Japanese Katana Vs European Broadsword

Many Experts agree that the Katana is the finest cutting blade second only to a modern
scalpel.
Although this clip is biased towards the Katana's abilities, it does show just how fast and effortless the Katana cuts and can follow up with another strike even though the wielder doesn't appear to be the most skilled.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• martial
• arts
• kendo
• katana
• japan
• japanese
• cutting
• sword
• broadsword
• tameshigiri
• cut
• bamboo

[WitheringintheDark]

@IlluminaZero

Kinda sad, I guess, but encouraging as well. Means less and less are believing the media bullshit and researching things for themselves.

[IlluminaZero]

It's sort of sad that random youtube comments are more historically accurate than the history channel. I especially like the cut off point -- Where we are supposed to believe that Samurai refused to wear armor and were equipped with only the Katana.

[WitheringintheDark]

@DeathtoRaiden1

The katana is roughly similar to the widely used 'messer' singled-edged curved sword in europe(or sabers for that matter). It would be a nightmare for the standard infantryman that did not possess a complete suit of mail or better, parting through leather and flesh easily.

It is perfect for unarmored civilian duels and ambushes in constricted urban areas as well, with the iaido strike.

And yes, a LS would do just fine in Japan, with training.

[WitheringintheDark]

@DeathtoRaiden1

You are correct that it cannot cut through riveted mail, but neither can knightly swords. However, some knightly blades had tips fine enough to pierce Through the links in the mail, whereas the broad, cutting optimized katana tip generally cannot.

You also can't halfsword a katana like you can a longsword, nor is the pommel as heavy and weaponized, and the LS larger crossguard is better for defensive measures such as tripping, trapping, binding, ect.

[WitheringintheDark]

@DeathtoRaiden1

Katana can deflect blows with the flat of the blade or catch them on the thick spine as easily as any european sword can. Such can be seen from examples of historic katana that have been in battle, showcasing slight scratches on the flat and by the handguard and small nicks on the spine . Of course, outright avoidance or counter-attacking was preferred in both cases.

[WitheringintheDark]

@gunfighter964

Yeah, it's a display of skill in which the less skilled wielder of the knightly sword lost. It could also be a poorly balanced reproduction sword. It's somewhat difficult to get accurate, balanced reproductions of european swords due to decades of misconceptions about them as well as manufacturers looking to cut costs and pander to misinformed customers.

Railstar's video is a good demonstration of capability and skill.

[Railstarfish]

@gunfighter964 To be fair, the guy with the "broadsword" (bad terminology) doesn't know what he is doing. No one needs to make swings that big. For comparison, look at this - /watch?v=FQeTwRVKq7o - AT1557CuttingFromScabbard on ShooterMikeSBG Youtube Channel.

[gunfighter964]

the thing i found impressive about the katana was the speed. The katana managed 3 cuts in the time it took the broadsword to do one, and the broadsword wielder was slightly off balance after the second cut

[DeathtoRaiden1]

A well made broadsword or longsword will always be superior to a katana. A katana wouldn't be a very good weapon to have on an European battlefield, it's cutting power would be outmatched by anything above and including chainmail, and it's not as good a piercing weapon as the European swords, on the other hand a European sword would do just fine in Japan. Katanas are actually pretty brittle. You're not supposed to parry or deflect blows with your sword, which is not true for the European ones.