Japanese Katana

[co05]

Great sword or greatest sword?

http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=-6612021191683153558&hl=en

What do you guys think? I don't know too much about bladed weapons so I was wondering if you guys would shed some light on this.

 

[bbson john]

It is the greatest sword. It can cut bullets apart. Western swords are no match owing to their mechanical design. Yet, some depiction shows that, in history, Chinese swords had the quality as good as that in Japanese swords, but the forging skill of Chinese swords is lost while that of Japan's remains.

 

[ehudyoda]

Moto

For me a Katana will allways be the 80's motocycle model by Suzuki.
Sorry...:smoking:

gr8 docu. by the way

 

[Darkside55]

There is no such thing as a "greatest sword." It's a wild misconception that people say, "Japanese swords are the best," because they aren't. Neither are Western swords. Ultimately it comes down to the wielder of the sword.

You have to understand that the swords in question are designed with very different purposes in mind. Katanas are built for deflecting an opponent's blade and counter-slashing. They are indeed incredibly sharp (when made with time and care, the blade being folded over multiple times) and can sever limbs and even slice straight down an opponent if the wielder has considerable strength.

There are two main types of Western swords, both of which are different from katanas: the European-style sword, such as broadswords, bastard swords, and greatswords; and the rapier, the French fencing weapon.

I myself own a claymore. I'm 5'11", and it's nearly as tall as I am. This sword was built for one thing: power. While some broadswords employ techniques and stances, parries and deflections and counter-cuts, they are all primarily used to deliver heavy-hitting blows designed to kill rather than wound. A katana can sever limbs, a katana cut or thrust can kill, but they do it with slashing, swiping motions. My claymore is far too heavy to do that with. Its purpose is to raise it above my head in a high stance, then bring it crashing down with all the force of my upper body into my opponent. It will KILL them. These swords were meant to fight armored opponents, and a well-crafted broadsword will literally smash through armor.

Now a rapier is a different thing entirely. It's used for puncturing. The blade is very flimsy and can be knocked aside, but it's light and maneuverable, allowing for stabs from unorthodox angles. You can parry the blade away, but in an instant it'll be coming for you again, perhaps puncturing your swordhand, or your shoulder/armpit area, your side, or your throat. It's used specifically for stabbing, not meant for cutting like a katana or a broadsword. The rapier's a very unpredictable blade and can incapacitate, even kill, from an opening you never saw.

So it all comes down to the user. How a blade's made, how sharp it is, and what its purpose are mean nothing if the person wielding it doesn't know what they're doing. I can assure you, nobody can cut a bullet in half in a real fight. Doesn't matter if the blade's that sharp.

Also, bbson was mentioning Chinese swords, those are also really cool. The dao, the Chinese broadsword, is one of my favorite weapons. It's very elegant. It's wielded in much the same way a Western sabre might be.

 

[co05]

Can we have pictures of your claymore?

 

[Darkside55]

I might scan some in later.

 

[hool10]

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upo6MwPDOmQ[/YOUTUBE]
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNiX_l-HEGM&mode=related&search=[/YOUTUBE]
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sHTJAKN-5k&mode=related&search=[/YOUTUBE]
Damascus steel http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damascus_steel is another very tough steel. It all depends on that folding and folding of the grains in the steel making it stronger.

 

[bbson john]

Sounds right... We cannot determine which sword is the best. Each sword has its own character, thus its own purpose. Katana is the hardest, sharpest sword, but that doesn't make it the best sword. There is no best sword. I believe the mass greatsword can even break through katana's parry.

p.s. bullet is mostly made of lead. It is not really that hard, but a sword cutting bullet apart is still impressive. Facing army full-jacketed bullets, sustaining seven is awesome enough.

 

[co05]

lol

The great or greatest part was me just pulling something out of my ass to add to my post. I needed some filler.

D:

 

[jverne]

like darkside already said. it all comes down to the wielder and the purpose of the sword.

i'm not that great in sword classification, but i certainly know a lot of technical data and methods. i'm a swordsmith myself for the last 3 years.


katanas have the most complex and difficult production process, they have astonishing qualities, but they are surely not the best.

 

[CyberPitz]

the machine gun vs katana video was badass...that jap guy looked pretty saddened. lol. It still survived 7 shots...damn.

 

[ravi80k]

Japanese Samurai Katana is great weapon. it is not the sword that is important, it is the skills which are important. I have a Katana, same as this and I am good at it

 

[Warped]

I have a Katana sword that is a replica and i like it

/end of story

 

[Viperidae]

Katana is the hardest

Wrong. Steel is nice and squishy. You don't want 'hardness' in swords, otherwise they'd crack on contact. Katana's are light and delicate, and would not take kindly to being used on plated targets.

Also: anyone who mentions more than 25 folds is baby, and will clearly indicate they don't know what they're talking about.

 

[Krynn72]

Suck it katanafags. The gladius killed hundred of thousands, or even millions more people than your pussy ass curved blades. Your little gay ass slashing shit. Stick'em with one of these and its a one hit kill. Sure, your katana may be a better forged sword, but that shit can't be mass produced. The Romans knew their shit, and built the first professional army ever made on the back of their gladius. And they ****ing dominated the world until some numbnut politicians ****ed it all up.

 

[Acepilotf14]

Gladius is my favorite god damn sword.

 

[kineaesth]

You do realise that you're all replying to a twoandahalf year old thread about katanas that was bumped by an ad-bot, right? OH GOD I'M DOING IT TOO