Cuts vs. Thrusts - Which is Better? 

Cut is better for cutting; but thrust is better for thrusting.

"There is no perfection without both blow and thrust." I'll see myself out...

Which is better? Well.......CONTEXT.

if you have a katana you can cut through time and space, and if you have a pommel you can destroy existence itself

*tfw you're debating a man from the 16th century*

"Better for what?" -- Skall *Matt Easton sitting on the edge of his seat waiting for context.*

In thrust I trust.

"put generic throwing pommel joke"

I'd like to add a few points: 1) it highly depends on the context: thrusts were hardly ever favoured in *hot regions,* whereas in Europe civilian *clothing* was often resilient enough to turn a deadly cut into a scratch. even today people survived attacks with machetes because they wore biker gear etc. If your opponent wears mail, you can forget cuts all together. In case he wears a breastplate and a helmet, you'll need to be very precise with your cut to get the head without hitting any metal. 2) humans tend to favour big slashing motions over thrusting motions by *instinct.* This sucks, when you got a rapier and have to fight for your life. 3) *Thrusts got a much larger range* than cuts. If you take a 90cm cut and thrust blade, then the outer 15cm are for thrusts and the next 15cm for cuts. From my own experience, I highly dislike starting with thrusts. Thrusts are way to easy to anticipate and stop or doge. You can even parry a rapier thrust with your arm and with some luck, you don't even get a scratch. Moreover, I reach far higher tip speeds in cuts. In fact, some blades I can move with my wrist so fast that the blade becomes practically invisible. Even, with a bigger, sluggish blade, it can be very hard to prevent someone from hitting you. As Skall said, it's harder to block, but what he didn't mention is, that people tend to make banana-cuts, which look like e.g. coming 45° and suddenly go straight down etc. In a *thrust you can block pretty much any part of the blade* and you succeed, but in a cut, you might block it, but the blade still hits you because of the angle. When I thrust, it's usually a follow up from a cut, or from a bind. That's a quick reaction and very hard to avoid.

Do they have armor? Ye = thrusts Ne=cuts

You let your Girlfriend thrust towards your face with an sharp unprotected Blade.... you're a brave man dude!

Another interesting point in the thrust vs cut debate is that cuts come more naturally to people in a state of panic. This may be the reason why thrust centeric swords were often preferred in duels but for the chaotic battlefield people would opt for cutting swords

The real question is, "You're using Bonetti's defense against me, ah?"

For future reference, I think that putting all the notification and patreon stuff at the end of the video instead of the beginning gives off a better impression. Also, great shirt, man

Both aren't viable techniques, throwing a pommel is the best strategy

So what you are saying is that they basically had the 9mm vs .45ACP argument even in medevil times :)

I understand thrusts. But how does one cut with a pommel?

Great visuals. Confined spaces make a big difference. That's why most cultures who carried long, cutting swords also carried a short sword or dagger of some sort.

I wonder if there have been armors that sacrificed flexibility for protection. Suppose you're a very important noble and also a terrible fighter, maybe it would make sense to turn yourself into a metal statue and let your companions do the actual killing.

The answer : It really depends on the context

I really like this type of video/discussion about hystorical text of combat wounds or tecniques.Awesome work, please keep it up and do more of this!

I'm trying to redesign a d20 table top system that takes into account realistic weapons and their effects on armor and your series has been a great help.

May I postulate, it seems that thrusting weapons are easier to master and are still with us today. The lowly spear outnumbered swords through the ages. It was deadly, easy to use and cheap. It was a thrusting weapon. As time went on, swords disappeared as weapons in front line service, but the bayonet still exists. A rifle with bayonet is a form of spear. You are correct, thrusts are faster than slashing weapons. In modern fencing, equally matched fencers, one with Sabre and the other with epee, the epee, a thrusting weapon, is faster. Another consideration, modern street fights with machetes, produce fearful wounds that while horrible are survivable. Knives, thrusting weapon, produce wounds that tend to be fatal. I therefore say that thrusting weapons have an advantage.

Damn, Skall, you’re getting really close to 1 million subs. Congratulations, my friend. I’m really happy for you!

I think what says the most is that cutting sabers were still used by militaries throughout the 19th and 20th century. The English had one thrusting sword for their cavalry, but everyone else was using an at least somewhat deeply curved blade used for cutting.

Absolutely love these types of videos! Keep it up man! :D

Great video Skal. Super fun to watch

"In a world of cut and thrust I was always taught to trust."

One of the only people on RU-vid to make an 18 min vid interesting

In cut we thrust.

Great video! This deserves more views

Great vid, nice in depth analysis.

12:55 you know it's love when she softly graces your face with a rapier

Great video, and solid points made on both sides. I like that you showed the footwork, too. Honestly, if you haven't already, footwork would be a great topic to make a video for.

What I've always disliked about the rapier is you're automatically telegraphing to your opponent what your strategy is just by using it. It may be an incredible thrusting weapon, but it's harder to surprise an opponent because they know to expect a thrust.

That's why we had cut-and-thrust swords. ;-)

very nice video, would love to see more in-depth looks at hema subjects by accompanying the arguments with actual historical texts like here.

Excellent quality video!

very enjoyable talk, great video!

Very good presentation.

watched a 2 minute ad for this. i got your back skall!

Heeey, skall is finally coming up on 1 million after all these years, steady progress man

If no one ever told you this then let me be the first. You're one best RU-vid channel there is. Watching your videos has been fun and also therapeutic at times. Please keep up the great work you are doing.

I always found, thrusts easier to defend against due to their relative predictability. In any case, it would seem like the only any difficulty seeing a thrust over a cut would only be applicable in relatively advantageous lighting.

Hey, Skall, watching yafor like a 2 years. From the last vids this was one of the best. Good job. Really interesting. Plz more vids on fencing tactics, logics or moves.

Thrusts in dark souls are OP cuz lag

The real question though: Why not both? There has to be a good reason most 'standard' swords throughout the ages were capable in both categories, right?

best channel that dodges the question

thanks for this awsome video

I subscribe to the Indiana Jones school of swordfighting. 😆

Great video

I always have a lol moment when I see your wife's hands (or props) appear from off-screen! These sacrifices that she makes for your videos are surely appreciated.

Thrust, with a dedicated weapon, IMO has more range - therefore even though your thrust can be "easily deflected" it won`t leave you vulnerable. Estoc is bestoc.

Interesting! You should make an episode on sword combat survivors throughout history and around the world. Maybe a top 5/top 10? Would be facinating!

Oh boy, I can’t wait to see Silvers response video!

Good video dude

I always put it that thrusts are more likely to actually strike the target because they’re actually hard to parry because it’s so easy to disengage. But the cut is easier to parry but can do more damage. The reason cuts are easier to parry is because as he said there’s more blade to come in contact with than a point. The best cut to the head could do more damage than the best thrust to the head.

Great video, very informative. If you researched enough material on this topic, what about focusing a bit more on the periods of time (and space) where thrusting / cutting was the preferred way? Can be interesting to hear the logic in these different cases.

6:01 I don't know why, but I got chills watching this It just looks dangerous, even though I know it isn't

I love this channel

With the steps involved they can be as fast as each other because you can chamber your cut to prepare it as you are stepping

May you please do a video on undulating (wave) blades? Flamberges and such. Was it just for looks or did it do something?? . . . EDIT: Ooo the comment got highlighted so I’ll elaborate. (Wall of text incoming) I recently got back into roleplaying (DnD 5e) and made a character named sir Falone. I describe his way of carrying himself to be more historical based on some light googling, and skallgrim/shadiversity that I have aeen lots of videos from it. He carries his Greatsword on his shoulder unless he is going into town, in which he uses the sheath so guards arent all over him. And in that case he wil use the mace/shorts word on his hip for personal defense. In all the googling, the only practicality of the renaisance blade I saw was it makes vibrations when parrying? I’d rather ask someone with more research than a few hours of google though Falone is a paladin of war god Tempus, whose emblem is a flaming sword. So the best way to show this is with the flamberge. The other people playing haven’t heard of undulating blades before, my DM allowed it because he deemed it completely appropriate, the NPCs that would see it would always question it and be in aw of its design and how deadly falone can be with it. But that is through game mechanics. When we reduce something to 0HP, DM asks us how we would like to kill the thing cinematically. I usually describe falone’s motions like he is using an actual 5ft blade greatsword, so he will murder stroke, half sword etc. unless we are fighting unarmored targets. Dor example I chopped a goblin in half by the trunk but I halfsworded through the gaps of the orc’s armor, striking his throat, even though this is fantasy and if I wanted to I could say he cuts though an armored guy. I will wait until he gets a magic sword for that. When he uses divine smite and kills something, I say that tempus animates the sword and it essentially chainsaws through the enemies armor and grinds through their body. A brutal death befitting the horrors of war in my opinion. I have yet to find a way to end him rightly ;)

Forgot about cuts and thrust, i wanna know where did you get that shirt. Look amazing.

Skal, could you do a video on using the scabbard for parrying or defense in general?

Your voice calms down my kid.

Sometimes I practice different cuts in my tight bedroom. You could see some cuts in the wall and ceiling.

You can cut effectively at point blank if you lay the blade on them and draw it

Skall that shirt is awesome! I want one!

Amazing shirt! Please tell me theres other versions with chainmail and plate

Hey Skall! I was wondering if you could make another for honor video on the gladiator. Im interested in you opinion on the trident that he uses and the buckler for example like did they use it in history and things like that. I find th trident buckler combo interesting. I would be very thankful if you made a video on it. thanks for the good content :) keep it up

Great content, as usual; but I wonder: you talk about difficulties in connecting the thrust for the small surface involved. What about edge alignment with cuts? Can it be considered a downside of connecting cuts?

Skall have you done any test cutting with rapiers yet? If not would luv to see how effective a rapier cut could be , I know there were definitely cutting techniques in the old manuals .

I think you could have gone a bit longer to compare the simultaneous defense capabilities between thrusts and cuts, as in covering oneself with one's strike.

Depends on the situation / what armor your opponent is wearing.

Cutting has an edge over thrusting if you don't have the Leo Ring on.

Where does your opening music for this video come from, and likewise the music you always use on your outro?

Can you talk about your opinions on different pommel shapes please?

My wife prefers thrusts from the rear. Blade size and shape does matter too.

There's still phone-booths? I haven't seen one of those in a while :D Still, great vid Skall :) Keep up the great work!

I think you mention the advantages of swinging cuts while on horseback in one of your videos, but I can't remember which.

Skall! what about false edge attacks? they are a mix of both a cut and a thrust. the angle speaks a lot about the attack. what do you think about that? i was hoping you would consider them in this talk. i hope you answer too!

Would it be effective if you thrust through inbetween the ribs directly through the heart?

Dude that's an awesome shirt, where do I find that??

THAT T-SHIRT!!! want want want

The amount of times my eyes crossed during this video is impressive.

Can you talk about shields and reach? In your opinion, do you loss some reach when using a shield in a way that it may be sometimes better to fight with no shield just to enjoy a longer reach? Thanks!

I took a little bit of Thai Chi sword. Interesting to me, it is a thrusting weapon, but when withdrawing the thrust, you are always trying to slice tendons, fingers. and draw blood with the sides of the blade. For sure, they are not for removing limbs. Top half was razor sharp, and bottom half was blunt for blocking.

Depends on the situation

video quality awesome

hi just saw this you tbe video: Akademia Szermierzy - Fior di Battaglia - im amazed how the used old fencing treaties.

Question: What's up with those swords in the illustrations at 15:21, with the spiked pommels and scary guards? They look like something a bad guy in a fantasy movie might use. Do we actually have historical examples of that design? I've certainly never seen any.

If we had a match up with a broad longsword for cutting And rapiers for stabbing would durability also be a factor to maybe look out for?

Just an idea but maybe a video about the Chinese hook swords? :D Been seeing some love for it after that For Honor Chinese faction reveal at E3.

So, a question Skall. If, as you say, not all parts of a cutting arc is ineffective, is there ever a time when it might actually be worth it to step into the strike early? In a situation where you maybe are off balance, cant move out of the way, could you mitigate damage by moving into the arc?

im studying for my final exam for cognitive neuropsychology, decided to take a bit of a break to calm down, what better way to do that then listen to skall's soothing voice rambling about something :) cheers skall your saving my life right now haha. would the speed of the tip of the blade not be faster in a cut than a thrust? also check out the case of Phineas Cage who had a railway spike impale him through the front of his face and out the top of his head. He survived and made full physical recovery however he was quite cognitively impaired and behaviourally impaired noticeable in later years.

Hey Skallagrim, what's the music on the introduction of your video? :D

Depends on your weapon and target in means of which part of the body of your opponent do you intend to attack

What do ylu think of Cossac schaschkas? When I first saw one I thought it is weird that they have no guard.

When it comes to plate, could one attempt to cut or slice at the gaps, or are thrusts the only effective way to exploit those openings?

Seeing that thrust deflect reminds me how much different my stance is from yours. :) Personally, I can deflect->counter cuts pretty easily, but I can't easily deflect thrusts like you did. In a like manner, my thrusts can't be deflected like that as I can re-direct mid-thrust... but in trade, my thrusts are slow... which kind of ruins a key perk had by thrusting.