What would win, a katana fan's mental image of a katana, or a sword made entirely of detachable pommels?

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.

Who cares about the guards, the most important thing in a sword is the pommel

I'm pretty sure "cross pollinate" is not a fancy term, but it sure as hell sounds photosynthesis.

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.

AHH THE SMOOTH TRANSITION IN 2:35, MY EYES T_T

the basics you say? Like "stick em with the pointy end"

As we can see katana can cut through nuke bunkers but does not have a pommel to end them rightly

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.

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."

I would love to see a skalagrim and lindybeige collab anyone else.?

2:37 that cut..... smooth af

The pommel jokes need to be ended rightly, I'm sorry

But all swords need a throwable pommel to be good.

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?

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.

You can't learn all martial arts? *unsubscribe*

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. :-)

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

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.

Those pommel jokes ended me rightly. Nice video, Skall, it takes guts to admit you've changed your opinion.

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.

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

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 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.

Long story short each weapon is designed for certain style and purposes and fulfill those pretty well

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

For single edged swords you can also grab the spine and reinforce a parry without risking cutting yourself :)

That philippino sword is so beautiful! One of the most simply elegant I've seen in your collection

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

Swords without pommels are clearly inferior.

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.

I love watching these videos. I get so much information for my writing and other hobbies

2:36 That transition was pretty nifty!

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.

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 KZfaqr. 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!

Congrats! 2:35 has got to be the most flawless jump cut edit I have ever seen on KZfaq. The audio splice - perfect!

Like one of my engineering professors said long long ago, Function defines Form, Form follows Function.

Incredibly smooth transition at 2:30 nice work 👍🏻

i really appreciate that you try to be open minded as much as possible

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!^^

We all think our opinions to be factual at some point, what counts is that you saw your mistake. Well done.

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

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.

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.

you see this internet, this is a person being reasonable, learn and apply this lesson maybe? xD pfft, can hope i guess

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.

I love the cuts you made. The video editing is nice too.

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 :)

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.

a guard is useless against a katana as it just cut straight though it

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.

Love your vids. I've always been a a katana guy, but now you make me want a longsword.

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.

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

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!

nice flow of videos skall we love it

2:36 (people)-HOW!?! (Skall)- "Magic" xD

Hey Skall, which longsword manual would you recommend to a beginner without access to HEMA clubs?

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.

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

But a removable pommel is necessary; thus it can be thrown.

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.

Glad to see you are healing well

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.

Liking double edged swords is a bit of a double edged sword.

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 .

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.

The sound of these swords rushing past the mic, makes for awesome sound effects.

Skall: Do swords need large guards? Me: No, but they do need a pommel **Starts unscrewing pommel**

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Thank you for this video and your new swords look amazing :).

Could you please make a review of Jagdkommando knife? It has become pretty popular on the internet. Very unique shape.

I've always wondered why you chose a bear for the channel logo.

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.

Honesty is appreciated dude.

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.

2:35 what devilry is this?

I appreciate your in depth opinions/facts Keep up the good work good sir

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?"

Did Anybody else wince at 2:25? For a second I thought he was getting a bit to close to his own head...

I like big guards and I cannot lie!

An "I admit" video speaks highly of you and of the quality level you've always brought to us :) Just wondering, does that particular longsword guard have a name? Such a design, no matter its simplicity, is hard not to stare at! Cheers!

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.

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.

1, im really truing to contact you skall. i need the measurments on a sword i want to make for you 2, single edged sword can be thicker and stronger

Very positive step in the right direction. Mature video and as always, great content.

I love the woosh noises your mic pics up to make it sound that much more dynamic.

Well, single-edged swords are kind of a double-edged sword.

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.

Skallagrim, I don't know if you're gonna read this... Just wanted to say that you earned a huge amount of respect from me because of this video. Not because of the subject of the video itself (I don't even have an opinion on the matter, seing that I can barely wield tableware), just that it is EXTREMELY rare to see someone being self critical, in any type of subject. It is even rarer to see someone being humble enough to admit bias from their part, and actually going back and try to see things from other perspective. From a more impersonal perspective. Seriously, lots of respect to you for doing this.

Oh man! You say what you like and it appears in your hands! Amazing