willingness to admit you make mistakes. Yeah, your a stand up dude. Keep up the good work, I look forward to watching your vids in the future
Nice video, i really like the fact that you often correct yourself in a video, it is really a sign of maturity and differentiate you from the tons of " great masters of the wolrd" out there
You touched a very good point here. The shape of the blades and guards is always in sync with the style that corresponds, so there is no design that overall is more effective always. That realization is proof a mature and actually trained person who doesn't go around throwing conjectures. Good stuff.
you can't use certain techniques if you have a cross guard example - baskethilt limits the amount of give in your wrist and it's harder to rotate your sword chinese martial arts - much more spinning etc, cross guard gets in your way japanese martial arts - iaido quick draw, cross guard gets in your way
I prefer having a guard. I have had training in sword fighting with weapons with and without a guard and I found there were nevertheless some advantages to using a weapon without a large guard. If you are wearing certain types of period armor with a lot things sticking out and hanging off of it such as shoulder armor and rope ties then there is some chance that a large guard could catch on something. When using longsword style this would rarely be an issue but with some other styles it could be an issue. There is for example a draw move in Japanese sword fighting where the blade is held very close to the body. The sword is drawn straight up so that it is pointed straight down and protecting the head and torso. When drawing your hand nearly touches and slides along your torso. This move has the advantage of providing very quick protection even before the sword is fully drawn and can then transition to a downward strike after the draw. Since large emphasis was placed on using and defending against sudden draw and strikes this was a common move. It is possible to do this move while having a large guard but the guard could have the potential to get in the way. That is just one example of how the different style of fighting may have caused some resistance to adopting larger guards despite the obvious potential benefits. It wasn't that they were ignorant of the benefit of more hand protection. They just made compromises that fit best with their sword fighting styles.
I love watching these videos. I get so much information for my writing and other hobbies
And that's why I like channels like this. Nothing wrong to change your mind under the light of new information or after think better about the subject in question. Great vid as always Skallagrim.
Skall -my thoughts here: My problem with this Western vs Eastern nonsense (for that is what it is) is one thing which has not to my knowledge been raised by the HEMA or Eskrima/Kenjutsu communities: Precious few people these days practice swordsmanship. Therefore is it not logical that those who do train in swordsmanship (of any kind) should celebrate and learn from one anothers styles? Imagine you and I lived in a country where 99% of the population hated boats. Imagine that we were both maritime enthusiasts, but I owned a fine sailboat and you owned a fancy motorboat. Do we not have something to celebrate and talk about as friends rather than decry one anothers choice of aquatic transportation? There was a fellow on youtube posted a video examining the merits of both Japanese and Western swordsmanship. He was a likeable, polite fellow and came to a logical conclusion that BOTH katana and longsword had their merits and that he loved both. The poor fellow had a litany of hate comments from both sides. I think people just need to grow up and stop being such trolls
who's that poor fellow?
Yeah, I wanna know too.
Katan is simply made from shittest steel, nothing wrong with desing themself rly, if you take same type of sword as katana from europe/arab/russia(upper asia) nobody say a word ;P Also just shit ton of people very like the japan. End.. well i can say that in Poland we have almost mystical szabla(eng. sabre ) nobody rly know how to use them becouse there is no manuals rly. But people there think it's one of best if not best. So i guess germans see longsword as best. For japanese people end ones that like japan katana is best... but well there is just so much more people that love japan so there is more poeople saying how katana is superior even that it literally bend when hit enything hard becouse of the japan steel quality.
lmao I'm curious, who's this fellow?
best part of a katana was it bent instead of shattering, so the poor quality steel they had was used to make swords that could be safely damaged in combat without needing to be replaced afterwords (east or west, replacing a sword made by a master smith was not easy or cheap)
Those pommel jokes ended me rightly. Nice video, Skall, it takes guts to admit you've changed your opinion.
The dao is inferior to the longsword because there is no pommel to unscrew and throw at your enemy. How the hell are you supposed to end him rightly?
Your arrogant
+Kyle Perry thank you I am aware I just get lazy typing.
now end him rightly
+Kyle Perry either is okay.
"The opponent strikes, I parry, I use the small window of time to un-screw my pommel, Backstep away, and then I throw my pommel at him. I end him rightly.
I just want to say that I love your videos, they are very informative and entertaining. And some of the things you've explained have been very helpful to me because I've been working in a fantasy story, and your videos have helped me make the design of some of the swords somewhat plausible. Still impractical to real people, but more plausible for characters who are stronger than any human could possibly be and can resist the forces of inertia involved in swinging huge swords. And once again, I am a big fan of your videos and find them very informative and entertaining.
This is why I like this channel. To me, your reviews and opinions always came off as more of a preference, often based on experience, than some elitist "this is better because I like it" attitude.
Finally! :D. Whenever you complained about guards (or even single edged Katanas) I always thought to myself "THEY USE DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES! They have different requirements for their use!". Glad you've seen the light.
+StoreBrand but having two edges and a guard to allow you to be significantly more versatile. This remains true.
+Valar Morghulis not a weaboo, tho I am asian, well CHinese not japanese sooooooo. Overhyped? yaaas, tho only by people who don't know crap about martial arts. ( usually) overpriced? not at all,It just so happens that the pricy ones are always the ones that are made 100% by hand
Samurais often talk about honor and shit while they're using swords that can't even end an opponent rightly
Cheung Leo of course, now try my new design. the " katana with removable pommel " only $420,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 to end your opponent rightly.
+Valar Morghulis dude, you cant say that DA GLORIOUS NIPPON STEAL is overhyped and overpriced in the internet and then ask to not start a battle.
Love your vids. I've always been a a katana guy, but now you make me want a longsword.
I love the cuts you made. The video editing is nice too.
I've watched at least 50 of your videos over the last few weeks and just now realized I'm not subscribed! I shall correct this now good sir, keep up the awesome videos :D
Incredibly smooth transition at 2:30 nice work 👍🏻
Congrats! 2:35 has got to be the most flawless jump cut edit I have ever seen on KZhead. The audio splice - perfect!
Great insight and humility Skall. Love all of your discussions and you candor about your biases. You may have seen a recent Matt Easton video where he discussed finding a codex for using the (guard less) Russian Sabre, the Shashka and how it was remarkable to see that even without a knucklebow or gothic hilt, apparently the users could use the blade much like any other Sabre. It is amazing the variety of possible designs and techniques for something as "simple" as swordsmanship :)
For single edged swords you can also grab the spine and reinforce a parry without risking cutting yourself :)
Long story short each weapon is designed for certain style and purposes and fulfill those pretty well
Thank you for this video and your new swords look amazing :).
Good man, well said. Something I think has been on many people's minds within the sword community for a while now and you summed it up perfectly. Nice Katana btw. Respect
You ask what you can do with a single edged sword that you can't do with a double edged sword. Just by the examples you show here, you could cut through the barrel of a tank with the single edged sword.
...what?
+k2eclipse Exactly. The Katana is the only sword that can do that.
you see this internet, this is a person being reasonable, learn and apply this lesson maybe? xD pfft, can hope i guess
+timothy1247 Lol, no you can't. There's no hope for the internet.
hey we are here on it, that's a start i like to think
Thanks for making this video. It shows you are a humble person who admits mistakes, is logical and learns. I didn't like the way you were biased before in thinking all swords had to have big guards, but this video shows you've gone past that. I'll stay subscribed. Keep up those Chinese sword reviews, I always try to learn more of my own culture and I like how much you've done to promote it. I hope you get a chance to learn some Chinese martial arts to better understand and explain how Chinese weapons work in the future. Great video.
That philippino sword is so beautiful! One of the most simply elegant I've seen in your collection
Like one of my engineering professors said long long ago, Function defines Form, Form follows Function.
2:36 That transition was pretty nifty!
+Lorenzo Benito Right? I never would have noticed if I were not paying close attention.
I appreciate your in depth opinions/facts Keep up the good work good sir
Hi I watch you for some time now and I wanted to say you do a great job keeo an making such great and Informativ Videos . Btw greatings from Bavaria ^^.
Skall: Do swords need large guards? Me: No, but they do need a pommel **Starts unscrewing pommel**
We all think our opinions to be factual at some point, what counts is that you saw your mistake. Well done.
That editing cut around 2:43 ish was really nice. The almost seamless delivery is really impressive too, the way the sentence flowed even though you clearly used two different clips.
+Kayson Oleen It was the same clip, he just learned how to teleport, that is all.
I like how humble and modest Skal is, he doesn't act like he knows it all or tries to tell us what way is the right way and the only way. I love his ramble videos, keep it up mate!^^
Small, have come across a bizarre sword that you like? What I mean by bizarre is looks only. Functionally adequate, but one that looks unique.
Skall* Sorry
Smallergrim
+Haku the mini Skallagrim
+King Reshiram II sorry accidentally reported you, trying to like comment 😳
it's fine. np
2:36 (people)-HOW!?! (Skall)- "Magic" xD
+nishi ran dat edit... beautiful
^^-) haha
+Anthony Ridgway Its not just edit - the pacing, the voice tone etc. - that was just masterfully done both during record and in edit :3
Editing can encompass all of those things. But yeah, his voice control is impressive, coming from someone who makes a living by talking for a living.
It takes a very mature person to admit that he or she was bias, a very rare trait these days, unfortunately. I'm very proud of you for posting this video, and I enjoy watching your videos and seeing you grow as a person and as a KZheadr. Don't ever think that not knowing how to do something is a flaw or a failure, it isn't by any means. It just means you have more room to grow! I love your videos, both the serious and the silly. Please keep doing what you do!
nice flow of videos skall we love it
Swords without pommels are clearly inferior.
+Stephen Richards Not true. While you're unscrewing your pommel to end him rightly, he's just used the shockwave from his katana to cut a mountain in half.
+Clones694 pls. Ever true swordsman knows that the one true weakness of the katana, is the almighty pommel, blessed by the lightning of Thor himself.
You sir win an internet!
No Sword is inferior to another, it's just The technician The Swordsman who is superior or inferior with his fighting style, because you have a long sword doesn't mean you will win the fight for your life. Sas P.
@@mustafahgabrial96 whoosh
Actually, Skallagrim, binding is a technique very commonly used in Kendo (The japanese sword-based martial art). The way they do it is simply either with only the tips crossing or pressing up very close to the opponent with your blade basically vertical (slightly slanted to make contact with the opponent's blade) to restrict the movement of the opponent and have the opportunity to "shove" him backwards for a retreating cut. No criticism, like the video, but just letting you know :D
+Rafael Hoek Kendo is more of a sport than martial art...
Grim Reaper bro... I don't know how to say this, but you're just plain wrong on that. They're not mutually exclusive and Kendo practices a fighting style, hence it is a martial art...
***** A martial art where only some parts of the body are considered as valid hits. Yup. Seems legit.
"various sports, which originated chiefly in Japan, Korea, and China as forms of self-defence or attack, such as judo, karate, and kendo." According to google, "Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practices, which are practiced for a variety of reasons: as self-defense, military and law enforcement applications; as competition, physical fitness, mental and spiritual development; as well as entertainment and the preservation of a nation's intangible cultural heritage." according to wikipedia. U wot fam. I'm not trying to start an argument, but just refusing to accept simple known fact isn't the way to go. That's like saying Psychology isn't a science, like, I can't tell you in any other way except, IT IS. STOP COMPLAINING. I've practised several martial arts including Judo, Karate, and KENDO. Just stop trying to argue against it.
***** By that definition fencing is also a martial art, even though it clearly isn't. If you want to learn a true martial art then go do it somewhere where it is realistic not limited by some fantasy no reason bullcrap laws like "hits at the side of the torso don't count". Because fuck reason that's why.
I'm glad you posted this. I am a Filipino Martial Artist, and you have the gist of their fighting style. We are indeed geared towards up close tactics, and not the use of a guard. We also tend towards double weapons, such as espada y daga or two short swords with no shield use. I think it's important for folks to understand that weapons are designed by the style and there are no one size fits all designs. Good show.
Skallagrim, I've watched a lot of your videos and I liked some of them however I could not bring myself to sub your channel because of as you put it your personal bias and how it defines your opinion on the swords you introduce in your videos. This video however deserves not only a like but a subscription to your channel. Keep up the good work mate.
skall my darling , I understand your channel is for anything you desire and I will watch regardless because your opinions are of interest always , but if you don't test some swords by hitting them against wood soon I will be forced to poo in my hand and smear it on a church .
...
+conner taylor ...
+conner taylor ...
+conner taylor ...
+William Stanway Feel free to do that anytime.
Was waiting for this video. There are many swords with no guard because the usage of the sword does not require a guard. Or having a guard, or a large guard, just hinders its intended usage. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't yelling at my monitor, or being absolutely outraged, but it was a personal problem I had with your videos in you kinda dismissing swords for not having guards, so it's nice to see this video.
Good job man. I must say, I am impressed that you're objective about this.
I'm so glad you made this video! I've loved your stuff for a few years now but one thing that's always bothered me was how quick you were to dismiss other forms of swords and martial arts. They wouldn't exist if they weren't effective at doing what they were made to do, because if they weren't everyone using them died. I'm one hundred and ten percent cool with you having a certain preference to weapons and combat styles, I'm just really happy to see this video explaining the very simple fact that not a lot of people seem to understand of "different, does not equal bad." Awesome video, and even though I'm not an eastern sword lover myself, I greatly appreciate it Skall!
I don't buy the "you don't need a guard if you have a shield" argument. Sure it's not as essential but the moves where you use the guard to control your opponent's weapon still require a guard. If I'm fighting multiple opponents I'd want to be able to use the sheild to block one while engaging the other. Leaving my side open to guard my hand doesn't sound like something I'd like to do all the time.
+Michael Price However, that does explain why most Roman and Greek swords have small or no guards since they were trained to fight with a shield
Michael Price That is the most asinine argument I've ever heard for anything. I can hold a Roman Gladius in one hand, and a Xiphos in the other, to my knowledge neither have guards, people fought without a guard or shield.
A sword is a Tool,A tool for killing that is,But a tool all the same.There is no Ultimate sword that beat everything.Anybody that thinks there is a Ultimate sword is a fool.
Excalibur
+blackice7317 Try to watch Soul Eater and you'll realise your mistake...
+LEE BENNETT Well nowadays most swords aren't tools for killing. Unless you're part of PETWB (People for the Ethical Treatment of Water Bottles) I do agree that there is no best sword, but I just want to put that out there.
+LEE BENNETT Agreed, it's like looking for "The Ultimate Screwdriver". Well, that may be a bad example, The Doctor has the ultimate screwdirver, er, sonic screwdriver.
involuntaryanalysis It doesn't do wood.
Oh man! You say what you like and it appears in your hands! Amazing
Glad to see you are healing well
Hey Skall, which longsword manual would you recommend to a beginner without access to HEMA clubs?
a guard is useless against a katana as it just cut straight though it
Lol you can't be serious
Katanas are sharp as hell, but not that much.
Christoph Vogel a non believer!! this is a Shamefur Dispray
+M Bender Because what are jokes, amirite?
+Weasel Guts you never know with people on this channel haha
I've seen this before, but it is still an excellent video. It's important to realize where your knowledge falls off and I know that I, for one, have trouble with that.
Yay nice to see you noticed it xD I'm trying to learn basics (as in, just see the kind of style) of as many different martial arts/styles as possible, so sometimes when you were saying stuff about guards, edges etc I was like "nuu, that's not how you're supposed to use that kind of sword anyway" ^-^
I know he says that non-Euro. styles don't hold any particular interest to him, but I would be very interested if someone could show him some basics of Chinese or Japanese styles (for instance) and show him in person how and why the swords and styles are the way the are; I'd watch that video lol P.S. another for instance: how the tsuba and blades are used to parry on katana and similar weapons, in reference to my "how the swords and styles are the way the are" comment have a good every one
Liking double edged swords is a bit of a double edged sword.
+Jack Stanek Still better than licking a double edged sword
You could lick the flat side, but licking the edge would definitely be, uh, edgier.
Those edgy people should try it. Then at least they wouldn't be as anoying about how edgy they are.
very nice video! I was more interested in the reasons behind some swords have less hand protection than others so I would love to see videos like that in the future. Like differences between European and Asian swords and the reasons behind those differences and stuff like that.
Good job Skallagrim. One of the hardest things to do on the Internet, is to own up to one's error. I think it was rather noble of you to do so. I , certainly admire you for it and so do your fans...hopefully.
I'm from a martial arts system that doesn't need guards. I'm trained in the kali system (south east asian). Which specializes in various knives including the infamous karambit. All of those are relatively small bladed weapons with no guard whatsoever. The system can and is applied to machetes and axes. It's a very different fighting style compared to HEMA. HEMA practitioners tend to keep the enemy at a distance whilst Kali practitioners go to the inside usually. No guard needed. And a small guy who is a master with two karambit will kill any unarmored person.
ow, hello neighbour. is it pakistan or india, the kali martial arts?
Nurlinda F Sihotang Filipino
Joonha Shcal thanks, i'll looked up for more.
you would have to rush in past the blade, which is generally suicidal, but he never said he'd beat a longsword, just that his martial art didn't require a guard. (the need for a guard didn't develop in that art)
And karambit isnt used like other blade, it combined with matrial arts like pencak silat in indonesia. The silat practicioner is nimble and quick. They tend to did stunt movement that required short weapon to do so. After all weapon work with its own technique
What I feel people need to realize is the historical weapons and martial arts techniques is that they were often made to counteract specific weapons and techniques as well. Which is why a (for example) Samurai and a Knight fighting in real life would be a whole lot more awkward than most people may believe, as neither side would hardly have had the equipment or training to fight their opponent and their method of fighting.
However an interesting though is that the Knight would likely hack down a samurai simply because european style is a lot... heavier? I know mostly european (I know eastern styles as well but they are actually unarmed and only enough for practical self defense), and an acquaintance of mine, who studies some eastern style or another with a name I will not attempt to pronounce or spell, tried to see how we went up together. It became very apparent that when I connected I was a lot more brutal about it as goes my training (I was using a longsword), but connected less frequently, though I also had the advantage of being more apt at parrying and most , even the amount of armour I wore was just so much more (we both got in full armour for our little experiment to see how it changed the way the blows fell), and many of the cuts were at angles that were glancing off my armour, while mine tended to batter, but still failed to cut effectively against his. Most of what I did was beat and bruise, something that surprised me. I took far less of a bruise simply because I was able to parry more often due to practice, and yes the guard. After we were done a very staged fight to compare different strikes with each others style it basically came down to european would likely succeed against the eastern style, but it would be a messy and sloppy victory and would probably not be a sure thing. We debated over this for hours, and we really did say "just under 6 out of 10 times the knight would win, but he probably won't be in fighting shape after" Now if I was to choose a European weapon style to take on a Katana or similar blade... I would go crude and select a hammer. I am more confident that they would win through good ol' "FUCK YOU GET SMASHED!" which just feels it would be more effective in the type of armour worn. European style just doesn't cut well against eastern armours, and as a result it is best to rely on a hammer or mace. Without any knowledge of how to properly combat their martial arts and style, which would require me to first examine my own knowledge and eastern technique, then compare them and find what I do that is effective and what I do that is not, then design new techniques specifically based around my weapon choice to respond to their way of fighting. Since all that would take decades to get right for a proper battle scenario, yeah I would rely on a hammer.
it seriously depends on the scenario the katana has a small hand guard for the sake of iaido where you draw extremely quickly it would come down to armor being worn and like if both have drawn their weapons already etc. also it wouldn't be a fair comparison either since samurai, while society has levitated them to being katana wielding gods that can cut through everything were really more known as horse archers with the katana being a secondary weapon that's also one of the main reasons samurai don't use shields they can't exactly fire a bow and arrow if they have a shield strapped to their arm, nor do they really have room to strap it to their back if they already have a quiver on it
madhatten00 Very true. There is also the fact that the Japanese KNEW that their iron quality was rather poor, they didn't want to have to test it if they didn't need to. Often a katana was worn by a samurai even when off the battlefield as a protective weapon the same way we use handguns today. We don't fight a war with a pistol anymore than a samurai fought a war with his katana, it was a side arm, not a weapon of war. While they could draw and strike in one movement, which showed their skill, it also revealed their doctrine of the "single perfect strike", and it was something they weren't excellent with handling if it failed to work out that way, something Europe never really had as Europe had a lot of armour, made from much better quality iron, as they had more to use.
In a "Sudden WTF" encounter a 13th Century Samurai and a 13th Century knight would spend a while to watch the other. The knight sees the lesser armoured parts of the arms and legs, but he also sees the substantial shoulder guards and either the bow or the yari and knows he doesn't want to make a mistake and get shot or stabbed. The Samurai sees the padding on the joints, but he also sees the mail and plate elements, and knows he can't cut those, the knight may have a shield, so those lines are closed. Both protect their torsos, so direct strikes are right out. The Samurai doesn't know about crossguard strikes, and the Knight doesn't know about iadou quick draw. Their are inherent advantages and drawbacks that trained soldiers would recognize, regardless of their origin.
That whole engineering aspect is one of the coolest things about swords, I think. Everything about their design is meant to solve a particular problem, so as the problems change, the designs change.
i really appreciate that you try to be open minded as much as possible
But a removable pommel is necessary; thus it can be thrown.
indeed
It provideth thee a mighty advantage over thine nemesis
Could you please make a review of Jagdkommando knife? It has become pretty popular on the internet. Very unique shape.
+KiNGxKiLLER93 corrected
+Udrakan Morturim There really is nothing to it. It's an ice pick. A $300 ice pick at that. Except an ice is usually made out of better steel. Plus it screws into the holster. That means if you're carrying for self-defense you will need to ask your attacker to kindly wait while you unscrew the weapon so you can defend yourself.
+CaiusTheShadow And that's amazing! You now can unscrew the whole weapon to end him rightly!
Giacomo Meluzzi You make a very good point! I am ordering this weapon now!
CaiusTheShadow This is the ULTIMATE WEAPON
I find it more useful to talk about things in terms of tradeoffs. Single-edged swords have some advantages in terms of blade geometry and being able to safely press against the back. Wanting to more quickly draw a sword, have a more tip-heavy weapon, have a sword that's easier to carry around, have thicker hand protection where you do have it, or take advantage of certain specialist hilts (think of the viking sword or the tulwar) could be reasons to choose a more minimal hilt. This perspective helps explain why some swords choose a more minimal hilt while still allowing meaningful discussion about the design of a hilt. (one that's often vary telling of how it was used and in what contexts...we don't always have manuals to go on afterall) Think of it like a sword being able to thrust well. It can be of varying importance, but "what does this design get in exchange?" is a better question than "does this sword need to thrust?"
I very much appreciate that you are not only self-percipient enough to understand your own biases, but are also willing to admit their limitations to others. I find it discouraging and tiresome when people wield their opinions as "the end all", as tends to be the norm. Great video Skall.
Alright, that's it. In the future, I might find you or your instructors and a bunch of other HEMA/AHF/wushu practitioners and hire you people to choreograph some fight scenes for a movie to make them kind of realistic for a fucking change.
You can hear this fallacy all the time, not only in HEMA. As kids back in the day we used to run around in the woods, playing soldiers and stuff. In our minds we had this hirarchy: Handguns are weak, rifles are stronger, machine guns are even more strong and rocket launchers or miniguns are the best in every situation. We had no idea that these things, while arguably beeing better at destroying stuff, came at a higher cost, be it a higher price, higher weight, bigger size, and so on. Any of these choices has its own strengths and weaknesses that makes it the best in a certain situation.
nukes work best in every situation?
Stephen Romero #1 choice for everyday carry
Very positive step in the right direction. Mature video and as always, great content.
Honesty is appreciated dude.
I've always wondered why you chose a bear for the channel logo.
Bear with it.
2:35 what devilry is this?
Did he just pull that out of his inventory?
Jose S you don't say? tell me more of this "edit" sorcery
Quick switch button mostly bind to q on the keyboard.
+Jose S I prefer the idea that Skalla has an inventory from which he can pull swords out of at will xD
matif1606 FF15 style.
Very humble of you good sir, to admit one's shortcomings is to further oneself as a decent human being! Having said that, there's really no need to appear so embarassed, shy even, be proud to deepen your respect for other cultures and broaden your perspective of the world! Kind regards!
That longsword is damn adorable. I love it. I LOVE IT SO MUCH! There are moments when I regret starting 1380-1420. I cannot get the best looking armour or the best looking weapons.
I like big guards and I cannot lie!
What I think would be most enlightening is if you told us how you came to this moment of clarity? Were you perhaps training with non-HEMA people for a day?
+TheSilence1 It was more of a gradual process.
+Skallagrim Well I'm glad. I know that this new way of seeing will make you a better martial artist.
+Skallagrim Think of all the ways to say thank you because that's what I'm doing right now for continuing to enlighten me (and hopefully others as well) on my favorite weapon. Thank you for doing what you do Skallgram. I hope you prosper :)
This video is the exact reason why I enjoy the videos Skall develops; It's nice to see somebody with a level head these days.
I love the woosh noises your mic pics up to make it sound that much more dynamic.