"A light sword" Topic

If you are a barbarian doing a lot of slashing and swashbuckling, should your sword be light or heavy?
Wouldn't the blade be more likely to lop off a head or a limb if it had some weight behind the edge?
I am balancing this with the ease of swinging it, and not tiring out.

I know that Valyrian steel blades in Game of Throens are very light…

I am basing this on a summer job I once had, cracking cast iron pipe with a sledge hammer. (Yes, it was a lot of fun…)
I always took the heavier one, because it cracked the joints better.
I have zero experience swinging swords. Hitting the pipe in the right spot helped a lot.

A light sword like a rapier is quicker but more fragile against a sabre or cutlass.

I'd go with the cutlass for close action in a mob.
Sabres are good for a charge through an opposing formation.
Rapiers are good for fencing one-on-one where you need to be quick.

Heavy is usually better in a group fight. Look at vikings for inspiration. Nothing like a hand axe to help convince your opponents that your way is the right way.

I vote for the katana. Light, easily swung, and capable of taking your head off and the head of the man beside you.

Swash your buckles all you want.

"Gunner, Target, Mob in the open, Beehive!"

"On the waaaayyyyyyy!"

Next.

Eric

gimme a light sabre anytime

Given it is a light sword, no weight is really necessary, other than the balance needed for the weapon.

Presumably, it is more "efficient" than a very sharp, katana-like, metal edged weapon.

Aren't you supposed to use the point? Stab, not slash?

Depends on the sword. Some are made for stabbing while some are made for slashing.

Do I know ahead of time what my opponenets are wearing armor wise?
Do I know if I am fighting just one or a whole crowd?

If not then I would go for some middle ground like a medium heavy saber with a good grip, nice heft, maintained sharp (but neither the bastard sword from D&D or the rapier of the three musketiers). Perhaps the Katana but not really my style and not really intended to buckle-swashes.

Swordcane-a blade and a shortstick-more tactical options

Or those Cruise Ghurka Knives from House Of Flying Daggers

Or six 13-round 9mm pistols from a John Woo movie.

While I prefer fire arms in every circumstance. I have been known to use a sword in the past. My past experience has been that a good broad sword that is well balanced is an excellent general purpose hacker and stabber. If one is in good physical shape they're not as tiring as one might think.

A sword specializing for taking out iron pipe:

You're welcome, John!

Am I seeing body jewellery, or swirls of icing?

Oh, right -- swords. In the absence of other criteria, I might opt for something like the sword associated with Henry V:

link

It's short and light, with a good compromise design for cutting or thrusting. I suppose it should be used together with a shield. Without a shield I might opt for something more like a German longsword.

Ron

Didn't they cover this in Rob Roy?

YouTube link

I personally own 6 real fighting swords from light reapers 2.2 lbs to a full 2 hand great sword 4.3 lbs. all are very good at stabbing with lighter being faster to get on target but easier to perry all all of them can cut your arm off.

Swords don't stand alone and the variations over the years have all represented responses to the armour technology of the time, so as Col Scott0again said it depends what your opponent is wearing.

For example the medieval two-hander had two styles of use and fight-books exist for both unarmoured long sword (big hollywood style slashing) and armoured longsword (close grappling and beating his helmet out of shape with your pommel until you can kneel on his chest and shove your sword point through his visor).

Robert

Generally speaking, the thrusting swords work best — even the Germans taught thrusts (though they pretended it was a way to defend yourself from the foul Italians). How heavy the actual sword does, indeed, depend on your enemy's equipment.

If you only got one, a good longsword would probably be the right choice.

And a quick word about the Japanese — they always look good, but if there's a hard way to do something, expect the Japanese to do it.

Against Chain/scale/plate you need a heavy sword, the default weapon against these was axe/mace/hammer as you wanted a lot of bludgeon, you don't need to penetrate plate to break the bones behind.

Against good quality metal armour, Katanna is a one hit wonder.

For general and unarmed melee, rapier or British Cavalry Sabre Why the British one, well it was complained about as being too good at slach/slice and dice and was in some way unfair because of it.)

If rapier, then a Maine Gauche or Poniard in the other hand.

As with Rrobbyrobot, I have found balance will remove a lot of fatigue. Medium length and a keen edge aimed at joints will do a lot of damage.
I have a Clamore-personally too long
My Indian army issue Khukri I find akward
1907 17" (sword)bayonet for SMLE MkI very sharp point & keen edge. Great for upward thrust but would only rate an average for slashing.
As skippy0001 My East African Swordcane rough workmansip but SURPRISE!! a sword and a stick. Double options. Would only (have) use point.

Personally my choice would be my 10" machette ($US3 in East Africa) Not much point (wouldn't bother), but keen edge, lightish to swing but enough hacking weight to make really big cuts count. Can swing pretty much most of the day and it's still ringing at teatime.
Depending on the effect desired it can happily use the wrist,elbow or shoulder to deliver the hit.
In a group situation you can make a very big impact upon your opponents mates with dealing out big ugly gashes.Ensure you have a strop through/around the "pommel" or hilt. A glancing or flat blow can knock it out of your hand.

I'm also a fan of the long sword. A very high quality steel blade can take a huge amount of punishment and still be a going concern. Get it with a hand and a half hilt so that you can two hand it against the battle helms and rock their world and still one hand fence with the weapon. I own two different types.

I also have a very nice Henry V sword from Valiant, and it's a monster. Not light at all and a real man killer. A thick base on the blade for defending and an incredible point. Very heavy hilt, it's actually hilt heavy. Not a very long blade, though. I think Oakshotte classes it as a broadsword rather than a long sword.

Now go and work those arm, shoulder and back muscles. The regular users of these weapons would look like apes in today's world.