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Why Swords?

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Why were they so popular as status symbols and tools of war or personal defense? What made people in many (not all) places and time periods in history see a sword as more valuable or desirable than an axe, polearm, etc?
I don't think there is a definitive answer but I felt like elaborating on my subjective thoughts about this topic.
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#Swords #Status #History

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31 авг 2018

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Комментарии : 1,1 тыс.

@NotMeButAnother 6 лет назад

Skall: "Swords are awesome because we're fascinated by metal." Me: *looks at playlist* ..."Checks out."

@NoSoupForYouu 5 лет назад

hahaha

@michaeldougherty2807 5 лет назад

Truth

@ChadKakashi 5 лет назад

Solid Comment.

@appa609 4 года назад

Periodic Videos: Sodium

@kasperbuyens3562 4 года назад

ooooooow yeeeaaaaaaahhhhh

@JasonMBroyles 6 лет назад

I think part of the appeal of swords is that they were among the first dedicated weapons. Before swords most weapons doubled as farming or hunting tools.

@Burn_Angel 5 лет назад

Yeah, like clubs.

@Soulslayer612 5 лет назад

@@Burn_Angel no, you don't hunt with a club. Most animals that aren't too small/fast to hit with a club have skeletal structures such that blunt force trauma does very little damage to their vital organs.

@Burn_Angel 5 лет назад

@@Soulslayer612 Uh, you don't hunt with swords either. I said clubs because clubs were used by Homo Habilis as weapons to fight and steal from scavengers, because spears weren't invented yet/weren't mainstream. Clubs were the first dedicated weapon, like swords in a way.

@Burn_Angel 4 года назад

glitter Well, men didn't invent rocks either, they just found them laying around, and gave them shape. And if giving them shape is actually inventing something new (which it is), then clubs are indeed the creation of our ancestors, as they were also shaped to fit the hand more conveniently while having the thicker side of the branch put on the side they hit with.

@jobdylan5782 4 года назад

@@Soulslayer612 you do hunt with clubs. Frog clubbing as an example, rats.

@Technoanima 6 лет назад

An elegant weapon from a more civilised age. - Obi Wan Kenobi (Edit)

@namelessman8097 6 лет назад

"civilized"

@mr.hankeythexmaspooteamhea6136 6 лет назад

+Junjun Did said character get wounded by a spear? Because if so, that'd explain his state of being butthurt!

@hrothgarnogar 6 лет назад

from* civilized* Obi Wan*

@Alexplainow 6 лет назад

I remember a disney movie that the protagonist despises guns as they are savage weapon and processed to "pwn" with a spear.

@arnvonsalzburg5033 6 лет назад

Decapitating people *is* uncivilized... ;-)

@Swift_LN 5 лет назад

"The way they glisten in the sunlight" I'm pretty sure you're right about that. A lot of movie and video game trailers that feature swords will have a part where the hero is holding said sword and it shines from the sun/moon light. It's honestly an equally good marketing gimmick as it speaks to that same part of our brain. I doubt it's just "ooh shiny thing", but as you said it it's probably more to do with the fact that it adds an almost "magical" mythological feel to the weapon.

@zeroblade6599 6 лет назад

I'm more of a mace kinda guy, doesn't get blunt, hard to get the angle of impact wrong, works against armoured opponents. Also it's basically a pommel on a stick

@alexanerose4820 6 лет назад

People like you like to pound things I see (͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

@Cannibal6412 6 лет назад

Why TF is your name Zero Blade then? lol.

@StevieB8363 5 лет назад

"Pommel on a stick." ^^^ This needs to be a thing!

@robertbogan225 5 лет назад

Mace Really useless in grapples. Cant cut your food with it in a disregarding manner. Short reach basically a chode worse at pericing armor then a warpick. Worse at denting armor then a warhammer. Basically average at everything and better at nothing. "Oh hey the slow guy doesnt have a weapon?" Give him a stick with a weight on it.

@blackwingdragonmasta 5 лет назад

Doesn't get blunt? It's already a blunt weapon

@Rune_Scholar 6 лет назад

Spears were first used for hunting, knives were first tools, hammers for constructing, axes for working and gathering wood, bows for hunting. Swords though? Swords have only one use; to kill other people. I think we subconsciously, viscerally realise that and the implications it carries. It's the noble weapon because of the weight of responsibility the user now has. Swords are also harder to learn than spears, axes, or polearms. I hesitate to say bows here, though because combat archery was quite a feat to master. To use a sword effectively you needed formal training which usually wasn't available to the lower class.

@definitelynotanAIchatbot 6 лет назад

One practical thing about swords is that they can be easily worn on the hip, so they be taken around anywhere. They're like a handgun, whereas a spear is like a rifle.

@NoahWeisbrod 6 лет назад

Are swords easier to learn than something like a pollaxe? It has a hammer, an axe or beak, a top spike, and a butt-spike. Those are four different means of attacking.

@alt-bringer5198 6 лет назад

id argue that spears have thier own learning curve in low density combat, but as a formation, yea pokey pokey ur ded, let the horse run into it... otherwise, fully agree

@Rune_Scholar 6 лет назад

I always saw Spears as easy to learn to the point of being effective. But perhaps hard to master if you want more out of it than formation combat. At least in my own experience. Polearms are...I mean they look complicated but it's really just a spear or axe with more options. You need to know what each spike or piece is good for but applying them is basically the same as for a spear, axe, or hammer. Some polearms can hook so that would be a slightly more nuanced technique to learn but I still don't think it's harder to learn than a sword. I've had chances to train with each of these weapons too so I'm speaking from experience, though my experience with polearms is more limited. However in that limited experience I found myself able to use them effectively.

@Alexplainow 6 лет назад

No, swords are just replica dicks that dudes can compare more openly.

@zeevyusin3841 3 года назад

Everyone asks "why swords?" But no one asks "how is swords?"

@BlazingSteel 2 года назад

CLANG

@smitelord1000 6 лет назад

Hey man. You cut your sandwich how you want and I'll keep doing it the cool way.

@xzane85x 6 лет назад

Reminded me of the first ninja turtles movie when casey uses one of Leo's swords to cut vegetables in the kitchen. Refraines from using the word katana here as this version of Leo doesnt use actual katanas

@guywithakalashnikov1505 5 лет назад

Eric Mahurin ya dont cut it . ya just eat it whole.

@eliteteutonicknight1 6 лет назад

I like swords for many reasons. 1. They are cool and AWESOME. 2. They are practical in a normal (little armor or confined space) melee scenario, probably the best next to a halberd. 3. The are often a symbol of power. 4. Great for decorating, they are fun to look at. 5. Come in *many* different shapes and sizes, and have different characteristics per culture. And almost every civilization utilized swords or something like them in some way.

@Grandmaster-Kush 6 лет назад

Swords are beautiful and have a whole culture and etiquette around them but i'd still probaly choose a spear because of the reach and relative straightforwardness (hah) of using it.

@eliteteutonicknight1 6 лет назад

Grandmaster Kush That's why I included the halberd alongside it. It has the reach of a spear while being able to chop, slash, and smash as well, plus it has the deadly tip for thrusting that spears are known for.

@Hyperversum3 6 лет назад

The point is that it isn't easy to carry a spear around your city for self defence. I mean, you can do it, but it's pretty difficult.

@Grandmaster-Kush 6 лет назад

True that

@theblackbaron4119 6 лет назад

They are too unwieldy. Always carry a dagger. Less spacious, concealable and it's a suprise if you don't faff around with your Excalibur replica...

@karylkidd1232 6 лет назад

I enjoy your balanced and humble presentation. As a history nerd, I dig it.

@user-js8jh6qq4l 6 лет назад

Swords are awesome. Why? Because _swords!_

@DjahnArnie 6 лет назад

All hail to Shad!

@falfires 6 лет назад

But what about DRAGONS?!

@mamochhamlhaml9480 6 лет назад

Роман Гогешвили but what about machiculations?

@RedLeader327 6 лет назад

Exactly

@theblackbaron4119 6 лет назад

Who needs a whole sword, when you have a weapon of mass destruction on one end. The pommel.

@DoubtX 6 лет назад

I think the fact that swords are dangerous all over gives them a mystique. A spear has a very small dangerous bit, but a sharp sword repels enemies at any point. If you run your hand along the length of a sword very close to the edge, you can feel the danger it emits. Yes, that's a psychological phenomena, but to ancient people, the psychological was externalized. To them the fear that repels you from a sharp sword is a property of the sword itself, not their mind. It's as though the sword emits a forcefield of power and danger.

@colemarie9262 6 лет назад

Doubt -dangerous stuff has always been appealing to humans. Agree. (Edited because your username made it look like I was disagreeing 😂)

@vytas5584 6 лет назад

Works on modern people too

@zeekeno823 6 лет назад

And by extension of that externalization of fear, the sword took up cultural meaning. They became symbols of authority, of aggression, and in more spiritual cultures the sword was seen to have its own spirit.

@michaelfranciotti3900 5 лет назад

@@vytas5584 the first time me and a few friends handled a sword, the mere act of looking at the business end evoked a very visceral feeling of fear and intimidation. And this was a fantasy style wall hanger (absurdly decorated/designed) which, even back in my teenage years, I had no respect for until it was pointing at me. We weren't being reckless or doing anything stupid btw like play fighting, just handling it.

@BananaMana69 5 лет назад

The fact that many people back in those times would have known of or seen someone killed with a sword also plays into the psychological meaning of the sword. Guns are similar nowadays, a lot of people would be uncomfortable owning one even if it wasn't ever loaded. Those same people would probably have no real issues owning a sword because they don't know it as something that kills in reality.

@LynxxXVI 6 лет назад

I think it's also about how sword were very versatile and difficult to use. A sword is handy in pretty much any combat. It's light and balanced, making it great for large scale combat. It's rigid with a long blade, great for defending yourself in a duel. with the right techniques it makes an adequate anti armor weapon too. If you didn't know what the day would bring, you took a sword. Its light, easy to carry and store, and at least adequate in almost every situation. And I think it's downside also increased it's mystique. It needs training to be effective. A lot of training. Because it's light and balanced, it's difficult to have proper edge alignment, and just swinging it isn't going to do much damage. That shit takes time to learn. Time lower class people didn't have. They had to work. Nobles did too, but not as much or as hard. They had time to train. So, because they're handy, nobles liked having them around. And because they're difficult to learn to use, only nobles had time for them.

@jthompson8177 6 лет назад

Essentially it's the best universal weapon for a variety of combat scenarios while still being rarely manageable in social situations(think modern day concealed carry and how there is a desire for a light gun that is also concealable enough to not be socially awkward)

@vytas5584 6 лет назад

Difficult to use a sword against an armed opponent. Easy against unarmed opponents! Perfect oppression tool for nobles to put down peasant revolts.

@shade9592 6 лет назад

You missed one important point. Swords can be worn, for the most part. Also 6:18 brought something to mind. Is a macuahuitl a sword or something else?

@shade9592 6 лет назад

"Swords can be worn, *for the most part* ."

@alt-bringer5198 6 лет назад

imho, its a sword, just the blade was brittle, (but repair and replaceable) in contrast a leiomono is a war saw, sharkteeth ripping gaping wounds in flesh, you not stitching that back together with any ease although they do lack a certian aspect, vital to "end him rightly"

@HamHamHampster 6 лет назад

In the battlefield, you can wear a sword around while holding a polearm, bow, or shield. While back at home you don't want a decorative weapon getting in the way of your daily activities.

@shockwave6213 4 года назад

I'd call the Macuahitl a sharp bladed club. But then again, that's what a sword is when you get down to the basics.... Hmmm 🤔 I'm gonna just use the term Proto-Sword. Don't forget that many islander peoples actually made a weapon under the same concept, but used shark teeth instead of stone or Obsidian.

@SnowMexicann 3 года назад

@@bubinater2 except you dont walk around with a great sword, theyre used in battle. Nobody in their right mind would be like "ah yes, the greatsword, a perfect self defence weapon"

@RedLeader327 6 лет назад

Skall: Why Swords? Comments: Because Swords.

@crozraven 6 лет назад

Sword is an all around weapon that you could carry everywhere (bare max of it). I mean it's basically a long/extended knife & knife is the all around tool for human since ancient time. Many cultures used knife in rituals, so it might be continuing to the sword as something ritualistic, noble, & knightly/kingly.

@MrTwrule 3 года назад

Swords seem more civilized than other weapons (in terms of symbolism). 1) They are typically made mainly of metal. This makes them seem both more 'enduring' (which makes for a good symbol of power) and seem more civilized in that they have less in common materially with prehistoric weapons. And the shine helps too. 2) They are designed primarily for battle with other human beings. Though in some sense you could just consider them very long knives, they are still clearly distinct from the agricultural, hunting, or other common tools that any peasant would use for more mundane everyday tasks. If you pick up a sword, it's because you're doing something extraordinary (at least from the common person's perspective). (And I know this could be said of any weapon designed for war, but arguably a sword reminds one less of a knife used for everyday purposes than, say, a battle-axe reminds one of a woodchopping axe.) 2) At least in the case of the iconic straight sword, they seem designed to defend, parry, etc. - they look like something that was designed to defend almost as much as to attack, and in turn to generate more sophisticated exchanges between opponents. That makes them again seem more civilized because they are the sort of thing that one can wield while having noble intentions and of which one can have a refined mastery that is tested in friendly duels rather than just barbarous slaughter. Consider all these factors together, and it's no accident that they became the symbol of chivalry and central to fantasy iconography.

@dayel11 6 лет назад

Im prone to think that the first human that forged a blade thought "oh look,it stab! what if i make it longer so it can stab more?" :v Jokes aside, i am an evolutionary biology, and trying to think about swords in the same way i can think about claws or teeth, i believe the answer could be a mixture of efficiency and chance. Swords probably were just longer knife, than they became some sort of social symbol the same ways the feather of a bird of paradise were once just a flying tool, then became a way to get a partner :P

@korstmahler 6 лет назад

We're all about that display of capacity to achieve.

@murraymartin9009 5 лет назад

I'm thinking you just might live in Canada, and love your insight. I'm 67 yrs. & very new to swords, and have come to have an interest in them by the most obscure route imaginable. I do contact/firesword as a hobby. A vast difference in handling you might say as it's more trick oriented. Yet learning about swords, handling, uses, styles etc. has been an eye opener for me indeed. My desire is to incorporate more actual sword moves into my "act" for the sake of appearance. So far, it would seem from my light research that the longsword may handle the closest to firesword. All info is great. I've been learning much lately, and what I have seen of your vids, thank you for your knowledge & insight! Much appreciated!

@peterosborne8315 6 лет назад

Because you can end people rightly with them...

@rafaelalodio5116 6 лет назад

But only if there's a pommel, you couldn't do it with a gladio.

@ScurvyBoi 6 лет назад

You remove the blade and throw the handle.

@FrarmerFrank 6 лет назад

couldn't you just buy a bumch of pommels and skip the swords,just pommel them to death

@ScurvyBoi 6 лет назад

@@FrarmerFrank No. To end someone RIGHTLY you have to remove the pommel from a sword.

@1LERS1 5 лет назад

Because people like you can make dumb comments about pommels.

@tsm_komodo2710 6 лет назад

Love your channel dude thank you so much for teaching me so much

@StreetBeefsFighter 6 лет назад

I love swords not because of the tool itself but those who chose to use it. Miyamoto Musashi, William Wallace, King Arthur and Sir Lancelot, Afro samurai or Samurai Jack! It is as if those who use a sword are independent and strong! A noble weapon built for an honorable warrior! The battling of Sword On Sword in a duel is very Formal and Conventional but I yet can grow into an extrordianary confrontation!

@3Gee3 6 лет назад

This video is pure gold, Skal. It really shows all your love for swords, history and blades in general. Loved it from the first second to the last, 10/10.

@Patrick33194 6 лет назад

No satisfying answer??? This is exactly the kind of stuff im here for Educated rambles and explanations about swords etc Thanks and have a good day ^^

@LarryGarfieldCrell 6 лет назад

I'm mainly here for the amazing beard. The swords are a nice bonus.

@elgostine 6 лет назад

swords id say are valued because of... a few things, one is the fact that it is indeed a dedicated killing tool against people. and that i would say gives it a very powerful aura of importance as a symbol for war second is that its a weapon you carry with you ALL the time, thus making it more intimate its status as a sidearm also fdoes mean that it became a lot more decorated and as a weapon is the best suited, best jack of all trades weapon, for its size class. its also the most nimble of the short weapons, this has allowed the use of the sword above all others to become an art form a mace for example and to a lesser extent an axe or hammer doesnt require a huge amount of practice to be quite lethal due to the mass, but a sword almost entirely relys on good edge alignment and bodymechanics to do any damage. this required dedication meant that the sword became important for those who studied it, in china they say it takes 1000 days to learn to use the spear, 100 for the staff but 10,000 for the jian, the cut and thrust sword of the gentleman

@rosemclaughlin2239 6 лет назад

Very nice thoughts. People often overlook taking aesthetics and emotion into account when analyzing historical societies and artifacts.

@lalegenda280 6 лет назад

Skall I would like to see your whole collection of weapons every video you bring out different weaponry and it all looks so beautiful and aesthetic

@unpopularspirits829 6 лет назад

BECAUSE SWORDS ARE AWESOME AND YOU KNOW THAT THEY'RE AWESOME AND YOU WANNA LET YOUR FRIENDS KNOW BY..Oh, wrong channel

@user-js8jh6qq4l 6 лет назад

Unpopular Spirits man I feel so bad because I wrote almost the same comment and got way more likes

@unpopularspirits829 6 лет назад

@@user-js8jh6qq4l why would you feel bad for having a bigger number on your screen?

@user-js8jh6qq4l 6 лет назад

Because likes are the evaluation of how creative and relevant your comment is. I'm not a competitive person, but I do sometimes feel like those number have weight to them, set my mood for instance

@unpopularspirits829 6 лет назад

@@user-js8jh6qq4l So you wrote almost the same as me, does this mean yours is also irrelevant or is mine as relevant as yours? Makes little sense, maybe you were just faster. Who cares anyway, just giving my 2cents whatever ppl think.

@user-js8jh6qq4l 6 лет назад

I'll be damned, your response was way more to the point then my strange passage. I guess you're right, I wrote my comment pretty early. And now it's almost the top comment. Sometimes, a small difference produces vastly different results. That's like the weather forecast: we don't have precise information and the forcasts accumulate inaccuracy exponentially. As a result, there is no use in forecasting beyond 20 days into the future. That's chaos theory for you.

@baunguyenba8736 6 лет назад

Can you talk about sabres? Please🙏🏻🙏🏻

@Psiberzerker 6 лет назад

Do you know about Matt Easton at Scholargladiatoria? He's a saber man, so he talks about them a lot.

@fearz-4367 6 лет назад

@@Psiberzerker what about scimitars?

@edi9892 6 лет назад

AFAIK, that was never an official term. BTW: during the crusades, Arabs had straight swords (Saif) and only later in the 16th c. they adopted Shamshir, Kilij and Tulwar (but also Yatagan etc.). The stereotypical Arab sword is actually closer to a European Grossmesser or Falchion than any real Arab weapon (not even executioners swords!). The only Arab blade of that type I can think of is the belly dancers sword, which in turn is of rather dubious origins...

@andersp.1264 6 лет назад

The guys over at the Academy of Historical Fencing channel just posted a video talking about the problems with modern reproductions of historical sabres, so you can check that out if you want.

@edi9892 6 лет назад

Could you link me the video?

@julesdebeckker627 4 года назад

This is such a great ramble, I love this video so much

@interhistoria5632 5 лет назад

Aside from the sheer versatility of them, there is just something poetic about swords. I still retain the sheer fascination by them from when I was just a kid. They may not have the reach of a polearm, or the ease of concealment and agility of small weapons, but they are just so pretty as well as a healthy balance of a lot of aspects of weapon based combat. The sheer wide variety of them as well, that so many iterations could be made from so many places and times, the wide diversity and range of creativity in design may also add to why we remain so fascinated by them.

@onim2645 6 лет назад

To sword or not to sword, now that is the question

@RedLeader327 6 лет назад

onim26 Sword

@onim2645 6 лет назад

fair enough

@gig2238 6 лет назад

to halfsword thats the answer!

@sethravenclaw 6 лет назад

why swords? short answer, because swords.

@calamusgladiofortior2814 6 лет назад

seth ravenclaw Long answer: because longswords.

@atmo-sphere6799 6 лет назад

@@calamusgladiofortior2814 big answer: BECAUSE GREATSWORDS !!!

@Soulslayer612 5 лет назад

@@atmo-sphere6799 But what about Dragons?

@n-thebigdeal8675 6 лет назад

I absolutely love this channel. I find these videos so interesting and cool, and they never fail to keep my attention! Thanks for the good quality; highly interesting videos Skall!

@miniwiimpdgame7946 6 лет назад

Little hello from France ! I do not know a lot about swords and medieval weapon, that is why I would like to thank you for your job ! Your video was very interesting and instructive and help me to discover a culture that I did not know !

@LawkzBro 6 лет назад

there's also how swords are mainly for fighting humans

@EmberTheShark 6 лет назад

Humans are Monsters tho, so would one need a silver sword for everything 🤔

@airchompz 6 лет назад

Same could be said about the spiked war hammers. It is true that their only purpose is homicide, but quite honestly you can kill someone with just about anything. I think people often forget that swords were considered sidearms for ancient/middle age soldiers. Polearms have almost always been preferred in combat, no matter the nation, and the swords come out as a last resort. As far as status symbols go the only thing I could add to Skall's commentary is that maybe it's a phallic symbol so it was also a way of basically saying "look how manly and powerful of a gentleman I am". I don't think he really touched on that. I think they are just generally seen as symbolic power, as seen in court and ceremonial swords.

@fungus2116 6 лет назад

Literally every medieval weapon other than the spear and bow were also made to fight humans

@Hyperversum3 6 лет назад

The point is more about how, in general, swords compared to other weapons, are "easier" to carry. Going around your city with a polearm isn't that comfortable. Also, in theory, swords are less likely to be damaged and are reliable to have at your side in most situations. And the status symbol of a sword is relevant indeed, in particular if you add the fact that in a simble human vs human with no armor (situation that is supposed to happen outside of a battlefield/skirmish situation) their main problems aren't that relevant. Let me digress a little. Generally we observe fighting by two perspective: war and duel. In the second scenario, there are a lot of variables where every detail may be relevant, with the skills of the figthers above the rest, in most cases. In the first tho humans are to be considered as eusocial beings. You don't have Sir Gareth, Pierre the commoner or the master sword Giuliano fighting. You have thousands and thousands of soldiers. Here, fighting is to be focused not on defeating a single opponent, but winning the battle. It's easy to focus on what a weapon can do on the battlefield, but one shouldn't forget how entire armies are fighting at the same time. During such a situation, the skills of a single individual are less likely to change the situation. Different weapons serves a different purpose, they aren't there to please different individuals taste. Yeah, polearms are cool and useful. But what happens when that zweihander cuts your weapon? How to do you use that sword on that heavy armored dude on a horse? A Lance isn't gonna be efficient if you horse is blocked or you stop it yourself to focus on light armored infantry soldiers like archers. There isn't a "best weapon". Weapons serves different situations.

@tylermcneeley3136 6 лет назад

You can use anything to kill anything.

@okankorad57 6 лет назад

Cant wait for the review of that viking sword in the beginning

@iraqigamer2407 6 лет назад

Okan Korad I think he already did a review for it.

@okankorad57 6 лет назад

@@iraqigamer2407 no it wa a sword from ronin with a much simpler hilt. So even if it is that sword he changed the hilt wuch is unlikelly since it was peened if i remember corrextly

@iraqigamer2407 6 лет назад

Okan Korad Oh yeah, just noticed the different hilt.

@alphatonic1481 6 лет назад

I like it when you ramble about things. That rambling is why i'm still subscribed after all those years. nohomo

@shockwave6213 4 года назад

The type of sword was also a factor. Its like how while the Rapier, or Side Sword was a common self defense implement, the huge Boar hunting swords were a symbol of status and wealth.

@levifontaine8186 6 лет назад

Gentlemen who wore smallswords often did know how to use them, not all of them though.

@cooldude6269 6 лет назад

The best original character I’ve ever made uses a buster-sword size blade. The twist? That sword is actually a massive hollow sheath and holds about 20 different types of swords inside of it, which he switches between in battle.

@GrammarPaladin 6 лет назад

Why the fuck would you need more than 20 types of swords? They all go 'swish swish DEATH'

@canete571 6 лет назад

@@GrammarPaladin You, my good sire, have said what we all have in mind. Congratulations

@asahearts1 6 лет назад

Oh, like in Advent Children.

@bloodyfx1065 6 лет назад

Why would you want to change blades during battle?

@rafaelcastor2089 6 лет назад

Cool

@keithwells7142 6 лет назад

You should make a video about the effectiveness/ineffectiveness of armored combat techniques such as how easy was it really to actually hit the gaps in armor as well as the effectiveness/ ineffectiveness of different weapons against armor

@animistchannel2983 6 лет назад

Great episode! I agree with your considerations, but I would add another. A sword is handy and relatively unobtrusive. The average sword just hangs there, being the idea of being armed, without actually taking up one of your hands. You could go about your daily affairs without referring to it directly, socially or practically, yet it represents the potential and protection of a warrior even when you're off the battlefield, in normal clothes. It says, "We're all just hanging out having a good time or whatever, but if someone starts trouble, we're ready for that too." In a pinch, it also has tool uses and will deal with a lot of animals.

@nothisispatrick4644 6 лет назад

The real question here is: Why *NOT* swords? HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

@RedLeader327 6 лет назад

No this is Patrick I see you everywhere.

@ding1466 3 года назад

Because everything else works better lol.

@lunaticfae4415 3 года назад

Cause guns

@caseydubois3645 3 года назад

Because some people are pacifists

@Askorti 6 лет назад

I think you forgot about one aspect. The skill required to use well. Anyone can thrust with a spear, or swing an axe or a mace. But to cut effectively with a sword, you need quite a bit of training.

@vytas5584 6 лет назад

A lot of people can't even swing anything mate

@nicolaiveliki1409 6 лет назад

I think it more of a depth matter. You can use pretty much all techniques suitable for an axe, a mace or spear with a sword, and the basics are as easy or hard to learn with any of those weapons. And you really don't need much training to be able to kill a person with either weapon. With the sword however there's a lot more tricks to learn than with any other weapon. Edge alignment is as important for handling an axe as it is for a sword, and you have a lot less edge to work with so in that regard it's actually easier to score a proper hit with a sword than an axe...

@trentonarney6066 6 лет назад

The amount of info you relay to us in these videos is always appreciated.

@vytas5584 6 лет назад

Like scholagladiatoria says, the sword is a decent secondary weapon you can wear and produce on demand - hence their popularity throughout history. Spears and bows are (broadly) the primary weapons of battle, but have their limitations and can't be carried everywhere and drawn quickly in daily life.

@Rex8947 6 лет назад

Actually, I like battle axes

@irugelgumiho5195 6 лет назад

I like hand granade

@bloodyfx1065 6 лет назад

I like pommels

@aztecayt7080 6 лет назад

I like trains

@paxonite-7bd5 6 лет назад

I like trutles

@FourElemental 6 лет назад

I like Bolter Pistols

@ninjahombrepalito1721 6 лет назад

Actually, bronze might not have had much difficulty acquiring. Yes, the base materials might have been in distant places, but there was lots if it, and there was lots of commerce around it. There were probably lots of imports and exports of bronze. And, of course... bronze was everywhere. Hence the bronze age.

@rafaelbordoni516 6 лет назад

Tin is actually a quite rare material. There were very few mines back in the bronze age, while copper was and still is abundant. Even today, outside of the bronze age territory, tin is still a rare mineral.

@steffenkremser3998 6 лет назад

(Bronze Age) .. which ended rather abruptly when the flow of bronze (and/or tin, the more scarce ingredient) WAS eventually interrupted. At that point, the bronze-using "high cultures" in the eastern mediterranean collapsed nearly simultaneously. See --> ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-bRcu-ysocX4.html Also: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-KkMP328eU5Q.html

@ninjahombrepalito1721 6 лет назад

Steffen Kremser I don't have the internet for a video that long (nor the patience). The bronze age is roughly from 3,000B.C. (maybe 4,000B.C.) to 1,000B.C. Europe and Asia had much more copper and/or tin than either Africa (except maybe Egypt) or the USA. Specially along the Middle east, and Southern Europe. Asia, I can't say which areas had more bronze with as much certainty. There was plenty of bronze.

@rafaelbordoni516 6 лет назад

There was certainly a lot of bronze around at the time, but it was still somewhat expensive. I think I've watched/read somewhere that there were only two tin mines around the time, and once they ran dry, bronze got really expensive. In fact, the best part about the discovery of iron technology was the fact that iron was much more common than bronze.

@9SS94Cr 6 лет назад

The distance of the source doesn't matter? Say that to the spice traders even several hundred years later with the much more advanced technology of transportation. Moving sufficient amount of stuff safely over a long distance while still be able to make a profit was extremely challenging back then and downright impossible in certain regions.

@oetz_p 6 лет назад

unrelated to the topic but I really like your background setup in this vid. Feels like I'm listening to a friend on a camping trip in the middle of the woods and just talk about random stuff. Personally I prefer it over you sitting but that's just me :p

@koetimoep 6 лет назад

Your voice is very soothing. I like listening to you rambling.

@4450krank 6 лет назад

"you are not gonna cut your sandwich with this" you are not the boss of me!

@benfranklin2450 6 лет назад

I compare a sword to a handgun . Ease of carry . Concealability if required . Social acceptance of public possession and carry . You are not going to the pub with a spear or Viking axe or a halberd , but a sword ? Swords and daggers became very ornate because folks wanted to carry a "beautiful" weapon .

@matthewpham9525 6 лет назад

Ben Franklin Conceal a sword? I don’t quite want to know how you do that. Though I don’t quite think a handgun is really comparable to a sword, handguns are rarely used on the battlefield compared to other weapons, whereas there were entire warrior classes based on using the sword as their main weapon.

@SnowMexicann 3 года назад

@@matthewpham9525 Yeah... in BC times, medieval times is archers and spear/pike men as well as cavalry. And to add onto this they are comparable as handguns are a sidearms and self defence weapons, just like swords.

@jacobsullivan5660 6 лет назад

Ya know Skall, I like you, your content seems very "real" and I don't mean to say dealing with historical arms isn't real, I just mean your content feels very personalized and yours with everything you do, I really like how in this video you just gave your two cents and your outlook on the topic, that's in the end what you'd be looking for. Thumbs up from me buddy.

@ArthurEKing8472 6 лет назад

I've also heard the argument that a sword was often seen as an extension of a phallus, so that could also be part of it, although arguably spears have the same aspect. Also, as to the "shiny" aspect, humans are attracted to shiny objects due to evolution, early evolution selected for those that checked into shiny objects, as it was most often a sign of water, which in the african savanna is incredibly important!

@alfatazer_8991 6 лет назад

The next video should be "Why Pommels?" DEW IT. You know you want to>:D

@zanderclark1461 6 лет назад

Jlullaby >.>

@angelsfallfirst7348 6 лет назад

Oh, you again. Alfatazer, You are there to make pommel jokes. If I ever see you I will personally throw a pummel at you. Jk 😂

@mostcomplicatedman8115 6 лет назад

looks like someone watching shadbase

@corwinhyatt519 6 лет назад

Securing the blade and handle together as well as adjusting the point of balance.

@AxiomIndustries 6 лет назад

dewit

@ethangreenhaw128 6 лет назад

Well, with swords you can end them rightly.

@VaguelySynthetic 6 лет назад

As rambly as this topic was, I feel you covered a fairly convoluted and extensive topic rather well. There's not always one easy facet to explain away human history or behavior, and you brought that fact with you to the table. Great video, mate. Looking forward to more.

@Lavrohas 6 лет назад

I would really love a video hearing about flint knapping and why those are so amazing.

@maxkernfeld5653 6 лет назад

One does not simply.... Love a sword without a Pommel

@TSotP 6 лет назад

I think one reason it became a status symbol is because swords only exist for one reason, to kill other humans. Spears, axes, hammers and knives all have other functions in society as well being weapons. A sword however, is a pure weapon, and has no real use as a 'work tool'.

@xxx1x47x41x3 6 лет назад

it was nice to see all of these different swords and weapons!

@crazyscotsman9327 6 лет назад

Here are some thoughts and reasons, most of these definitely come from Dashiell Harrison a hema guy out in Portland Oregon. The sword is at your side, when the spear, or bow, or poleaxe, or the halberd are stowed away the sword is there ready to defend you on the street. Harrison also suggested that perhaps it's because the sword arguably takes more skill and it is a more individual's skill as too why the sword has captured our minds. A spear man can miss every thrust but as long as the unit performs and is well led, the unit will survive. But when the sword is drawn it is more that man's skill as all hell has broken lose, the spear is broken, the arrows are spent and now it is sword out. It is the difference between a 'warriors' weapon and a soldier's weapon. (Harrison does a much better job of explaining it on his blog which I cannot for the life of me find right now.) It could also be because of many culture's focus on single combat, for example the Highlanders of Scotland emphasis on this resulted in clansmen charging and trying to find other warriors of equal renown or greater to gain more fame by besting them, and as the bards of the clans were standing by watching it would be remembered and it would be retold among their people.

@gadyariv2456 6 лет назад

swords were the iPhones of the past, a cheap Phone/Spear can do the job perfectly good, but you still want the new iPhone/Sword just that everyone could see you have one.

@bloodyfx1065 6 лет назад

Well yeah. The newest and most expensive Iphones and swords have a lot in common. Like the lack of usefulness and high price they have compared to something with performance in mind.

@livingphantom 6 лет назад

Bloody FX ou burn

@MrDmitriRavenoff 6 лет назад

iBlade.

@bensartakamcas1n126 6 лет назад

Actually i got nothing to say *POMMELS* :D :P

@wisewizard9552 6 лет назад

I came in comments just to see this comment. I'm satisfied.

@bensartakamcas1n126 6 лет назад

Wise Wizard You welcome

@KirkWilliams300 6 лет назад

Sword sparring with other martial artists is one of the most exhilarating experiences I have had in my life, so I can say for me my love for swords comes from this joy

@Adrian_Lee6113 5 лет назад

Not a regular viewer, but I’ve become quite fond of Skal and his videos. Keep going, man, you’re awesome.

@montybigbore6158 6 лет назад

Sounds of the SWORD . The sword has the life in ITSELF. Elegant yet Brutal. It Speaks through its being. Club = Primal weapon effective but Swords = Refined Evaluation Weapon.

@RuSosan 6 лет назад

8:35 I can't be the only one who thought "Phallic symbolism" in this bit? It's pointy, men love playing with it, it's pulled out of a sheath so that it can be pushed into other people... xD

@johnclarke7626 5 лет назад

Very perceptive. The Latin word for sword sheath is indeed "vagina."

@FlorenceFox 5 лет назад

I definitely think phallic symbolism plays a role in the appeal of swords. It's certainly not the whole reason, but I think it's a factor.

@Eclipsol 4 года назад

@@johnclarke7626 Vaina*

@RadishAcceptable 6 лет назад

Am I the only one that sets the phone down and lets the ads play for Skal's and other tubers that I like a lot?

@TheWVgoodguy22 6 лет назад

I always enjoy your insight on such matters Skall, even if it does turn into a rambling session at times. I really don't mind at all. You definitely hit on some rather good points. Your channel is the reason I have Kult of Athena up on my fav tabs and drool at all the weapons that I wish I had, perhaps when I get my own place I will slowly start a collection which hopefully will include some that I make, because I want to get into blacksmithing/bladesmithing and jump down that rabbit hole too. :) lol

@JoeyTheGreat 6 лет назад

Because they are awesome end of video lol

@IndigoXYZ18 6 лет назад

More of a pommel guy personally. Das jus me tho.

@csrtitus 6 лет назад

Subbed to you since around 10000. Crazy how far you've come.

@almarc 6 лет назад

That's some content i expect from you, Skal! I mean, cutting is pretty interesting at times, but.. That's not educational enough, not interesting enough. That's more of a show, than a real value. History is one of the most misunderstood science there is, so it is awesome to know a little bit more about it from someone, whom is interesting to listen to and who knows what he's talking about.

@Ilamarea 6 лет назад

Swords ARE more effective against unarmed and unarmored peasants. When you have a polearm you can be rushed and grappled. But if you have a sword and you keep it back and you can hold the opponent with your off-hand and jab jab jab as many as dare come near you. If you have armor in that scenario you are basically a terminator which explains why nobles stayed nobles and peasants stayed peasants. Besides a sword is easy to carry around and you are not going to bother with carrying a spear if you are a nobleman.

@ninjahombrepalito1721 6 лет назад

I think the main reason the sword is more popular is because they were more common. Only soldiers in battlefields had things like warhammers. Swords, civilians and law enforcers had them.

@kiki10020 6 лет назад

They were more popular because they were more common? Did they grow on trees?

@ninjahombrepalito1721 6 лет назад

DoctorProfessor no, but average people did get them from blacksmiths for personal defense, did carry them around for personal defense. Law enforcement also had them. Swords were the handguns of the late middle ages. Spears and warhammers and such were like the AR-15 of the middle ages. And axes like the pellet hand guns, I guess.

@colemarie9262 6 лет назад

I was always led to believe it was the opposite- like swords were for nobility due to cost and social norms.

@mutchney 6 лет назад

Swords were extremely expensive, more so than any other weapon, not even counting the cost of training. A sword would be a family heirloom that would have been inherited off of a great-grandfather or something. Civilians would only have pole-arms, quarterstaves and cheap knifes. Guards would use cudgels as their main weapon, as they're less lethal and you don't need training to use one, unlike a sword which would be incredibly expensive to learn how to use properly

@mutchney 6 лет назад

Also, most blacksmiths would not know how to make a sword. Weapon-smiths and armor-smiths were specialised trades

@bubbles8871 4 года назад

You could also note that a use a sword has over other weapons was during a shield wall. In the Last Kingdom series (the books, not the show) the protagonist is always noting that he carried a longsword and a sax (or short sword). In a shield wall, there is no room for maneuvering, and so the longsword would prove cumbersome. The sax however was a blade used to strike underneath the shield into the enemy. Of course axes would be useful due to their natural crushing power, but it'd be better to have both rather than just one. A tactic for the shield wall was placing a sword wielder next to an axe wielder, then a sword wielder then an axe and so on. This is because the axe user would hook the top of an enemy's shield and tip it forward, leaving them exposed to the neighbor's sword strike. Keep in mind that the Last Kingdom takes place in mid-to-late 9th century England (800's) and so the variety of weapons was less than in later periods, due to both the expense making some weapons rarer than others (like swords, hence status) as well as some not being created yet.

@Cysubtor_8vb 6 лет назад

The main reason I've always heard for why swords were the common sidearm is them being more convenient to carry than typical battlefield weapons such as polearms while remaining more effective (with less force) than clubs and whatnot. Similarly, that's why daggers were also popular as they were even more convenient to carry. The visuals of swords definitely factor in, however, especially in later eras, but also in various media as giving the hero a sword invoke all the imagery of long, shiny blades clashing and also a sense of closeness vs longer reaching weapons. Plus, again, it's convenient to have a sword on oneself while venturing around (similar to modern handguns; hence Bond with his .25 Beretta and .32 PPK) within a narrative vs bigger, likely more effective weapons that wouldn't be something easy and/or socially acceptable to causally walk around with (like having Bond attempt to mingle while carrying a heavy machine gun, lol).

@TrueMentorGuidingMoonlight 6 лет назад

Get two swords: one steel, one silver ;)

@noger1234 6 лет назад

I perfer maces

@christiandauz3742 6 лет назад

Isn't a mace a bad weapon to use against a swordsman? I feel like the swordsman can just poke the mace dude to death

@0clock275 6 лет назад

@@christiandauz3742 Mace guy wins if both have armor Sword guy wins if both don't have armor

@ozoneharbinger923 6 лет назад

Another sweet video dude, you need to make a video on 40k power swords, storm shields, and chain axes

@Sahfiel13 6 лет назад

Much like a Floran, I like sturdy spears because the pointy end goes toward bad guy and the longer stick helps it get there faster. Then you get to omnom the humans and in this case it makes a good shishkebab dealie. You can even grip it closer and then its a more maneuverable pokey stick. It is a fine art of stabby stab. A nice improvised shieldy shield helps alot too, that way if they try to get all frisky you can bop 'em fierce or keep 'em at bay. Yes.

@Mogzuni 6 лет назад

Ayy lmao

@TheGodTell 6 лет назад

yes! that point about fashion item is frequently overlooked.. the majority of military sabre nowadays are not sharp at all, it's mostly a decorative item for officers

@giorgiannicartamancini3917 6 лет назад

I think one of the reasons for swords popularity is the ease of transportation, they are more imposing than an axe or a dagger but hey can still be worn as an everyday garment, plus, the scabbard is almost as long as the weapon and can be decorated

@M6nst6r6 6 лет назад

I think important part of swords, that you could carry those pretty much everywhere unlike polearms. You could use them on battlefield, on event, and near bed at home. Unless of course, you were using greatsword.

@FuzzyMarineVet 5 лет назад

There was a lot of practical versatility to a sword designed to cut and thrust that cannot be duplicated with a mace or spear. Travelling through the woods in the Smoky Mountains, you can appreciate a long cutting blade the first time you are tangled in a brier patch.

@lflintx 6 лет назад

Someone asked before for what are those little holes that some blades like the one on 15:00. Those holes are usually to put ornamental rings in it. Rings that also can be used to catch blades or spears tips from an opponent.

@redactedcanceledcensored6890 3 года назад

No one seems to have mentioned that shields, sticks, spear shafts and axe handles had to be replaced when they got cut up. Swords were pretty good for parrying, portable and more cut resistant: a great backup if your shield or polearm gets wrecked.

@jamesrogers1391 6 лет назад

There's something mythological about the sword, I agree. The hero is almost always given a sword as the tool for his quest. I think it has something to do with this idea I have that your victory or defeat when holding a sword is more dependent upon your own skill than with any other weapon. There's this idea that when you fight with a sword it becomes an extension of yourself. Is makes sense: a swordsman relies not only upon his body (which of course must be strong), but his mind and creativity. Because of this, fighting with a sword is akin to entering into combat armed with your own self. Combat, especially one-on-one combat, then becomes the judge between individuals and their modes of being. It's compelling.

@corazzinatanner498 6 лет назад

Also to the point of aesthetics. It's an interesting point. Take for instance the gladius you showed. It's not as elegant as your longsword, but just in its simplistic military design, gives it's on aesthetic quality. That's comparable, again to modern weapons. An M4 or AK is not a beautiful piece, but it's practical design gives way to its own imposing look. Your Albion Messer is very simple in design, but is absolutely gorgeous, because its not overly complicated. It's form and function give way to its beauty. Thanks for doing this video. It really got the brain juices flowing.

@longline 6 лет назад

Great video (rambling contributes to the necessary breadth of the subject). GLISTENING is definitely not silly. Reflections were otherworldly and a big deal ceremonially in many places for a long time. Take bronze mirrors in ancient Japan, and ceremonial deposits /offerings in European ponds. Early swords will have fallen in to the same category for being shiny /reflective. Reflections are decidedly mystical in early cultures.

@cocopud 6 лет назад

They are arguably easier to carry on the hip than most alternatives, since they are generally quite flat when seen edge on. This probably made them the EDC weapon of the pre-gunpowder world. Most swords are effective along their entire length, at least for slashing, especially if they are double edged. A pole arm or spear becomes less effective if an enemy gets inside its range, since only the 'business end' is sharp or pointy. The shaft could also be grabbed, preventing the user from using it effectively. The enemy may even be able to disarm them by yanking the shaft from the wielder's grip. Attempting to do this with a sword may result in a badly injured hand, possibly even lost fingers. Short swords are probably easier to use one handed than maces and the like, which is important if you are using a shield. For these reasons, swords were probably the ideal defensive weapon.

@smashdown0776 6 лет назад

Congrats on 1 mill my friend!

@MajoraZ 6 лет назад

I think it's interesting that despite the geographic isolated, the lack of calvary and how that changed warfare, and despite not using metal in weaponry, that in Mesoamerica swords (or their closest equivalent to them, being Macuahuitl) were ALSO associated with elite warriors and nobility, though Macuahuitl did see more widespread use in warfare then swords generally did in europe, often forming a significant part of an army's armament, probably due to the lack of calvary, though Polearms were still very very common.

@tomaszwinger8909 6 лет назад

In my opinion it's the versatility. I always wieved the sword as a jack of all trades weapon because of the many ways you can use it and the many types in which it exists. It might not have the specialisations of certain polearms and other weapons but it also often doesn't have the disadvantages.It also heavily depends on the type of sword but overall for me it's the versatility, abillity to adapt and also the ways in which you can use it.

@BUZZKILLJRJR Год назад

The safety and security gives you at least you have a chance to defend yourself. It's got to feel good to know that you can at least have an even playing field and a warning.